Spanish Wine

92 Points James Suckling | Attractive nose with a hint of walnut husk and dark earth to the black cherries and sweet tobacco. A hint of truffle and sous-bois, too. Medium-bodied on the palate with firm, dusty tannins that grow and extend in a long, succulent finish. Tempranillo, graciano and mazuelo. (2018)

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | Deep violet to the eye, this wine has a nose of black plum, dark chocolate and dried hillside herbs. Bold red berry flavors are joined by plush tannins and deeper notes of mocha, truffle and thyme. As flavors and textures wind down on the palate, a note of orange zest remains. (2018).

The 2018 Beronia Rioja Reserva is a deep black plum color, clean and bright with a garnet rim. Attractive and intriguing on the nose it displays nutty aromas (roasted almonds, walnuts) followed by notes of plum primarily but also ripe fruit and a pleasant hint of white pepper, which all add complexity and freshness. Full-bodied on the palate, the wine displays balanced acidity. The flavors are mostly of ripe fruit, whilst the finish is sweet and smooth, bringing to mind cacao and roasted hazelnuts. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

Partida Pedrer macerates in the winery with part of the whole berry and part of crushed grapes for 8-10 days. There it begins a spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts that ends and ends up aging in cement jars. Finally the wine is bottled without any type of additive.
 
Partida del Pedrer is quite a challenge. A natural red wine that shows the purity of expression, without additives of any kind. Pure Priorat.

Winemaker Description

With this new wine from Sumoll, Grosella, we return to our origins.

Winemaker Description

Traditional and family project from Rioja Alta that delivers a great book Rioja reserve. Made with a majority Tempranillo that is accompanied with a small percentage of Garnacha and Mazuelo from the Viña Olagosa estate located in San Asensio and the Zaco Estate in Haro.

A red wine with fine aromas of vanilla, tobacco and leather, typical of its long aging. 

Expert Review

Oscar Gacia Moncada 67Wine.com | Ruby color with copper rim; on the nose intense and complex: vanilla, cedar, and tobacco. Medium-bodied with polished aged tannins and espresso and more Tobacco notes. Very elegant finish. 

Keep in mind that this Gran Reserva has been aged from 28 to 30 months bordelaise barriques and further aging of 36 months in bottle before its release to the market. 
For sure one of my top Gran Reservas to drink now!

Winemaker Description

6Cepas6 is a great range that focusses on the fun and approachable side of Rioja. Rather than being over tannic, oaky or dry these wines are bold, fruity and exciting. Hand selecting in the vineyards and sorting in the cellar followed by 6 months aging in new oak barrels. 

Red fruits and spices and toasted brioche. Powerful yet fruity enough to remain balanced and subtle. Soft tannins and a lovely finish. Perfect with red meats, pasta or a good old stew! 

Winemaker Description

Dark opaque plummy colors jump from the glass. Aromas of dark fruit: blackcherry, Plum and blackberry; Layered with soft notes of cinnamon and cloves. Full and satisfying finish.

Expert Reviews

Oscar Garcia Moncada, 67Wine: Tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa that expresses the terroir and microclimate of this acclaimed region. The Saenz family, who owns the winery and vineyards,  date their winemaking tradition all the way back to the 16th century. 

Sarah Jane Evans MW, 91 Points | Pedro Ballestero Torres MW, and Pierre Mansour write:  Black fruits, wild herbs, savoury tannin, and balsamic notes with rich fruit feel in the mouth. Long and open on the finish. 

Winemaker Notes

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | Fine aromas of brandied cherry, spiced plum and earth get this reserva from a great vintage off to an impressive start. The layered palate is lively but showing maturity, while it tastes of black currant, brown sugar and myriad spices. A peppery, chocolaty, dry finish is beyond nice. Drink this well-priced overachiever through 2025. Editors' Choice

Winemaker Description

Appearance : Clean and with an intense color with cherry reflections. Aroma : Aromatic intensity and complexity, where red and black fruits appear with notes of underlying vanilla and balsamic. Taste : It transmit its strong and harmonious constitution, fruit and tannic softly shaped by the oak vessel, which are prolonged. Tasty and ashy, it’s a faithful, exponent of winery.

Winemaker Description

This is a wine from southern Priorat, which marks with a lively, warm and fragrant vein the serious, deep and enigmatic character of old vineyards. Blackberry aromas with balsamic notes typical of the brushwood. The palate is remarkably mature and fresh at the same time. 

93 Points James Suckling | A very elegant example of this rare type of Sherry, which combines the best of Fino freshness with Oloroso richness. Long finish with delicate dried-fruit and toasted-nut character. Drink now. Aged for 12 years in cask. Drink now.

92 Points Wine Spectator | Bright, with fennel seed, Brazil nut, green tea, ginger and hazelnut husk notes that are racy and dry from start to finish. Dried green fig accents add a subtle seduction on the finish.

91 Points Decanter | Aromas of caramel and curry spices. Milk chocolate on the palate with a soft texture and delicate body. A very harmonious wine with a long and spicy finish.

91 Points Wine & Spirits | Elegant and refined, with soft touches of candied cherries, walnuts and almonds, this is a textbook Palo Cortado. Aged 12 years in botas, it falls halfway between Amontillado and Oloroso in flavor, but much closer to the former. It needs only smoked trout.

90 Points Wine Enthusiast | This dry Sherry is a touch hot, with alcohol swirling around the glass, but there’s also complex, welcoming aromas of almond, apricot and toffee. The palate is appropriately rich, with flavors of caramel, toasted nuts and buttered toast. A finish with walnut, truffle and mushroom flavors urges contemplation.

Leonor is a 12 year old Palo Cortado Sherry and described as the wild child of Jerez. It shows a light mahogany color with golden tones and a slight orange rim. On the nose intense and complex with notes of hazlenut perfectly balanced with aromas of bitter orange and mature oak. On the palate powerful and intense with toasted notes yet smooth and silky. Due to its power and structure this wine is perfect with mature cheeses and stong meats such as venison. Serve chilled. Winemaker Description. 

Barrika is a traditional Spanish Cider brand from the Basque Country in northern Spain. A classic Sagardoa, this cider has been made by the Astiazaran family since 1880. Nothing but apples, unfiltered, natural, and no sulfur added since before it was cool.

 Most importantly, delicious What started as a cider made for friends and family has grown in reputation and reach, with more than 100 cider awards to it's name and international distribution. Made from a blend of 7 classic Spanish Cider apple varieties; this traditional Spanish cider is fermented and aged in large chestnut casks and bottled still and natural (no additives, no sulfites, etc.). Winemaker Description. 

James Suckling 90 Points | This is the prototypical fino sherry with all the salty and yeasty character you expect. Also dried-apple, pear and lemon-zest character. Generous, but very dry and salty on the palate with a refreshing touch of austerity. Where are the olives? Drink now, if possible from a freshly opened bottle. 

Tio Pepe Fino Sherry is a star bright, pale golden color. It is elegant and distinctive, with fresh bread and almond aromas. The palate is full bodied, crisp and very dry, with a complex, long finish.

Perfect with canapes and tapas, Asian food, seafood and all fish based dishes. Try it with caviar, oysters, anchovies or tuna carpaccio. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

The vineyards for this wine are located in Soria which is in the far Eastern portion of Ribera del Duero. This area is not the "norm" for most wines from Ribera. The vineyards in this area tend to be very old and "ungrafted".

A mixture of limestone, decomposed granite and clay. A majority of the blend is comprised of grapes grown on the granite and clay sites with some limestone used to create structure and depth.

Bertrand Sourdais, the head of the project is working with the vineyard owners to work biodynamically and organically.

15 day macerations in Inox. Temperature controlled. Spontaneous fermentation. No fining and No filtering. 6 months in used French barrique. 

Winemaker Description

Rich and dark on the nose with aromas of hedgerow fruit and morello cherries. Bringing aromatics of dried thyme, rosemary and cloves, and a garnet tone to the appearance. Dense black fruit on the palate, evolving into blueberry, strawberry, cherry and black pepper in the glass. Structured with fine-grade tannins and refreshing acidity; the finish is clean and persistent.

Winemaker Description

Impeccable harmony between the notes of ripe fruit and the aromas of carbonic maceration. Sweet, full-bodied and a long, pleasant finish.

Owned and run by winemaker Ignacio Valdera, Bermejos is situated on the easternmost Canary Island of Lanzarote. This wine is made with 100% Listán Negro fermented via carbonic maceration. Listán Negro is hardly grown at all on the European mainland—it was wiped out by the phylloxera epidemic—but it is widely planted on the Canary Islands.

Expert Reviews

Oscar Garcia 67Wine.com | Bodegas Los Bermejos Listan Negro is made with 100% Listan Negro. The rich volcanic soils of the Island of Lanzarote serve as the catalyst for this tantalizing red. Aromas of black olives, green herbs and that unmistakable "volcanic" minerality are the primary notes on the nose. Medium-bodied with notes of preserve dark fruit, black pepper and earthy undertones. The finish is fairly savory with fruity nuances.

A pale and delicate light dry Sherry that is light in color. Commonly served cold as an aperitif, many consider this Spanish wine to be the world's finest Sherry. Finos are excellent when young. A delicate pale cocktail sherry noted for its fine, dry after taste. Winemaker Description. 

Producer Description 

The white grape varieties Xarel.lo, Macabeu and Muscat from our Penedès vineyards are the base for the Marta Violet elaboration. It’s fresh, fruity and floral white wine. The violet bottle is the unique violet glass bottle in the world.

It presents a beautiful pale yellow color. Aroma: It’s fresh with fruity and floral notes.
Palate: It has a good balance with smooth palate and pleasant finish. Gastronomy: It’s recommended for aperitif, assorted salads, pasta, rice and fish dishes. Enjoy anytime of the day.

Producer Description 

The red grape varieties Garnatxa and Samso from Els Guillamets vineyards are the base for the Siana Terrer 2022.

On the nose it presents an intense and elegant aroma of ripe red fruit and jam, with hints of anise, delicate touches of new oak and mineral notes. Palate: In the mouth is well-rounded, pleasant, lingering and powerful. Long finish which brings out its special spicy character.

Gastronomy: Recommended with any white or red meats (fowl, wild game, stews, roast lamb, beef...),with stewed legumes and cured and blue cheeses.

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Producer Description 

The Pizarra vineyards are found on red metamorphic slate soils, which are unique to the village of Cebreros, folded into the mostly granitic mountain range. This slate soil makes Cebreros unlike any other village within the Sierra de Gredos region. Pizarra soil is located above 950 meters, up to 1200 meters, mainly with an eastern orientation. 

The wines from here have a signature expression: they are always fresh, complex, direct, and profound. Pizarra is a limited production wine produced from over 60-year-old, bush-trained garnacha vines, yielding 15hl/ha from the vineyards of Arrebatacapas, La Redonda, La Curva, Fuente Fabian, and Presidente. The farming at Pegaso is organic, and the wines are made with low intervention and minimal sulfur at bottling.

Producer Description 

Cebreros is both the name of the village and the appellation of origin in the southeast of the province of Ávila, within the greater Sierra de Gredos region, the mountainous area located on the continental divide of Spain. The region is unspoiled, wild, rustic, full of energy and light, and as authentic as it gets. It is a transitional zone where northern Spain gives way to southern Spain. The wines from the Sierra de Gredos mountains to the west of Madrid (aka Vinos de Madrid) have finally begun to claim their rightful place alongside other top wine regions focused on producing world-class garnacha. For many insiders, the region is now leading the conversation about this Mediterranean garnacha grape, now understood to be indigenous to Spain. 

Whole clusters are picked by hand in small boxes, with a strict selection made in the vineyard. The clusters are de-stemmed, crushed, and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks and large neutral French oak foudres. The wine is then aged for 18 months in new and used 600L French oak barrels sourced from different forests.

Producer Description 

Bright ruby red. Clean and complex on the nose, Harmony of fruit with notable hints of fine oak. Well structured on the palate, savory and balanced. The wine shows great character and has a long persistence. Complex retro nasal, elegant with notes of quality wood toasts.

Producer Description 

Fine aromas of matured red fruits, red berries, cassis and toasted notes , sweet spicy nose  with a mineral touch. Pleasant and warm entry in the palate,  shows elegant earthy red fruits with a touch of well integrated oak, round tannins, finishes long and will go improving.

Drinks beautifully now and through 2026, and will gain in complexity and fineness with age. 

Producer Description 

Very modern white wine, made with the oldest vineyards of chardonnay and viura rioja. A well balanced wine, very fresh and fruity to enjoy ar any time of the year.

Critic Notes

Zekun Shuai writes:  Profound and intense nose with some tapenade, black beans and cocoa powder that gives depth to the already deep blackberries. Hints of dark spices and cigar box, too. Plenty of palpable tannins evenly melt into full-bodied palate with juicy dark fruit. Brooding and long finish. Cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot and petit verdot. Drink or hold.  - James Suckling 94

Luis Gutierrez writes:  The 2019 Selección Especial, cropped from a warm and dry year, is composed of 64% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet sauvignon, 14% Syrah, 6% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot and has 14.5% alcohol, coming through as riper than the 2020 I tasted next to it. It's also darker, round and powerful, with plenty of tannins, wide and concentrated. This is from a warm year, with lower yields, and it's a very powerful wine, balsamic with notes of aromatic herbs, a little more Mediterranean.  Drinking 2023 to 2028.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92

Joaquin Hidalgo writes:  The 2019 Selección Especial is a blend of 69% Tempranillo, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Syrah, 4% Merlot, 2% Graciano and 1% Petit Verdot from Abadía Retuerta in Castilla y León and was aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels. Garnet-red with a purple sheen. Cedar complements plum, camphor and spice aromas on the nose. Dry and fairly fruity, the finely-grained tannins support a mild, polished mouthfeel. The 2019 is a cosmopolitan red.  Drinking 2023 to 2036.  - Vinous 92

Alison Napjus writes:  A rich range of ripe black and red currant, toast, ground coffee, licorice and vanilla notes are well-meshed with lively acidity and supple tannins in this red, which has a dusty feel. A balanced version, showing generosity and accessibility. Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Garnacha. Drink now through 2029.   - Wine Spectator 90

Critic Notes

Luis Gutierrez writes:  The Albariño 2023 El Jardín de Lucía was produced by Zarate mixing grapes from different villages in Salnés, Meaño and Meis. It has an expressive nose that mixes white flowers and apples and is quite fresh and elegant. It has a moderate 12.5% alcohol, some more leesy aromas and a round palate, with pungent flavors and a gentle texture.  It was bottled in May 2024.  Drinking 2024 to 2027.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 92

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Notes

A Cava of the traditional method, the grapes for this blush sparkler are sourced from clay and calcareous vineyards. A hand-gathered harvest selects the best of the plots, before pressing and a 12 hour maceration. The wine then ages for 24 months on the lees.

Bright strawberry notes are at the forefront of this energetic sparkler, backed by tropical, citrus aromas. Touches of minerality show through the fine mousse and lead into a bright finish of grapefruit acidity.

Garnatxa and Pinot Noir

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Winery Notes

Sindicat La Figuera is the recovery of an illusion, a project of 6 farmers from La Figuera. A unique village in Montsant, with a very special characteristics: located in the highest point of the region - 550m-, their garnatxa vines –the only varietal– planted in goblet and ages between 30 and 80 years old stand out for their personality and particularity.

The freshness of the altitude gives its wines hints of citrus and flowers that are not found in other wines in the area. If we add their traditional way of making wine in underground concrete tanks, here is the result: a light and fresh wine.

Winemaker Description 

Casa Mariol is the revitalization of a century-old, family-owned wine business operating out of La Batea, a medieval town in the heart of Terra Alta. Their white vermouth follows the family's traditional recipe, with a wine base of the Macabeu variety, 100% from their own wines, macerated with more than 150 herbs selected from the locality and rested on its lees.

Brimming with fresh green herbs, bitter citrus and notes of anise and fennel, this verdant and dry vermut is balanced and fresh, perfect with a chill, on the rocks, with a splash of soda or in a martini.

Winemaker Description 

Codorniu Demi-Sec , as its name indicates, is the traditional cava par excellence, made using the three classic varieties from the D.O. Cava: Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. Its fresh, fruity and delicate aromas make it the ideal option for a pre-dinner aperitif. This Demi-Sec version is for those who like their cavas to be less dry. So if you want to raise an even sweeter toast, this is undoubtedly the cava for you! 

Critic Notes

Alison Napjus writes:  Light-bodied and chewy, this easy-drinking red features an earthy overtone, with notes of dried black cherry, tobacco and vanilla. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now.   - Wine Spectator 

James Suckling writes:  Some vanilla spices and mocha to the plums and vibrant red cherry characters. Juicy and medium-bodied with crisp berry fruit. Elegant and easy to drink, even if it is a bit tart in the middle. Drink now.  - James Suckling

Winery

The personalities of Tempranillo and Garnacha come together in Montecillo Crianza to create a lively, fresh, and expressive wine. A Crianza that was aged for 18 months in American oak barrels and six months in the bottle, giving it the finesse and elegance of an authentic Rioja wine. The result of more than 150 years of experience and know-how. A versatile and infallible partner to red meat and Iberian pork roasts or stews and mature cheeses.

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Hailed as the star red variety in Spain’s most celebrated wine region, Tempranillo from Rioja, or simply labeled, “Rioja,” produces elegant wines with complex notes of red and black fruit, crushed rock, leather, toast and tobacco, whose best examples are fully capable of decades of improvement in the cellar.

Rioja wines are typically a blend of fruit from its three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental, although specific sub-region (zonas), village (municipios) and vineyard (viñedo singular) wines can now be labeled. Rioja Alta and Alavesa, at the highest elevations, are considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while grapes from the warmer and drier, Rioja Oriental, produce wines with deep color, great body and richness.