The first Spanish wine that I tasted was an ’00 Eguren Codice…not a mind blower but a terrific little wine just the same.

QOTD – An ’02 Numanthia-Termes Toro Termes…now that was a thought provoking wine. Outstanding!!

My last (but not the first time to experience) Spanish wine was a ’05 Finca Luzon Jumillia over the weekend…impressive juice for seven bucks. **Badger Ann (#35) I don’t think you will be disappointed.

In closing I also agree w/ the choices of Susan (#21); Juan Gil (Susan, if you enjoy the ’04 see if you can locate an ’02…it won’t disappoint), E-Rock (#40), Bill Ross (#56), Jack (#58) RE: Tres Picos Garnacha; consistent is a good word to describe this juice, one vintage to another. Lil Luce (#60) RE: 1996 Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva…it should be a treat. Enjoy! Your comments brought memories of the ’89 that I had had the pleasure of drinking a few years back.

QOTD:

Last spanish white wine was the 2000 Godeval Valdeorras Vina Godeval Blanco…so-so.
Last spanish red wine was the 2003 El Nido Clio…agree w/ Gary V and RP.

Next, going to try the 04′ Clio.

Cool show. I hope you hit Priorat and Jumilla soon.

QOTD: 03 Equis was my first Spanish wine in 05. My favorite is 03 Vall Lliach Embroix. The next wine will be Juan Gil

Best (old world) spain producer: Lopez Heredia.
I got his Bosconia 1947 can not wait to open it. His 81 was special.

QOTD:
First wine that really turned me onto spain wine was a Pesquera- First time I tasted obvious mint which was really cool. I’m loving the 2004 bodegas Arrocal, have a bunch. I definately prefer the tempranillo based spanish as i feel they have the most finesse.
BTW last night I tasted/smelled pickle/ saurkraut juice for the first time in wine in a 2004 Charles Jouget Chinon petit roches, pretty wild. Also picked up obvious green pepper/jalapeno, black olives.

oops I meant 2005 chinon

What’s a nice food pairing for Rioja?

Good episode, the last Spanish wine I drank was a 2003 Glorioso Rioja. The spanish wine I am most interested in is a Bierzo Mencia.

Good episode. QOTD: 2001 Freixenet Negro Brut. Not sure if it counts, but Freixenet is from the Iberian peninsula, at least. Drank this to celebrate at a startup I worked at and for a long time, it was also my go-to wine for dating purposes. Freixenet is a marketing juggernaut, but the cava is good QPR. Next up: 2004 El Nido Clio.

OK, 1st – who was the Betty? sweet to sneak her in.

2nd QOTD for you: i was in The Canary Islands years ago gambling and had a meal in the casino restaurant. i was chaperoning 3 total hottie stews so the somme loved our table. he was feeding us a Rioja with a Spanish King on the label (Ferdinand?) and the king’s Roman numerals were on the bottle. somme told us the higher the Roman numeral the better the vino? i have never seen the wine elsewhere.

my spanish fav these day is Numanthia. i have been buying for years (luckily missed 02) and haven’t been unhappy yet. sitting on 03 &04 now. sadly i drank my 99 & 01; long gone.

free shipping for the old world fans on The Heredia?

i love spanish wines so thank you for the Rioja episode. i will for sure be triyng the 98′ Lopez. QOTD – monastrell wines from jumilla and yecla have been finding there way into my kitchen ever since my girlfriend and i visited spain last year. particularly the 100% monastrell dessert wines. those are my favorite by far based on their unique plum flavors and that they pair so wonderfully with chocolate. on another note, i am just now finishing a bottle of Abbazia Di Novacella Stiftskellerei Neustift 2005 Kerner. what a grape! this smells absolutely like Fruity Pebbles. and i think it has great balance for it’s 14.5 alcohol. do you know more about this white varietal? if so, i would appreciate your opinion. thanks again!

Thanks for giving me the intro to Spanish wine, Gary!
Sad to say, I’ve never tried one.
Oh, BTW… Ummm… who was?… *gulp*… uh… wow.

Dont have a favorite spanish wine really, but after your tasting of the 2000 Gloria De Ostatu Rioja Alavesa I have to get my hands on a bottle or 2 of that, Your description matches exactly what im looking for lately in a red. Thanks Gary

Hey, I live in Alabama. I think next time you have a free shipping code in an episode, you should also sneak in a code that allows wine to be shipped to us prohibited states…

QOTD: I’ve never had a Spanish wine. Being as new to wine as I am, I might just go with the Marques De Caceres, since it’s available and “entry level.”

QOTD:
Bodegas Ontanon Rioja Gran Reserva 1999

I tasted this when the MD of this winery came to Ireland to do a tasting with some of our customers. It was my first time having the Gran Reserva. Fantastic. Their Crianza is our best selling read wine in our entire shop. Gary, check out their website at http://www.ontanon.es

Gary,

Thanks for the Rioja episode. Spanish and South American wines are what we normally get around these parts. Marqués de Cáceres IS available EVERYWHERE… Thanks for the vintage tips. Still, I will seek out the 2002 vintage just to taste what I should avoid. How’s that for backwards logic? hehe.

Cheers from Panama.

Gary,
Thanks for the long overdue Rioja episode!
I was really surprised with Riscal. I’ve had it before many times (not 2002 though). Yes it’s not really complex but as I remember it is light body, smooth to the point of being too smooth, lots of cherries, tobacco, some chocolate and oak of course. All in all pleasant wine. Is it possible that you had a bad bottle?

Glenn

The wine you’re talking about is Bodegas Faustino and is available everywhere.

Hey Gary,

QOTD – ’03 El Nido Clio.

Thanks for another great episode. Gotta love how you tell it like it is.

Are you sure Erik isn’t just leaking laughing gas into the room to get you pumped for the show?

QOD: I can’t wait to open a 1981 Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva with some filet mignon later this month to celebrate my buddy getting engaged! Hopefully it won’t let me down…

In closing I also agree w/ the choices of Susan (#21); Juan Gil (Susan, if you enjoy the â??04 see if you can locate an â??02â?¦it wonâ??t disappoint), E-Rock (#40), Bill Ross (#56), Jack (#58) RE: Tres Picos Garnacha; consistent is a good word to describe this juice, one vintage to another. Lil Luce (#60) RE: 1996 Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reservaâ?¦it should be a treat. Enjoy! Your comments brought memories of the â??89 that I had had the pleasure of drinking a few years back.

Comment 76: By michael on February 12th, 2007 at 11:20 pm

Michael –
Thanks for the great tips!My local wine shop suggested the 2004 Juan Gil when I asked about Spanish wines(MarcT brought the 2001 Pratesi Carmione to our last NC get together). I will have to try the 2002 Juan Gil soon! and the Tres Picos Garnacha and the 1996 uga Jioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva. They both sound yummy also!
🙂

From Jumilla I enjoyed the 04 & 05 Pannaroz and the 04 & 05 Luzon. Both under $10, they are made with Monestrel (aka Mouvedre in France) and Syrah.
From Rioja I enjoyed the 95 Muga reserva and especially the 2001 Muga reserva (Wow!). A bottle of ’98 Roda II rioja reserva that I enjoyed this past weekend was a very complex, polished and deliciously well made old world style wine.

The best tasting rioja in the cellar is the ’96 Torre Muga and will probably open it with a prime porterhouse, smashed new potatoes and fresh greens from the garden to celebrate Spring.

Michael-
p.s.
The 2001 Pratesi Carmione was not quite
ready for prime time.
I would give it another 2 – 3 years.
I predict at that time it is going to
blow your socks off!
🙂

p.s.s.
I usually can spell!
Sorry about that!
Here is the real name of the wine:
1996 Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva
🙂