Virtual Travel:¡ Espana!

March 29, 2003 Hollywood School House, Woodinville, WA 5 to 9 p.m.

Region: Andalucía
Dry Appetizer Wines

La Gitana Manzanilla, Bodegas Hidalgo, DO Manzanilla de Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Founded 1792. The standard of type and leader both in Spain and abroad. Matured beneath a constant veil of yeast (called flor) as only occurs on the beachfront in Sanlúcar, giving manzanilla a dry, haunting delicacy analogous to fine Champagne.

Jerez Cortado Hidalgo, Bodegas Hidalgo, DO Xérès-Jerez-Sherry
From the family's oldest reserve solera, already established in 1792 when the bodega was acquired by José Pantaleón Hidalgo. A super-aged amontillado sherry, very dry with a lingering saltiness recalling its manzanilla origins.

'Viejísimo' Solera 1922 Amontillado, Bodegas Toro Albalá, DO Montilla-Moriles
Pedro Ximénez grown on Montilla's chalky soil attains 16% alcohol naturally and is never fortified. This is the classic dry Montilla style which later became known in Jerez as 'A-montilla-do.' Montilla's dry climate when compared with Jerez results in a net loss of water in relation to alcohol, resulting in a finished natural strength of 17%. A complex, elegant and soft apéritif.

Dessert

Don PX Gran Reserva 1975, Bodegas Toro Albalá, DO Montilla-Moriles
Select lots of sun-dried, pressed Pedro Ximénez must are destined for oak barrels, sealed and left for decades in single-vintage state. After a minimum of 25 years, vintages are selected for release only when they have attained classic character. Opaque, black mahogany color with a caramel-like bite.

(Very limited)

Region: Mediterranean
Whites and Reds

Can Feixes Chardonnay 2000, Huguet de Can Feixes, DO Penedès
This gorgeous wine demonstrates the greatness of Huguet's gravelly, high-altitude vineyards. Low-pH, dense musts develop beautifully on the lees in barrique, in the manner of Grand Cru Burgundy (Corton Charlemagne comes distinctly to mind). Not to be confused with 'New World' Chardonnay!

Pasanau 'Les Myriams' Viognier 2001, Pasanau Germans, DOC Priorat
High-altitude mountainside microclimate and gravelly soils encouraged Oscar Pasanau to plant Viognier in this traditional red wine area beginning in 1996. 2001 is the first vintage from low-yielding vines, partially barrel fermented. Very first public showing for this wine! 200 cases produced.

Huguet Brut Nature Gran Reserva 1999, Huguet de Can Feixes, Cabrera d'Anoia
The Huguet family devotes certain high parcels to the production of world-class sparkling wine, blending the Montonec and Macabeo with judicious portions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Aged a minimum of 30 months, hand-riddled and disgorged on order. A world-class sparkling wine.

Pasanau Finca la Planeta 2000, Pasanau Germans, DOC Priorat
The Pasanaus are perennial growers in La Morera, the highest village Priorat, with vineyards abutting the sheer rock wall of the dramatic Sierra de Montsant. Finca La Planeta is a six-acre CRU of Cabernet Sauvignon dating from the early '80's, planted in gravelly. Blended with 10% old-vine Garnacha (Grenache), the more traditional local variety. Aged one year in new French and American oak. A more clear-cut and elegant (less Mediterranean) style than is usual for Priorat. 13,000 bottles produced.

Dessert

Casta Diva Cosecha Miel "Honey Harvest" 2000, Gutiérrez de la Vega, DO Alicante
100% Moscatel Romano (Muscat of Alexandria) grown on Greco-Roman terraces overlooking the Mediterranean in the maritime microclimate of Alicante's Marina Alta. Fermentation is begun in new oak, arrested in the barrel, bottling in April of the following Spring. An elegant, ginger-spiced, honey-rich and tropically-intense nectar which ranks among the greatest examples of its genre.

Region: The Northwest
Whites and Reds

Martínsancho Verdejo 2001, Bodegas Angel Rodríguez, DO Rueda Superior
Martínsancho is Angel Rodríguez' 17th-century vineyard responsible for the preservation of Rueda's indigenous Verdejo grape. Cuttings from here were used in 1976 to establish a 25-acre vineyard, planted and bush-pruned in accordance with tradition. Verdejo apports viscosity and a powerful finish, while maintaining a delicate floral nose.

Morgadío Albariño 2002, Adegas Morgadío, DO Rías Baixas
Albariño's revelation as one of the wine world's noble white varieties is due in large part to work done at this property from the mid-'80's to the mid-'90's: typically aromatic, refreshing Albariño style finishing long, clean and complex. 2002 harvest was completed before the rains, resulting in one of the best wines yet from this excellent inland vineyard site.

Fuente del Conde Rosado de Tempranillo 2002, Bodegas González Lara, DO Cigales
Cigales is traditionally known for the unique quality of its field-blended, must-bled 'claretes.' González Lara, in their centenarian subterranean bodegas, have updated the traditional style for freshness, resulting in a full-bodied, seriously 'fun' wine perfect for almost any occasion. Made primarily from old-vine Tempranillo with Verdejo and Garnacha.

Dominio de Tares 'Cepas Viejas' 2000, Dominio de Tares, DO Bierzo
El Bierzo's geographical isolation, ringed by mountains with an Atlantic-influenced climate at high altitudes, gives rise to a distinct terroir of great nobility. The indigenous Mencía, regarded as the direct ancestor of Cabernet Franc, expresses the slate/quartz minerality of the region's hillside soils, along with a bright blackberry/green olive varietal. This wine results from a selected harvest of vines over 80 years old, malolactic fermentation and aging for nine months in new French and American oak.

Region: Castilla la Vieja and Castilla la Nueva

Reds

Dehesa la Granja 1999, Bodegas Fernández Rivera, Vino de Mesa (Adjacent to Toro)
The third Duero River wine estate of Alejandro Fernández, on an 1800-acre ranch bordering the Guareña River purchased in 1998. La Granja Valdeguareña had been a major wine producing estate for 200 years, then one of Spain's greatest fighting bull ranches throughout the 20th century. At enormous expense, Alejandro has reconverted La Granja and its extensive 17th-century cellars to their original vocation. 300 acres of Tempranillo vines have been planted on their own rootstock (due to compact sandy soils), initially supplemented by Tempranillo from old, ungrafted vines in the Guareña Valley. 'La Granja' is a highly-extracted red wine, with malolactic and aging 25 months in American oak. Second vintage release.

El Vínculo Tinto Crianza 2000, Bodegas Alejandro Fernández, DO La Mancha
Alejandro extensively scoured the vineyards of La Mancha in search of planting rights during the restoration of the Dehesa la Granja estate. On discovering the existence and potential of ancient Tempranillo vines in the area, he initiated this, his last major project. Working with local growers to obtain the finest possible fruit, harvest is done by Alejandro and his crew with precise timing and exacting selection. Malolactic and 15 months aging takes place In new American oak, resulting in a superripe yet elegant syle. Second vintage release.

Condado de Haza Tinto 2000, Bodegas Condado de Haza, DO Ribera del Duero
In 1987, Alejandro Fernández spied a neglected slope along the Duero River which promised to be the most ideal vineyard site in the region. With vineyards now exceeding 10 years of age, the excellent 2000 vintage has produced one of the most concentrated and deeply shaded wines in the history or the estate, redolent of fruit and spice. Aged 15 months in American and French oak.

Tinto Pesquera Crianza 2000, Bodegas Alejandro Fernández, DO Ribera del Duero
Fernández, the acknowledged master of Spain's precocious, early-maturing Tempranillo grape, put Ribera del Duero,, and for many, Spain, on the world's wine map with the discovery of his Tinto Pesquera in the mid-1980's. High-altitude vineyards planted in a variety of soil types produce an juicy and spicy yet elegantly well-balanced wine of proven ageworthiness. Pesquera's mineral/berry perfume is memorable and inimitable. While young, eminently approachable. Aged 18 months in American and French oak, unfiltered and unfined.

ALENZA 1996, Bodegas Condado de Haza, Roa
Selected late-harvest bunches from one of the greatest vintages in living memory, the stalks and stems left in the fermenting must to enhance the structure of this powerfully full-bodied yet elegant wine. Pure, concentrated crushed berries on the nose totally overwhelm the 27 months spent in French and American oak. Alenza is the culmination of the Fernández winemaking style, a modern interpretation of the densely tannic style of his first wines produced in Pesquera in the mid-1970's (named for ALEjandro and his wife, EsperaNZA).

Region Northern Tier:

Rioja - Navarra - Aragón

Marboré Reserva 1999, Bodega Pirineos, DO Somontano
A super-cuvée resulting from Bodega Pirineos' painstaking research into indigenous varieties and microclimates of Somontano. Simultaneously captures the uniqueness of the region while satisfying the highest expectations for modern red wine. Composed of Cabernet and Merlot with significant percentages of Moristel, Parraleta and Tempranillo. Malolactic and aging of 24 months in French and American oak and a further 12 months in bottle prior to release.

Guelbenzu EVO 2001, Bodegas Guelbenzu, Ribera del Queiles (Navarra)
The Guelbenzu family's 19th-century wine estate, vineyards reconstituted beginning in 1980 and totaling 55 acres, is dry-farmed in small parcels near the foot of snowcapped, 7,600-foot Mt. Moncayo. "Evo" is Guelbenzu's Grand Vin and one of Spain's most sought-after wines, while not even approaching the super-luxury pricelevel. The year's best Cabernet predominates, with a complement of Merlot and Tempranillo according to vintage, aged one year in 100% new Alliers,

Dominio de Conté Reserva 1996, Bodegas Bretón, DOC Rioja
Dominio de Conté is Rioja Alta's most ideal individual site, on a protected horseshoe bend of the Ebro River near Briones (the "Pauillac" of Rioja Alta) which traps morning mists until midday at the height of summer. Nowhere else do Tempranillo grapes obtain higher simultaneous levels of sugar, extract and acidity. 90% Tempranillo with 10% Mazuelo aged 30 months in Virginia oak.

Loriñón Gran Reserva 1996, Bodegas Bretón, DOC Rioja
Bretón's mature low-yielding vineyards give fruit with concentrated extract and acidity demanding lengthy aging in oak and bottle. Gran Reservas are aged 36 months in oak and a further 24 in bottle prior to release. 1996 is a classic, complex and velvety, for current consumption or longterm aging.
Nevers and Limousin oak. The 2000 is elegant and concentrated, a masterpiece of Old World winemaking.

Alba de Bretón Reserva 1995, Bodegas Bretón, DOC Rioja
Bodegas Bretón's holdings include Tempranillo vines over 80 years old in the Briones vicinity which contribute to Bretón's high average vineyard age (nearly 30 years). A selection from the oldest plots is aged 26 months in 50% new Alliers and 50% new Virginia oak.