Spanish wines
2011 Campo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background on Rioja Wines
The gold lace/netting originated in 1858 called malla. It was developed as an anti-counterfeiting and fraud device. In the mid-19th century, Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga (the Marqués de Riscal) after a stint in Bordeaux learning winemaking returned home with his newfound knowledge. Key was the use of oak barrel aging at his winery in Elciego. This rocketed the quality of Rioja wines. They became wildly successful winning awards from around the world and the Spanish royalty. His newfound success drew fraudsters and counterfeiters who would buy empty Marqués de Riscal bottles, fill them with inexpensive table wine, re-cork them and sell as authentic bottles of wine.
The gold wiring/mesh was invented in 1858 by the Marqués having it tightly wound the bottle, making it impossible to remove the cork or open the wine without cutting the wiring/mesh. This “tamper resistant” approached allowed those getting the wine was genuine.
To protect his brand’s reputation, the Marqués invented gold wire netting in 1858. The wire was woven so tightly around the bottle that it was impossible to remove the cork or open the wine without permanently cutting the mesh. This provided consumers with a tamper-evident seal, ensuring the wine inside was genuine. This then became the symbol of award-winning wines from Marqués de Riscal and easy to identify them. Other producers adopted this successful “cage” technique, and it became synonymous with high end Rioja wines. Today it is just a reminder honoring their heritage and aesthetic classic packaging.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Rioja wines are dark, mature and luscious in a unique fashion. First on the eyes this is a dark brooding wine in the glass. Aromas waft up to the senses of plum, smoky tobacco and dark cherries. On the palate the wine is complex with striking flavors of ripe plums, dark cherries, with a smokiness following closely behind. On the finish, a hint of soft vanilla and mellow silky tannins finish off each sip.
The wine came in at 13.5% alcohol. Gran Reserva Rioja wines must age for a minimum of five years with at least two years in the bottle.
This wine was appropriately aged in the cellar and enjoy this evening as a 2011.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The meal this evening was baked chicken cheese enchiladas. The prep work was done in advance and ready to bake as we wanted to watch the 49’er football game. The ingredients include sour cream, salsa, cheddar cheese, shredded chicken cooked in salsa, corn kernels, cumin, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, black pepper and thinly sliced scallions. The ingredients were wrapped in whole wheat low carb tortillas and then baked. Served with additional salsa on top.
This Rioja wine worked well with the chicken enchiladas with it lively fruit and acidity matching up with the tomato and chili sauce and spices. Without a heavy oak influence the wine cut through the cheese.
A great food and wine pairing this evening.
The Winery in Rioja, Spain
Map from Wine Tourism Spain https://winetourismspain.com/wine-regions/rioja/rioja-wine-map/
From the map you can see the location of Rioja in the northeastern Spain.
Previously, I wrote about Campo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva having to age minimally two years in the barrel and five years being released. The Camp Viejo winery was built in 2001 and everything from the beginning was constructed on the principles of sustainability from their enology to their architecture. Below is picture of their winery.
There is not much on their website mentioning the winemaker, acreage, etc. One thing that they do mention is wanting the public to come and visit their operation.
Making such delicious wines for them does not require details on a website, just for you to enjoy each sip of this layered and structure wine.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2016 Vall de Llach idus from Priorat – Always a Favorite
Where and what is Priorat?
Priorat is an area about 2 ½ hour drive west/southwest of Barcelona. Priorat consists of eleven small villages in the southern portion of Catalonia in the province of Tarragona. In comparison to the country, it is an extremely small region. Priorat is a Denominació d’Origen Qualificada (DOQa), in the southwest of Catalonia. It is one of only two wine regions in Spain to qualify as DOCa, the highest qualification level for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations, alongside the well-known Rioja DOCa.
(Map from Quintin Sadler’s Wine Page, https://quentinsadler.wordpress.com/)
Brief History and Background of Priorat
This wine area has over two thousand years of history from the Romans. Due to the proximity of the Iberian Peninsula, it was controlled by the Moors until the twelfth century. In this area you get a fabulous combination of architecture from the Moorish influence as well as Romanesque.
The Priorat district gets its name from the Carthusian order who founded a monastery in the region in the end of the 12th century. Interestingly, the most changes have transpired during the last 30-40 years. Winemakers in the region upgraded their methods and equipment and began a modernization and professional approach to wine.
(Picture from https://vinenvacances.com/)
Weather, climate and soil are the major components of this region. The wine area receives 3000 hours of sunshine and roughly 15 inches of rainfall per year. The soil in the area is rich in hard slate, but the roots can go through seeking underground water. A lot of the vineyards in the area follow the terrain with terraces and steep slopes.
One of the two grapes which are used in this 2016 Vall Llach “Idus” is Granacha (Grenache) which is the lesser grape. One of the distinct traits of the grapes from the region is its ability to produce a strong, yet fresh wine. The second grape varietal used in the making of Idus and the predominate percentage is Cariñena and in the USA it is called Carignan. Carignan grows very well in the drier regions of California like the Central Valley and Sierra foothills.
Typical wines from the area have intense red coloration, with aromas of ripe fruit with a strong mineral trait from the slate vineyards. In the mouth a fleshy, strong flavoring with tannins being present are common. They present black plum, licorice and have a black pepper spice quality, coupled with berry and chocolate with a smoky scent. Cariñena is a unique black skinned grape varietal. It typically is used in blending in many wines.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2016 Idus is multifaceted, with alluring aromas of red forest fruit, fleshy black plums, with hints of forest herbs, wood smoke and dark minerals. Wide on the palate, the wine is both powerful and fresh for an old-vine Priorat; displaying good acidity, round tannins and an incredibly long finish. The percentage mix is 90% Cariñena and 10% Granacha. A dark color and medium to medium heavy viscosity is present. You immediately pick up on the palate, wood smoke from cedar and the mineral traces from the slate. It is what I describe as a representation of “old world” wine. Powerful with enough acidity to give an edge, but with round tannins so as not to overwhelm one’s senses. Together they provide a long and satisfying finish. On the label it states this wine can age up to 30 years with proper storage. The wine is almost “blackish” in color with just a slight deep purple rim. This is a very strong wine and recommended to be enjoyed with food.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a thick cut boneless pork chop, first browned then baked. Topped with Mama’s Hatch Salsa from New Mexico which added a tasty finish to the pork. Accompanied by asparagus with sautéed in butter. Also sautéed gnocchi with butter and topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoy the side trip to Priorat as this growing region is extremely well-known in wine circles and the grape varietals Granacha (Grenache in USA) and Cariñena (Carignan) are extremely tasty and wonderful grapes grown both in Priorat and the USA. I have for years now always kept wine from the Priorat region in the cellar for the uniqueness, quality and delightful expression of the local area.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2016 Alaya Tierra is One of Our Favorite Wines for the Last Twelve Years
The 2016 Alaya Tierra is a HUGH, powerful and deep colored red wine. It is produced by Bodegas Atalaya and comes from the Almansa region of Spain in the southeastern portion.
The wine is made from 100% old-vine Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) and comes in at 16% alcohol. Garnacha Tintorera grapes, both the skin and flesh are predominantly a violet radiant color. The old vineyards of Garnacha Tintorera, being 50+ years old, are located at 1,000 meters producing low yields and small berries. The wine is aged 15 months in mostly French oak with a few being American oak barrels all being 100% new.
First on the eyes with the dark skin produces a cavernous dark brooding quality, void of color. On the nose a range of bouquets with black fruits of prunes and dates bursting forth from the glass. On the palate this unique wine lays out to the imbiber flint, faint charred toasted oak, spices, dark chocolate and a brushy earthen quality. Secondary flavors include black cherry, blackberry and licorice. At the finish, this powerful and bold wine is balanced with a velvety texture with strong but not sharp tannins being present. It finishes with a modicum of sweetness which is welcomed from such strong wine.
This wine typically goes for between $40 to $45/bottle and is always stocked in cellar. We enjoy heavy, bold and big wines with or without food. Food pairings include grilled or roasted meats (tri tip, flank steak, carne asada), barbequed beef and smoked sausages and hard cheeses.
If you enjoy hearty and robust red wines, pick up a bottle of Alaya Tierra and you will be surprised.
Sláinte,
Michael
2020 Viña Alberdi Rioja Reserva by La Rioja Alta
Photo from La Rioja Alta
Background
Having just moved to Arizona and all our wines in several storage lockers in Scottsdale, ventured to the local Total Wines to browse and pick up a few bottles of wine until the wine refrigerators were delivered to the house. Picked up several different and unusual wines. This wine, which I was familiar with, is from La Rioja Alta Winery.
The Winery
The winery is in the northern and eastern portion of Spain, not too far from France. The elevation of the winery is between 1500 to 1800 feet. The 100% Tempranillo grapes were from the vineyards of Rodezno and Alto del Rey in Labastida. The vineyards are located on clay-limestone soils and were planted 40 years ago.
The winery is based in Haro, La Rioja and was founded in 1890. La Rioja Alta makes several other premier wines such as their Gran Reserva being 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. Another Gran Reserva adds a small amount of Mazuelo. Another wine produced by them is Viña Ardanza which is lighter and blended with Graciano and Mazuelo. The winery currently has 425 hectares of vineyards or about 1,050 acres.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2020 Viña Alberdi Rioja Reserva by La Rioja Alta is an exceptional, 100% Tempranillo wine. The wine was on the lighter side but more than robust enough to whisk one back to Spain.
On the eyes a deep garnet coloring, bright and clean, with medium heavy viscosity. On the nose luscious red fruits of strawberry and raspberry arise to greet the imbiber. On the palate, for such a young Rioja, complexity and layers of enjoyment, with both a smokiness and hint of vanilla, typically found in older versions. Secondary flavors of cedar and cinnamon abound. The finish was mid-length with a subtle and reserve sweetness, with silky and mellow tannins.
The wine was aged two years on American oak barrels. This wine came in at 14% alcohol and from memory was around $21/bottle. A very good bargain for a Rioja of character.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This evening we had a Spanish chicken breast seasoned with garlic, brown sugar, chipotle pepper, onion and sea salt. This provided a tasty treat this evening. Accompanied by baby asparagus, small red seasoned and roasted potatoes and garlic French bread. While still eating with our folding table and chairs awaiting new dining room furniture to arrive, a most enjoyable meal.
One of the few pairings we have tried with red wine with chicken, yet it paired wonderfully.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly