Germany, Spain
Germany is fully capable of producing some of the world's great white wines. One hundred years ago the demand for and thus prices commanded for the wines from the finest vineyards in Piesport, Morcobrunn and Rudesheim rivalled the best wines from Bordeaux. Largely due to the lack of government regulation into the quality of wine output, Germany over the past century became known for producing sweet sugar-water wines at cheap costs, flooding the world market. This has had a negative effect on the perception of Germany wines worldwide, but rest assured we only choose to stock Germany wines of high quality.
The Riesling grape with all its versatility is the main grape variety, and whilst many countries make Riesling, none can match the mouth-watering freshness and supreme delicacy achieved in a Mosel Kabinett from a top producer. Germany dry Rieslings as a rule tend to to be very graceful and elegant as compared to Rieslings from other countries, with an emphasis on finesse, not power. Standout producers such as Robert Weil make the headlines, but Donnhoff, JL Wolf, A Christmann and Dr Loosen are too worth seeking out.
Another most interesting contribution from Germany was Eiswine (ice wine), which until the 1970s was a freak of nature, though is now carefully managed. To produce Eiswine, parcels of vines are left out exposed to the frost, and although the production cost is astronomical they remain very popular. Robust Pinot Blancs and Pinot Gris are also produced in the whites and Pinot Noir, referred to as Spätburgunder is also grown.
The climate in Germany is, for the most part, cool, the exception being in the Pfalz and in Baden. As a result, vineyards are carefully selected with good sunlight exposure a must. For example along the banks of the Mosel River, vines are only planted one side, as there isn't enough sunlight exposure to ripen grapes on the north-facing side.
Key regions include Mosel and Nahe where extraordinary Rieslings are produced.
Spain is definitely one of the new-world players to keep an eye on. It is the land of old-vines, american oak and sherry! The main varieties grown in Spain are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache) in the reds, and Airén, Viura/Macabeo, Verdejo and Albarino for the whites. Lesser grown whites include Palomino. Other reds successfully cultivated include Carignan, Mourvedre and Mencia.
Although Spain can be quite a warm country, the vast majority of vineyards are 600m or so above sea level, so the cooler nights allow the grapes to develop full colour and acidity.
Rioja is undoubtedly the long-standing king of all the Spanish wine regions, where Tempranillo and Garnacha are commonly blended. However more recently many more regions have come to the forefront of interest. Ribera Del Duero is producing excellent Tempranillo blends rivalling those coming out of Rioja. Jerez in the South is the home of the fortified wine Sherry.
Spanish wine laws created the Denominación de Origen (DO) system in 1932 and were later revised in 1970. These include:
The Riesling grape with all its versatility is the main grape variety, and whilst many countries make Riesling, none can match the mouth-watering freshness and supreme delicacy achieved in a Mosel Kabinett from a top producer. Germany dry Rieslings as a rule tend to to be very graceful and elegant as compared to Rieslings from other countries, with an emphasis on finesse, not power. Standout producers such as Robert Weil make the headlines, but Donnhoff, JL Wolf, A Christmann and Dr Loosen are too worth seeking out.
Another most interesting contribution from Germany was Eiswine (ice wine), which until the 1970s was a freak of nature, though is now carefully managed. To produce Eiswine, parcels of vines are left out exposed to the frost, and although the production cost is astronomical they remain very popular. Robust Pinot Blancs and Pinot Gris are also produced in the whites and Pinot Noir, referred to as Spätburgunder is also grown.
The climate in Germany is, for the most part, cool, the exception being in the Pfalz and in Baden. As a result, vineyards are carefully selected with good sunlight exposure a must. For example along the banks of the Mosel River, vines are only planted one side, as there isn't enough sunlight exposure to ripen grapes on the north-facing side.
Key regions include Mosel and Nahe where extraordinary Rieslings are produced.
Spain is definitely one of the new-world players to keep an eye on. It is the land of old-vines, american oak and sherry! The main varieties grown in Spain are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache) in the reds, and Airén, Viura/Macabeo, Verdejo and Albarino for the whites. Lesser grown whites include Palomino. Other reds successfully cultivated include Carignan, Mourvedre and Mencia.
Although Spain can be quite a warm country, the vast majority of vineyards are 600m or so above sea level, so the cooler nights allow the grapes to develop full colour and acidity.
Rioja is undoubtedly the long-standing king of all the Spanish wine regions, where Tempranillo and Garnacha are commonly blended. However more recently many more regions have come to the forefront of interest. Ribera Del Duero is producing excellent Tempranillo blends rivalling those coming out of Rioja. Jerez in the South is the home of the fortified wine Sherry.
Spanish wine laws created the Denominación de Origen (DO) system in 1932 and were later revised in 1970. These include:
- - Denominación de Origen Calificada (formerly called DOCa) Priorat calls itself DOQ for Denominació d'Origen Qualificada in Catalan and has a track record of consistent quality and is meant to be a step above DO level.
- - Denominación de Origen (DO)- Used for mainstream-quality wine regions. Nearly two thirds of the total vineyard area in Spain is within the boundaries of a DO region.
- - Vino de Calidad Producido en Región Determinada (VCPRD) - This is somewhat of a stepping stone to DO status.
- - Vinos de la Tierra (VdIT) - A level similar to France's vin de pays system, where the regions are much larger.
- - Vino de Mesa (VdM)- The equivalent of 'table wines' from France or Italy
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An impressively complete and versatile wine suitable for immediate appreciation. Rich, yet elegant with beautiful flavours, softness and very approachable - this is great quality for the price! The nose shows ripe redcurrants, wild strawberries, dried herbs and some savoury ... Learn MoreMarques De Tezona Tempranillo 2018$12.00 Per item -
An impressively complete and versatile wine suitable for immediate appreciation. Rich, yet elegant with beautiful flavours, softness and very approachable - this is great quality for the price! The nose shows ripe redcurrants, wild strawberries, dried herbs and some savoury ... Learn MoreMarques De Tezona Tempranillo 2017$12.00 Per itemOut of stock -
A great value tempranillo with an inviting nose of ripe dark berries and plums with hints of smoked spice. An elegant, medium bodied palate with lots of ripe red berried fruit and smoky spice. All supported by fine graphite tannins. ... Learn MoreAltacena Tempranillo 2019$12.99 Per item -
A great value tempranillo with an inviting nose of ripe dark berries and plums with hints of smoked spice. An elegant, medium bodied palate with lots of ripe red berried fruit and smoky spice. All supported by fine graphite tannins. ... Learn MoreAltacena Tempranillo 2018$12.99 Per itemOut of stock -
A fun, fruity wine, perfect to enjoy every day with a snack or any Mediterranean dishes, like rice, vegetable or pasta. This wine is representative of the virtues of the Tempranillo variety: intense floral aromas, very fresh red and dark ... Learn MoreAlegro Rioja Tinto Tempranillo 2019$19.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Very bright and cherry red in colour leading to ripe red fruited aromas and flavours combined with subtle vanilla, mocha and liquorice notes. The palate is fleshy and mouth-filling with soft, juicy fruit, soft acidity and supple tannins. A very ... Learn MoreVina Muriel Rioja Crianza 2015$19.99 Per item -
Selected small vineyards around the winery, in Salnes Valley, in the heart of the Rias Baixas appellation (in Galicia - Northwestern Spain). The soil is granite, quite rich in quartz but poor in organic components, with a sandy texture. The ... Learn MorePazo Cilleiro Albarino 2019$21.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Selected small vineyards around the winery, in Salnes Valley, in the heart of the Rias Baixas appellation (in Galicia - Northwestern Spain). The soil is granite, quite rich in quartz but poor in organic components, with a sandy texture. The ... Learn MorePazo Cilleiro Albarino 2018$21.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The Finca Nueva Rosado is made for easy and enjoyable drinking. From the creator of Finca Allende, these wines over deliver on expectations. Miguel Ángel de Gregorio, one of the great revolutionaries pushing for modernity in Rioja, is the man ... Learn MoreFinca Nueva Rioja Rosado 2016$23.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The fruit is processed as quickly as possible to preserve freshness. Delicate varietal aromas of spice and fresh roses. A juicy textured palate. Very refreshing to drink with a crisp, dry finish. ... Learn MoreJl Wolf Villa Wolf Gewurztraminer 2019$24.99 Per item -
A representative wine of the new Rioja style, interpreted from modernity. Elegant, balanced and reliable on any occasion, with classic aromas of red fruit and vanilla and subtle hints of liquorice and toffee. Versatile with all kinds of Mediterranean dishes ( ... Learn MoreAlegro Rioja Crianza 2017$24.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The fruit is processed as quickly as possible to preserve freshness. Delicate varietal aromas of spice and fresh roses. A juicy textured palate. Very refreshing to drink with a crisp, dry finish. ... Learn MoreJl Wolf Villa Wolf Gewurztraminer 2018$24.99 Per item -
Pristine, fragrant white peach and chalky mineral tones collide in this dry, fresh-fruited Riesling. Steely on the finish, it's a remarkable value for a sophisticated yet easy-drinking wine that's likely to please many. Best enjoyed young. - Wine Enthusiast This ... Learn MoreDr L Dry Riesling 2019$25.00 Per item -
Classic ruby red with a terracotta hue. Lifted aromas of red berries, cola, vanilla and subtle garden herbs. Ripe fruit flavour is pulled elegantly firm with fine sandy tannins and perky, refreshing acidity. This is an expressive yet refined Tempranillo ... Learn MoreVina Muriel Rioja Reserva 2015$25.99 Per item -
Pérez's entry-level Mencía comes from multiple remote parcels of 30- to 60-year-old vines dotted around the slate-rich hillsides of Valtuille and Villafranca del Bierzo. The blend also takes in a splash of Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) for added ... Learn MoreMengoba Bierzo Brezo Mencía 2018$29.99 Per item -
A creamy, full-bodied red with plum and berry character. Nice purity of fruit to this. Its full-bodied and layered with polish and beauty. Lovely tannins here. - James Suckling Exopto is Latin for to long for or to desire greatly ... Learn MoreBodegas Exopto Rioja Bozeto de Exopto 2019$29.99 Per item -
Made by the famous and energetic Ernie Loosen (of Dr Loosen fame), voted one of the World's 50 Most Influential Winemakers in Wine & Spirits Magazine. The fruit for the Wachenheimer Riesling comes from a single-vineyard site , called Königswingert (“King’s ... Learn MoreJl Wolf 'Wachenheimer' Riesling 2019$29.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Made by the famous and energetic Ernie Loosen (of Dr Loosen fame), voted one of the World's 50 Most Influential Winemakers in Wine & Spirits Magazine. The fruit for the Wachenheimer Riesling comes from a single-vineyard site , called Königswingert (“King’s ... Learn MoreJl Wolf 'Wachenheimer' Riesling 2018$29.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Made by the famous and energetic Ernie Loosen (of Dr Loosen fame), voted one of the World's 50 Most Influential Winemakers in Wine & Spirits Magazine. The fruit for the Wachenheimer Riesling comes from a single-vineyard site , called Königswingert (“King’s ... Learn MoreJl Wolf 'Wachenheimer' Riesling 2017$29.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Pale straw-green; a mown grass, hedgerow, nutty bouquet. The palate is vibrant, fresh and crunchy, with a classic dry finish, lingering long, with no phenolics, and a fresh breeze aftertaste. - James Halliday From the stellar Equipo Navazos stable, this ... Learn More -
A family owned finca or single vineyard of 22 hectares at the village of Moja, near Vilafranca del Penedes in the centre of the main zone of production for quality Cava. Cava is an anomaly within the world of wine appellations, ... Learn MoreTorreblanca Cava Brut 2018$34.99 Per item -
A clear example of the elegance and silkiness of Rioja Reservas but with a more modern profile. With the complexity of long ageing in the barrel and bottle, and the delicateness of the Tempranillo. A wine with intense aromas of ... Learn MoreAlegro Rioja Reserva 2014$34.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Fred and Sabine Prinz and their estate is indeed a revelation. It started as the archetypal “garage estate” when Fred started making small batches of wine under the house in 1991, whilst he was the full-time winemaker at the Kloster Erberbach ... Learn MorePrinz Riesling Rheingau Trocken 2019$36.00 Per item -
It all began in 1885 when an ancestor of the Prada family, passionately believing in the nobility of the Godello grape variety, planted the first vines on the high, slatey hillsides of the Sil valley. Fashioned from the Estate's younger vineyards ... Learn MoreValdesil Montenovo Blanco 2019$36.99 Per item -
The 2018 Riesling trocken is sourced 100% from the calcareous sites in Westhofen. ... Learn MoreWittmann Estate Riesling 2018$36.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The Toro Albalá winery began in the heart of Southern Cordoba in 1922, which is famous for its wine region Montilla-Moriles. The Don PX wines come from the youngest, sweet vintage wines of Toro Albalá. Wonderfully pure, grapey examples of Pedro ... Learn MoreToro Albala Don PX Cosecha 2018 375ml$37.99 Per item -
Alejandro Fernandez's Dehesa La Granja is a striking 100% ungrafted, 'old-clone' Tempranillo. Highly aromatic, there are plenty of dark cherry, cola, and anise notes and hints of blood and earth as well. Although gorgeous right now, this has the depth and ... Learn MoreDEHESA 'LA GRANJA' TINTO 2007$37.99 Per item -
The Pfalz Riesling is produced from the grapes of first pickings in our classified sites. These are always picked on the perfect degree of ripeness limiting the amount of fruit acid to a moderate level. The wine unites the minerality, ... Learn MoreA. Christmann 'Pfalz' Riesling 2018$39.99 Per itemOut of stock -
This is as elegant an example of Garnacha as you are likely to find. Catalan winemaker Marc Isart Pinos is taking old vines, applying excellent viticultural work, fermenting in foudre (with some whole clusters used, as well as long maceration ... Learn More -
Deep bright red , smokey, bright cherry and cranberry nose , hints of anis , mint and earth . Crunchy and bright on the palate with gorgeous , generous savoury strawberry fruit . Fine but mouthcoating tannins give the wine a long finish . Cool in style ... Learn MoreDr Mayer Remstal Pinot Noir 2018$43.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The Sundial vineyard in Wehlen is almost nothing but broken shards of blue Devonian slate. 100% Riesling from vines over 60 years old on average. The 2019 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett is fresh and reductive on the attractively clear and aromatic nose with ... Learn More2019 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett$44.00 Per item -
Sourced from a steep, southeast-facing slope with grey clay slate soil. A perfect vineyard for Kabinett wines! A cool, fresh nose with white peach, fresh fig and apple aromas. With well-defined, spicy fruit, very elegant with a wonderful balance between ... Learn More -
The small village of Graach lies between two more-famous neighbours: Bernkastel and Wehlen. This vineyard’s steep, southwest-facing slopes and deep soils produce wines that combine the elegance of Wehlen with the rustic strength of Bernkastel. Because of the forceful ... Learn MoreDr Loosen 'Graacher Himmelreich' Kabinett 2017$46.99 Per itemOut of stock -
A clear example of the elegance and silkiness of Rioja Reservas but with a more modern profile. With the complexity of long ageing in the barrel and bottle, and the delicateness of the Tempranillo. This Gran Reserva spends an incredible 24 ... Learn MoreAlegro Rioja Gran Reserva 2012$54.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Made from 100% Pedro Ximénez, the dominant grape variety in Montilla-Moriles. It's a fino that differs from its Jerez counterparts on two counts: firstly it is made from 100% Pedro Ximénez and secondly it is not fortified (as the grapes ... Learn MoreToro Albala Fino Electrico Bombilla 750Ml$58.99 Per itemOut of stock -
It's naturally fermented, vinified in concrete vats and aged in low toast French and Russian oak for just 12 months. Forest fruits on the nose with some cherry aromas. There are also some earthy notes and hints of liquorice. Has liquorice, ... Learn MoreValenciso Reserva Rioja 2012$59.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Made from 75% Grenache and 25% Carignan. "It fermented with full clusters in stainless steel, where it was kept until bottling. It's a fruit-driven, light, refreshing Mediterranean blend with notes of licorice and wild berries. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins ... Learn MoreTerroir Al Limit Priorat Historic Negre 2017$59.99 Per itemOut of stock -
Toro Albalá put aside select lots of their best vintage wines for later release under this label. These rich and complex Pedro Ximénez wines are destined for very long ageing in oak barrels. After filling and sealing, these barrels ... Learn MoreToro Albala Don Px 1994 (Half Bottle 375Ml)$62.99 Per item -
There is no time limit for storage of this, and it improves with age even in opened bottle. Balsamic on the nose with pronounced notes of carob bean, marinades, liquorice, and raisined plums. These fragrances suddenly evolve into marked herbal ... Learn MoreToro Albala Don Px Gran Reserva 1990 (Half Bottle 375Ml)$62.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The 2019 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese is clear and bright on the stillclosed nose yet less complex compared to the Sonnenuhr (probably due to the recent bottling). The wine is clear and fresh, shows caramelized apple flavours, finely classy acidity ... Learn More2019 Dr Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Auslese$64.00 Per item
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