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San Alejandro Las Rocas Garnacha Calatayud 2018
San Alejandro Las Rocas Garnacha Calatayud 2018
Regular priceYour Price: $10.99
Available: 23
"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."
W04218
Spain
Other Spain
Red
2018
Garnacha
.750L
Juve y Camps Brut Rose Cava NV
Juve y Camps Brut Rose Cava NV
Regular price Regular Price: $17.99 Sale priceYour Price: $15.97
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Available: 29
This Rose Brut is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes that come from the newly acquired Feixa 1 vineyard on the historic Juve y Camps estate. The free run juice undergoes a cold-soak maceration followed by fermentation in stainless steel. The resulting wine blends the traditional methods of Juve y Camps with international flair and flavor.
Juve & Camps is a family-owned winery located in San Sadurni d’Anoia, a small town in the northeastern Penedes region near Barcelona. Founded in 1921 by Joan Juve Baques and his wife Teresa Camps Farre, the winery’s three-generation history has resulted in an international reputation for producing top-quality Cava. The story of Juve & Camps actually began over 200 years ago when Joan Juve Mir, a bold and enterprising vine grower with ideas ahead of his time, laid the foundation for what would become the family firm. His son, Antoni Juve Escaiola, carried on the legacy. There were many challenges, including the terrible phylloxera plague. Advocating replanting (as did other leading figures of the Penedes), he led a drive to restore the vineyards and to rebuild the region’s wine production. Respected and loved by his contemporaries, his example encouraged his son, Joan Juve Baques, to build the family’s first winery. Joan Juve Baques married Teresa Camps Farre, an exceptional woman and an enthusiastic supporter who, in 1921, inspired her husband to launch the first sparkling wine under the Juve brand. It was made in the underground cellars beneath the family home in San Sadurni d’Anoia. Today, Juve & Camps has established itself as the most highly regarded Cava producer in Spain. Juve & Camps wines are regularly served at state banquets given by Spain’s Royal Family and are offered to visitors and guests by the National Government, the Senate and Congress.
W-00001285
Spain
Penedes
Sparkling
.750L
Bodegas El Nido Clio 2021
Bodegas El Nido Clio 2021
Regular price Regular Price: $58.99 Sale priceYour Price: $52.97
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Available: 83
The 2021 Clio is ripe and heady with 16% alcohol and generous oak. It's faithful to the house style, but like many other wines from the 2021 vintage from the Gil family, this also came through as fresher and more balanced than the 2020 counterpart. It has a full-bodied palate with abundant but finer tannins. 50,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2023.
PJ00687
Spain
Jumilla
Red
2021
Monastrell
.750L
Tinto Pesquera Crianza Ribera del Duero 2020
Tinto Pesquera Crianza Ribera del Duero 2020
Regular price Regular Price: $33.99 Sale priceYour Price: $28.97
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Available: 19
Black currant, menthol and cocoa powder aromas waft from the glass. This wine opens on spicy notes of anisette and mint leaf that are accompanied by robust tannnins and black cherry, cassis, milk chocolate, caramel and violet flavors. The lengthy finish is marked with light floral and cooling herb notes. Editor's Choice
W21654
Spain
Red
2020
.750L
Jose Luis Ripa Vino Rosado Rioja 2018
Jose Luis Ripa Vino Rosado Rioja 2018
Regular price Regular Price: $34.99 Sale priceYour Price: $28.97
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Available: 6
Pale salmon pink color with an orange hue. Aromas of cherry with nuances or red berries, dry flowers and Mediterranean herbs. Fine and elegant tannins, vibrant acidity, moderate alcohol and long finish, with notes of cassis in the aftertaste.
"Grenache and Tempranillo grapes from two 30+ year old, bush-pruned vineyards located in the Najerilla Valley, in the Rioja Alta district of the DOC Rioja, where soils are of calcareous clay type with a slightly higher ferric percentage than in the rest of the district.
The grapes were destemmed and taken to a stainless steel vat, where must was bled (saignée) for about 24 hours and racked. After that, the juice was taken to 500-liter French oak used barrels, where it fermented and stayed for another 18 months. The blending of the wines from the two different grapes was done just a few days before bottling and consisted of 85% Grenache and 15% Tempranillo.
My idea was to make a rosé with subtlety and sophistication in the nose and a firm structure and length in the mouth, more vinous than fruity." - Jose Luis
W21823
Spain
Rose
2018
.750L
Gramona La Cuvee Corpinnat 2018
Gramona La Cuvee Corpinnat 2018
Regular price Regular Price: $26.99 Sale priceYour Price: $22.97
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Available: 7
Grape varieties: Xarel.lo (50%), Macabeu (30%), Chardonnay (15%), Parellada (5%)
Age of vines: 35-50 years old
Farming: Certified organic (CCPAE)
Soils: Clay limestone
Fermentation: Hand harvested, whole cluster pressing, each variety fermented separately in tank
Aging: 6 months in tank, blended, secondary fermentation in bottle, on lees minimum 60 months, dosage 8g/L, suitable for vegans
Additional Information: Imperial is sourced from 13 growers/members of Aliances per la Terra, an organization established to promote organic and biodynamic farming in the Penedes. Currently, all these growers are certified organic, and 12 a certified biodynamic. Imperial is the largest production Sparkling wine at Gramona sourced from 82.5 hectares of vines and can best be described as embodying its house style ? a combination of the precision of Xarel.lo and the creamy textures for extensive aging on the lees. Imperial is a blend of 50% Xarel.lo, 30% Macabeu, 15% Chardonnay, and 5% Parellada aged 60 months sur lattes and finished with an 8 g/L dosage from an ancient solera maintained at the property. 350,000 bottles released in an average vintage.
W21517
Spain
Other Spain
Sparkling
2018
.750L
Teso La Monja Almirez Toro 2020
Teso La Monja Almirez Toro 2020
Regular price Regular Price: $34.99 Sale priceYour Price: $29.97
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Available: 14
92 points Wine Advocate
The 2019 Almirez was produced with grapes from their 41.7 hectares of vines that are 15 to 65 years old. The destemmed grapes were foot trodden and fermented with yeasts selected from their own vineyards for 18 days. Malolactic was in barrel, and the wine matured for 14 months in French oak barrels, 30% of them new and the rest second use. Despite the new oak, the wine is very fruit-driven and does not come through as oaky. It's floral, spicy and juicy, ripe without excess and with a velvety mouthfeel. This is approachable from early on, and even now, it has the silky tannins from 2019. It's less tannic than other vintages and has very good balance. There is more depth here, provided by the older vines, and there's more nuance too.
W21217
Spain
Toro
Red
2020
.750L
Silice Viticultores Xabrega Ribeira Sacra Tinto 2019
Silice Viticultores Xabrega Ribeira Sacra Tinto 2019
Regular price Regular Price: $51.99 Sale priceYour Price: $43.97
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Available: 24
The pale, translucent, ethereal and perfumed 2019 Finca Xabrega was produced with a field blend of 90% Mencía, 10% Garnacha Tintorera and some white grapes from a single vineyard planted with old vines on granite and mica soils. The destemmed grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts and soft pigéage in stainless steel, then the wine matured in barrel for three months, followed by six months in tank to settle before bottling. It's very, clean, elegant, precise and subtle with great freshness and balance and only 12.5% alcohol. Ethereal, beautiful juice. Only 912 bottles were filled in July 2020.
50+ year old vines and only 0.8 hectares
W20933
Spain
Galicia
Red
2019
.750L
Southern Belle Precious Syrah 2013
Southern Belle Precious Syrah 2013
Regular price Regular Price: $39.99 Sale priceYour Price: $33.97
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Available: 59
Spending 18-24 glorious months aging in used bourbon barrels from legendary Pappy Van Winkle, old vine fruit shines through with aromas and flavors of blueberry liqueur, blackberry, black cherry and peppery spice. Then there is a graceful segue into wood smoke, brown sugar, vanilla, and sweet spice that frame all of that ripe and savory fruit very nicely. Super full bodied and full flavored, but smooth and silky on the palate, this is probably about as close as most of us will get to Pappy van Winkle. -PJ Wine
W09244
Spain
Other Spain
Red
2013
Syrah
.750L
yes
CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja 1995
CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja 1995
Regular priceYour Price: $159.97
Available: 16
"This red shows depth and complexity, maturing but still fresh. It's generous on the palate, with plum, raisin, cedar and chocolate notes. A true expression of Rioja character. Drink now through 2010. 5,000 cases made." 90pts WS
85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo. Aging in French and American oak cask 36 months and aging in bottle 48 months before going to market. This wine is produced from grapes harvested in vineyards that are over 20 years old. They are bush pruned, with low yields, and hand harvested. Only the healthiest and ripest grapes are selected, and following destalking, the grapes are cold macerated prior to a cold temperature fermentation. Following a long maceration to achieve optimum colour and structure, the wine goes through a malolactic fermentation, to refine the wine, and to leave it with the necessary acidity.
Imperial is one of the renowned references in the entire history of Spanish winemaking. It is a true classic in Rioja and was first bottled in the 1920?????s. Its name was originally adopted after a special bottling for the English market in a bottle called ?????Pinta Imperial????? or ?????Imperial Pint????? (an Imperial pint, half a litre approximately). The grapes to make Imperial have always come from our own 28 hectares of vineyards in Villalba (Rioja Alta), and selected vineyards in the nearby communes of Briones and Montalvo, where our vines average age is kept over 20 years to secure quality.
Rioja Alta is the westernmost part of Rioja's three subregions. Its climate is noticeably influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. The soil in Rioja Alta is rich in iron salts, limestone and clay, along with nutrients deposited in the region by the tributaries of the Ebro River. Rioja Alta is known for producing full-bodied wines with a medium alcohol content and a high acidity level that are suitable for being aged in casks, forming the basis of most red Rioja.
CVNE (Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana) is one of the most renowned and historic bodegas in all of Spain. Founded in 1879 by the Real de Asua brothers, Eusebio and Raimundo, the company has been an integral part of the Rioja region?????s ascendance in the world of fine wine. With their combination of traditional roots and innovative vision, CVNE has been one of Rioja?????s most reliable sources for high quality wine. The company is still run by descendants of the Real de Asua brothers, now represented by the fifth generation with current CEO Victor Urrutia Ybarra. Since its founding, CVNE?????s goal has been to increase the scope of production while maintaining the level of quality on which their reputation was built. Forty years after the original bodega was created, CVNE expanded into the Alavesa region. Today, CVNE is comprised of three separate bodegas: Cune, Vina Real, and Contino. Each of the three estates produces a distinct style of wine from a distinct terroir, and each of their flagship bottlings occupies a well-deserved place in the pantheon of great Spanish wine.
W00126
Spain
Rioja
Red
1995
Tempranillo
.750L
yes
Dry Sack Medium Dry Sweet Sherry NV
Dry Sack Medium Dry Sweet Sherry NV
Regular priceYour Price: $14.97
Available: 38
"Plump and on the sweet side, with golden raisin, date, pear eau-de-vie and peach melba notes, backed by a light twinge of bitter almond that keeps this honest. Drink now. 87,000 cases made."
A distinctive blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes. Aged in oak casks for 6 years in the traditional Solera method.
For over 130 years, Bodegas Williams & Humbert have been producing the finest sherries and brandies; as well as a diverse portfolio of spirits, utilizing one of the most traditional methods of ageing, the solera method. Founded in 1877 by Sir Alexander Williams and Arthur Humbert, Bodega Williams & Humbert has been considered to be one of the world’s most prestigious wine producers in the world. They were involved in the creation of the Jerez-Xeres-Brandy Quality Demarcation, as well as the criteria for evaluating sherries. Now owned by the Medina family, two generations work side by side in the creation of the wines and spirits. Located in the heart of Jerez de la Frontera, Bodega Williams & Humbert has more than 1,200 acres of vineyards, and the largest wine cellar in Europe. The family owned and operated Bodega has produced a great variety of high quality sherries, while maintaining the traditional methods of solera aging. Solera is a method of producing wines, where small amounts of younger wines are systematically blended with the more mature wines over a period of time. Bodega Williams & Humbert has a variety of sherry lines, most notably the Dry Sack medium created in 1906, a staple sherry among many restaurants around the world. In the US, Bodegas Williams & Humbert has three lines of sherries - Dry Sack, Don Zoilo, and the rare aged. Each tier offers expressions that range from dry to sweet profiles. Bodegas Williams & Humbert has one of the largest and most diverse offerings of 20 and 30 year old Rare and Very Rare age expressions. The Bodegas Williams & Humbert portfolio also includes spirits such as Gran Duque D’Alba Brandies, Crema D’Alba, and Dos Maderas Rums.
W-00000996
Spain
Sherry
.750L
Lahu Getariako Txakolina Rosado 2022
Lahu Getariako Txakolina Rosado 2022
Regular price Regular Price: $19.99 Sale priceYour Price: $14.97
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Available: 14
Pale rose with glossy hints. Strong fruity aromas in the nose, along with mineral, slightly saltly hints. Pleasant and fresh on the palate. Well- integrated acidity With a slight carbonic touch, lingering finish and agreeable aftertaste. 11% abv
PJ00280
Spain
Rose
2022
.750L
Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva Rioja 2010 1.5L
Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva Rioja 2010 1.5L
Regular price Regular Price: $114.99 Sale priceYour Price: $99.97
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Available: 31
This is as complex and savory as the rest of the Vi??a Tondonia wines, but also shows a tad more depth, with a hint of black plum and blue fruit on top of the orange rind, iron, tobacco and earthy spices. Expect some cedar and truffle to develop in the future. Juicy, zesty and tight, with a dusty tannins and bright berry fruit on the medium-to full-bodied palate. Drink or hold.
96 points Wine Advocate
The 2010 Vi??a Tondonia Reserva has all I expect from a Reserva from Tondonia, complexity, elegance and evolution, a developed nose with notes of forest floor and wild berries, herbs and flowers, a touch of iodine, brick dust and very fine, polished tannins. It has the seriousness and elegance of Tondonia. This is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacho (they use the masculine form of the name of the grape) and 5% each Graciano and Mazuelo that fermented in the ancient oak vats from when the winery was created 144 years ago and matured in well-seasoned, American oak barrels for six years. It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.4 and 6.6 grams of acidity. 260,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.
W21342
Spain
Rioja
Red
2010
Tempranillo
1.5L
yes
Marques de Gelida Brut Gran Reserva Cava 2018
Marques de Gelida Brut Gran Reserva Cava 2018
Regular price Regular Price: $21.99 Sale priceYour Price: $18.97
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Available: 15
Methode champenoise. Rapid entry into the cellar by gravity. Gentle press with 50% extraction of free-run juice. Each variety is fermented in small tanks at controlled temperature. Secondary fermentation in bottle. Aged 40 months in bottle.
W21222
Spain
Penedes
Sparkling
2018
.750L
Javier Revert Sensal Valencia Tinto 2020
Javier Revert Sensal Valencia Tinto 2020
Regular price Regular Price: $39.99 Sale priceYour Price: $36.97
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Available: 5
93+ points Wine Advocate
It was very interesting to taste the 2020 Sensal next to the 2019. The village red in this almost perfect harvest is a blend of Monastrell, Bonicaire, Arcos and Garnacha from older and younger vines fermented by plot with indigenous yeasts and a significant number of full clusters. The élevage lasted 10 months and was part in concrete, part in 300-liter oak barrels. The grapes achieved full ripeness and have plenty of aromas and flavors, with 13.59% alcohol, more Mediterranean while keeping the balance. This is what Sensal has to be, marked by the Monastrell, with that rustic touch of tree bark, with more color, concentration and power than the 2019 I tasted next to it. It has great depth and intensity, reflecting a superb Mediterranean vintage. 2,800 bottles were filled in July 2021.
Javi Revert is one of the best young winemakers from the Mediterranean zone of Spain. After years working for Celler del Roure, he started his own personal project. He also has a joint venture with a friend (also ex-Celler del Roure) and is the winemaker at Finca Sandoval. He has completed with plantings to have 10 hectares, half old vines planted by his grandfather and the other half planted by him, to have the grapes for the planned 25,000 bottles by 2026. He now makes some 12,000 bottles. He's conducting soils studies to achieve more precision in his wines. 2019 and 2020 were two very different vintages: 2019 had catastrophic torrential rains (the famous cold spell) of up to 300 liters in a few days in September in the middle of the harvest, whereas 2020 was a much better vintage, healthy and with very good quality, eminently Mediterranean.
Appellation: Valencia
Variety: Bonicaire, Garnacha, Monastrell, Arcos
Age of vines: 5-50
Farming: Practicing organic
Soil: Clay limestone, sand, gravel; altitude: 700 meters
Fermentation: Hand harvested, partially destemmed, natural yeast fermentation in amphorae and neutral French oak barrels
Aging: 10 months in neutral French oak barrels, amphorae, and glass demi-johns, bottled unfined with a light filtration, suitable for vegans
W20870
Spain
Valencia
Red
2020
.750L
Frontaura Toro Reserva 2008
Frontaura Toro Reserva 2008
Regular price Regular Price: $41.99 Sale priceYour Price: $37.97
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Available: 11
W20410
Spain
Toro
Red
2008
.750L
yes
Barbadillo Cream Sherry Jerez-Xeres-Sherry NV
Josep Foraster Conca de Barbera Julieta Trepat 2022
Josep Foraster Conca de Barbera Julieta Trepat 2022
Regular price Regular Price: $28.99 Sale priceYour Price: $23.97
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Available: 6
Certified organic Trepat vines--75 years on average--in calcareous and clay soils. Hand harvested. 45 HL/HA. 2,000 BTS per vintage. For producing Julieta, the vineyard is reduced to 50% normal production i.e. a green harvest occurs in mid summer. Final harvest in late October in cases of 20 kg. Cold maceration for 10 days. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts at 20 o C with a maceration of 20 days with open top. Wine is aged for 7 months in concrete egg. Trepat is the native variety of the Conca de Barberà. There are only 1100 hectares of this variety in the world, and 1000 of them are grown in Conca de Barberà. Serve w/a slight chill.
W20296
Spain
Spain Other
Red
2022
Trepat
.750L
Vina Zorzal Graciano Cuatro del Cuatro Navarra 2020
Vina Zorzal Graciano Cuatro del Cuatro Navarra 2020
Regular price Regular Price: $21.99 Sale priceYour Price: $17.97
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Available: 16
PJ00443
Spain
Other Spain
Red
2020
.750L
Muga Flor de Muga Rosado 2022
Muga Flor de Muga Rosado 2022
Regular price Regular Price: $34.99 Sale priceYour Price: $29.97
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Available: 10
The complexity of this wine hits you from the first sensation on the nose. You will find an elegant, fresh, very delicate wine, letting through notes of tart strawberry and peach, at the same as you detect a floral aroma of rose blossom which captivates your senses and quickly takes hold after just a few minutes in the glass.
On the palate, the first sensation you find surprises you with a wine which has a lot of body and oiliness, something unusual in a rosé, providing a complexity which, along with its minerality and such well-balanced acidity, makes this a truly unique wine.
PJ00298
Spain
Rioja
Rose
2022
.750L
Clos Mogador Priorat 2020
Clos Mogador Priorat 2020
Regular price Regular Price: $118.99 Sale priceYour Price: $104.97
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Available: 10
The 2020 Clos Mogador comes from a very challenging vintage in Priorat, a year with lots of rain and some fungus problems that are very unusual in the zone, which is usually very healthy. They bought a further four hectares so they could keep the volume despite the difficulties with mildew. The wine is more tannic and a little astringent despite now having any time in barrels anymore; starting this year, it matured exclusively in 2,000-liter oak foudre, and the impact of the wood is milder. A very good result, it's powerful but has good balance. The vintage is more tannic, and the quality of the tannins is not the same as those from 2019, as they couldn't wait for better tannins because of the risk of losing acidity and freshness. 26,000 bottles produced. 2024 - 2032
W21748
Spain
Red
2020
.750L
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Rioja 2004
Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Rioja 2004
Regular price Regular Price: $99.99 Sale priceYour Price: $89.97
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Available: 35
The 2004 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a completely different story. It is a worthy follower of the 2001, the greatest of the Viña Tondonia Reservas of recent times. It has the usual blend and usual levels of alcohol and acidity, bottled after six years in oak barrels. The nose feels savory (if that's possible-umami?) and developed, with tertiary aromas and good balance between spices, leathery notes, cherries and balsamic notes of cigar box and incense. The palate is both round and crisp, with refined tannins. It has very good balance with subtle acidity and very good persistence. 260,000 bottles produced.
Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%), all from our own vineyards. Aged 6 years, racked twice a year and fined with fresh egg whites. Unfiltered.
Between 1913 and 1914, Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta founded Viña Tondonia, which was to become the bodega´s most famous product. Viña Tondonia is a beautiful vineyard of over 100 hectares, situated on the right bank of the river Ebro, where the most typical Rioja wines are grown. The Tondonia vineyard, of López de Heredia is the most spectacular in Haro. Situated in a shell - like depression in the terrain, alongside the Ebro river which borders the Basque Rioja, it makes up a landscape of alluvium, limestone and poplars.
Lopez de Heredia - one of the most venerable producers in Spain - produces traditional, age-worthy Rioja. Their wines are legendary and still made the way they were when the winery was founded over 130 years ago. Following a tradition that has been passed down through generations, their wines are released at least 5-10 years after harvest, which provides added complexity and elegance to their Crianzas and Gran Reservas. A rarity in Rioja, Lopez de Heredia uses only estate bottled fruit from their prized vineyards- Tondonia, Cubillo, Bosconia, and Zaconia- with the idea that the only way to get the best fruit is to care for the vines themselves. The Tondonia vineyard is their most famous; over 100 hectares, it is situated in a shell-shaped depression on the right bank of the river Ebro, where the most typical Rioja wines are grown. The soil is alluvial clay with a high proportion of limestone. Average vine age is 45 years old and organic farming and natural fermentations are implemented, creating wines that exhibit great terroir. Grapes from Viña Tondonia are always used in making their highest quality wines, with truly exceptional vintages becoming Gran Reservas. The first Reserva was bottled by the founder in 1890; a few bottles of this are still kept in the family wine museum. The winery itself is a remarkable structure. When D. Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta began building the bodega in the late 1800's, little did he realise that his masterpiece would one day be acknowledged as an example to the rest of the industry of the most perfect combination of buildings and vineyards. Like many medieval masterpieces it is still incomplete. The buildings stand below and above ground, and are a veritable "cathedral to wine". Moving through the vaulted underground corridors and staircases, you find yourself travelling back in time, and the founder’s touch can still be sensed in the very stones and fabric of the building.
W09087
Spain
Rioja
Red
2004
.750L
yes
Dos Maderas 5+3 Double Aged Rum 750mL
Dos Maderas 5+3 Double Aged Rum 750mL
Regular priceYour Price: $25.99
Available: 6
Spain- This is an aged rum with a two-stage maturing process. First rested in American Oak Casks for 5 years in the Caribbean then moved sherry casks for 3 years in Spain. Notes of honey, butterscotch, and salt with a spicy finish.
S06900
Spain
Aged Rum
Aged Rum
.750L
yes
La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva 1989
La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva 1989
Regular priceYour Price: $79.97
Available: 22
in style and more elegant. This "Alberdi" has somewhat more body than the '86 and '87 vintages
and a touch of acidity which foretells a long life" Winemaker notes
Fermentation in stainless steel was followed by nine months in large oak vats. The wine then
spent two years in small American oak barrels, the first twelve months in new oak. The wine
was racked at six monthly intervals and bottled in October 1992. Mainly "Tempranillo" complemented by small quantities of "Graciano" and "Mazuelo" which add finesse and elegance. All the grapes for this wine were grown in the sub area of "Rioja Alta". Most came from around the villages of Rodezno, Cenicero and Fuenmayor.
The Bodega was formed in 1890 as a partnership of 5 quality-conscious growers keen to exploit the export potential for well-made, ?€?modern?€? Rioja. At this time, French vineyards were ravaged by phylloxera, and connoisseurs were having to look elsewhere for supplies of fine wine. Rioja, with its excellent climate and soils, had already attracted attention, and experiments with Bordeaux-style vinification and barrique-aging were proving very successful. The region?€?s only real disadvantage was its remoteness, cut off from the lucrative markets to the north by the same mountains that ensured its favorable climate. This problem was solved by construction of the rail link to Bilbao, and it is no coincidence that Bodegas La Rioja Alta was established next to the Haro railway station in the same year it opened. In 1904, La Rioja Alta absorbed Bodegas Ardanza, and gained access to some of the finest vineyards in the Rioja Alta district. The luxury 904 bottling commemorates this important milestone in the company?€?s development. Since then Rioja has seen more bad times than good, and many producers have harmed the reputation of the region and its production methods, releasing sloppily-aged wines which were never good enough to support a long time in cask. But La Rioja Alta has never let standards slip, and continues to this day the tradition of careful long-aging that gives Rioja its unique character. These wines offer a wonderfully complex bouquet, rich flavours, a seductively smooth texture, and are all ready to drink on release.
Few dispute that La Rioja Alta S.A. is the leading quality orientated producer in the Rioja. With more than 50,000 casks and 6.4 million bottles stored at any one time, the equivalent of about 8 years sales, La Rioja Alta S.A. is unique in its ability to supply large quantities of fully mature wines of world class quality. The company owns 300 hectares of vineyards in different parts of the best zones of the Rioja Alta region. La Rioja Alta S.A. is specialized in red wines. The leading grape variety is the Tempranillo with small doses of Mazuelo and Graciano. The Vina Ardanza differs from the other wines with some 25% Garnacha in the blend. After vinification in the new ultra modern vinification plant near Haro, aging is in traditional Bordeaux casks, all made from American oak. Racking is by hand every 6 months with 8 teams working full time racking the 51,000 casks. There is no filtration prior to bottling and further long aging in bottle before release. In short the wines are made in the traditional Rioja manner. The company is adamant about not using French oak, keeping the unique Rioja style which has been developed since the end of the 19th century. In spite of the varying amount of time in cask and bottle the wines all display a wonderful rich ruby colour, gorgeous aromas of oak, spices and fruit followed by a sensational feel on the palate, with a wonderful smooth texture, clean rich oaky/fruity flavours and a long lingering finish. All the wines are ready for consumption on release but will keep for many more years in bottle. This situation is almost unique in the world of wine and is the reason why so many restaurants list La Rioja Alta?€?s outstanding range of truly classic Rioja wines.
W04948
Spain
Rioja
Red
1989
Tempranillo
.750L
yes
Marques de Riscal Baron de Chirel Reserva Rioja 2017
Marques de Riscal Baron de Chirel Reserva Rioja 2017
Regular price Regular Price: $75.99 Sale priceYour Price: $69.97
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Available: 176
Black fruit with orange peel and fresh mushrooms on the nose. It’s full-bodied with polished, firm tannins and a long, caressing finish. It’s intense, but ever so polished and refined. Classic quality. Very drinkable, but will age beautifully.
PJ00703
Spain
Red
2017
.750L
Bodegas Avancia Nobleza Old Vines Godello 2021
Bodegas Avancia Nobleza Old Vines Godello 2021
Regular price Regular Price: $65.99 Sale priceYour Price: $59.97
Save $6.02
Available: 5
93 points James Suckling
A pure and zingy godello here with fresh mineral, oyster shells, sliced green apples and a hint of sour cream. Textured and nervy on the palate, showing elegance and subtlety with a saline smack in the finish.
PJ00451
Spain
Red
2021
.750L
CVNE Vina Real Reserva Rioja 2016
CVNE Vina Real Reserva Rioja 2016
Regular price Regular Price: $29.99 Sale priceYour Price: $25.97
Save $4.02
Available: 77
The textbook Rioja Alavesa red 2016 Viña Real Reserva was produced with 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano, Garnacha and Mazuelo, mostly from their own grapes. It fermented in stainless steel vats and matured in new and second use barriques for 22 months. This is a more delicate version of the Reserva with added freshness and a touch of red fruit. It has contained ripeness, elegance and balance with very tasty flavors and abundant fine-grained tannins.
92 points Vinous
Deep, shimmering ruby. Expressive, spice-accented red berry and cherry preserve and floral aromas are complemented by suggestions of smoky minerals, vanilla and cured tobacco. Sweet and energetic on the palate, offering juicy black raspberry and cherry flavors that flesh out slowly with air. In a lively style, displaying sharp clarity, discreet tannins and an echo of candied rose on the long, penetrating finish.
PJ00196
Spain
Red
2016
.750L