Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León
This a Vino da Mesa from Toro. The estate in Zamora, Alejandro's third winery, has around 250 hectares under vine, all tempranillo. The wine spends two years in new American oak and a further six months in bottle before release. 1999 is the second vintage. It is very dark and young. A big, full fruity nose. Good fruit attack. Full and rich on the palate with a nice tannic structure. For me, it seems a slightly internationalised style: a very good, relatively basic tempranillo; not a lot of elegance, but attractive, if you like lots of oak. Very Good. The wine was served with some excellent, abundant charcuterie.
100% Tempranillo again, but this time from bought-in grapes: bought, it is worth noting, by the hectare, not by weight, which helps to ensure quality fruit. After vinification, the wine spends 16 months in oak and another 6 in bottle. A very unusual nose: very fragrant, with tobacco and violets dominating, but also an eau de vie and burnt touch. Good full attack. Quite sweet; very full and round. Quite a big structure, but not at all tannic, just a nice soft roundness. Very pleasant finish. Very Good Indeed.
A light elegant nose. Good attack. Very elegant. But I can't say I'm very impressed by this. It seems to lack fruit and character, with the tannins merely making the wine twiggy. A second bottle, by contrast had a much more mushroomy nose, lacking the elegance of the first bottle and was generally poorer. OK.
The premium cuvée from Condado de Haza. A rather dark colour. Rich nutty nose, though rather spirity. Lovely attack. Smooth. Rich. Full. Very notably tannic. Big and powerful. Very Good Indeed. Served with some lovely roast milk-fed lamb, from (vegetarians please look away) unweaned lambs under six weeks old.
Served en magnum with cheese. Rather closed fruit nose: plummy with a hint of spirit. Far too young. Fairly light on the attack. Very full on the palate with big tannins, though the tannins are not overwhelming. Full and clean, but very closed and quite green, especially on the finish. Will be superb, but this was as a bad a case of infanticide as the six week old suckling lambs they served for main course.
Remarkable, really, that they decided to serve this - all the more bizarre that they chose to serve magnums.
1999 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Dehesa la Granja 88 Points
Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León
This a Vino da Mesa from Toro. The estate in Zamora, Alejandro's third winery, has around 250 hectares under vine, all tempranillo.
The wine spends two years in new American oak and a further six months in bottle before release. 1999 is the second vintage.
It is very dark and young. A big, full fruity nose. Good fruit attack. Full and rich on the palate with a nice tannic structure. For me, it seems a slightly internationalised style: a very good, relatively basic tempranillo; not a lot of elegance, but attractive, if you like lots of oak. Very Good.
The wine was served with some excellent, abundant charcuterie.
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2000 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández La Mancha El Vínculo 91 Points
Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, La Mancha
100% Tempranillo again, but this time from bought-in grapes: bought, it is worth noting, by the hectare, not by weight, which helps to ensure quality fruit. After vinification, the wine spends 16 months in oak and another 6 in bottle.
A very unusual nose: very fragrant, with tobacco and violets dominating, but also an eau de vie and burnt touch. Good full attack. Quite sweet; very full and round. Quite a big structure, but not at all tannic, just a nice soft roundness. Very pleasant finish. Very Good Indeed.
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1996 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Crianza 78 Points
Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
A light elegant nose. Good attack. Very elegant. But I can't say I'm very impressed by this. It seems to lack fruit and character, with the tannins merely making the wine twiggy.
A second bottle, by contrast had a much more mushroomy nose, lacking the elegance of the first bottle and was generally poorer. OK.
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1995 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Alenza Gran Reserva 91 Points
Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
The premium cuvée from Condado de Haza. A rather dark colour. Rich nutty nose, though rather spirity. Lovely attack. Smooth. Rich. Full. Very notably tannic. Big and powerful. Very Good Indeed.
Served with some lovely roast milk-fed lamb, from (vegetarians please look away) unweaned lambs under six weeks old.
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1996 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Gran Reserva Pesquera 90 Points
Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
Served en magnum with cheese.
Rather closed fruit nose: plummy with a hint of spirit. Far too young. Fairly light on the attack. Very full on the palate with big tannins, though the tannins are not overwhelming. Full and clean, but very closed and quite green, especially on the finish. Will be superb, but this was as a bad a case of infanticide as the six week old suckling lambs they served for main course.
Remarkable, really, that they decided to serve this - all the more bizarre that they chose to serve magnums.
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