Fine Wines of Spain

Session run by John Radford at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

• 2005 Celler Cal Pla Priorat Mas d'en Compte Blanc 80 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Made from 20% Pansal, 40% Garnatxa Blanca and 40% Picapoll this pale gold tinted white spends 6 months in the barrel. The colour shows that it is approaching matrurity after only a year. The nose has fresh brambly characters and a subtle touch of oak. The palate is weighty with very savoury, vegetal characters. Good warmth and just a hint of fruit peeping through. Lovely balance of flavours, but lots of acid. A rather niche wine from an unusual region.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2003 Altavins Viticultors Terra Alta Domus Pensi 84 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Terra Alta

  Made from 33% Garnacha, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 14% Cariñena and 13% Syrah Domus Pensi ("Thoughts of Life") spends 6 months in a mixture of French and American oak. A young wine - bright ruby with a purple rim. The nose is full of blackcurrants and has a slightly gamey feel due to the use of old barrels. Well structured, with lots of tannin from the oak, this wine should improve for 2-3 years.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2003 Bodegas Estefanía Bierzo Tilenus Envejecido en Roble 84 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Bierzo

  Made from 100% Mencia this wine is solid ruby in colour, with a purple meniscus. The nose is clean, and nothing gets in the way of the Blackberry fruit characters. The palate is crisp and well structured. Fruit and acidity up front leads to ripe fruit in the middle and hardness on the end. Needs 1 or 2 more years.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2003 Guelbenzu Ribera del Queiles Evo 83 Points

  Spain, Navarra, Ribera del Queiles

  Made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 15% Tempranillo Evo is aged in French and American oak. Solid ruby and purple in appearance, the nose shows deep dark fruit and spicy oak. The palate is enormous. Lots of tannin, but good structure and complexity. Will age well.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2003 Celler Marti Fabra Empordà Masia Carreras 82 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Empordà

  50% Grenache, 35% Carignan, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Tempranillo and 5% Shiraz. Ruby in colour this is a very full-bodied wine. The nose is gamey with hints of raspberry and blackberry fruit. The palate is huge and I found aniseed characters and dense fruit. Also a favourite of Robert Parker who awarded the 2001 vintage 94 points.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2002 Bodegas Ricardo Benito Vinos de Madrid 89 Points

  Spain, Madrid, Vinos de Madrid

  Made from 20% Tempranillo and 50% Merlot this unusual (in the sense of its origin) wine has a bright red maniscus. Purfume on the nose (possibly from the Merlot) gives way to rich blueberry and strawberry fruit. The palate is clean and crisp with lovely acidity. Still a bit of tannin, but overall well rounded and drinking very nicely.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2003 Palacios Remondo Rioja Propiedad 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  Made from 40% Garnacha, 35% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo and 10% Graciano this wine is solid ruby in colour with a little purple around the edge. The nose is spicy, spiky almost hot with a hint of sawdust. Starting off with a blast of fruit, the palate deveops some toasty oak and vanilla characters. Good tannin. Well structured, with long fading finish. Very nice.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2001 Buil & Giné Joan Giné Giné Roure Clássic 84 Points

  Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

  Made from Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon this wine is aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months. Ruby in colour with a bright red edge. The nose shows rich concentration of fruit. The palate displays intense plums and damsens.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2001 Aster Ribera del Duero Reserva 85 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  Made with Tempranillo from 13 year old vineyards this wine is aged for 18 months in French (40%) and American (60%) oak. It is then further aged for 2 years in the bottle before release. Solid red in colour, it looks as if this wine is approaching drinking maturity. Deep, dark fruit on the nose as well as hints of green French oak and toasty American oak. The palate is rich, with damsens and raspberry. Well structured, lots of tannin, clean finish.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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• 2000 Bodegas Lezcano-Lacalle Reserva 80 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Cigales

  Made from Tempranillo with a touch of Merlot, this wine is brick red in colour with no purple or garnet. The nose is full of gooseberry and strawberry fruit with just a hint of ground coffee beans. The palate is well structured. The fruit is abdundant and fighting its way through the tannin. Good, and will probably continue to improve for a few more years.
  
  Tasted during the "Fine Wine of Spain" session (run by John Radford) at the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter.

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