Club Corner
October 2022 Wine of the Month Club
If you’ve been a member of one or more of our wine clubs for more than a few months, you’d be forgiven for reading the labels on these bottles and wondering Espagne? Otre Vez? After all, this very club visited in July and the Red Rogues folks were there last quarter (some of you probably saw each other and waved!). You already know and love Rioja, the north central region synonymous with plush and fruity reds made from mostly Tempranillo and aged in American oak. You also might also be familiar with Ribera del Duero and Toro, the two other regions that produce their own lovely and distinctive wines from Tempranillo. Then there’s Priorat in southwestern Catalonia, prized for full bodied, high-alcohol red blends made from the singular local iron-rich black slate and quartz known as llicorella; Sherry, the fortified wine with enough variations to constitute it’s own subject (holler if you’d be interested in a Sherry club); and Cava, like Champagne but more affordable and made with Iberinan grapes. Then there’s Albarino, Godello, etc, etc… What’s incredible is that you could feast your way through each of these places and still not reach Spain’s last course (though you might have trouble getting up from the table). There is still a bunch of Spainsplaining (sorry) left to do – and this month it concerns Galicia, maybe the most exciting place for wine in the whole country right now and probably the most diverse. Occupying the far northwest corner, bordering Portugal to the south, the Atlantic to the north and west, and mountain ranges to the east, Galicia is the wettest region in the country (the rain in Spain falls mainly here). Visitors are often surprised to find a lush green landscape closer to the Emerald Isle ideal than southern Europe. This is especially true along the coast, where the region’s most famous DO, Rias Baixas, is located. Created in 1988, it is divided into 5 subareas - from north to south: Ribeira do Ulla, Val do Salnés, Soutomaior, Condado do Tea and O Rosal. The white grape Albarino is the most important varietal but the region is home to 13 more natives varieties, 5 other whites: Loureira blanca, Treixadura, Caiño Blanco, Torrontés and Godello; and 8 reds: Caiño tinto, Castañal, Espadeiro, Loureira tinta, Sousón, Mencía, Brancellao and Pedral. Our red this month is Mencia from the Val do Salnes subregion which is responsible for 60% of the DO’s entire production. Mencia is Spain’s rough Pinot Noir analogue, and it produces a light–to-medium red wine with a generous fruit and a a distinctive herbaceous overlay. Most Mencia comes from other parts of Galicia, the DOs of Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra in particular. It is a rare treat to find one from Rias Baixas that displays the area’s characteristic acidity and saline minerality while retaining the varietals most recognizable traits. Our white is a blend from the Ribeira DO (which is distinct from the aforementioned Ribeira del Duero and Ribeira Sacra designations), south of Rias Baixas and a little more inland. Established in 1932, it is the oldest DO in Galicia, and occupies the confluences of the valleys formed by the rivers Miño, Avia and Arnoia. It is still close enough to the Atlantic (45 km) to make it a climactic transition zone. It is protected from harsh coastal weather conditions by a range of mountains, but still benefits from ocean breezes and precipitation proximity. This allows the grapes to fully ripen and develop a floral, aromatic complexity while keeping the mouthwatering freshness that Galician wines are known for. In the local dialect 'ribeiro' means riverbank and water is a key element of the area with the best vineyards planted on the steep slopes of the rivers that converge here. Antonio Montero’s ‘Autor’ bottling is mostly (80% ) Treixadura, the most prestigious white grape in the region, presented here, as it usually is, with small amounts of Ribeiro's other white grapes: Torrontés, Loureira, and Albariño. Cheers, The PlumpJack Wine Team Monte Pio Benquerio Mencia Region / Country of Origin:Val do Salnés, Rías Baixas, Spain About the winery: Casa Monte Pio was founded in 1979 by Jose María Martinez; now his grandson Pablo Martinez carries the family tradition as the owner and winemaker. Pablo’s passion lies in the vineyard – he realized this after a brief career in accounting. Upon his return to the wine industry, he has dedicated himself to organic viticulture and craft wine production. His vineyards are located within walking distance to their family home, located in the heart of the Val do Salnès near the Rio Umai. About the winemaking: 100% Mencia. Grapes from a single plot 200m above sea level with soils of decomposed granite near the village of Ribadumia. The area has a maritime climate, with hot summers and high levels of humidity. Hand harvested and carefully selected, the grapes were destemmed and drawn-off by gravity. Then the wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in French oak barrels for 9 months. Aged in bottle for an additional few months before release. Tasting Notes: Appearance: Bright cherry red. Nose: Red and wild fruits, slightly spiced with a mineral background. Taste: Fresh with a great fruit load, long finish with floral and vegetal notes. Winemaker: Pablo Martinez Price: $27 btl/$291.60 case Suggested Food Pairing: Cured and gamey meats Branzino, Mushroom Risotto, Portabello Mushroom Steak, tomato dishes and lentils, bell peppers, olives and artichokes. Hard and sharp cheeses like cheddar and manchego. Antonio Montero Autor 2020 Region / Country of Origin:, Riberia, Galicia, Spain About the Winery: Antonio Montero’s winery was established three generations ago and is located in the heart of the Ribeiro DO, 45km east from the Atlantic Ocean in Galicia. All the labor in the vineyards is done manually, with the vines being on hillsides and small plots. The use of terraces (known locally as socalcos or bocaribeiras) is common in the Ribeiro DO as the slopes can be very steep. The main vineyards are on the slopes of ‘Coto de Novelle’ on the left bank of the Miño river, as well as as a bunch of small plots such as ‘A Ponte’, ‘O Quinteiro’, ‘Fonte Quente’, ‘La Calzada’ etc. The soil is mostly clay and sand but with variations from plot to plot. About the winemaking: Fermentation in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature. We keep the wine with the lees during 4- 5 months. Stabilization by refrigeration Tasting Notes: Clean and brilliant, yellowish straw-covered color with greenish and golden highlights. Complex aroma of white fruits, dairy products, citrus and menthols. The mouthfeel is wide, structured and filling. Great long final persistence. Very good balance between alcohol and acidity, that provides roundness and warmth. Winemaker: Antonio Montero / Julio Ponce Price: $22 bottle / $237.60 case Suggested Food Pairing: Red Peppers Stuffed with cheese Seared Scallops and Herb Octopus salad
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July 2022 Wine of the Month
While we’re all familiar with the Rioja region in Spain, we know that Spain has much more to offer than just Tempranillo and Albariño. Spain is the 3rd largest producer of wine in the world, next to Italy and France. With over one million acres of the country covered in vineyards, Spain devotes more of its land mass to wine making than any other country. There are 60 officially recognized wine regions (DOs) in Spain. The mainstream areas are referred to as Denominaciones de Origen (D.O.), which are similar to France’s appellations, and the wine produced in each region is carefully regulated for quality according to specific laws. The country is made up of 17 autonomous regions, and this month’s wines come from Navarra (home to Pamplona and the running of the bulls) and Galicia (the land of 1000 rivers with a Celtic heritage). The Basque region, east of Rioja, represents the Navarra D.O. The cultivation of the vine in Navarra dates back to the Roman occupation of the first century A.D., but the region’s winemaking reputation blossomed in earnest during the late Middle Ages, as pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago—a medieval pilgrimage route currently enjoying a dramatic resurgence in popularity—began noting the particularly high quality of wines encountered while passing through the then-Kingdom of Navarra. Around the same time, a succession of French monarchs ascended by marriage to the Navarra throne, presiding over three centuries of cultural flowering still evidenced today by the region’s late Romanesque and high Gothic architectural gems, and by a certain residual ‘Frenchness’ that pervades local sensibilities, particularly in matters of food and wine. Even before the establishment of D.O. Navarra in 1933, the region was known primarily for its justifiably celebrated rosés, made from the indigenous Garnacha Tinta grape variety. Beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, a handful of pioneering growers in the D.O. expanded the region’s varietal palette by experimenting with French varieties, most notably Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Harnessing the marketing potential of these internationally recognizable grape varieties was nothing new, of course, but in Navarra it would prove to be an essay in terroir-varietal suitability: a latter-day French connection that would eventually impress even the most skeptical of varietal purists and usher the D.O. into a new phase of its evolution as a producer of fine wine. Located along the River Sil in Galicia’s Southeast—situated between DO’s Ribeira Sacra and DO Bierzo— DO Valdeorras, this quiet corner of Spain is as famously rainy as its neighboring viticultural areas, but, at ninety miles inland, it finds itself more protected from the Atlantic influence that defines the area of DO Rías Baixas. The climate is mainly continental and punctuated by cold winters, warm summers, and a surprising amount of sunshine for a region known for its rain and mist. Alluvial soils and a predominance of slate help both to drain excess water and retain heat, in addition to adding a notable mineral element to the region’s wines. And while Roman gold mines may be a thing of the past, Valdeorras is still the largest producer of slate for all of Spain and much of Europe. At the time of Roman incorporation of the region in 19 BC, Valdeorras (Ourense, Galicia) was renowned for its gold mines. Once the gold was exhausted, goes the lore, the Romans turned to the vine—making Valdeorras potentially one of the oldest viticultural areas on the Iberian Peninsula. Valdeorras lays claim to some of Spain’s most overlooked native grapes: spicy red Mencía and rare white Godello, the latter of which was on the edge of extinction in the 1970’s when it was saved by intrepid producers who recognized it for its unique flavor profile and capability to produce Burgundian style wines, yet uniquely Spanish in character. Now championed by sommeliers all over the world, Godellos ascension—while perhaps overdue considering it’s inherent quality and lengthy history—is adding a new layer to the story of Spain’s modern wine industry, showing that the country is more than just Tempranillo and Albarino. Bodegas Maximo Abete Guerinda Navasentero 2019 Region / Country of Origin: San Martin de Unx, DO Navarra, Spain About the winery: Máximo Abete started making high quality wines in Navarra in the 1990s and today his daughters continue with the same philosophy; to maintain and recover the traditional viticulture of the abandoned mountainous areas of their town. They source the Graciano for this wine from Navasentero, a vineyard that is farmed by Julián Palacios. This plot was planted in 2005 at 450m of altitude in the “Baja Montaña” sub-zone. About the winemaking: The Abete family works as natural as possible, with minimal intervention. Fermentation in concrete vats with indigenous yeast. Malolactic fermentation occurs in stainless steel vats. It is aged for 12 months in French (80%) and American (20%) used oak barrels. No fining or stabilizing. No oenological products added, only Sulphur in moderate levels. Soft filtering before bottling in February of 2021. Organic vine-growing. Tasting Notes: Intense cherry color with purple edges; this wine contains powerful fruit aromas of blackberry, cranberry and other forest fruit, coupled with perfectly integrated notes of oak, cedar and tobacco. On the palate this wine has great structure and balance, which combines fresh fruit and well-integrated acidity, to ensure excellent aging potential. Winemaker: Yoanna and Maria Abete Price: $27 btl/$291.60 case Suggested Food Pairing: Meat stews Grilled burgers Dark Chocolate Joaquín Rebolledo Godello 2020 Region / Country of Origin: Valdeorras, Galicia, Spain About the Winery: It was in 1978 that Joaquin Rebolledo first began his journey in viticulture. With a goal to preserve and restructure old vineyards of native varietals, Rebolledo has pioneered the story of viticulture in Galicia. His choice to graft with Godello and Mencia was at first seen as a risky bet, but now offers him international acclaim. The family home of Joaquin Rebolledo goes back more than 4 generations. Tradition is still strong at the winery; every barrel is transported to a 2-century old cave “La Mina” where the barrels are let to rest surrounded by mineral aromas. Nowadays, the estate includes almost 100 acres of vineyards planted over slate, granite and sand in steep slopes following the Sil river. About the winemaking: Grapes are separated from the stems and are lightly crushed. Maceration occurs at about 10°C. Grapes are pressed followed by static racking. Fermentation continues on clean must in stainless steel tanks, then it ages on the lees. Filtration, cold stabilization and bottling at a steady 15°C Tasting Notes: Appearance: Straw Yellow With green reflections Nose: Quality and intensity of primary aromas, scents of apricot, peach an fennel. Mineral and balsamic Taste: Well-structures and slightly fatty texture. Good smoothness. Well balanced acidity and slightly sweet. Long fruity aftertaste. Winemaker: Catalina Maroto / Álvaro Bueno Price: $22 bottle / $237.60 case Suggested Food Pairing: Fish Shellfish Salads Spanish cheeses
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