Table of contents for July-September 2022 in Selectus Wines

And we hope to celebrate another 10 years at the very least! This long-awaited moment has finally arrived. 40 issues, 10 years of existence… and we are not going to pretend otherwise… we are very excited to have reached this milestone. There have been ups and downs, many difficult circumstances and situations to endure. The way has been paved with crises and pandemics, and yet here we are. Someone once made a comment which, quite frankly, upset me at the time because they predicted that we would be “just another magazine that would last a few months and then disappear”. Well, thanks to a huge amount of effort, a great deal of determination and enthusiasm, and the professionalism of all those who have worked with Selectus Wines, we have now…

Hoy tenemos un número especial, el de los magníficos que llegan a 10 años de ediciones algo que en este mundo de comunicar el vino parece casi un milagro In Spain, we seem to love fancy events, but find the written word a tad too boring. It makes me sad when I compare us to our neighbour Portugal, a country that is smaller in terms of size, but much bigger in terms of the number of wine publications available. Not to mention those countries who are light years ahead of us in this respect, the usual suspects: France, Italy, the USA and Australia. In Spain, we go on a lot about wine culture and how great Spain is as if we were the only country that understands wine. But this…

CODORNÍU CELEBRATES THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF THE FIRST BOTTLE OF CAVA SW EDITORIAL REDACCIÓN SW Codorníu represents the history of a winemaking family that goes back to 1551, the year that marks the beginning of its story as Spain's longest-standing winery and one of the world's oldest wine companies. After centuries producing wines and mistela, as well as undertaking one or two journeys to Champagne, in 1872, Josep Raventós made the first bottle of this sparkling wine, becoming the pioneer of cava in Spain. This milestone represents an important change and a determining strategic reorientation in the history of Codorníu, cementing the foundations of what it is today. With the company in the hands of his son, Manuel Raventós, a communications visionary and art lover, the construction…

2018 • DOMINIO DO BISE D.O. Ribeira Sacra Manzaneza - Ourense - Spain www.dominiodobibei.com P.V.P.: 80,00€ /100% Godello 14,00° 10 WINES of 10 The winery was founded in 2000 by a well-known local businessman who had decided he wanted to make elegant, Atlantic wines from grapes grown in oíd vineyards and vinified using the latest technology. Since its creation, the winery has been run by a dynamic team of young Galicians assisted by the renowned Priorat oenologists and wine advisors, Sara Pérez and Rene Barbier. Dominio do Bibei is located in Cabeza de Manzaneda, in the eastern part of the province of Ourense, traversed by the river Bibei, one of the main tributaries of the river Sil. The grapes for LAPENA come from Godello vines that are now almost 40 years…

2008 • BODEGAS ARZUAGA NAVARRO D.O. Ribera de Duero Quintanilla de Onésimo - Valladolid Spain / www.arzuaganavarro.com P.V.P.: 80,00€ /100% Albillo 14,00° 10 VINOS de 10 Only 600 bottles have been produced of this Albillo wine hailing from pre-phylloxera vineyards growing in clay-limestone soils. The Albillo is the only white varietal authorised by the Ribera del Duero D.O. This grape is struggling to carve out a niche for itself among the area's high-quality red wines. But, thanks to the recognition that this wine has received, it is now able to position itself as being among the best white wines in Spain. The Arzuaga Albillo 2008 white wine has achieved the 99 points awarded by the Guia Peñín, thanks mainly to its long ageing, which lends it an elegant and unique oxidation.…

2004 · BODEGA REMÍREZ DE GANUZA D.O. Ca. Rioja Samaniego - Araba - Spain www.remirezdeganuza.com P.V.P.: 1200,00€ / 90% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano /14,50° 10 WINES of 10 What is perfection? According to the scores that famous publications usually award to wines, this Remirez de Ganuza Gran Reserva 2014 is it! The 100 Parker points are a recognition of all the enthusiasm and the high standards with which the family works. This wine reflects the essence of this work, from the vineyard to the winery. Its grapes, 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano hailing from vineyards with an average age of 60 years growing in the Sierra Cantabria, are harvested by hand and transported in 12 kg crates. After undergoing another sorting when they arrive in the winery, the grapes are destemmed and…

1964 CULEBRÓN BY ROBERT BROTONS D.O. Alicante El Culebrón - Alicante - Spain www.vinosculebron.com / P.V.P.: 65,00€ 100% Monastrell / 20,50° 10 VINOS de 10 Alicante, with the Monastrell as its standard-bearer, is associated with Fondillón, a one-of-kind wine, made from Monastrell grapes over-ripened on the vine. Fondillóns need a long time to complete their ageing process, which is why there are currently only 10 certified wineries producing them. Fondillón is the wine that was born from the barrels of “racé” often found in Alicante homes more than 300 years ago, and which was destined for the family’s own consumption. Today it is being revived ensuring its authenticity, with natural alcohol, ageing for no less than 10 years, and the use of the solera system. This eternal-like wine offers us a…

Selectus is, once again, the leitmotiv of the following selection and tasting. These are wines that, to mark our decade of existence, we have chosen to delight both readers and the lucky tasting team itself! Because, make no mistake, tasting for Selectus has been a great responsibility, but it has also turned out to be a highly pleasurable experience full of precious moments in which we, the members of the Selectus tasting panel, have been able to debate with each other, express our opinions and reach a consensus on the worth of each bottle tasted. It’s not as easy as it sounds. It has been 10 years during which we have tasted the finest and most prestigious wines in the worid. Issue by issue and tasting by tasting, it is…

GRAMONA Corpinnat / Sant Sadurní d'Anoia - Barcelona - Spain / www.gramona.com P.V.P.: 145,00€ / 60% Xarel.lo, 40% Macabeu / 12,00° 10TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING We are tasting the fruit of a learning process that began in 1951 with the first III Lustros, which, due to a civil war and a world war, had accidentally been aged for over 7 years, surprising the Gramonas with its previously unknown ageing ability. This was undoubtedly the forerunner of long-aged sparkling wines in the region, busting myths and demonstrating the excellent ageing capacity of the native Xarel-lo varietal. The wine reveals a very bright golden hue. The nose is surprisingly fresh, highly complex and dominated by toasted aromas from more than 15 years of ageing. These inelude notes of freshly baked country bread crusts, combined…

RAMÓN BILBAO D.O.Ca. Rioja / Haro - La Rioja - Spain / www.bodegasramonbilbao.com/lalomba P.V.P.: 80,00€ / 80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha / 14,00° 10TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING The LALOMBA winery was born from a wine venture inspired by a deep desire to return to the roots. Here we have the valiant and inspiring work of a great producer such as Ramón Bilbao, in which the expression of the land and the environment is the defining quality. They have infused this landscape into the wine, a feat to which they dedicate all the resources and knowledge they have acguired in pursuit of this great goal. This wine comes from a 6-hectare vineyard planted in 1989. It is situated at 720 metres altitude in the Sierra de Yerga in eastern Rioja, an area that has…

EDETARIA D.O. Terra Alta / Gandesa - Tarragona - Spain / www.edetaria.com / P.V.P.: 42,00€ / 100% Garnacha negra / 14,00° 10TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING The wines from the Terra Alta region, in the province of Tarragona, may not enjoy the prestige of their neighbours Montsant and Priorat, but they do have a long history dating back to Roman times. Edetària is Terra Alta's emblematic winery, possessing old vines and native varieties, within a truly astonishing richness and diversity of terroirs. They only make wine from their own vineyards, wishing to carefully control the entire process from start to finish, carrying out an incredibly rigorous selection of the raw material. Of their three estate wines, we would like to focus on La Genuina, crafted exclusively with Garnacha Fina from 60-year-old vines planted…

SW EDITORIAL REDACCIÓN SW The celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the Bodegas José Pariente’s creation kicked off with a tasting of a selection of the winery's wines followed by dinner with a paired menu at the Saddle restaurant in Madrid. After years of hard work, which has seen the winery headed by different generations (José Pariente in the 60s, Victoria Pariente at the end of the 20th century/start of the 21 st century, and currently the third generation consisting of siblings Martina and Ignacio), this winery and its wines have become the gold standard for the Rueda D.O. The ethos that has guided these three generations over the years is founded on four fundamental principies that are rigorously and consistently applied: quality, commitment, sustainability and being avant-garde. The…

LA BODEGA: PERELADA THE WINERY: PERELADA SW EDITORIAL REDACCIÓN SW The singular multidimensionality of the new Perelada winery in terms of winemaking, design, sustainability and wine tourism meets the region's winemaking tradition and roots, putting Empordá on the international wine map. The project is the first of its kind in Europe in terms of energy eco-efficiency and environmental design, recognised as one of the most exciting projects on the European wine scene over the past decade. The new Perelada winery is the first in Europe to earn LEED® Gold certification, the world's highest rating for sustainable building granted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which accredits the high standards of sustainability and efficiency that the winery's facilities meet in terms of their construction, operation and maintenance. Some of the…

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'. Sommelier and Director of beverages in the Santi Tauro Group. 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, Sumiller y Director de bebidas en el Grupo Santi Taura 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…

2020 • RAFAEL PALACIOS D.O. Valdeorras A Rüa - Ourense - Spain www.rafaelpalacios.com P.V.P.: 290,00€ /100% Godello 14,00° anna.vins anna_vi The Selectus Wines tasting notes have been written by Anna Vicens Las notas de cata han sido realizadas por Anna Vicens Purity would be the best word to describe this wine. It hails from a magical plot of vines located in Valle del Bibei in the province of Ourense. This is a land of contrasts that produces grapes with a great personality. This Godello was planted almost 45 years ago in the highest part of the area at an altitude of 750 metres. The vineyard is southeast facing and its soils are very fine granite, with seams of quartz and silica, that have detached and been scattered throughout the vineyard. This…

1986 · MARQUÉS DE MURRIETA D.O.Ca. Rioja Logroño - La Rioja - Spain www.marquesdemurrieta.com P.V.P.: 795,00€ 97% Viura, 3% Malvasía / 13,50° 10 WINES of 10 This wine is what the defiance of time looks like. It is a solid and distinctive wine, very different to what white varieties are usually capable of producing in wine over time, Here, the apparent fragility of the white grape contrasts with its ability to resist the passage of time. Rioja is a consistent region in terms of wine quality. But to succeed in crafting a white wine for drinking after 34 years of ageing, a wine with distinction and authenticity, you have to possess almost infinite patience. With the coveted 100 Parker points already under its belt, it can now rightly claim that it…

VALDESPINO D.O. Xerez Jerez de la Frontera - Cádiz - Spain www.bodegavaldespino.com P.V.P.: 275,00€ /100% Moscatel de Alejandría /15,00° 10 VINOS de 10 The Valdespino winery comes from a very ancient tradition of winemaking. The first member of the Valdespino family to cultivate vines and age sherry wines was Don Alfonso Valdespino, a contemporary of King Alfonso X the Wise (13th century). Valdespino Toneles is a magnificent Muscat of Alexandria, which has undergone oxidative ageing. Only 250 half-bottles of this wine are produced each year. Even if it did not have the 100 Robert Parker points, it would still be a real treasure, one of the most exclusive wines in Spain. The delectable must is obtained from over-ripened grapes, normally grown near the sea. It is aged in barrels, reaching an…

WHITE WINES / VINOS BLANCOS CLUNIA ALBILLO 2020 • CLUNIA V.T. Castilla y León / Coruña del Conde - Burgos - Spain / www.bodegasclunia.com P.V.P.: 18,00€ / 100% Albillo Finca Bocigas’ Albillo vines, growing in limestone soils with patches of sand and clay, only produce just under 4,000 bottles. The vineyards are located at a high altitude in an area where the climate can be extreme. These conditions are conducive to the forging of a wine of magnificent freshness, elegance, finesse and an enticing aromatic intensity. This is a well-crafted Albillo single-varietal white, produced from grapes that have been picked by hand and only from their free-run juice. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine is aged in 500-litre barrels for 5 months. This is a wine that can be enjoyed now or…

LAURENT PERRIER A.O.C. Champagne / Tours-Sur-Maine - France / www.laurent-perrier.com P.V.P.: 175,00€ / 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir / 11,50° 10TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING The origins of the Champagne House in Tours-sur-Marne date back to 1812. In 1948, Bernard de Nonancourt revolutionised the family business when it was selling around 80,000 bottles and within 40 years it had become one of the most important Champagne Houses, exporting its champagnes to more than 160 countries. The Gran Siècle was created in 1959 and was the first Laurent-Perrier champagne to appear in this bottle shape evocative of the early days of Champagne. In the region, great vintages are considered synonymous with excellence and are destined for vintage “Cuvées de Prestige”. At Laurent-Perrier, they believe that it is the art of blending that allows them…

MARQUÉS DE RISCAL D.O.Ca. Rioja / Elciego - La Rioja - Spain / www.marquesderiscal.com P.V.P.: 60,00€ / Tempranillo y otras / 15,00° 10TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING Marqués de Riscal is a name that invokes respect and tradition. It was the first non-French winery to be awarded the Diploma of Honour, at the Bordeaux Exhibition in 1895, and this diploma features on its labels. The Spanish consider it a great honour for a Spanish winery to hold this distinction. As for this wine, the Marqués de Riscal 150 Aniversario, created to mark the winery’s 150th anniversary, it is only made in excellent years. The 80-year-old vines produce grapes with a higher level of concentration. This wine embodies the modernity of our times combined with the wisdom of our ancestors. It boasts a dark…

MAGNIFICAT SW EDITORIAL REDACCION SW The famous Juvé & Camps cava brand and its distributor Primeras Marcas attracted more than 1,800 members of the wine and spirits trade to its ‘Magnificat’ event held in the Juvé & Camps winery in Espiells. This edition of Magnificat, which coincided with the celebration of the centenary of the illustrious winery, also featured around 60 of the most important wine producers in Spain and Europe including Jean Pierre Moueix, Louis Latour, Louis Roederer, M. Chapoutier, Markus Molitor, Gaja, Viña Tondonia, Mas Martinet, Nonino and some of the top Bordeaux châteaux. En un evento celebrado en las instalaciones que Juvé & Camps tiene en Espiells, la marca de cava y la distribuidora Primeras Marcas reunieron a más de 1800 profesionales del sector del vino y destilados.…

@MariaDelaPenya @bymariadelapena The Belvedere Organic Infusions collection has been recently launched. It is the king of rye vodka's commitment to a more sustainable and 100% organic product. This means that all raw materials are real (no artificial flavorings) and that no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers have been used, following EU and USDA regulations. “At Belvedere we are very aware that consumers are becoming more and more conscious of the origin and properties of the products they buy, especially when it comes to food and drink. With this addition, we not only want to offer never-beforeexplored flavor combinations, but we also want to give consumers the guarantee that they are buying a responsible product,” says Daniel Sempere, Brand Ambassador of Moët Hennessy. The category of infused vodkas is not new, but…

The history of this atypical whisky dates back to the late 1990s when a bottle of an old whisky from 1896 was auctioned. It is considered to be during the 19th century, that the golden age of the whisky took place, so the acquisition of this bottle was a turning point at the J&G Grant's distillery. From this acquisition, Gordon J. Doctor, renowned Master Blender, was commissioned to reproduce the notes preserved in that bottle. After 3 years of testing, this limited edition of 3000 bottles was created under the name of Highland Dream of Scotland. This is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a typical Highland whisky. It is a de luxe blended whisky that perfectly combines malted and unmalted barley. This combination gives it a personality and…

SPAIN ALAVA Hotel Marqués de Riscal – A Luxury. Elciego Collection Hotel Restaurant Zaldiarán. Vitoria-Gasteiz ALBACETE Rest. Maralba. Almansa ALICANTE Hospes Amerigo Restaurant Quique Dacosta. Dénia Rest. L'Escaleta. Cocentaina Rest. Tula. Xàbia ASTURIAS Restaurant Casa Marcial. Arriondas Restaurant La Salgar. Gijón Restaurant Auga. Gijón BARCELONA Hotel Mercer Hotel The Serras Hotel Le Méridien Restaurant Rías de Galicia Restaurant Hofmann Restaurant Moments Santa Eulalia Restaurant Xerta Joyería Rabat Joyería Suárez Hotel Majestic Hotel Omm Restaurant Windsor Hotel The Palace Celler de Gelida Rest. Angle Barcelona Restaurant La Clara Restaurant Nectari Restaurante Cinc Sentits Arsenal Masculino Restaurant Via Veneto Restaurant Abac Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I Restaurant Gaig Restaurant Bravo 24 Hotel W Barcelona Club de Golf Sant Cugat. Sant Cugat del Vallés Club de Golf Vallromanes. Vallromanes Rest. L'O. S.Fruitós del…

So as far as wine is concerned, we should probably accept that these required or desirable qualities vary from person to person. Let's remember that we are in a universe of the senses, and also, please note, in a universe of aesthetics, emotions and communication. All of these are influenced by people with their own prejudices and their own social and historical baggage that make our perception of the world totally subjective. So, the conclusion is clear: the perfect wine for me will not be the perfect wine for you. Perfection in wines sparks much debate; some critics mark excellence with the highest rating that can be awarded. The 100/100 points from Parker, Peñín, Suckling and Atkin, or the 20/20 from Jancis Robinson elevate the value of a bottle to…

2011 • PAZO DE SEÑORANS D.O. Rías Baixas Meis - Pontevedra - Spain www.pazodesenorans.com P.V.P.: 35,00€ /100% Albariño 13,50° 10 WINES of 10 La Selección de Añada 2011 was recognised as the best white wine in Spain in the International Wine Challenge and was recently awarded 99 points in the Guia Peñín, thus joining the podium of the other “giant” wines. This wine is crafted exclusively from the finest Albariño grapes hailing from its own vineyards on the Los Bancales estate, planted almost 50 years ago on gentle slopes of granitic sand. The vines are trained “en parra’ (on pergolas) to provide good aeration and protection from excessive sun and rain, as well as good exposure to the leafy canopy, which helps the grapes to ripen well. Its creator, Marisol Bueno,…

2018 · DESCENDIENTES DE J. PALACIOS D.O. Bierzo / Corullón - León - Spain www.alvaropalacios.com P.V.P.: 1200,00€ / 92% Mencía, 8% Variedades blancas: Jerez y Godello /13,80° 10 VINOS de 10 CWith La Faraona, Ricardo Pérez Palacios has, for the second time, obtained the perfect 100-point score from the almighty Parker, awarded by the prestigious Wine Advócate publication, having already obtained it with the 2014 vintage. Some wines are good every year because the terroir is also good, but when the vintage is excellent, the wines can only be once in a lifetime, as was the case with the 2018 vintage. Ricardo has been able to interpret the character of some rare vines in the Paraje El Ferro with great skill. This is a very special plot of vines where the…

2011 · BODEGAS ALVEAR D.O. Montilla Moriles Montilla - Córdoba - Spain www.alvear.es P.V.P.: 14,30€ 100% Pedro Ximénez / 17,00° 10 WINES of 10 This is a vintage Pedro Ximénez hailing from the white limestone soils of the Sierra de Montilla-Moriles (Córdoba). Here the soils are very chalky and permeable, low in organic matter content and not very productive. The different plots of vines are distinguished by the Albariza soil and their diversity of exposures. There are a thousand and one stories behind this sun-forged Southern queen varietal known as Pedro Ximénez, but what is unique and authentic about it is that it has put Montilla-Moriles firmly on the wine map! The Alvear winery is one of the most prestigious and internationally known in Andalusia. The winery has extensive vineyards located…

LIVIO FELLUGA D.O.G.C. Rosazzo / Brazzano - Gorizia - Italy /www.liviofelluga.it / P.V.P.: 77,00€ 50% Friulano, 25 Pinot Blanc, 25% Sauvignon Blanc / 13,50° 10TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING Nowadays, nobody disputes the reputation and know-how of Livio Felluga, a winemaker from the Colli Orientali del Fruili, who has not only managed to restore a land that was virtually abandoned after the Second World War, but has also brought out and enhanced the local varietals, which are not traditionally used to craft fine wines. This extremely fine Terre Alte is possibly the greatest homage there is to the land and its native varietals. It is a “cult” Rosazzo DOCG wine that was first vinified in 1981. This was at a time when very few producers were making single-vineyard wines or carrying out vinifications…

CASTILLO DE PERELADA D.O, Empordà / Perelada - Girona - Spain / www.pereladachivite.com P.V.P.: 115.00€ / 100% Syrah/ 14,00° 10TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING To quote the great Charles Chaplin,“time is the best author. It always writes the perfect ending” and, although this wine still has a long way to go, it is true that, in this case, time has given us the grandeur of expression and finesse that all great wines of the world should possess. Finca Garbet originates from the vineyard of the same name, planted 25 years ago in a location where history erased the marine vineyards of the Alt Empordà to replace them with an authentically Mediterranean landscape today. Garbet is beach, gravel and Tramontane; Garbet is symbolism, imagery and poetry. It is almost a frontier vineyard covering 12…

SW EDITORIAL REDACCION SW Since 1959, Laurent-Perrier has believed that the perfect vintage is derived from the art of blending different vintages. For this Champagne House, “the expression of the perfect vintage is that of a great Champagne wine that has developed a deep intensity and aromatic complexity while managing to preserve its freshness and acidity over time”. Lucie Pereyre, from the latest generation of the family to own the winery thus far, was in Madrid to present the most recent “masterpiece” from this prestigious Maison de Champagne: Grand Siècle N.25. The vintages that have gone into the blend of Grand Siècle N.25, which was the star of the event held in Madrid's elegant and exclusive Coque restaurant, are 2008 (65%), 2007 (25%), and 2006 (10%), with a varietal split of…