Pricum Valdemuz, red wine

Appellation of Origin. Tierra de León, Castilla y León                                    

Producer: Bodegas Margón; http://www.bodegasmargon.com/                                       Vintage 2012
Variety: 100% Prieto Picudo
Vinification: Wine coming from centuries-old vineyards. Manual harvest in boxes of 20 kilos. Fermented in a wooden vat, and aged eighteen months in French oak barrels. 

Serving Temperature:14º-15ºC.                                                                                              

Alcohol:13, 5 º C.

Tasting: Valdemuz has an intense purple color with purple borders that announce its youth despite its 18 months of aging. First of all it is a very elegant wine. Complex, with fruity aromas of red plum, blackberry, compote, and slight coffee memories thanks to its months of aging. Mineral notes also appear. The palate is very fresh, with lots of fruit, with an excellent balance of acidity. Wine structured with tamed tannins, which provide a pleasant final bitterness that reminds us of licorice. In the end it is a balanced and persistent wine in the mouth with a retronasal that invites us to drink more. € 28

Pairing: A wine suitable for succulent dishes. Ideal for stews, stews, meats, both white and red, game, blue fish, octopus, fish stew, legumes. In our case it was paired with beans with partridge, and cod “ajo arriero” style; a perfect combination.

Pricum Valdemuz

D.O. Tierra de León, Castilla y León
Productor: Bodegas Margón; http://www.bodegasmargon.com/                
Añada 2012
Variedad: 100% Prieto Picudo
Elaboración: Procedente de viñas centenarias. Vendimia manual en cajas de 20 kilos. Fermentado en tina de madera, y crianza de dieciocho meses en barrica de roble francés.
Temperatura de servicio: 14º-15º C.                                                                                           
Graduación: 13, 5 º C.

Cata: Vino de  un color púrpura intenso con ribetes  morados que anuncian su juventud a pesar de sus 18 meses de crianza. Ante todo es un vino muy elegante. Complejo, con aromas frutales a ciruela roja, mora, compota, y leves recuerdos a café gracias a sus meses de crianza. Aparecen también notas minerales. En boca es muy fresco, con mucha fruta, con un excelente balance de la acidez. Vino estructurado con taninos domados, que le aportan un agradable amargor final que nos recuerda al regaliz. Al final resulta un vino equilibrado y persistente en boca con una retronasal que nos invita a beber más. 28 €.

Maridaje: Un vino apto para  platos suculentos. Ideal para estofados, guisos, carnes, tanto blancas como rojas, caza, pescados azules, pulpo, calderetas de pescado, legumbres. En nuestro caso fue maridado con alubias con perdiz, y bacalao al ajo arriero; una combinación perfecta.

Margón Wineries

For the ocassion we travel to Bodegas Margón in the Spanish appellation of Tierra de León, where Laura Courel, responsible for sales of the winery, receives us. Located in Pajares de los Oteros, in the province of León, the history of the winery goes back  in 2007, almost to that of the Appellation of Origin. It is the project of two entrepreneurs, Eugenio González and Alfredo Martínez, who moved by their passion for wine, they acquire some of the oldest vineyards in the region, and involve in the process one of the best winemakers of the moment, Raúl Pérez as manager and enologist, the result, the Pricum brand.

The personal touch of Raúl Pérez is present in the project since its inception, it is noticeable at all times, especially that Burgundian mark, introducing the concept of "terroir" that characterizes him in all his wines. From the acquisition of old vineyard, with many of its centenary vines, creeping vineyards, without trellises, to the manual harvest selecting the grape at the right time. The way to make the wine includes use of the cold chamber to receive the bunches, located on an upper floor to facilitate the fall by gravity. Steel deposits are avoided to focus on large conical-shaped wooden tubs for fermentation. The aging takes place in French oak barrels.

                         

Bodegas Margón

Viajamos a Bodegas Margón en la D.O. Tierra de León, donde nos recibe Laura Courel, responsable de ventas de la bodega. Ubicada en Pajares de los Oteros, en la provincia de León, la historia de la bodega se remonta casi a la de la propia Denominación de Origen, en 2007. Es el proyecto de dos emprendedores, Eugenio González y Alfredo Martínez, que movidos por su pasión por el vino, adquieren algunos de los viñedos más viejos de la comarca, e involucran en el proceso a uno de los mejores enólogos del momento, Raúl Pérez, el resultado, la marca Pricum.

La mano de Raúl Pérez, presente en el proyecto desde sus inicios, se nota en todo momento, especialmente esa impronta borgoñona, introduciendo el concepto de “terroir” que le caracteriza en todos sus vinos. Desde la adquisición de viñedo viejo, con muchas de sus cepas centenarias, viñas rastreras,  sin espalderas, vendimia manual seleccionando la uva en el momento adecuado. La manera de elaborar el vino incluye uso de  la cámara de frio para recibir a los racimos, ubicado en una planta superior para facilitar la caída por gravedad. Se evitan los depósitos de acero para centrarse en grandes tinas de madera troncocónicas para la fermentación. El envejecimiento tiene lugar en barricas de roble francés.

              

New label to remember the origins of Godeval in the 2017 vintage

This week the new vintage of Godeval is being distributed in the market, which also comes with a change of image of the flagship brand of the Valdeorresa winery.The vintage 2017 has been the time to give a change of image to the bottle leaving behind the golden and crooked label to replace it with a more enveloping and white. The drawing of the label is a pen of the old winery, where they made their first wines in the mid-80s and until 2009. At that time they changed to the new winery that remains "a viewpoint to the valley and the place where we started "as related by her manager, Araceli Fernández. For this reason, the new image is a new homage to the origins of the wines made with the godello variety and which "identifies us all over the world".

Nueva etiqueta para recordar los orígenes de Godeval en la añada 2017

Esta semana se está distribuyendo en el mercado la nueva añada de Godeval que además viene con cambio de imagen de la marca insignia de la bodega valdeorresa.

La añada 2017 ha sido el momento de dar un cambio de cara a la botella dejando atrás la etiqueta dorada y torcida para sustituirla por una más envolvente y blanca. El dibujo de la etiqueta es una plumilla de la antigua bodega, en la que se elaboraron sus primeros vinos a mediados de los años 80 y hasta el 2009. En ese momentocambiaron a la nueva bodega que sigue siendo “un mirador al valle y al lugar donde empezamos” tal y como relata su gerente, Araceli Fernández. Por ello la nueva

imagen es un nuevo homenaje a los orígenes de los vinos que elaboran con la variedad godello y que “nos identifica en todo el mundo”.

Dão by Alvaro Castro

D.O.C. Dão

Producer: Álvaro Castro; http://www.quintadapellada.com
Variety: Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz,
Vinification: Ecological cultivation. Twelve months of aging in French oak barrels of two wines. 
Vintage: 2014
Serving Temperature: 14-16 º C.
Alcohol: 13º C.

Tasting:  Red wine with a lovely red cherry color of half layer, with purple nuances. Of marked Atlantic character, this wine is very aromatic on the nose, with notes that remind us of ripe black fruit, and also scent from the forest. In the mouth it is a very fresh wine, with tamed tannins and a very integrated acidity; it reveals of blackberry, plum jam, and a spicy finish with touches of black pepper. It is a very lively wine, with a long and elegant finish. € 11.

Pairing: A very fresh red wine that due to its Atlantic character is open to many possibilities of pairing. Whether accompanying variegated salads, fish, octopus, white meats, pasta or fresh cheeses. It is an ideal wine to accompany a multitude of dishes, and that goes well even alone, just for the pleasure of drinking.

Dão-Álvaro Castro

D.O.C. Dão

Productor: Álvaro Castro; http://www.quintadapellada.com
Variedad: Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz,
Elaboración: Ecológica. 12 meses de crianza en barrica de roble Allier de 2 vinos. 
Añada: 2014
Temperatura de servicio: 14-16º C.
Graduación: 13º C.

Cata: Vino tinto de precioso color rojo picota de media capa, con ribetes purpuras. De marcado carácter atlántico, en nariz es muy aromático, con notas que nos recuerdan a fruta negra  madura, y a los aromas de bosque atlántico. En boca es un vino muy fresco, con unos taninos domados y una acidez muy integrada, revela notas de mora, mermelada de ciruela, y un final especiado con toques a pimienta negra. Es un vino muy vivo, de final largo y elegante. 11 €.

Maridaje: Un vino tinto muy fresco que por su carácter atlántico se muestra abierto a muchas posibilidades de maridaje. Ya sea acompañando ensaladas variopintas, pescados, pulpo, carnes blancas, pastas o quesos frescos. Es un vino ideal para acompañar multitud de platos, y que entra bien incluso solo, por el placer de beber.  

Gabaxo, by Olivier Rivière

Origen Apellation. D.O. CA Rioja
Producer: Olivier Rivière, Vinos.
Variety: 60% tempranillo, 40% garnacha
Vinification: Ecological cultivation. Manual harvest. Nine months of aging in French oak barrels.
Alcohol: 14º C.

Tasting: Red wine of cherry red color very covered, with steely edges. Very fruity, full on the nose, with aromas of ripe red fruits, while floral, and also their memories of wood. The palate is a tasty and fresh wine, easy to drink, which is vigorous, with mineral and aniseed notes. Tannins well assembled with a nuanced acidity, which leaves a very pleasant end. 

15 €.

Pairing: A wine that due to the structure and freshness it offers, deserves a wide range of different dishes, whether seasoned pasta, white meats, stews, blue fish or fresh cheeses.

Gabaxo

D.O. CA Rioja
Productor: Olivier Rivière Vinos.
Variedad: 60% tempranillo, 40% garnacha
Elaboración: Cultivo ecológico. Vendimia manual.  Nueve meses de crianza en barrica de roble francés.                                                                                                Añada: 2014
Temperatura de servicio: 14-17 º C.                                                                            Graduación: 14º C.




Cata: Vino tinto de color rojo picota muy cubierto, con ribetes acerados. Muy afrutado, en nariz se muestra pletórico, con aromas a frutas rojas maduras, a la vez que floral, y también se perciben sus recuerdos a madera. En boca es un vino sabroso y fresco,  fácil de beber, que se muestra vigoroso, con notas minerales y anisadas. Taninos bien ensamblados junto a una matizada acidez, que deja un final muy agradable. 15 €.

Maridaje: Un vino que por la estructura y el frescor que  ofrece se hace merecedor de un amplio abanico de diferentes platos, ya sea con pasta condimentada, carnes blancas, estofados, pescados azules o quesos frescos.

Food pairing:The Flower and the Bee, ...and rice with cockles

Origen Apellation Ribeiro (Ourense, Galicia). Spain                                                            Producer: Coto de Gomariz. http://losvinosdemiguel.com/coto-de-gomariz/
Year 2015
Variety: 100% Treixadura.
Winemaking: Selection in ­field. Hand Harvest into 18 kg plastic-crates. Sorting table is used. De-stemming, crushing and smooth pressing is made. Totally free of Toxic products. Fukuoka and R. Steinner Theories applied on viticulture works.                         
Temperature: Between 8º-9º C.                                                                                                Alcohol Content: 13,5º C.

White wine of lemon yellow color. The nose is very aromatic with aromas reminiscent of citrus fruits (orange and lemon). On the palate it is very fresh, mineral, with hints of pear and citrus fruits, and a mild acidity that accompanies this wine from the beginning to the end.

Food pairing: The Flower and the Bee is a wine that pairs very well with fish and seafood (sardines, turbot, cod, clams, cockles). Also suitable for white meats and lightly cured cheeses. In this case we have paired it with a sea dish: Rice with cockles and mussels.

The cockle is a very tasty mollusk, with a high content of iron, and that both steamed, grilled, or rice is delicious if you catch the point of cooking. This implies that it must be almost raw, so it will be juicy. After adding the vegetable base and the rice to the cooking, we will leave the cockles to add in the end, and if you want, you can add some mussels to complete the mixture. The secret is to use broth from the seafood itself to cook, and even add a little wine to the pot.

Apart from being one of my favorite rices, it is very nutritious and healthy.

P.S. It is recommended to use fresh or frozen cockle, in no case canned. The mussel can be fresh or previously cooked in seawater.

A dish to taste and to enjoy at any time of the year.

Maridajes: The Flower and the Bee, ...y arroz con berberechos

D.O. Ribeiro (Ourense, Galicia).  España
Productor: Bodega Coto de Gomariz. http://losvinosdemiguel.com/coto-de-gomariz/ 
Añada 2015
Variedad: 100% Treixadura.
Elaboración: Selección de uva en finca. Vendimia manual en cajas de 18 Kg. y mesa de selección. Prensado y selección de mosto yema. Se siguen las teorías de Fukuoka y R. Steinner en la viticultura. Libre total de Tóxicos químicos.
Temperatura de servicio: Entre 8º-9º C.   
Graduación: 13,5º        

Vino blanco de color amarillo limón. En nariz es muy aromático con aromas que recuerdan a cítricos (naranja y limón). En boca es muy fresco, mineral, con recuerdos a pera y cítricos, y una suave acidez que acompaña desde el  principio hasta el final.

Maridaje: The Flower and the Bee es un vino que marida muy bien con pescados y mariscos,(sardina, rodaballo, bacalao, almeja, berberecho). También apto para carnes blancas y quesos ligeramente  curados. En este caso lo hemos maridado con un plato de mar: Arroz con berberechos y mejillones. 

El berberecho es un molusco muy sabroso, con una alto contenido en hierro, y que tanto al vapor, a la plancha, o en arroz es delicioso si se le coge el punto de cocción. Ello implica que debe estar  poco hecho, de ese modo resultará más jugoso. Tras añadir la base vegetal y el arroz a la cocción, dejaremos para el final los berberechos, y si se quiere, se pueden añadir unos mejillones para completar la mezcla. El secreto está en utilizar caldo del propio marisco para cocinar, e incluso añadir un poco de vino al recipiente.

Aparte de ser uno de mis arroces favoritos, es muy alimenticio y sano.

P.D. Se recomienda usar berberecho fresco o congelado, en ningún caso en conserva. El mejillón puede ser fresco o previamente cocido en agua de mar.

Un plato para degustar y disfrutar en cualquier época del año.

Five wines for Christmas 2017 of excellent value for money

Merry Christmas! Here we are one more year to recommend five wines where quality and good prices go hand in hand. They are author wines, of short production and that seek to transmit the flavor of the terroir. Wines of wine growers committed to the environment and that make their origin their hallmark. Wines made to surprise.

lz

Origen Apellation, Rioja, Spain
Producer: Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez. http://www.telmorodriguez.com/
Vintage 2015
Variety: Tempranillo, Garnacha y Graciano. (Red Wine)
Vinification: Manual harvest. It presents between 4 and 6 months of maturation with autochthonous yeasts in cement tanks.
Serving Temperature: 14º-16º C.                                                                                            Alcohol: 14º C.

Within the philosophy of Telmo Rodríguez, in which quality wine appears linked to its origin, LZ constitutes a firm commitment to the "terroir". Red wine from the Rioja Alavesa where freshness and fruit are very present. From the beginning captivates with its beautiful cherry color. Aroma of wet earth, red fruit, spicy notes. The palate is fresh, while powerful, with a very marked acidity. Notes of green pepper, black pepper, blackberries appear. It is a wine where fruit and acidity show a contrasted balance. Easy to be drunk. An excellent commitment to quality at a good price. € 8.

ULTREIA SAINT JACQUES

Origen Apellation, Bierzo (León), Spain
Producer: Raúl Pérez. Valtuille de Abajo, Villafranca del Bierzo (León)
Vintage 2015
Variety: 100% Mencía. (Red wine)
Vinification:  Handcrafted. Fermented in “fudres”(Wooden container with round bottom and curved side walls and large capacity (200 - 300 hl.) Used to store and ripen wine).

Serving Temperature:14º-16º C.                                                                                              Alcohol: 13,5º C.

Ultreia is a greeting among pilgrims of the Way of St. James, which means something like "Let's go there", "go ahead" ... A symbol for this great wine raised and produced in the vicinity of the Way of St. James as it passes through the Bierzo.

Very cherry-colored cherry covered with purple hues. The nose has aromas of forest fruits, balsamic, and even mineral notes. The fruit stands out on the wood, while a delicate acidity is appreciated, and notes of black licorice. Atlantic wine, very mineral, structured and tasty, long end in mouth. A wine that does not leave indifferent. An amazing great value such as it is published in "Best of 2017" by Wine Advocate. € 10.

LA VIE EN ROSE

Origen Apellation, Toro (Zamora), Spain

Producer: Maite Geijo. http://www.acontia.es/  
Vintage 2015
Variety: Tinta de Toro, Garnacha y Vedejo, (75% Tinta de Toro, 15% Garnacha, 10% Verdejo) (Rose wine)
Vinification: Must obtained directly from the pressing of skins. Fermented in its own lees for four months. Fermentation of the must grape juice at low temperatures.

Serving Temperature: 6º-8º C.                                                                                               

Alcohol 13º C.

A plurivarietal rosé wine that gives a raspberry colour and certain orange nuances. The nose shows us fruits such as strawberries and currants, appart of balsamic notes not very intense, but clean. On the palate is an unctuous wine, with flavors reminiscent of red fruits, candy, and also bay leaf. The acidity remains very present, integrated with the fruit and the balsamic touch. The result is a fresh and powerful rosé wine at the same time. € 7.

anTONIO MONTERO COLLEITA

Origen Apellation, Ribeiro (Ourense), Spain

Producer: Antonio Montero. http://www.antoniomontero.com

Vintage 2015                                                  

Variety: Treixadura and Palomino. (White wine)                                                                    Vinification: Manual harvesting. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature. Stabilization through cold.                                                                      

Serving temperature: 8º-9º C.                                                                                                 

Alcohol: 11º C.

White yellow straw colored wine with greenish reflections. Delicate nose with fruity notes reminiscent of green apple, pear, and slightly lemon. The palate is very fresh, slightly acidic, with fruit references to green apple and citrus. Very lively and easy to drink, it is perfect for any occasion. € 6.

DEL PRÍNCIPE

Origen Apellation, Jerez - Xérès – Sherry), Spain                                                                Producer: Bodegas Barbadillo. http://barbadillo.com                                                                 Variety: 100% Palomino Fina. (White wine)                                                                        Vinification: Hand picking in vineyards of 30 years. Subjected to double maceration, biological and oxidative (12 years under “velo de flor”* and 4 years of oxidative aging). 

Serving temperature: 12º-13º C.                                                                                             

Alcohol: 19,5ºC.

“Amontillado” wine of a beautiful amber color. The nose has a deep aroma of hazelnut, and introduces aromas of toasted and spicy. Dry, at the same time unctuous, fleshy and silky on the palate. Salty and toasted flavors. A long-lasting wine that fills the palate. Ideal to accompany dishes of difficult pairing such as artichokes or asparagus, fatty fish, or cured cheeses. € 19.

[1] " Velo de flor", “Flower Veil” is the result of the action of yeast on wine, creating a thin layer of yeast that protects the must from oxygen, resulting in a very unique type of biological aging.

Biological  aging under "Velo de Flor"