Saucy Summer Spaniards

Saucy Summer Spaniards? Seriously? Isn't that a bit of a very bold one! Not sure the following content will be able to hold up with so much an attention-grabbing headline!? But one thing is for sure! No insignificant  endless blather about the following potations … well, at least I hope so! Let's not be so complicated and knowledge-drop'istic as usual and stick to the essentials and just get the hell started: 

Happening Now Tasting 29: Señorío de Astobiza Astobiza Txakoli 2014, Txakoli de Álava

Wouldn't have thought to be such a resolute dry season'ist! It's been about a fortnight since last drop of wine. Can you believe that?! Well, I can't, ... anyway ... I guess temperatures well in the very upper thirties might have helped a bit with my uncanny determination. But I digress ... as always… today, I'd like to contiune with my exploration of hyper-autochthonous varietals. This time I am going for some rare stuff from Spain. Well, concerning this wine some might disagree, but that is another story! (At least) Today, Hondarribi Zuri and the Basque country are still in the very North of Spain. Hondarribi Zuri – I am rather glad not to have a videoblog cause I have no idea how to pronounce that – is actually The white grape variety of the Spanish Basque Country. It is cultivated on slightly more than 100 ha in the tiny Basque DO's of Txakoli de Álava, Getariako Txakolina and Bizkaiko Txakolin. My Hondarribi Zuri from 2014 comes from Txakoli de Álava. It was produced by the still relativly new, however already very well renowned Señorío de Astobiza winery in the town of Okondo, in the Jandiola area. Enough dryness for today! Still pretty hot and lazy out- and inside! Let's have the first sip ...

Happening Now Tasting 19: Bodegas Insulares Tenerife Viña Norte Blanco 2012, Tacoronte-Acentejo

And another premiere on my lil' blog! Wine from the Canary Islands. More precise from Tenerife. This one isn't my first wine from Tenerife. This very basic entry level white one has been produced from grapes of the classical Fino and Manzanilla varietal Palomino – or be a bit more precise – again, Listan Blanco which is the common name for Palomino on the Canary Islands. These Palomino grapes were cultivated on predominately volcanicsoils of D.O.P. Tacoronte-Acentejo northern solpes. I guess, I haven't had too many dry Palomino wines in my life. So probably another premiere! Not sure about that, though!? Let's keep it concise and crisp (hopefully)... and have a good long slurp!

Into the Blue: Txakoli Ulacia Izaro 2011, Getariako Txakolina

Today I got a very crisp and fruitful Basque whitey for a change. Its origin is the young and approx. 147 hectares small Getariako Txakolina D.O. a bit east of San Sebastian. The Izaro is a 100%   Hondarribi Zuri based wine. An autochthonous Basque varietal which is well know for being the white brother of Hondarribi Beltza. Another auto' varietal which is considered to be highly related to Cabernet Franc. Who was there first? Dunno! Zuri however seems to be a pedigree Basque varietal (apparently close relations to the wild varietal Makatza).

Again, Again, ... : Coto de Gomariz Ribeiro Gomariz X 2009, Ribeiro

And again back to the North-West of Spain. I guess, my fascination with the whites from Galicia & Co. is getting a bit bugging! Well, whatever … as long as it is good wine ;-).

This time, for the first time on this Blog, it is Albariño Time. Probably the most impressive and prestigious white grape varietal of Iberia. This one was produced by Coto de Gomariz from the Ribeiro region. The “winemaker” Caco Careiro is one of the restorers or pioneers (depending on how one looks at the history of wine in Galicia) of Galician quality wine. What else to know? 100% Albariño – sloppy schist, granite and sand soils – influenced by not so rainy Atlantic climate – mostly bio-dynamic production.

Freshness Again and Again and ..: Bodegas y Viñedos Gancedo Capricho Val de Paxariñas Blanco 2011, Bierzo

I guess I get a little bit obsessed with those fresh whites from the rainy North-West of Spain. This time I indulged myself with a Godello (with 15% Dona Blanca) from Bierzo. Godello is one the prominent white varietals of the North-West of Spain and the North of Portugal. Since the late 1990s it came once again into fashion and enlarged its cultivated plantation substantially. The producer of today’s wine was Bodegas y Viñedos Gancedo. A relatively young winery (est. 1999/2000) with autochthonous varietals ((e.g. Mencia, Godello etc.) in cultivation only (e.g. Mencia, Godello etc.). By the way: the elevation of the vineyards is up to 1000 meters (in general between 500 and 650 meters), the aging took place in stainless and the vines were approx. 20 (Godello) to 60 (Dona Blanca) years old.

White Floral Douro Spice: Quinta Nova Pomares Douro Branco 2010, Douro

After my last endless blather I’ll cut it short. At least this time! Phew, what a relief! Well, today’s wine is the Pomares Branco from Quinta Nova. It is a white blend composed of the autochtonous varietals Viosinho (well known for light, floral and acidic wines), Gouveio (probably identical to Verdelho Branco, well known for its hearty and stronger in alcohol character + some stronger botrytis tendencies) and Rabigato (other name: Rabo de Gato, or kitten tail, is well known for its muscat’y character and slight tendency to produce wines with high alcohol volume).

More Freshness From Galicia: Bodega Tapias-Mariñán Pazo de Mariñán 2010, Monterrei

Once again straight to the very west of Spain! This time to the relatively unknown, rather new (since 1994) and pretty small DO Monterrei in Galicia on the northern border to Portugal. The wine is a white blend made of the autochthonous varietals Godello (70%), Treixadura (20%) and Albarino (10%). The actual Boutique-Bodega was established by the Blanco Núnez brothers a couple of years ago and produces altogether just 4 wines. All made from autochthonous varietals. Before this venture they gained quite a lot of wine experience in Catalonia.

Aged, but Crisp Verdejo from the West: Bodegas Vidal Soblechero Pagos de Villavendimia Finca El Alto 2006, Rueda

This time I got a wine for you made by one of my favourite varietals: Verdejo. The Pagos de Villavendimia Finca El Alto 2006 is a highly limited (apparently just 548 bottles. Wow!) in French oak barrels aged (14 months) Verdejo produced by Bodegas Vidal Soblechero in La Seca/Rueda. The approx. 80 year old vines were cultivated on the chalky and loamy soils of Finca El Alto.