Spain: A Destination You Never Reach

regions tasted

Spain has always been one of my favourite countries for wine, food, and its general appreciation of life. William Gaddis, the American postmodernist novelist, once wrote that, "Spain is a destination you never reach," an observation I've always liked. A country whose full character is impossible to grasp completely, Spain is edgily placed between the slow-paced, conservative, Catholic past and the fast-paced, outgoing, urban present. This is true of its wines too; the oxidative wines of sherry and Rioja must still taste much like they did in the nineteenth century and other regions and producers adhere to winemaking traditions of the past. At the same time, coinciding with the transition to democracy after Franco, Spanish wine has been transformed in the last thirty years, with modern, clean, crisp whites emerging from Rueda, Rías Baixas, and elsewhere and even conservative regions such as Rioja producing fruity, oaky reds that appeal to contemporary drinkers.

Over the last couple of months, my wife and I have been indulging in a series of Spanish wines to refresh our appreciation of the varied styles of wines being made in the world's third biggest wine-producing country. Here's what we've been drinking and have learnt about Spain.

regions & wines 

Arabako Txakolina

Txakoli (translated into Spanish as Chacolí) is a light, acidic white wine produced in the Basque country; it's often slightly fizzy, especially when poured from a height from the long, thin-necked bottle. There are three DOs, one of which is Arabako Txakolina. It's tiny, just 50ha, lying off the wet Atlantic coast and receiving 1,500mm of rain a year. The cool summers make grape-growing even more difficult but local growers are determined to preserve the historic tradition of txakoli. The Arzabro Txakolina winery is new, established in 2009, run by a local farming family based in the area for generations. Their txakoli ($19) is made from Hondarribi Zuri, which accounts for 85% of the grapes grown for txakoli production, and Izpiriotza Txikia (which is Petit Manseng across the French border). The wine's very zesty and acidic, with pronounced lemon and lime aromas: a good summer aperitif. ✪✪✪✪

Rioja

Part of Rioja lies within the Basque country, but on the other side of the Cantabrian mountains where it's drier (500mm of rain) and warmer. Rioja is the most famous of Spain's wine regions and is known for its red wines, but white wine is made too. Traditionally, the whites are oxidative, oaky, and mature, but an increasing number of modern wines are made, usually from the Viura grape (called Macabeo elsewhere in Spain) alongside a form of Malvasia, Garnacha Blanca, and Tempranillo Blanca. The Acodo Blanco 2010 ($30) from Basilio Izquierdo is a nice combination of old and new: it's five years old but still has fresh green and citrus fruits; it hasn't seen any oak ageing but has been left on its lees for eight months, giving it a nutty, yeasty character traditionally associated with white Rioja. ✪✪✪✪

Rioja is traditionally a blend of vineyards from different parts of the region and of different grape varieties - which is why this blend of the four major black grape varieties interested me. 75% of the grapes planted in Rioja are Tempranillo, which produces wines of red fruits and firm tannins. Garnacha is grown in the warmer Rioja Baja, and adds alcohol and red fruit, liquorice aromas. Mazuelo (Carineña eleswhere in Spain and Carignan in France) gives black fruits and tannins, while Graciano, plantings of which have increased since its lowpoint in the 1970s, has attractive floral, perfumed aromas. The Colección Vivanco 4 Varietales 2010 ($70) from Dinastía Vivanco - which is not just a winery but also a museum and educational centre - combines all these fruity, perfumed elements with a powerful structure from its sixteen months in French oak. ✪✪✪✪✪

Priorat

Inland from Barcelona in Catalunya, Priorat had all but been abandoned by the 1980s although wine has been made there since the 12th century. It's hilly with very steep slopes and stony slate soils (called llicorella), all of which makes growing vines there incredibly difficult. A group of winemakers took on the challenge of making wine there in the late 1980s which led to a revolution in quality, and now some of Spain's most exciting red (and white) wines are made in Priorat. Garnacha and Carineña, with small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah, produce intense, concentrated high-alcohol wines. Planetes de Nin is the project of young female dreadlocked winemaker Ester Nin. This is a classic Priorat (70% Garnacha, 30% Carineña; $45): deep red and black fruits, spice and French oak, and a fearless amount of brett with farmyard, earth, and animal aromas. ✪✪✪✪✪

Montsant

The small hill of Priorat is surrounded by Montsant ("Holy Mountain"), which produces similar but less expensive wines. Finca l'Argata are a fairly new producer, but they practise some old-fashioned techniques: they're biodynamic, they crush the grapes by foot, only partially de-stem, mainly use old oak and concrete tanks, and don't fine or filter. The 2012 is 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah ($30). It's quite taut and restrained, with red fruits and liquorice, and surprisingly different from the powerful bombshell of Priorat. ✪✪✪✪

Ribera del Duero

For a century and a half, Ribera del Duero was only known for one producer, Vega de Sicilia. That changed in the 1980s, when a wave of new producers started making wines on the high-altitude slopes above the river Duero, making it one of the most sought-after regions in Spain. Becoming part of the establishment doesn't suit everyone, however, and Alfredo Maestro refuses to work within the DO regulations. A self-taught winemaker since 1998, Maestro feels that contemporary Ribero del Duero producers use too much oak and limit themselves to one grape variety, Tinto Fino (Tempranillo). Instead, he seeks out old vines from traditional local varieties such as Garnacha and Albillo (a white variety), as well as Tinto Fino. He also refuses to use any chemicals in the making of his wine, including even sulphur. In the beautifully-labelled Lovamor ($28), the absence of sulphur is a little too noticeable. Made from one-hundred-year-old Albillo vines, it's a deep golden-yellow colour, heavily oxidative, and tastes much more like a cider than a wine. ✪✪✪ The Castrillo de Duero ($25) is much more successful; from seventy-year-old Tinto Fino vines and aged in neutral oak for 12 months, the wine has a deep, intense, tannic and fruit structure which is classic Ribera del Duero while refusing to call itself so. ✪✪✪✪✪

Castilla y Leon

Many producers in Ribera del Duero and neighbouring Rueda also classify their wines under Castilla y Leon Vino de la Tierra (the IGT level of classification which has more flexible rules). La Fábula Cebreros ($30) - another wine with a beautiful label - is made from one-hundred-year-old Garnacha (which isn't permitted in any of the local DOs) and is a wonderful expression of that grape. It's an intense, powerful, old-school Spanish wine that needs decanting. Leather, mushrooms, and quite a bit of brett eventually give way to dried strawberries, raspberries, and roses. ✪✪✪✪✪

Ribeira Sacra

Many of the wines we tasted are from areas with a long history and old vines, but made from young producers rediscovering the area. Ribeira Sacra ("holy riverbank") is another region undergoing a revival, although it's still small. The major grape is Mencía and again the vines can be up to one hundred years old, grown on steep, stony slopes, battered by rain from the Atlantic. There's an obvious Priorat connection in this revival and Dominio do Bibei's winemaker Javier Domingues has enlisted the help of Priorat producers used to difficult soils and slopes. Lalama ($30) is 90% Mencía, with a handful of Garnacha and other local grape varieties Brancellao and Mouraton. The 2011 is a very attractive wine, with floral, herbal, and red fruit aromas. ✪✪✪✪✪

Monterrei

Near Ribeira Sacra on the Portuguese border, Monterrei is another newly emerging region drawing on old, local varieties. Quinta da Muradella are one of the leading producers of this still small DO, and the Alanda ($33) is a blend of four varieties of different degrees of obscurity. Doña Blanca (which is called Síria in Portugal from where it probably originates) gives intense floral and orange aromas. Treixadura (Trajadura in Portugal) has apple and pear aromas and is best in a blend as it has low acidity. The wonderfully-named Monstruosa is even rarer and was rescued from extinction by Muradella; it has aromas of wild, alpine flowers. Finally, the wine also has Verdello (Verdelho in Portugal and Madeira), which is in the blend for its acidity. The wine itself has extraordinarily intense citrus aromas of oranges and lemons, along with orange blossom. A refreshingly high acidity means that it is a very good food wine - we drank this with a chicken, carrot, leek, and turnip stew. ✪✪✪✪✪

sherry

All of the above wines come from north-central Spain, where either the sea or altitude moderate the climate. Once as far south as Madrid and beyond, the climate is generally too hot for quality wine production. The area around Jerez in hot, dry Andalucia is one historic exception. Close to the Mediterranean, more rain falls than in northern Rioja; most of it is during the winter, with the irrigation system introduced by the Moors over a thousand years ago storing the water for the dry summer months. Sherry is one of the contradictions emblematic of Spain. One of the country's best known wines, it was for the most part created for the British (who still drink almost as much as the Spanish). With its oxidative aromas, it's old-fashioned and out of time; nonetheless the region is now creating some of the most vibrant, evocative, and affordable wines of anywhere in the world. I would say that, because I am a huge sherry fan - regardless, I dare anyone to resist the attractive aromas of lightly baked apples, salt, and almonds of this fino, priced at under $20. ✪✪✪✪✪✪

White Rioja

So often, customers come into the shop and say, "I'd like a Rioja." But what type of Rioja? Lots of oak, no oak, or something in between? Traditional or modern? Red, rosé, or white?!

After Bordeaux and Burgundy, Rioja is the most recognised wine region in the UK, yet so little is understood about it. When I was studying the WSET Level 3, even the tutor found the old, traditional Rioja we tasted "disturbing." Terms such as Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva, vital for understanding the style of the wine, mean little to the average customer - which is one reason why many modern winemakers don't loudly advertise these terms on their labels.

And then there's white Rioja. It's understandable that white Rioja is still a mystery to most drinkers, as historically it's not a common style. I love hearing the joy in people's reactions when they say, "I've never had a white Rioja before!" They know the name Rioja and are therefore open to trying something they might not otherwise consider. But the term white Rioja doesn't pin it down to something specific; just like a red, it could be very young or very old, designed to be drunk immediately and/or a long time in the distant future, aged in lots of oak or none at all.

so what is white Rioja?

White Rioja used to be made from the Malvasia grape, which is common in Italy; although some Malvasia is still used, the main grape now is Viura. In Catalunya, this is called Macabeo, also known over the border in Roussillon and Languedoc as Maccabeu. It's a fairly bland grape, producing crisp, fresh wines with high acidity. Unoaked white Rioja is no different - it's when oak comes into play that things begin to get interesting. This oaky style falls into two categories - the modern, which might be compared to oaky Chardonnay, and the traditional, which is like nothing else. Here are two examples I've had recently.

the traditional

López de Heredia Viña Gravonia 2003 Crianza (Wine Society, £13.95, no longer available) I tasted this wine with @bleuettextiles, who was tasting it completely blind. Her first sniff elicited a sharply raised eyebrow; looking at the wine again, she asked, "Is it acceptable to put urine as a description?" Not a promising start, but she ended up ranking the wine as outstanding. When asked to guess what it was, the response was a perplexed, "Chardonnay with Sauvignon Blanc maybe?"

"What is this?!"

This wine really is unique. It's not just like an oaky Chardonnay: you can actually taste the wood (it was aged for four years in oak). Its flavours aren't merely autolytic: it's like there's still yeast in the wine. An extraordinary combination of yoghurt and cream; vanilla and bonfire smoke; bananas and potato skins; bread and white pepper. A ten-year-old white that feels so alive and vibrant.

The next night I tasted it again with @winebizkid. Again the raised eyebrow; again the puzzled silence; again the conclusion: "that is just spectacular."

López de Heredia is one of the great traditional Rioja wineries. Run by two sisters continuing the family heritage, it's often referred to as Tondonia, which is their flagship wine for reds, whites, and rosés. Having tried this white Crianza, I really want to try the white Gran Reserva; and as for the Rosado Gran Reserva, I can only try and imagine what that must taste like...

the modern

Allende 2011 (hangingditch, £22.50) Drinking and describing this wine is much more straightforward and anyone familiar with white Burgundy, or its New World equivalent, will feel at home. Compared to Burgundy, though, this wine is much bigger and fuller: butter, cream, and cheese from the MLF; vanilla, smoke, and toast from the oak; and lots of citrus and tropical fruits, with a spicy, cinnamon finish.

This wine demonstrates just how rich and powerful white Rioja can be, and how it's possible to take a traditional style that is difficult to sell and make it into something contemporary and appealing. This isn't a wine, though, that rejects tradition - it's 20% Malvasia, and will age for another ten years.

That fusion of modern and tradition is characteristic of the winemaker, Miguel Angel de Gregorio. Against tradition, he uses new French oak instead of American; he makes single-vineyard wines suited to each vintage; and he refuses to use the terms Crianza, Reserva, or Gran Reserva. Yet with the use of oak and indigenous grapes, the wines are distinctly Rioja; and he's traditional enough not to have a functioning website.

the future

Due to the popularity in general of Rioja, its white versions definitely have a large market to tap into. A wine such as the López de Heredia is never going to have a large following, but rich, powerful, oaky wines like the Allende make a punchy statement for those who like their wines big and upfront. Young, unoaked wines will likewise appeal to those looking for easy-going, everyday drinking wines. These variety of styles make white Rioja a style to watch.

the terms

These indicate how long a wine has been aged, and refer to the style of wine and not necessarily the quality. The terms apply throughout Spain, though they are not always used (and the ageing requirements for Crianzas are less in the rest of Spain than in Rioja or Ribero del Deuro).

	white/rosé	red
joven	no minimum ageing requirement	no minimum ageing requirement
crianza	aged 18 months before release	aged 2 years before release, minimum 12 months in oak
reserva	aged 18 months before release, minimum 6 months in oak	aged 3 years before release, minimum 24 months in oak
gran reserva	aged 4 years before release, minimum 12 months in oak	aged 5 years before release, minimum 36 months in oak

Drinking (and eating) for Christmas

Last Thursday, I celebrated my first ever Thanksgiving, followed on Friday by my second. I can now see why Americans make such a big deal of it - the cold, dark days of November are brightened by food, wine, friends, and family. It also introduces the festive season, and got me in the mood for Christmas much earlier than I usually am.

This had me reflecting on food and wine pairings for the Christmas season and what wines I should be thinking of getting in. Like Thanksgiving, Christmas is a time for rich foods and you need to find wines to match. That doesn't limit your options though; instead it increases the range of food and wine pairings you can come up with.

food & wine

 

Pairing food and wine is taken very seriously by some, with extremely specific recommendations offered. Trying to match flavours in both wine and food is great up to a point, but it's difficult to find such exact matches. It's much more fun experimenting and you'll discover surprisingly successful pairings. However, there are some guidelines that are useful to follow. Don't try and match the flavours, but think instead about their intensity: neither the wine nor the dish should overwhelm the other. Likewise, think about acidity and sweetness: the two should roughly correspond.

the line-up from Thursday's Thanksgiving, showing just how many styles of wine fit this kind of meal

turkey

 

Turkey is a food high in acidity, so you need a wine to match. But with all the sauces and side dishes that come with it at Christmas, the wine has to have enough depth of flavour. For whites, think of a dry Riesling: the crisp acidity and lively citrus flavours will cut into the turkey's richness. We had Billi Billi Riesling from Mt. Langi Ghiran in Victoria, Australia (hangingditch, £12.50); although delicate, its fresh acidity provided an invigorating contrast to the heaviness of the food. Alternatively, a full-bodied white will fit in with a weighty Christmas meal. For the second Thanksgiving celebration, we tried an aromatic blend from Prieuré de St-Jean-de-Bébian, Languedoc (Spirited Wines, Deansgate, around £18); rich, creamy, and nutty, it went well with the mash and béchamel sauce.

For reds, Pinot Noir is a classic pairing. With its high acidity and red fruits, Pinot Noir is not just a great match for turkey but also for the accompanying cranberry sauce. We tried two very different Pinot Noirs, which demonstrated how two wines can interact with food in varying ways. I brought one that I had tried on a recent trip to Oregon. White Rose Estate (unavailable UK; $60) describe themselves as "neo-classical"; the combination of upfront red fruits (New World style) and grainy tannins (Old World style) paired deliciously well with the turkey: like adding a juicy sauce to add on to the cranberry. The Digioia-Royer Chambolle-Musigny Vieille Vignes 2004 was a maturer, more reflective wine and quite a contrast (hangingditch, £35). Here, the earthy flavours acted more like a mushroom sauce. When choosing a wine, do think of its age: a youthful, fruity wine will be quite a different match than an older wine.

Oregon 2011 v Burgundy 2004

goose

 

Not something we had at Thanksgiving, goose is an increasingly popular alternative to turkey on Christmas Day in the UK. Again, acidity is all important; you also need a wine that will cut through the fat. An Alsatian Riesling will do just that, while something richer and creamier like oaky Chardonnay or aromatic Pinot Gris will add so much flavour. For reds, you can stick with Pinot Noir, but, as goose is a bigger, fattier dish than turkey, you can go big and get a wine with lots of oak and tannins - wines from South-West France, such as Madiran, are great options. A less obvious alternative could be a Portuguese red, particularly from the Douro.

pudding

 

Here, you really are spoilt for choice as there are so many great sweet wines out there. The important thing to remember is that the food should have at least the same level of sweetness as the wine. As puddings at Christmas are full of all sorts of rich, sweet flavours, that shouldn't be a problem. Pedro Ximénez sherry is the perfect option: its rich, dark, toffee flavours are sublime with Christmas pudding. And, of course, port is the ideal drink to finish off a long meal. There are two particular styles that work especially well at Christmas: the chocolate and dark fruits of a Late Bottled Vintage or the more mature fruits of a Vintage Port. Two wines I would recommend from hangingditch are Portal LBV 2008 (£20) and Delaforce 1994 (£55), the latter of which we tried with our dessert at Thanksgiving: the balanced fruity sweetness went so well with the pumpkin pie. Quite simply, there is no better way to end a meal than with a decadent dessert and a sumptuous sweet wine: roll on Christmas!