A tremendous evening of wine and tapas with Codorniu Raventos at Iberica Marylebone.

Oscar Urrutia presented the wines and gave us an insight into three of Spain’s most important regions, a super opportunity to compare and contrast.  However some common feature ran through all the wines: the high standard of the winemaking and their superb value! 

Here are the tasting notes:

 Anna de Codorniu Blanc de Blancs Reserva, NV.

A fresh sparkler with citrus & ripe stone fruits and a nice touch of toasty pastry made with chardonnay by the champagne method.

 Vina Pomal Rioja Blanco, 2014. 70 % Viura and 30 % Malvasía.

Nose a little subdued. Citrus notes, nice mouthfeel and a touch of toast from the American and French barrels the wine was aged in. Not particularly long.

Legaris Roble, Ribera del Duero, 2014. 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo).

Roble wines are intended for earlier drinking and with less oak and bottle aging tend as in this case to be more fruit focused. Balanced with nice high altitude freshness there is never the less a lick of coconut and vanilla that adds interest.  Very drinkable & great value!

Scala Dei Garnatxa, Priorat, 2014. Grenache.

Fresh red fruits on the nose, I loved the bright crunchiness that the high acidity gives this wine, great balance, and definite mineral / stoney notes no doubt from Priorat’s famous licorella slate. A superbly made wine, one of my favourite wines of the evening.

La Vicalanda Reserva, Bodegas Bilbaínas, Rioja, 2010. 100% Tempranillo from the Rioja Alta region.
This wine was wine of the month recently and for good reason. Lovely smoky, toasty notes on the nose then dark fruit, blueberry & cherries, smooth soft round tannins on the palate, more fruit and tasty hoisin and balsamic savoury flavours.  Long and very delicious.

Legaris Reserva, Ribera del Duero, 2011. 100% Tinto Fino 

Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% new and 50% old, then a further 2 years in the bottle before being released. This wine is definitely the roble’s big brother, darker and more powerful with concentrated dark fruit, combined with toast & coffee on the palate. Full bodied with firm but ripe tannin and great length.

Scala Dei Prior, Scala Dei, Priorat, 2013. Cabernet, Grenache & Syrah.

Dark colour from the cabernet and Syrah, Black fruit, pepper, spice & herbs on the nose, More concentrated dark fruit in the mouth, with forward mouth coating tannins and very full body, good overall balance and very long. Needs decanting or a few more years of bottle age to really unfold its many layers.

Septima Tardio, Mendoza, 2103, Argentina 100% Gewürztraminer.

This is a late harvest wine made 1,050 metres above sea level in the Southern hemisphere. Lovely floral notes mixed with an interesting whiff of vanilla and smoke on the nose.  Sweet dried & exotic fruits on the palate, again with a lick of vanilla from the American oak barrels, rich without being flabby, linger nicely.