306 SPAIN
THE APPELLATIONS OF SPAIN
Note Regions or provinces in which appellations gAirén, Garnacha, Meseguera, Monastrell, CALATAYUD DO are located are given in bold beneath each Tempranillo Aragón Denominación de heading. “DO” is short for k3–10 years (red), 1–3 years (rosado) Origen. A synonym for a particular grape variety A patchwork of vineyards, mostly planted is indicated by “syn.” tAlfonso Abellan • Carrion • Piqueras with Garnacha vines, tussle with fruit trees for meager sustenance from the poor, buff-colored ABONA DO AMPURDAN-COSTA BRAVA DO rocky soil. Increasing the amount of Tempranillo vines and temperature-controlled stainless-steel Canary Islands Catalonia vats will eventually improve the potential here, This new appellation was established in 1996 Lying at the foot of the narrowest section of but the best wines are still simple, fresh, for white wines made in the south of Tenerife, the Pyrenees, this is the closest Spanish wine fruity rosados. where the vines are grown on terraces that are appellation to France. Most of the production gGarnacha, Garnacha Blanca, Juan also planted with potatoes. Before they gained is rosado and aimed at tourists, but the reds are Ibáñez, Malvasía, Mazuelo, Miguel de Arco, DO status, these wines were sold under the much better, having a fairly deep, cherry-red Moscatel Romano, Monastrell, names of Granadilla, San Miguel, and Vilaflor. color, medium to full body, and a crisp, Tempranillo, Viura gListán, Malvasia plummy flavor. Whites are fruity and may be kUpon purchase tViña Peraza
easy-drinking styles of both red and rosado. grape is best for reds and rosados, while the gCabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Merlot, Verijadiego is best for whites. Parellada, Tempranillo, Trepat, Viura gListán, Malvasía, Moscatel, Negramoll, Pedro k1–5 years Ximénez, Verdello, Verijadiego tTorres (Milmanda Chardonnay) tFontera CONDADO DE HUELVA DO FINCA ELEZ DO Andalucía Castilla-La Mancha The sweet dessert wines of this area, which Located near the village of El Bonillo, in the is sandwiched between the sherry district of heart of the Sierra de Alcaraz, this single-estate southwest Spain and the Algarve of Portugal, appellation was established in 2002 and is once had some fame, for they were mentioned owned by Manuel Manzaneque, a theater by Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales. They director and producer. ended up, however, as blending fodder for gCabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, sherry. There are two basic types of fortified Syrah, Tempanillo wine here: pálido (young, pale-straw color, tFinca Elez dry, austere wines, of 14–17 percent alcohol) and viejo (solera-matured, mahogany-hued, in Parellada, Pedro Ximénez, Peluda, Picapoll, JEREZ or both dry and sweet styles that are deliberately Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Sauvignon JEREZ-XÉRÈS-SHERRY DO oxidized, of 15–23 percent alcohol). Light, dry Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, Ull de Llebre, See wines are a more recent phenomenon, and Sherry Country p.321 Xarel-lo most are consumed locally. tMas Gil (Clos d’Agon) gGarrido Fino, Palomino, Zalema CAVA DO kUpon purchase See Penedés: Cava Country p.318 COSTERS DEL SEGRE DO Catalonia This is a top-performing appellation taking in four areas of different viticultural character in the province of Lérida: Les Garrigues and Valls de Riu Corb (primarily white-grape districts); Artesa (planted almost entirely with black grapes); and Raimat (dominated by foreign grape varieties and has quickly assumed classic status CHACOLÍ or TXAKOLINA DO through Codorníu’s innovative Raimat Estate). gCabernet Sauvignon, Cariñena, Chardonnay, JUMILLA DO Cantabria Garnacha, Garnacha Blanca, Merlot, Murcia This appellation is split into three areas: Chacolí Monastrell, Parellada, Trepat, Ull de Llebre, de Alava (or Getariako Alava), Chacolí de Viura, Xarel-lo Guetaria (or Getariako Txakolina), and Chacolí k2–6 years (red), 1–4 years (white) de Vizcaya (or Bizkaiko Txakolina). The t alternative names are Basque and, as this is Raïmat • Castell del Remei Basque country, these spellings will probably take precedence. The wines are mostly white, DOMINIO DE VALDEPUSA DO dry, and slightly pétillant, although a little red Castilla-La Mancha is also produced. As is typical of wines in the Owned by Carlos Falcó of Marqués de Griñón northeastern corner of the Iberian peninsula, fame, Dominio de Valdepusa became Spain’s they are high in acidity and low in alcohol. first Pago, or single-estate, appellation in 2001, gHondarribi Beltza, Hondarribi Zuri recognizing 30 years of toil and extraordinary tAretxondo • Txomin Etxaniz dedication. This vineyard was the first in Spain to use a new trellis system for training vines CIGALES DO and the first to establish drip-irrigation, both as long ago as 1973. More recently, Dominio de Castilla-Léon Valdepusa became the first vineyard in Europe This appellation is best known for fresh, fruity, to adopt the Australian PRD technique, and one The high, hilly vineyards of Jumilla have never light reds and rosados. of the first in the world to deploy dendrometers been affected by phylloxera, and most of the vines are still ungrafted. Almost all the wines gAlbillo, Garnacha, Palomino, Tempranillo, (see Glossary). Over the years, Falcó has produced here are red, and until recently were Verdejo, Viura employed a veritable gaggle of gurus (Lichine, lackluster, unless made in a doble pasta style, tC. A. de Cigales (Escogido del Año, Viña Peynaud), with Rolland and Smart his current advisors. According to Smart, the red clay over which produces wines so thick and intense Torondos) • Emeterio Fernández (La Legua that they are in great demand for blending Capricho) • Frutos Villa (Conde Ansurez, limestone at Dominio de Valdepusa is identical to the famous terra rossa soil of Coonawarra. purposes throughout Spain and also abroad. Viña Calderona) • González Lara (Fuente The best reds carry the Jumilla Monastrell del Conde Rosado) gCabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah varietal appellation and can be very smooth, tMarqués de Griñón (Dominio de Valdepusa) fruity, and aromatic, tending to improve with CONCA DE BARBERA DO age. With earlier picking and temperature- Catalonia EL HIERRO DO controlled fermentation, lighter, more This once little-known appellation for red, white, Canary Islands accessible wines are now being made that and rosado wines from the hilly hinterland of This new appellation was established in 1996 are best drunk when young and juicy, Penedés promises to be one of Spain’s most for El Hierro, the smallest and most westerly including some soft, fruity whites as well as exciting areas. Chardonnay is outstanding here, island in the archipelago, yet the local some rosados. whether light and early-harvested as Ryman cooperative is one of the most advanced in the gAirén, Garnacha, Meseguera, Monastrell, makes, or rich, serious, and potentially complex, Canary Islands. Before gaining DO status, these Pedro Ximénez, Tempranillo as Torres demonstrates. Merlot is the most up- wines were sold under the local names of k1–3 years (red, but up to 6 years for wines and-coming variety in the red department, but Frontera and Valverde. The best areas are Valle made in doble pasta style), 9–15 months Trepat could mount a few surprises for fresh, de Golfo, El Pinar, and Echedo. The Negramoll (white and rosado) 308 SPAIN tBleda (Castillo Jumilla) • Julia Roch e Hijos depressions, protected by low stone walls. quality, as there are still too many deep-colored, • Jumilla Union Vitivinícola (Cerrillares, The most spectacular example of this weirdly coarse reds and alcoholic rosados. Incunable) • Señorío del Condestable beautiful form of viticulture can be viewed at gGarnacha, Tempranillo La Geria, an area west of Arrecife where no LA MANCHA DO fewer than 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) of such MONDÉJAR DO vineyards are to be found. Castilla-La Mancha Castilla-La Mancha ginclude: Caleta, Diego, Listán, Malvasia Although fewer bulk wines are being produced MÁLAGA DO here since Mondéjar achieved DO status, the wines are still mostly uninspiring, with Mariscal Andalucía the solitary producer that seems interested in Just northeast of Jerez in southern Spain, the improving quality. coastal vineyards of Málaga produce one of g the most underrated classic dessert wines in Airen, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Jaén, the world. Most of this is matured by the solera Macabéo, Malvar, Tempranillo, Torrontés system, involving some six scales (see Sherry tMariscal Country, p.321) and may be blended in a sherrylike manner using various grape-based MONSTANT DO coloring and sweetening agents, such as arrope, Catalonia vino de color, vino tierno, and vino maestro. A new and potentially exciting appellation The color of these fortified wines can range clasping the eastern, western, and southern from gold through tawny to brown and red, edges of Priorat. depending on the style of Málaga, its age, and gCabernet Sauvignon, Carineña, Garnacha, method of maturation, its degree of sweetness, Merlot, Monastrell, Syrah, Tempranillo Although its output remains enormous, and the grape variety used. t accounting for some 40 percent of all Spanish Málaga may be any one of the following. Celler de Capéanes (Mas Picosa) • Fra wines produced, the wine land of Don Quixote Dulce Color is a dark, medium-bodied Málaga Guerau • Laurona has improved tremendously since the 1980s. that has been sweetened with arrope. Lágrima Many producers now harvest much earlier than is made from free-run juice only, and is the MONTERREI DO previously and ferment at cooler temperatures most luscious of all Málaga styles. Moscatel is Galicia (sometimes too cool), achieving fresher, lighter, a sweet, rich, raisiny, medium- to full-bodied This area was first awarded a provisional DO more aromatic wines. The best wines of La wine that is similar to the Jerez version, only in the early 1980s, but this was revoked when Mancha used to be made in Valdepeñas DO, more luscious. Old Solera has the most finesse, too few of its growers showed any interest and that appellation still boasts most of the depth, and length of all Málagas and is capable in modernizing their estates. However, some best, but the arrival of Alejandro Fernández of complexity rather than lusciousness. It is progress was made in the late 1980s, and (El Vinculo) in 1999 has raised the stakes. Who medium- to full-bodied, still sweet yet with a this appellation has now been granted full would have thought that any wine bearing “La dry finish. Oscuro is a dark, sweet Málaga that DO status. has been sweetened with arrope and colored Mancha” could be considered up-and-coming? gAlicante, Doña Blanca, Godello, Gran by vino de color. Pajarette or Paxarete is gAirén, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Negro, Mencía, Mouratón, Palomino Merlot, Moravia, Pardina, Tempranillo, Viura darkish in color, and less sweet, but more alcoholic, than other Málagas. Pedro Ximénez tPazo Pondal (Lenda Pondal) k1–4 years (red), 9–15 months (white and is a smooth, sweet, deliciously rich varietal rosado) wine with an intense flavor that is similar MONTILLA- tAyuso (Estola Gran Reserva) • Vinícola de in character to the Jerez version. Seco is a MORILES DO Castilla (Castillo de Alhambra, Señorío de pale, dry, tangy wine with a distinctive creamy Andalucía Guadianeja) • Jesús Diaz e Hijos • El hazelnut character. The sherrylike wines of Montilla fall into Vinculo •C. Españolas (Fuente del Ritmo) gMoscatel, Pedro Ximénez • Hermanos Morales (Gran Créacion) • C. A. three categories: generosos (fortified finos, del Campo Nuestra Señora de Manjavacas kUpon purchase (although it can last, but not amontillados, olorosos, and magnificent PX); (Zagarrón) • C. A. del Campo Nuestra Padre improve, for several years) unfortified traditional wines (cream, medium, Jesús de Perdon (Casa la Teja, Lazarillo, tScholtz Hermanos • Pérez Texeira • Larios and dry at 14.5 percent alcohol); and jóvenes Yuntero) • Rama Corta • Rodriguez y afrutados (ghastly). Berger (Viña Santa Elena) • Julían Santos MANCHUELA DO gAirén, Baladí, Moscatel, Pedro Ximénez, • Torres Filoso (Arboles de Castollejo) Castilla-La Mancha Torrontés This is a very large region, encompassing La kCan be kept, but consume upon opening LA PALMA DO Mancha, Ribera del Júcar, Utiel-Requena, and tMarqués de la Sierra • Alvear • Mora Canary Islands Almansa, with cooperatives accounting for Chacon • Gracia Hermanos • Perez This new appellation was established in two-thirds of the bodegas, and a quality that is Barquero • Rodriguez Chiachio 1995 for the island of La Palma. It was in seldom better than an acceptable quaff. Much Fuencaliente, in the south of the island, that the is a lot worse. The delicious red wines of Finca NAVARRA DO famed “Canary Sack” of Shakespeare’s time was Sandova are, however, a class apart, and the See Rioja and Navarra p.312 produced, and the grape responsible, Malvasia, improving Gualberto may one day reach a still grows here, amid four smoking volcanoes, similar level. in the same sort of craterlike depressions that gAlbillo, Bobal, Cabernet Sauvignon, abound on Lanzarote. An oddity aged in pine Cencibel, Chardonnay, Garnacha, Macabéo, casks and curiously called Vino del Tea (“Tea” Merlot, Monastrell, Moravia Dulce, being the local name for a particular species of Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Verdejo pine) is available in the north of the island, but tFinca Sandoval • Gualberto only the most ardent admirers of Retsina should search it out. MANZANILLA DO gBujariego, Gual, Listán, Malvasia, Negramoll See Sherry Country p.321 tHoyo de Mazo MÉNTRIDA DO LANZAROTE DO Castilla-La Mancha Canary Islands Cheap wine, still mostly consumed locally, but This new appellation was established in 1995 yields have dropped, and a number of bodegas for the island of Lanzarote, where the lunar have improved their facilities, although it is too landscape is dotted with vines in craterlike early to confirm a similar improvement in SPAIN 309
PENEDÈS DO RÍAS BAIXAS DO RIBERA DEL DUERO DO See Penedès: Cava Country p.318 Galicia Castilla-León
PLA DE BAGES DO Spain’s fastest-rising star in the DO firmament, the Rías Baixas appellation covers various red, Catalonia white, and rosado wines, but the best-known Winemaking is an old tradition in Bages, and and most enjoyable wines are the softly yet this is an up-and-coming DO, with many perfumed, zippy whites made from low-yielding newly planted vineyards and a small but Albariño grapes, which can have real depth and growing band of modern bodegas, of which fruit, and a fresh, lively acidity. Although I have Massies d’Avinyó clearly leads the way. “Bages” always admired the best of these wines, I did is a derivative of Bacchus, the name of the wonder whether they are worth what appeared Roman god of wine. to be an increasingly high price. At the table, gChardonnay, Garnatxa, Macabéo, Malbec, however, they accompany fine food beautifully, Merlot, Picapoll, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon which in my book makes even the most Blanc, Sumoll, Tempranillo expensive Rías Baixas well worth the price From the upper reaches of the Duero River tMassies d’Avinyó demanded for it. (which becomes the Douro, once it crosses the gAlbariño, Brancellao, Caiño Blanco, Portuguese border), the rosados are fresh, dry, Caiño Tinto, Espadeiro, Loureira Blanca, fruity wines of a clarete or claro style, but are PLA I LEVANT DO Loureira Tinta, Mencía, Sousón, Torrontés, nowhere near the class of the best reds, which Mallorca Treixadura have a truly dense, black color and are packed The island’s newest appellation produces some k1–3 years solid with rich, oaky-sweet, plummy- of its best wines. tAlbariño do Salnes • Pazo de Barrantes blackcurranty fruit flavors. gCabernet Sauvignon, Callet, Chardonnay, • Cardallal • Lagar de Cevera • del Palacio Ribera del Duero DO built its reputation on Frogoneu, Manto Negro, Macabéo, Merlot, de Fefiñanes • Granxa Fillaboa “Vega Sicilia,” formerly Spain’s most expensive Moscatel, Parellada, Pinot Noir, Prensal • Morgadio-Agromiño • Pazo Pondal wine. In the first edition of this book, I Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo • de Vilariño Cambados (Martín Códax, categorically stated that contrary to the informed opinion of many other wine critics, t Organistrum) • Santiago Ruíz Miquel Geabert • Miquel Oliver this was not Spain’s greatest red wine, although it was potentially the best. The problem was that 10 or more years in wood took its toll on PRIORAT DOCA RIBEIRA SACRA DO the fruit in a way that would destroy many of Galicia Catalonia the greatest wines of Bordeaux. This area has a dry climate and poor soil, in The most widely planted grape variety here is There was also no logic to the duration and which the vines’ roots spread everywhere in Palomino, but on the steep, terraced vineyards mode of aging at Vega Sicilia, which occurred search of moisture, the local saying being that of Ribeira Sacra, Albariño is far more exciting, in different sizes and ages of wooden cask, the Priorat vines can suck water out of stone. The and the Mencía variety also shows promise for various vintages being transferred from one best wines are currently being made around the red wines. vessel to another simply to fulfill the logistical hilltop town of Gratallops, by a group of young gAlbariño, Brancellao, Caiño, Doña necessity of moving the wines around in order winemakers led by Bordeaux-trained Riojan Blanca, Espadeiro, Ferrón, Godello, to accommodate the incoming harvest. Since oenologist Alvaro Palacios, who brought with Garnacha, Loureira, Loureira Tinta, the first edition, however, Vega Sicilia has him a wealth of experience from Château Pétrus Mencía, Merenzao, Negrada, Palomino, given its wines no more than six years in wood to the Napa Valley. New-style reds are huge, Sousón, Torrontés and now has a more disciplined approach to serious, and stunningly rich, but those of the k1–3 years how long wines spend in various types and old style tend to be heavy, overalcoholic, and tAdegas Moure (Albariño Abadia da Cova) ages of cask, including new oak barriques. It oxidized, although the best traditional wines fall is once again one of Spain’s greatest wines, somewhere in between. One of the country’s but not necessarily the greatest Ribera del oldest appellations, Priorat is one of the Spanish RIBEIRO DO Duero, with a handful of bodegas capable wine industry’s superstars. The use of the of matching, sometimes surpassing, the quality spelling “Priorato” has been dropped on bottles Galicia of Vega Sicilia. These include Aalto, Vega in favor of the Catalan version “Priorat,” and Due to the Atlantic-influenced climate of Sicilia’s own Alion, Alejándro Fernández’s DOQ, the Catalan equivalent of DOCa, is northwest Spain, the styles of Ribeiro’s red Pesquera, Condado de Haza (also owned now prevalent. and white wines reflect that of Portugal’s by Fernández), Domino de Pingus, and Pago gCabernet Sauvignon, Cariñena, Garnacha, Vinhos Verdes, except that they are somewhat de los Capellanes, with a few others waiting Garnacha Blanca, Merlot, Monastrell, Pedro more fruity and aromatic. The very best in the wings. Ximénez, Syrah, Viura examples possess a wonderfully fresh, pure, gCabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Malbec, vibrancy of fruit. k5–15 years (red) Merlot, Pardina, Tinto del País gAlbariño, Albillo, Brancellao, Caiño, Ferrón, tAlvaro Palacios B (Finca Dofi, Clos l’Ermita, k3–8 years (modern red), 5–25 years Garnacha, Godello, Jerez, Loureira, Mencía, Las Terrasses) • René Barbier (Clos (traditional red), 1–2 years (rosado) Sousón, Tempranillo, Torrontés, Treixadura, Mogador) • Clos Erasmus • Costers del tAalto • Abadía Retuerta • Alión • Arzuaga Viura Siurana (Clos de l’Obac, Miserere) • Masia Condado de Haza • Dominio de Pingus B Barril • De Muller • Scala Dei (Cartoixa, El k9–18 months • Emelio Moro • Ismael Arroyo • Julio Cesar Cipres, Novell) • Vinicola del Priorato (Mas tAlanis • Arsenio Paz • Rivera • C. A. del Conde Delgado y Otros (Neo) • Legaris • d’Alba, Onix) Ribeiro Mauro • Pago de Carraovejas • Pago de los 310 SPAIN
Capellanes • Pagos del Rey • Pérez Pascuas tAgricola Castellana • Frutos Villa (Viña TACORONTE-ACENTEJO DO (Viña Pedrosa) • Pesquera • Pomar Vinédos Morejona) • Marqués de Griñón • Marqués Canary Islands • Real Sitio de Ventosilla (Prado Rey) • de Riscal Established in 1992, this is the oldest Canary Reyes • Sastre • Uvaguilera Aguilera • Island appellation and, so far, it has proved to Vega Sicilia (including Valbuena) or SHERRY JEREZ-XÉRÈS- be the best, although it is too early to tell how SHERRY DO the others will fare. RIBERA DEL See Sherry Country p.321 gCastellano, Gual, Listán, Listán Negro, GUADIANA DO Malvasía, Marmajuelo, Moscatel, Negra Extramadura SIERRAS DE MÁLAGA DO Común, Negramoll, Pedro Ximénez, Tintillo, A group of six vinos de la tierra (Cañamero, Andalucía Torrontés, Verdello Matanegra, Montanchez, Ribera Alta, Ribera Although Málaga is one of Spain’s oldest DOs, tEl Lomo • Monje • Viña Norte Baja, and Tierra de Barros), which retain this appellation was granted in 2001, for an area this classification, but also form subzones that is higher in altitude than Málaga, and for TARRAGONA DO of the Ribera del Guadiana DO, entitling red and white wines that cannot be fortified. Catalonia them to make wines under two different gAirén, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, This is the largest appellation in Catalonia, but origins of quality. Chardonnay, Colombard, Doradilla, its potential quality is modest compared with gAlarlje, Bobal, Borba, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Macabeo, Merlot, Moscatel that of neighboring Penedés. Having said that, Cayetana Blanca, Chardonnay, Cigüente, d’Alejandrie, Moscatel Morisco, Pedro Australian winemakers Nick Butler and Mark Eva O Beba de Los Santos, Garnacha Tinta, Ximénez, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Romé, Nairn have been quietly raising standards at Garnacha Tintorera, Graciano, Jaen Tinto, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo Pedro Rovira, using hands-off methods to Macebéo, Malvar, Mazuela, Merlot, tF. Schatz O retain as much natural character in the wine Monastrell, Montúa, Moscatel, Moscatel de as possible. The best red, white, and rosado Grano Menudo, Pardina, Parellada, Pedro SITGES from this region can all be fresh, fruity, Ximénez, Perruno, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Catalonia and rewarding. Even the local fortified wine, Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, Verdejo which is sold as Tarragona Classico, can be tLa de Barros • Santa Mariña This is a famous, but rare, non-DO fortified worth looking out for. Malvasia and Moscatel wine that is made just south of the outskirts of Barcelona, from grapes gCariñena, Garnacha, Garnacha Blanca, RIOJA DOCA that are allowed to shrivel on the vine. Parellada, Tempranillo, Viura, Xarel-lo See Rioja and Navarra p.312 tCellers Robert k1–5 years (red), 1–2 years (white and rosado) SOMONTANO DO tC. A. de Valls • José Lopez Beltrán (Don Beltrán) • Pedro Masana (non-DO wines) Aragón • De Müller (Moscatel Seco, Parxete) • Pedro Rovira TERRA ALTA DO Catalonia
RUEDA DO Castilla-León
Set at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains, between the regions of Penedés and Navarra, Somontano is destined to become one of This slowly improving appellation lies in Spain’s greatest wine regions. Chardonnay is the highlands well away from the coast. by far the best grape grown here for serious, It produces some good, everyday-drinking barrel-fermented white wines, but both red and white wines, but the best sites are not Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon show always planted with the most suitable varieties superb potential for making fragrant reds with and have to compete with Cava growers. This small district downriver from Ribeiro del a lively richness of fruit. It is advisable to avoid the local sweet, Duero is known for fresh, crisp, dry white gAlcañón, Cabernet Sauvignon, fortified mistela. wines made almost entirely from Verdejo, but Chardonnay, Garnacha, Garnacha gCabernet Sauvignon, Cariñena, Garnacha, traditionally the wines were fortified in fino Blanca, Moristel, Parreleta, Garnacha Blanca, Merlot, Moscatel, (Palido Rueda) and rancio (Dorado Rueda) Tempranillo, Viura Parellada, Tempranillo, Viura styles, and these can still be found. A traditional k2–5 years (red), k1–2 years method Rueda Espumoso is also allowed. 1–3 years (white) tC. A. Gandesa • C. A. la Hermandad • gPalomino, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, Viura tAragonesa • Otto Bestué • Viñas del Vero Pedro Rovira (Alta Mar, Viña d’Irto)• k1–2 years • Enate • Lalanne • Pirineos Vinalba dels Arcs (Vall de Berrús) SPAIN 311
TORO DO tGodeval • Guitián • Jesus Nazareno under the vino de la tierra (literally “country Castilla-León • Joaquín Rebolledo wine”) of La Orotava-Los Realos. The exciting quality of Toro wines today is a gListán, Listán Negro very recent phenomenon, built on a sudden VALDEPEÑAS DO influx of high-profile names, which has tripled Castilla-La Mancha VINOS DE MADRID DO the number of bodegas since 2000. When this This is Castilla-La Mancha’s solitary fine-wine Madrid DO was established in 1987, there were just area. Despite the torrid heat (the climate has Much admired by Casanova, who sought four bodegas, the decrepit local cooperative been described as nine months of winter, three refuge in Madrid at a time when the capital dominated production, and the quality was months of hell) and an apathetic attitude held was rapidly expanding at the expense of its really quite dire. By the mid-1990s, considerable by far too many producers, some terrific wines vineyards, these wines probably assumed a improvements had occurred, notably at Farina, are being made here by a minority of wineries, rarity value that outshone their intrinsic quality. and British supermarket buyers began to import and they represent very good value. The rich, By extending the appellation well beyond its some of the better wines. However, there were red, stony soil hides a water-retentive limestone fast-disappearing 18th-century boundaries, still only 12 bodegas and the area obviously base that helps offset the lack of rainfall. The Vinos de Madrid was resurrected in 1990, lacked the dynamics of a sufficient number best reds are medium- to full-bodied, pure although you would have to be a greater lover of highly talented, ambitious, and competitive Tempranillo, with a wonderfully rich yet well- of these wines than Casanova to declare your producers to push the quality envelope to balanced flavor, and more and more new-oak open admiration for them. There are, however, anywhere near its full potential. In 2000, the influence. The rosados can be smooth and a couple of exceptions to the rule, and one number of bodegas had increased to 18, but, fruity, but it would take a complete overhaul of of these, Jesús Díaz e Hijos, is exceptional by more importantly, the Álvarez family of Vega the vineyards, replanting them with something any standards. Sicilia fame had been purchasing land under decent, to make the white wines appealing, gAirén, Albillo, Garnacha, Malvar, an assumed name since 1997, and after this was although there is really no excuse for their Tinto Fino announced in 2002, the floodgates opened, so not being fresh. kUpon purchase (2–3 years for recommended that at the last count there were 40 bodegas. gAirén, Tempranillo Consequently, land prices have soared, and the wines) k2–6 years (red), 9–18 months (rosado) battle for Toro’s true quality has only just begun. tFrancisco Figuero • Jesús Díaz e Hijos Vega Sicilia’s rival, Alejándro Fernández of tMiguel Calatayud • J. A. Megía • Pesquera, followed suit in 1998, but the Los Llanos • Luis Megía (Marqués de XÉRÈS or JEREZ- great wine produced under the Dehesa La Gastañaga) • Felix Solis (Viña Albali XÉRÈS-SHERRY DO Granja label is in fact made from vines Reserva) • Casa de la Viña See Sherry Country p.321 growing just outside this DO, near Zamora. (Vega de Moriz) I suspect this may be a single-estate DO in waiting. VALENCIA DO YCODEN-DAUTE-ISORA DO gGarnacha, Malvasía, Tinta de Toro, Valencia Canary Islands Verdejo Blanco This area was once renowned for its heavy, This DO was established in 1995 for the wines k2–8 years (red), 1–3 years (white) alcoholic, and low-quality vino de mesa (table that are produced on the northwestern corner of the island of Tenerife. In this area, the grapes tAlquiriz • Bajoz • Jacques & François wine). However, most modern wineries today are usually grown on terraces, which are often Lurton (El Albar Excelencia, Campo Eliseo) produce much lighter wines than before, and irrigated. Before they gained DO status, these • Numanthia • Fariña (Gran Colegiata, they are at least fresh and drinkable. There are wines were sold under the vino de la tierra Gran Colegiata Campus) • Maurodós some good reds from the Monastrell grape, which are smooth and medium bodied, and of Icod de Los Vinos, a name that recalls their TXAKOLINA DO these wines may sometimes be aged in oak. long-lost fame. After the Battle of Trafalgar, The deliciously sweet and raisiny Moscatel is the Canaries were a favorite watering hole with See Chacoli DO consistently excellent value, often performing the British Royal Navy, and the orange-tinged well under blind conditions against French white wines of this area were apparently UTIEL-REQUENA DO Muscat de Beaumes de Venise that sells for enjoyed by all ranks. Valencia twice the price. gListán, Listán Negro This large and important, essentially red-wine gForcayat, Garnacha, Malvasía, Meseguera, district is situated in the extreme west of the Monastrell, Moscatel, Pedro Ximénez, YECLA CAMPO ARRIBA DO province of Valencia. Although distilling wine Planta Fina, Tempranillo, Tortosí, Viura See Yecla DO and the doble pasta process were once the k1–4 years (red), 9–18 months (white and area’s forte, softer, more palatable reds are now rosado), upon opening (Moscatel) YECLA DO being made, and the best dry rosados are fresh tC. A. de Villar • Vícente Gandía • Augusto Murcia and delicate for such sunny climes. Egli (particularly good-value Moscatel) You might think that these stony-limestone gBobal, Garnacha, Meseguera, Tardana, • Schenk • Tierra (Cavas Murviedro) vineyards between Alicante and Jumilla should Tempranillo, Viura Hernández do rather well in terms of quality, but although k2–5 years (red), 9–18 months (rosados) some decent wines can be found, nothing tAugusto Egli (Casa Lo Alto) VALLE DE GÜÍMAR DO special stands out. Canary Islands The reds produced here are either ink-black, VALDEORRAS DO This appellation was established in 1996 for doble pasta-style wines, or are cherry-colored, Galicia wines from the eastern side of Tenerife, just generally with good body and fruit. Wines from Until Rías Baixas came on the scene, this was south of downtown Santa Cruz. The vineyards the Campo Arriba zone in the north of this Galicia’s most promising district. With vines here abut cultivated fields, which are irrigated appellation are permitted to add this name to planted on terraced, slaty hillsides flanking the and thus indirectly feed these vines. Before the Yecla DO if they are either red or rosado, Sil River and Valdeorras’s northern, wet, Atlantic- gaining DO status, these wines were not even and are made from 100 percent Monastrell influenced climate, these wines have never been sold locally, but consumed by the people who grapes harvested at almost half the yield overburdened with alcohol, as so much Spanish produced them. required elsewhere in Yecla. The white wines wine was once upon a time, and refreshing gListán, Listán Negro, Negramoll produced in Yecla are at their best fresh, acidity is part of their charm. The best wineries clean, and pleasantly fruity, but, again, tend have now been modernized and are even better VALLE DE LA OROTAVA DO not to be remarkable. than they used to be, particularly for white Canary Islands gGarnacha, Meseguera, Monastrell, Verdil wines made from the Godello grape. Established in 1996, this appellation covers k2–5 years (red, but 3–6 years for Yecla gDoña Blanca, Garnacha, Godello, Gran wines produced on the lush, northern side of Campo Arriba), 1–2 years (white and Negro, Lado, María Ardoña, Mencía, Tenerife, between the appellations of Tacoronte- rosado) Merenzao, Palomino Acentejo and Ycoden-Daute-Isora. Before they tCastaño (Pozuelo, Las Gruesas) • Ochoa k1–4 years (red), 1 year (white and rosado) were granted DO status, these wines were sold Palao (Cuvée Prestige)