Only Red Wines

Alboloduy wine list price

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:16:00 +0000

Wines from cellar

List of retail prices of Valencia (VAT and postage included).

Minimum order 6 bottles, can be varied.

Phone: +34 629 87 60 82 / jpv1970@gmail.com

Type of wines: ROSE

Varieties: Syrah 2011

Fermentation: Maceration on dry ice

Fermentation temperature: 15 º C

Aging: No

Bright cherry pink
fruity aromas
balanced
Soft palate and intense

7,50 EUROS

Type of wines: DRY WHITE

Fermentation: Maceration on dry ice

Varieties: Jaen Blanca 2011

Fermentation temperature: 15 º C

Temperatura fermentación: 15º C

Aging: No

Pale gold
Fruity aromas (apple, apricot)
balanced acidity
Mineral. Final complex and persistent

7,50 EUROS

Type of wines:: RED OAK 2008

Varieties: Tempranillo, Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon

Fermentation: macerating grape skins

Fermentation temperature: 28 º C

Ageing: 6 months American oak barrel. 6 months in bottle.

Intense violet red
Aromas of ripe fruits with notes of vanilla and toast, resulting in tasty mouth, wide and with good structure.

7,50 EUROS

Type of Wine: RED OAK 2007

Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon

Fermentation: macerating grape skins

Fermentation temperature: 28 º C

Malolactic fermentation at 20 ° C

Aging: 12 months French oak barrel. 12 months in bottle.

Intense dark cherry red and bright
Aromas of spices (cinnamon, pepper) and ripe fruit (gooseberry). The palate is broad and complex, expressive and well structured, with a long lingering finish.

16 EUROS

Type of Wine: RED OAK 2005

Varieties: Syrah

Fermentation: macerating grape skins

Fermentation temperature: 28 º C

Malolactic fermentation at 20 ° C

Aging: 12 months French oak barrel. 12 months in bottle.

Intense cherry color purple, well covered
Intense and complex nose with aromas of violets and ripe red fruit. The palate is elegant and balanced with soft tannins and round, expressive, with a lingering finish.

19 EUROS

Type of Wine: RED OAK 2007

Varieties: Syrah

Fermentation: macerating grape skins

Fermentation temperature: 28 º C

Malolactic fermentation at 20 ° C

Aging: 12 months French oak barrel. 12 months in bottle.

Intense cherry color purple, well covered
Intense and complex nose with aromas of violets and ripe red fruit. The palate is elegant and balanced with soft tannins and round, expressive, with a lingering finish.

18 EUROS

Wines from Almeria go to Valencia

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:38:00 +0000

On Tuesday, day 18 of the present and facing one of the largest seating capacity of the last exercises on the Club de enófilos of Valencia, La Bodega de Alboloduy of Almeria, within the appelation of Ribera del Andarax, presented their wines in Valencia.

Following the presentation of the winery and its surroundings by its owner, D. Francisco Calvache , we went to taste varieties almost, almost extinct today and southeastern native Spanish as the Jaén Blanca. In this variety we tasted the 2010 vintage and the 2011 premiere, still bottled but not especially different.

Also tasted the wine premiere rosé, flower harvest of a grape wine syrah, then surprised us in the working aged 2005 and 2007 with 12 and 18 months aging in oak barrels. A well structured syrah, without edges still very much alive, ripe red fruit, oral explosion and the 2005 vintage smoothness of edges in 2007, still trading, but soon we will have this vintage on the market, Cristina Calvache Collection is his name.

The Collection Cristina Calvache Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, also came from 12 months in barrel, had to wait a few minutes in the glass to show its full potential, a robust wine, powerful aromas of ripe black fruit, spices, cocoa coverage ... promising wine, not for tasting, accompanied by a strong best roast or stew meat, game and sumptuous dishes and clean your tanning needs fats and proteins that remain in our mouth when we eat foods such as those mentioned above.

Finally a wonderful tasting I hope we bring supporters to the cause of different wines or author, always looking to find suggestive emotions and feelings that lead out of the boring and routine.

Children painting barrels in Vera de Estenas

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 08:25:00 +0000

This past Saturday at the winery Vera de Estenas, a member of the DO Utiel-Requena, has held a family event and aimed specifically for children, I mean the painted barrels to round off the end of this harvest in the vintage 2011.

Success sounded and left more than attendance and participation, more than 100 people, children and adults having fun on the outside of the cellar, the smallest part that left us a nice souvenir art painting over twenty barrels , the winery made available to the attendees, and moreover adults with guided tasting of the prestigious sommelier Pere Mercado with three wines, prepared by the winery, which were tasted at the event.

Younger children had a fabulous wine unfermented grape Bobal, while older began with a Cava Brut (sparkling wine) tasting made from Macabeo and Chardonnay varieties.

The two red wines that accompanied the tasting two wines were quite successful, the case of Merlot fermented in barrel Martinez Bermell was able to appreciate the wine qualities of many fruits, vanilla aromas, freshness and youth.

The second red wine is tasted a Vera de Estenas Crianza 2008, a wine 'coupage' of Bobal, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, who spent 10 months in French oak casks and refined in one-year deposit and get a wine bottle elegant, with aromas of wood, but closely integrated with a perfect harmony with ripe red fruit, soft tannins and a freshness quite lively due to its balanced acidity.

To all this, small works of art ended and the parents had the opportunity to visit the winery and enjoy the beautiful day, fortunately, it was great in this first meteorological October to the harvest in the Utiel winery.

Grapes tasting in the Manchuela

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Finca Collado, the expression of terroir

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:58:00 +0000

By March of this year, after I taste a great white wine of 2010, I had want to visit the bodega Finca Collado, a small bodega of inside of Alicante (Spain), who I had heard press very well of his wines and people of theese, in special of my friend Riki Wigley.

María del Carmen, the commercial soul of the bodega, I had known and the young enologist of it, Joan, that makes a magistral wines, and today I had known Guillermo, people that work the soil, specialy it because theese are very good for vine farming. The bodegas has situated near from Salinas, an ancient lake of salt desiccate, this soil is specialy sandy and alkaline and difficult for the farming another plants

This morning, invited by Maria del Carmen, my friend Riki, my family and me take the road for going for know the bodega, terroir and people that works in this project. Yes, we have found the site when the vine farming is ideal, very much sunny in summer, differences in temperature from day to night, different soils in the same terroir and a wind pass permanently that do that the vine not need a treatment spececific, only the sulfur for preventing diseases.

When we had arrived, Joan was cooking a rice with sea fruits, and Guillermo and Maria del Carmen offers us an appetizer with the wine white that elaborate in the bodega. At the lunch time, we tasted all the wines of the bodega, white, rosé, and red young and aged in oak barrels.

In reference to wines, I remember the sensations that these resulted in the last spring, today I have tasted again, and some of these have winners an important awards in the last concurses of wines in Spain. (II Premio dels Bodeguers 2011 and Baco de Bronce 2011 ).

I refer to Finca Collado Blanco 2010, a coupage 50% of Chardonnay and 50% of Muscat aged in french oak barrels to 6 month, the wine look a golden yellow and brilliant, at nose has fruits simmilar to apricot and has a mature grape, when wine pass by mouth is very fresh and fruitly, and in the last taste the muscat grape and the vanilla does a perfectly for appetizers and to eat fish soft sauced and poultry, too for sharing with the best company.

The rosé and red wines, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, are very round and smell are very fruit, in the mouth are very soft, including the wines that are passing 12 month barrels french and american oak. The mature cherry, strawberry, a coffe taste in the last and the wines are remembering the marmalade of red fruits.

In a glass all the wines are clean and brilliant, with long legs, very intense nose and soft in mouth. The conclusion is that all the wines come from a ideal climate and an unique soil for farming. Also I can say that the winemaker and the farmer had made a good work making a spectacular wines.

I think that the Finca Collado wines are the must represent the best of Alicante, thanks to the climate, soil and people that do these, I hope that the future the wines will be more spectaculars and recovering the oldest tradition of Alicante wines.

Señorio de Monterruíz video

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 08:36:00 +0000

This is a great experiencie with nature and the rural world. Good meals, fantastic wines and friendly people.

Bodegas Cueva, a commitment to the natural

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:27:00 +0000

Sometimes you do not know that close to home is a treasure, and I speak not of precious metal, but jewelry natural landscapes filled with nature, vineyards, villages and farms, and above all phenomenal people and their projects to recover the natural environment and above all enjoy it, getting this off for wine and other spirits with soul and friendly environment.

Had long wanted to find one aura of happiness and positive thoughts and interestingly I found yesterday at a meeting of friends, some old known and others who knew first physically.

Requena we headed to where we stayed for the first time with Vicente and Elaina, a couple to we agree on the real world (after making it through the network) and who came to spend a day with friends. To do this we walked the 12 kms between the town of Requena and his village of La Portera, a small enclave on the N330 direction Albacete, and through the Campo de Arcis and a landscape dominated by vineyards on the mythical 'land red 'feature fields Utiel-Requena reached within 20 minutes.

Was nearly lunchtime to arrive at the village, so he arranged for it in La Sarten, a chic little restaurant located in the Calle Mayor of La Portera, where we taste some typical dishes of the area as ajoarriero, gazpacho in the area (similar to Manchego) and other foods that helped us to face the afternoon we were coming.

Crossing the street we find the wooden door, which flanked on its left side by an imposing tree, giving rise to the entrance to the patio of Bodegas CUEVA. There was Adela who welcomed us great and something told me that the evening would be very intense and interesting. While waiting for Mariano, winemaker, and some people, Adela made us a coffee and we nuts on a table beneath a young fig tree, where he began to forge a friendly gathering beautiful and full of interest for attendees.

As Mariano arrived, we continued the veiled and after a while we started to talk relaxed natural tasting wines that the winery produces. The CUEVA project holds about being respectful to our environment by choosing grapes to produce wines of the most natural way possible, letting the logic organic cycles of each process follow proper compliance without using chemicals or additives to achieve a wine by itself be able to say where it came from.

The winery produces two red wines we tasted commercial vintage in 2006 and 2007. The first red wine is not passing through oak, of the Tempranillo, Bobal and Grenache, vinified separately and then form the 'coupage' final. This wine is very much alive and well evolved aromas of red fruits and black, the more mature wine from 2006 and 2007, more fresh and youthful, spicy aromas of menthol, dairy, yeast and rounded tannins and refined after his rest in the bottle.

The 2006 and 2007 matured in oak barrels, oak from different places, with a smooth and fine-grain toast, they steer the wine with the same coupage, to toast aromas and flavors, with other spices such as vanilla, coffee, cocoa, ... but in the cup evolve to become more integrated with those sweets and fruit compotes touch.

To pause the tasting and time of gathering around the wines, visit the ancient underground wineries trulli or the farmhouse which hosts the winery and the rest of the cellar, underground modern utensils and converted into the perfect place for aging wines, both in cask and in bottle, and discover the best kept secrets of the cellar, not commercially available, for now, for the same and we could enjoy.

As an example a white wine from Macabeo, having some yeast to continue fermenting in the bottle and has a point petillant without becoming a sparkling and not clarified nor stable, with what appears to turbidity, but the palate is different. A cava (we are in Requena) Macabeo and Chardonnay, made by the traditional method, without the use of fining or addition of sugar, and yeast must simply resting in these presses and we have taken remembering tastes and aromas that today are difficult to find in the working business.

We also found a Bobal wine, made with reduction techniques, harvesting overripe and desire for experiment and know that could happen to undertake such a venture. I can tell you is the closest thing to ragweed taking the Olympian gods and then also tasted ginger marc found even more surprises we had, but it was a little late and decided to leave so nice meeting you and hope to repeat tell us more about this spectacular project.

Return to Manchuela

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:13:00 +0000

Organize a trip to the 'Señorío de Monterruíz' this weekend, a place where, surrounded by vine and grain fields, we have the opportunity to experience the peace and quiet, very rare in the urban environment.

Eleven people we met there to spend the day with the owners of this rural resort and winery, where we visited all the facilities thereof. The animal poultry with pen, the small garden where vegetables and fruits provide that after the food is tasted, always in season, the house which has two rooms to enjoy a fewdays of tranquility and rural life and the cellar, where wines rest in clay pots and bottles that already contain part of the harvest.

Your stay here provides moments of relaxation, friendly conversation and when it comes to food, wine uncorking are going we will enjoy while serving tapas typical home Mancha (ratatouille, sausages killing, toasted bread, fried cheese, eggs in poultry ...), passes through the glasses of white Airen very little production, made entirely of clay pot, a fresh wine with marked acidity and green apple and tropical aromas that whet the appetite and the diner's mouth.

With advancing tasting and appetizers, are opening the first carbonic maceration wines of Bobal, also limited edition, and the sensory blast picks up the aromas of fresh red fruit, violets and menthol very soft. While the vine shoots are attaching themselves to grill lamb chops and smells of the fire along with the flavors of Bobal Joven Selection 2010, a greasy and structured wine, fruit of a selection ends up giving an intense juice but still very soft mouth, reminding the ripe black fruit and spices very minty, ideal for enjoying these grilled steaks of branches of the year, so fragrant and this came to be enjoying the food.

And in the dessert after the fruit and homemade egg custard in a double boiler, we turn to taste a chocolate-covered almonds made using traditional methods who paired with a sweet homemade bobal makes the taste buds , and full of tastes and flavors of the plains of La Mancha.

After coffee and conversation and as a sunset stroll through the terroir of the area, to lower food and learn about the vines and fields which supplies the cellar. In short another day to rest, relax, drink and eat great and in good company.

Tenerife, island of wines

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Wed, 11 May 2011 10:46:00 +0000

Surprisingly for me I have found that mini-continent in the Canary island of Tenerife lies a treasure trove wine, five different designations of origin (DO Tacoronte-Acentejo, DO Ycod-Daute-Isora, DO Valle de Güimar, DO Abona, DO Valle de la Orotava) make this land of wine, with different climates and terroirs, white and red varieties, most of them native to produce excellent wines and have been fortunate to taste, many of the wineries I've visited.

The islands group is located in the Atlantic northwest coast of Africa, are volcanic islands, the climate is subtropical, but varies locally depending on altitude and slope north and south. This variability leads to biological diversity, along with the rich landscape and geology make finding different terroirs and adaptability of the vines and produce different wines in each area.

Tenerife is the largest island and relief, known as the island of 'eternal spring' has different types of soils and climates, Spain's highest peak is Mount Teide, 3,718 meters above sea level, a large emerging volcano in the center of the island and the formation of this natural area so special.

The cultivation of vines in the archipelago, especially in Tenerife was founded after the conquest, when settlers brought vine varieties and prove the nobility acquired Canarian wines. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the wine reaches a large weight in the economy of Tenerife for many families who were engaged in cultivation and subsequent business. Deserves special mention Canary Malvasía, which came to be considered the best wine in the world and was coveted by European courts and the largest wineries in Europe and America. The island currently has five denominations of origin: Abona, Valle de Guimar, Valle de LaOrotava, Tacoronte-Acentejo and Ycod-Daute-Isora.

The different denominations of origin are distributed in the north of the island as Valle de La Orotava, Tacoronte-Acentejo and Ycod-Daute-Isora, more fertile areas with richer soils and more humid weather due to moisture Northwest winds laden with moisture, called trade winds, which at different heights of the island, make the cultivation of the vine as possible and get good yields, but with a rather long cycle crops. DO Valle de Güimar is located in the east of the island, with a drier climate and terroir called 'jable', a sandstone from volcanic ash rather poor but suitable for cultivation of certain varieties, in areas near to the coast, all white, and also influenced by the trade winds in high soil is clay loam and plantations can be found up to 1,500 meters. The area south of the island, belonging to the DO Abona, with a climate similar to Mediterranean floors 'jable' is also quite complicated for growing grapes, but as the altitude and the interior of the zone, soil become more clay and gives good yields and outstanding quality, even for altitudes above 1,000 meters.

Concerning grape varieties, there are over 20 varieties, registered and indigenous to the island such as Listán Blanco y Listán Negro, Malvasia, Gual, Marmajuelo, Vijariego, Baboso Negro, Negramoll, Muscat, Tintilla, Verdello .. . with differences depending on the area, mentioning that the traditional vine crops using a kind of twisted vines in traditional allowing the plant to grow in a 'parralito' and spreading the floor with a shaped beam hairpin, there are also glass and trellis plantings.

The wines are quite different from one area to the other, predominantly white semi-sweet, dry and natural sweet wines, especially white-headed duck, delicious, fruity, are also pink and red traditional Listán Negro, youth and fruity, carbonic maceration wines also is common to find some wineries. Rearing of wines are quite short (between 1 and 4 months) and give it to the wine a touch of wood, but without losing the fruit, for me the success of these fabulous wines.

Apart from the wineries that produce bottled wines, is also typical in the north of the island, many farmers prepare their wine for own consumption or to be enjoyed in the garages of the houses along typical Canarian food, it's called guachinche, and end the day with some tapas and a fourth home canary wine is quite picturesque and traditional.

Altitude wines, wine Alboloduy

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:51:00 +0000

Taking advantage of a spring weekend and invited by Paco Calvache, put Alboloduy direction, a small town in the province of Almeria, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada natural park.

Our mission was to learn firsthand the terroir and the wine makers of Alboloduy cellar, why not first person and certainly got it thanks to our friends who were perfect hosts.

We stayed at the family home Calvache, kindly gave us his farm, where we breathe peace and quiet both nights we did in this population.

The winery is just outside the entrance to the city, is a small cellar and well-organized and utilized, we can find the reception area of winemaking, barrel aging room and bottled product. Paco then gave us to taste some wines to be launched soon, such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon wines Collection Cristina Calvache, of course winemaker and daughter of Paco, it gives the personal touch to the wines after Paco fabulous work in the vineyard.

Sample bottles we tasted some of the first to be produced and stored in the cellar, and we set out to prepare for the journey to the heights, to discover the secret and therefore, this small winery can produce wines as different and fabulous.

The climb to Montenegro, the mountain the right side of the river Nacimiento, Alboloduy view from an impressive massif in which we can see just up the guns that leaves the avenue leading to the valley, creating a natural impressive and hard to describe without seeing it, 'in situ', a landscape that goes up and where we find ways based geological sandstone, slate and quartzite, of a mountain that was once difficult to ascend, but now there is a forest track which gives us access to a normal vehicle, but we climbed to a 4x4.

As we leave the south ascend the Cabo de Gata, west the Sierra de Gador with their snowy peaks to the east Mojácar and the desert of Tabernas and reaching about 1,000 meters. spotted around the highest peaks of Sierra Nevada as the Veleta. We finally got to a shelter where Paco has a few hectares of vines Jaen Blanca centenary, the terroir is striking, compact strains stand out among a sea of slate and quartzite, of an estate of the beginning to see the terraces after the hard work of Paco and his tractor, to give shape to this small mountain area and also allow use of moisture in a dry climate and facing south.

Perfect stop for preparing to provide food, that fire went vines and branches to enjoy gourmet cooking, wine and heavenly with spectacular views and an unimaginable peace and tranquility in this life so hasty that we live.

After this break, we visit places almost a altitude of 1,300 meters, where we find these varieties as native and special, all with more than half a century, that resist the hard conditions that dictated by climate and soil, until then the wine cellar gets the Jaén Blanca remarkable characteristics, fruit, mineral, salt, long after-taste and unique in the world.

Paco has planted more varieties such as Chardonnay, Viognier, Gewürztraminer, ... to know their adaptation to the altitude and region and to develop this type of wine in the future with them.

Tempranillo, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon are also grown in height in places like El Campillo, with a more clayey soil, but also high levels between 700 and 1,000 meters, getting fruits that evolve seamlessly into long aging without losing their origin and gain in freshness and elegance.

After the visit to the farms, we completed the sabbatical day to rest and make a visit on the morning of Sunday the people that make this region of the Alpujarra, as, Terque, Instinción, Ohanes ...

In the end, we close with a meal among friends and of course accompanied by one of the excellent wines that Paco in the field and Cristina in the hold, develop and eventually winning as excellent companions to one end of the visit to the Bodega of Alboloduy.

Presentation of the Association Primum Bobal

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 18:52:00 +0000

On Thursday, day 10, around midday the Instituto Tecnológico de Requena, was presented the association Primum Bobal. This is the bet of seven wineries Utiel-Requena, with common interests to defend the autochthonous variety Bobal.

Vera de Estenas, Criadores y Artesanos, Chozas Carrascal, Dominio de la Vega, Pagos del Molino, Finca Ardal and Dagón Bodegas, are the seven associated with common characteristics and special uses from variety Bobal vines on property, with distinguished terroirs, wine family type control the winemaking process from vine to the bottle, all wine producers and have as its objectives the promotion and popularization of the wines of Bobal variety of wine culture in general, their bet on the quality wine, for the promotion of tourism in the region and raise awareness of the 'brand' in international markets as a sign of quality and character.

To do this, aside from looking for partnerships as a commercial brand, have also signed partnership agreements with technology institutes and research universities such as viticulture and the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the University of Valladolid, in order to have scientific and rigorous than that in practice it is a fact and certainly in the academic progress for the benefit of the processed product, the technological applications in the field in the very variety Bobal.

The event was presented by Felix Martinez Roda, manager of the winery Vera de Estenas and president of the association, and with the participation of other wineries, the marketing and communication equipment and closed by the Director General of Research of the Department of Agriculture of the Generalitat Valenciana.

After the event has offered an appetizer paired with selected wines of Primum Bobal association in tunnel building came from the Instituto Tecnologico de Requena. After the tasting, the association has invited to a meal at the winery Dominio de la Vega, which has offered a menu typical of the area to be paired with wines Las DosCes, Ocho Cuerdas Bobal, Casa Don Angel Bobal, Arras de Bobal, Arte Mayor, Pasiego de Autor and Miquelius , exponents of the selection of wines that make up the first wine of Primum Bobal.

A project for present and future, relating to the global wine scene, with the seal of a district and a few families from the rest by deepening commitment to making quality wines with Bobal grape variety.

Vertical tasting Bobal, Casa Don Angel 1998-2009

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 07:22:00 +0000

I invite you to read the post from Ricardo's Valencian Blog . The article resumes the phabulous experiencie lived in this tasting.

In my spanish blog javiprats.blogspot.com you can find the spanish version of my experiencie.

Riki Wigley Blog

1st. vertical tasting of Casa Don Angel Bobal wines

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:19:00 +0000

For several years the winemakers from Utiel-Requena realized that the indigenous variety Bobal could stand long aging, although the winemaking manuals to dissuade earlier times, because they never had been used for this purpose.

Then the winemaker and winery manager of Vera de Estenas, Félix Martínez, began work this variety selecting old vineyards and doing field work giving the perfect fruit ripeness, low production and appropriate sensory capacity.

Since 1998, the first vintage of Casa Don Angel Bobal, a wine estate that is slowly conquering the palates around the world with this little-known variety in wine stores, is making its way into the international scene wines, with a different wine and especially a variety that is found exclusively in this region of the world.

On Saturday 5 March, a group of friends of the winery share the fruits of this development on 1st Vertical Tasting Casa Don Angel Bobal 1998-2009. We will meet at the winery to taste these gems of Utiel-Requena region to enjoy and learn first hand the 'bouquet' of this wine, and later published in various media and unleashed impressions gained in this event.

For more information please see the email jpv1970@gmail.com

Maduresa 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 09:13:00 +0000

The wine we opened on Christmas Day is one of the much-discussed in gourmet guides, wine lists, friends, ... but shared one of the most important meal of the year and with the proper pairing, we were quite surprised so many different palates.

This came from the western interior of the province of Valencia, already stands in its presentation, the bottle has a label turn austere but evocative. Size bottle wine standar almost black and white label on which we appreciate a bunch of grapes that is stamped on it, the product suggests we have a different wine or at least different in its presentation.

Maduresa is a wine made in the cellar El Celler del Roure, authored by Pablo Calatayud, wine is a varietal that combines native Mandó recovered and Monastrell grapes and others such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot, all grown at the foot of the Serra Grossa next to one of the most important archaeological monuments of the Iberian civilization: Les Alcusses.

Returning to come tell you that we opened 20 minutes before serving, at a temperature between 14 º and 16 º C degrees, the dilemma was served in glasses, wide-mouth or not, Bordeaux or Burgundy, in the end we opted for a wide-mouth since we assume that the wine would benefit from increased oxygenation, but lose a little nose during the meal.

The wine was presented with a deep cherry red color with orange trim, the result of long aging, robe, shiny and satiny. The nose was quite a sight to find aromas of black fruits such as prunes, figs, blueberries and blackberries but even very mature, shaking the cup is accentuated them out while secondary and tertiary aromas and roasted coffee, black pepper, graphite and very different spices.

Once in the mouth was very silky and soft, wrapped around the palate, inviting a special cream to keep tasting the wine, the tannin was at its height, its role was to clean his mouth after the succulent 'putxero amb pilota' (beef and pork sausage very cooked) we were eating and turn left mouth and tongue soft creamy.

As you breathe through your nose after you swallow, even these were becoming ripe fruits and spicy memories of the wine in question. Finally a wine of good quality and good price, a wine warm, very Mediterranean and perfect for table spoon and cloth we usually prepare this holiday season and perfect for cold are accompanying us in this month of December 2010.

Happy Christmas!!! Feliz Navidad!!! Bon Nadal!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:10:00 +0000

Hispano Suizas Cellar

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:35:00 +0000

Near from Requena (Valencia), about two km. about the village El Ponton, is one of the wineries that comes to the fore for its wines and cavas high end and under the direction of a group of people well known in the area, has led to the Hispano Suizas Cellar.

The winery is surrounded by vineyards with mixed varieties such as Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Bobal, at about 55 ha., a project began in late 2006 and his career starting to see the light now withhigh-end products such as Tantum Ergo cava and wine series Basus, Impromptu and Quod superius.

We took advantage of this rainy day to go to the winery and knowing in this December month open days journeys, we visited the heart of the project by Marc Grin, Rafael Navarro and Pablo Osorio, accompanied by Borja, who kindly taught us the secret to make excellent wines.

Our visit started with the fermentation cellar, where the varieties mentioned are from the field directly to the process, which begins with a cryo-maceration, with fermentation in oak barrels of 400 liters in open and ends on different steel tanks steel and concrete before moving on to be used in the production of champagne or the raising of wines made with time and patience.

The process is quite manual, but still produced 100,000 liters of wine, with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that used for cava, and the rest for the wines of the range. We had the opportunity to taste 2010 vintages of white such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Verdejo and red as Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Bobal.

Wines after stabilization will be aging in a French barrels or secondary fermentation in the bottle for cava purpose. The cava Tantum Ergo (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) and Tantum Ergo Rosé (Pinot Noir) are Brut Nature sparkling, which remain in rhyme at least 24 months and then behead request by hand so that they can serve as fresh as possible to consumers .

The white cava is very sweet to the taste (in the case of a Brut Nature with only 3g sugar), with fine bubbles, with aromas of citrus and tropical fruits, fresh and very soft mouth. Rosé, 100% Pinot Noir, it is also quite aromatic and fresh and feels like taking nectar from red fruits with a hint of spice and vanilla.

We've seen a cava disgorgement, Borja demonstration, the young winemaker has been with us this morning, has been masterful and seen the process that is usually performed (although freezing cold of the bottle neck) in this store to prepare the cava that will be distributed to customers.

And the visit has not given more, stayed on the drawing board to taste wines that the winery produces and on another occasion we will taste to comment on this area of the faithful regular readers that accompany me.

II Mostra de cava valencià

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:49:00 +0000

Organized by PROAVA and seventeen Valencian wineries, this weekend was held in the city of Valencia, specifically in the heart of Barrio del Carmen, an example of the spectacular cellars are being made in the area. CR Cava recognized the town of Requena as a producer in the Apellation, and thanks to the good work of our winneries, we are getting wonderful cavas that have nothing to envy, not to traditional Catalonia, but the best French champagnes .

The basis for these wines are Macabeo grapes is a well worked, with a touch of acidity recommended for this second fermentation, which together with mostly Chardonnay and one or more variety, we have cavas clean and fresh, fruity, with fine bubbles and persistent and almost all made as Brut Nature, is staying in the caves and rhyme at least 14 months during the second fermentation and less than 3g. sugar.

Noted that, although yesterday evening, the time was bleak as to what weather we enjoy such as cellars Vera de Estenas, Chozas Carrascal, Pago de Tharsys, Vegalfaro, Torre Oria, Torroja, Vegamar, Bodegas Hispano-Suizas, Daniel J Belda, Antonio Arraez, Unión Vinícola del Este, Murviedro, Beso de Rechenna... and some more that I do not remember right now.

Difficult to highlight some of the cava tasted last night, they all had exceptional quality, some used, apart from the base wine Macabeo, Chardonnay barrel fermented, unfermented other, the proportions varied, some cava contained Parellada, others could not be called cava because grapes not supported by the CR Cava (case of Pago de Tharsys Blanc de negres, Bobal grape), finally each hold applies its expertise and has presented us some cava fresh and not hesitate to consume, not only for the dates approach, but at any time, as companions to a meal prepared with fish and white meats, appetizers with foie gras, eggs, vegetables, ... highly recommended this Christmas, as well appreciate the explosion of white fruit and citrus that most of them are going to produce the nose and mouth.

Here you have some photos that could not be of better quality due to rain when we were surprised by the afternoon and was in no way excuse for the influx of fans and friends continue to enjoy this product well we are doing in our community.

Fill your cup of emotions!

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:18:00 +0000

The meaning of life through wine

"Fill your cup of emotions"

Together around the tasting of three wines from Valencia brought the hand of an internationally recognized winery.

Combine the tasting with a dynamic-oriented group to discover a world of:

Feelings
Perceptions
Emotions
Social relations

And end up with a local typical snack

Capacity limited to 50 people. Price 20 eur. x person

Place and Date

Saturday, November 20 · 11:30 to 14:00

In a quiet and privilege to

Antigua Casa de Postas S. XVII

Venta de l'Home

Ventamina - Siete Aguas

More information at
elenab@telefonica.net

Organizers Wine-Psycho

Winery Señorío de Monterruíz

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:08:00 +0000

South of the province of Cuenca, Albacete limiting, in the heart of the Manchuela, we found a small store in the village of Casas de Santa Cruz belonging to the municipality of Villanueva de la Jara, who produces wine as before.

The landscape of the area really shows that the cereal monoculture vine gives life to vast tracts in a typically plain of La Mancha, and through thousands of hectares are appearing the peoples living in these crops, and huge wine cooperatives, which in these days are hotbeds of tractors and trailers laden with grapes.

Paco and Feli are the owners of the Señorío de Monterruíz, people who live for cereal farming and the countryside and beautiful strains, some of rootstock, varieties indigenous to the area as Airen, Monastrell, Bobal and Cencibel.

A few years ago, along with rural guesthouse who manage, decided to step back to make wine, as their parents did from the early twentieth century. They started looking for the best parcels of vineyard, old vines plots almost 60 years and they sought the best, most healthy and ripe fruit at the optimum time.

Old plots were planted without regard to whether or not mixed varieties, which to make one of the different wines that today we can find, did not realize that the rules of culture DO Manchuela not allow plots producing wines of mixed varieties, and the truth is they had to label their Señorío de Monterruíz Cepas Viejas as table wine. But even if you want to compare with some wines labeled with apellation not find a wine of this nature.

Señorío de Monterruíz Cepas Viejas is a wine without aging that combines varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Bobal, Monastrell and Cencibel, but which followed the precise instructions that will make wine at the beginning of last century. The winery has a small facility where production is almost handcrafted wine.

Thinking ahead and adhering to the D.O. Manchuela Señorío de Monterruíz thought to develop one of the most difficult wines that entails for its variety, Bobal. So selecting the best Bobal old vines, with lots of foot free standing and some American, looking for the best 'terroir' with the most sunlight during the summer, and clay loam soils with a layer of pebbles is very characteristic of the area, decided to work this variety.

Was born in 2008 the Señorío de Monterruíz Joven Bobal, a wine cellar in which opted to expand output, combining the traditional clay pots and stainless steel tanks to produce a wine without aging but with a very characteristic freshness and color of Bobal and looking for fruit and a touch of acidity on the palate that makes it quite different from other wines of the same variety.

It is also made by artisans following the recipes of ancestors of the owners and under the control of the DO Manchuela and advised by a knowledgeable winemaker in the area of native varieties.

During the latter half of September and October this week, have harvested about 11,000 kg. Bobal grape is selected and transported to the cellar in boxes of about 15 kg. each to then fill the tanks of 3.000 lts. and proceed to controlled fermentation using a yeast own for the start of it. In this weekend, and after racking, permanent monitoring and testing, has launched the 'racking' and manually pressing the skins to let stand this magnificent development and wait until it is bottled and time to market from the end of year.

Harvest festival in Chozas Carrascal

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 18:32:00 +0000

On Saturday, the first of the month of October, in San Antonio de Requena, 70 km from Valencia, there was a nice event at the winery Chozas Carrascal. It was the 1st Harvest Festival winery made it with great success and brought together a group of friends around a glass of wine in the beautiful estate of the hosts, which provided a good picture to the event.

López-Peidró family turned to the present, covering, and large doses of affection in explaining their project and the successes that each day, are getting into the wine world as competitive and yet so interesting and exciting.

Arrival at the winery came with a warm welcome from both Maria José, mother and daughter, who accompanied us to the area where he was Xesco, agronomist for the cellar, and Julian Lopez, our host. There, under the shade of large pine trees with a wonderful view of the farm, was being warmly welcomed the attendees with a few glasses of cava that the winery produces, as well as a dose of culture through tasting different varieties of grapes. I have to make an observation, is that this fabulous cava limited production has gained much in the last acknowledged Peñín tasting, one of the best values occurring in Requena.

We continue our tour through the estate to return to the main building where guests were shown the fabulous facilities, I recommend my previous post about them to enjoy them like we did, later moving to an outdoor patio where we are still waiting some of the surprises of the morning. In this case we did a tasting of grape must. First and fermented grape must, now, a white Chardonnay grapes, wine, in the absence of stabilizing and filtering, will serve as the basis for this wonderful cava that had just taken for the welcome.

We also tasted a raw juice, unfermented still Syrah grape, sweet and yet very dense, which delighted the sweet tooth and that odd boy, as the case of my son, made him feel he had also thought about them, this nectar is one of the varieties within one of the 'coupages' of the winery, it becomes a scent and flavor that magnifies some of the winery's flagship wine.

And after visiting the pit, the exhibition area and shop, plus go through the always pleasant aromas of aging room, filled with barrels of the best coopers, and spent the fabulous Mediterranean garden where the surprise and warmth were to confirm what we expected, the ideal end to this event well done and perfect.

In fact it was enjoying a wonderful sunny day of autumn with a lot of wine lovers and friends, entertained by the pleasant sound of the band Comic delighted us with a relaxing tune and original songs also taste the finished other wines from the cellar, and commented on by Xesco around a table full of delicious dishes typical of Requena, invited to disconnect from the intense workables days past to focus all your senses at the moment.

The wine tasted Las Tres, a great white that grows with intensity over consumption, the eight red varieties with great aromas and sensations in Las Ocho, and the expected the Cabernet F 2008, a wine that has been punctuated by Peñín with 94 points in his final list, very different from the previous vintage, with great minerality, more Atlantic, more seductive nose, with a palette of aromas of undergrowth more pronounced than before and with a touch of tannin perhaps more notably, that the 2007 version.

And as the culmination of a sweet tasting special Garnacha and is limited to 800 liters in total, not cloying in the mouth and tries to convey more feelings fruit, despite being a wine called 'dessert'.

We ended up with a present from the cellar, which was the memory of the visit and the special day. We also had the opportunity to purchase products directly from each of the participants best enjoyed, taking in the memory in mind that these wines and cava and lived in company shares from the dream of this family will remain in our way much longer.

El Rosso winery, wine spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 07:58:00 +0000

In the previous post said that our trip to l'Alcalatén area in the province of Castellon, was quite helpful, because we found some wine over which the VT Castellón on its website showed.

Located in the village of La Barona, in the municipality of the Vall d'Alba, we find this wine cellar, small but unique, and almost without trying we were inside the building which houses the warehouse and shipping of wines. El Rosso is a project of a local family, prepares traditional olive oil of high quality, with the help of Eloy, an experienced winemaker from Requena, have materialized a couple of wines of high quality and very promising.

This winery does not belong to the association VT Castellón, so their wines are labeled as Vino de Mesa, though I think wine should be labeled as Vino de Pago. 'Esperit' is the brand of wine to be found in this elaborate, a red and white wines that show the spirit of a 'terroir' and an important work from the vine to the bottle.

Both the red and white have the same brand 'esperit', a bottle with a very attractive design and more than satisfactory organoleptic properties. Maybe in the marketing, their owners still have to work longer, give a little image to the tasting area, wearing glasses more expressive and emphasize more on the commercial side, because the wine and its price and have half the business travel undertaken.

The 'esperit' red wine is a varietal Syrah, a ripe cherry color, with aromas of cocoa and roasted, a bit of graphite, which is showing subtly agitated glass 4 months of first-year French oak barrels where it matured . The palate is quite fat and unctuous, sweet tannin and a very long journey. A wine made with grapes mature enough reflecting its sweetness on the palate and high degree (14.5 degrees).

The white variety, Macabeo, is a wine that has spent three months in new barrels to win in complex aromas. In the light has a yellow color with golden hues and nose shows notes of citrus and apples, taste is nice and fat, appearing in retronasal aromas of pineapple and banana. A good choice for white meats and fish.

The truth is that for me was a surprise to find this store to have some excellent wines and spend some time chatting with the owners and winemaker, who was at that time on it.

Les Useres, the wines of Castellón

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 21:25:00 +0000

In the month of April my first visit to a winery in the province of Castellón (see post), geographical location for 500 years lived in part of growing grapes and making wine, but after the plague of phylloxera was eroding and to cultivation and 80's almost became extinct last century the cultivation and processing of vines and wines.

Knew through the website of the Geographical Indication Vins de la Terra de Castelló, most wineries formed the association of wineries, and some other that not being in it, winemaking in these areas.

De LES USERES

Today we went to visit one of these, perhaps the oldest in the area, and the surprise is that we have found two more, a newly established, in which we have found different wines and very attached to the 'terroir' with what the day has made us very helpful even though we had a couple of hours of storm.

Bodega Les Useres is a Agrarian Society in the municipality located in the village of Les Useres, near the neighboring town of Vall d'Alba, which was founded around the year 1,960, this winery is comprised of nearly a hundred partners who provide some 600,000 kg of grapes, mostly Tempranillo and Macabeo and recovering native and the Bonicaire to make rosé.

Today we found the cellar in full harvest, there were unloading hopper tractors with Tempranillo's grape as it is the only reception of grapes from the winery. This goes to the stemmer that sends the grape pumped to tanks of 50,000 liters. Stainless steel and temperature control, which then macerated to pass to the trulli or underground tanks where it ferments. We have seen the fermentation of Macabeo and is quite spectacular, as in the photo will observe.

The majority of their wines are in bulk, but bottled is taking way and we can find some varieties such as Tempranillo and a 'coupage' of it with Cabernet Sauvignon that have gone through oak, rosé Bonicaire or white Macabeo varietal or blended with Chardonnay and ready for purchase at standard 75 cl bottle. with cork.

The most range wine cellar is a wine aged in a 12 months, in medium toasted American oak, 70% Tempranillo varieties and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has a cherry red color is very bright and very expressive nose recalling ripe red fruits like cherries in the mouth has a long and very fresh and fruity, is round and soft palate.

After this visit we went to dinner at La Barona, where we tasted a dish typical of the area, then visit two wineries that throughout this week I will be documenting in future post.

Rejadorada, red wine of Toro

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:25:00 +0000

It was last August, when we visited the beautiful city of Zamora, where we decided to visit the city of Toro, a city that lives around the wine. Wine that has transformed the Spanish wine scene after the technique and improvement of these wines, once with lots of color and tough, but today without losing these features are more fruity and have managed to captivate the most demanding palates.

Like most wineries are fully industrialized, we decided to visit a quaint little winery, which while not produced in these facilities, it has done and we could not find how and where you stored the wine and everything in a building of high value historical as Rejadorada.

This winery was born in 1999 in the same XV century palace that we visited, but today in a nearby town, San Román (Valladolid) is the art facility where they make the wines that we tasted.

Visit this winery in Toro is quite simple, any toresano tells us how to reach her on the street that bears his name Reja Dorada number 11, you reach a historic building that presents a visit to one of the caves where once was produced and stored the wine. In Toro have a variety of Tempranillo called Tinta de Toro, the climate and terrain makes producing wines with great color and rank.

The cave has a cultural interest, as it is seen as the steep stairs and access to it was difficult and she found inside a vault that covers the roof and keeping the temperature and humidity, and through a vent all the odors and gases that caused the fermentation went abroad. There we saw a documentary history of Toro.

Then we saw the room with the aromas, the anteroom where the company began developing current Rejadorada wines, then go to the store where we tasted the three red wines they produce.

The Rejadorada is an intense red-violet blue with a step of 6 months in oak powerful and meaty. Novellum parenting is passing through our mouth with a cherry red color to evoke the passage of at least 12 months in oak, very lively on the palate with a good offense, but softened in turn leaving a balanced and persistent taste. Sango is the most old aged, an author wine produced (as above) with grapes 100% Tinta de Toro, but this old vines and a stay of 18 months in French oak barrels with an intense ruby red color, and keeping a trim garnet due to its long aging, the nose is highlighted by aromas of ripe red and black with a silky, the palate and velvety, to delight us with a long lingering aftertaste.

A visit that we liked not having to leave the center of Toro and gave us standing as the Colegiata de Santa María sightseeing and enjoy a good meal.

Author wines, Pasiego winery

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:36:00 +0000

In the town of Sinarcas, on the border between Valencia and Cuenca in Utiel-Requena region, we found a small winery, which has completely revamped its facilities for lovers of good wine and tourism can enjoy it.

Here we go in scoop to visit this new phase of a winery, Criadores y Artesanos is really his name, which produces the famous wines Pasiego. The winery is located near the N-330 road at the end of Sinarcas, and with his new image, it is very easy to identify with the label Pasiego on the three sides of the building which houses the precious wine.

We arrived at the warehouse almost at once that our host, José Luis Salon, one of the members of this new project that began in 1997 as a hobby among its founding members, and that following the awards made and acceptance of their wines in the market was consolidating in what we know today.

Access to the cave begins with a space to park vehicles and there we find the restored house on the ground floor shows us the tools for winemaking, with the upper back where the reception of grapes and starts the process.

The warehouse area is equipped just to the extent thereof, that were commissioned to make the most space. Also on the ground floor is the barrel room, whose capacity can accommodate approximately 100 units in size from Bordeaux, and after a glass tasting room or reception of visitors, where you can taste four wines that this winery produces.

And we did, of these four options we have three red and white aged in casks for two months, spectacular. The first was a Pasiego Crianza 2005, with 9 months in the barrel and the Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, from vineyards (recalling that in its beginnings the winery did not have these) or farmers who are committed to the winery.

Next on the list was a Pasiego Reserva 2004 of the same variety as above, but with 10% Merlot, with 13 months aging in oak and the common denominator of all three have a bright red ruby and lots of glycerin, and barely edging the difference in your tone.

Pasiego Autor 2005 was the third red wine that we tasted, wine that combines 47% Cabernet Sauvignon with 33% of Bobal of a wide range of strains and 20% Tempranillo low production. The three wines are very colorful and have enough difference in nose and mouth, but following a distinguished elegance for all to be the hosts of a good table. Red fruits, toast and vanilla tastes and aromas make that show. Perhaps the three wines would be the best table accompany red meats, game and stews, cheeses and elaborate, each with its nuances and evolving over the past two along the food as more light on the palate to fresh air over time.

The White Pasiego Blanco 2009 with a two-month aging in new barrels, surprising the palate with the 'coupage' of two varieties of 50% as the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc very balanced and pleasing to the palate, serve very cold it is recommended to observe evolution while acclimatized in the glass.

A very pleasant visit and recommended to soon have an enriching visit to the time you can sample and purchase this very limited number of spectacular wines and enjoy the company of brothers Salon.

Neo winery, wine and music

noreply@blogger.com (Javier Prats) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:10:00 +0000

Following the path of the DO Ribera del Duero, after eating at Roa and taste the delicacies of the province of Burgos, we were heading to Castrillo de la Vega, a town that houses many of the wineries in the Ribera del Duero, but just before through this town and about to enter Aranda del Duero, we find the modern winery that we visited, Neo.

Arte y Vino, a space dedicated to wine, Aranda del Duero, Ana, had told us that the winery could not miss us, in fact, its owners, organizers Sonorama Ribera, were in the process of dismantling this festival music and film that had just celebrated and did not know if they could meet us. Finally we attended Ivan and we take a look at Bodegas Neo, a single winery in the world to combine the wine with a recording studio. .

The winery has everything needed to produce high expression wines and young wines and fresh, the building is very modern and reception is accessed through a gateway, which runs between a small winery fuente. The winery is very functional and are making room stainless steel tanks where the wines are fermented then pass to a modern barrel room, with more than 400 units of French oak, American and Europe Central.

Curiously, in the barrel room, we can find Some come signed by artists from the worlds of music, such as Amaral and others. The rest of the cave has the typical elements of any other (bottling, bottle aging room, offices ,...) and also the recording studio where he could record up to a symphony orchestra.

The wines are made in several ranges from the classics to the most modern, through the varieties that are exported to over 56 countries and trying to adapt to each country in terms of exterior design and product marketing. They also have other ongoing projects that allow them to make wines from other areas of Castilla-Leon, Spain, in each of the DO, as Rueda or the Priorat, which are themselves produced, renting premises and buying the raw materials they control and certify.

At the end we could not prove their wines by the urgency of our visit and they were right in removing the event which was held this weekend at Aranda del Duero. I wait patiently sent me some samples to taste it and comment in this space as Ivan promised.