Bellingham Grand Crew Visits Spain

Served blind

• 2009 Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes Rías Baixas Albariño D Fefiñanes

  Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas

  First bottle of the first flight.
  Full bodied, beautiful greean apple, limestone, kiwi. Great acidity to brighten the dense fruit.
  Enjoyed this one a lot, and it seemed popular with the group.

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• 2009 Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Rubentis

  Spain, País Vasco, Getariako Txakolina

  Second bottle of first flight.
  Nice Rosé, refreshing, lightly sparkling. Crisp berry flavors.

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• 1990 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  A subtle beauty. Amber suggesting some age. Light bodied. Toasty nose. A little bit of nice mid-palate bitterness which increased its appeal. Big attack to a decrescendo finish. Still fairly youthful.

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• 1999 Nocedal Tempranillo Rioja Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Started with raisiny aromas, but actually displayed more youthful fruit with airing. Strawberry and cherry, almost Grenache-like. Showing a little alcohol, a little age. Fine tannins towards finish.

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• 1982 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  My co-WOTN. Aged nose, youthful palate. Red fruit, floral notes, black tea. Later, the nose displayed an appealing smokey quality. Lasted hours in the glass without decline.

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• 2005 Bodegas Zugober (Belezos) Rioja Crianza

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  Woody vanilla. Full bodied. Purple candied fruit. Firm tannins and crisp acidity. None of the subtlety or femininity of the previous Riojas.

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• 1978 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Wonderful bottle. Not as much fruit as the '82 Montecillo Gran Reserva. I enjoyed the nose better than the palate, which faded as the night passed.

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• 2000 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  A bit of oak; cinnamon. Stood up to the cumin and citrus black beans and pork, a dish I thought would be a wine-killer. Someone in the group thought it traditional, but I disagreed.

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• 2001 Bodegas Muga Rioja Aro

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Modern styled. Dense. Chocolate and vanilla, dark fruit. Tannic, crisp acidity. Still quite young. Would be interesting to revisit in ten years. Will make old bones.

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• 2001 Dominio Pingus Ribera del Duero Flor de Pingus

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  Elegant adolescent, somewhere between youthful exuberance and maturity. Blackberries; tannins still prominent. Tight, needs a lot of time.

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• 1998 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Tasted older than 12 years. Soft, tannins resolved and gone. Smokey; nicely balanced. Drink.

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• 2006 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio

  Spain, Murcia, Jumilla

  MODERN (sorry to shout, but this screamed "International style") This wine could have been from anywhere. Big everything; dark fruit, alcohol, oak. Despite earlier decanting and aerating, this was a bit brutish.

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• 2009 Bodegas y Viñedos Tábula Ribera del Duero Damana 5

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  Someone said maltomeal, but this brought me back to toddler days and colloidal oatmeal baths for chickenpox. Yes, oatmeal and berries on the nose. Oaky and internationally-styled, I liked it more than some of the others in the group. Not great, not offensive.

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• 2001 Clos Mogador Priorat Manyetes

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Very ripe; leather and earth, a bit of heat. Seemed more advanced than its age.

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• 1970 Jean León Cabernet Sauvignon Penedès Reserva

  Spain, Catalunya, Penedès

  My Co-WOTN. Huge old wine. Wet leather, licorice, brown spice. You could pass this on to your grand-kids and it would still be drinking well.

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Another incredible night. Great friends, sumptuous food, and wonderful wines.