For those wondering how an Ardanza will hold up, this 1970 opened two weekends ago was simply exceptional. Lots of life. Clear bricking coresponding to its age. Subtle nose, but expressive palate of dried cherries, spice box with an elegant mineral finish. Tannins are fully resolved but strikingly energetic with plenty of acidity and fruit in balance. Medium light body. Medium acidity. Refined tannins. Medium long finish. A remarkable wine.
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Happy to read this! I have one!
Did you decant it or just PnP? I might give it a go soon…
I used a flashlight and fine filter to pop and pour for the sediment straight to wine glasses as we were in a rental and did not have a decanter. It was better after about 30 minutes in the glass so a short decant is not going to hurt. The cork was not saturated but the bottom of the cork was a mess and I can’t image getting it out in one piece without a Durand.
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Cool wine and glad it drank well.
How much sediment did your bottle have?
Reporting back from my rioja trip. Two wines really impressed me when tasting at remirez de ganuza - their gran reserva red AND white, especially the white. In my limited experience, the Viura grape has minimal aromatics but this one filled the room. Absolutely outstanding, so much so that we bought a half case of each and paid exhorbitant shipping and tariffs to get it direct from the winery!
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1970 berberana rioja was delightful last night
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It had a good amount and because it was bought at retail (good retail, but not carefully seated a couple of days before as you would do at home), I used the fine filter which helped. It is not as much as you would see with an old Cabernet, but if at home, I would have definitely decanted for sediment.
Wow! Totally met the already high expectations created by your recent post.
I wonder: will the 2010 Ardanza that I had a few months ago ever transform itself into something as subtle and elegant as this 1970? Because I found the 2010 extremely oaky and “obvious” compared to the subtleness and elegance of this 1970.
Is it a matter of rounding up with age or has Ardanza’s style been totally transformed?
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This Pago de Valtarreña 2015 (from Carmelo Rodero) is becoming better and better as it ages. Two years ago it was still somewhat oaky for my taste. But today I found the oak is practically integrated and tertiaries are beginning to take over. Fruit still very present (black & mature) but cocoa, tobacco, forest floor, flowers… Everything! Plus tannins while still present are very soft and round up. Very long finish with fruit and minerals taking over.
Patience is beginning to pay off! The next one in one year.
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We drink a lot of Txakoli whites from the Atlantic coast of Northern Spain.
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Maybe 5 years ago I got hit with some oxidized or heat damaged ones. It was strange how fast they had cracked up.
2022 Envinate Benje Tinto, Viticultures de Santiago del Teide y Envinate, Tenerife (Canary Islands)
I’ve enjoyed my previous 3 bottles but with the last bottle, I realized I’ve been drinking this wrong. The slight chilling without doubt added a notch or 2 higher in drinking pleasure. All ripe red berries, popping with fun acidity and a bit of nice undergrowth notes. Made with Listán Prieto grapes at 12% abv.
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The Bodegas Frontonio Jardin de las Iguales Garnacha is a stupendous wine, a couple recent 23s have both been cracking - one next to an 09 Pignan where it, though being a rather different wine, more than held its own.
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I’ve had Rayas’ Pignan, which is also 100% Granache, and made me curious about the comparative.
Thanks for the note on this. Not knowing anything about the wine, made me google and gained awareness on one heavy-hitting Spanish wine with interesting backdrop.
This is probably more interesting than good but based on the most recent bottle, may be on its way to good. Tried it first in November and recall thinking that it was serviceable but not memorable. Tried for a second time last weekend and was much more impressed this time. Could be any number of reasons but Gilman’s drinking window starts in 2032 so assuming time in the bottle helped. My first Prieto Picudo and glad to have tried a second time and to have bought more to try another time. Inexpensive wine so even if it never gets any better from here, will do fine with burgers. More info at the link with vine pictures of the Rastra pruned vines.
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Good Spanish wines featured prominently at a garden soirée for six in London on Saturday. My pick (of the Spanish contingent) was the 2012 Lopez de Haro Rosado Gran Reserva which was as good as the colour suggests:
We also had a 2021 Benje Envinate Blanco which was sadly slightly corked, and an excellent 2024 Palo Blanco Envinate, but the pick of the whites for me was the 2015 LdH Gravonia in its inimitable oxidative style. One or two of the others had no time for it.
These wines featured in an eclectic line up, in which the star of the the show was Italian, the Meretta
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Last week we opened a 2004 Tondonia Gran Reserva. Was it worth the price of admission? Yes.
Just looking at it in the glass you’d swear it was an old Meursault, beautiful gold all the way to the rim. While it wasn’t as *oxidative as the regular Tondonia, there was a backdrop of beeswax and lanolin. Even for its age, it was extremely fresh with great acidity and a nutty finish.
Amazing stuff!
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I’m sure you meant oxidative here?
I have an 01 (and a 91!) of this wine that I’m eager to try - thanks for the note
Yes, will fix it! Duh!