Our lunch group honored the local August Fiesta Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara celebration with a theme of Spanish wines. Chef Humberto put together a special menu for us to enjoy in our private dining room at the Santa Barbara Club.
See the menu for details.
The wines:
1998 LOPEZ de HEREDIA TONDONIA BLANCO RESERVA RIOJA- 90% Viura, 10% Malvasia; light to medium body with apple and pear fruit and lots of minerality; a good start.
2001 LOPEZ de HEREDIA TODONIA RESERVA RIOJA- 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and Mazuelo; the nose is redolent of spicy nice strawberry notes which carry on into the mid palate and move more into red and black cherry; medium body, nicely layered strength and overall quite pleasant.
1987 RIOJANAS MONTE REAL GRAN RESERVA RIOJA- roasted coffee in the aromatics with leather coming on and a fruit profile including wild cherry; love the smooth and silky texture and the wine.
2001 LA RIOJA ALTA COSECHA 904 GRAN RESERVA RIOJA- 90% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano; theres coconut in the nose with a saline accent on the wild cherry fruit; imbalanced with oakiness, it finishes very dry and overall, its a different statement and somewhat atypical of all of the other Tempranillo blends before it on this day.
2003 LOPEZ de HEREDIA BOSCONIA RESERVA RIOJA- a winner out of the gate, this brilliant wine has an abundance of fresh red cherry and then black cherry coming in; it`s soft, elegant and so pleasing.
2001 BODEGAS J.C. CONDE NEO PUNTA ESENCIA RIBERA del DUERO- the nose is full of mint and eucalyptus; theres a touch of sweetness all the way through although no RS stated; almost Amarone like, it has lots of black fruit along with wild blackberry and blueberry flavors; the texture is viscous/ creamy; its tasty good, finishes long and on the dry side which outlasts the fruit.
2001 CELLER VALL LLACH VALL LLACH PRIORAT- the nose is so inviting; the mouthfeel is incredibly smooth and the taste profile is quite delicious with nice fresh red, black and blue fruit; it`s perfectly balanced and all in all, Vall and Vall is my WOTD.
2003 MAS de lABUNDANCIA CUVEE HELENA del RIO MONTSANT- 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Garnacha, 20% CarInena; one of my favs on this day with a layered fruit profile of blueberry and black currant melded into some black cherry accentuated with some vanilla and chocolate hits by mid palate; its got some backbone to suggest a long and fulfilling life.
2002 MARQUES de GRINON DOMINIO DE VALDEPUSA PETIT VERDOT TOLEDO PROVINCE- I heard one state this is the only 100% Petit Verdot in the world, but I do remember having one many years ago well before this vintage and I believe from California; this bottle had deep, dark and rich color, an equally inviting nose of wonderful spiced chocolate cranberry which are joined by black cherry and black currant by mid palate; it`s big and tannic and finishes so at first, but the fruit lingers on and displaces the astringency.
2001 DIEZ-CABALLERO VENDIMIA SELECCIONADA GRAN RESERVA RIOJA- this Tempranillo blend really needed to be decanted; it kept opening up and I have to think it never reached its potential in the time it had in the glass and since it was tasted near the end, a revisit was not forthcoming; of medium body, it carried some decent licorice and cola flavored black fruit all the way to the back end; the structure supports long term aging.
2004 RAMON BILBAO GRAN RESERVA RIOJA- fruit forward especially black cherry with a touch of talc coming in late; it`s soft and elegant finishing a bit tart and dry; oak notes are not yet completely integrated; pleasant now and many years to go for integration.
1997 ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ TINTO PESQUERA RESERVA RIBERA del DUERO- after a somewhat muted nose, it blossomed into some dried black currant, plum and fig notes in a medium body.
2001 EMILIO MORO RIBERA del DUERO- chocolate covered black currant and raspberry flavors abound in a powerful statement with some grace at the end.
1995 VEGA SICILIA UNICO RIBERA del DUERO- still very youthful and exuding power and finesse, this great bring was magnificent; theres a myriad of layered concentrated flavors primarily of licorice coated black currant and blueberry with some wild black berry; theres some stiff tannins underlying all which should ensure it will continue to evolve and is built for the long run.
2001 FINCA VILLACRESES NEBRO RIBERA del DUERO- another Tempranillo blend at 14% alc. and unfiltered, unfined [“clarificated”] as stated on the label; oak spice, concentrated dark fruit and a soft and smooth texture highlights this gem; there`s bracing tannins which contribute to a dry finish, but should give strength to a long and enjoyable life and forthcoming maturity.
1996 RENE BARBIER CLOS MOGADOR PRIORAT- this was quite pleasant with good tertiary fruit and soft tannins; in a medium body, it was silky and long.
Dessert wines:
NV GARVEY JEREZ XERES AMONTILLADO ONANA SACRISTA de GARVEY SHERRY- nutty delight with a thick mouth coating texture that allows for all to glide over and through.
ALVEAR PEDRO XIMENEZ- the Solera System for this wine started in 1927; the color was quite dark beyond the expected maple, mahogany; intense oxidative notes of almonds and raisins in viscous liquid form; this is for pancakes in some households as a maple syrup replacement.
2001 OLIVARES DULCE MONASTRELL JUMILLA- made from Mourvedre and at 14% RS, this sweetie is so concentrated, a little drop will do ya just fine.
What a lunch! Some of us adjourned for Champagne afterwards before going home to bed.
Cheers,
Blake
