by Lorri | Aug 29, 2018 | UnCorked
The beautiful diverse vineyards of Spain are among my favorite places to visit. The country is rooted in centuries of tradition when it comes to winemaking. It offers an exciting array of wines but also great values. But one needn’t travel to Spain to experience what this dynamic wine country has to offer.
The Spanish government guarantees the authenticity of its wine by designating each with a region of origin or Demoniacion de Origen (D.O.). The laws behind these distinctions define the location, grape used, maximum yields allowed, aging requirements in bottle and barrel and alcohol content. Today, more than 60 wine regions have unique D.O. designations.
SPARKLING
Spanish Cava has been produced in the Penedes region since the late 1800s using the same winemaking method as the honored Champagne but with indigenous grapes. The resulting wine is fresh, fizzy bubbly at half the price of even the least expensive Champagnes.
THE VALUE
- NV Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, Spain (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- NV Conquilla Brut Cava, Spain (about $16 retail)
WHITE WINE
Albarino is stealing the limelight for white wine around the world. It is produced and grown in the northwest corner of Spain in the Rias Baixas region. The region is cooler than most of Spain, resulting in the crisp, fragrant characteristics of this wine.
THE VALUE
- 2017 Kentia Albarino, Spain (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2017 Laxas Albarino, Spain (about $19 retail)
ROSE
The Rioja region, known the world over for its red wines, produces several distinct dry roses, which beg to be discovered.
THE VALUE
- 2017 Campo De Borja Borsao Rose, Spain (about $10 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2017 Marques de Caceres Rioja Rose, Spain (about $14 retail)
RED WINE
Rioja is the most recognized of Spain’s red wines. The region has had tremendous growth due mostly to the production of exceptional quality wines offered at a reasonable price. These wines are produced from the tempranillo grape and are fresh, fruity, robust and complex.
THE VALUE
- 2016 Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza, Spain (about $13 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2016 Beronia Gran Reserva, Spain (about $30 retail)
SWEET WINE
Many still think of sherry as the cheap sweet wine of 20 or 30 years ago. That not the case today with Spanish producers bottling some of the most luscious, rich and smooth sweet wines in the world.
THE VALUE
- Osborne Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Spain (about $23 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- Fernando de Castilla Oloroso Sherry, Spain (about $40 retail)
by Lorri | Mar 22, 2017 | UnCorked
When I travel, my priority is exploring and learning the local wine regions. My family has been traveling to Marbella, Spain, for several years. As is sometimes the case with a traveling writer, I am typing this column while sitting on the beach enjoying the soft rolling waves of the Mediterranean Sea and, of course, a glistening glass of local wine is sitting on my side table. Which brings me back to exploring local wines.
This trip I decided I had exhausted winery and vineyard visits throughout this area and instead focused on local wines I would find in grocery stores and restaurants. That was the easy part. The daunting part was finding wines I could also enjoy in my Adirondack chair sitting on my deck at home in the Arkansas sunshine.
Verdejo was by far the most accessible of white wines. Wines from this grape line the retail shelves with hundreds of producers. Verdejo is generally the “house wine” at restaurants. It’s similar in style to some sauvignon blancs and pinot gris. It is produced in the cool region of Rueda where it has a sharp acidity, lemon, citrus and mineral flavors. But the biggest appeal of this local gem is the price. It ranged from $3 to $15. Almost all the styles we’ve tried in Spain are available in the United States for $15 or less. However, the most important tip I can impart is to be sure you are buying a very recent vintage because the acidity and refreshing aspect is the reason it’s so enjoyable to drink.
Most of us are very familiar with the red wine rioja. Bottle after bottle — that wine never disappointed. It was an easy pair-up to almost any dish, from red meat to seafood. Made mostly from the tempranillo grape, it ranged from $5 to $30 on the retail shelves and on wine lists. The style most locals buy as an everyday drinking wine is the young, fresh and fruity taste. Checking Arkansas stores, I found many styles and price points readily available.
THE VALUE
- 2015 Tapena Verdejo, Spain (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2013 Campo Viejo Rioja, Spain (about $24 retail)
by Lorri | Sep 16, 2015 | UnCorked
Many Spain wine regions are offering dynamic wines that are a delight to explore. The styles range from spicy, berry-rich powerful reds to light, fresh whites and of course the sparkle of cava. This wide range in offerings includes some of the world’s best value priced wines.
In the past, Spain’s world-class wines came mainly from the Rioja region, a region many wine drinkers find familiar. But today, quality Spanish wines are being produced in Ribera del Duero and Catalonia. In addition, many Rioja producers are shaking things up and proving that Spain is one of the most progressive Old World wine-producing countries in the world.
In the past couple of weeks I have been on an exploration of my own, tasting my way through an array of budget-friendly Spanish wines.
THE VALUES
- 2014 Terum Garnacha Aragon, Spain (about $10 retail)
- 2014 Montebuena Rioja, Spain (about $12 retail)
- 2014 Castillo de Monseran, Spain (about $8 retail)
- 2014 Las Rocas Garnacha, Spain (about $13 retail)
- 2013 Campo Viejo Rioja, Spain (about $13 retail)
- 2014 Ergo, Spain (about $12 retail)
- 2014 Ramon Bilbao Tempranillo, Spain (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGES
- 2014 Bodegas Langa Pi White Garnacha, Spain (about $20 retail)
- 2013 Bodegas Langa Pi Concejon, Spain (about $20 retail)
- 2014 La Cana Albarino, Spain (about $19 retail)
- 2013 Volver Single Vineyard, Spain (about $20 retail)
- 2013 The Saint Rioja, Spain (about $17 retail)
- 2013 Cruz de Alba Crianza, Spain about $27 retail)
by Lorri | Aug 31, 2011 | UnCorked
Rooted in centuries of tradition, Spain is a country with diverse and distinctive wines, including an exciting array with excellent value.
The Spanish government guarantees the authenticity of its wine by designating each with a region of origin or Denominacion de Origen (D.O.). The laws behind these distinctions define the location, grape used, maximum yields allowed, aging requirements in bottle and barrel and alcohol content. More than 60 wine regions have unique designations offering a world of diversity for the wine drinker.
SPARKLING
Spanish cava had been produced in the Penedes region of Catalonia since the late 19th century using the same winemaking method as the honored Champagne but with indigenous grapes. The resulting wine is a fresh bubbly at half the price of many inexpensive Champagnes.
THE VALUE
- NV Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, Spain (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- NV Sumarroca Cava Brut, Spain (about $19 retail)
WHITE
Albarino is stealing the limelight for white wine around the world. It is produced and grown in the northwest corner of Spain in the Rias Baixas region, which is cooler than other regions in the country and contributes to the crisp, fragrant characteristics of this wine.
THE VALUE
- 2010 La Cana Albarino, Spain (about $16 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Abadia San Campio Albarino, Spain (about $25 retail)
ROSE
The Rioja region, known the world over for its red wines, produces several distinct dry roses, which beg to be discovered.
THE VALUE
- 2010 Rene Barbier Rose, Spain (about $10 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2010 Marques de Caceres Rioja Rose, Spain (about $14 retail)
RED
Rioja is the most recognized of Spain’s red wines. In recent years, the region has experienced tremendous growth due mostly to the production of exceptional wines offered at a reasonable price. These wines are produced from the tempranillo grape and are fresh, fruity, robust and complex.
THE VALUE
- 2008 Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza, Spain (about $13 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2008 Condesa de Leganza Crianza, Spain (about $18 retail)
SHERRY
Often overlooked or discounted due to its undeserved reputation as low in quality and overly sweet, Spanish sherry deserves a second look. Today, Spanish producers are bottling some of the most luscious, rich and smooth sweet wines in the world.
THE VALUE
- Dry Sack 15 Year Old Sherry, Spain (about $30 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- Fernando de Castilla Oloroso Sherry, Spain (about $40 retail)
