Spanish Wine

Critic Notes

Josh Raynolds writes: Extremely pale onion skin. Peach pit, dried pear, ginger and a hint of beeswax on the pungent nose. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering nicely concentrated orchard and citrus fruit flavors that pick up a subtle floral accent on the back half. Finishes with very good persistence, leaving notes of chamomile, honeysuckle and bitter pear skin behind. Drinking 2021 to 2025. - Vinous 92

Luis Gutierrez writes:  The young white 2018 Señorío de P. Peciña Cosecha Blanco is quite pale, young and fruit-driven, as it corresponds to an unoaked Viura fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and bottled quite early. It's clean and harmonious, with aromas of white pear and flowers, quite elegant. The palate is fresh, but the wine has weight and fills your mouth; 2018 is a cool vintage and it shows. The flavors are focused and clean, and there is a pleasant bitter twist on the finish.  - Robert Parker Wine Advocate 90

Sarah Jane Evans MW, Matthew Forster MW, Beth Willard write:  Aromatic with honeysuckle, white roses. Fresh lemon and grapefruit pith combine with spicy, woody notes and cinnamon. A long, savoury finish.  Drinking 2021 to 2025.  - Decanter 90

Winemaker Notes

Pale straw-yellow color with green hints. Fresh and clean on the nose with hints of green apple and peach. On the palate, this wine has good acidity and offers herbal hints and notes of green fruits. 

Winemaker Description

Made from 10 to 15 year-old selected vineyards, located in different villages of Rioja. This wine is made to be enjoyed as an every day wine as we say in Spain "Vino de Trago largo".

With a background of red fruits, it is a fruit driven wine, with spicy notes. It is a varietal wine, made of tempranillo, reflecting the traditional Crianza wines of Rioja.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022 

The Wine Advocate 94-95 Points | The nose of the 2022 Flor de Pingus has a peachy note (peche de vigne!). It's perfumed, elegant, more fruit-driven, tender, delicate and ripe without excess (but possibly the ripest of the 2022s, perhaps the influence of the younger vines). It has a tender palate with glossy tannins and a rounder mouthfeel. The finish is dry, even a little austere, with fine chalkiness. In general, the 2022s showed quite well, much better than expected. The wine was blended and clarified and is in tank waiting to be bottled. They expect to bottle the 2022s in June (or late May). They expect some 89,000 bottles, a little less because the young vines suffered more with the heat.

Winemaker Description 

A deep cherry colour with violet tints. The nose is intense with aromas of ripe red seasonal fruit (cherries, blackberries, blackcurrant), subtle hints of violets, rosemary and a touch of black pepper. This Bobal shows distinctive power, vibrant fruit, freshness with soft and ripe tannin. It is spicy and juicy with a well-rounded palate with a fascinating crunchy-fruit freshness. The finish is gently tannic combined excellent depth. 

Winemaker Description

Dark ruby in the glass, this wine has a nose of black cherry, cranberry and aniseed. It is very soft on impact, with flavors of raspberry, cassis, milk chocolate and licorice. Satiny tannins hold off on the palate at first, make their presence known and then slip away in time for a bright finish. 

Winemaker Description 

This wine exhibits a delicate pale orange hue, captivating the eyes with its alluring tint. On the nose, subtle yet enticing aromas unfold, evoking nostalgic memories of ripe red fruits, juicy strawberries, and luscious cherries. Upon tasting, the wine greets the palate with a linear entry, unveiling a harmonious balance between fruit and acidity. 

Winemaker Description 

Matusalem is a 30 year old blend of Oloroso and PX. It shows an intense mahogany color with profound aromas of dried fruits, raisins, spices and mature oak. On the palate it is smooth, sweet, long and velvety. This wine has an interesting bittersweet finish due to the sweetness of the PX and the bitter tannins from the oak. Ideal with mature cheeses and blue cheese such as Stilton. Also perfect as a dessert wine with apple pie. Serve chilled. 

Expert Reviews 

96 Points Decanter | Perfumed with inviting layers of coffee, almond savoury herb and spice, then to a luxurious palate of caraway, orange zest, molasses and bitter chocolate.

94 Points Wine Enthusiast | Forget about Sherry styles, Matusalem operates in its own zone with its own rules. An intense, smoky nose shows charred barrel notes and prune aromas. A rich but snappy palate is not the least bit sticky, while deep flavors of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and molasses finish with grace.

90 Points Wine Spectator | Walnut, halva, raisin and buckwheat honey notes are layered, backed by hints of bitter almond and toasted pecan. Shows good energy for a cream style, with the bitter edge imparting length and cut.

Expert Reviews 

Wine Spectator 91 Points | Takes a flattering approach, featuring a lightly sweet, rounded edge to the date, blood orange, toasted pecan and fruitcake aromas and flavors, with toasted marshmallow and bourbon-glazed peach notes on the finish. Drink now.

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Aromas of burnt orange and baking spices are upright and snappy for a Sherry that s fairly creamy. Fine acidity is what keeps this on an even keel and what gives lift to flavors of caramel, brown sugar and candied walnut. This is full and voluminous on the finish. 

Winemaker Description

Enjoy your BR on the go with the new format: Sparkling BORN ROSÉ canned wine. You can also opt for the Canned Rosé wine version.

Crafted from a mix of Grenache Noir and Tempranillo grapes, BORN ROSÉ Barcelona is both organic and vegan, and is light on sulphites and alcohol. Born in Barcelona.

WE DON'T MAKE WINE. WE MAKE ROSÉ. Winemaker Description. 

Winemaker Description

Villapanes is a rich mahogany color and boasts seductive, toasty aromas of almonds, caramel, fig and a hint of floral perfume. On the palate it is dry, generous and full-bodied, with persistent and lasting flavors.

Pair with roast poultry, red meat or salty, aged cheeses. 

Expert Reviews 

93 Points Wine Spectator | A shade darker than its peers, relying more on black walnut, Brazil nut and singed orange peel notes, while dried persimmon and quince flavors add a succulent side. Light rye and green tea hints echo through the razor-sharp finish, where sweet details peek in.

91 Points Robert Parker | The NV Villapanes Oloroso wears a dark amber-brown robe and has a very intense nose, showing some marmalade, dark tobacco and brandy notes. The palate is textbook Oloroso, round, ample, warm, a little spirity, ending with dry walnut flavors. It manages to balance power and elegance quite well.

91 Points Wine & Spirits | Dominated by notes of salted almonds, this Oloroso has its fair share of sweetness to balance that saline side, making it more readily accessible to a wider range of palates and fitting perfectly with smoked pork.

Winemaker Description

Very dry, crisp and fresh with a slightly salty finish. Winemaker Description. 

Expert Review

93 Points Wine & Spirits | Deliciosa grows at the Pago Miraflores in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and it’s typically aged for five years under flor. This lastest saca shows a lovely mix of almond flavors, salt and white fruit, all melding into the wine’s deep mineral notes. It’s substantial enough to serve in the company of blackened redfish.

Winemaker Description 

Smoky and with clear hints of dried fruits, Torelló 225 Brut Nature is in top form. The base wine of Xarel·lo, the majority in the blend, was fermented in 225-liter barrels and, together with the rest of the wines (Macabeo and Parellada), aged for 3-4 months in 2900-liter foudres. Its passage through wood and its long aging in the bottle with the lees explain its complexity and its charming touch. 

Winemaker Description 

The Habla la Tierra is a cuvée of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The grapes come from quite young vines planted around 2000 on slate soils. After the harvest, the grapes were cool pre-fermented and then fermented in stainless steel fermenters.

This was followed by ageing in French wood for four to five months.  The Habla de la Tierra presents itself juicy ripe, dark and spicy on the nose. The unusual cuvée of Tempranillo, Cabernet and Syrah alternates between the scent of freshly sliced plums, figs, ripe elderberries, peonies and black pepper as well as anise, earthy pray and black tea. In addition, one thinks one can already perceive a trace of extract sweetness in the fragrance.

The Habla la Tierra 2021 shows itself very juicy on the palate. The dark fruit is ripe and accompanied by earthy aromas and herbal spice. In addition, a cool, fresh vein runs through the wine, while the tannin proves to be ripe and delicate. The red wine is down-to-earth in the most pleasant sense, uncomplicated and easy to drink, and at the same time it has character.

Currently, it should be caraffed. Food recommendations by Christoph Raffelt. Spanish blood sausage - with braised apples and onions with mashed potatoes Braised rabbit with sage and piment d'Espelette. Spelt Salad with Roasted Peppers and Feta.

Winemaker Description 

With an average age of four and a half years, Manzanilla La Guita en rama displays all the freshness, smoothness and fine minerality expected of this type of wine. An authentic treasure in 37.5 cl format , ideal for those looking to get started in the exciting "manzanilla universe". 

Winemaker Description 

Deep garnet red in color. On the nose it is serious and elegant. The evolution in the glass translates into an increase in intensity and aromatic complexity where fruit continues to be the backbone of the wine. On the palate it has a well-structured body with ripe, silky tannins. Easy to drink with a persistent aftertaste. 

Winemaker Description 

100% Palomino and aged for 5 years in bota, this is an invigorating white wine with a subtle, floral, mineral nose. Great intensity with sea breeze salinity running through an impressive structure, there is tension on the palate. 

The yeasty, baked bread flavours are in balance with apricots and golden apples. In the mouth the texture is silky and round, with an extremely long and clean finish. A unique style of Manzanilla to be served chilled with food or as an aperitif. 

Winemaker Description 

Contrabandista has a nutty aroma with toffee-caramel tones and a rich finish. Serve slightly chilled as an aperitif or pair with creamy cheeses and pates. 

Pale rose color, with fine and persistent bubbles. Hints of red and citrus fruits dominate on the nose. On the palate, fresh, lively, and genuine, characteristic of the ancestral País varietal. Winemaker Description.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Zekun Shuai writes:  A clean and slightly acidic sauvignon blanc with gooseberries, guava and chalk. Medium body on the palate with bright acidity and light mid-palate flavors. Drink now. Glass stopper.  - James Suckling

Winemaker Description 

Habla de Ti 2022 is an enchanting white wine, captivating with its vivacity and lightness. On the nose, it unfurls a spectrum of scents reminiscent of crisp green asparagus and sweet mango, complemented by an herbaceous hint of tomato leaf. Upon tasting, its exuberant nature is affirmed with flavors of tropical fruits that pirouette across the palate, leaving a lasting and exceedingly delightful impression. This wine is a feast for the senses, perfect for savoring at any given opportunity.

Winemaker Description 

Made using wines made with 50% Garnacha Blanca and 50% Xarello grapes, El Bandarra Vermut Bianco is infused with more that 40 botanicals to create its complex bittersweet character.

Our Professional Review 

A very expressive and powerful Tempranillo. Aromas of plum, cassis and concentrated blackberry compote. Medium acidity with an enticing and velvety finish. Made from 100% Tempranillo, the wine was aged for 12 months in a combination of new and second-use French oak and American oak barrels.  Oscar Garcia, Lead Wine Buyer, 67wine.

Expert Review - Vintage 2018 

92 Points James Suckling | Plum and blackberry with chocolate and some cream on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with tight, chewy tannins that are polished and poised. Nicely crafted. (2018).

Winemaker Description 

Deep colored wine with a high, glyceric, and unctuous layer in the glass. Intense bouquet, with sensations of fruity freshness wrapped in washed oak that complements well without masking the varietal fullness of the Tinta del País variety in the Ribera del Duero. Fresh, vivid, elegant complexity, with long-lasting creamy and toasted nuances on the palate. Enveloped and dense polymerized tannins. Subtle and elegant. Balanced enough to drink now but can be aged in the bottle for several years. 

Winemaker Description

Bright red cherry in color with pronounced aromas of cassis and ripe red fruit. On the palate, this wine is clean, complex and elegant. Well-balanced with vibrant acidity, the 2018 Crianza from Finca Nueva contains perfectly integrated tannins and an agreeable finish. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2019 

 James Suckling 89 Points | Plums, dried herbs, blueberries and cassis blossom. Medium body with fine tannins. It has a blueberry-like character on the palate with some tartness in the short finish. (2019). 

Winemaker Description 

Elaborated with grapes of more than 40 years old, is the best expression of Rueda and its terroir: youthfyl and bright, it shows fresh and lively varietal notes of sweet grapefruit and pineapple, combined with anise and fennel. 

Bone dry in the palate, its medium body is coupled with a crisp, refreshing acidity to drink at all times. It will suit any type of delicate flavors and lightly seasoned white fish or seafood.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018 

96 Points James Suckling | Mineral, macadamia, pine nuts, white sesame and white fruit with a touch of spice. A bright and linear Capellania that shows excellent tension, freshness and complexity. Long and appetizing finish. More taut and gastronomic now. 100% viura. Drink now or hold. 

95 Points Tim Atkin | The cooler 2018 vintage was ideally suited to the production of high-quality whites like this pure Viura from a six-hectare plateau at 485 metres within the extensive Castillo Ygay estate. Modern, perfumed and poised, it has finely integrated French oak, fennel, thatch and beeswax aromas, herbal complexity and a nutty, fragrant, citrus zest palate. 2025-40 

94 Points Wine Advocate | To catch up with the current vintages that I shall review every 12 months from now on, I tasted two vintages of some of the wines, including the whites. The 2018 Capellanía is 100% Viura from the plot that names the wine. The vineyard is six hectares planted in 1945 at 485 meters altitude, the highest in the estate. It fermented in concrete, the first vintage to do so, as it was fermented in stainless steel until then, and matured in second-use French oak barrels for 22 months. It spent a further seven months in concrete, a long élevage, with the idea to produce a structured white with aging potential, while keeping the varietal character. The wine is subtle and elegant, following the path of all the wines in the portfolio here, still marked by the élevage in oak, spicy and smoky. The palate is balanced, with a nice combination of fruit and oak, with a soft texture, clean, focused and tasty. It has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.1 and 6.10 grams of acidity. 21,836 bottled and 688 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2022. This is now released with the Gran Reserva back label.

The wine that has come to define the traditional style of txakolina from Getaria. Light, crisp, refreshing, and low alcohol, Ameztoi Txakolina is bottled with a touch of residual carbon dioxide gas to give it its natural, signature, spritzy style. It is produced exclusively from indigenous hondarrabi zuri grapes at the Ameztoi estate, grown on traditional trellises high on the slopes rising above Getaria, an ancient Basque fishing village on Spain’s rugged northern coast.

A joyful wine with signature salty and briny notes, crisp acidity, low alcohol, and refreshing spritz naturally complements the region’s exquisite seafood.

Winemaker Description

Interesting bouquet where the mineral qualities provided by the dark slate soils perfectly combine with the typical red fruit nuances of the Garnacha. Rich and tasty wine with a well balanced elegance and finesse, complexity and length. 

Winemaker Description

This Clos Mogador 2021 is all delicacy on the nose. The fruit is fresh, the aromatic Mediterranean herbs refined. The palate, on the other hand, is deep, with a satiny texture and a measured grip. A rarity that thrills from the start, just a prelude to the magnitude it will reach.

Expert Review

97 Points James Suckling | A beautiful, fresh red with lots of vibrancy. Mineral, flint, freshly crushed blueberries and red berries. Juicy, polished tannins with a little more crunch to the fruit this year. Has a nice firmness compared with the sweeter tannins in 2020. Really fluid, bright and vivid. Long. Drink or hold. (2021). 

Winemaker Description

The Parra family’s pursuit came from the devotion of the three brothers (Francisco, Javier, and Luis) to find a sense of place in their home of La Mancha. They founded their property with the conviction to organically and biodynamically farm every vine under their care.

The Parra family works two large vineyards in La Mancha near the town of Las Messas (The Tables), totaling some 445 acres, or about 180 hectares. One of the vineyards is named Entresendas (Between Paths) and sits within the dried river bed. Entresendas benefits from the rich, alluvial soils, common to old river beds and perfect for the cultivation of grapes. The other vineyard is officially named Olla del Monte (Cooking Pan in the Mountain), but is known locally as the Cuesta Colorá because of the colorful scarpland soils of chalky clay covered in a fine layer of pebbles that hold the day’s heat well into the night.

For the Gulp/Hablo, the extremely gulpable wines, they tapped Juan Antonio Ponce of Bodegas Ponce to make the wine. With this partnership, they were able to create a wine that beats the competition without sacrificing on quality.

A supremely easy drinking light bodied red wine that truly lives up to its "Gulp" name. Showing nicely with bright red fruits and fresh herbs. Pair with roasted root vegetables & quinoa. 

Winemaker Description

Valduero has a clear purpose: to elaborate Reservas and Gran Reservas. Valduero 2 Maderas ages for three years. Intense, lively garnet with a high colored. Fruity aromas and balsamic notes, with details of cumin, cloves and nutmeg. A very well structured wine. Important aftertaste. 

Expert Review

92 Points Decanter | Deftly made wine, with intense fruit and smart oak ageing, redolent of Ribera typicity, with a modern and easygoing style. Very clean, well defined, dry and smooth in mouth, remarkably fresh. Persistent and fruity finish, if not particularly complex. An excellent entry point to Valduero's stable of great wines, which is one of the most notable in the whole region.

Fabulous organic Albariño from one of Rias Baixas's most dynamic producers. A wine that celebrates racy acidity, with mouthwatering notes of zesty, ripe citrus fruits layered with crunchy green apple. Thanks to some lees ageing, it also has a fleshy texture that brings fantastic balance.

Winemaker Description

Produced from 100% Tinto Fino from vines age 30 years, aged 12 months in French Oak with minimal filtration. The result is a wine with a beautiful ruby colour with deep and intense aromas of red and black fruit with hints of liquorice and spice. The palate elegant and fresh with predominant fruit structure balanced by soft tannins and a lovely expressive finish.

It has the tannic richness of Ribera del Duero Tinto Fino, and smoky power from its oak, but the wine carries itself with some delicacy, its crisp fruit bringing fresh air.

Dominio Romano was established in 2005 when the Pares Balta family decided to to initiate a project in Ribera del Duero. Selecting the finest old and wild Tinto Fino vines in the best terroirs of the region, and farming with the utmost respect for the environment and tradition, the family produces wines that transmit the character of the autochthonous grape.

Winemaker Description 

A deep and vibrant wine with an alluring cardinal color. Exuding earth, fresh flowers, and intensity, the wine is fantastically balanced between its acidity and smooth tannins. Dark fruits, herbal, and minerality all blend and lead to a long stunning finish. 

Producer Description 

Our Spanish Red Wine Blend, made from organically grown Bobal and Merlot grapes, has red fruit aromas with subtle toasted notes. These small bottles of red wine are full-bodied, fresh, and balanced on the palate, with hints of chocolate and spice. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2015

Mike DeSimone of the Wine Enthusiast writes 95 Points | Dark ruby in color, this wine has a nose of black cherry, cedar chest and violet candy. A pleasant floral note is a constant companion to blackberry, anisette, clove and dark-chocolate flavors that are enclosed in a shell of muscular tannins. A soft note of pomegranate permeates the grippy finish. Drink through 2035. 

Winemaker Description 

A 1er Cru RBD from Yolanda and Carolina García Viadero whose mission is to place the Tinto Fino varietal among the world’s best.  Bursts of blackberry and cassis, relaxed opulence and richness.

Winemaker Description 

Deep and attractive red color with a purple rim. Mountain wine with a powerful terroir expression. Intense red fruit, black currants, lavender, thyme, rosemary and scrubland notes. In the palate shows long, very fresh, wide and savory, with a gentle structure and attractive texture. 

Winemaker Description

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Syrah. Deep red in colour which lingers in the glass. The ageing in oak is noticeable, well blended with fruity aromas which give it finesse and complexity.

Mouth-filling and complex, smooth and well balanced on the palate. This is a wine which shows slightly smoked red fruit.