Tasting #248 December 6, 2022 – 12:30 Wines from the “Camino de Santiago” “The Way of Saint James”
Tasting Overview
The main objective of this tasting is to explore some wines of Spain’s wine regions bisected by or near the Camino de Santiago (Camino Frances).
We will have the opportunity to taste one white wine and three reds from distinct appellations along the Camino Frances.
From where these wines come from:
Camino de Santiago
An ilustred presentation of the “Camino de Santiago” by Erico Silva click HERE
The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) is a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at the tomb of St. James (Santiago in Spanish) in Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain.
Plan your Camino by Booking a Tour
Yearly, hundreds of thousands of people of various backgrounds walk the Camino de Santiago either on their own or in organized groups. People who want to have peace of mind will benefit from an organized tour or a self-guided tour while many will opt to plan the camino on their own.
Origins of the pilgrimage
The history of the Camino de Santiago goes back at the beginning of the 9th century (year 814) moment of the discovery of the tomb of the evangelical apostle of the Iberian Peninsula. Since this discovery, Santiago de Compostela becomes a peregrination point of the entire European continent.
You may recognize some “Way of Saint James” pilgrims.
The Way was defined then by the net of Roman routes that joined the neuralgic points of the Peninsula. The impressive human flow that from very soon went towards Galicia made quickly appear lots of hospitals, churches, monasteries, abbeys and towns around the route. During the 14th century the pilgrimage began to decay, fact brought by the wars, the epidemics and the natural catastrophes.
The recovery of the route begins at the end of the 19th century, but it is during the last quarter of the 20th century when the authentic contemporary resurge of the peregrination takes place. There is no doubt that the social, tourist, cultural or sport components have had a great importance in the “jacobea” revitalization but we cannot forget that the route has gained its prestige thanks to its spiritual value.
Additional information on the Camino de Santiago could be found here (https://santiago-compostela.net/) among many other good informative sites in the internet.
Tasting Presenters
Erico Silva and Nick Marzella
Participants:
J Brakarz; J Claro; R Connolly; C Estrada; M Fryer; J García; J&L Redwood; C Perazza;
J Sanchez; C Santelices; E Silva; G Smart; R Zavaleta; N Marzella (invited) and L Boccalandro (invited)
Menu
Zuppa di Aragosta
Insalata di Rucola
Fettuccine con Ragu di Vitello
Salmone alla Griglia
Information about the region
This is the first tasting of Biezo wines this year, therefore it’s described below. All the other wine regions are described in prior tastings for this year. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bierzo_(DO).
Bierzo is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) for wines located in the northwest of the province of León (Castile and León, Spain) and covers about 3,000 km². It borders on the provinces of Ourense, Lugo and Asturias in the north and in the south on areas of La Montaña, la Cabrera and La Meseta, in Léon. The area consists of numerous small valleys in the mountainous part (Alto Bierzo) and of a wide, flat plain (Bajo Bierzo).
The DO covers 23 municipalities including the largest town of the area, Ponferrada (population about 70,000). The first written reference to the Bierzo region, whose name derives from the pre-Roman city of Bergidum, is from Pliny the Elder. The Romans
developed agriculture, introduced new crops including Vitis vinifera vines, and new technology such as the Roman plough. However, the greatest expansion of viticulture was related to the growth of the monasteries, especially the Cistercian order, during the Middle Ages. After centuries of production and after having achieved a good reputation in the markets of Galicia and Asturias, the Bierzo vineyards suffered a terrible blow in the 19th century when the phylloxera plague practically wiped them out. There was a severe conomic crisis which forced many people to emigrate. Production was slowly restablished thanks to the technique of grafting onto new world rootstocks and wine production gradually recovered to assume the significant economic role it had played in the past.
In 1989 the Bierzo DO was officially recognized.
Climate: The Bierzo DOP has a special macroclimate which is beneficial for viticulture. On the one hand it is similar to the climate of Galicia with regard to humidity and rainfall, and on the other it is also similar to the hot, dry climate of Castile. The low altitude also helps to prevent late frosts and means that the grape harvest is usually about one month earlier than in Castile. The average annual temperature is around 12°C, with the minimum in winter of 3.5°C and maximum in summer of 24°C.
The average annual rainfall is just over 700 mm, and the vines receive about 2,200 hours of sunshine per annum.
Soils: The soils in the mountains consist of a mixture of fine elements, quartz and slate. The vineyards are planted mainly on humid, dark soil which is slightly acidic and low in carbonates. The acidity ranges from 4 to 8.5, with values of over 6 in the valleys. Lime content is low, less than 3000 kg/ha. The carbon/nitrogen ratio is 11.9 in the valleys and 11 on the plains.
Grape Varieties: The wines produced under the Bierzo DPO must be made only with the varieties that are authorized by the Consejo Regulador (Regulatory Council).
● Red grapes: Mencía and Alicante Bouschet (Garnacha Tintorera).
● White grapes: Doña Blanca, Godello, Palomino, and Malvasía.
Wines produced:
1. Young whites: Made with Doña Blanca, Godello and Palomino. Between 10° and 13°.
2. Young reds: Made with a minimum of 70% Mencía. Between 11° and 14°.
3. Aged wines without crianza: the vintage must be shown on the label and certain criteria complied with.
4. Rosé wines: made with a minimum of 50% Mencía and may contain white grapes.
5. Crianza wines: Minimum of 6 months in oak casks plus 18 months in the bottle.
6. Reserva wines: Minimum of 12 months in oak barrels plus 24 months in the bottle for red wines; minimum of 6 months in oak casks and 18 months in the bottle for whites.
Wines
Muga Rioja Blanco Flor de Muga 2019
López de Heredia – Viña Tondonia Reserva 2010
Raul Perez Bierzo Tinto Ultreia el Rapolao 2019
Guimaro – Ribeira Sacra A Ponte 2019
Notes on the Wines of the Camino
- Muga Rioja Blanco Flor de Muga 2019
Producer: Bodegas Muga, Haro, Spain
Region, La Rioja, Rioja Alta
Appellation: Rioja
Alcohol: 14%
Grapes: Viura, Garnacha blanca and Maturana blanca (no percentages given)
Ratings: WA 94, JS 95
Bodegas Muga is a Spanish winery based in Haro, in the Rioja Alta region. The estate was created in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez and his wife, Aurora Caño, and currently produces several red, rosé and white wines from Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Malvasia and Viura grapes.
The second vintage of their top white is the 2019 Flor de Muga Blanco, produced with a blend of 40% Viura from red limestone and clay soils, 30% Garnacha Blanca from classical clay and limestone and 30% Maturana Blanca planted on sandy soils. It fermented in small barrels with indigenous yeasts and then matured in concrete eggs for three months and new barriques built in their own cooperage for six months. The wine is 13.2% alcohol and has a pH of 3.2 with very good acidity. There are only 37 hectares of Maturana Blanca in Rioja, of which they have eight.
It’s the same grape as the extinct Ribadavia variety from Galicia. The variety disappeared because it delivers very low yields, but they love the quality when it is picked fully ripe when it still keeps very good acidity. The wine is still a little oaky and powerful, from a warm and dry year, but the palate is electric and almost salty. This is a white that should develop nicely in bottle (I wish I had a time machine!), and as with the rosé, this feels like the finest vintage to date… only the second one! 11,892 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2020. WineAdvocate 94+ points
Structured, complex and layered white with medium body and a creamy, phenolic texture. Dried lemons, apricot stones, cedar, flint and sea salt. Long and evolving. Very fresh, too. Fantastic. About 12,000 bottles made. 40% Viura, 30% grenache blanc and 30% maturana. Drink or hold. James Suckling 95 points
2. López de Heredia – Viña Tondonia Reserva 2010
Producer: R. Lopez de Heredia, Haro, Spain
Region, La Rioja, Rioja Alta
Appellation: Rioja
Alcohol: 13%
Grapes: Tempranillo 70%, Garnacha 20%, Graciano and Mazuelo 10%
Ratings: WA 96, JS 97, WS 93 pts.
About as delicious as old-school Rioja ever gets, this is a joy now and will just get better all at just 13.0% alcohol. Pair it up with rich lamb or braised beef and you will be very happy. The 2010 Viña Tondonia Reserva has all I expect from a Reserva from Tondonia, complexity, elegance and evolution, a developed nose with notes of forest floor and wild berries, herbs and flowers, a touch of iodine, brick dust and very fine, polished tannins. It has the seriousness and elegance of Tondonia. This is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho (they use the masculine form of the name of the grape) and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in the ancient oak vats from when the winery was created 144 years ago and matured in well-seasoned, American oak barrels for six years. Wine Advocate 96 points
3. Raul Perez Bierzo Tinto Ultreia el Rapolao 2019
Producer: Bodegas y Vinedos Raul Perez, Valtuille de Abajo, León, Spain
Region: Castilla y Leon
Appellation: Bierzo
Alcohol: 13.5%
Grapes: Mencia
Ratings: WA 97
The blend is similar to Perez, Ultreia St Jacques, but all the fruit comes from a tiny plot of 100+ year-old, ungrafted, vines in Bierzo El Rapolao cru. The whole grape bunches go into open-top chestnut vats, ferment at their own pace with native yeasts, and then sit and soak for 30 days after fermentation with no sulfur while a film of flor yeast grows across the top. The free-run juice is drained into two used 500-liter and one 225-liter French oak casks to rest for 12 months.
Around 1,500 bottles are filled.
If you are looking for a blockbuster, big and bold, wine this is NOT it! This is all about delicacy, silkiness, and purity, with highly polished tannins and a floral, blue-fruited, finish that does not quit. It is delicious now, probably at peak from 2024 and best enjoyed through the end of the decade.
It is not clear which vintage is better for the Ultreia range, as it depends on the wine. I think the 2019 Ultreia El Rapolao is better than the 2020, perhaps because it is from a warmer and riper year, when this wine tends to behave better. This is juicy, round and complete, with abundant, very fine tannins and the balance and stuffing to develop nicely in bottle. Wine Advocate 97 points Guimaro – Ribeira Sacra A Ponte 2019
Pedro Rodriguez great project – restoring this formerly family-owned vineyard to its former glory. Slopes range up to 80% here where Pedro and his father planted a classic Ribera Sacra field blend. Amazing amount of power from such a young wine and worth decanting if you are opening it soon.
The single-vineyard 2019 A Ponte was produced with grapes from vines planted in 2010, a vineyard that used to belong to the Guímaro family a long time ago that they had to buy again and replant. It is a blend of 30% Mencía and similar parts of Caíño, Merenzao, Brancellao and Sousón. All the grapes fermented together with 100% full clusters in closed troncoconic vats with a 50-day total maceration time and always matured in 500-liter barrels. It has less color and is rather light and ethereal compared to its siblings. All the 2019s are more closed than the 2020s, and the wines are more austere and, in general, have more depth and balance, with lower alcohol. This has 13% and a subtle nose of wild flowers and herbs, nuanced and complex.
This is superb for such young vines. 4,000 bottles produced. Wine Advocate 95+ points
4. Guimaro – Ribeira Sacra A Ponte 2019
Producer: Adegas Guímaro, Sober, Galicia, Spain
Region: Galicia
Appellation: Ribeira Sacra
Alcohol: 13%
Grapes: “field” blend of 30% Mencía, 17.5% Caiño, 17.5% Sousón, 17.5% Brancellao and 17.5%
Merenzao
Aging: 9 months in cask
Ratings: WA 95
Pedro Rodriguez’s great project – restoring this formerly family-owned vineyard to its former glory. Slopes range up to 80% here where Pedro and his father planted a classic Ribera Sacra field blend. Amazing amount of power from such a young wine and worth decanting if you are opening it soon.
The single-vineyard 2019 A Ponte was produced with grapes from vines planted in 2010, a
vineyard that used to belong to the Guímaro family a long time ago that they had to buy again and replant. It’s a blend of 30% Mencía and similar parts of Caíño, Merenzao, Brancellao and Sousón. All the grapes fermented together with 100% full clusters in closed troncoconic vats with a 50-day total maceration time and always matured in 500-liter barrels. It has less color and is rather light and ethereal compared to its siblings. All the 2019s are more closed than the 2020s, and the wines are more austere and, in general, have more depth and balance, with lower alcohol. This has 13% and a subtle nose of wild flowers and herbs, nuanced and complex.
This is superb for such young vines. 4,000 bottles produced. Wine Advocate 95+ points.
Evaluation of the tasted wines by Club del Vino members:
The tasting took place before the wines’ prices were revealed and 15 participants rated them from acceptable to exceptional. The combined results established the preference order during the tasting, as follows:
1 st – Blanco Flor de Muga 2019, White, Rioja
2 nd – two reds tied: Viña Tondonia Reserva 2010, Red, Rioja Alta and A Ponte 2019, Red, Ribeira Sacra
4 th – Ultreia el Rapolao 2019, Red, Bierzo
The white wine Blanco Flor de Muga 2019 was rated both the Best Wine and the Best Buy. The following Table presents the details of individual ratings and combined results.
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For those that are no aware of my participation in the Special Forces 
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Tasting No 246 – October 25, 2022 –12:30 pm Wines from Northern Spain
Txakoli de Getaria is a DO wine zone located within the province of Gipukoa of the País Basco, between Bilbao and San Sebastian in the northern coast of Spain. In Getaria, nearly all the land situated between the Garate mountain, and the coast is covered in vineyards, due to the microclimate that this area generates. Getaria’s main sources of income are fishing, tourism, and the viticulture of the Txakolina (in Basque, or Txakoli or Chacolí in Spanish).
Camped along the northeastern boundary of Rioja, the wine region of Navarra was long been in competition with it (and indeed part of France), until the Bordeaux merchants chose to place their post-phylloxera trade in Rioja. For most of the 20th century, Navarra’s scattered vineyards were dedicated chiefly to Garnacha and the useful rosados, and strong, deep red blends that it produced. Then, came a revolution in the form of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Tempranillo, which overtook Garnacha in the total area.
Campo de Borja is a Denominación de Origen (DO) wine zone in the Aragon region, northwest of of Zaragoza. It encompasses the Campo de Borja comarca consisting of 16 municipalities. The DO is located in a transition zone between the plains of the river Ebro and the mountains of the Sistema Ibérico. The Moncayo mountain range is the dominant feature that creates a microclimate which gives the wines a special character.
The wine region of Toro is a predominantly red-wine appellation in Castilla y León wine region in north-western Spain. Toro is situated in the province of Zamora, west of the Rueda and Ribera del Duero wine appellations, near the Portuguese border. It is becoming increasingly well known for its powerful, full bodied red wines made from Tinta de Toro. This Spanish grape variety grown in the Toro DO is a strand of Tempranillo that dates back to the Roman times, around the 2nd century B.C. Some of the vines around today are hundreds of years old, having survived the phylloxera plague. Very small amounts of white wine are also made in Toro.
The Txueka family currently works exclusively with the indigenous varieties of Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza, planted between 1915 and 2000 on pergolas and terraced trellises. The slopes that the vines are planted on are incredibly steep, so where pergolas cannot be used, the family plants on trellis. The winery and vineyards are only located 100m from the Atlantic, so precipitation levels are extremely high. The must is fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeast at very low temperatures to retain a small quantity of dissolved CO2. The resulting wines are beautifully refreshing, high acid white wines that pair flawlessly with seafood.
According to the owners, “their vineyards are present in the best locations in the region and spread around 60 hectares of land” and that “the soil, unique microclimate, and optimum rainfall make the region perfect for the cultivation of vines”. Also, “their best grapes are used to make their famous award-winning red, white, rosé and dessert wines”.
Bodegas Borsao originated in 1958, when the Borja cooperative was founded with the mission of establishing the benchmark for premium Garnacha wines. It consists of some 350 growers stretching over some 2,260 ha with altitudes ranging from 350-800 m. Harvest is carried out manually in key vineyards and transported in 20-kg cases.
pre-phylloxera vines, about 140 years of age, which grow on a unique “terroir” situated in the historic Pago “Bardales” at about 750 meters above the sea level. The majority of the work is done manually, like pruning, hoeing around the vines, the treatment with Sulphur or powder of stinting nettle. Only for ploughing mechanical means are applied. For the harvest, small cases of 10 kg are used. Destemming is also done manually, and fermentation takes place in oak barrels. To respect the natural qualities of the wines, no filtration or fining technique is applied. Powerful but velvety. Respecting the ripe fruit with the right touch of wood. The grapes come from their three vineyard fincas destined for their high-quality wines. For the Uro Toro 2016 The grapes come from the pre-phylloxera Finca La Coscojosa vineyard, which is more than 90 years old with the vines planted in bush growing 100% Tinto de Toro grapes.
Tasting #245 September 27, 2022 Ribera del Duero, Spain
La Caña is a white wine that Jorge Ordonez and his winemaking team
Of a deep mature cherry color, this wine, by Emilio Moro, stands out for the intensity and quality of the sensations it offers. From black fruit aromas to strong and mature tannins that fill our mouth.
Lots of body, well integrated acidity, well-rounded tannins providing volume and persistence on the palate. The licorice aromas are present on the aftertaste. Ideal for accompanying all kinds of meat.
Riper, darker, and more concentrated. It shows more rusticity and black rather than red fruit. It has abundant, fine-grained tannins. Would pair beautifully with cured meats, smoky cheeses, or grilled veggies, such as eggplant. 
Tasting #244 August 2022 Were You There?
Tasting #244 Rioja Wines: Crianza vs. Gran Reserva – August 30, 2022
Blind Tasting in random order
Founded in 1970 in Cenicero, La Rioja Alta by Enrique Forner.
MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES, GRAN RESERVA, 2012
Tasting #243 July 26 2022, 12:30 pm – Spanish Mediterranean between Barcelona and Alicante
One of the regions in the Mediterranean coast is the Comunidad Valenciana, or simply Valencia. Located a few hours south of Barcelona, Valencia is responsible for 5% of Spain’s enological output and is the fourth most widely planted of the country’s 17 autonomous regions.
Thought to have been brought to Spain in Ancient times by the seafaring Phoenicians, Monastrell remains one of the country’s most planted grapes, claiming 150,000 of the world’s 190,000 acres of the grape. In Alicante, it can be found in two subregions: La Marina in the north, where the cooling influence of the sea tempers the area’s intense heat, and in Clásico, inland to the southwest, which includes the region’s namesake city. Further away from the Mediterranean, this latter sub-region is marked by minimal rainfall and borderline-arid summers—a situation where Monastrell thrives, especially in its bush vine incarnation.
The late-ripening vine is generally resistant to drought and diseases but susceptible to sour rot. It produces light red, rustic red wines with moderate acidity and alcohol content and an earthy aroma. On the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, the variety is often grown in mixed sets with the Fogoneu variety and blended with the latter and Manto Negro.
Degustation #242 June 28, 2022, 12:30pm Spanish Tempranillo Wines
One hundred per cent Tempranillo red from Ribera del Duero, Spain- Violet-red. Spicy redcurrant and cherry aromas are complicated by cracked pepper, violet and dried rose; very complex for its price point. Supple red fruit flavors are quite sweet, with no obvious tannins. Rated 90+ by Beverage Dynamics. Elegant. ABV: 14.1%, Taste: Spice, Cherry, Medium-bodied.
Winery: Asua
RESERVA 2016 D.O.Ca. RIOJA Made exclusively from the best vintages GRAPE VARIETIES 90% Tempranillo, 10% other varieties OENOLOGISTS, THE TRADITIONAL WINES RANGE Fernando Costa, Emilio González and Manuel Iribarnegaray VINEYARDS AND YIELDS A selection of old vineyards originating from Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. Low yields, smaller than 5,000 kg/ha. TERRAIN Fundamentally clay-limestone. Plots of Rioja Alta with ferrous subsoil. 2016 VINTAGE Abundant rainfall, specially before sprouting, led to a favorable start of the phenological cycle with a plentiful water reserve. A dry and harsh summer. During September a rise in temperature and hours of sunshine in the midst of ripening, enabled a complete and balanced harvest, producing musts rich in sugars and polyphenolic structure. Vineyards with generous yields reaching optimum ripening without problem. Complete maturing throughout the year, with high alcohol levels, excellent notes of fruit. These wines from selected plots boast a great capacity for ageing. GRAPE HARVEST Harvested by hand, meticulously deciding the optimal harvesting moment for each plot and each variety. VINIFICATION Bunches are de-stemmed of their stalks with the greatest care. Temperature controlled alcoholic fermentation. Prolonged maceration with the skins with the aim of extracting more color, elegant aromas and smooth enveloping tannic structure. Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels and a stainless-steel tanks. Once the malolactic fermentation is finalized, all of the wines move to fine grain French oak barrels. Subsequent racking every 6 months. TOTAL TIME IN BARREL 15 months in French oak barrels, equally divided between new barrels and one and two-year old barrels with 5 monthly racking. REFINEMENT IN BOTTLE Minimum 2 years before its market launch. TASTING NOTES Dark and dense ruby color. Refined and complex aroma with a touch of cherry, vanilla and soft toasted notes. Balanced in the mouth, where the silky and well-defined tannins are combined with exquisite flavors to reveal a pleasant fullness. This Reserve firmly reflects the profile of the Bodegas previous vintages, awarded with several prestigious prizes. Serve at 17ºC.
Latitud 42’s wines represent the long, multi-generational legacy of its winemaking family and the traditions of Rioja, Spain. The altitude and unique terrain of the vineyards give Tempranillo grapes a natural vibrancy and finesse that only improves with aging.
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