Winemaker Notes
#47 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018
This wine is made from White Garnacha (100%) from 20 years old vineyards from the terroir “tapàs”. After fermentation at controlled temperature 63ºF, we work wine on their lees. The aim is to achieve the best expression of each grape.
Yellow, straw-colored, clean and bright. Fresh fruit, specially bouquet of apricot, melon, pear on syrup and cinnamon. Strong mouth entrance with a big fruit explosion. In the mouth is sweet-toothed. Highly fresh, very integrated acidity and a very especial end that brings up to the mouth a long and persistent finish.
Excellent with seafood, alive oysters, grilled prawns, as well as rice and grilled fish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A bright array of melon and pear with a lighter palate and an apple, light lemon and peach finish.
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Wine Spectator
This white has a thick texture, delivering pear, guava, tarragon and blanched almond flavors. Firm acidity and a touch of tannins give this a solid frame. Muscular, but remains balanced. Drink now through 2023. 5,000 cases made.
White grapes are used in two famous types of Spanish wine, Sherry and Cava, but we will limit this discussion to still whites. Let’s begin with perhaps the best known and most highly regarded internationally, Albariño . Produced in the region of Rías Baixas, just above Portugal in northwestern Spain, Albariño typically sees no or little oak and is medium to medium-plus in body. Aroma and flavor notes often include citrus and peach, often with subtle floral notes and a suggestion of sea spray, giving the wine a zesty feel. Often bottled as a single varietal, Albariño is sometimes blended with other indigenous grapes like Loureira and Treixadura. Try one of these Spanish whites from Forjas del Salnes.
Let’s look at a few other Spanish white wines. Godello also hails from northwestern Spain and presents a profile of grapefruit, minerality and a slight smoky quality. Enjoy a bottle from Bodegas Avancia. The region of Rueda, northwest of Madrid, is home to Verdejo , which makes refreshing, un-oaked white wines whose herbal vibrancy recalls Sauvignon Blanc . Protos makes a tasty version. Up north in the Basque region, we find the wine called Txakoli (sometimes called Txakolina). Pronounced “sha-ko-LEE,” it’s made from a local grape called Hondurrabi Zuri and is light, fresh, citrusy, dry … and with razor sharp acidity that makes it a fantastic partner with local seafood and tapas. Ameztoi Gertariako is a good Spanish white wine producer to check out.
The Penedѐs region, best known for the oceans of delicious Cava it sends to the world, also produces still Spanish whites, sometimes from international varieties like Chardonnay , and often from the same grapes used for Cava. These include Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo. Avaline produces a fine example of Penedes white. Finally, we visit the Rioja region. While it is historically and internationally famous for its reds, Rioja also produces fine Spanish white wines. These are usually based on Viura (the local name for Macabeo) and make good everyday sippers, although some aged versions can be stunningly complex. A good place to start is the white Rioja from Bodegas Muga.
As you can see, Spanish white wines offer a vast opportunity for exploration!