Spanish
white wines
Tasting at London wine shop La
Vigneronne
Spain, with all its sunshine, is best known as red wine
territory. But I was very pleasantly surprised by this tasting of an
eclectic range of Spanish whites, which unearthed several gems. I’ll
let the tasting notes do the talking, and leave you with the thought
that perhaps we should be taking Spanish whites much more seriously.
Conde de Caralt Xarel.Lo, DO Penedès
No vintage is indicated on the bottle, but this is really good,
and a bargain. Quite a light, lean nutty nose with some bready notes
and fresh acidity. The palate is quite chunky
and nutty with lovely savoury fruit. Classy and quite
balanced: nicely savoury with good acidity. Very good/excellent
(£5.50 retail)
Conde de Caralt Xarel.Lo Barrel Fermented, DO Penedès
Again , no vintage indicated. Very fresh, bright nutty nose with
some restrained toasty barrel ferment notes. Attractive full flavoured
palate with chunky, nutty, savoury character. Quite a lean wine but
reasonably classy. Very good+ (£5.50 retail)
Torres Fransola Sauvignon Blanc 2000, DO Penedès
Wonderful nose is rich, grassy and exotic, but still quite
elegant. Expressive and aromatic with lots of complexity. Palate is
quite full, herby and grassy, with great concentration. One of my
favourite Sauvignons. Excellent (£12.95)
Viñas del Vero Chardonnay 1998, DO Somontano
Appealing forward, intense nose with lots of barrel ferment
character. Bready, toasty and rich on the palate, which is
concentrated with lots of savoury nutty fruit and new oak. Quite an
oaky wine but lots of flavour and intensity. Very good/excellent (£6.99
Oddbins)
Mantel Blanco Verdejo/Sauvignon Blanc 2000 DO Rueda
Lovely aromatic grassy/herby nose. Very intense and fruity with a
distinct grassy edge. The palate shows a good density with a rounded
fruity character. A nice example. Very good/excellent (retail c. £7)
Txomin Extaníz DO Getariako Txakolina
The vintage of this Basque country wine is not disclosed.
Distinctive smoky, slightly yeasty nose. The palate is slightly
spritzy, refreshing and quite elegant with smoky fruit and a rounded
texture. Savoury and full flavoured but quite delicate. Unusual. Very
good+ (Harvey Nicols £18)
Clos d’Agon 1999, Vino de Mesa de Calonge (Costa Brava)
Clos d’Agon is a project involving Peter Sisseck, and this white
is full of interest. It’s a blend of Viognier, Roussanne and
Marsanne, and the result is quite Rhône-like. Quite a rich intense
nose with fat honey-tinged fruit. Soft-textured palate is intense but
with a sort of soft, soapy character typical of these grapes, with
some peachy fruit. A real Rhône fan’s wine. Very good/excellent
(retail c. £12)
Vionta Estate Albariño 2000, DO Rías Baixas
Quite an expressive nose which is smoky and aromatic, with nutty,
grapey fruit. Lovely intense, savoury palate with bright acidity and
good concentration. Rich yet savoury, this is a distinctive white
wine. Very good/excellent (£10.50)
Viña Gravonia 1988, DOC Rioja
Old fashioned but absolutely brilliant. Striking, expressive nose
with lots of lifted acidity. Very powerful and complex: odd but nice
with a bready, nutty edge. The palate is nutty and rich with lemony
acid dominating the finish: very lively in character. Very
good/excellent
Lopez de Heredia 1940s Cepa Graves Blanco 4 ano, DOC Rioja
Deep yellow/gold colour. Very toasty, rich, almost sweet edge to the
nose, which is perfumed with no rough edges. The palate is well
preserved with nutty fruit and high acidity. The texture is very
light. This is just a tiny bit vinegary on the finish but overall it
is really attractive and very interesting. Not many whites would still
be drinking well after 60 years. Very good+
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