Nice episode Gary. I don’t recall the producer, by my first Spanish wine was actually an Albariño.

Can you tell me what’s the story with the gold mesh stuff that’s wrapped around so many Spanish wines?

I also question the bottle for your Riscal tasting. I’ve been drinking for many years, and my group along with me. We tried this very bottle less than two months ago. It was very pretty on the nose and extremely smooth on the palate. Had it twice more since then and each bottle was just as fine. In fact, the last time I had this, I was with a group of non wine drinkers and the comment that kept comming up was that it smelled seductive and sexy.

Maybe a re-taste is in order? I remember thinking that it was indeed a short term drinker…. maybe excessive decanting time? Maybe another decanting episode like the amon ra?

Anyway, I hope some of you out there take a chance on this wine and form your own opinions. Great? No. Awful? No… at least not in my opinion.

GV,

Nice work with this episode. Very informative and I will be trying some of these wines.

QOTD: My favorite Spanish WHINE is, “Why is it so freaking hot in Madrid?”

My question to you GV: Have you ever done a show loaded? That would make for some great TV. Have a good day my Guru of the Grape!

I’m off to do the work of many.

Gary- The 2001 Artazuri Garnacha from Navarra, drank at a late dinner with friends after a great concert in April 2004, got me started on wine. My wife loved it and the mood was all there. A couple weeks later, my friend who had ordered the Artazuri at dinner showed up at our door with a gift of six bottles. I purchased a home wine fridge, made my first online purchase of 9 bottles of the controversial 2001 Las Rocas Vinas Viejas in May 2004, and was off into the wine world. I have bought hundreds of bottles from Spain, mostly at less than $15.
QOD- The 2001 Artazuri. Still have a few bottles for special occasions. The 2001 Las Rocas VV, which is wildly inconsistent, and the ’03 and ’04 as well. I agree with Susan and others about the Juan Gil Monastrell, the 2003 is also very good, and agree about the 2001 Muga Reserva Unfiltered. Another good Rioja is the 2001 Artadi Vinas de Gain. From Jumilla, the ’03 or ’05 Olivares Altos de la Hoya. From Bierzo, the ’03 Jose Palacios Petalos del Bierzo and from Yecla the ’03 Castano Solanera or Hecula. Cheers and great episode!

QOD- The 2001 Artazuri. Still have a few bottles for special occasions. The 2001 Las Rocas VV, which is wildly inconsistent, and the â??03 and â??04 as well. I agree with Susan and others about the Juan Gil Monastrell, the 2003 is also very good, and agree about the 2001 Muga Reserva Unfiltered. Another good Rioja is the 2001 Artadi Vinas de Gain. From Jumilla, the â??03 or â??05 Olivares Altos de la Hoya. From Bierzo, the â??03 Jose Palacios Petalos del Bierzo and from Yecla the â??03 Castano Solanera or Hecula. Cheers and great episode!

Comment 103: By GottaGoDrink on February 13th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
GottaGoDrink:
Good to hear so many like Spanish wines. This also confirms that my local wine shop does know a thing or two.
I will have to try more Spanish wines!
🙂

QOD, Not sure if it’s my first Spanish wine, but Naia is the first that I remember, 2nd would be Juan Gil.

Thanks GV.Great episode. Seems maybe the pretty woman sitting there brought out the the best in you! Don’t they always!?

…My first was a 94 ummm Faustino. I liked it.

I loved the 01 Mauro Vendimia Seleccionada with the 01 Flor de Pingus right behind.

Priorat’s next?

Thanks Gary SPAIN-ER-CHUK…

QOTD: I don’t think I have ever had a Spanish wine, nor do I have one in my current collection. Once again, you are expanding my horizons.

But, help me… I couldn’t really tell, did you, or did you not, like the ’02 De Riscal…?
you were a little vague on that one.
I wouldn’t want to drink anything that reminds me of the dentist anyway!

Lastly, you really should have introduced her Gary, where are your manners?

Why taste the 02 Riscal, 02 is a vintage to avoid. Taste the 01 to give it a fair shake.

Could it be because you only have the 02 in stock?

Gary V., you’ve outdone yourself… “laughing gas and rubber gloves’

This is my first post ever here, but I just came to realize that Gary is the Alton Brown of wine. Foodies will know AB from FoodTV’s Good Eats and I’m sure I’m not the first to notice.

Actually, there’s a great idea!! Pairing Gary V. with Alton B. on a FoodTV special!!

Make it happen!

111th!! Or thereabouts. QOD #1: False. I’ve seen that wine around, but I’ve never had it. But, I don’t remember what the first Spanish wine I ever had was. QOD #2: The best Spanish wine I ever had was a 1968 Unico, Vega Sicilia. Dang. I was invited to dinner with a client while on business, and he decided to bring that bottle (as well as some other heavy hitters, but I don’t like bragging). Man, nothing will ever top that. As for the next Spanish wine, unless I try something at a tasting, I have some random cheap-o’s in my collection that’ll probably go soon. I can’t think of what they are, but they’re nothing terribly interesting–as far as looks go anyway, I could open one up and be blown away.

OK…great episode. I’ve been digging Spanish wines, and I haven’t really had too many Rioja’s. OK, cool. See you later. Have a good day.
T

GO BEARS!!!

#1 – Bodegas Muga Rioja torre Muga 2000, served with turkey at Thanksgiving.
#2 – 2004 Juan Gil Mouvedre, unbelievable texture and mouth feel.
#3 – Finca Luzon Altos de Luzon 2004, fruit and fire.
#4 – Panarroz Jumilla 2004, best everyday
#5 – Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2003/4, the one that got me into Spainish wine

QOD: ’03 El Nido Clio. Why? Because it was recommended by some really smart guy on some wine blog. ;)(And it’s one of my favorites!) I’ve had some other Spanish…Bodegas Arrocal
Ribera del Duero

Great rioja I’ve been drinking this week (coincidentally, Gary does a rioja show this week.. go figure): Conde de Valdemar Reserva 2001 rioja. $12.69 at my local Costco in Van Nuys, CA. Get a bottle. Goes great with dark chocolate, I’ve found.

I definitely bought some of that Marques de Riscal from the OLD Wine Library store, but it wasn’t my first Rioja. I’m positive that my first Rioja was a Sangre de Toro, which was long considered one of the few reliable wines for under $10. When I was a grad student, Sangre de Toro was THE wine to bring to a party.

The first Spanish wine that really hooked me, really knocked my socks off, was a Valduero Ribera del Duero Crianza. My favorite? Hmmm. Hard to say. I’ve had too many good ones. The Case de la Ermita Jumilla I had last night was pretty damned good. — Mark B

P.S. I agree with TagWorld Brian above. I’ve had Conde de Valdemar many times. A very good budget wine.

Who’s the blond??

Thanks, EataPC. Here are my very brief tasting notes on the Conde de Valdemar: “Fruity (cherry) aroma and taste, medium-heavy oak. Tannic, but not overly. A great food wine, not so much for sipping.” But I’d go back and amend that by saying that it opened up really nicely the next day, after being in the fridge overnight. It became nicer to sip. And I think I recall Costco is plugging this wine as a WS 90 or 91? Not totally sure on that, but anyway, a great value. But like everything, it just depends whether you like it.

Gotcha! Gran Reserva is 5 years .. with two in barrel! (Not that the world will change in any way:-)
Ok .. hey .you should have told me you were coming to Boston. I did attend the Grand Cru Lounge…and likely, won’t do that again next year. Now ..some nice wines ..some vintage Port (Niepoort 77,Warre 80), some decent Bordeaux (Fombrauge), and some good Valpolicella/Amarone), but overall very expensive and a bit disappointing.

To be honest .. haven’t had a really good Spanish bottle in a while. Have had some reasonably good values like Tres picos, etc., but nothing outstanding. Do have some Clos Erasmus that i haven’t opened yet .. so will give that a try.

Since visiting Spain I have been drinking lots of Spanish wine so I was psyched to see this episode. Like other people leaving comments, I was surprised at how bad you found the 02 Riscal, since the 01 is very good IMO. I was happy since I have the 98 Lopez Tondonia Reserva in my wine fridge, along with the 95 Tondonia Rosado and 96 Bosconia (which I have tried and loved–crazy young and fresh tasting for a 10 year old wine). I love how well good Rioja is able to integrate all that oak.
My favorite Riojas this year were 98 Bodegas Vinicola Real 200 Monges Reserva and 02 Marques de Tomares Crianza (which was excellent despite the supposedly bad vintage).
The next Spanish wine I will drink will probably be 01 Rotllan Torra Priorat to see if I like it and want to buy more.
Shows on Priorat, Montsant, Emporda? Jumilla, Toro, Bierzo? Albarinos and white Ruedas? and Jerez, of course? I hope so…

My first Spanish wine was CUNE and still one of my favorite Riojas thoiugh since 1970 I have spent time in Spain and came to appreciate so many. Had a memorable dinner at El Bulli with the fixed price wine and food pairing. Lost track of what I was tasting with the volume of wonderful food and wine. Spain has it all for me. Gary, didn’t you go to El Bulli last year? Still haven’t mentioned who the young woman was.

I brought the Gloria de Ostatu to the Farmhouse Inn Restaurant in Sonoma (unbelievable food….a must in the wine country)last year and paired it with the best rack of venison I have ever had. The wine was amazing, in fact, I shared a glass with the sommelier (who is a huge Spanish wine fan). He had never had the Ostatu before but went on and on about it. At the end of the meal he brought out a glass of 1997 Dows Vintage Port for both my wife and myself on the house! Hint: always think about sharing with the sommelier……they appreciate it and you never know what “suprise” they may bring you. I agree with you Gary…RP missed the boat with this one.

QOTD- Yup, 2001 Riscal Reserva was my first and I really like it. Will obviously stay away from the 2002. If in public you gave it a 75, in private it would be…….

QOTD2- Have had the Ercavio, is that from Spain?

Who was the woman in the episode? Your wife? Your mistress? Sister? Single? Looking?

Lol, funny how all the comments mention the cutie pie in the beginning. Is this just someone you hired so you can get more comments??? What a clever trick!

QOTD… I can’t even remember what my first… I think it was a Montecilla or something like that. Wwasn’t that good for a $25 price tag. Have had many more Riojas after that and I love them!! Most recent one was allende and I thought it was great!!! Very complex.