Spain, USA
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 United States is now the fourth largest producer of wine worldwide, with an abundance of grapevines planted in many wine regions, though Californian accounts for almost 90% of the countries output. In the late 1800s, the root louse phylloxera decimated many of the vineyards in Europe. It originated in the soils of North America where the vines are naturally resistant and was transferred to Europe on vine cuttings. In this case North America was both the cause of the problem, and the solution, in the form of resistant rootstock for grafting.
It wasn’t until 1973, when Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay from Château Montelana were judged to be the best in the world at the famous Paris Wine Show that the quality of the Californian wine industry was truly confirmed in the eyes of Europe.
Most all varieties are planted these days in the United States, from Syrah to Tempranillo, Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier and every blend in between. Key varieties are Californian Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. Cooler climates such as Oregon and Washington produce brilliant Pinot Noir. Even states previously considered too hot and arid for wine, like Arizona are being planted, with great results.
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
The United States is now the fourth largest producer of wine worldwide, with an abundance of grapevines planted in many wine regions, though Californian accounts for almost 90% of the countries output. In the late 1800s, the root louse phylloxera decimated many of the vineyards in Europe. It originated in the soils of North America where the vines are naturally resistant and was transferred to Europe on vine cuttings. In this case North America was both the cause of the problem, and the solution, in the form of resistant rootstock for grafting.
It wasn’t until 1973, when Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay from Château Montelana were judged to be the best in the world at the famous Paris Wine Show that the quality of the Californian wine industry was truly confirmed in the eyes of Europe.
Most all varieties are planted these days in the United States, from Syrah to Tempranillo, Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier and every blend in between. Key varieties are Californian Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. Cooler climates such as Oregon and Washington produce brilliant Pinot Noir. Even states previously considered too hot and arid for wine, like Arizona are being planted, with great results.
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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 -
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 -
Ripe, fleshy stone fruits with hints of vanilla and honeysuckle and lashings of delicate, buttery sweet almond crossiant. No surprises here - Fat Bastard Chardonnay has an opulent, luscious palate of grilled pineapple and juicy clingstone peach, followed by spiced ... Learn MoreFat Bastard California Chardonnay 2018$17.00 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 2020$19.99 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 2019$19.99 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 2020$21.99 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 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 -
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 -
Aromas of meyer lemon, gala apple, and subtle hints of oak are followed by flavors of white stone fruit, yellow plum, and honeydew melon. On the palate, the wine is vibrant and concentrated with juicy acidity that drives a lingering ... Learn MoreLa Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2018 375Ml$24.99 Per item -
Beautifully integrated tropical flavors such as pineapple, mango, and papaya with citrus notes that explode in your mouth. These flavors from Kendall - Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, delicately intertwine with aromas of vanilla and honey to create depth and balance ... Learn MoreKendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay 2016$24.99 Per itemOut of stock -
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 -
Aromas of meyer lemon, gala apple, and subtle hints of oak are followed by flavors of white stone fruit, yellow plum, and honeydew melon. On the palate, the wine is vibrant and concentrated with juicy acidity that drives a lingering ... Learn MoreLa Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2017 375Ml$24.99 Per itemOut of stock -
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 itemOut of stock -
La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2015 is sourced from the sub-regions of Sonoma including Russian River and Los Carneros. This wine has an enticing nose of red fruits, spice and rose petals and is backed by terrific depth of flavor ... Learn MoreLa Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2015 375Ml$26.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The 2017 Joel Gott California Zinfandel has aromas of raspberries, blackberries and dried cranberry with notes of vanilla and spice. The wine opens with dark fruit flavors and vanilla, followed by velvety tannins on the mid-palate, and a long finish with ... Learn MoreJoel Gott Zinfandel 2017$28.00 Per item -
Flavors from Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, delicately intertwine with aromas of vanilla and honey to create depth and balance throughout. A hint of toasted oak rounds out the long, lingering finish. ... Learn MoreKendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay 2018$28.49 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 2019$29.99 Per itemOut of stock -
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 -
On the nose, lemon, passionfruit, grilled pineapple and guava. Nectarine, papaya and crisp lemon-tangerine notes are complimented by touch of spice and complexing minerality on the palate. ... Learn MoreLa Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2018$32.90 Per itemOut of stock -
From the stellar Equipo Navazos stable, this Manzanilla comes from a 60-strong cask selection made by Navazos founders' Jesus Barquin and Eduardo Ojeda that was plucked from the production of La Guita, one of the most famous (and finest) Manzanilla ... Learn More -
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 MoreEquipo Navazos I Think Manzanilla Saca de February de 2020 375ml$32.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The winery's original name, La Crema Vinera, means “best of the vine,” setting the standard since 1979. The family-owned and operated winery focuses exclusively on cool-climate appellations. Aromas of baked apple, brioche, and pineapple are followed by flavours of Asian pear, ... Learn MoreLa Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2019$33.00 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 itemOut of stock -
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 -
The 2018 Joel Gott Limited Release California Barrel-Aged Chardonnay has aromas of ripe pear and apple blossom with notes of honey. On the palate, the wine opens with bright fruit flavors, leading to a round mouthfeel on the mid-palate and crisp ... Learn MoreJoel Gott Barrel Aged Chardonnay 2018$35.99 Per item -
The Joel Gott 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of blackberry and black cherry with notes of clove, vanilla, and brown sugar. The wine opens with dark, concentrated fruit flavors, followed by velvety tannins on the mid-palate and notes of baking spices ... Learn MoreJoel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018$35.99 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 -
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 itemOut of stock -
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 -
The 2017 Mendocino County Zinfandel begins with concentrated aromas of baking spices including; cinnamon and cloves. Those spices give way to aromas of blackberries, black currants, and dried sage. The texture is round, and the fruit expression is focused and lush. ... Learn MoreEdmeades Mendocino Zinfandel 2017$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 -
That said, the appeal of this release is easy to see. Rich dark fruit, plenty of roasted spices, fine tannin, earth and admirable mix of primary and secondary flavour. It’s both fresh with fruit and leathery at once. The ... Learn MoreVina Muriel Reserva Tempranillo 2011$44.99 Per itemOut of stock -
The 2018 Mendocino County Zinfandel begins with concentrated aromas of baking spices including; cinnamon and cloves. Those spices give way to aromas of blackberries, black currants, and dried sage. The texture is round, and the fruit expression is focused and lush. ... Learn MoreEdmeades Mendocino Zinfandel 2018$48.00 Per itemOut of stock
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