Members enjoying pre dinner drinks

It was a balmy evening for the pre-dinner drinks reception in the stunning grounds of the Hotel. Many of the members rehearsed their tasting skills on copious amounts of wine and cava before dinner. The cost of each wine, where it can be purchased and average score given by members is shown in the list of wines tasted in 2017, which can be found by clicking on “Wines tasted in 2017”.                                               

El Presidente, John Sloggie, opened proceedings by welcoming guests and giving a health update on some absent members. He then introduced the 3 presenters from Bodega Viña Elena as

Isio Ramos – sales manager

Mar Gonzalez – export department

Fernando Pacheco – export department

He mentioned they spoke better English than he did and this was later confirmed to be correct!

Viña Elena is a bodega from Jumilla located in approximately 50km north of Murcia. This family-run bodega dates back to 1948 when Francisco, the current generation’s late-grandfather, began to make wine from his modest winepress. The Pacheco´s rely on generation after generation of the very same families who embarked on the bodega’s first wine adventure, with Francisco Pacheco being with the bodega today.

The predominant grape variety, Monastrell, has found its perfect habitat in the region’s unique terrain. The rough chalk stones provide good drainage and store up moisture from the scarce rainfall, so the vines produce exceptionally high quality low yields.

The 5 presented wines were

• Familia Parheco blanco 2016. This was the only white we tried and was 100% Airen. It was priced at a modest 3.15 euros.

The following are all 100% Monastrell red wines. The distinct differences in taste are as a result of the location of the parcel, age of the vines and method of ageing.

• Bruma Del Estrecho – Marin, 2015. 14% alcohol and the Bodega produced 21,000 bottles. It is not aged and sells for 5 euros.

• Bruma Del Estecho – Las Chozas Viñas Viejas, 2015. 14% alcohol and 18,700 bottles were produced. 50% of the wine is aged for 3 months in lightly toasted new French oak, the remainder is kept in vats. It sells for 6.48 euros.

• Bruma Del Estrecho – Vereda, 2015. 14.5% alcohol and 12,100 bottles were produced. The wine is stored in 20,000 litre stainless steel vats for 10 days then aged in second fill barrels for 7 months then back into the vats until bottling. The cost is 11 euros.

• Bruma Del Estrecho – Mandiles, 2015. 14.5% alcohol and 6,900 bottles were produced. The wine is fermented in 5,000 litre oak vats and macerated for 12 days. It is then pressed and aged for 10 months in the oak vat. Again, the cost is a modest 11 euros.                                                           

John Sloggie thanked the Hotel for organising a fantastic meal under difficult circumstances – many of the staff had been delayed through torrential rain in Gandia which brought the area to a complete standstill.

Colin Donadio proposed a vote of thanks to the 3 speakers

Diners enjoying the tasting

Text and Photos by Glenn Brookes                                                                                                                                                                                  May 2017