Spanish Wines from D.O. La Mancha (Asia Roadshow 2017) in Singapore

Wine producers from D.O. La Mancha were in town on 29 March (as part of a Asia Road Show) to showcase their wines. Pictures of this event can be viewed via the following link:

D.O. La Mancha Asia Roadshow Photo Album

When in this part of the world, they took the opportunity to meet wine importers at Chengdu (China), Seoul (S. Korea) and Singapore as well. This time round, there were 10 wineries from La Mancha participating in this event held at Raffles Hotel (Singapore).

They were:
Bodegas El Progreso
Bodegas Parra Jimenez
Dominio de Punctum Organic & Biodynamic Wines
Bodegas Yuntero
Bodegas Santa Catalina
Vinicola de Tomelioso
Bogarve 1915
inos Coloman
Virgen de las Vinas Bodega y Almazara
Aliozo – Centro Espanolas

Masterclass
The day started off with a masterclass on La Mancha wines. It was conducted by local wine educator and writer Edwin Soon.

Edwin Soon

 He took the opportunity to share with attendees information on the climate, geography, viticulture and vinification practices of this region as well as the wine classification system practised in Spain. We also had a guided tasting of 10 wines during this session to appreciate the characteristics of this region’s wines.

The wines were:
Besana Real Verdejo 2016
Anil Fresh Macabeo-Chardonnay 2016
Los Galanes Tempranillo 2016
Tentadero Sin Sulfito 2016
Ojos del Guadiana Seleccion 2015
Lacruz Vega Terroir 2013
Uno De Mil Tempranillo Petit Verdot 2012
Tomillar Crianza 2013
Yuntero Reserva 2010
Allozo Tempranillo Gran Reserva 2008

Whites
The trade tasting was held in the afternoon. Ojos Del Guadiana Brut from Bodegas El Progreso (made from Chardonnay) provided for a refreshing and sparkling start to the tasting at hand.

Ojos Del Guadiana Brut
 

 Macabeo, Verdejo, Viognier, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc stood out as favoured white wine varietals. They were used for producing single varietal whites and blends as well. Surprisingly Airen wines were generally found lacking and wine enthusiasts can’t be blamed for expecting more of Airen wines from La Mancha. Bodegas Santa Catalina however had a good one in the form of Campechano Airen 2016.

Campechano Airen 2016

Reds
Tempranillo stood firm among red wines either as a single varietal wine or as part of a blend. International varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pertit Verdot were used as blending companions. Bogarve 1915 for example had the Lacruz Vega Roble 2015 (blend of Tempranillo, Merlot and Syrah); Virgen de las Vinas Bodega y Almazara had the Tomillar Reserva Cab Sauvignon-Tempranilo; and Domino de Punctum Organic & Biodynamic Wines had the Vienta Aliseo Tempranillo-Petit Verdot 2016. The other local red varietal Graciano was not too prominent during this event, though Bodegas Parra Jimenez had the Tentadero Graciano (single varietal wine) and Domino de Punctum Organic & Biodynamic Wines had the blend Viento Aliseo Graciano- Cab Sauvignon 2014.

Eye-catching ones
Eye-catching bottles and wine labels have a way of attracting tradespeople to a table for more information. Such was the case in this event as well. Vinicola de Tomelloso had an eye-catching blue coloured wine bottle for its Anil Fresh Macabeo-Chardonnay 2016; Allozo Centro Espanolas had the bottle for Flor de Allozo 2015 decorated a lovely floral image and Vinos Coloman had a metallic wine label on the Coloman 50 Aniversario bottles.

Anil Fresh Macabeo-Chardonnay 2016 

Flor de Allozo 2015

Coloman 50 Aniversario

Diversity in offerings
Bodegas Parra Jimenez showcased some interesting and diverse wines. The winery representative, Ms Jiani Rong, explained that this winery was into organic farming since 1993 and went biodynamic in 2011.

For easy, refreshing sips it had options like Camino Bianco (Sauvignon blanc-Moscatel) 2016 and Camino Rose (Temparnillo-Garnacha) 2016; for a complex white wine with character it had the Inanna Blanco 2014 (Verdejo, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc blend) fermented in oak; then the unique Inanna Tinto (Tempranillo) 2016 fermented in Amphora and aged in oak; and not forgetting the sulphite-free Tentadero Sin Sulfito (Tempranillo) 2016.

Inanna Tinto (Tempranillo) 2016

Texture speaks
A few reds were notable not just for having a good constitution but also an enjoyable texture. Vinicola de Tomelloso’s Torre de Gazate Reserva 2012 and Allozo Centro Espanolas’ Allozo Gran Reserva 2008 showed as good examples.

Torre de Gazate Reserva 2012

Allozo Gran Reserva 2008

One point highlighted during the masterclass is the fact that this region (in recent years) has made an effort to shift away from merely producing bulk wines driven by quantity and price to wines improving in quality. Improvements in viticulture (a few wineries in this event itself were showcasing organic & biodynamic wines) and investments in modern vinification practices are lending a helping hand towards this effort. Wine importers and enthusiasts should take their time to explore and discover this region’s improved offerings.

A Faustino I Gran Reserva Vertical Tasting Masterclass in Singapore

Among Spanish wines, those from Bodegas Faustino have been in Singapore since early 2000. I recall being introduced to this winery when I first ventured to learn about Spanish wines during that period. The dark grey coloured bottle of a Faustino I Gran Reserva wine, with thin gold coloured threads tied around the bottle to form a net which snugly embraces the whole bottle is something easily recognisable and difficult to forget.

Ms Rocio Munoz Marin
 

The Masterclass

Fast forward to this month, Ms Rocio Munoz Marin (Area Manager of Grupo Faustino) was recently in town to conduct a Faustino Masterclass showcasing a vertical of Faustino I Gran Reserva wines from vintages: 1964, 1970, 1994, 2001 and 2004. This masterclass held for the local trade folks was organized by Cornerstone Wines and held at La Sirenetta.



Faustino I Gran Reserva wines

 

Spanish winemakers are known for their inclination to produce, cellar and age wines till they are ready for consumption; especially wines produced under the gran reserva category. Though wines under this category requires a '5 years aging' period (a minimum of 2 years in oak and 3 more years in bottle) before release, Spanish wine producers are known to age these wines even longer.

Aging has the potential to bestow several pleasing virtues to a well made wine: soft tannins, smooth (even silky) texture, well integrated and seamless body, a good offering of tertiary aromas and flavours are some attributes which come to mind.

These qualities were reflected in the gran reserva wines offered during this masterclass (though for obvious reasons aromas, flavours and body structure between these wines differed due to vintage difference and aging period of each wine). Ms Rocio highlighted that Bodegas Faustino opts to produce gran reserva wines only during excellent vintages. Looking onwards from 1964, only 13 other vintages have been produced so far: (1970, 1985,1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2004).

Especially the 1964 and 1970 Faustino I Gran Reserva wines attest to the ability of these wines to age long and age well. Both were remarkably alife, showing well in palate and offered elegant sips to savour; albeit both being at an evolved stage of development.

Both these wines are blends (made with Tempranillo, Gracino, Mazuella and Viura varietals; the last varietal being a white). Both also went through a longer aging period in barrels (the 1964 vintage for 36 months and the 1970 vintage for 30 months) when compared to the other 'younger' 3 wines tasted during this masterclass.

The 1964 vintage showed a garnet-brown play in colours; lovely display of secondary and tertiary notes: spice, tobacco and cedar; a soft, delicate body with a seamless texture and a lingering finish. It comes as a pleasant surprise to see an old vintage holding well and showing gracefully (There’s a delicateness to its body; I would not recommend aerating this sip too long in the glass though). And it’s a joy to sip this on its own (sans food).

The 1970 vintage was stylistically similar to the earlier vintage in terms of complexity, texture and mouthfeel (silky, smooth and well balanced). The fruits however showed with more flavour intensity and boldness in this wine. It certainly gave this sip a degree of masculinity on the palate (if one ventures a comparison with the 1964 vintage). Ms Rocio clarified that 1970 was a warm vintage and the result can be gleaned in the glass.

She also explained that winemaking style was tweaked a little over the years to take into account the evolving consumer preference which leaned towards freshness and a noticeable fruit presence in wines. This resulted in later vintages being made with just the 3 red varietals (leaving out the Viura varietal). Also, more colour and fruit extraction (via appropriate maceration and pump-over initiatives during the winemaking process); and a shorter aging period in oak (between 26-29 months) was adopted to reveal more fruit presence in the glass.

This change was clearly notable in the 1994, 2001 and 2004 vintages where the colour of the wines showed a deeper red and the berry fruit concentration in palate was more intense and noticeable. The 1994 vintage had the vote of approval from most participants at the masterclass for having a good balance between age and red berry fruit presence (backed by lively acidity) in palate. The cedar, sweet spice and leather notes added to the complexity of this wine. Those who preferred some fruit ripeness in the palate showed favour for this wine.

The 2001 vintage showed red berry fruit exuberance and liveliness a notch higher with soft tannins, smooth texture and a well balanced body to match. Wine certainly with a good aging potential. Similarly, the 2004 vintage displayed a good constitution with a potential for further aging.

This masterclass certainly offered a learning experience (at least for me) on the ageability of well made and cellared wines Spain has to offer.

Snippets on this Group’s Background

The Faustino wine company has a long history with growing grapes and making wine (around 150 years of it). The early decades though were spent in producing bulk wines. In 1930, a shift was made to produce wines bottled under its own label.

Julio Faustino Martinez (the grandson of the founder) who took over the management in 1957, went on to expand the company’s ownership of vineyard lands, plantings, range of wines offered to consumers and added a few more bodegas into the Group’s portfolio.

At present the Group’s wines are sold in over 90 countries; with top markets being UK, Switzerland and China.


More pictures of this tasting can be found at the following link:
Faustino I Gran Reserva Photo Album

A little innovation which makes wine appreciation easier

An innovation to help wine consumers.

Wine is a fragile creature. If you wish to age it right, then you need to store it in right conditions. Likewise, if you want the opportunity to enjoy its aromas, flavours and body, then it needs to be served at the right temperature as well.

Take a white wine for an example. Serve it too cold and the aromas get muted, flavours become unnoticeable, the acidity and structure make their presence felt a little too prominently; the wine loses balance. Now serve the same wine on the warm side; though the aromas and flavours reveal themselves, the body becomes flabby with alcohol showing a little upfront; again the wine loses balance. The wine reveals, but not it a manner you enjoy it.

Not many of us carry a wine thermometer in our arsenal when we go drinking with family and friends. Even at most trade tastings, it usually begins with a little guesswork. The sommelier or merchant at hand takes a sip and remarks if the wine is too cold or too warm and takes remedial action (till he feels it is ideal for tasting).

Marques de Tomares Don Roman Brut NV

At a recent event I attended, much to my pleasant surprise, I came across a wine bottle which takes away this guesswork with an innovative solution. It was a cava; Marques de Tomares Don Roman Brut NV.



The bottle on the right shows the blue logo on the upper left hand corner of it's wine label.

It has a little temperature sensor on the left, top corner of its wine label. When you chill the wine down to the appropriate serving temperature (in this case between 6C and 8 C), a small blue logo becomes visible. Consumers (both experienced and novice alike) can easily identify this blue logo and recognize that the wine is at an ideal serving temperature. It certainly removes the guesswork and makes life a little easy for the sommelier as well.

I’ve heard about these sensors before but it is difficult to see them on wine bottles sold locally here. They are more of an exception rather than the norm (if current industry practice is anything to go by). One hopes that more such innovations can be introduced in the near future; it will certainly make wine appreciation a little easier for consumers.

Discovering Bodegas Emilio Moro wines over dinner

The Formula One race was held in Singapore recently on 20 Sept and that brought Jose Moro of Bodegas Emilio Moro and his brand Ambassador Ms Marta Valdespino to Singapore for a visit. Over dinner, they took the opportunity to introduce some of their wines.

Jose Moro & Marta Valdespino

The Bodegas and its dinner wines

Bodegas Emilio Moro is located in the province of Valladolid, within the wine region of Ribera del Duero, northern Spain. Since 1982 when Ribera del Duero gained the Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status, the wine scene in this region has notably increased. Where once existed a handful of wineries; the number has grown to at least 250 now.

The Emilio Moro estate (located in the village of Pesquera de Duero) first commercially launched wines under its estate label in 1989; however, this family has been involved in winemaking for 3 generations over a span of more than a hundred years.

Over dinner we tasted 4 wines from its portfolio:
Bodegas Emilio Moro 2013
Bodegas Emilio Moro Malleolus 2011
Bodegas Cepa 21 2009
Bodegas Cepa 21 Malabrigo 2010

The Emilio Moro series

Ms Marta explained that the first 2 wines come from its winery located on the northern bank of the Duero river. Here Tinto Fino vines grow under a continental climate condition. Low precipitations with spring rains, dry summers, long and harsh winters and a sharp fluctuation between day/night temperature contribute to the slow maturation of grapes giving grapes an opportunity to attain physiological ripeness. The soil composition in this area is by and large made up of chalk, clay and gravels. Vines grown in various sub-plots (of differing soil composition) contribute their own personality to the end wine in the bottle.

Ms Marta Valdespino on Emilio Moro wines
 

The Emilio Moro 2013 is produced from vines which are between 15 and 25 years old. The crushed grapes go through 12 days of maceration on skin. The resulting wine is aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels.

The Emilio Moro Malleolus 2011 comes from vines which are between 25 and seventy-five years old. It goes through 18 days of maceration on skin and is aged for 18 months in Allier French oak barrels. (The Malleolus was first launched in 1998).

The Cepa 21 series

The Cepa 21 wines come from a new project by the Emilio Moro family. Inaugurated in 2007, this winery is located on the southern bank of the Duero River on a 50h land. The location offers one of the coldest terrior in Ribera del Douro. It holds a northern orientation with soil types ranging from loam, chalky, clay and stony.

Cepa 21 2009 comes from grapes grown at an altitude between 850m and 900m. Grapes go through 18 days maceration on skin; and resulting wine is aged 12 months in French and American oak barrels.

Cepa 21 Malabrigo 2010 contains grapes which come from a single estate vineyard. Grapes go through 26 days of maceration and resulting wine spends 18 months in French oak barrels. (The 2010 vintage is its first release).

Glasses and Wines

I tasted these wines in both Bordeaux and Burgundy glasses; and at least for my palate, I preferred the showing in the burgundy glass. It revealed better the aromatics and displayed a smooth, supple mouthfeel when tasted in the latter glass. A little aeration certainly helps to reveal the flavour profile and nuances within these wines as well; a little patience definitely helps with these wines.

Bodegas Emilio Moro 2013 is a clean, fresh sip with black cherry and spice notes showing upfront. In a burgundy glass, it shows itself as a smooth, soft and elegant wine with good acidity balancing the fruit. A youthful sip to be enjoyed for the fruit presence and freshness at this moment.

Bodegas Emilio Moro Malleolus 2011 displayed more in terms of aromatics (berries, balsamic, spice, hint of tobacco). Certainly holds a rich mouthfeel and an opulent body with ripe fruit presence. Tannins are noticeable in the fringes but not harsh.

Bodegas Cepa 21 2009. Another wine with a good showing of aromatics (can just relax and enjoy the nose). It’s backed by a palate revealing an elegant, supple mouthfeel with a good balance of black fruits, spice, acidity providing liveliness and a noticeable tannin presence giving structure to the body. Good aftertaste. Something to sip and savour.

Bodegas Cepa 21 Malabrigo 2010. An age worthy sip. It holds a good concentration of fruits, minerality, acidity and fine tannins. It will be interesting to revisit this sip 8-10 years down the line as it shows a potential to gain complexity.

Market & Local Contact

The Emilio Moro wines have a good following in Spain itself where 70% of annual production is consumed. Three big export markets are the Americas and Europe. Presently these wines are exported to more than 50 countries. In Asia, they can be found in countries like Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.

They have been in Singapore for around 4 years now. Alfa International Pte Ltd is currently the local distributor and you can find these wines at ewineasia.com.

More more pictures of this dinner, you can check the following link: An Emilio Moro tasting and dinner.

Castilla-La Mancha Gourmet Food and Wine Expo in Singapore

When you frequently attend wine fairs and see the offerings from particular wine regions, there is a tendency to form an idea on the types of wine which will be exhibited and grape varietals most likely to be used in similar wines in future wine events.

The mind also tends to quickly detect anomalies from these perceived notions when reality throws something a little different. The Castilla-La Mancha event presented such a situation.

Upon entering the event room, it was the wines at Bodegas Vidal del Saz's wine table which quickly caught my eyes. Some of the 'for bubbly shaped' bottles contained wines in amber-red, silver and deep lemon-yellow colours. Colours strikingly unusual to see in wines that the mind takes quick notice of the anomaly and moves you towards the table.

Bodegas Vidal del Saz
 

A tasting showed they were sparkling wines with an off dry nature. The representative at the table explained that macabeo (viura) varietal is used for these wines. Fermentation is halted midway to retain some sweetness and exhibit low alcohol. (But the mind persists with curiosity; that's not the colour of a normal macabeo 'white' wine it contends; be it sparkling or still). The merchant explained that a colouring is added to these wines to give the eye catching, fun colours. The wines are Mavam Gold Fusion Fortune, Mavam Gold Fusion Vulcano and Mavam Gold Fusion Glaciar. These are meant to be a fun sips; party drinks made to be pleasant, light bodied, easy and approachable. Something certainly different.

Creative wine labels capture one's eyes as well and make the wines stand out among tables of wine bottles. Bodegas Isidro Milagro showcased a range of such wines; 2 whites and 2 reds. A little creative effort certainly goes some way to capture one's attention.

Bodegas Isidro Milagro
 

Among the white wines exhibited, I was looking forward to a good measure of Airen. (This is the La Mancha wine region after all). There was indeed; but equally there was a good representation from other white varietals like Verdejo, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc as well.

For the reds, Tempranillo based wines were easily noticeable among the tables; either as a single varietal wine or showing in blends with varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah also appeared as single varietal wines. What was pleasantly surprising was seeing winemakers exhibiting single varietal Petit Verdot wines; namely, Bodegas San Dionisio, Capilla del Fraile and Dominio de Punctum (not a common finding at wine events).

Dominio de Punctum stood out during this event for their organic and biodynamic wines. Dehesa de Los Llanos (famous for its award winning artisan Manchego cheese) showcased some of its back vintages; giving trade professionals an idea of how well made wines mature given time.

Dehesa de Los Llanos
 

More pictures of event can be viewed at: Photo Album for Castilla-La Mancha event.

Here's a list of participants of this event:
Bodegas Verum
Finca El Refugio
Bodegas Vidal del Saz
Dehesa de Los Llanos
Bodegas San Dionisio
Aceites Olimpo
Bodegas Isidro Milagro
Bodegas El Progreso
Capilla del Fraile
Candy Spain
Bodegas Santa Cruz
Dominio de Punctum
Tavasa
Bodegas Montalvo Wilmot

For more information on the participants, you can contact IPEX Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) at clmgourmet@perspectiva.asia

Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro Wines

Ok, I'll digress a little here. We always say “don’t get distracted by the wine label (be it text or picture); to drink and judge the wine by what’s in the glass”. But it’s difficult not to get distracted by this label. Well designed, arty and stylish I must say. When the wines were lined up at the table, one gets easily impressed with the creativity which went into the design process of this label.

The Tasting

Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro is a relatively young winery which began operation in the 1990s. It is located in the village of Quintanilla de Onesimo, within Castilla y Leon (in the Ribera del Duero wine region). They say location counts, and having Vega Sicilia and Pingus as ‘neighbours’ certainly add to the curiosity and quality expectation of what these wines have to offer. (Yes, one should refrain from attempting such comparisons; but let’s brazenly lay it on the weaker side of human nature … it’s difficult most times not to compare).

Ignacio Arzuaga Navarro
 

Ignacio Arzuaga Navarro (the son of this winery’s founder) was at hand to present the wines. We had the opportunity to taste 6 wines. Three were single varietal wines made using Tempranillo. The other 3 red wines were blends made with Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals.

Upon tasting, if I can give a brief summary of these wines, it will be that they possess:

• a rich fruit presence in the body,
• soft tannins (which support the fruit in the wine, rather than overwhelm it) and
• a body which displays a smooth and supple nature.

These are wines you can drink now but they possess the potential to develop further if kept to age longer.

Some details on each of these 6 wines

1. 2012 Bodegas Arzuaga La Planta (100% Tempranillo)
The grapes for this wine comes from 20 year old vines. Grown at an altitude of 900m, there is a good play between fruit and acidity in its body. Harvested by hand, the grapes go through a selection process in the winey before being destemmed and fermented in stainless steel vats. After fermentation the wine spends 6 months in French and American oak barrels. The short ‘barrel aging’ process allows the wine to retain a sense of youthfulness, vibrancy and freshness within tits body. Bright cherry red colour with a light purple rim greets the eye. This is followed by fresh fruit berry aromas and a hint of floral note. The palate reflects the aroma profile by holding fresh fruit berry flavours and a hint of spice. The body is smooth, lively, youthful and offers an ‘easy, soft wine’ to sip

2. 2010 Bodegas Arzuaga Crianza (90% Tempranillo, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot)
The vinification process is similar to that of the earlier wine. It undergoes stainless steel fermentation but gets to spend a longer time (16 months) in French and American oak barrels. The nose reveals berry aromas with a hint of liquorice in the background. The texture becomes immediately noticeable in the palate. You get smoothness, roundness and a creamy feel playing in the palate. There is a good balance between the fruit, acid and tannin components. This is a well integrated wine with a good finish.

3. 2009 Bodegas Azuaga Reserva (95% Tempranillo, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot)
This has been aged for more than 18 months in French and American oak barrels. Aromas reveal dark fruit notes with a hint of toast and leather. Body is elegant and supple. The ripe, dark fruit body with a hint of spice is balanced with a good amount of acidity. Another wine with a lingering finish.

4. 2008 Bodegas Arzuaga Reserva Especial (100% Tempranillo)
(All wines tasted above are of good quality. But this wine is slightly ‘special’ in the making.) The grapes are from old vines, the harvest offers very low yield and consequently production is very limited. Vinification is also slightly different as wooden tanks and French oak barrels are used during the fermentation process. French oak barrels are also employed for aging (24 months) in the winery. Ripe fruits and spiciness reveal themselves to the nose. Palate shows dark fruit notes and toast. Tannins are present but not harsh; they are well on the softer side. The nose ‘opens up’ when this wine is given some time to breathe in the glass.

5. 2008 Bodegas Arzuaga Amaya Arzuaga Collection (100% Tempranillo)
(This wine owes part of its specialty to the fact that it carries the name of Ignacio Arzuaga’s sister, a renowned designer in Spain.) Grapes from old, ‘pre-plexora’ vines are used for the production of this wine. Natural fermentation is employed in the vinification process and the wine produced is left unfiltered. It was first made in 2006. Slightly of a deeper red hue, it reveals floral notes to the nose. Palate reveals dark berry characters, seamless texture with a good depth of body. Acidity in the body adds to the liveliness of the palate. A wine worth aging.

6. 2001 Bodegas Arzuaga Gran Reserva (90% Tempranillo, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot) This wine possesses a ruby red colour with a watery-edged rim. Aromas of herbs, spice and cedar greets the nose. The body reflects the aroma profile. Nice depth and flavours reveals themselves in layers. The noticeable acidity and soft tannins offer a well integrated body (a condition helped by spending 22 months in oak barrels). A smooth and elegant sip, it offers a lingering finish.

I must share that this 'newer' style of Spanish wines with its fresh fruit presence and vibrant body offers a pleasant contrast to the rustic (and at times tired), dried fruit character type of profile seen previously in some wines from Spain.

For more information on these wines, you can contact: Cellarmaster Wines (Singapore) at 67665185.

If you like to see some pictures taken during this event, you can follow the link below:
Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro Photo Album


... morgun pathi