This tasting, which was held at the Restaurant Salamandra in Moraira, a new venue for the Society, followed immediately on from the Annual General Meeting.   As is customary, the newly elected President presents his personal wine selection at this tasting.   Tim Fawle who had been elected an hour previously, chose to present his wines as a blind tasting, which meant we did not know which wine we had tasted until the end of the evening. He also encouraged members to make use of the second glass on the table to save some of the previously tasted wine to compare with the next one. By making a comparison it not only enables members to decide which wine is better but can influence the scoring.

Before starting the tasting Tim shared some Interesting facts on the latest trends in Wine Production in the Spanish wine market and explained that during the tasting he will comment on current changes affecting the Spanish Wine market and wine in general.   Spain produced 41.3 million hectolitres (100 litres = 1 hectolitres) in 2014.   The largest producing areas are Castilla La Mancha with 50%, Extramadura 10% and Catalunya 7½%, Rioja surprisingly only accounts for 5.3% of production.   In ranking Spain comes third after France and Italy in production and compared with 2013 production has fallen by 23%.   Tim punctuated the tasting of the wines throughout the evening with further facts and figures about wines, wine drinking cultures and habits, consumption and tastes

Five wines were tasted, all from different regions and different grape varieties and the average scores given by members for each are shown in red.

The first wine was a 2013 Rueda Mantel Blanc with the Sauvignon Blanc grape from Bodega Alvarez and Diez, a family bodega which has been producing wine since 1941. The Colour was bright straw and the nose had an intense fruit with tropical notes. The taste was fresh, intensely varietal fruit with citrus touches and a good acidity. It was recommended to drink this wine two years after its release.   The Guía Peñín awarded it 87 points and members 86.1 points and it can be purchased from A Catarlo Todo in Teulada for 8.25€

The second white was a 2014 Castell de Raimat Chardonnay, a wine with intense aromas of

tropical fruits and subtle hints of pineapple and sweet fruits such as melon.   An elegant taste of green apples on the palate, accompanied with (Chardonnay’s) silky texture, provides a perfect balance to the wine’s refreshing acidity. It is an ideal wine for serving with seafood, salads and white meats.   This wine came with a screw top so a comparison could be made to the last wine and a decision as to whether it is better or not.   The wine costs 6.09€ from SuperCor and the 2013 scored 89 points in the Guía Peñín.   Member score it as 82.4 points.

The first red, Binigrau 2011 came from a bodega in Mallorca that produced 3600 bottles of this wine. The grape variety in this 2011 wine is 85% Mantonegro and 15% Merlot.   The wine is put into large French oak casks during the fermentation process then stored for 14 months in smaller oak barrels.   With an Alcohol by Volume (ABV) of 15% it has a bright red cherry colour, an aroma of matured fruits is structured, has a good balance of acidity and is full of flavour.   The Guía Peñín awarded 93 points to the 2010 wine, while members gave the 2011 version 85.4 points.   It has to be purchased directly from the Bodega.

 

The fourth wine was an all-rounder wine; La Planta 2013 Tinto from Bodega Arzuaga in the DO of Ribeira del Duero.   This wine is produced with 100% Tempranillo known as Tinto Fino in this region, from vines that are over 20 years old. The vines grow in a clayey limestone soil over unbroken bedrock just one meter below the surface and at an altitude of about 900 metres which gives La Planta wine its special features.  Ageing is done in French and American oak casks during a period of six months which produces a mature and elegant fruity wine.   The wine is sold by A Catarla Todo in Teulada for 7.95€ and the Peñín awards it 88points with members giving 86.4 points.

The final wine in the tasting was El Regajal Selección Especial 2013 a blend of Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot which had been aged in French barrels for 13 months.   It comes from Viñas El Regajal in the DO of Vinos de Madrid but it is not available in the Costa Blanca and thus has to be ordered direct from the bodega at a cost of 13.31€.   The wine has a red intense cherry colour with violet borders and a few brown tints and a nose of wild fruits and rosemary.   A rounded taste with an enveloping texture with spicy toasted flavours, it has an ABV of 13.5%.   The Guía awards the 2012 vintage 91 points, members gave the 2013 88.2 points.

 

An excellent evening was rounded off by a Vote of thanks to Tim given by the outgoing President Gordon Sellars.

 

 Members enjoying the tasting

Text by Tim Fawle and Gaby Ferenczy, photos by Gaby Ferenczy