We lack not songs

September 23, 2020 in Mallorca, Ribera del Duero | by | Leave a comment

We lack not songs, wrote William Blake in his poem “To Summer”. Just like him, these last months I have been able to rediscover Nature, friendship and conversation, all of them much needed in covid-19 times. I have also encountered some new wines along the way that I would like to recommend.

In July I had dinner in Madrid at Berlanga, the best place in the city to enjoy rice. This great restaurant is a creation of José Luis Berlanga, an artist like his father, chef and movie director. We tried a very pale rosé called Clos de Lôm, from Valencia, a wine made with the Monastrell grape of great volume. It was an invitation to enjoy summer: red fruits, citric notes and a long finish (12 euros). Then José Luis opened for us a bottle of La Calva Malacabeza 2018, perhaps the best Ribera del Duero wine I have tasted this year, a wine of light red colour and very subtle combination of fruit and time.

A few weeks later in Majorca, we discovered a new red wine, OM, from Oliver Moragues wineries (15 euros), a coupage of two local grapes with Syrah and Cabernet sauvignon, perfect to enjoy in the garden with friends. In those magical days we also tried another island wine, this one from the Canaries, El Lance, Suertes del Marqués (14 euros) a red full of music and songs.

Chez nous

May 15, 2020 in Rioja, Txakoli | by | Leave a comment

Let’s not describe these weeks with the harsh words of confinement or lock-down. We are chez nous, as the French would say, at home with much loved family members while keeping in touch with many friends. We are trying to help save lives and do our civic duty in the coronavirus crisis. In this journey, we have tried two new wines that deserve to make it into this blog as House favorites.

The first one is Viña Pomal Terruño Centenario Reserva 2014, a special selection of the classic Rioja, to celebrate the centennial of these vignerons (I will stop using French words tout suite).This wine transports you to the hills and valleys of Rioja, with beautiful flavors of violets and fruits, a quintaessential present for those of us who love to walk there in the spring (13 euros).

Beltza is an odd red, since typically Txakoli wines are white. This one is a more subtle and sophisticated member of the family, that can make conversation last longer than a pintxos appetizer. “Beltza” in Basque means black, a good way to highlight its elegance. It comes from the coastal village of Baquio, in Biscay, a well known surf destination surrounded by mountains and vineyards (12 euros). We look forward to a trip soon to this wonderful beach!

A Toast to my Dad

January 6, 2020 in Bierzo, Douro, Rias Baixas, Rioja | by | Leave a comment

My father always enjoyed wine. I don’t remember him ever saying a negative thing about the glass he was drinking. Often, he praised it, with his fun-loving generosity. He made wine a fundamental part of the good things in life, together with family, friendship, hunting and good conversations. When I started appreciating reds and whites and ventured into writing this blog, at first he did not take me seriously. I was his strict son, the bookworm type, how could I now become the hedonist in the cellar? Only then I realized how much he really knew about wine, without ever showing off. For a long while, I could not find a red that he had not tried before. When Santiago my son was born, we went for lunch. I was eager to order Mauro and get his feedback, but of course he had already tried some years ago. Only recently, with the wine revolution at its peak in Spain, he accepted that they were some yet to be discovered.

This Christmas season I have missed him so much. I have gone back to some long-time friends to toast to him: Viña Ardanza Reserva 2010, Valenciso Reserva 2012, Pagos de Valdoneje Viñas Viejas 2015, Ramón Bilbao Edición Limitada 2016. We have also drank Terras Gauda, the Albariño served at my wedding. I remember well that he enjoyed it so much with octopus (oh, what a night!). These first days of January I have escaped with María to Porto. We had dinner overlooking the Douro in the Graham wineries and tried one of their reds, Quinta do Ataide 2016 (circa 14 euros), a wine full of dark berries and mistery. A wonderful ocassion to toast to my dad in the New Year.

Summer is Delight

August 15, 2019 in Mallorca, Rioja | by | Leave a comment

“Summer is Delight”, wrote Emily Dickinson. I cannot agree more with her. This is the time when life begins over (according to F. Scott Fitzgerald), when everything feels new and all makes sense. I am lucky to spend this season, once again, between Galicia and Mallorca, and to enjoy Nature every day, in its Atlantic and Mediterranean splendours. From the Sil river to the valleys of the Ulloa, from the bay of Alcudia to the mythical mountains of Sierra Tramuntana, two wines stand out these summer days.

The first one is Twenty Twelve, a Majorcan wine from the Es Fangar winery, presented in a bottle typically used for a gin or another strong liquor. It is made with the Muscat grape in Felanitx, with a touch of Prensal and Viognier grapes. It has a very smooth and lasting taste, with hints of lemon and a beautiful yellow and green colour (13 euros).

The second one is a classic Rioja, Martínez-Lacuesta Crianza 2015, in Magnum format (29 euros). This is an unpretentious and profound red that reconnects you with a time when wines were true to the terroir and did not go over their head to earn points to obtain global market recognition. Nevertheless, this old family winery has updated its wine making technique and offers amazing quality at very competitive prices.

Alión: into the rose-garden

February 26, 2019 in Ribera del Duero, Uncategorized | by | Leave a comment

I have the fortune that some of my friends compete among themselves to be the best hosts in Madrid. They mix wine, fun and friendship in wondrous ways. Some days ago, we were summoned to a dinner in a beautiful home where we drank Alión, the revered wine from Ribera del Duero (the 2015 Magnum bottles had just been put on the market). We started them like an skater carefully steps into a frozen lake, little by little, until she knows the new ice is firm. Twenty minutes later she can do flips, jumps and combinations. As the conversation became lighter and fast paced, each of us was able to predict with equal passion and certainty the results of the upcoming general election in Spain. More importantly, our highly divergent views did not matter, because we were all united in reverence of both Alión and our hosts. No other Ribera mixes elegance, depth and equilibrium in a similar way. María my wife includes Alión in the category of Stratocaster wines, her own heaven for the very best wines: https://iberians.wordpress.com/2010/09/24/stratocaster-wines

Tender is the night

December 14, 2018 in Rioja, Uncategorized | by | 2 comments

“Je vous écoute”, just like Emmanuel Macron keeps saying these days. I have received countless requests and messages from friends asking me to write again in this blog. As we approach the end of December with its many special nights and festivities, the pressure is growing. Could you recommend the perfect wine to celebrate many good things? My friends are like that. I always listen to you -and I never pretend that I listen.

Thanks my summer diaries, I can tell you right away about two extraordinary wines.

(Summer nights are perfect to try new things. You don’t look at your watch and next day you can wake up late and say “I have nothing to do and all day to do it”. Thank you Irwin for teaching me this important truth).

The first wine is Abadia de Retuerta Le Domaine, made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes and a bit of verdejo by the mavericks of Abadía Retuerta in Sarón del Duero (35 euros). It is the best white I have encountered in decades, strong and complex, with a touch of pineaple and the colour of old gold.

The second wine is Lindes de Remelluri 2011 (12 euros) from the old monastery grounds of Toloño in Rioja. A very soft, silky & smooth red, incredibly well priced.

More recently, my friend Benjamin -when it comes to understanding life and food, he is the one- has invited me to discover two treasures. The first one is Dominio del Pidio 2016 (50 euros), a very special white created by Oscar Aragón in Quintana del Pidio, Burgos, with the little known Albillo grape. This is an amazing Atlantic wine, full of dreams.

The other great introduction has been to Galia 2016 Villages (30 euros), a garage red invented by Jerome Bougnaud, well know for his splendid work in many projects in Spain, like this one with the Regajal winery. Galia is a red wine of striking personality. It is made with garnacha and tempranillo grapes that come from small and very selected parcels along the banks of the Duero river. I was surprised by this wonderful invention, so attractive that it deserves to become in no time a revered tradition.

A young toro

August 21, 2018 in Toro | by | Leave a comment

My friends always tell me that I live mostly to enjoy the summer. It is possibly true, nothing brings me closer to happiness than these careless weeks spent between Galicia and Mallorca. The combination of loved ones, sun, sea, free time and zero duties does it.

This year during my Galicia days I discovered a young wine from Toro, Termes 2014, from Bodegas Numanthia, 19 euros. There was a hint of mint and balsamic herbs in its bouquet and I even tasted wonderful forest fruits as I drank it. Perhaps I was too much under the soothing influence of long walks along the Ulla river, protected from the sun by black and green shades, an exposure that opens your imagination. But the experience of Termes stayed with me.

A few days later in Mallorca we organized a small dinner party. The excuse was the Chopin piano festival, that takes place every Sunday of August in the long corridor of La Cartuja. Antonio and Nely, dear friends from Barcelona, brought me exactly this same Toro wine, a wonderful coincidence. I tasted it with the anticipation of mixing Atlantic memories with the scents of a Mediterranean night.

Spring of hope

April 21, 2018 in Ribeira Sacra, Toro | by | Leave a comment

To quote from Dickens, we have finally left behind the winter of despair and we begin to enjoy the spring of hope. In this transition -we had everything before us, we had nothing before us-, I have been able to try some very good wines. I found two of them in Angelita, a restaurant next to the Gran Vía in Madrid, where the owners offer over half-glasses from 100 open bottles to pair with excellent food. The advice provided by the waiters is usually very sharp and that is how I encountered Casas de Enriba and Vive la Vida.

Casas de Enriba 2016 (35 euros) is a rare Valdeorras wine created by Laura Lorenzo in almost vertical small parcels next to the Bibei river, in the Ribeira Sacra. This holy wine is made with mencia and godello grapes. Serious and rustic, it has a perfect combination of mineral and flower overtones. Vert hard to find, a very limited production, do not miss it.

Vive la vida 2015 (19 euros), from Bodegas Vidas, is also an artisan wine from Cangas, at the heart of Asturias, made with local grapes (albarín negro, mencía…), and 12.5% alcohol content. An avant garde Atlantic wine, superb and charming, light and fruity.

Last but not least, during a great weekend in La Vera, the Southern mountainside of Gredos, I rediscovered an old friend from Toro. San Román (19 euros) is probably one of the best and most elegant red wines in Spain today. It is sophisticaded and refined, deep and self-contained. After a long walk in the Vera hills, we tried it in a Magnum 2014 format, which makes it even better. Spring was barely announced in the still cold countryside. San Román was one of the few telling signs.

Forget cocooning

February 2, 2018 in Rioja | by | Leave a comment

I have had the temptation of retreating home these past winter months. I was able to resist it and still go out in good company, cruising the streets of La Coruña and Madrid. During these brave forays I tried two Rioja wines that I would like to bring to your attention.

The first one is Oinoz Crianza 2014, by Carlos Moro. He has chosen a mythical area of North Rioja, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, to create his new wines. This well-known vigneron of Matarromera in Ribera del Duero is now offering us an outstanding crianza, refined and interesting, as a good guest should be (12 euros).

The second one is Lan a Mano 2012, a very special member of the big family of LAN wines, from Fuenmayor, right next to the Ebro river. Grapes for this limited edition wine are hand-picked and carefully crafted by artisans. Lan a Mano is both elegant and deep. A very good companion to look in the eye and slow down the quick passing of time (29 euros).

Oasis

December 3, 2017 in Navarra, Rias Baixas, Vinos de Madrid | by | 1 comment

These past months have felt like a long journey in the desert. Too many trips, too much work. Along the way I found several oasis, like the fertile moments of getting together with friends. The wines we tried will also give you a place of refuge.

At a dinner party chez nous we opened a very special Albariño from Palacio de Fefiñanes, a Magnum bottle of Armas de Lanzos (110 euros) and very much enjoyed it. This limited edition of 1000 liters has been aged and nurtured like the best Reservas in the world. We discovered a fabulous white with history and conversation.

I also brought a red from Navarre to a more informal friends’ gathering, called Deyo Castillo de Monjardín Merlot de Autor. In spite of the grandiose name, it is very affordable and reconnects you with the civility of the Merlot grape (9,5 euros).

Yesterday, at Estado Puro, the tapas bar of Paco Roncero in Madrid, probably the best in town, we ordered Las Retamas de Regajal (9,2 euros). This young red from Aranjuez, Madrid, beautifully made with Cabernet, Syrah and Tempranillo grapes, added laughter and joy to our table.

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