Jan/10 (or so...) wines...

Facing (ehem... or so...) the new year...

- Rosell & Formosa Semi-sec. Rosell i Formosa. DO Cava.
Rough bubbles and I miss a touch of acidity, nonetheless it's like drinking grapes; dense and creamy. Something like a hint of sweetness when sipped. Nice.

- Enate Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot 2007. Viñedos y Crianzas del Alto Aragón. DO Somontano (3-4 EUR)
Quite easy and light quaff. Red fruit and a spicy touch. Thin and simple.

- Aldonia 2005. Bodegas Aldonia. DOC Rioja. (10-11 EUR)
I need something cozy for drinking as the year begins.
Red fruit and wood, water-like when sipped (as a positive adjective). It really improves when the wine breaths. It gets rounded and castled to show how it's a moment after. It's a nice and cozy wine that looks improved time after it's uncorked and with food. More.

- Abadal Picapoll. Bodega Abadal. DO Pla de Bages (7.4 EUR)
Fruit store. Fruit of passion, sweat, sauvignon blanc, moscatel, spanish gewürztraminer, that odd smell of my first (and only) torrontés, something like air freshener, jasmine, meadow, acidity and a touch of bitterness, verdejo?... buff... what amount of smells!! I'm not talking about complexity, but it's like walking by the fruit store... or maybe the parfums store, I'm not sure yet. Anyway it's not so bad, maybe I'd drink it again despite it's quite near of my limit when aromatic wines is the name of the game.

- La Bota de Palo Cortado 17 "Bota Punta" (60-70 EUR aprox)
Tsunami. Absolutely overwhelming. No words to describe and not able to compare. It grabs you, release you. It do and undo on its own. The wine drinks you. Enormous. Brutal.

- Schoffit Riesling Lieu-Dit Harth. Cuvée Caroline 2000. Bodega Domaine Schoffit – Bernard et Robert Schoffit. AOC Alsacia. (15.81 EUR)
Uncorking bottles, closing circles.
Well-balanced and rhythmical. High volume with the fuel smell when uncorked but it's nicely integrated with the fruit hints
during its evolution; fruits like apricot or mango. Soft and caressing.

- Matsu "El Pícaro" 2008. Matsu Winery Arts - Vintae. DO Toro
Thick as a brick. Dense, dark and absolutely chewing tannins. It's like drinking the blackberries jam I've in the fridge. You can find a moment to drink this wine if the price is the here and there mentioned of about 5 EUR.

Disclaimer:
The winery contacted to Olaf and me, by our blog, to send us this bottle with no cost.

- La bota de manzanilla "Navazos" Nº 16 (15-17 EUR aprox)
... and the sea. Deep, intense, long, long, long. Empty glass, a day after, you can still smell the biterness of the almonds, olives, thym and the sea, the sea, the sea.

- Vin de Pays des Gaules 2008. Marcel Lapierre. Villié-Morgon (8 EUR)
Charming innocence. Acid strawberry candies. All-the-colours-liquorice. Iced strawberries pie of that little shop in your neighbourhood. Green hints that not many people would appreciate. Something that moves between grapes stalk and geranium.

- El Níspero. Bodega Eufrosina Pérez Rodríguez. DO La Palma (14.95 EUR)
I would bet for verdejo, but it's Albillo Criollo. Grass and the usual hints of anis-seed or fennel bulb. Touch of peach or apricto. Fresh and nice sip, despite the price makes you say mmmm....

- Jiménez Landi Sotorrondero 2007. DO Méntrida. (10.7 EUR)
I don't know. I enjoy or don't every other minute. I don't know if I'm in the mood for a second bottle. More ripeness that the one I use to enjoy. Prunes, black and mulberries. A balsamic hint. More freshness when sipped than expected, bearing in mind its hue and smell.
A touch of smoke and astringency that disappear during the next days.

Regards,

Jose