When asked to name the best wine producing countries in Europe, Spain isn’t usually the one that is top of mind for most people. More often than not France or Italy are likely to be mentioned with the highest frequency. But to overlook Spain or dismiss it as a distant third, fourth or even fifth, would be to miss out on some truly terrific wine. We have long enjoyed wines from Spain both for their quality and value, and our recent wine tour with Fine Vintage cemented that notion in no uncertain terms. It reaffirmed our belief that the top wines produced in Spain can stand alongside even the most esteemed wines made by its European peers, without the high prices that a Classified Growth Bordeaux, a Premier or Grand Cru Burgundy, or a Super Tuscan would command.
Read More
Pintia is one of the creations of Spain’s (arguably) most famous winery: Vega Sicilia. The lineage of this wine is so important to how it has achieved greatness, that Pintia must be understood in the context of its forebears.
Read More
2005 Pintia
Impossibly dark for an 11 year old wine. Very expressive nose that sends up blackberries, raspberries, baking spices and hints of vanilla. On the palate all of the dials are turned up: dark fruits galore are mixed herbs and spices that continually change as the wine evolves in the glass. Full body, with lots of everything: fruit, oak and tannin. This is big and muscular but wonderfully balanced which keeps it from feeling heavy. Comes across as very youthful with lots of drying tannins, that marry well with the fruit and are not at all harsh. Years, no, decades left in this wine. The finish is long and begs you back for another sip. Very sophisticated and utterly delicious.
Extraordinary – 2010 vintage available at BC Liquor Stores for *$73 ($84 including taxes -*This particularly good value, given the quality)
Read More
1995 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904
At age 21 this wine is in great shape. Beautiful nose of strawberry, sweet tobacco and saddle leather with a slight floral component developing with air. Medium body, this has the silky mouthfeel of a Grand Cru Burgundy. The finish is long and juicy with a slight citrus note. Very complex with lots of earth, mineral and tobacco notes supporting the red fruit of cranberry, raspberry and cherry. Intensely flavoured, this is absolutely delicious.
Excellent +
Read More
Spain is one of the world’s important wine growing countries and has a number of wine growing regions. The best known regions are Priorat, near the Mediterranean Coast and known for Garnacha, the Spanish term for Grenache and in the North are Rioja and Ribera del Duero, known for Tempranillo. These better-known regions have earned their reputations, and having been producing wines that have captured the praises of the wine press for decades. But there is a newcomer on the scene that is just starting to gather attention and that is the region of Toro.
Read More
Recent Comments