I'm seeking your advice on Spanish wines - what characteristics should I be looking for?
To give you some context I've been drinking a few spanish reds lately. They've been predominantly Grenache, some souson and a few other shiraz-type grape blends.
On the whole I've been finding the nose on the majority of the wines to be quite beguiling - I'd describe the wines as 'pretty' (floral and not too herbal - occasional violets) and being light to medium bodied.
To my horror I've been finding that when I get to the palate the wines have been very dilute or there's just nothing there - to sum up the nose has not matched the palate and they're a bit 'meh'.
Is there something I'm missing with these wines? Are they stripped? Do Spanish wines have brett as a defining feature? What is the flavour proile I should be keeping in mind? I'd also appreciate any recommendations for good but not too expensive spanish wines - I'm feeling a touch burned ATM and any advice is greatly appreciated
Cheers Matt
PS - the corks in the majority of these wines have been questionable...
In my cellar I have Borsao Tres Picos, marques de murrieta reserva and it's big brother Ygay, Descendientes de J Palacios, lopez de heredia vina tondonia, all great wines with a lot of punch. When we're over there in October, I'll be bringing back 6 x Tondonia, what outstanding wines they are.
I haven't had a bretty one of any of these although some cork variation.
I had a 2008 Marques de Murrieta over the weekend and really enjoyed it. It was my first Spanish wine and was a bit of a punt but turned out to be a good one.
For $30 a bottle I thought it was pretty good value. What sort of cellaring potential would these have?
ads_11 wrote:I had a 2008 Marques de Murrieta over the weekend and really enjoyed it. It was my first Spanish wine and was a bit of a punt but turned out to be a good one.
For $30 a bottle I thought it was pretty good value. What sort of cellaring potential would these have?
This one is a cracker. It's big brother the Ygay is amazingly good. Pick both up at the big green retailer. If you do not like this, then move on. Rioja/Spain is probably not for you.
never underestimate the predictability of stupidity
Also for a more modern take try Roda, light and day compared to Lopez de Heredia (my two favorites from Rioja). Also for a cheap but good try Torres Celeste a great wine that packs a punch.
I had some better luck last night when I opened a bottle of 'La Flor Y La Abeja - The Flower and the Bee (Souson dominant blend). It was a good deal better than the other spanish reds that I've been opening. Still pehaps a touch green but if you close your eyes you could be drinking something slightly honeyed (no pun intended!).
For the record the foulest of the bottles recently explored had to be an entry level 'Il Faustino' from the early 2000's. Truly the wrong Rioja for a beginner or it could have been green, totally cooked and/or corked - it was unpleasant. Otherwise most of it has been fairly simple entry level stuff. Torito Bravo (grenache shiraz blend) was another disappointment - a great nose and then...nothing...
rossmckay wrote:We can crack a Palacios whenever you like.
Thanks Ross - much appreciated. We're probably getting close to time for another offline. Tempted to do a blind Aldi Spanish taste off with something good like a Murrieta or an Ygay in there. Could be fun. Will drop you a line.
rens wrote:If you do not like this, then move on. Rioja/Spain is probably not for you.
More for you perhaps? Don't worry...I haven't given up hope yet. Thanks all for the reccos
pstarr wrote:Come round for dinner sometime and I'll open some Spaniards, Matt.
Yes thanks - keen as mustard.
Will e-mail you after Parliament finishes sitting this week - it's manic and looking at my diary is a tad stressful . It's also time to put the thinking caps back on for the next offline.
Cheers Matt
Last edited by The fish on Wed Jun 25, 2014 2:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I don't have a lot of experience either with Spanish wines, but have been trying a few lately - predominately Rioja tempranillo-based wines. I don't enjoy the Grenache-based wines as much so haven't tried many.
For a while there I was thinking I was missing something too. Now, I've come to the conclusion I just had a particularly unlucky run with cork variation. I have to admit I've been put off a bit by it, and if it wasn't for a particularly special bottle of '01 Ygay, I may have given up altogether. Rens is right on the money - if you get a good bottle it is amazing. Amazing.
Only tried single bottles of most of these (exc Proximo):
'06 Marqes de Murrieta Reserva was good. '08 Marques de Riscal - corked. '05 Remirez de Ganuza Reserva - was the most severe cork taint I've ever come across. I'm still getting over it. '05 Riscal Baron de Chirel - Just a bit flat, like something was missing. Not obviously tainted. My old man liked it so maybe it was just me. '01 Murrieta Castillo Ygay - absolutely glorious - a real wine moment for me. '04 Murrieta Castillo Ygay - Should be as good if not better than the '01, but this was a shadow of the '01. Muted flavours somehow. '09/'10 Proximo - This has been pretty good, a lively, more savoury wine than I would expect at the price, a good quaffer. No issues on this one ironically, though the later vintage was under screwcap.
In addition to the ones mentioned above, I recommend the Vina Ardanza and Vina Arana Reservas.. reasonably priced and made in a more traditional style that doesn't soak the wine in oak. Brighter and fresher but can age for yolks. Come to think of it.. anything by La Rioja Alta is good. The Gran Reservas are as good as any.
Remelluri make some nice reds and their white is very highly regarded (but hard to find).
Don't worry...I haven't given up hope yet. Thanks all for the reccos 
. It's also time to put the thinking caps back on for the next offline.