TalkTV: Award-Winning Wines From Spain

When we hear the words Spanish wine, what do we immediately think of? Rioja? Certainly. Cava? Probably. Anything else? Today is all about discovering some grapes and regions that wine buffs love but that don’t get enough recognition in our normal, wine-drinking consumer world. Below, I’ve picked three wines that recently made the top 100 list at the prestigious Wines of Spain Awards, judged by a top team of wine pros. CLick the button below to see the full list.

Godello

Godello is a Spanish white wine grape that has been finding favour over recent years as a great alternative to Sauvignon, Soave, Gavi and the usual suspects. It’s most popular in Galicia where Albariño is king, but can be found in other Spanish regions as well as across the world where it is also known as Gouveio (Portugal) and Agudelo (France). It’s a grape whose style will change based on terroir and winemaking techniques but very generally, is often zesty, refreshing, saline and textured with notes of grapefruit and lime and a hint of smokiness. 

Try: Godello Pepa Porter, Adegas Terrae 2021

Hailing from the lesser known, dry and granite-rich D.O. Monterrei, which is located in the southeast corner of the province of Ourense in Galicia, this wine made the top 100 list and is cracking value. Think savoury stone fruit and a slick of salty licorice and lime. Delicious. 

Find it for £12-13 from Vinissimus & VinoDirect.com 

Garnacha Blanca (White Grenache)

White Garnacha, aka Grenache, to give it its more usual French name, is a grape that has been on the rise in Spain recently and does fantastically well. This is probably due to the popularity of red Grenache (Grenache Noir), even though it’s technically a different grape that behaves very differently. We are seeing a revival of Garnacha Blanca in the regions of Priorat,  Aragón and Montsant but it is also increasingly common in Rioja blends as well as in top end, single-varietal wines. It’s storming it in Navarra too at the moment, with acreage growing from 2.5 to 123H in fifteen years. It is no longer a minor grape variety so if you like rich and weighty white wines, seek out a Garnacha Blanca. Try this grape with rich and creamy poultry or rice dishes. 

Try: Perelada Només Garnatxa Blanca 2021 (Best White Over £10)

Hailing from the region of ​​Empordà in Spain, this is 100% white Grenache and a great example of it at that. Think weighty, fleshy and creamy white wine with notes of melon, vanilla, baked apple and white chocolate. Great with food like hard cheese, nuts and poultry. 

Find it from £10.50- at Vinissimus & AMPS Wine Merchants

Ribera del Duero

Not a grape but a wine region, Ribera del Duero D.O. is located about 200 miles southwest of Rioja in the greater region of Castilla y León on the banks of the Duero River. It is famous for making powerful red wines predominantly with the Tempranillo grape, like Rioja but while the wines tend to use the same blends as their more famous neighbour, the style is more concentrated, pure fruited, complex and powerful thanks to harsher, hotter conditions and slightly different soils. They are beefy wines that do well with hard cow cheese and meaty dishes. 

Try: Laderas del Norte, Arzuaga, Ribera del Duero 2020

The powerful, organic red is concentrated but silky in texture with wild strawberry and spice notes, licorice and chocolatey notes. Needs some time open and it will age beautifully. Find an older vintage if you can.

Find the 2017 vintage at Harvey Nichols & Wadebridge Wines for £20- £21.50

Find out what else we’ve been tasting with Mike Graham on talkTV here. 

One Minute Wine Ace: Tempranillo

In the early hours of the morning, you spot him from your window. He’s back: the mysterious cowboy. The man is a legend in these parts and each town has a different name for him. You watch this alluring figure in faded leather boots as he unsaddles his horse. You spoke to him once: his voice was soft as velvet and sweet, like wild strawberry. He smelled of wood smoke mingled with fresh, vanilla tobacco. It has been a long time. He has aged well. 

Introducing Tempranillo, the early-ripening grape (‘temprano’ is Spanish for ‘early’) with notes of wild strawberry and liquorice, often tempered by cinnamon spice and leather from years of ageing in oak barrels. The result is a mellow, spicy wine that’s moreishly chewy. Think of comfortable, worn leather, tobacco and stewed strawberry fruit. Without the oak though, it’s rustic and medium bodied with ripe, bright red fruit. It’s very easy to love!

Fact!

While Tempranillo is now found all over the world, it has always been the flagship red grape of Spain, where it is responsible for 88% of vine plantings. It is the principal grape used in red wines from the famous Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions too. Our cowboy has many aliases, however, even in Spain where it’s also known as Tinto Fino, Cencibel, Ull de Llebre and Tinta del Pais. You may see it in Portugal too as Aragonez or Tinta Roriz. Who said wine was complicated?

Food Match

Tempranillo can handle earthier meats like roast lamb with lots of garlic, or anything with a tomato base, like lasagne. Barbecued meats in general work nicely as do grilled vegetables. It’s the smoke.

Helena’s oldie but a goodie. This time, you’ll remember what you learned!

TASTING TOUR

Tempranillo 1: Rioja

When you think of Tempranillo, your first thought should be Spain. Head straight to the region of Rioja and start with the younger versions before working your way up the age ladder: go from Joven (meaning ‘young’ in Spanish) to Crianza, then Reserva and, finally, Gran Reserva. The difference is the amount of time the wine has aged in oak and then in bottle before release. Both bottle and oak age increase as you move up the scale.

Try La Rioja Alta ‘Gran Reserva 904’, 2011

This fantastic producer hails from the Rioja Alta, Rioja’s largest subregion, where the Tempranillo is perfectly suited to the cooler climate thanks to the Atlantic climate and higher altitude. The 904 is only made a few times each decade and the 2011 version shows beautiful concentration with a perfume of tobacco, dark fruit, spice and prune. On the palate, it’s full but refreshing with fabulous ripe and dried fruit notes and a cool acidity. Worth splashing out on for Christmas!

Find it for £50 a bottle from Armit Wines and other retailers.

Tempranillo 2: Ribera del Duero

Stay in Spain, but mosey on over to Ribera del Duero: an exciting area for Tempranillo where wines traditionally have more body and power than those from Rioja thanks to slightly different geography.

Try Psi Bodegas y Vinedos Alnardo 2017

The modern wine world meets tradition here in this powerhouse of a wine from one of Ribera de Duero’s most celebrated winemakers, Peter Sisseck. Concentrated, brooding and intense, with lush, dark fruit tannins and spice. It’s the iron fist in the velvet glove. 

Find it at Corneyandbarrow for £27.25

Tempranillo 3: Douro

In Portugal’s Douro region, Tempranillo is known as Tinta Roriz. It’s one of the principal blending grapes in Port, but is now also making some stunning, still, dry wines that simply must be tasted.

Try Castrum Douro Red

Made by renowned producer Quinto do Crazto, this Tinta roriz wines shows what brilliant value Portuguese red wines can be. Think plum pudding in a glass with caramelized raisins. Delicious!

Find it at CO-Op for £10

Tempranillo 4: Australia

Various regions in Australia are now producing some delicious, juicy, red-fruited Tempranillo from the Margaret River region in the West all the way over to the Barossa Valley in the East.

Try The Hedonist Tempranillo, McLaren Vale

This one from McLaren Vale is meant to be a more youthful, soft and  juicy style, with vibrant red fruit  and liquorice flavours.

Find it at Fareham Cellars for £15.50 a bottle

Like this One Minute Wine Ace? Try our other pieces for Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and One Minute Wine Ace: Pinot Noir, One Minute Wine Ace: Sauvignon Blanc and Cotes du Rhone.