Wines from Spain London 2007
Those of you who don’t like Carignan may have been making a crucial mistake, you are not romancing it enough, at least according to Sara Pérez, the talented winemaker from Mas Martinet. ”Carignan is like a woman, you have to take it to dance” she told an audience in London at the annual Wines of Spain fair. Priorat, famous for its Garnacha also has wonderful vineyards of old Carignan. Perez told us how she had to nurse some of the old vines back to life. We then sampled the results of this recussitation.
La Vinya del Vuit 2004, Partida Bellvisos 2004 and Especial Venus 2004 were presented by her at a special tasting “Spanish Winemakers: Women make their Mark”. I particularly liked the Vinya del Vuit- deep purple colour, very feminine and quite elegant, drinking very well. The Bellvisos wasn’t showing so well being somewhat reduced and a little tight on the finish but this will be better she assured us. The Venus wasn’t far behind and offers very good value.
Also present at this seminar/tasting was Adriana Ochoa from Bodegas Ochoa in Navarra. Following stints in Bordeaux and with the Torres group she has been the winemaker at her family’s bodega since 2005. She presented the Rosado de Lagrima 2006 (nice fruity nose hints of bubble gum, slightly spritzy on the palate, very good), Ochoa Graciano/Garnacha 2005 and Ochoa Moscatel 2006 (very refreshing, very nice balance of sweetness and acidity, tropical and floral notes, not very viscous, impressive).
Completing the line up on the podium was Victoria Benavides one half of the Dos Victorias from Toro. She started out with Protos before moving on to Alejandro Fernandez wineries before forming her partnership with Victoria Pariente in 1998.Fighting a head cold Victoria spoke of the need to strive to make great wines but stressed that what mattered most was that a wine should have charm. That’s what brought her back for a second glass ,she told us. not technical perfection. Indeed her Gran Elias Mora 2003 had no shortage of charm, so much I could finish the bottle . Despite the hot vintage she told me that having tasted the wine in barrel she knew she had to bottle this as a special cuvee. She also brought along her Jose Pariente 2005 and the Elias Mora Crianza 2003. Last year the room was full for the seminar/tasting hosted by José Peñin but this year it was barely a third full for these very talented winemakers. Some people will never know what they missed. Now where did I put my dancing shoes !
