Positively Rex Grossmanesque with that cork there.

By the way, WRONG! OK, not really. First Spanish wine was actually a Montecillo, or if you want to get in the wayback machine, my dad always seemed to have a bottle of Tio Pepe lying around …

QOD: 2001 Domenio de Tares Bierzo, unlike anything I’d ever had before. Not bad for the last bottle of the night. Next, probably another Bierzo unless I decide to crack the Valsacro already.

Thanks for highlighting Spain–Priorat and Jumilla are probably my favorite regions on the planet at the moment. Great value, good old world/new world options, top-notch quality. Coincidentally I have the Finca Luzon in my glass as I watched your episode.

QOTD: either the ’04 Clio or the ’01 Cims De Porrera. The ’01 Muga Torre is up there too.

Thanks for highlighting Spain–Priorat and Jumilla are probably my favorite regions on the planet at the moment. Great value, good old world/new world options, top-notch quality. Coincidentally I have the Finca Luzon in my glass as I watched your episode.

QOTD: either the ’04 Clio or the ’01 Cims De Porrera. The ’01 Muga Torre is up there too.

Sad that there are confused wines out there…..confused wines are like Lurkers…they just don’t know were there going and they never show themselves….what’s with the Viral in the background….and your lady friend….and the numbers….still don’t get it…..I think I am a confused wine…!

QOTD: Haven’t had much yet..bought a Sierra Cantabria Rioja to try

CW, contact me at boyd.pearson@gmail.com

I’m not exactly sure I follow what you’re saying. Sorry, I’m dumb when it comes to stuff likes this. All I know is that GA can bite me too. I’m ready for us to move into the 20th century. Everyone else is already two centuries ahead of us. We’re at like 1897 right now.

So many good ones … Cims de Porrrera Priorat comes to mind, but if price considered, then Muga 2001 Rioja Reserva stands out. UP next will be 2003 Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera from Ribero del Duero, for an on-line tasting this Thursday. I am knee deep in quality Spanish wines from WL, but run from the below $10/above 90pt RP QPR wines!

QOTD — I don’t remember. However, I have the ’04 Ercavio Tempranillo and the ’01 Marques De Riscal Rioja Reserva in my wine fridge waiting for me to taste. After that performance of the ’02 today, I sure hope TheGraveWolf is right about the ’01. Tasting that ’02 just looked utterly painful…

QOTD1: False
QOTD2: Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2004 very good.
Are we going to find out what the extra camera and the babe were there for?
Great show.

GV: I was at the Boston Wine Expo as well, and I completely agree… poor showing from a lot of wineries.

I did have a few jems though, including an excellent Merlot from White Oak winery.

It also made me mad how packed the place was… I got there at 1:30 and waited for over 40 minutes to get in. Once inside, several wineries had already run out of their best bottles.

The Grand Tasting is a complete rip-off… so you didn’t miss much, other than a drain on your wallet.

I’m pissed I didn’t see you! Oh well.

QOTD: Favorite???? I think it is a tie between a Muga Rioja Blanco and the Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero. But the Muga Rioja Blanco was during a great afternoon in a tapas bar overlooking the Sea in a little town near Malaga…so the experience really helped. I also loved the 1 + 1 = 3 Cava, because it had a little more toast & cream flavors than some of the other chalky tasting cheap, dry Cavas.

Sub QOTD: Just yesterday, I bought a 1996 Prado Enea Gran Reserva from Bodegas Muga. I plan to drink it with friends over the weekend and will let you all know what I think.

Thanks for the great ep, Gary!

Nice…
had a 1995 Rioja Grand Reserva that was nice and an Altos Jumilla 2003 that was quite good.

Good show today, I love Rioja wines. However, am not a fan of the Marques’ wines. Will try the Lopez de Heredia wine soon (although a different one then you tried).
Best Spanish wine I hve tried was a 2002 Flor di Pingus, and an Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi. Although I also usually enjoy the Torres Mas La Plana, and Lan Gran Reserva, Alion, and most Pesquera brands.

Gary: I think rather than “MassHead,” the word you’re looking for is, “MassHole.”

QOTD: False. Marques de Cacerces was my first Rioja. I recently enjoyed a Torrontes. Fantastic nose. I’m thinking that might be a lovely white to cook with to add even more complex aromas to my food.

QOTD 2: Bellum Providencia

QOTD 2a: Next bottle will be Sierra Cantabria Cuvee Especial – lovely wine

And ok, who is the blonde? The wine world wonders…

I’ve never had a rioja wine. My next and first bottle will be the Ercavio Tempranillo (I can’t afford better because I’m a poor college student).

Great Episode

QOD 1: Protos Crianza

Best Spanish wine I’ve ever had? On my budget, 2002 or 2004 Las Rocas Granacha. Very drinkable any time, tons of fruit, tasty and interesting but not too serious. Cushions and fills your mouth with soft cherries…and it’s CHEAP!

In fact, I just put back a bottle the other night. Grad student’s dream.

QOD- My favorite wine from Spain I have had was the 1999 Numanthia Termes from Toro. Plus I still have 3 bottles left. I would like to try some more wines from Jumilla area and higher end Rioja like the one today.

Most memorable Spanish wine that comes to mind was a Tilenus mecia from Bierzo i had at Bar Jamon in NYC shortly after it opened. It was my first taste of mecia and so different from the riojas i’d tried. Really made an impression. Recently I really enjoyed the Luna Beberide Tierras De Luna you guys are currently stocking.

G-man,
been a “lurker” for nearly fifty or sixty episodes, and the QOD finally got me out of the closet.
i’ve only been drinking wine for less than a year now but my plan was to start with spain and grenache, and move around the world from there to get a good feel of each region. Spain seems so consistant and working class than any other regions i’ve had so far, i love it.
the first i had, beginning VERY recently, was a Coto de Hayas from Campo de Borja, which i remember liking. However, my fav so far – and i even bought a case of it – has been the Tres Picos Garnacha ’05…Solid and interesting all the way around….and, of course, i really liked the Can Blau.
-DB

G-man,
been a “lurker” for nearly fifty or sixty episodes, and the QOD finally got me out of the closet.
i’ve only been drinking wine for less than a year now but my plan was to start with spain and grenache, and move around the world from there to get a good feel of each region. Spain seems so consistant and working class than any other regions i’ve had so far, i love it.
the first i had, beginning VERY recently, was a Coto de Hayas from Campo de Borja, which i remember liking. However, my fav so far – and i even bought a case of it – has been the Tres Picos Garnacha ’05…Solid and interesting all the way around….and, of course, i really liked the Can Blau.
-DB

GV-
cool ep. I have only tried a couple of riojas, and they were similar to the first 3 wines tasted today. the first Spanish wine I ever had was “Equis” which was some 8 dollar red blend that was pretty good from what i remember.

The last spanish wine i had was the las rocas. I had it blind in a flight with other under 10 dollar wines. I was not that impressed. To each his own.

I am looking forward to a week of good themes like this. If you need any Finger Lakes wine for the Finger Lakes episode, I would be happy to donate one. I was in a week ago, and the selection looked really thin. Let me know…

QOTD1: Pedro Ximenez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1910, January 2005, the morning after attending Die Arzteball in Vienna.

QOTD2: probably the 2001 Pasanau Priorat “Finca La Planeta”

First Spanish wine, like many others here apparently, was a Marques de Caceres Rioja in 1998, purchased at a “supermarché” in Boulogne-sur-la-mer, on a cross-Channel wine buying junket.

Thanks for the Rioja episode. We were definitely missing a Spanish episode. Too bad that you chose the wrong wines, or the wrong vintages. You said it yourself, 2002 to be avoided, 2003 was too hot. And you also got 1998 and 2000 which were only ok and only the 2004 but for a cheap “cosechero”. You owed it to yourself to try the better vintages, but I guess next time. Also looking forward to a Priorat, Ribera, Cataluña or Jumilla/Yecla episode.

Being from Spain I can’t really remember the first Spanish wine I had. Probably some table wine when I was 5 or 6. The best was probably a 1994 Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva. My wife really loves Riojas. We cherish incredible memories from visiting the Lopez the Heredia winery in Haro, Rioja. The most impressive visit to an old school winery. We also run into an amazing small size producer in Cenicero, Rioja, called Valdelana. Family run and amazing quality for a dirt cheap price. You should try to check it out, Gary.

I’m also fond of the Cabs from Navarra and Somontano. I’ve lately been impressed by the Monastrells from Jumilla/Yecla. Castaño, Luzón, Santa Ana, Alto de la Hoya… Looking forward to an episode on those.

Salud!

Hey Gary. QOD. I’ve only had four or five Spanish wines that I can think of. But to answer your question, I just finished the Las Rocas vinas viegias garnacha as I was watching this episode. So far this one is my favorite. I tasted it right when I opened it and didn’t know what to think. (Maybe not so good). Then let it decant for six hours. It really opened up nice. Structure, balance, great fruit, awsome mouth feel and great finish.

I also had the 1998 Lopez De Heredia a couple of weeks ago. I hated it. I thought there was no finish to it and weak flavor. (Like it was watered down). I love new and old world styles. Love Burgundy and Bordeaux, and rustic Italian wines. This one was just not for me.

Who’s the hottie in the audience?