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Obscure Spanish Regions
Fort Collins, CO
Tasted August 25, 2010 by andtheodor with 494 views
Introduction
Ribera, Toro, Priorat, and Rioja specifically disallowed. Somewhat of a difficult theme as many Spanish reds from Jumilla, Yecla, Monsant, Alicante, etc. have always seemed like they're trying to be something they're not and end up ripe, extracted, and oaked as a result. There was a lot of that but some interesting things worth pursuing as well.
Flight 1 (1 note)
White
2008 Bodegas y Vinedos Shaya Rueda Old Vines
89 points
Very pale yellow with a crisp, floral, slightly soapy nose. There's a slightly funky element reminiscent of New Zealand SB here too. Light bodied, nice sweet/tart lemon lime balance and a huge Granny Smith apple flavor. Clean, steely, refreshing finish.
Flight 2 (1 note)
Red
2006 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Garnacha Campo de Borja
Monster in the glass. Cocoa butter nose with lots of toasty barrique lending vanilla, coconut, rum, and dark fruit. Hot, spicy, and dense. Huge body and finish. Coffee, char, dark medicinal fruit, pruny, brandy-steeped raisins. Extreme ripeness. This is a goddamn viña colada; it tastes more like cheap rum and coconut juice than wine. No thanks.
Flight 3 (1 note)
Red
2001 Bodegas Sierra Salinas Alicante Mira
89 points
Dark, with a nice nose of chocolate, licorice, shoebox, herbs becoming black tea with time. Considerable oak but still under control, dense and extracted, tight tannins yet. With time the palate veered towards an attractive licorice thing with pleasant cranberry tartness. Very good.
Flight 4 (1 note)
Red
2005 Anima Negra Àn
88 points
Opened slightly sulfury with a funky rustic french streak to it that blew off to reveal licorice, berry, oak. Seemed young.
Flight 5 (1 note)
Red
2004 Cellers Baronia del Montsant (Clos d'Englora) Montsant Englora
87 points
Huh, another big dark, youthful, outspoken wine. Plum, herbs, licorice, tight yet. One of the better wine of the evening but rather unremarkable.
Flight 6 (1 note)
Red
2008 Bodegas Olivares Monastrell Altos de la Hoya Finca Hoya de Santa Ana
82 points
Weedy, oak, berry. Cranberry and veggies. Somewhat of an improvement from the 2007 bottling. Ugh.
Flight 7 (1 note)
Red
1999 Celler Marti Fabra Empordà Masia Carreras
90 points
Herbs, black tea, and big licorice on the nose. Certainly reminiscent of CdP, nice and spicy. Pleasant finish with great fruit and minerality. WOTN.
Flight 8 (1 note)
White - Sweet/Dessert
N.V. Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1927
91 points
Liquid figs and raisins. Somewhat port-like with maple syrup, chocolate, pruny but with great acidity. Mind-blowing over homemade vanilla custard.