Spain, England
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:
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 2019$12.00 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 2019$12.99 Per item -
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 2020$19.99 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 2018$24.99 Per item -
This is very much the modern face of Spain, being picked into small baskets, de-stemmed, must chilled and fermented in stainless steel. Biological viticulture, and no additions in the winery just perfectly balanced sugar/acid/tannin in the berry which ... Learn MoreTelmo Rodríguez ‘Basa’ Verdejo 2020$29.99 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 2019$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 -
Unpronounceably excellent dry white from the Basque country with crisp citrus and lemon sherbet flooding the palate. Wild yeast fermentation adds texture and interest, as does some time on lees, but it is the seafood-loving cool acid-jazz citrus tang that ... Learn MoreArtomaña Txakolina ‘Xarmant’ Txakoli 2019$31.99 Per item -
La Copa Blanco is a white and Extra Dry Vermouth produced from a selection of very dry Fino Sherry and a selection of classic Botanicals. Red fruits have been added to achieve a long and persistent Balsamic aftertaste. Has slightly ... Learn MoreGonzalez Byass Vermouth La Copa Extra Seco Blanco NV$32.99 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 2015$34.99 Per item -
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 -
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 -
From a solera approaching a century in production, this rich yet almost fully dry Oloroso averages 15 years of age. Fleshy, with a round and velvety texture and a long, vibrant finish. Unfortified again, the nose throws hints of caramel, orange ... Learn MoreToro Albala Oloroso (500ml)$39.99 Per item -
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 -
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 item -
100% Tempranillo sourced from an estate-owned vineyard in Rioja. Expansive nose, with dominating ripe red fruit, currants and liquorice, rounded off with sweet notes of vanilla, caramel, jam and spices. The wine is particularly well-balanced, with a smooth, elegant entry, medium ... Learn MoreLa Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva ‘Vina Alberdi’ 2016$55.00 Per item -
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 item -
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 -
100% Tempranillo sourced from an estate-owned vineyard in Rioja. ... Learn MoreLa Rioja Alta Rioja Reserva ‘Vina Alberdi’ 2012$70.00 Per item -
Hattingley Valley’s multi-award winning delicate and textural sparkling rose. Elegant, with an abundance of red fruit and fresh acidity, supported by fine toasty notes developed by ageing on lees in the bottle. 2014 was the best vintage to date at ... Learn MoreHattingley Valley Rose Sparkling 2014$74.95 Per item -
It's Spain's most famous red wine and yet, we know so little about it over here in Australia! Join us for this special tasting with Alegro wines as we taste and talk through three different classification levels of Rioja ... Learn More
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“Quite simply, these are some of the finest Riojas that can grace your cellar: complex, refined, classic but without compromising fruit intensity and to reiterate: wines that speak about where they come from.” Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate Dark-cherry red ... Learn MoreLa Rioja Alta Vina Arana Gran Reserva 2014$105.00 Per item -
“Quite simply, these are some of the finest Riojas that can grace your cellar: complex, refined, classic but without compromising fruit intensity and to reiterate: wines that speak about where they come from.” Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate 90% Tempranillo and 10% ... Learn MoreLa Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva ‘904' 2011$180.00 Per item -
Opaque purple. Explosive aromas of red and dark berry preserves, cola, incense and potpourri, with smoke and mineral overtones. Deeply pitched black raspberry and cherry flavors show striking clarity and power, with a zesty mineral quality adding lift and cut. ... Learn MoreClos Mogador Priorat 2008$231.00 Per item -
Equipo Navazos, created in 2005 by Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda goes from strength to strength releasing unique, small lots of old rare Sherries and their regular Fino and Manzanilla that are among the best in their class. On ... Learn MoreEquipo Navazos La Bota de PX 56 NV$235.00 Per item -
Pack contains:
- Te Aro Estate Pruners Reward Fortified NV
- Equipo Navazos La Bota de PX 56 NV
- Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz NV
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Vi d’altura, the equivalent of Grand Cru wine. High in the Montsant ranges, the Manyes vineyard is located at the remarkable altitude of 800 metres (the highest in Priorat). This cool, north-facing vineyard is only 1.4 hectares, and the vines are ... Learn MoreTerroir al Límit Priorat Manyes 2018$550.00 Per item -
Vi d’altura, the equivalent of Grand Cru wine. There are two Vi d’altura, or pinnacle wines, produced here: Les Tosses and Les Manyes. These are Terroir al Límit’s finest Priorats, as tasted through the prism of ... Learn MoreTerroir al Límit Priorat Les Tosses 2018$550.00 Per item -
Vi d’altura, the equivalent of Grand Cru wine. High in the Montsant ranges, the Manyes vineyard is located at the remarkable altitude of 800 metres (the highest in Priorat). This cool, north-facing vineyard is only 1.4 hectares, and the vines are ... Learn MoreTerroir al Límit Priorat Manyes 2017$550.00 Per item -
Vi d’altura, the equivalent of Grand Cru wine. There are two Vi d’altura, or pinnacle wines, produced here: Les Tosses and Les Manyes. These are Terroir al Límit’s finest Priorats, as tasted through the prism of ... Learn MoreTerroir al Límit Priorat Les Tosses 2017$550.00 Per item
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