ON THE GRAPEVINE
SAM WYLIE-HARRIS ON... SPANISH WINES TO SNAP UP NOW
A PLAYGROUND for winemakers and pleasure-seekers, when it comes to vino, Spain’s got the lot.
It’s one of our best loved holiday destinations and Spanish wines are quite the oenophile’s odyssey too, with reds young and old, trendy whites, fruity rose, splendid sherry and crisp cava – a must-have summer fizz for the fridge.
So what are you waiting for? Get your Spanish fix with these four best buys – pronto!
1
CO-OP IRRESISTIBLE CAVA BRUT, CATALONIA, SPAIN £7.25, Co-op stores
THIS super reliable Co-op own label cava, in partnership with Castillo Pereladaor, stands out from the crowd, with pristine citrus fruits and a flourish of freshness. Made in the traditional method and aged for more than 15 months lending a subtle creamy texture, it’s the perfect pour with tapas and party nibbles.
2
WAITROSE VINA TABOEXA ALBARINO 2018, RIAS BAIXAS, SPAIN £8.79, Waitrose
BEYOND the bustle of Barcelona, the windswept Atlantic coast and Galicia’s
Rias Baixas is a showcase for albarino (if you like pinot grigio, you’ll love this), one of the country’s most prized white grapes. With telltale floral and perfumed notes, juicy peachy and appley flavours, a hint of lemon blossom and fresh acidity on the finish, this is a natural with shellfish and seafood.
3
MAR DE FRADES ALBARINO 2019, DO RIAS BAIXAS,
SPAIN £18.95, GreatWine.co.uk
COMBINING a lovely floral expression with wild flowers on the nose and a brilliant, minerally, saline note, this A-list Albarino really shows off the know-how of one of the region’s top winemakers and ‘self confessed Alabarino geek’. With a wonderful purity and soft texture, flavours of mango and peach are beautifully balanced, with roundness from six months lees ageing and a really lovely silky, salty finish.
4
VERDEJO RAMON BILBAO 2019, RUEDA, SPAIN £11.95, GreatWine.co.uk
SPAIN’S other white grape, verdejo from Rueda (north west of Madrid) enjoys a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters – and makes dry, bright whites with lively citrusy notes, aromatic freshness and tropical, green character.
From one of the country’s most innovative producers, here we have all that super floral freshness with aromatic herbs, hints of jasmine and citrus, flavours of ripe pear and peach topped with lemony acidity.