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The Iberian Peninsula, which embraces Spain
and Portugal, has long been a producer of wine grapes. Today,
this bulls-hide-shaped outcropping of land that lies between
the Pyrenees and the coast of Africa and is slightly larger
than the State of Texas has more acreage under vine than any
other country in the world.
The Iberian peninsula's diversity is legendary. Four independent
languages are spoken there: Portuguese (and its dialect Gallego
spoken in northwestern Spain); Castillian (a/k/a Spanish);
Basque (in three north central provinces centered around Bilbao
and San Sebastián), and Catalán, the language
of Cataluña and the region around Barcelona. All except
Basque are of Latin descent. Basque remains a linguistic mystery;
despite having some administrative and ecclesiastical words
borrowed from Latin, it is not a Latin language.
To date, Spain has 63 D.O.s' (Denomiacion de Origen), and
two D.O.C.'s (Denominacion de Origen Calificada - Rioja and
Priorato). As varied as the language and ethnicity of Spain,
so is the landscape, ranging from the arid center to the positively
lush, verdant northwest. Having been both there and in Ireland,
I'm not sure Galicia isn't the greener of the two. A jagged
coastline of fjords, called rias, brings maritime influences
deep into Galicia, which cultivates a special white variety
called albarino, loosely meaning "the little white one."
Possibly a distant cousin of Riesling, it may have come into
Spain with the monastic movement and the pilgrimages of medieval
Europe to Santiago de Compostela. This spot is supposedly
where the body of the Apostole James (Santiago or Saint James)
is supposed to have been buried, its spot revealed by a star
in the field (thus campo de la estrella, or campostella).
In the center of the peninsula, one has hot summers, cold
winters, and very little rainfall. La Rioja along the Ebro
River is shaped like a boot resting on its toe, heel extended.
Its three sub appellations are Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta (where
the best grapes are produced on high rocky slopes), and Rioja
Baja (lower elevations where soil is richer and agriculture
more diverse).
Look for good values from huge La Mancha and the eastern appellations
of Yecla and adjoining Jumilla, arid zones where Monastrell
(a/k/a Mourvedre) rules. Wine from Bierzo and the Basque provinces
are now showing up on Georgia shelves, as well.
Along the southwest coast, one finds the home of Sherry, an
anglicized form of Xeres or (today) Jerez (pronounced hair-AITH).
The chalky almost white (albarizo) soil imparts a hefty minerality
to the wines, while the proximity to the ocean leaves a taste
of salt air. Dry Sherry (fino and manzanilla) is stunning
as an aperitif served very cold in small tulip-shaped glasses,
but it is for some consumers an acquired taste. Serve them
with nuts, green olives and Manchego cheese, and you get a
whole new perspective on them. Medium Sherries (amonitllado)
can be splendid with fish soups and as aperitif wines with
nuts or pate'. Oloroso Sherries are great with aged, firm
cheeses, while Cream Sherries, a blend of Oloroso and the
really sweet Pedro Ximenez, can be fabulous with pecan pie.
These all are made from the Palomino Fino grape. Pedro Ximenez
is a grape that's typically used to make a very sweet, molasses-accented,
viscous wine that's splendid with chocolate.
Finally, there's Cataluña: Here are the cavas of Penedes,
Spain's sparkling wines, with their crisp palate-cleansing
character; the powerful red wines of Priorat, Spain's other
D.O.C.G., and its less expensive little brother, Montsant,
home to great values in red wines (such as Mas Donis).
The Iberian Peninsula is home to another independent country:
Portugal. Everyone knows and adores Porto, the intense, fortified,
high alcohol wines of northern Portugal. But there's so much
more to this story. In 1986, the authorities granted permission
to Porto producers to make red table wines from the same grapes
they use to make Porto. And what wines these are! Some are
excellent values as well.
Bairrada, Dao and the Alentejo are other important Portuguese
wine-growing zones, where enhanced winemaking and modern viticultural
techniques have vastly improved the quality of the wines being
produced there.
Portuguese white wines are coming along, with the most popular
now being the wines of Vinho Verde, the country's largest
wine-growing region in the north, just this side of the Minho
River, which is the border between Spain and Portugal. To
the north lies Galicia (see above). Portuguese white Porto
typically including Malvasia is becoming increasingly available
in Atlanta, and served either chilled or on ice with tonic
water and a squeeze of lime is the preferred Portuguese aperitif.
So that's the Iberian peninsula in a nutshell. A land of stark
and stunning landscapes; cultural, demographic, ethnic and
geological variety; and fabulous wines. Here's a starter set.
Jane Garvey
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Condes de
Albarei Albarino 2004
Rias Baixas, Galicia, Spain
Score: 87 Points
Tasting Notes: Medium bodied
dry white wine with a bit of sprits; medium yellow. Intense
apple/peach aromas, and a suggestion of quince, with flavors
that suggest yellow stone fruit and a baked apple custard. Lively
acidity well balanced with fruit ensures a long apple-focused
finish. Crisp, clean, zingy. Great value wine. Grape type: Albariñ
(pronounced al-bar-EE-nyo); also the white wine grape of Vinho
Verde on the other side of the Minho River in Portugal, where
it's spelled alvarinho and pronounced al-var-EE-nyu. Serve moderately
chilled, about 50-55 degrees in tulip-shaped white wine glasses.
Food Pairings: The ultimate
seafood wine: Grilled scallops, with or without rémoulade,
fish (such as cod or hake) in salsa verde, (i.e., butter,
wine and fresh minced herbs); crab-stuffed tilapia or flounder;
grilled trout; crab cakes. Also sundry tapas, such as chicken
croquetas; tiny potatoes stuffed with herbed Boursin, grilled
garlic shrimp, cornmeal-.crusted trout or other mild sweet
fish
Price: $10
Wholesaler: Empire Distributing
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Bodegas Val
de Sil Pezas da Portella Godello 2002
Valdeorras, Spain
Score: 90 Points
Tasting Notes: Full-bodied dry
white wine; deep gold. Exotic aromas of quince, ginger, aromatic
spices; flavors focus on exotic golden fruits, such as quince,
Asian pear apple, touch of mango. Fine acidity holds it all
together. Touches of aromatic spice here and there. Mysterious,
exotic and compelling, with each sip revealing yet another nuance,
such as the taste of honey. Decant this one a few minutes ahead
of serving, as a little swirling opens it substantially. Grape
type: godello, pronounced go-DAY-yo. Very cool, about 55 degrees,
in tulip-shaped white wine glasses. Food
Pairings: Exotically flavored foods: toasted cous cous
salad with pistachios, golden raisins, honey; grilled pork
or chicken with apple sausages; grilled shrimp with mango
salsa or mango chutney; mild curries with chicken or shrimp;
paella; Chinese pork or chicken dishes
Price: $40
Wholesaler: Quality Wine & Spirits |
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Condesa de
Leganza Rosado 2004
La Mancha, Spain
Score: 87 Points
Tasting Notes: Medium-bodied
dry rosé wine; translucent light ruby red. Intense strawberry
aromas, tilting to wild strawberry, lively mouth-filling red
fruit flavors, with strawberry, red raspberry and red cherry
making their marks. Juicy fruit, with good acidity and even
some tannin. (Grapes macerated for 10 hours on the skins, so
that makes sense.) Don't think sappy when you see its color.
It finishes dry, and leaves the palate clean and refreshed.
Very well balanced. Grape: Tempranillo. Don't overchill. About
55 degrees in white wine glasses.
Food Pairings: Tapas wine:
ham croquetas; Serrano ham; chorizo and other cured meats;
empanadas, cold or warm eggplant dishes; Southern fare: Slightly
spicy fried chicken; barbecue; meatloaf. . Mexican fare: fajitas,
burritos, enchiladas; Asian fare: Chinese barbecued ribs;
Korean boolgogi; Malaysian pancakes with beef
Price: $10
Wholesaler: National Distributing Co
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Bodegas da
Touriga Terrazas de Duoro 2003
Duoro, Portugal
Score: 86 Points
Tasting Notes: Full-bodied dry
red wine; translucent ruby red. Still slightly closed nose (so
decanting would be a good idea). What comes through is aromatic
spice, with sweet dark fruit aromas; flavors focus on dark plum,
with solid but silky fruit-derived tannins for structure. Good
acidity. Fruit is fresh and lively. Grapes: Mostly Touriga Franca,
Tinta Roriz (a/k/a Tempranillo) and Tinta Barroca. Stainless
steel fermentation plus brief French oak barrel aging. Good
value. Winery suggests decanting two hours before. Likely 2-6
years of cellaring ok. Cool room temperature, about 60 degrees,
for serving in a mediu-bowled tulip-shaped glass, such as the
Riedel Zinfandel glass. Food Pairings:
Smoked meats (awesome with Patak's smoked liverwurst); smoked
lamb shank with slightly sweet barbecue sauce); spicy (but
not hot) sausages such as linguiça (a classic Protuguese sausage),
mild Italian sausage, or especially chorizo; braised chicken
thighs, rabbit, pork or veal with caramelized onions (lovely!),
grilled steak or lamb chops; firm sheep's milk cheeses
Price: $12
Wholesaler: Continental Beverage |
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ScalaDei
Vi Negre 2002
Priorat, Spain
Score: 87 Points
Tasting Notes: Medium-bodied
dry red wine; translucent medium dark cherry. Shy but clean,
inviting aromas focused on red cherry, with spice nuances
(cinnamon hearts). Delicious red (cherry/raspberry) and dark
fruit (plum) flavors, with brown spice notes, easy tannins
and a smooth, if not particularly long, finish. Grape type:
Garnatxa (pronounced gar-NAT-cha), as expressed in the local
language, Catalon (or Garnacha in Spanish/Grenache in French).
Stainless steel. Serve at a cool temperature, about 55 degrees,
to emphasize the fruit. Fine choice for casual meals. Use
a medium-bowled tulip-shaped glass.
Food Pairings: Lighter meats:
Cured meats (chorizo); Serrano ham; salamis. Also grilled
veal chop, quail or squab; legume dishes, such as black bean
chili or even salad; lasagna or similar layered meat casseroles;
braised chicken thighs with caramelized onions; roast or grilled
pork tenderloin; grilled eggplant dishes; braised rabbit or
veal; mild, creamy bleu cheeses, such as Cambozola (awesome).
Also black olives.
Price: $15
Wholesaler: Savannah Distributing
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Traslanzas
2001
Cigales, Spain
Score: 92 Points
Tasting Notes: Medium/full-bodied
dry red wine; deep nearly opaque Aromas tumble dark fruits (plums)
and the suggestion of dried herb, and sweet tobacco. Flavors
are complex, with fruit, dried herb, and aromatic brown spice
creating layers of flavors. Firm but not rough tannins. Intense,
but elegant. Supremely long finish. Grape: Tinto del País, a/k/a
Tempranillo, from high-altitude vines planted in 1945. Low yields.
Oak: Alliers (France) and Pennsylvania. But wine is not "oaky."
Located just west of highly touted Ribera del Duero, Cigales
(pronounced thee-GAL-ace) is the new "hot" D.O. in
Spainfir red wine, although some white grapes also are grown
(albillo and verdejo). Wines from Cigales are rare in Atlanta.
Serve at cool room temperature, about 60 degrees, in tulip-shaped
glasses with generous bowls.
Food Pairings: Rich dishes:
Patak's smoked liverwurst; braised garlic-studded short ribs
of beef with creamy mashed p9otaotes; grilled sausages and
cured ones, such as chorizo; braised chicken thighs with caramelized
onions; tournedos Rossini (with foie gras); beef Wellington,
rich stews, game, creamy bleu cheeses such as Cambozola
Price: $40
Wholesaler: Empire Distributing
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