I drank a bottle of this recently from a friend who I would describe as being on the cutting edge of finding exciting new wines and producers. I thought this was really fresh, interesting (without much for a reference comparison). Apparently the production is minuscule
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Attended a dinner in honor of visiting winemaker, Álvaro Palacios, this past April, featuring many recent vintages of his wines.
The one in the middle, the 2021 Quiñón de Valmira, stood out the most as it was so fragrant and seemed surprisingly ready to drink. There were no bottles of it available for purchase at the time (still in transit)…
…so, upon Álvaro’s assurance, I bought the 2019 version instead (the only bottle available), and asked him to write a dedication for my wife.
Álvaro in the middle (I beside him in the yellow coat). Though I did let them know the Quiñón de Valmira was my favored red of the dinner, they made me hold the 2021 L’Ermita in this photo because of my surname.
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Great write-up and very cool to have met Alvaro in person!
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I’ve enjoyed the various local whites I had the times we vacationed in Andalucia area and, quite sadly, they’re not easy to find in my market (NYC).
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This Godello was really tasty. Opened one last Summer that was shut down. Not this time around, great aromatics, texture, acidity, verve.
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A pleasure to have finally met him. Very passionate, knowledgeable & friendly fellow.
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Had a Muga 06’ Torre a few weeks back. First glass was slightly underwhelming, the next glass opened up beautifully.
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We had a 2006 Torre Muga last week at well. This was the first bottle that faded after two hours. All of the ones before have acted just as you described. Must have been bottle varrieation!
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Stella Occidentis 2023
Xarello very old vines
A full bodied white, layered, grabbing attention. No obvious fruit, some herbs, gently salted roasted nuts, chalk. No oxidative notes (a good thing), moderate acidity. Unusual and good.
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Thanks very much for highlighting this wine. I couldn’t get the 2021, but a couple of bottles of the 2022 (which cost me ~US$32 retail here) have gone down very nicely. I shall be getting more in.
Hi Paul - Have you tried the Pazo Senorans yet?
I have had one of my bottles, but I’ve refrained from posting a TN or here pending a second look. To be honest, whilst I found it very nice, I didn’t find a “wow” factor to justify the price (more than double the Atlantida just mentioned, for example). But I will try the second bottle in an environment where I can give it a bit more contemplation.
Fair enough. That Atlantida is a different grape, so it could also be you simply like that better. If you didn’t give it air, I would definitley suggest that. The real “wow” was on the aged example we had, the younger ones are simply very, very good, to me.
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This Dofi was a runner-up wine in a recent piorat tasting our wine club held. Bested only by Clos Erasmus.
Enjoying this with a view of the Mediterranean, just outside Fuengirola. Verdejo from more than 100 year old wines (some more than 200 years old). French oak and 9 months sur lie. Drinks beautifully. Have had some good Albarinos while here, but this takes wine of the trip honors. Have been limited to what I have been able to bring back to the apartment, as we have not been dining out due to our 9 month old daughter - found this at a local restaurant that let me take it to-go.
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That view! Plus, a wine named “Ossian” 
.
South of Spain is just so 
!
Ossian and Belondrade y Lurton are the two wines that have put Verdejo into the quality-wine map. Before them, offering a wine connoisseur a Verdejo was nothing short of an offence! :))
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Don’t mean to disrespect Ossian and display my ignorance on their Verdejo mastery. Appreciate the enlightenment.
Could be a failure in my attempt at equating the name Ossian with the awesome ”ocean” view in the TN.
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am doing the Imperial tasting at CVNE tomorrow and another small winery tasting on Wednesday, with plenty of wine bar sampling afterwards. will report back!
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