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Spanish Wines from William-Harrison

Rias Baixas means ‘lower fjords’ or estuaries in the local patois. This area is subject to lots of rain, mist and sticky mornings, so the vines are typically trained on pergolas to avoid rot. This particular wine comes from vineyards just hundreds of yards from the ocean, which gives a certain saltiness to the wine, like Manzanilla in Sherry. It is a family-owned winery for three generations. The 30/35 year

old vines on the coastline of Rias Baixas in Northwestern Spain offer a classically floral Albariño with apple, quince, and white peach aromas. On the palate it has pretty fruit and a wonderful minerality, the expression of the salt air from the nearby ocean, and a very crisp finish. Try it with seafood!

Navarra Navarra envelopes the northeastern and eastern boundaries of Rioja, with alluvial soil in the flatter part of the Ebro Valley. Although the region was primarily known decades ago for its inexpensive rosado wines, it is now known for reds made of Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Cabernet. Plantings of Merlot and Chardonnay are just recently approaching 2% each in the region’s vineyards. Some producers are making an effort to provide some high quality wines from the region, but most tend to be good quality everyday reds.

Remonte Tempranillo This old vine Tempranillo from Navarra aged in stainless yields generous, well focused lively raspberry fruits. Pretty red fruit and leather aromas, with lots of texture, fairly complex with soft tannins. Great everyday red, try with sausage, meats, or cheese!

Remonte Garnacha Hand selected from 30 year old vines in Navarra, aged in stain-less, this gem has pleasingly rich dark red fruits with plenty of depth. Very pretty on the nose, it’s even more so on the palate, with wonderful balance. It comes from Hemingway’s favorite bodega.

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Rioja Although many new regions in Spain are getting a lot of attention in the last decade or so, Rioja remains the standard, the benchmark by which Spanish wines are judged. The region has over two centuries of history and consists of three subregions: Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta, and Rioja Baja. They are distinctly different because of elevation, and the Rioja Alavesa has a chalky soil versus the iron-rich limestone-clay soils mixed with alluvial soils from the many rivers that travel through the region. The name of the region comes from a contraction of the name of one of the rivers that enters into the Ebro, the Rio Oja.

Valdejimena Rioja Crianza This is a modern, silky smooth Rioja Crianza from the Pastor Diaz family. In 1995 the family switched from just producing grapes to producing the wine to maximize the expression of their single estate wines from mature vineyards. Aldeanueva del Ebro is where the vineyards are located at an altitude of 400 meters, where they receive the least rainfall and most sunshine of the Rioja región. The average age of the 60% bush and 40% trellised vines is 30 years. The fourteen months the Tempranillo (80%) and Garnacha (20%) spent in French and American oak barrels embellishes the complex depth of fruit flavors and gives a hint of vanilla, leather and herb.

Castroviejo Rioja Crianza Careful grape and barrel selection ensures that this modern Crianza has expressive, intense fruit flavors as well as classic Rioja character. The fourteen months the Tempranillo (85%), Garnacha (10%) and Graciano (5%) spent in French and American oak barrels enhances and balances the complex fruit flavors and adds a hint of vanilla, earth, and leather.

Ribera del Duero The Ribera del Duero area, first planted in the 1860s, is way up in the mountains, the lowest vineyards are at an elevation of 2300 feet. The mountain plateau is warm during the day and quite cold at night, with a short growing season. Aicara Tempranillo Roble Ribera del Duero The winery is known as Pinna Fidelis, the latin name of their village Peñafiel. Their Tempranillo is a Roble (which means oak in Spanish) and is one of the newer designations to offer an alternative to the classic Crianza and Riservas. The wine comes from the area known as

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the ‘golden triangle’ which includes Vega Sicilia and Pesquera, where ripe fruit is rarely a problem. Hand harvested, the grapes macerate for 20 days to set the bright color and intense fruit flavors. The six months this elegant Ribera del Duero spent in French and American oak is a supporting undercurrent for the smooth tannins, bright, high tone fruits, and calcareous minerality. A great value for a modern yet classically styled Tempranillo.

Priorat Priorat was Spain’s second DOC, and has been ‘rediscovered’ in the last two decades because of the high-quality wines produced there. This region currently produces some of the most expensive Spanish wines. Historically, the wines of Priorat were rancio-styled sweet wines, but now the region is known for the deep, dark reds made from blends of Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The landscape makes wine production difficult, but also is a factor in the high quality of the wines: terraced slopes of the licorella soil mix of granite and slate. This soil lends an earthy note to all of the wines, no matter which grape variety, and makes them distinctly ‘Priorat’.

VIÑA CARLES PRIORAT

A blend of 60% Carignan, 30% Garnacha, and 10% Syrah. From the granite and slate laden soils of Gratallops in fabled Priorat. These soils do not retain water and give the wine its distinctive mineral character. The vines average age is 50 years old and come from the most rugged part of Spain. The vineyards are so steep they must be terraced to be traversed. Each varietal is fermented separately for 22 days before the barrel aging. The wine is aged in a combination of medium roast French and American oak barrels for 12 months. The layered fruits, herbs, and minerality are easily worth twice the price. Intensely ruby colored, well-structured, with deep red and black fruit and vanilla flavors, it shows good length with a strong finish. This Priorat gets thick and heady as it opens up. Serve with lamb, roast meat and strong cheeses.