This Week’s Wine Tasting
Spanish Wines
Imported by Jorge Ordonez
Bodegas Breca– “Jorge Ordonez and his associates founded Bodegas Breca in 2005. The winery is located in the town of Mundobriga, which was the ancient Celt-Iberian city that gave birth to the modern village of Munebrega in Aragon. The winery is located on the outskirts of the village and the vineyards are nestled in the high altitude valleys between the Sierra de Pardos and the Sierra de Pena Blanca. The winery owns 265 hectares (654 acres) of old-vine Garnacha vineyards situated high on the hillsides, from 950m to 1000m (2,850-3,000 ft.) above sea level. Breca’s vineyards were planted between 1925 and 1968.”
Bodega Breca Garnacha de Fuego Rose 2014- Aragon, Spain. 100% Garnacha. “The vines are planted on two different terraces. The first is characterized by decomposed slate. The second is composed mainly of red clay soils. Although there is very little rainfall in the region, the clay holds enough water to the vines get moisture and are grown without irrigation. The grapes are harvested by hand and carefully selected only the perfectly ripe bunches. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures.”
“(90% garnacha and 10% viura): Light orange. Spicy red berries and fresh flowers on the nose. Juicy, spicy and tightly wound, offering lively flavors of red fruits and white pepper. Silky, dry rose with good spicy persistence and a lingering floral quality. This is a really solid value. 88 points.” –Vinous. $8.99
Bodegas Borsao– “Founded in 1958 in the town of Borja, called Borsao in the 4th century B.C., this winery represents what can be done with Garnacha, a grape that is not well appreciated by the Spanish press. Through meticulous selection, work in the fields and at reception time in the winery, modern winemaking produces this highly fruity wine. One of the best examples of the region known as “The Garnacha land of Spain”, the lower part of the Ebro River.”
Bodegas Borsao Tinto 2014– Campo de Borja, Spain. A blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Tempranillo. “Vineyards with an age of 15 to 25 years on stony and slimy soils with clay and limestone. Pellicular maceration during 3-4 days and in total between 10-12 days. Separate fermentation of each variety in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of between 22º-24º C. Cherry red with violet nuances. Has a ripe fruit nose with floral tones. Full bodied wine, spicy and with a complex and long aftertaste. “Possibly the single greatest dry red wine value in the world, this is an unbelievable wine”.-Robert Parker of the vintage 2011. $7.99
Bodegas Borsao Monte Oton Garnacha 2014– Campo de Borja, Spain. 100% Garnacha. “Vineyards of Garnacha of 15 to 25 years old planted on stony soils with clay and limestones. Temperature controlled fermentation at between 22º C and 25º C in stainless steel tanks to preserve all the aromas of the Garnacha. Done after a 15 days maceration period. The vineyards for Monte Oton are situated high on the windswept slopes of the extinct volcano, Moncayo. The sun drench, arid location is ideal for harvesting, perfectly matured, fully ripened Garnacha grapes. The resulting wine is full bodied, elegantly textured and exhibits a long complex finish.” $7.99
Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2013– Campo de Borja, Spain. 100% Garnacha. “Mountain vineyards with an age of 35 to 60 years situated at an altitude of 600-700 meters, on stony, slimy soils with clay and limestone. Maceration during 20-25 days in total. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of between 25º-30º C. The wine is submitted to an aging of 5 months in new bordelaise barrels of French oak.”
“The 2013 Tres Picos is the bodegas top cuvée of 100% Grenache from older, head-pruned vines planted on the hillsides of the Moncayo Mountains. Yields were less than two tons of fruit per acre. This was the first of the Grenaches to spend some time in a combination of older French oak barrels (for 10 months) as well as stainless steel. There are 6,000 cases of this outstanding wine. Its dense ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by notes of kirsch liqueur, licorice, pepper and spice box, and a medium to full-bodied, richly fruity, sensual wine with beautiful finesse, complexity and purity. Sometimes Grenache can take on a complex, Pinot Noir-like sensitivity, and this cuvée appears to have done that. Consumers should take advantage of these lovely wines offered at ridiculously low prices. Drink now-2017. 90 points.” –The Wine Advocate. $15.99
Volver– “Founded in 2004 by Jorge Ordonez and Rafael Canizares, two of those responsible for the Spanish international boom came in the 90s. When the world Spanish wines associated with a small list of Riojas of dubious quality and cheap Sherries, these two visionaries recovered previously unknown ancient abandoned in areas such as Jumilla vineyards. At the same time, Jorge Ordonez reinvented the business of the export of Spanish wines, creating new types of customers and revealing to the world the potential of our wines. The seal of the winery is the craftsmanship from Spanish local varieties from very old, less productive vineyards, but they provide more quality in every way. Currently, Bodegas Volver produces wines under the umbrella of the DO Jumilla, Castilla la Mancha and Alicante.”
Volver Tempranillo 2012– Castilla la Mancha, Spain. 100% Tempranillo. “The grapes come from a single farm of 29 hectares, planted in 1957, called “Finca los Juncares “. The soil is sandy, with a thick substrate of sand enriched with iron and a large component of limestone. The vineyards have low production, about 1-2 kg of grapes per vine.”
“The most expensive wine in this portfolio is the 2012 Single Vineyard, a 100% Tempranillo from a vineyard in La Mancha planted in 1957. There are 2,000 cases of this cuvée, which sees 18 months of aging in new French oak, and is bottled unfiltered. An outstanding, value-priced wine, its deep ruby/purple color is followed by notes of unsmoked cigar tobacco, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, blackberries and cassis. Intense and medium-bodied with sweet tannin and a voluptuous, long finish, it should drink well for 1-3 years. It is another Spanish red that over-delivers in fruit, flavor and complexity. 90 points.” –The Wine Advocate. $14.99
[Volver] Tarima Hill Monastrell 2012– Alicante, Spain. 100% Monastrell. “Small plots of vineyards between 40 and 75 years old with very low yields, all scattered across the Sierra de la Sima in the heart of Alicante. Grown in natural organic-in-practice conditions without irrigation. The combination of these characteristics of the terrain and the altitude difference this small area that has established a predominantly continental microclimate with Mediterranean influences with high temperature variations between day and night. All these conditions result in acidity and sugar content balanced.”
“The outstanding 2012 Tarima Hill is 100% old-vine Mourvèdre from a vineyard planted between 1935 and 1970, whose vines are largely ungrafted. It was aged 20 months in French oak. This is a beautifully balanced wine revealing lots of blueberry liqueur, dark raspberries, cherries, a chalky minerality, full body, a big, substantial mouthfeel, and a meaty texture. Drink now-2019. 91 points.” –The Wine Advocate. $14.99