Viña Lanciano Reserva 2005

SWIC Score: 89 (JMG)

Tasting notes: Plums, vanilla, smooth, pleasant.

Available: QC (SAQ 865451 - $ 30.75)

Winery: Bodegas Lan

Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja

Varieties: 80% Tempranillo, 20% Mazuelo.

Ageing: 24 months in American and French oak barrels.

Alcohol level: 13.5% alc./vol.

This Viña Lanciano Reserva is one of the single-estate wines made by the Rioja producer Bodegas Lan. It is made with a selection of the best clusters of Tempranillo and Mazuelo grown in the estate precisely known as Viña Lanciano. This vineyard was planted more than 30 years ago, almost at the beginning of Bodegas Lan, which this year celebrates its 40^th anniversary. Its accurate process starts with the manual harvest, follows with the fermentation in small inox tanks before a long ageing in oak barrels, to finish with a not less lasting maturing in bottle.

Vintage tasted: 2005 (September 2012)

Gran Coronas 2008

SWIC Score: 90 (IFS)

Tasting notes: Plums, blackcurrants, liquorice, vanilla, powerful, elegant.

Available:

ON (VINTAGES 36483 - $ 18.95)

QC (SAQ 36483 - $ 20.05)

BC (BCLS 36483 - $ 19.99)

Winery: Miguel Torres

Region: D.O. Penedès (Catalunya)

Varieties: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Tempranillo.

Ageing: 12 months in French oak barrels.

Alcohol level: 14% alc./vol.

Gran Coronas is one of the most classic wines made by Bodegas Torres. It comes from some of the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in the Penedès region more than 40 years ago, thanks to the innovative ideas of Miguel A. Torres. After an accurate vinification in the huge modern winery settled in Pacs del Penedès, the wine ages for 12 months in French oak barrels and matures for a long period in the bottle before being distributed all around the world as a Reserva. It matches perfectly with meat dishes and will be enjoyable until 2016-2018.

Vintage tasted: 2008 (September 2012)

Sentius 2006

SWIC Score: 88 (IFS)

Tasting notes: Blackberries, pepper, mineral, powerful.

Available:

ON (VINTAGES 35477 - $ 28.95)

QC (SAQ 11413644 - $ 30.00) vintage 2007

Winery: Celler Joan Simó

Region: D.O.Q. Priorat (Catalunya)

Varieties: 55% Garnatxa, 22% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot.

Ageing: 15 months in French oak barrels.

Alcohol level: 15% alc./vol.

Gerard Batllevell Simó started up the project of Celler Joan Simó on 1999, using the name of his grandfather and taking advantage of the amazing historical vineyards of his family. Actually, this wine has its origin in La Garranxa estate, at an altitude of about 700 m (the highest in Priorat). The cellar is located in the family house, an ancient building (19^th century) in Porrera town, one of the main villages of the D.O.Q. territory. With Sentius, Batllevell pretends reflecting the terroir, giving it a fruity character resulting from altitude and location.

Vintage tasted: 2006 (September 2012)

Our first wine tasting session in Toronto

Spanish Wines in Canada organized its first wine tasting session in Toronto. It took place on September 18^th in the Casal dels Països Catalans de Toronto, the Torontonian “meeting point for the Catalan-speaking people of Toronto and Ontario and the sympathizers with the culture of the Catalan Countries” (as can be read on its website). The team of Spanish Wines in Canada designed an affordable wine-trip through the Catalan wines available at LCBO stores. About 25 people took part in it and enjoyed the wine selection proposed and, at the same time, learned some basic subjects about the wine world in Catalunya: wine regions, varieties, main kind of wines... All of it under a pleasant and fun atmosphere.

The tasting began with the sparkling rosé D.O. Cava Perles Roses Cuvée Antonia 2009. A Brut Reserva made with Pinot Noir grapes in the Naveran’s winery of Torrelavit, in the heart of Penedès region (Barcelona). The participants discovered how suitable a Cava is as a drink before dinner, even better than the dessert companion which often it becomes.

Next step was devoted to the whites. Although Catalunya is a land with a solid tradition as a white wine producer, it is quite difficult to find white Catalans at LCBO stores. Traditional grapes such as Garnatxa Blanca, Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Pansa Blanca, Picapoll, Parellada or Malvasia haven’t any decent representation in Ontario. After lots of search, we only could find two Catalan white wines, both from D.O. Catalunya and made in Penedès region: René Barbier Mediterranean White and the last bottles of Torres Viña Esmeralda 2010. While the first one was recognized for its reduced price, the second one was generally acclaimed and almost everybody said that they are going to be waiting for the next release of Viña Esmeralda 2011, expected for the beginning of next year.

As far as red wines, Catalunya has a much bigger presence in Ontario. Four wines were selected among the whole offer. First, Pinyolet Garnacha 2010, a young 100% Garnacha made by CVA (Compañía de Vinos del Atlántico) at D.O. Montsant (Tarragona). Then, Torres Infinite 2010, a wine created by Torres at D.O. Catalunya just for the Ontario market and the Canadian palate: it is a Tempranillo-based blend with 6 months in oak barrels and shows a heavy fruity character. The third one was Torres Gran Coronas 2008, a big D.O. Penedès Reserva wine with a very reasonable price made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo which was praised by everybody as an elegant full-bodied red. The last one was, of course a D.O.Q. Priorat (Tarragona), the most renowned wine region in Catalunya. Selected among the most inexpensive Priorat wines available at LCBO, Sentius 2006 by Celler Joan Simó expresses the character of those wines made in the village of Porrera. It was a powerful ending for the reds chapter.

Lastly, Spanish Wines in Canada recommended a sweet wine, the recently released Floralis Moscatel Oro. It is made by Bodegas Torres in the Penedès region following the traditional method for the natural sweet wines. A typical choice to match with some Catalan desserts and traditional celebrations.

Peique 2011

SWIC Score: 89 (JMG)

Tasting notes: Blackberries, thyme, lactic, sharp, creamy, fresh.

Available: ON (VINTAGES 219204 - $ 14.95) vintage 2010

 

Winery: Bodegas Peique

Region: D.O. Bierzo (Castilla y León)

Varieties: 100% Mencía

Alcohol level: 14% alc./vol.

The brothers Luis and Jorge Peique and their sister Mar ran Bodegas Peique on 2001. That year, the winery building was finished and the long tradition of Peique family as vine growers changed into a present and a future as wine producers. According to their Bierzo origin, the indigenous Mencía is the very main grape (if not the only one) in their wines. This Peique 2011 is vinified as a young wine, expressing the varietal features of Mencía and the personality of the terroir of Valtuille de Abajo.

Vintage tasted: 2011 (September 2012)