Sunday, October 25, 2015

Report from: Salud Spain - October 1, 2015

Lookie here, the LCBO put on a gorgeous tasting at the Leon's ROundhouse in downtown Toronto - and when I say "gorgeous" I mean the wines ... Spanish wines have long been a weakness of mine and when confronted with so many it's hard to pick just one, so below I have 29 good to great Spanish selections (just a warning though, most of the wines are red):

Descendientes de J. Palacios 2012 Villa de Corullon
($59.00 - #154435)
Made from the 60-90 year old Mencia grapes grown at 600-900 meters above sea level;
this is a 8 hectare plot, single vineyard wine

mineral / stony with great acidity full of black fruit and chocolate
****+
Descendientes de J. Palacios 2013 Petalos
($25.00 - #675207)
Made from the 30-35 year old Mencia grapes grown at 200-250 meters above sea level
fresh and fruity with mineral and some cherry / acidity on the finish
*** 1/2+

Dominio de Tares 2009 Bembibre
($47.00 - #433680)
creamy black fruit, smoky and toasty with a burnt toast-coffee finish
*** 1/2+
Bodegas Alto Moncayo 2012 Garnacha
($49.00 - #396358)
blackberry, black cherry, chocolate all with a spicy finish
****
Bodegas Alto Moncayo 2012 Veraton
($32.95 - #173211)
incredibly juicy with lots of cherry, both red and black
*** 1/2+
Corona de Aragon 2012 Anayon Garnacha
($30.95 - #424424)
mocha, black cherry and pepper; a real full and robust wine
****
Corona de Aragon 2012 Anayon Carinena
($32.00 - #432047)
aromas are heavy on the red berries
while the palate is cherry, chocolate, cassis and blackberry
*** 1/2+
Emilio Lustau Solera Reserva Moscatel Sherry
($36.00 - #433052)
a rarity to see Moscatel made into a stand alone sherry
excellent floral notes with good acidity and balancing sweetness
refreshes instead of overly sweet, pleasant spice to the finish
****
Bodegas Alceno 2012 Seleccion Crianza
($21.00 - #433334)
75% Monastrell with Tempranillo and Syrah aged 8 months in oak
easy drinking with red fruit and depth of cocoa and white pepper
****
Bodegas Alceno 2010 Monastrell Dulce
($32.00/375ml - #433334)
a sweet yet pretty dessert wine with violet, cherry, sweet blackberry
and spice - wild fermented to 16%
*** 1/2+
Dominio Dostares 2012 Estay Prieto Picudo
($17.00 - #393140)
made from the Prieto Picudo (dark and pointed) because of the cone shape of the bunch
there are only 300 hectares of this grape planted in the area

lots of dark fruit, spice, cocoa and tannins after only 6 months in oak
*** 1/2+
Dominio de Punctum 2014 Viento Aliseo Viognier
($15.95 - #424713)
fresh and fruity with peach, pineapple and a lemon pith finish
*** 1/2
Dominio de Punctum 2012 Viento Aliseo Graciano/Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.00 - #432021)
a 50/50 blend of the grapes:
sandlewood, cassis and black cherry, very silky
****
Bodegas Toro Albala 1986 Don PX Gran Reserva
($53.00 - #434068)
thick and raisiny with good mid-palate acidity
bottled in 2014
****

Bodegas Toro Albala 1962 Don PX Reserva Especial
($205.00 - #424085)
thick, hedonistic and unctuous; gorgeous bottle of sweet almond, hazelnut,
dates, figs, raisins, yet such great acidity for balance and length of finish
Outstanding: **** 1/2+
Chivite 2011 Finca de Villatuerta Syrah
($25.00 - #432005)
single vineyard Syrah that's smooth and silky with black fruit,
nice acidity and gentle spice
****+
Torres 2010 Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon
($59.00 - #129676)
nice mocha/chocolate, herbal, cassis, blackberry with smoky and spice finish
****+

Torres 2012 Salmos
($31.00 - #60772)
a blend of Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
red fruit, nicely spiced, silky smooth and a juicy finish
****
Bodegas Valdemar 2012 Fincas Valdemar Crianza
($27.00 - #432781)
a Tempranillo based wine aged 12 months in oak
chocolate and white pepper with the delicacy of black cherry, blackberry,
and a short mocha finish with a hint of vanilla - still quite smooth
*** 1/2
Baron de Ley 2007 7 Vinas Reserva
($46.00 - #91983)
cocoa/mocha with red and black cherry, white pepper and an herbed finish
****

Bodegas Palacios Remondo 2012 La Montesa Crianza
($21.95 - #674572)
fruity, earthy and spicy with an herbal finish
*** 1/2+
Bodegas Valdemar 2005 Inspiracion Valdemar Graciano
($34.95 - #423525)
smoky-meaty, dried blackberry and mocha
****

Gonzlez Byass 2011 Beronia III AC
($80.00 - #433326)
coffee/latte, wood smoke, vanilla, blueberry and spice; long oaky finish
*** 1/2+
Luis Canas 2007 Hiru 3 Racimos
($157.00 - #434746)
juicy blackberry, cassis, mocha, cherry, spice; big, thick, juicy and spicy -
there's also a long licorice-smoky finish
****+
Principe de Viana 2011 Rioja Vega 9 Barricas
($37.95 - #433706)
licorice, smoke, cassis, choke cherry and pepper with big tannins but so elegant.
****+

Bodegas Coral Duero 2006 Rompesedas
($19.95 - #425868)
100% new oak: 60/40 French/American split for 18 months
mouth-filling with spice, tannins and acidity - a real food wine:
dark fruit lingers in the background waiting to pounce
****
Vintae 2012 Matsu el Recio
($19.95 - #424408)
90 year old vines aged 14 months in oak
the fruit is subtle with spice alongside, the balance is lovely
****
Muga 2011 Reserva
($23.95 - #177345)
blackberry, herbal/smoky and pencil shavings
*** 1/2+

Compania de Vinos del Atlantico 2012 Gordo Tinto
($18.00 - #432435)
Monastrell and Cabernet Sauvignon blend (70/30)
raspberry, strawberries and licorice with a nice long berry finish; very pretty