Bodegas El Nido Clio 2011 The Bodegas El Nido & Gil Family Winery is located in the Valley of the Aragona, 10 kilometers north of the town of Jumilla, in the “top boundary”, so named because it is the highest altitude in the municipality. The vines are planted on soils mostly of limestone and very stony surface. The winery began bearing fruit in 2001 as a result of the partnership between the Gil family and Chris Ringland, one of Australia’s best winemakers. The first harvest sold was 2002 under both El Nido and Clio brands. A personal favorite. Dark red color with intense aromas of ripe fruit, floral notes and…
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R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva 1980 It all started in the middle of the nineteenth century when French negociants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to transform into wine, since the phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic student in the art of wine making, followed closely in their footsteps. Don Rafael fell in love with the region and especially the area around Haro, the mythical capital of the Rioja Alta region. He observed that there was a magical combination of soil and climate that would offer the perfect environment for producing…
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Ramirez de la Piscina 2007 Gran Reserva The name Ramírez de la Piscina traces its lineage back to the Navarra Kings who fought in the First Crusade during the 11th century. Included among this noble ancestry is the famous Cid Campeador. The name is also strongly embedded in the small village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, which is centrally located in the Sonsierra lands, in the heart of La Rioja Alta. Bodegas Ramírez de la Piscina elaborates its wines with grapes proceeding from its own vineyards located in Abalos and from other very carefully selected estates. Aged for 24 months in American and French oak, and cellared for 36…
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Dominio do Bibei Ribeira Sacra Lalama 2012 Dominio do Bibei is located in the Quiroga-Bibei sub zone of the Ribeira Sacra D.O. Like all Ribeira Sacra sub zones, this area is one of spectacular mountain ranges and rivers, but it is drier and harsher than the others. Javier Dominguez is the brainchild of this crazy adventure to recapture a once grand vineyard. Javier’s vision is reflected in the winery and its simple design. Gravity rules. There are no stainless steel tanks; wood or cement are the vehicles of choice and they come in all the different sizes. The idea is to return to the past to rediscover what was once…
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Hacienda Monasterio Ribera del Duero 2014 Hacienda Monasterio is owned by Carlos del Rio whose family has been in the sherry business for decades. Being fortunate enough to own some prime, south-facing parcels on the right side of the river, Carlos hired Peter Sisseck, the owner/winemaker of the famed Ribera estate Pingus to take over the winemaking in 1995. Peter has helped to turn this old estate into a Ribera powerhouse with wines that can age for years. A blend of 80% Tinto Fino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot and aged for 17 months in French oak (30% new). Deep bright red with ripe sweet berry fruits aromas and…
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R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva 2004 It all started in the middle of the nineteenth century when French negociants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to transform into wine, since the phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic student in the art of wine making, followed closely in their footsteps. Don Rafael fell in love with the region and especially the area around Haro, the mythical capital of the Rioja Alta region. He observed that there was a magical combination of soil and climate that would offer the perfect environment for producing wine…
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Maddy Txakoli Bizkaiko Txakolina 2015 Who is Maddy? Maddy is a Mythological Goddess from the Basque Country and has appeared in local rural legends since time immemorial. She is a deity with a woman’s body and face, who is described as attractive and elegantly dressed. She is said to be able to fly over the peaks of the mountains, where she lives and from which she foretells and ordains the climate. As the Queen of Nature, she wields her magic over the earth, the wind, the sun and the water, decisively influencing the quality of the harvest. Maddy captures the best qualities of the Ondarrabi Zuri variety of grape. This…
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Juvé y Camps Reserva De La Familia 2013 Cava Juvé y Camps has been a family run company for three generations and has garnered an international reputation. Over two hundred years ago, Joan Juvé Mir, a bold and enterprising vine grower laid the foundations of what would become the family firm. He began the task which was carried on by his son, Antoni Juvé Escaiola, who, amongst other challenges, had to confront the effects of the terrible phylloxera plague. Advocating replanting, with other leading figures of the Penedes, he led a drive to restore the vineyards and to rebuild the wine production of the region. A man respected and loved…
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Campillo 2001 Gran Reserva Bodegas Campillo represents the culmination of the accumulated experience of four generations of winemakers who sought a site at the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Laguardia. Strategically placed in a location in which all key factors: altitude, climate, soil and terrain are ideally suited for growing grapes and ageing their wines. Juilio Faustino Martínez always had the dream of creating a winery surrounded by vineyards, thus transforming the concept of château to the land of Rioja wine. To this end he started his project by acquiring 35 hectares of land near Laguardia in the 1980s which were later expanded to 50. After several years, in 1988, everything…
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R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva 1995 It all started in the middle of the nineteenth century when French negociants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to transform into wine, since the phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic student in the art of wine making, followed closely in their footsteps. Don Rafael fell in love with the region and especially the area around Haro, the mythical capital of the Rioja Alta region. He observed that there was a magical combination of soil and climate that would offer the perfect environment for producing…