Case Discount ( 48 )

"Refreshing, fruity and Txinparta cider. A dry finish, which cleans the mouth and ask for another sip." Importer notes

Cider has been produced at the Mendiola farmhouse in Astigarraga by members of the Astarbe family for close to five centuries. The oldest surviving document that references cider production at this address dates back to May 20th, 1563. To put that in context, Galileo Galilei, the "father of modern science", was born in 1564. From the at least the 11th century through the beginning of the 17th, the whaling industry in the Atlantic Ocean and Bay of Biscay was dominated by the Basques. Some historians have posited that Basque whalers (along with perhaps some Bretons and Normans) were the first Europeans to glimpse the New World, possibly as early as a hundred years before Columbus. Whether that conjecture is accurate or not, they were certainly launching regular expeditions to Newfoundland (Terranova) by the 1540s. The history of the Astarbe family is so intertwined with that of Basque cider production that the two main apple varieties they use to elaborate their ciders are the Astarbe variety (after the family surname) and the Mendiola variety (after the name of the farmhouse). Three ciders are produced here: a traditional still cider and two Méthode Champenoise sparklers. Though the ciders are perfectly suitable as refreshments enjoyed on their own, their complexity is only revealed at the dining table. Mugaritz, currently number seven on the list of the world’s best restaurants, is located less than five kilometers away, and Astarbe ciders have been a mainstay of the restaurant’s beverage program since its opening in 1998. The cidery also has their own on-site restaurant, which is particularly busy during the season of the txotx, which begins on January 19th and runs until April or May.

What: Pedro Ximenez

Where: Sherry, Spain

Why: Because for the money this is one of the most intense PX?????s we?????ve ever tasted. Why? Lets start with honeyed raisins, oranges and almonds. Then there?????s chocolate and coffee and figs. But that?????s just the sugar talking. After those candied notes hit you they give way to salt, herbs, coffee grounds, tar and licorice. The flavor show does not stop... ever.

A fresh unoaked Tempranillo from Rioja.

Founded in the early 1990s by the Arzuaga Navarro family, the cellar stands near the Duero River, adorning a road as Castilian as the one connecting Soria and Valladolid. The building is an ode to stone, solid and rustic, forming arcades of monastic reminiscence, with towers at the sides and a belfry crowned by a weathercock at the centre. The stone in the outside and the warm elm wood inside welcome visitors, increasing the mood for special wines. Florentino Arzuaga, a great wine lover, founded Bodegas Arzuaga-Navarro after purchasing the Finca La Planta, an estate located in the town of Quintanilla de Onesimo (Valladolid), where the fauna and flora of the area coexist. With pines, oaks and Spanish cedars, wild boars and deer, Florentino realized the great potential of an estate large enough to have a horizon of its own. Then came the vines, the cellar and the wine-red wines as he liked them, with a backbone yet elegant, well-rounded yet complex. The spirit of the Arzuaga family combines an entrepreneurial tenacity with a sensibility for aesthetics and perfection.

"Intense and bright in appearance. Pale straw colour with attractive highlights. Pungent and clean with intensity and finesse from the prolonged ageing under flor. Reminiscent of the sea with saline and iodine notes. Extraordinarily dry on the palate but with a smooth and harmonious finish. Subtle salinity and a lingering flavour." Winemaker notes

A manzanilla with one of the longest ageing periods on the market. Its years under the velo de flor (a particular film of yeasts) afford this sherry a range of incredible characteristics.

Decanter 91 pts
Black cherry with purple violet hues. Clean, fragant with bouquet of spice box, violets and blueberry.Smooth texture, with savory red fruits, soft round tannins, well-balanced acidity and pure finish.

Organic

Winemaker Notes:
"Cherry colour with garnet rim, bright and intense. Red fruit expression, powerful, elegant, dry stone, coca bean, creamy oak, hints of spices. Powerful, flavourful, fruity, good acidity, smoky aftertaste, toasty, long finish."

In 1927, a group of 15 vine-growers banded together to create the Cooperativa Ribera del Duero (which translates as "Bank of the Duero River"). They were the first to make a wine called "Ribera del Duero", and as regional pioneers, eventually gave their name to the DO when it was created in 1982. Generations later, this cooperative is producing some of the most highly acclaimed wines in Spain under the name "Protos", meaning "First" in Greek.

In 2008, Protos reached another milestone with the completion of its state-of-the-art winery by renowned British architect Richard Rogers. A modern architectural gem, the winery is built into the mountain just beneath Penafiel Castle, at once complementing and contrasting the ancient landmark.

LOCATION OF VINEYARD
Protos has two wineries in the heart of the Ribera del Duero: Penafiel (near Valladolid) and Anguix (near Burgos). Their third winery, La Seca, is where they make Verdejo in the neighboring Rueda DO near Valladolid. Protos owns 100 hectares of vineyards around its wineries and has partnerships with several local growers who supply additional grapes.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY
Protos has the unique distinction of offering wines from two DOs, producing fresh, aromatic Verdejos from Rueda in addition to varietal Tempranillos from Ribera del Duero. Harvesting is entirely manual, and production is gathered in 20-kilogram boxes (just over 44 pounds) to aid in ensuring only completely healthy, whole grapes reach the fermentation tanks. Protos has also implemented an extensive R&D program to test the effects of different types of barrels on its wines.

In both DOs, Protos leverages its generations of winemaking experience, cutting-edge technology, and philosophy of "Quality above all" to produce exceptional wines.

Jose Serrano Carlos Guzman graduated from the L´Ecole Nationale Superieure Agronomique in Montpellier, France, with a degree in viticulture. Following graduation, he served as winemaker and technical director at several estates, including Bodega Cooperative de Morales de Toro (DO Toro), Bodegas Marques de Riscal (DO Rueda), and finally Bodegas Roqueta (DO Pla de Bages). He became Winemaker Director at Bodegas Protos in 1999.

"The dark amber-hued non-vintage East India Solera is essentially an old Oloroso blended with an old Pedro Ximenez, which gives it a sweet character. It offers more mature notes of maple syrup, brown sugar, spice box, raisin and chocolate beer nuts, and its terrific balancing acidity cuts through the sweetness. This delicious effort is best drunk after the meal." 96pts WA

A blend of 12-year-old Don Nuno Oloroso (80%) and San Emilio PX which is also about 12 years old. One of the great icons of Lustau. Its aging process mimics that of some 17th century wines developed during transatlantic journeys to distant Spanish colonies. To achieve this, after aging separately in their own soleras, the Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez that comprise it, are combined and undergo a second aging process in a solera of 33 barrels at the Sacristia de Bodegas Lustau, with its elevated humidity and temperatures that replicate the climatic conditions that the wines would have experienced on their journeys.

Emilio Lustau SA was founded in 1896 by Don Jose Ruiz-Berdejo. In the beginning, Lustau was essentially an Almacenista, a modest estate with small holdings that sold most of its wine to large exporting Bodegas. It was not until the 1950s that Lustau became Emilio Lustau SA, and it joined the prestigious ranks of a select group of exporters of Sherry. In the early 1980s, Emilio Lustau SA, then under the management of the late Rafael Balao, became one of the most innovative companies in Jerez, launching the "Almacenista" line and creating the distinctive bottle that we know today. Lustau is now widely considered one of the finest producers of Sherry, with their Almacenista line breaking new ground in hand-crafted, boutique wines. These Sherries, drawing on rare and marvelous wines held by small producers, are some of the finest Sherries made today.

Lustau offers a wide array of Sherries; bone-dry Finos are wonderful matches with garlic-y shrimp and langostinos. Racy Amontillados balance power with finesse and are wonderful with nuts, olives, cheeses, and jamon Serrano. Powerful Olorosos can be served during a meal and match well with traditional soups and stews. Of course, the wide range of dessert wines from Lustau are unparalleled; the elegant East India Cream Sherry is as soft as silk, the Moscatels offers a delightful citrus edge that keeps the wines lively on the palate while the dark Pedro Ximenez is best served as a "syrup" over vanilla ice cream, pancakes or waffles.

90 pts Vinous
Bright violet. Pungent cherry pit, cassis and licorice scents are sharpened by a peppery nuance. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and dark berry flavors and a touch of espresso. Dusty tannins frame a long, nervy finish that echoes the cherry note. This is a pretty serious wine for its price category.

Made by Marques de Riscal of Rioja.

92pts Wine Advocate:
"The 2004 Dalmau Reserva is sourced from a single 50+ year old plot within the 300 hectare Ygay estate. Made from a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Graciano, the wine was aged for 21 months in new French barriques. Dark ruby/purple-colored, it reveals an aromatic array of toasty new oak, spice box, mineral, blueberry, and black currants. Considerably more powerful than its traditionally made siblings, on the palate if is full-bodied, firm, layered, and quite concentrated. The spicy flavors fall on the dark side of the spectrum with blackberry, plum, and black currant in the forefront. The wine has at least a decade of aging potential and will be at its peak from 2015 to 2030 although it can be enjoyed now with a charcoal-grilled ribeye."

"A bright, straw-yellow coloured wine. As you expect from a verdejo wine, on the nose it has high aromatic intensity, with tropical fruit and hints of fennel and fresh grass. In the mouth it is both syrupy smooth and refreshing, with a slightly bitter finish which is typical of the variety making it long and pleasant to drink. Overall it is a fresh, well-balanced wine." Winemaker notes

Bodegas de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal S.L. has 225 hectares of vineyards of more than 15 years, planted with among other grapes, the indigenous verdejo variety. A versatile grape with a lot of character and personality, it is very well suited to the extreme conditions of the region, allowing us to produce fresh young wines or cask-fermented whites.

94 points James Suckling
A rich and rather decadent Rioja with ripe berry, tobacco and bark aromas that follow through to a full body with layered, creamy tannins and a long, fresh finish with lemon peel and apple to the dark fruit. Touches of coconut and toffee. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Notes:
"Following harvest at the beginning of October, the Garnacha grapes were cold soaked for several days to extract the deep, intense flavors of the fruit. During fermentation, which occurred at temperatures between 75 F and 82 F, the juice remained in contact with the skins for 15 days. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation, which softened mouthfeel and added depth and nuance to the Garnacha. A portion of the wine was aged in French and American oak barrels with a light to medium toast level for 10 months."

Winemaker Notes:
"Bright. Transparent. Brilliant. Thick. Dark mahogany color with iodized blinkings. Intense aroma, with some deepness and complexity of dried Pedro Ximenez grapes. Dates, cane honey. Roasted aromas. Reasonable structure in the mouth, thick, warm. Very persistant. Elegant memories of raisins and figs."