GOLD MEDAL WINE CLUB Taste the Adventure! WITH AGES OF WINEMAKING TRADITION, SPAIN CONTINUES TO GROW WITH UNPRECEDENTED QUALIT Y, DIVERSIT Y, AND VALUE.

Many international wine experts have pointed towards Spain as the most dynamic wine country in Europe at present, with the country showing no tendency to reverse its progress in the foreseeable future. Spain has always been a steady, if not spectacular, producer of wine through the last 2000 plus years. Ever since the Romans introduced vines to Spain, a steady stream of wine has originated from its multi-faceted soils. Now, with a strong group of young entrepreneurial Spanish winemakers to fuel its expansion, Spain has climbed amongst the world’s elite winemaking countries. None other than the Wine Spectator magazine wrote, referring to these young Spanish winemakers, “They want to prove that Spain is not just a source for value, but a land with incredible terroirs.” What some of these winemakers have done (including one of our featured wines) is traveled back to the origins of Spanish winemaking to discover some of the original varietals and growing places that have been dispensed with through the ages. Many of these locations are in pristine condition awaiting the advances of modern winemaking techniques to enhance their natural environs. The reputation of high caliber Spanish wines has soared in recent years. For a long time, only Vega Sicilia was mentioned as a ‘great’ . Now there are hundreds of small production wines available throughout the world, at prices below their French and Italian counterparts. For the most part, these wines still represent an excellent price/ value relationship, but who knows just how long that scenario will last. Top-flight Spanish wines are here to stay and will increase in number and statue as exposure increases and other top European wine prices continue to spiral out of control. We are happy to present this trio of fine Spanish wines for our International Series members. Enjoy! fruit from older vines. Bodegas Leda has abundant older vines from mountainside slopes above the fields and terraces lining the Duero River on its southwesterly course. The soils tend to be warmer, a fact that makes ripening of the Tempranillo grape easier. Bodegas Telmo Rodriguez Region: Valdeorras The region for this wine is Valdeorras, the eastern most wine zone in the province of Galicia. The spot is almost 90 miles from the Atlantic Coastline along the banks of the River Sil. Legend has it that Valdeorras was Spain’s first wine producing Vina Bujanda region during Roman times. The climate here is cooler, with abundant rain that had Region: La made it a center for white wine production during recent times. Grapes from two sub regions of the Valdeorras’ DO was awarded great Rioja (north central Spain), the Rioja Alta as recently as 1977 owing to the area’s and the comprise this unique physical isolation and unfamiliarity selection. Located on the western edge of as a wine producer outside of Spain the region and at higher elevations than the itself. Its climate is both Atlantic and other areas, the Rioja Alta is known more for continental, while the Sil Valley also its "old world" style of wine. A higher elevation enjoys a specific microclimate due to its for the vines equates to a shorter growing excellent moisture retention. Most of the season, which in turn produces brighter vines in the Valdeorras are planted at a fruit flavors and a wine that is lighter on height of between 775 feet to 1,050 feet the palate. Despite sharing a similar climate above sea level. to its sister region the Alta Rioja, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and degrees of higher acidity. Most vineyards are planted with low density that allows for more spacing between rows. Primary factor is WINE REGIONS OF SPAIN the relatively poor conditions of the soil that necessitate the vines, requiring more distance from each other to properly utilize nutrients Planted to more than 2.9 million vineyard acres, Spain is the world's in the surrounding soil. most widely planted wine producing nation. Over 400 different wine grape varieties are planted throughout the country, from the cooler Bodegas Leda green, rolling hills in the north to the hot, arid expanses in the south. Region: Ribera del Duero Spain is highly influenced by the vast Central Plateau that covers much of the central land area. From here, several of Spain's principal rivers Located in the Ribera del Duero DO, flow to sea and are at the heart of many of the country's wine regions. this region is situated on Spain’s extensive, In addition to the Central Plateau, mountain ranges in the northern elevated northern plateau. Wine production and eastern regions isolate and influence the climate of several of Spain's here traces its roots back to the Roman top wine regions. Another factor is elevation - overall, Spain is an occupation some 2,000 years prior. elevated plateau with many of its vineyards planted at nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. The wine from these regions are among the best Wines are almost exclusively red and in the world! Spain's most significant wine regions are called out here: here the great Tempranillo grape is dominant. Specific terroirs make Duero Northwest Spain wines different from their neighbors in Rias Baixas Ribeiro the Rioja, but both share the pleasures Valdeorras of intensity and long age. Duero River Valley The Duero Valley, formed during the Rueda Toro Miocene period, has a flat, rocky, gently Ribera del Duero undulating terrain, ranging from 3,000 Leon feet down to 2,500 above sea level. The Ebro River Valley Rioja Tempranillo grape is supreme here also, Navarra and produces spectacular Mediterranean Coast Valencia Murcia Central Plateau La Mancha Andalucia Montilla-Moriles Jerez-Xeres Photos, top to bottom, left to right: • Vineyard workers hand harvest grapes for Bodegas Leda in the Duero Valley of Spain. • The grand entrance of Rioja's Vina Bujanda winery. The estate may have been founded in S : 2009, but the owners follow in the footsteps of four generations of Spanish winemakers. pain • Valdeorras is a Spanish Denominacion de Origen (DO) for wines produced from vines located on the banks of the river Sil in the southern province of Galicia, Spain. Valdeorras is best Fun Facts! known for the white varietal Godello and the red varietal Mencia. • Bodegas Leda's wines are produced from very old vines that grow in a range of unique The name Spain comes from the word terriors in the Duero Valley. Ispania, which means 'land of rabbits.' Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, with over 329 million native speakers worldwide. Grapes are the third biggest crop in Spain after cereal and olives. Spain is the number one ranked country in the world in terms of area covered by vineyards. Spain's vineyards have a low yield (because of the dry climate), which makes the country only third in production behind and Italy. Spain is the number one producer of olive oil in the world with 44% of the world's olive oil production. Football/soccer is Spain's most important THE OF SPAIN sport. Spain won its first World Cup football title in 2010, which made the country the The current was adopted 8th country to have ever won. December 19, 1981 with three Spain has the second highest number of horizontal stripes and Spain's coat of bars per inhabitants, behind Cyprus. arms in the center. The Spanish coat One of Spain's most famous festivals is of arms symbolizes the country, the old the Running of the Bulls. It occurs on St. kingdoms of Spain, the Royal , Fermin's Day in July in the northern town the , the Constitutional , the Spanish of Pamplona. Over 1 million people attend national : , and the with the the festival each year. Spanish geographic situation. The origin of the current flag is Spain is the second largest country in the naval of 1785, which remained marine for much Western Europe after France and the second of the next 50 years, flying over coastal fortresses, marine most mountainous after Switzerland. barracks, and other naval property. In 1843, the flag became When a child loses a tooth in Spain, rather official and has since had changes made to the . than having a visit from the 'Tooth Fairy,' a The color scheme has remained in tact since the beginning. small mouse named 'Ratoncito Perez' leaves a surprise under the pillow. The oldest known cave painting is found in the Cave of El Castillo in northern Spain. Researchers estimate the painting to be over 40,000 years old. Salud!

Order Toll Free: 1-800-266-8888 • Order by Fax: 1-800-266-8889 Order online at: www.goldmedalwineclub.com three world-class spanish producers walk the line between tradition and innovation in the country's most dynamic wine chapter yet.

Vina Bujanda Only 6,600 cases of this wine are made annually, small The brother /sister team of by European production standards. Only Tempranillo, the Carlos and Pilar Martinez Bujanda Iribarria quintessential Spanish grape, is used in the production of Leda own Vina Bujanda that was established in wines. It is aged for 30 months in barrel. the small village of Oyon near the City of The Winemaker: Eduardo Garcia Logrono in Spain’s esteemed Rioja region. Eduardo Garcia studied in France (Lycee Agricole de While this undertaking is relatively young Blanquefort and Faculte d Oenologie) as well as in Spain (Escuela (founded in 2009), the family has been de la Vid and el Vino de Requena) and has worked in wineries in making wines for more than a century. Bordeaux, Burgundy and . He follows in the footsteps of Carlos and Pilar are the fifth generation to his famous father, Mariano Garcia, who was winemaker at Vega be involved in the family wine business. They carry on the ideals Sicilia (Spain’s most famous winery) for more than 30 years. In established in 1889 by founder Joaquin Martinez-Bujanda. Spain, Eduardo has toiled at the Bodegas Aalto and Bodegas The Rioja was the first region to achieve DO (appellation) Mauro, two highly recognized wineries. He is considered an expert status in 1925 and was promoted to DOCa in 1991, a much more on the Tempranillo varietal, Spain’s premier grape. specific appellation. Fruit comes from an estate that consists of 14 separate parcels ranging from 20 – 60 years old. Grapes from both Bodega Telmo Rodriguez the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa sub-regions are part of the final Gaba (Basque for evening) do blends of this unique wine. Xil (A tributary of the River Sil) denotes The Atlantic influence is more prominent in the Rioja Alta the first time owner/winemaker Telmo than the Rioja Alavesa and provides a balanced set of factors that Rodriguez set foot in this primitive make this classic wine extremely complex and enduring. valley in the Valdeorras region. The The Winemaker: Lauren Rosillo wine is made from the Godello grape, Lauren Rosillo holds multiple agricultural degrees including one of Spain’s ancient varietals. It is enology from the University Miguel Hernandez in Alicante, Spain. made from a specific vineyard, La He has published numerous papers related to grapes, soils and Falcoeira (The Falcon), in the town other related subjects. He is currently working on his doctoral thesis of Santa Cruz that was abandoned some 200 years ago after the in enology. Rosillo was formerly winemaker at Bodega Manuel phylloxera epidemic devastated most of Europe’s vineyards. Mananeque in the Albacete Province before joining Familia Martinez Valdeorras is correctly Val de Oras (Roman for gold bearing Bujanda as its winemaker and technical director. valley) where soils are a slightly acidic mineral blend of slate and granite, mixed with some clay and sand. The area is dry during the Bodegas Leda summer (called Continental Atlantic) and relatively cold for grape The location for this winery bearing vines. The place is dotted with chestnut trees mixed with is the Duero Valley, one of Spain’s rockrose and old granitic terraces that host the vineyards. premier wine producing regions. A The vineyards that produce the Gaba do Xil are bio- 19th century manor house serves as the dynamically farmed and bush-trained in the traditional Spanish winery on the main street of the town method of farming. Vineyards face south, west and northwest and of Tudela de Duero. The association of produce very limited yields. Wines are fermented in steel tanks to the Mariano Garcia and Jose Masaveu preserve the clarity and freshness of the fruit. Families brought this dream to fruition The Winemaker: Telmo Rodriguez back in 1998. Leda wines enjoy the Another product of French winemaking, Telmo Rodriguez appellation of Castilla y Leon with location in Valladolid, a part of studied viticulture and enology at the University of Bordeaux. the Tudela de Duero Region. The name Leda derives from Greek After completing his studies, he became the winemaker at his tradition and honors Spartan King Tyndareus’s wife Leda, who was family’s winery, Bodega Rodriguez in the Rioja region, located in the daughter of the King of Aetolia. Remelluri. Bodega Rodriguez started making wines in 1937 and The Leda concept is unique, and utilizes multi-terroir- has been a prominent winery for almost 75 years. Telmo left his sourcing rather than single terroir. Small plots of Tempranillo vines family’s operation in the early 1990’s to discover new vineyards that average less than 2 ½ acres each are utilized in making the and regions throughout Spain. He was among the first to make Leda. Some of the vineyards are more than 100 years old and are wines in Toro, Rueda, Valdeorras, Malaga, Alicante and Cigales. planted in poor, deep soils and produce very light yields. These As such, he is considered as one of the leaders of the Spanish vines are constantly monitored and little intervention is given - their quality revolution that has propelled Spain’s ascent into the upper production uses only natural farming methods. echelons of international wine production.

The International Series features specially-selected, imported hard-to-find wines of the world for members of the Gold Medal Wine Club.

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Vina Bujanda 2010 Crianza (100% Tempranillo) Rioja region The Vina Bujanda 2010 Crianza is made from 30-year-old Tempranillo vines ground in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa vineyards in Spain's world famous Rioja region. A wine termed 'Crianza' means that it was aged for at least two years, and at least one of those years was spent in oak barrels. Crianza is a quality classification level in the Rioja region. Bright ruby in color, this 2010 Crianza has attractive aromas of wild strawberry, clove, pepper, vanilla and leather. On the palate, the wine has excellent balance with fresh flavors of 90 POINTS strawberry, spice, rich cherry, and just a hint of tobacco. Try pairing the Vina - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate Bujanda 2010 Crianza with cured ham, paellas, and spicy beef dishes. Aged 12 months in oak, 12 months in bottle. 100% Tempranillo. Enjoy now until 2018.

Membership Retail Price Number of Bottles Ordered: Level at Winery 2+ 6+ 12+ 24+ Save 20%-37% online! 2/3-Btl. Members: $25.00 $20.00 $18.33 $17.50 $16.67 4+Btl. Members: $25.00 $20.00 $17.50 $16.25 $15.83

Telmo Rodriguez 2013 Gaba do Xil (100% Godello) Valdeorras region The 2013 Gaba do Xil is a white wine produced from 100% Godello in the northern Valdeorras region of Spain. Here, winemaker Telmo Rodriguez selected a vineyard named La Falcoeira that was located in the town of Santa Cruz. It is an ancient vineyard planted with a mixture of varieties, but Telmo has focused his work here on the native variety, Godello. This grape has a distinctive and exhilarating profile that comes through in Telmo Rodriguez's Gaba do Xil. The flavors feature a dominant mineral note, surrounded by a complex array of peaches, limes, flowers, and even herbal and spice notes. The texture of the wine grabs your attention as well, with a round and almost Not sent out to Reviewers viscous body that finishes with clean and vibrant notes. Godello is an excellent pairing with seafood. Enjoy now until 2018.

Membership Retail Price Number of Bottles Ordered: Level at Winery 2+ 6+ 12+ 24+ Save 11%-34% online! 2/3-Btl. Members: $18.00 $16.00 $14.33 $13.50 $12.67 4+Btl. Members: $18.00 $16.00 $13.50 $12.25 $11.83

Leda 2005 Vinas Viejas (100% Tempranillo) Duero Valley region To produce Leda's 2005 Vinas Viejas, Tempranillo grapes were selected from multiple vineyard sites in the Duero Valley of Spain. With a unique range of soil types represented, this wine has a multidimensional sense of place and only the most expressive and naturally concentrated grapes from each site were selected for the final blend. The vines range in age from 50 to 100 years old and represent a more traditional expression of Tempranillo. With intense aromas of black minerals, wild forest berries and balsamic undertones, this 2009 2005 Vinas Viejas is ample and concentrated on the palate with smooth tannins, a creamy texture, and a very long finish. This is an excellent wine and the perfect reflection of the great potential of the old vineyards from 93 POINTS 91 POINTS - Wine Spectator - Wine Enthusiast the esteemed Duero Valley. Aged 20 months in oak. Enjoy now until 2018. magazine magazine Membership Retail Price Number of Bottles Ordered: Level at Winery 2+ 6+ 12+ 24+ Save 13%-323% online! 2/3-Btl. Members: $45.00 $39.00 $37.33 $36.50 $35.67 4+Btl. Members: $45.00 $39.00 $36.50 $35.25 $34.83

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