No wine snobs here, just enthusiastic drinkers of all wines
Named after the winery's former president, this is one of Bodega Cuatro Rayas' most select wines. It was a surprise addition to the tasting at vinopremier.com. 100% Verdejo. It is made from the best grapes from Cuatro Rayas' oldest vines (over 100 years of age) and spends 8 months maturing in french oak. It should … Continue reading Amador Diez Cuvee 2017
In the 1980s the Spanish wine industry went through a revolution in modernising wine making techniques, introducing quality standards and perfecting which grapes grow best in their soil. Rueda is one of the most successful examples of this revolution. Prior to this time many Bodegas in the Rueda region acted as co operatives. Local farmers … Continue reading Dorado 61
The third wine from the Cuatro Rayas wine tasting at vinopremier.com. Something a little different this time, a red Tempranillo wine from the Rueda DO. I say different because Rueda is known for its white wines with Tempranillo reds more usually made in nearby Ribera del Duero. In fact it is so normal for most … Continue reading Cuatro Rayas Ecológico 2018
The second white wine from the Bodega Cuatro Rayas tasting at Vinopremier.com. Another Rueda Verdejo Wine but this time with grapes harvested from vines over 100 years old and left on the lees for about 5 months. It is made using more traditional methods and only a limited number of bottles are produced. Like the … Continue reading Cuatro Rayas Viñedos Centenarios 2018
Last month Cuatro Rayas Bodega paid a visit to Vinopremier.com to let us sample their range of wines. Reading their website Cuatro Rayas is a large winery using modern wine making methods designed for bulk. It produces some 20% of all wines from the Rueda region, about 15 million bottles annually, and exports much of … Continue reading Cuatro Rayas Verdejo 2018
A strange wine this one. A dry wine that seems sweet. Not at all what you expect and pretty good value for the price. The Moscatel or Muscat Blanc grape is mainly associated with sweet aromatic white wines, but this is a dry wine. It has a clear yellow gold colour and a fairly pronounced … Continue reading Juan Gil Moscatel Seco
OMG! What a surprise! I've finally found a Monastrell Red from Jumilla that I like. Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that Monastrell wines are very heavy reds with high tannins and acidity. All things my poor tastebuds struggle with. However I'm nothing if not persistent, so will always try a … Continue reading Selecto Crianza 2014
The third wine from the Levante tasting at Madrid & Darracott. A white wine from the Alicante region made from a blend of Macabeu y Moscatel. I was expecting this wine to be too sweet for me because Moscatel wines usually are, but in fact is was quite refreshing. The Maña collection of wines from … Continue reading Maña Marisquero 2018
Back to our origins of Spanish wines for a bit. Back in early August I went to a wine tasting at Madrid & Darracott showcases wines from the Levante Region if Spain which encompasses the coastline of Cataluña and Valencia. There are some great white wines to be had from this region the best known … Continue reading Acústic Blanc 2016
This is the third wine from a 'Atlantic wines' tasting at Madrid & Darracott. A Txakoli (pronounced cha-koh-lee' wine from the Basque region. For those of you who have tried Txakoli wines in the past you're probably thinking dry, sharp, refreshing fizzy whites and for the most part you would be right, but not this … Continue reading Malkoa 2015
