*tasting note at the bottom
**Part of the ‘Spanish Value Experiment
We’re off to DO Arribes for our next bottle in the Spanish Value Experiment, a region situated in the far east of the country, bordering Portugal. This is yet another Spanish region that I rarely drink wine from, so the opportunity to try a light wine from a benchmark producer is great! Unlike much of neighbouring Castilla y Leon, Arribes is dominated by Juan Garcia, a variety native to the region and known as Mouraton in Galicia. In the Galician expressions I’ve tried, this is a light but aromatic variety and often makes for a fun companion in the evening and an absolute nightmare in a blind tasting!
Like many lesser known Spanish regions, there aren’t any super-star producers here. In fact, there are only 14 registered producers in total! Abadengo appear to be one of the more interesting, focusing on recovered old vines, mainly of Brunal and Juan Garcia. Their vineyards have some elevation, which would explain the lower alcohol levels than many of their peers, and their portfolio seems well balanced. How will their entry level wine stack up? There’s only one way to find out!
Tasting Note
100% Juan Garcia from vineyards at 750m altitude, from 70 year old vineyards. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 6 months in French oak of unspecified age. 13% ABV
A slightly muddy-red in appearance, with some obvious bricking towards the rim. Quite restrained aromatically, with some ripe cherry fruit, damsons, oregano and noticeable vanilla and sweet spices. Then on the palate… is that sugar I detect? How odd and out of place after the rustically pleasant nose. It’s not much but it makes for a slightly soupy, confected effect. A shame. Soft, ripe tannins and no real mid-palate but still some pleasant flavour. Was that sugar to compensate for the lack of fruit or just to sell it to certain markets? Not a wine I’d buy again but I suspect this will have some success as an entry level red in certain markets 85Pts.
Purchased from Vinissimus for €7.30