The April tasting took place at Restaurante Ca La Iaia, and Vice-President Paul Nicholls once again hosted the night, standing in for President John Sloggie. He welcomed members and guests, and then introduced the evening’s wine presenter, Pablo Miranda Roger, who presented wines from Bodegas Vizar near Valladolid. They have 80 hectares on the banks of the Douro river, located between the river and a canal. They produce 80 hectares of vines, and are aiming for a fully ecological range of wines by 2018
Wine presenter Pablo
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Pablo works with multiple bodegas in order to help them develop and market their wines. See http://www.pablomirandaroger.es/en/ He has formed a cooperation with Jean François Hebrard, a master wine-maker, who came to Spain from Bordeaux in 2001, and who has vast experience in the wine industry. Since 2011, they have worked together on many new projects in the Spanish winemaking industry. See more details at http://www.pablomirandaroger.es/quien-es-jean-francois-hebrard/ Currently they are working with bodegas in Toro, Ribera del Duero, and in Valladolid, using mostly Tempranillo and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Pablo explained they are not aligned to any one bodega, and export to 32 countries including Germany, Europe generally, Asia and the US. They consider the terroir to be vitally important, and try to produce mostly ecological wines.
Four wines were presented on the evening, a white and three reds.
The first wine of the evening was Vizar Verdejo Ecological lees, 100% Verdejo. Vizar has been growing Verdejo vines for over 40 years in sandy soil. They harvest by hand. No added yeast or sulphites. Three months in steel tanks. Pablo referred to this as a rustic variety which will keep 3-4 years in the bottle. The wine was perfectly clean and bright with a pale yellow hue. The nose was open, intense, fine, elegant and delicate; with white fruit; apricot, peach, apple and floral aromas reminiscent of linden, fresh almond and hazelnut. On the palate it had good volume, round and unctuous with good final acidity. Elegant, delicate and very persistent.
The second wine was Vizar Tempranillo – 100% Tempranillo. No chemicals are used in its production, so good fruit is important. It’s a modern, global wine with an Alcohol by Volume (ABV) of 13.5%. This wine was started two years ago and is a pleasant wine with tapas. It also went well with the morcilla (black pudding) which Pablo brought with him specially. José (who owns the restaurant) certainly knows how to find interesting speakers! The wine appeared perfectly clear and bright, with a high colour intensity of violet and red. On the nose it had high aromatic intensity, with a liquorice, blackberry and sour strawberry, aromatic character. On the palate a seamless integration of acidity with alcohol and tannin. Friendly. clean and fresh initially, with lasting fruit and very varietal memories.
The third wine was Re Minor 2016, another 100% Tempranillo. This wine comes from a small vineyard near Peñafiel, which Jean-Francois bought, which produces a total of 40,000 bottles per year. The bodega is called Réquiem Hispania, hence Re Minor (E Minor). The wine is produced in small quantities (around 15,000 bottles per year). This was one of the wines we weren’t expecting to taste and unfortunately unable to find many notes about it. Its spontaneous fermentation comes by controlling the coldness and two parts are blended together, one of which spends 10 months in French oak. It has an intense red colour and on the nose fruits of cranberry and raspberry.
The fourth wine and final wine was Vizar Prestigio 2013, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Tempranillo which spends 12 months in French oak barrels. This wine has regularly won awards. They only started producing this wine in 2013, again producing a limited quantity of 15,000 bottles per year. You can never guarantee the exact same quality of the wine as wine-making technique and environmental conditions change each year. This was the best wine of the evening and many bottles were purchased immediately after the dinner from the restaurant bodega. They had unfortunately sold out of the white. The wne had an intense ruby red colour and was clear and brilliant. On the nose it had intense aromas of red fruit, raspberry, cranberry and slightly toasted wood. On the palate it was textured with well-balanced dry acidity and alcohol. Well-structured in the mouth with after taste notes of wood, chocolate and cream.
Paul, Pablo José & Tim
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”.
Tim reminded members of the Wine Trip to DO Tarragona & Terra Alta and assured us we’d be enjoying good Catalunian fare.
Paul thanked the Committee for their efforts, as always, in organising the evening, especially Sue and Colin Donadio who were unable to attend this month, and the restaurant for the food. There were a few mixed comments about the soup made with white Port, but most thought it delicious.
Mary Anderton gave her vote of thanks in Castellano and English, stressing that, like wine, we mellow and age gracefully, and Pablo replied by saying we would be welcome us all to visit him in Toro.
