Tasting N^o 237 – February 1^st, 2022 – Wines from Galicia, Spain

                                                   Capri Ristorante, McLean VA

Tasting Overview

The objective of this tasting is to explore the wines from Galicia, one of the wine regions in Spain. The Galician wine region is situated in the northwest corner of Spain, bordering with the north of Portugal.

There are 5 ‘Denominaciones de Origen Protegidas’ or DOP: Monterrei, Ribeira Sacra, Rías Baixas, Ribeiro, and Valdeorras, with the most well-known being DOP Rías Baixas, famous for its white wines produced from the Albariño grape varietal. We will taste two white and two red wines from the two main DOP in Galicia: Rias Baixas and Ribeira Sacra.

Type of tasting: Open

Presenters: John Brooks, with Ginger Smart and Ruth Connolly

Wines

1. 2020 Atalier by Raul Perez Albariño,
2. 2018 Do Ferreiro Cephas Velhas Albariño
3. 2020 Guimaro Vino Tinto
4. 2017 Dominio do Bibei Lalama

 Menu

1. Sautéed Calamari with a light sauce
2. Prawns sautéed in a garlic herb oil over a small amount of pasta
3. Roasted lamb accented with black peppercorns with roasted potatoes
4. Dessert

Participants

Ruth Connolly, Clara Estrada, Michelle Fryer, Jorge Garcia-Garcia, Agilson Perazza, Claudia Perazza, John Redwood, Lucia Redwood, Jairo Sanchez, Ricardo Santiago, Ginger Smart, Gabriela Vega (invited guest)

Wines Information

The Albariños from Rias Baixas

The two whites are 100% Albariño grapes from the Rias Baixas DOP. Rias Baixas is an ancient wine region on the coast—in fact the name itself translates to estuary.  Originally, a relatively wide variety of grapes were planted in the region (a dozen). But, over time, most have been pulled up and replaced by Albariño—which now makes up over 90% of production in the DOP. Albariño is native to Galicia and its wines are crisp but often well-textured with peach, citrus and mineral characters that pair perfectly with the local seafood.

2020 Raúl Pérez Atalier ‘a cruz das ánimas’, Rías Baixas Albariño

The Wine

The Atalier is a joint endeavor between Raul Perez – the famous rock star winemaker in northwestern Spain – and his longtime friend, Rodri Méndez of Rias Baixas DOP. The wine comes from the Val do Salnés sub-region within the DOP, where Albariño has always been the principal grape. The sub-region’s sandy soils mean that vines there were resistant to the Phylloxera that ravaged most of Europe’s vineyards in the late 19th century. The result is that there are some very old vines in Val do Salnés. In any given vintage, Atelier comes from either two or three of such vineyards (one managed by Rodri and the others managed by his friends).

The 2020 vintage comes in at 13.0% abv and offers explosive aromatics with stone fruit flavors, hints of salinity and sea breeze, plus savory notes—all on a solid acidic frame.  The 2020 was rated 94 points by Decanter—England’s leading wine publication.  The wine was procured locally at Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean.

The Winery

Rodri Méndez is the proprietor of the Forjas del Solnés estate.  The name Forjas, or “Forge,” was chosen to honor his grandfather, one of the pioneers of the Albariño varietal. His venture partner, Raul Perez, takes several slightly different approaches to his winemaking with Albariño than most.  First, he picks later than perhaps any other winemakers in the region.  Most pick as soon as the sugars rise, to maximize freshness.  But because the wines have strong malic acids, the wines are put through full or partial malolactic fermentation (known colloquially as ML).  Perez approach is instead to wait to harvest when malic acid levels begin to drop.  Then, the ML is blocked during fermentation.  Some might worry that such an approach could lead to overripe grapes and high alcohol wines (because of high sugars).  Nonetheless, his Albariño wines have run 12.8 to 13.0% abv and maintain freshness (abv = alcohol by volume).

Also, most winemakers age their Albariño wines in stainless steel tanks, again to preserve freshness.  However, Perez ages his Albariño in barrel, because he believes that the wines have sufficient freshness and that the micro-oxygenation from barrel aging helps produce a rounder, more complex wine.

2018 Bodegas Gerardo Méndez, Albariño Do Ferreiro ‘Cepas Vellas’

The wine

During many vintages—perhaps most—the grapes from this very old vineyard are processed with grapes from their other old vineyards in their primary wine released as Do Ferreiro Albariño.  But in exceptional vintages, those grapes are processed and bottled separately—a very limited production known as Albariño Do Ferreiro ‘Cepas Vellas’ (Old Vines).  The wines are exceptional.

The 2018 is considered one of the greatest ‘Cepas Vellas’ vintages of ever.  It rings in at a slightly higher abv than the Atelier (13.5 v. 13.0).  Again, the nose is explosive.  On the palate, one critic said the wine feels “electric”—with amazing depth and complexity and racy acidity.  Flavors include meyer lemon, nectarine and other orchard fruits plus waves of savory and mineral notes.  The 2017 was rated 96 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.  Our wine was sourced from New York.  The regular Do Ferreiro bottling is available at MacArthur Beverages in DC, but they do not currently have Cepas Vellas).

The winery

Rodri’s grandfather used the name Do Ferreiro for his own winery, now run by his uncle Gerardo Méndez. Do Ferreiro is generally considered the world’s best Albariño producer.  While Atalier does indeed source from pre-phylloxera vineyards, which may be approaching 200 years old, Do Ferreiro owns a ~3-acre vineyard believed to be planted in ~1785— which may well be the world’s oldest vines.  Old, well cared for vines can produce intense, complex wines—though in very limited quantities (production output is small because the energy of the vines is concentrated in a tiny number of grapes).

Do Ferreiro is very much a family operation, with most of the work done by Gerardo, his daughter Encarna, and son, Manuel. The winery is co-located with their home on a lovely slope overlooking the coast.  Unlike Perez, Méndez picks in the normal window, employs partial ML and ages in stainless steel, the more mainstream approach. That aging does include extended time on the lees (or dead yeast cells) for added complexity.  Méndez counts on great grapes and clean winemaking techniques to make his wines stand out.

 The reds of Ribeira Sacra

The two reds are either 100% or 90% Mencia varietal from Ribeira Sacra DOP, which is located about 100 km inland.  The area is better known for its red wines than whites, though both are produced. The most prominent are the dry red wines, mostly using the Mencia grape native to northwest Spain. It produces a medium-weight wine with solid fruit and acidity and medium tannins—perhaps closest to pinot noir among the more familiar grapes.

2020 Guímaro Mencia Vino Tinto, Ribeira Sacra

The Wine

The 2020 Guímaro Vino Tinto is 100% Mencia from Ribeira Sacra DOC. The grapes all come from family-owned vineyards terraced into 50-to-70-degree slopes.  It has intense aromas of red and dark fruit with notes of florals, herbs and balsamic and good acidity and silky tannins.  It was aged in stainless steel to emphasize the freshness and fruit.  Alcohol is moderate at 13.5%.  It was rated 91 points.  Sourced from Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean and also available at shops in DC.

The winery

The family of the Guímaro owner Pedro Rodriguez has been farming in the hills of Ribeira Sacra for many generations—crops and livestock as well as vines.  Most of the wine production was sold off in quantity, though a small amount was bottled and sold locally.  As the estate bottling grew more prominent and needed a name, it was called Guímaro, or “Rebel”, a nickname of Pedro’s grandfather.  In the early 2000s, Pedro was introduced to Raul Perez who helped him see the potential in his old vine vineyards—particularly the Mencia. Perez mentored him on techniques both in the vineyard and in the winery to improve quality, from reducing yields in over-cropped vineyards and eliminating chemical treatments to pigeage (traditional foot-treading), fermentation with native yeasts, minimizing sulfur treatments and the use of neutral barrels.  The result has been expressive, age-worthy wines. While his winery may be an emerging star, it is still very much a family operation with Pedro doing much of the work himself.

2017 Dominio do Bibei ‘Lalama’, Ribeira Sacra

The Wine

The 2017 Dominio do Bibei Lalama is 90% Mencia with 7% Brancellao and traces of Garnacha and Mouraton.  It was aged for 12 months in oak barrels of different sizes—primarily neutral, though it tastes like there’s a bit of new.  The 2017 rings in at 14.0% abv so it may seem a tad fuller than the Guímaro.  The 2017 was an excellent vintage for Lalama—in fact Decanter magazine selected it as one of their Wines of the Year for 2021.  Aromas jump from the glass, with red and black fruit, herbs and peppery elements.  The fruits show again on the palate, with savory notes that emerge on the long finish.  Decanter scored it 94 points.

The Winery

Dominio do Bibei is a project founded high in the hills of Ribeira Sacra in 2000 by a team headed by Javier Dominguez, incorporating vines that are up to 100 years old.  Dominguez also gets expert advice from Raul Perez. In the beginning, Dominguez was also aided by Sara Perez (no relation to Raul) and René Barbier—who lead legendary wineries in Priorat.  Unlike our other three Galician wineries, which are relatively small and largely family operations, Bibei is a little larger and relatively well-funded.  The estate consists of approximately 125 acres, of which about 45 are planted to vines.

The winery, which sits at the top of the steeply sloping vineyard, is stunning in its simplicity.  It’s a five-level gravity flow facility built into the side of the hill—to minimize disruption of the magnificent vistas.  That same respect for nature and history causes Dominguez to employ traditional methods of winemaking—for example, you won’t find any stainless-steel tanks here. Dominio do Bibei produces a white, made from Godello, and a variety of reds, made primarily from Mencia with dashs of other grapes.  They are also experimenting with Albariño, using cuttings from the vines at Do Ferreiro, with small amounts of it blended into their Godello.

Technical Notes

Galicia is in the far northwestern corner of Spain and the Iberian Peninsula.  It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and north (technically the Cantabrian Sea to the north, which opens to the Atlantic), Portugal to the south and Asturias, Castile and León to the east.

Galicia’s rich history includes periods in which it was part of the Roman Empire, the Visigoth reign, the Islamic Caliphate and the Kingdoms of Asturias, León and—for a considerable period—Castile.  It has at times, been independent and, at other times, autonomous.  At the end of the Franco dictatorship, it again became an autonomous self-governing community within Spain, with its own president and parliament.

Galicia is a dual-language community, with both Spanish and Galician recognized.  Galician is a romance-based language perhaps closer to Portuguese than Spanish…suggesting at least some historical cultural alignment with the Portuguese.

During the 14^th century, Galicia exported vine cuttings to other European wineries eager to try out their indigenous grapes. When the 19th century arrived, the whole Galician region sank into an economic depression, further deteriorated by the emigration of many local people to South America and other richer areas within Spain and Europe.

The climate in Galicia is significantly maritime influenced, with wet weather in the fall, winter and spring and temperatures moderated by the ocean.  Summers are generally warm and dry.  But as you move toward eastern Galicia, the climate begins to shift from maritime to continental, with bigger temperature swings and somewhat drier weather (though definitely not dry).  The coastal region is relatively flat, dominated by estuaries and beaches.  The interior is rugged, with mountains and breath-taking river valleys.

Rias Baixas DOP: like in many wine regions all over Europe, it is believed that vineyards have been first planted there by the Cistercian monks—close to 1000 years ago.  For all intents and purposes, Rias Baixas has become synonymous with Albariño. As the grape began to achieve acclaim about 50 years ago, most Albariño vines in the broader Rias Baixas DOP are ~35-50 years old.

Ampelographers have not reached consensus on the origin of the Albariño grape.  Some suggest it is indigenous to the region.  Some believe it is French in origin.  Still others suggest it might be Germanic. Indeed, looking at the name, it could be broken down into “alba” = white and “rin” = Rhine.  But whatever the roots, it produces a juicy, fresh white wine with both strong fruit flavors and solid acidity.

Rias Baixas is a maritime-dominated climate with both significant off-season rain and sea fog.  Grape production is made possible by the relatively dry, warm summers which generally last through harvest (the same phenomenon that makes places like Oregon and Bordeaux viable for wine).  Because of the moisture, the vines have traditionally been trained overhead on pergolas as opposed to the more common two- and three-wire trellis training above the ground.  Some growers continue to use pergolas today.

There are five sub-zones in the Rias Baixas DOP, but they’re relatively obscure and not particularly relevant to us. The Val do Salnés sub-zone is the ancestral home of Albariño in the region and the source of both our white wines for this event.

In contrast, the Ribeira Sacra DOP is located in a very different topography, beginning perhaps ~100 km inland.  The area is heavily forested and mountainous, with steep slopes leading down to narrow river valleys—perhaps reminiscent of the Mosel Valley in Germany (but maybe even more lovely!).

Just as the topography is different, so is the climate, trending more toward continental, with long, hot summers and relatively cold winters.  Rainfall is a little higher than most continental climates—but again, the rainfall is largely confined to winter.

The origin of wine in the region is believed to date back ~1000 years to monks traveling to the region, likely on pilgrimage.  By the 12^th century, they had established around 18 monasteries and hermitages in the area – thus the name Ribeira Sacra (Sacred Shore or Riverside).

Technically, 14 varieties are authorized to be produced in Ribeira Sacra.  The primary white grape in the region is Godello, which has not reached the level of prominence of Albariño from western Galicia.

Among the red wine grapes, Mencia takes the primary role, sometimes as varietal, sometimes blended with more obscure grapes. The variety thrives in this climate, benefiting from the long ripening season and the marked temperature variability. The Mencia grape, with its somewhat thick-skinned, violet-blue grapes, for a time was thought to be descended from Cabernet Franc, but that has been disproven through modern DNA testing.  It was probably indigenous to Bierzo (northwest Castilla y Leon) and exported to Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras and to northern Portugal (where it is known as Jaen). Those are the only places in the world where it is grown in quantity.  Mencia likely emigrated across the border with the monks from the Bierzo region.  It produces a medium-weight wine with solid fruit and acidity and medium tannins—perhaps closest to Pinot Noir among the more familiar grapes.

Because of Ribeira Sacra’s extraordinarily steep slopes, the vines are virtually all planted on terraces cut into the hillsides, with most trained on standard trellis systems.

Historically, farmers aimed to maximize vineyard production, resulting in wines that were fragrant but generally pale and light.  In recent years, the renaissance—led by Perez—has reduced over-production, resulting in wines with medium weight, solid dark fruit flavors, spicy, earthy notes and good acidity.  Guímaro’s owner Pedro Rodriguez is capitalizing on that movement—combining his old vines with good winemaking.

The Presenter

John Brooks is a retired Air Force major general.  During his 29-year Air Force career, he had the honor to command seven times—at levels ranging from a flying squadron to a joint task force.  Once retired from the Air Force, he spent 12 years with Northrop Grumman Aerospace, serving as vice president for international and president of the international subsidiary.

Following retirement from Northrop, he followed his passion into wine becoming a wine educator and consultant.  He studied with the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, achieving Advanced Certification—awarded with Distinction.  He also gained hands-on experience, working one harvest cycle and part of another as an intern at a winery in Napa.  He teaches classes, leads several tasting groups and plans and leads trips to wine regions.  But he only does these things with friends and people he likes—and only on subjects and regions that interest him.  In return for the privilege of doing it his way, he provides his services gratis—declining compensation.  This is a passion, not a profession, for him.

.o0o.

Tasting N^o 236 – December 13, 2021 – 12 pm

Wines from Douro Valley

                                              Capri Ristorante, McLean VA

#236 Tasting  Overview

The objective of this tasting is to expand the knowledge about typical wines from several sub regions along the transnational Douro Valley, which have different eco-climatic characteristics and use different local grapes: We will taste one white blend and three reds (two varietals – Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo – and a blend made with the same two varietals and others). In addition we will taste a Port Wine.

Presenters: Lúcia and John Redwood

Participants: M. Averbug, R. Connolly, C. Estrada, M. Fryer, J. Garcia, I. Mirkov, A. Perazza, C. Perazza, J. Redwood, L. Redwood, J. Requena, R. Santiago, G. Smart.

Wines: 

1. Casal Garcia Vinho Verde (White), 9.5% Alcohol
2. 2017 Quinta das Carvalhas – Touriga Nactional, 14% alcohol
3. 2017 Meandro,  Vale Meão, 14% Alcohol
4. 2015 Quintana de Cue, Tempranillo,  14% Alcohol
5. Quinta das Carvalhas 10 Year Tawny Port

Menu 

• Caldo Verde (Portuguese green soup)
• Cod Salad (Portuguese style)
• Cheese and spinach agnolotti with tomato sauce
• Beef Medallions with mushrooms and rosemary sauce
• Dessert

Our Wines

1. Casal Garcia Vinho Verde (White) – 9.5% Alcohol

From the label: Casal Garcia (literally “Garcia Couple”) was first launched in 1939 by Roberto Guedes (1899-1966), father and grandfather of the generations who presently run the winery. The Japanese postal service created a special edition of the stamp with the Casal Garcia label. The first winemaker who produced Casal Garcia was Eugene Helisse, a French winemaker who introduced innovative winemaking techniques to the Vinho Verde Region.

The winery is located in Penafiel municipality. The town with the same name is 41 km to the east Porto and has its own station on the Douro Railway line.

Grapes (Local): Trajadura, Loureiro, Arinto, and Azal (proportions unknown)

• Trajadura is a golden-green grape, commonly combined with Loureiro, Alvarinho, and Arinto. It adds body and alcohol to these wines as well as crisp citrus characters with some stonefruit and apple. It is a vigorous variety that produces compact bunches of grapes (see image below), which must be picked quite early to retain their delicate acidity.

The Atlantic coast is a challenging terroir for growers, particularly in the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula. The climate is cool and wet which can often result in high levels of acidity and low levels of alcohol in the grapes that grow there. Trajadura’s main attraction for growers is its fairly low acidity and high levels of alcohol, which help to provide balance to some of the region’s blended wines. 

• Loureiro is a light-skinned variety grown mainly in the north of Portugal used mainly to make Vinho Verde. The name “Loureiro” means “laurel” and refers to the distinctive odor of the berries. Genetic studies suggest that this is an old grape variety and documentary references can be found dating back to the late 18^th Loureiro wines also have aromas of orange and acacia blossom, have excellent acidity and are low in alcohol.
• Arinto is a white grape variety grown in the hot wine regions surrounding Lisbon and on the central coast of Portugal with high acid content which covers the citrus fruit spectrum, led primarily by lemon and grapefruit.
• Azal (Branco) is a green-skinned wine grape variety found predominantly in the Minho region in northwest Portugal, where it is the second most planted grape after Loureiro. It is a high yielding variety that produces medium-sized compact bunches of big berries. It is high in acidity and the crispness of Vinho Verde is often attributed to it.

Soils: granitic and sandy.

Present in more than 70 countries, Casal Grande is today reportedly the world’s best-selling Vinho Verde. The brand has now diversified its portfolio according to market trends and today has a range of wines, sparklings, sangrias. Its motto is “Discover Happiness, Discover Casal Garcia!”

According to James Suckling (European Bureau Chief of Wine Spectator), this wine is a “very typical vinho verde with the green-wine character of tangy and energetic acidity and lots of citrus.” It has a “light-bodied, elegant style with a citrus, lemon taste. Also described as “young and refreshing” and given 90 points by Suckling in December 2020.

2. 2017  Quinta das Carvalhas – Touriga Nactional – 14% alcohol

100%  Touriga Nacional; 12 months in oak barrels. Described as medium bodied and as: “a classic Portuguese varietal makes this wine both rustic and pronounced. Offering aromas of blackberry, coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla, the palate quickly follows with similar flavors, and the addition of fresh blueberry.”

Touriga Nacional is indigenous to Portugal and grows predominantly in the Douro region where it is used as a primary blending grape in Port wines. While the wine is lovely as a dessert wine, it has repeatedly impressed critics as a dry red wine. It is a full-bodied red wine from Portugal with aging potential like Cabernet Sauvignon. According to one description: “For those who love bold red wines, Touriga Nacional offers profound depth of flavor at an obscenely good value.”

It has also been described as: “a variety of red wine grape, considered by many to be Portugal‘s finest. Despite the low yields from its small grapes, it plays a big part in the blends used for ports, and is increasingly being used for table wine in the Douro and Dão. Touriga Nacional provides structure and body to wine, with high tannins and concentrated flavors of black fruit.” It is a dark-skinned grape variety (see image below) which has firm tannins and great aging potential.

When made into a dry wine, Touriga Nacional is resilient to oak aging and takes it very well, offering up aromas of toasted marshmallow, vanilla, and nutmeg. It’s not uncommon to find Touriga Nacional blended with other grapes (like Touriga Franca and Tempranillo) which can help balance the boldness of the wine with cinnamon spice and red-fruit flavors.

Quinta das Carvalhas is considered one of the most emblematic and spectacular properties in the Douro Valley. Written references to this vineyard can be traced back to 1759. It enjoys a prominent position along 3 kilometers of the left bank of the Douro, facing the village of Pinhão in the Cima-Corgo subregion (see the map of the Douro subpregions in the document bellow), the estate covers the entire hillside facing the river and occupies part of the right bank of the tributary Torto river.

Its old vines are a post-phylloxera plantation, which are more than a century old and represent one of the richest selections of ancient indigenous Douro varieties.

The Quinta dates to the beginning of the 18^th century as property of the influential Castro and Sande family from São João da Pesqueira. In the following years, Carvalhas sees an exchange of proprietorship up until 1881 when it is bought by Miguel de Sousa Guedes. As one of the most important Port Bottlers of his time, Sousa Guedes began a rescue program to replant the vineyards and reinstate the Quinta’s reputation after the phylloxera ravages devastated the estate. In 1953, Manuel da Silva Reis acquired Miguel de Sousa Guedes & Irmão Ltda., becoming the owner of Quinta das Carvalhas, one of the largest estates of the Douro and Real Companhia Velha’s most important property.

Quinta das Carvalhas is characterized by very particular edaphoclimatic conditions. Its vines are located at various altitudes, extending from the riverbank to the top of the slope. The largest vine exposure faces a northern sun exposure, but another part of the vineyard on the other side of the hill faces a southern exposure. Most of the parcels are planted in areas of steep inclination at the top of the hill.

The company’s best Ports are made from the oldest and most noble vines at the Quinta. Its potential for great wine production was highly increased in the 1990s with the traceability of all parcels. Following this process, some areas of the vineyard were intended for production of top-quality Douro wines. The vineyard stands out in the landscape for its characteristics of mountain viticulture, as it is planted in terraces, or modern micro-terraces, at 40% to 70% slopes and varying from 80 to 500 meters in altitude over a total area of 134.5 hectares, of which Touriga Nacional occupies the largest single share, 25.2 ha, or 18.7% of the total.

Soils are characterized for their medium texture, a reasonable number of fine elements (limo), low/medium fertility levels, low levels of organic matter (inferior to 1%) and acidic reaction. Despite these shortages, the soil is ideal for the culture of the vine as it cohabits well under these conditions, producing high quality grapes with great oenological potential.

3.  2017 Meandro  Vale Meão – 14% Alcohol

According to the label, “produced and bottled at Vale Meão, a famous estate contoured by a vast meander of the Douro River from a blend composed of Touriga Nacional (45%), Touriga Franca (33%), Tinta Roriz (15%), Tinta Barroca (5%), and Alicante Bouschet (2%).

Wine Advocate — 92 points – “big flavor and expressive fruit, this also has a fresh feel, reasonable concentration, and a beautiful, long finish. It adds admirable mid-palate finesse too…It looks like a super Meandro, one of the best and a fine bargain.”  Intense, Red Fruit, Black Fruit, Full-bodied.

Wine Enthusiast – 92 points – “the second wine of the great Vale Meão estate in the Douro Superior, this is impressive in itself. A Lifted violet note permeates the rich berry fruit. It is a rich, concentrated wine that should age further.”

Wine Spectator – 90 points – “this wine shows good finesse and density to the boysenberry and ripe currant notes, detailed with savory spice, licorice, and violet accents. Red plum and mocha hints chime in on the velvety finish.”

The Grapes:

• Touriga Nacional – see above
• Touriga Franca (or Touriga Francesa) is an important dark-skinned grape (see image below) variety used in the production of Portand dry red wines from Portugal’s Douro wine region. Even though it is much more widely planted than Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca is the less prestigious of the two grapes. Touriga Franca is more aromatic and lighter bodied than Touriga Nacional, though lacking sufficient intensity and concentration to make it a blockbuster variety as a varietal. Occasionally, Touriga Franca is produced as a fortified Its origins are unclear and its name misleading, for Touriga Franca is not a French grape. It seems most likely that Touriga Franca is either a mutation, or a crossing of Touriga Nacional and an unknown parent, possibly Mourisco Tinto (Marufo). Either way, Touriga Franca’s plentiful yields have made it a favored and integral component of Douro wines.
• Tinta Roriz is the Portuguese name for Tempranillo (see below), together with Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, accounts for the majority of red wine grapes grown in the Douro vineyards, as they are among the four most valued ingredients in Port wines. But the modern face of Portuguese wine is looking away from the fortified winestyle with which the nation has been so strongly associated, so these grapes are being used increasingly in dry, red table wines.
• Tinta Barroca is one of the most common red-wine varieties in the Douro Valleyof northern Portugal. It is used most often to make Port, an application to which it is particularly well suited, as the grapes’ naturally high sugar levels (and correspondingly high potential alcohol) make them extremely useful for fortified wine production. Thanks to its generous yields, Tinta Barroca is extremely popular with growers; it is the third most widely planted variety in the Douro. It holds markedly less sway with winemakers, who prefer the quality of Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), the valley’s most and second-most widely planted varieties.
• Alicante Bouschet is a teinturiergrape variety (see image below) widely planted in Spain, Portugal, and France. It has a long history in the wine world but lost ground in the late 20th Century in favor of more fashionable international varieties. However, it is enjoying a renaissance of sorts, with modern producers making some excellent examples at attractive prices. The variety is a crossing of Petit Bouschet and Grenache, and was first cultivated by viticulturalist Henri Bouschet in 1866. Originally designed as a blending grape to improve the depth of color of such popular 19th Century grapes as Aramon, Alicante Bouschet quickly became popular, not just for its intense coloring but for its generous yields. With its high-yielding, easy-to-grow vines, Alicante Bouschet was used to help rebuild devastated European wine industries following the phylloxera In a blend, Alicante Bouschet contributes soft texture and desirable color. However, its ability to ripen and produce large crops very early in the season can come at the expense of depth and alcoholic strength.

Quinta do Vale Meão was founded in 1877 by the legendary Dona Antònia Adelaide Ferreira and is owned today by her great-great-grandson Francisco “Xito” Olazabal. Vale Meão built its reputation supplying fruit to the famed 250-year-old Port house Ferreira. In 1952, its vineyards were chosen to create a revolutionary wine, which for decades would be the Douro’s only globally recognized table wine.

Vale Meão began a new life in 1998 when Xito realized his dream of making his own wine from his family’s estate. Success came quickly, and in 2011, Portugal’s leading wine publication Revista de Vinhos named Xito Winemaker of the Year. Today Xito is recognized as a leading figure in the Douro table wine revolution, which has captured the attention of the wine world.

Located at Vila Nova de Foz Côa, the estate consists of a sizeable 62 hectares of vines, with three different soil types: slate, granite, and alluvial gravel. These different terroirs are important for the final wine: for example, the Touriga from granite tastes almost like Dão, whereas from schist it is much richer and fuller. The different varieties are planted in blocks, with overall proportions being Touriga Nacional 35%, Tinta Roriz 30%, Touriga Francesa 15%, Tinta Amarela 10%, Tinta Barroca 5% and Tinto Cão 5%.

4. 2015  Quintana de Cue – Ribera del Duero – aged in French oak barrels for 24 months – 14% Alcohol – 100 % Tempranillo

The backbone of some of the best Spanish wines, Tempranillo is a red grape variety grown throughout Spain and Portugal. Tempranillo produces red wines with red fruit and leather aromas, high tannins, moderate to low acidity, and moderate alcohol. In 2020, Tempranillo was the third most-planted grape variety in the world, with the majority of plantings being in the Iberian peninsula.

Tempranillo is a relatively thick-skinned red grape with a high anthocyanin count that makes for deep-colored red wines with moderate tannins. While the variety is often accused of lacking its own idiosyncratic flavor profile, Tempranillo wines can produce a wide range of aromas, ranging from strawberries, blackcurrants, and cherries to prunes, chocolate, leather and tobacco depending on vineyard age and mesoclimate. Moderate to full-bodied, Tempranillo generally shows moderate tannins with moderate to low acidity.

Temperate climates (or those with good diurnal temperature shift) such as Rioja and Ribera del Duero produce long-lived, structured, often elegant wines. In warmer climates, the variety can take on a darker fruit aspect with high alcohol, high tannins, and low acidity. Oak and Tempranillo marry well together. American oak is the traditional choice of winemakers in Rioja, and Tempranillo’s flavor profile integrates well with the vanilla and coconut notes imparted by new American oak barrels. Further west in Ribera del Duero, the fashion is to use higher proportions of French and used-oak barrels to allow Tempranillo’s fruit to shine with a focus on more spiced oak flavors. However, with time, the two styles have been gradually consolidating and the consumer can now find complex wines made with an oak regime combining all these options.

Our wine, according to Total Wine – “aromas of black, ripe fruit with hints of spice offer complexity. Black fruit and ripe tannins linger on the palate with a long finish.” Also described as “red, rich, intense.”

This wine was produced by the Bodega Valdrinal located in Aldehorno in Segovia province, where it has 25 ha of vineyards and, according to the winery “a continental Mediterranean climate characterized by soft and dry summers and cold winters with a huge thermal amplitude during the seasons” and where “rainfall normally takes place at the end of autumn and during winter and spring.” It also states that “our vineyards from Aldehorno…are located in an altitude between 910 and 1050 meters, which make them among the highest vineyards of the A.O. Ribera del Duero,” noting that “this altitude gives our wines a highest acidity produced by the thermal amplitude (difference between the highest and lowest temperature) that is used to be registered. Furthermore, the cluster ripening is slower and more progressive than in lower altitudes.”

It also observes that “we have different kinds of soils. Limestone with gravel surface: it provides a good alcoholic content, low acidity, and an excellent quality to our wines. Clay soil: it has a better nutrient and water retentive capacity. It gives more structure and elegance to our wines because the grapes’ growth cycles are longer and a higher content of polyphenols during the ripening is reached.” Lastly, it affirms that “the origin of the quality of our wines lies in the care given to our vineyards during the whole year. The best grapes are selected by crop thinning (or “premature harvest”) followed by a “fine harvest.” Once this finishes, the elaboration of the wines in made in temperature-controlled vats in which we do pre-fermentation macerations for 4/6 days. The wines are then aged in French oak barrels. The barrel room has 500 barrels that are renovated every three years.

5. Quinta das Carvalhas 10 Yr Tawny Port

Over a hundred varieties of grapes are sanctioned for port production, although only five (Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Francesa, and Touriga Nacional) are widely cultivated and used. Touriga Nacional is widely considered the most desirable port grape but the difficulty in growing it and the small yields cause Touriga Francesa to be the most widely planted grape. All Ports commercially available are from a blend of different grapes.

Tawny ports are wines usually made from red grapes that are aged in wooden barrels exposing them to gradual oxidation and evaporation. As a result of this oxidation, they mellow to a golden-brown color. The exposure to oxygen imparts “nutty” flavors to the wine, which is blended to match the house style.

Wine Spectator- Porto, Douro, Portugal – “”Sports a toasty edge, with hazelnut and singed almond notes, while the core of plum cake and cinnamon holds steady through the finish…”” The winery played an integral role in the growth and history of the Port industry, helping regulate and promote trade. Also described as Medium bodied, semi-sweet with a caramel-toffee taste. “Medium in acidity with grippy, medium-plus tannin.” According to the winery, its Ports are aged in oak barrels. It also produces Ruby Ports and 20, 30, and 40 year Tawny Ports at prices around US$ 50, US$ 100, and US$ 150/bottle, respectively.

A complete presentation on the Douro Valey wine productions characteristics is available here as prepared  by John and Lúcia Redwood    2021 12 06 Douro Valley

Tasting Summary Grades of the wines of this event:

Printer friendly version of the table above:

236 TASTING SUMMARY- DOURO WINES

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Does the punishment fit the crime? 

Programa de Degustaciones de 2022

Criterios generales

1. El Programa de Degustaciones de 2022 se enfoca en regiones específicas de un país para enfatizar los vinos, varietales o estilos más característicos de la región seleccionada. Este proceso permitirá un mejor conocimiento de los vinos de esa región y de sus varietales, estilos y mezclas asociados.
2. Los vinos deberían estar preferentemente disponibles en el área de Washington.
3. Las regiones o DOC consideradas serían distintas a las presentadas en los programas de 2019, 2020 y 2021.
4. La calificación de los vinos debería ser de 90 o más puntos según críticos reconocidos o de un promedio de varias calificaciones.
5. El costo total de un juego de cuatro vinos a degustar debe ser de un máximo de $240 dólares.
6. Los presentadores deberán indicar la fecha de la degustación y la región seleccionada antes de noviembre de 2021.
7. Otras actividades, como las visitas a bodegas o durante las presentaciones de cata, se introducirían en el programa a medida que los miembros las propongan.
8. El Programa de degustaciones de 2022 contempla explorar vinos provenientes de un grupo de países con volumen de producción intermedio y un país con alta diversidad de regiones, varietales, estilos, una larga tradición vitivinícola y cercanía cultural con las Américas.
9. El director técnico estará disponible para ayudar a los socios en el proceso de selección de países regiones y vinos.

ANEXO

Este Anexo contiene la información general para ayudar los socios a escoger los países, regiones y DOC que los socios podrían considerar para la selección de sus vinos.
A. España. Un país de alta producción vinícola (3.248,000 litros/año en 2021), se ha seleccionado para profundizar y ampliar el conocimiento de sus regiones en el programa de degustaciones de 2022. Se prevé que tendríamos seis degustaciones de este país durante 2022
1. Regiones de España (en orden de volumen de producción de vino):

Castilla La Mancha
Valencia
Extremadura,
Castilla y León
Cataluña
La Rioja
Aragon
Andalucia
Galicia
Navarra
Pais Vasco
Mallorca
Canarias
Valle del Duero

2. Principales DOC de España
Actualmente, en España existe un total de 96 Denominaciones de Origen Protegidas variadas. Estas se dividen entre diferentes tipos: 67 Denominaciones de Origen (DO); 2 Denominaciones de Origen Calificadas (DOCa); 19 Vinos de Pago (VP); y 8 Vinos de Calidad (VC).

DOP

Supra autónomas 3
Andalucía 8
Aragón 5
Asturias 1
Canarias 11
Cantabria 2
Castilla la Mancha 20
Castilla y León 13
Cataluña 11
Extremadura 1
Galicia 5
Baleares 2
Madrid 1
Murcia 2
Navarra 4
País Vasco 3
C. Valenciana 7
Total 99

B. Otros países. Adicionalmente se han incluido 8 países con un nivel intermedio de producción (250.000 a 750,000 Litros en 2021) para completar las 6 degustaciones restantes del programa de 2022. Estos países son, en orden de producción anual:

Portugal
Rusia
Rumania
Brasil
Hungria
Nueva Zelanda
Grecia
Austria

1. Principales regiones de Portugal: Vinho Verde, Trás-os-Montes, Douro Valley, Távora-Varosa, Beira Interior, Tejo, Alentejo, Algarve, Setúbal, Madeira, Lisboa, Bairrada, Dão.
2. Principales regiones de Hungría: Sopron, Pannonhalma, Etyek-Buda, Matra, Eger, Tokaj, Nagy-Somló, Badacsony, Balatonfüred-Csopak, Balatonboglár, Villány, Szekszárd.
3. Principales regiones de Grecia: Macedonia, (Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace), Central Greece (Attica Thessaly), Southern Greece (Crete Peloponesse, Kefalonia), Aegean Islands (Samos,Santorini, Limnos) .
4. Principales regiones de Austria: Niederosterreich, (lower Austria), Burgenland, Esteiermark, Wien (Viena.)
5. Principales regiones de Rusia: Krasnodar, Dagestan, Stavropol, Rostov, (Crimea?)
6. Principales Regiones de Rumania: Crisana and Muramures, Transyvania, Moldovan Hills, Banat, Dobrogea, Danube Terraces, Oltenia, Multenia.
7. Principales regiones de Brasil: High Sierra Gaucha, Campanha, Vale dos Vinhedos, São Joaquim Plateau, Campos de Cima da Terra, San Francisco Valley.
8. Principales Regiones de Nueva Zelanda: Malborough, Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Canterbury Waipara, Central Otago, Wairarapa, Aukland, Nelson.

Referencias:
Wikipedia.com, Winesearcher.com, Winefolly.com, Wine.com, Totalwine.com, McArthur Beverages, Calvertwoodley.com
Wine Folly, The Master Guide, Madeline Puckette
Oxford Companion to Wine, Jancis Robinson Fourth Edition
Wine Bible, Karen McNeil 2nd Edition

First Draft of the 2022 Tasting Program of the Club del Vino:

Club del Vino Tasting Program Calendar for 2022 (first draft) 

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Tasting N^o 235 – October 26, 2021 – Wines from Australia

                                              Capri Ristorante, McLean VA

 Tasting Overview

 The objective of this tasting is to expand the knowledge about the wines from Australia, selecting two very different regions in terms of climate and location, which are Southern and Western Australia. This tasting is a small sample of Australia’s excellent wines, the 5th most extensive wine-producing country and wine exporter globally.

South Australia is what California is to the USA: the wine state. From this state, three different reds were selected, two shiraz, and one cabernet, all produced by Davey Family from McLaren Vale. This producer has an excellent reputation for its outstanding wines, which also have the particularity of coming from grape parcels of the same Estate. This in-house production is relatively unusual, compared to the tradition in Australia, of shipping grapes or grape juice long distances from vineyards to corporate cellars.

From Western Australia, a Chardonnay from Margaret River was selected. This wine is a classic example of a variety that has remained, year after year, Australia’s best-selling dry white, produced by one of the most experienced winemakers in this region.

At the end of this post there is a link for a deeper view of the Australian wine production history. Check it out.

Type of tasting: Open

Presenters: Cristian Santelices and Jorge Claro

The wines: 

1. 2019 Snake + Herring Tough Love Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia
2. 2018 Davey Family Estate Grown Shiraz, McLaren Vale
3. 2018 Davey Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale
4. 2016 D Block, Davey Family Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale.

 The menu:

1. Avocado with chicken salad
2. Mushroom soup
3. Fried eggplant with tomato sauce
4. Lamb chop

Participants: Marcello Averbug, Jose Brakarz, Jorge Claro, Ruth Connoly, Clara Estrada, Michelle Fryer, Italo Mirkow, Agilson Perazza, Claudia Perazza, John Redwood, Lucia Redwood, Jorge Requeña, Jairo Sanchez, Cristian Santelices, Ricardo Santiago, and German Zincke.

Information on the Wines

(The information below has been compiled from various internet sources)

2019 Snake + Herring Tough Love Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia

The wine. Critics have scored this wine between 89 to 93 points. Users have rated this wine 4 out of 5 stars. A graceful nose of grapefruit and orange starts off this wine and melds with salt, smoke, toast, and crushed stone. The palate slithers along with a slick textured but crackling with crunchy acidity and a long, oyster shell finish (Christina Pickard Rating 93).

The mid-palate seems sunny and varietal; the finish tends towards tart. Tales of two wines. Pear and stone fruit flavors lead to citrus and steel. It works in a juicy/refreshing way (TOTAL WINE Rating 90). 

The winery.  Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.

Snake (Tony Davis) and Herring (Redmond Sweeney) are a pair of old friends, united by their love of great Aussie wine, and their distaste for the conventional, the over-packaged and lazy in viticultural terms. Their focus is terroir-driven, and their experience has led them to deeply understand which slices of the west coast are most capable of delivering the goods when it comes to character, flavor and aroma. The results, too, speak for themselves: Snake & Herring wines show what can become of well-known grape varietals when left alone to do their thing in different landscapes, and their bottles are rarely anything less than fantastic and fascinating in equal measures.

Described by James Halliday as …”one of the most experienced winemakers in Western Australia”, Tony “Snake” Davis has over 25 years’ wine making experience across the renowned wine regions of Oregon, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Tasmania, South Australia and of course, Western Australia. Redmond “Herring” Sweeny is an accountant by trade and a sports mad wine addict by passion. Staunchly Western Australian and proud of it. Redmond is an experienced marketing professional with years of sales and distribution under his belt. In 2011 these two chaps met, collaborated and Snake and Herring, The Wine Odyssey was created.

Their wines are an expression of the individual sites and styles, and they employ innovative wine making techniques to get the best out of the fruit. Handpicking, whole bunches, small batches, wild fermentation, raw juices, and big barrels all work to build wines with texture and complexity. Nine years on, with a swag of trophies and gold medals to their name, Snake and Herring now have a Cellar Door on Caves Road in the heart of the Margaret River Wine Region.

References:

Snake + Herring Chardonnay 2016 | Good Pair Days

Snake & Herring Tough Love Chardon | Total Wine & More

2014 Snake and Herring ‘Tough Love’ Chardonnay, Margaret River | prices, stores, tasting notes & market data (wine-searcher.com).

The Red wines. All the red wines are from the Davey Family of wines, produced in McLaren Vale in Southern Australia

2018 Davey Family Estate Grown, Shiraz

A curtain of toasty vanilla, cedar & bourbon oak at this nascent stage. The florals and dark fruit accents, anise & spice beyond, however, are dense and pure. This rich red simply needs patience, a vigorous decant or robust food. James Halliday – 94 points

Nicely balanced, earthy notes and very smooth. Sans oak. All around very easy drinking with great mouth feel. Very dark in color but drinks much lighter. Thick, deep inky purple. Great aroma overtone with nice complexity of wet earth and spearmint. Any oak contributions dwell balanced in the background. Not much palate complexity, but balanced and well-made wine. Hard to go wrong with Davey estate shiraz

2018 Davey Family Estate Grown, Cabernet Sauvignon

This Cabernet Sauvignon comes from select parcels of Cabernet grown on both red and black soils of limestone on the Davey Estate Vineyard, matured for 15 months in a combination of new and used French oak.

The winemaking at this address is exemplary, to be sure…currant, black plum, a plume of olive to sage notes dusting gentle tannins. Yet it is the acidity that drives the length. James Halliday 92 Points.

2016 D Block, Davey Family, Reserve Shiraz

The ‘D Bock’ is a small niche of the Davey Estate Vineyard that showcases the best Shiraz and Cabernet from the property, with the wines extensively matured in French and American oak hogsheads.

This Reserve Shiraz is from the most coveted ‘D Block’ plot of the Davey Estate’s vineyards. Cherry Bonbon aromas, bristling with intent. Fireworks across molten black fruit allusions, bitter chocolate, and black olive. Unashamedly bombastic, yet it pulls it off with style, the charred oak tucking in the seams while the show goes on, long and thick.  James Halliday – 94 Points.

Vibrant, deep, purple red. Dark cherry and blackberry primary aromas, with nuances of vanilla pod, milk chocolate and roasted nut. A fine tannin structure defines and shapes the bright compote of summer berry flavors into the long finish. This estate reserve wine is a classic, vibrant, and fruit-forward McLaren Vale Shiraz from the excellent 2016 vintage.

The Davey Estate Vineyard.

As a grape variety is matched to exceptional terroir, over time certain districts or regions are vehemently recognized as benchmarks for their chosen variety or style of wine. One of the ten ‘Great Wine Capitals of the World’ alongside such renowned regions as Bordeaux and Napa Valley, McLaren Vale is best known for its powerful Shiraz and is home to some of Australia’s most iconic estates, including Molly Dooker, Clarendon Hills and d’Arenberg. Yet, McLaren Vale has seen an evolution over the last few decades as producers are taking advantage of the unique Mediterranean-like climate and cultivating other noble varieties like Grenache, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Of these, Cabernet is now the second-most planted variety behind Shiraz and with this focus we’ve seen a surge in the production of ultra-premium styles—the best versions of Cabernet being lush yet refined, with supple tannins and “overtones of savory herbs and cedar against riper fruit at the core” (Wine Spectator).

Best of all, as scores and acclaim have increased, the wines remain moderately priced and unbelievable values compared to their Cabernet-based brethren in Bordeaux and Napa. One producer, the Davey Family, has demonstrated their ability to manage both Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon and is now consistently crafting outstanding, highly rated estate-grown examples of each.

During the 1990s, brothers Kym and John Davy brought their combined experience in winemaking, farming and business to continue and develop their McLaren Vale estate first farmed by their grandfather in 1957. With a goal of producing quality yet affordable wines that express the true character of the region, the estate produced the first wine under its Shingleback label in 1998.

James Halliday, Australia’s leading expert wine writer and critic, calls the estate a “success story since its establishment,” and describes their wines as “rich and full-flavored,” consistently scoring their wines 90+ points. Today the property is sustainably farmed and dominated by vineyards of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon that takes advantage of their proximity to the Gulf St. Vincent, which moderates climatic conditions; warm summer days combined with sea breezes allow the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly.

The 2018 red wines are full bodied and deeply colored, showing intense fruit flavor with big round chewy tannins. Simply an outstanding vintage with the promise to be rated as one of the great years for McLaren Vale. Their true reserve wines, ‘D Block’ Shiraz and Cabernet, are only made in exceptional vintages and released in the United States under the Davey Family label.

Davey Family Vineyard has won “Most Successful Winery” at the McLaren Vale Wine Show five years in a row. It’s John’s attention to the small things—details like individual vines—that produces handcrafted, food-friendly wines. At first sip, you’ll find complexity, balance, and the kind of quality you would expect from much larger premium producers.

References:

Davey Family Shiraz Estate | Total Wine & More

Davey Family Wines McLaren Vale, Australia – Total Wine Concierge

Shingleback_The_Gate_Shiraz_2018.pdf (windows.net)

Davey Family Wines | Visit A Winery (visit-winery.com)

CV Members Rating

The wine tasting ranking order ranges from Acceptable to Excellent wines and was judged by 8 participants before disclosing wines price.

White and red wines were rated individually by 15 participants whose combined results established the preference order during the tasting as follows:

1^st            2016 Block Davey Family, Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale: Excellent ($50)

2^nd       2019 Snake+Herring, Tough Love, Chardonnay Margaret River, Western Australia Very good ($25)

3^rd            2018 Davey Family State Grown, Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale: Very good ($23)

4^th.           2018 Davey Family Estate Grown, Shiraz, McLaren Vale: Acceptable ($20)

Best Wine: 2016 Block Davey Family, Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale

Best Buy: 2018 Davey Family State Grown, Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale

Technical Notes

Information compiled and edited by Jorge Claro and Cristian Santelices, from various sources such as vineyards.com, wine searcher, wineaustralia.com and winepaths.com.

 In Australia, wine is produced in every State, with more than 60 designated wine regions totaling approximately 160,000 hectares. The main vineyards of Australia are in six different wine regions: New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, and a smaller area in Queensland. Australia is the 5th most extensive wine-producing country, with around 1,400 million liters of wine produced, although the country’s consumption represents less than 40% of the production, making Australia the 5th largest wine exporter, with 711 tons of wine. Australia produces over 160 grape varieties distributed on 146,244 hectares across all six states.

The first vines arrived in Australia at the end of the eighteenth Century on board the vessels of the First Fleet of Governor Phillip going to New South Wales. Today the main grape varieties cultivated in Australian wine regions are Shiraz (Syrah), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Riesling, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Sangiovese, Mourvèdre, and Pinot Grigio.

Australia’s wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler parts of the country. The wine regions in each State produce different wine varieties and styles that take advantage of their particular Terroir, such as climatic differences, topography, and soil types. Wines are often labeled with the name of their grape variety, which must constitute at least 85% of the wine.

One of the most notable aspects of Australian wines is consistency. Every bottle reaches a certain minimum, perfectly acceptable level of quality; it comes from the heavily irrigated vineyards in the country’s interior. Almost two-thirds of every year’s grape harvest is grown on one of the three extensive irrigated areas where canalized rivers turn bush into orchard and vineyard. These areas in decreasing importance are Murray Darling (or Valley), which straddles the Victoria-New South Wales border; Riverland and Swan Hills; and Riverina (Murrumbidgee).

The Australian wine industry is crucially dependent on the Murray River. The crescent pollution of the river and the high salt level in Australia’s underground water, that little good-quality irrigation water is the principal constraint to converting one of the driest countries on the earth into one big vineyard.

Australians believe in economies of scale. Despite the feverish planting of vines at the end of the 20^th century, there is a shortage of wineries. This approach aligns with the tradition of shipping grapes or grape juice long distance from vineyards to corporate cellars. The produce of distant vineyards is often blended into a single wine. Nevertheless, the Australian wine map has been changing fast, devising its appellation system, Geographical Indications, called GIs.

The wine regions are primarily located on the southern coast of Australia, which offers lower temperatures and rainfall. Still, Queensland has been developing its wine industry, centered on the cooler western slopes. Much of Southeastern Australia has a Mediterranean climate, which wine grapes enjoy. Melbourne is on the same latitude as Cordoba, Spain. Strong wines full of sugar but lacking acidity are the ones typically from Australia. Australia’s most planted variety is Shiraz and is recognized as what Australia does best in terms of red wine.

Read the Note prepared for this tasting by Jorge and Cristian with plenty more information on Australia’s wine production stats and its wine regions.

Wines from Australia    by Jorge Claro and Cristian Santelices