So, Maestrazgo Wine Club is back and running in Barcelona after our summer break and this week we’re kicking off with a topic called ‘Summer Discoveries.’ This is more or less what it says on the tin; wines that I’ve discovered or re-discovered over the course of the summer and would love to share with you all! That’s to say that there’s been a fair few duds, a few wines that have been delicious but a little over-priced and then this lovely collection of wines in the middle that are both delicious and moderately priced. Subjects like this are always fun but a little challenging as there isn’t a strong central theme to the tasting and the quality of the wines has to be really up there in order to carry the evening. Which typically isn’t a problem, as that’s really what we’re all about!
Here’s a run-down of the wines we’re going to be trying over the course of the evening. If you’d like to attend there are a few spots left for 25 euros per person and you can find our group here.
Zarate Albariño 2015 – This was one of the first Albariño wines I ever tried in Spain and I fell in love immediately. Then in my search for new, interesting and stylistically different wines from the same region of Rias Baixas, I completely forgot about Zarate and I only tried it again this summer, which was a timely reminder of just how lovely this wine is. Adega Zarate itself is a family ran winery in the heart of Rias Baixas, right next to the little town of Meaño. The wine is young, fresh and beautifully aromatic with lots of smokey, flinty notes supporting the traditional citrus fruit and peach aromas of well made Albariño. 3 months of ageing on the lees takes the edge off the zippy acidity and the wine is about as good a candidate for archetypal Albariño as any I can think of. A lovely way to start!
Mas Comtal Pizzicato Frizzante 2015 – I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited to present a rosé wine. Is it particularly expensive? Nope. Is it structured and dense? Nope. So why the excitement around it? Honestly, it’s purely that this is one of the most fun wines I’ve ever tried. It is intensely aromatic with lots of beautiful floral notes, light red and citrus fruits and just a wonderfully clean flavour on the palate. I discovered it in Eldiset Wine Bar in Born and quickly discovered I could purchase it online through Vinissimus.com. It’s made from 100% Hamburg Muscat, which is a cross of Trollinger and Muscat of Alexandria; don’t worry, this is one of these unusual grapes you don’t come across too often. If it was going to be made anywhere within Spain, it would clearly be in the Penedes region with their slightly more relaxed approach to wine-making. I can’t wait to see what everyone thinks of it!
Juan Gil 18 Meses 2014 – Our first red wine of the evening is a bit of a bruiser and ordinarily not the sort of wine you’d associate with summer drinking. The reason I haven’t tried this in such a long time is due to its incredible popularity; as soon as it is produced, it seems to get sucked off the shelves. I was wandering around Corte Ingles and I saw it, meaning the newer vintage had been released, so I rushed home and bought a bottle or two online. I tried one and it was everything I remembered it to be; smooth, creamy, powerful and enormously dense. Lovers of new world wines will fall in love with this blend of Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in a heartbeat.
Domenio Trepat 2013 – This was a nice discovery in unusual circumstances. I had been asked to help a friend out; he was stuck in Priorat at a wine festival but had a private tasting booked for a group of English girls over from London and could I possibly help out? Sure, why not! I went to the tasting, had a fantastic time and got the chance to try this lovely, powerful expression of Trepat from DO Conca de Barbera in Catalunya. This is a new style of Trepat, eschewing the delicate, Pinot Noir-like wines of the past and heading instead for fruit, power and spice. The result is a very juicy but still nuanced wine with lots and lots of appeal. This will be only the second Trepat based wine I have presented at a tasting but if the trend towards more intelligent wine-making continues, you’ll be sure to see a few more popping up!
Marques de Grinon Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 – I’m subscribed to an awful lot of trade magazines, newsletters and websites. One of my favourites is The Drinks Business; a relatively dry look at the world of wine and spirits, that I receive once a month from their headquarters in the UK. During July, their panel of judges tasted well over 50 different Cabernet Sauvignons from around the world at different price points and came up with a few outstanding results. One of them was the famous Marques de Grinon Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, and so I simply had to try a bottle and see how it went! I’d known about the estate for some time as they’re quite famous in Spain, being the first truly successful ‘Vino de Pago’ having set up with Bordeaux varietals all the way back in 1973. I found the wine to be really well made with lots of typical black fruits, spice, cloves and earthy aromas with a fair amount of tannic grip. Whilst this wine will almost definitely improve with a little age, it’s a delight to drink right now and so, I think we shall!
That’s our evening nicely laid out. Of course, there’s going to be a lot of wonderful food, conversation and company as well, so if you fancy coming along come join us at our home on Meet-up, and fingers crossed we’ll see you for a tasting soon!