Weekend Discovery: Spain
Great- Value, Easy- Drinking Wines
Weekend tasting with Spanish Wines Expert, Daniel Giddings of Classic
Wine Imports
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Marques de Gelida, Brut Rosé Reserva Cava 2016
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Shockingly good sparkling rose, “as good as it gets for the price”
90 Points avg. 100% Pinot Noir.
Spain’s CAVA is made in the same general way as Champagne; a second fermentation in the bottle creates extra complexity in the wine.
Given its weight, you can serve it at a serious dinner party, but it is pink and plenty of fun for an al fresco lunch on the patio. Try this classy sparkler; you won’t be disappointed.
Pairing:
Shellfish, Appetizers and snacks, Lean fish, Aperitif, Cured Meat Price $19.99 Tasting $16.99
Marques de Gelida, Brut Gran Reserva Cava 2015
Tasting:
Dry, smoky and lightly fruity, this Pinot Noir-based Cava is about as good as it gets in the price range. The
nose delivers distant brown sugar and burnt leaves, while the palate lays on the orange rind, peach and
cherry skin flavors.
What this Cava achieves at this price is extraordinary;
a nice balance of Champagne
classics and Spanish flair.
contenders come from Penedès—a breathtaking area located just outside of Barcelona.
the very best can compete with the top houses of Champagne and will
transport you to a
state of bliss and kiss you with a fresh finish.
Tasting:
A phenomenal Cava of Xarel·lo, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Parellada;
characteristically elegant, balanced, and fresh with q pale, straw yellow core with golden
reflections along the rim. Slow rising beads march upward and prickle your nose with a
youthful flair, followed by notes of creamed apple, raw honeycomb, beeswax, dried yellow
flowers, lemon curd, brioche, toasted hazelnut, and crushed rock. The palate is dense,
creamy, and round, reminiscent of vintage Champagne.
Pairing:
Seafood Paella, Perfect as an aperitif, or served with seafood, sushi, white meats, and creamy cheeses Price $19.99 Tasting $16.99
Bodegas Avancia, Cuvee de O Godello 2018
Spain’s answer to White Burgundy.
Avg 90 points
Crafted from vineyards between 50 and 70 years old, this Godello is dry farmed, hand harvested, and
wild-yeast fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels. Six months of sur-lie aging
brings a textural quality to the wine, softening its acidity. Jorge Ordonez and Bodegas Godeval, who co-
founded the Bodegas Avancia estate, both believe in minimal intervention and crisp fresh-styled Godello,
and the results show in their wine. A newfound love for Godello as a pairing wine has led to its resurgence
on the world market, and this Cuvee Do O Godello is not only a great introduction to the Godello grape,
but also a classically delicious, fresh, and textured wine made from what some say is Spain’s answer to
White Burgundy.
Tasting:
This luscious and lively Godello sports aromas of wet stone, white peach, and yellow apple. With a plump
body that maintains firm acidity, the Cuvee De O Godello tastes of bright lemon, tropical fruit, and
honeysuckle, and has a unique salinity that is pervasive in Spanish white wine.
Pairing:
An easy, quaffable wine, this would be a perfect drink to pair with a seafood barbecue on the beach.
Grilled shrimp, scallops, and fish fillet, along with asparagus, grilled pineapple, and zucchini, would be
the perfect foil to the Cuvee De O’s refreshing, plump flavor and saline finish.
The Buzz:
“Beautifully fresh and attractively pure lemon and pear aromas with a powdery, floral edge that really charms. The palate has a very fresh and fleshy array of white pears and peaches with a chalky, fine-stone tang on the finish. Really delicious. Drink now.” —James Suckling
Price $19.99 Tasting $16.99
Bodegas Teso La Monja Romanico Tinto de Toro 2017
“dishes out way more fruit than its humble price”
Expressive, direct, and accessible, while still representing the varietal character of Tinta de Toro and the unique terroir of D.O. Toro. One of the finest values from the area.
Taste: A bonafide fruit bomb; Blueberries, violets, plums, and peppery herbs all flow to a full-bodied, fresh, balanced effort that dishes out way more fruit than its humble price point would have you believe.
Pairing: Roasts, White meat with sauce, Cold meat, Chicken stew, Beef, Grilled lamb Buzz:“Fruit-driven, happy and expressive Tempranillo. Soft palate with a tender texture. Juicy and very
tasty”
Price $16.99 Tasting $14.44
Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja 2015 94 points
Be prepared… You couldn’t go wrong with a case of this.
Taste: ” A deep, very dense black-cherry color… notes of spices (pepper) and forest floor against a backdrop of coffee variations, such as milk coffee toffee and roasted coffee beans mingling with subtle well-integrated oak. Very good balance between power and elegance, with fine-grained tannins and integrated acidity. This has to be one of the best recent vintages of this popular bottling.”
Silky on the palate with tannins showing through, indicating the wine’s youth and good ageing potential and providing an elegant and balanced structure.
Pairing:
This wine pairs well with red meats, lamb and charcoal-grilled rockfish.
Buzz:
“This has to be one of the best recent vintages of this popular bottling. “
Price $29.99 Tasting $25.49