Table of contents for January-March 2020 in Selectus Wines

When people start a business, they obviously hope that things will go smoothly, that the business will be a success and grow “little by little and with good lyrics” as the Spanish saying goes. When we started out on this adventure called “Selectus Wines”, this is what we were, of course, hoping for…. that our business would make “satisfactory progress”, as they might say to primary school children when handing them their school reports. In 2019, in our own “school report”, which came in the form of the IWC Merchant Awards Spain, we once again received the highest grades for a Spanish wine publication and we could not be more delighted. Picking up this award for a second time was no mean feat when you consider the high calibre of…

SPAIN A CORUÑA AC Hotel Palacio del Carmen. Santiago de Compostela ALAVA Restaurante Zaldiarán (Vitoria) Hotel Marqués de Riscal – A Luxury. Elciego Collection Hotel Restaurant Zaldiarán . Vitoria-Gasteiz ALBACETE Rest. Maralba. Almansa ALICANTE Hospes Amerigo AC Hotel Ciutat d´Alcoi. Alcoi Restaurant Quique Dacosta. Dénia Rest. L´Escaleta. Cocentaina ASTURIAS AC Hotel Forum Oviedo. Oviedo Restaurant Casa Marcial. Arriondas Restaurant La Salgar. Gijón Restaurant Auga. Gijón BARCELONA Hotel Mercer Hotel Le Méridien Restaurant Rías de Galicia Restaurant Hofmann Monvínic Restaurant Moments Santa Eulalia Restaurant Xerta Joyería Rabat Joyería Suárez Hotel Majestic Hotel Omm Restaurant Windsor Hotel Palace Celler de Gelida Restaurant La Clara Restaurant Nectari Restaurante Cinc Sentits Arsenal Masculino Four Points by Sheraton Restaurant Via Veneto Restaurant Abac Restaurant L´Oliana Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I Restaurant Gaig AC Hotel Victoria…

CUVÉE THEO GEWURZTRAMINER 2018 · DOMAINE WEINBACH A.O.C. Alsace / Kaysersberg - France / www.domaineweinbach.com / P.V.P.: 39,00€ / 100% Gewurztraminer This Gewurztraminer, born on a mineral soil, has bags of personality, like all the wines from Domaine Weinbach. This Alsacian winery’s quest for purity, elegance and balance is unstoppable. On the nose, the wine shows itself to be very aromatic and floral with aromas of hops. On the palate, we find mineral notes and an unctuousity derived from the residual sugar. The finish is very long, flavoursome and smooth with elegant sweet, floral aromas. Un gewurztraminer que nace sobre suelo mineral, con mucha personalidad, como es cada cuvée de Domaine Weinbach. El objetivo de esta bodega alsaciana es la imparable búsqueda por la pureza, la elegancia y el equilibrio. En…

The event attracted more than 60 industry professionals from Barcelona and the surrounding area. The event kicked off with a welcome drink which was one of Marqués de Riscal’s new wines: the Txakoli de Marqués de Riscal 2018. LUIS HURTADO DE AMÉZAGA, Marqués de Riscal Rueda’s technical director and the sixth generation of the founding family, started the presentation by introducing the new Txakoli. As Marqués de Riscal is working to convert all its production to organic growing, he talked about the various efforts being made to achieve this. JUANCHO ASENJO, a member of the Academia Internacional del Vino (AIV), wine taster and writer for Elmundovino.com and member of Marqués de Riscal’s innovation committee, then presented Marqués de Riscal’s position and positioning among the most famous wine producers in the…

Behind the wines and the wine companies that produce them, there are always fascinating stories, but that of Château Bélair-Monange is delightful. The iconic château where the Jean-Pierre Moueix company is located today was acquired in 2008. They immediately set about extensive renovation work n the vineyards, winery and underground quarries, as well as on the château itself, whose historical legacy was respected. Located on the highest point of the famous Saint-Émilion limestone plateau, it is considered to be one of the region’s best “crus”. Some have ranked it as the finest and most emblematic wine of Saint-Émilion, a position it held until well into the 20th century. In 2012, Château Magdelaine, an adjoining Premier Grand Cru Classé acquired by Jean-Pierre Moueix in 1952, was merged with Château Bélair-Monange. The…

NYETIMBER CLASSIC CUVÉE MULTIVINTAGE · NYETIMBER West Chiltington - United Kingdom / www.nyetimber.com / P.V.P.: 53,00€ / 50-60% Chardonnay, 30-40% Pinot Noir, 10-20% Pinot Meunier A sparkling wine from England, following the Champagne recipe both in the varietals planted, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier growing in 220 hectares in West Sussex, Hampshire and Kent, and in the traditional production process used with the second fermentation in bottle, after which the wine continues ageing on its lees for around five years. Very few English wines reach Spain and we do not therefore have many opportunities to try and compare them with others. This is however a great sparkling wine thanks to its complexity, fine bubbles and long and very creamy finish. The fruit and elegance of the Pinot Noir combine with the…

Henriques & Henriques is the only company on the Portuguese island of Madeira to possess a large number of its own vineyards. The history of Henriques & Henriques, founded by João Gonçalves Henriques, goes back to 1850. After his death in 1912, his two sons, Francisco Eduardo and João Joaquim Henriques, set up a company together which led to the “Henriques & Henriques” name. Henriques & Henriques has always had a prominent place in viticulture and in the art of winemaking. In 1968, after the death of the last Henriques, Joao Joaquim Henriques, known as "Juan de Belén", who died without descendants, the company was inherited by his three friends and colleagues: Alberto Nascimento Jardim, Peter Cossart and Carlos Nunes Pereira. In June 1992, Henriques & Henriques invested in the…

MACABEO Winegrowers have known about the diversity and versatility of the Macabeo for years. From north to south and from east to west, it is rooted in different landscapes and backdrops. It is frequently found in regions such as Aragon, Rioja, Extremadura, Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha, Madrid and even the Balearic Islands. It is part of the trilogy of grapes used for the production of Cava and it is also grown on the other side of the Pyrenees in the Languedoc-Rousillon region of France. Macabeo is, however, most widely planted in Spain, where its surface area of 35,000 hectares exceeds that of France by over 10%. In terms of winemaking, the varietal can express its potential whether or not it is barrel-aged. Although, due to its structure, it…

Rodolfo Bastida, General Director of the Zamora group, together with Eduard Caldero, sommelier at the 2 Michelin-starred restaurant, Enoteca, in the Hotel Arts Barcelona, conducted the master tasting and let us in on the secrets of this almost centennial winery in Rioja. There are two very important dates in its history; 1924, the year of its foundation in Haro, and 1999, when the winery was acquired by the Diego Zamora family-owned company. But 2014 was also a landmark year as the winery picked up the IWSC Best Wine Producer in Spain award. Mirto is the result of a long journey that started in 1999 and is the most prestigious and representative wine from Bodegas Ramón Bilbao. This is a wine with a noble and stately personality remarkable for its fruity,…

JOAN ARBOIX ROURA Mallorca, 1981 @Joanet112 Professional sommelier since 2006, he began his career as a sommelier at the Moo restaurant (1* Michelin) in Barcelona. He has also worked for the Ritz Carlton in Spain and Chile as a sommelier and maître d’. He currently works at the Andreu Genestra (1* Michelin) restaurant in Mallorca. Balearic Islands Sommelier Champion 2008. Sumiller profesional desde el año 2006. Trabajó como sumiller en el restaurante MOO de Barcelona (1*Michelin). Ha trabajado para Ritz Carlton en España y Chile como Sumiller y Jefe de Sala. Actualmente en el restaurante Andreu Genestra (1*Michelin) en Mallorca. Campeón de Sommeliers de les Illes Balears en 2008. ANNA VICENS Girona, 1973 @annavicens Professional sommelier since 1997, she is currently President of the Catalan Association of Sommeliers, a member…

VIÑEDOS DE ALTURA 2016 · RAMÓN BILBAO D.O. Ca. Rioja / Haro, La Rioja - Spain / www.bodegasramonbilbao.com / P.V.P.: 15,18€ / 50% Tempranillo, 50% Garnacha This charming, delectable and fragrant wine is starting to express itself with some very intense fruit. It is half Tempranillo from Ábalos and half Garnacha from Tudelilla, with the grapes fermented separately in French oak vats. This wine is very bright with a ruby red hue of medium intensity. Its aromas are reminiscent of ripe red fruit, spices (cloves), aromatic herbs and tobacco. The palate reveals some balsamic notes derived from the wine’s 15 months ageing in new French oak barrels. This wine possesses acidity, tannin, body and structure and ends with a long, delectable and exuberant finish. Con una fruta muy intensa empieza a…

BARBERA D'ALBA 2016 · MASSOLINO D.O.C. Gisep / Serralunga d´Alba - Italy / www.massolino.it / P.V.P.: 26,00€ / 100% Barbera The Massolino winery is remarkable for its savvy combination of creativity and tradition. Its wines are the result of its very special relationship with the vines, whose distinctive features and nuances it is able to draw out. It owns 23 hectares of vineyards that all receive its tender loving care. This wine is made from a native grape variety to preserve its unique character. It reveals an intense red hue, noticeable tannin and a high level of acidity. Its intense blackberry aromas illustrate its lovely balance between acidity and fruit. This wine shows itself to be robust, fresh and vibrant with great cellar-ageing potential. Una bodega que destaca por la combinación…

EL ENEMIGO 2015 · BODEGA ALEANNA Mendoza (Argentina) / Mendoza - Argentina / www.enemigowines.com / P.V.P.: 21,70€ / 85% Bonarda, 15% Cabernet Franc The Bonarda varietal now occupies the second place among the Argentine red grape varieties, just behind the Malbec. This wine is clean and bright with an intense violet hue. It flows softly in the glass leaving a trace of tears. Generous on the nose, the wine reveals great complexity and aromas of cherries and wild berries. It is pleasant and seductive on the palate. The dark chocolate, liqueur-like hints and balsamic notes make it very aromatic and intense. New flavours, including liquorice, coffee, and vanilla, constantly emerge. Its finish is long, fresh and exuberant and shows the typical elegance of the wines from El Enemigo. La variedad bonarda…

AUX CHARMES 2017 · DOMAINE PIERRE AMIOT A.O.C. Bourgogne - Morey-Saint-Denis / Morey-Saint-Denis - France / www.domainepierreamiot.fr / P.V.P.: 49,95€ / 100% Pinot Noir The domaine’s plots, where the vines are aged between 20 and 60 years, are spread over seven different locations in an area of under two hectares. The wine displays a ruby red hue of medium intensity. On the nose, we find aromas of raspberries over light toasted notes. The palate shows good balance between the fruit, vibrant acidity and sweet tannins. The aromas from ageing do not mask the fruit, which remains “alive and well”, because no new barrels were used which ensured that the oak integrated smoothly and the fruit remained to the fore. This is a very fragrant and elegant wine with a very long…

This is a powerful blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec, aged for 24 months entirely in new French oak barrels and bottled in January 2019. The Insignia 2016 red wine boasts an intense, bright garnet hue, remarkable density and heavy tears. The nose reveals notes of ripe cherries, wild blueberries, black raspberries, blackcurrants and blackberries, along with herbaceous overtones. There is also a touch of chocolate against a smoky, black pepper backdrop. Cedar, graphite, ripe red and black fruit and lactic notes come through on the palate. Here, the wine gives us an impression of meatiness and shows fantastic texture with a freshness that discloses power and strength. It again releases aromas of dark berries, balancing the nuances from the maturity and…

Recognized in 2018 as “Vineyard of the Year” by the Wines of Chile association, Miguel Torres Chile has 400 hectares of vineyards that extend across the regions of Maule, Bío-Bío, and Ñuble and 200 employees. They produce around ten wines that are sold in more than 115 countries. When Familia Torres expanded into Chile, winemaking in that country was not what it is today. However, Miguel A. Torres was able to foresee the country’s great potential as it possessed climate and soil conditions excellent for the crafting of fine wines. The winery has led the way in terms of the introduction of winemaking innovations (stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels for ageing), the recovery of forgotten varieties, the use of organic agriculture, and fair-trade practices, which reflect the Miguel…

SAÓ BLANC · MAS BLANCH I JOVÉ D.O. Costers del Segre / Pobla de Cèrvoles - Lleida - Spain / www.masblanchijove.com / P.V.P.: 13,00€ Mas Blanch i Jové in Les Garrigues (Lleida) is a 100% solar family winery that unites wine and art (The Artists' Vineyard). Grapes are hand harvested from its own ecological mountain vineyards (+700m). Fermentation in oak barrel. A long, bright and atypical wine. Mas Blanch i Jové en Les Garrigues (Lleida) es una bodega familiar 100% solar que fusiona vino y arte (La Viña de los Artistas). Uva vendimiada a mano de sus propios viñedos ecológicos de montaña (+700m). Fermentación en barrica. Un vino largo, luminoso y atípico. ULL DE SERP · ARCHÉ PAGÈS D.O. Empordà / Capmany - Girona - Spain / www.ca.cellerarchepages.com / P.V.P.: 21,00€ In…

VERDELHO O ORIGINAL BRANCO 2017 · AZORES WINE COMPANY I.G. Pico - Azores / Madalena, Pico - Portugal / www.azoreswinecompany.com / P.V.P.: 27,00€ / 100% Verdelho The Azores Wine Company is the biggest private producer in the Azores owning more than a hundred hectares on the island of Pico, as well as advising around ten winegrowers in the area. Its philosophy is to demonstrate the excellence of the local grape varieties, Arinto dos Açores, Terrantez do Pico, Verdelho and Saborinho. Its location, in the north of the island, near Casi do Mourato and sitting amidst a vineyard landscape, gives its wines very unusual saline notes. On the nose, it shows itself to be very aromatic, exuberant and tropical. Salinity and acidity are very noticeable on entry to the palate and then…

Established in Meursault at the end of the 18th century, Domaine Jacques Prieur works 22 hectares of some of the finest terroirs in Burgundy, the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits: Montrachet, Chambertin, Clos Vougeot, Corton, Echezeaux, Meursault and Musigny. All of the vineyards are on Burgundy’s most prestigious soils and are made up exclusively of Grands Crus and Premiers Crus. Since 1868, the winegrowers and their families have ensured their plots receive only the best of care so that, year after year, century after century, they produce the best possible wines, following the principles of soil preservation. Here we have a soil, vines and a viticulture that are somewhere between sustainable and organic. When the Labruyère family became a shareholder in the company in 1988, it was…

FURSTENTUM GRAINS NOBLES GRAND CRU 2006 · DOMAINE WEINBACH A.O.C. Alsace / Kaysersberg - France / www.domaineweinbach.com / P.V.P.: 250,00€ / 100% Gewurztraminer The miracle and magic of botrytis can be found in this bottle. This is an outstanding wine of fine aromatic complexity, great concentration and an exquisite balance. Noble rot offers grapes that are genuine drops of nectar and only produced in very small quantities. This wine is intense and bright with a spectacular amber hue and very dense, slow-descending tears. Its complexity will deepen after aeration when further aromas will emerge including quince, honey, candied peaches and ripe melon. The palate is fresh and succulent, with an extraordinary balance of acidity and sugar. Finesse and freshness after 13 years in bottle. El milagro y la magia de la…