Table of contents for Octubre - Diciembre 2015 in Selectus Wines

In this issue of the magazine, we have introduced a new section on a subject rarely found in other wine magazines - the vertical tasting. The purpose of a vertical tasting is to explore the history of a particular wine through its various vintages - its evolution, its different blends, the effect of the year’s weather, its development in bottle, and so forth ... It’s a bit like taking a look at someone’s life history. We had two very special partners for this first vertical tasting: our venue, Sergi Ferrer-Salat’s Monvínic, the wine lovers’ place of worship in Barcelona, and our guest wine, Finca Garbet from Castillo de Perelada. These were the big names in Selectus Wines’ very first vertical tasting feature, and we must say we are particularly proud…

A CORUÑA AC Hotel Palacio del Carmen. Santiago de Compostela ALAVA Hotel Marqués de Riscal – A Luxury Collection Hotel ALICANTE Hospes Amerigo AC Hotel Ciutat d´Alcoi ASTURIAS AC Hotel Forum Oviedo. Oviedo BARCELONA Hotel MercerHotel Le MéridienRest. Rías de GaliciaMonvínicSanta EulaliaJoyería RabatJoyería SuárezHotel MajesticHotel OmmRest. WindsorHotel PalaceCeller de GelidaRest. La ClaraArsenal MasculinoFour Points by SheratonRest. Via VenetoRest. AbacRest. L´OlianaHotel Rey Juan Carlos IRest. GaigAC Hotel Victoria SuitesConcesionario Mercedes Cars BarcelonaConcesionarioMaserati-Ferrari-Bentley Cars GalleryRest. Bravo 24Hotel W BarcelonaClub de Golf Sant Cugat. Sant Cugat del VallésClub de Golf Vallromanes. VallromanesRest. L´Angle. S.Fruitós del BagesRest. Sant Pau. Sant Pol de MarRest. Can Jubany. CalldetenesRest. Sala. OlostGolf El Montanyà. El BrullRest. L´Estany Clar. Cercs-BergaSala VIP Pau Casals – T1 Shengen.Aeropuerto de BarcelonaSala VIP Miró – T1 Internacional.Aeropuerto de BarcelonaSala VIP Colomer – T1…

The vineyards are young (1997), planted from the outset with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the first harvest carrying the Cala Garbet name on the label was the 2001. All Finca Garbet’s blends (up until the 2009, the youngest we tried at this first Selectus Wines vertical tasting) include Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and only two of them (2005 and 2007) are Syrah monovarietals. The 12.5 hectare estate’s other varieties, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Garnacha del país go into the other Perelada wines. Finca Garbet’s geological features make it unique yet very complex from a viticultural point of view. Delfí Sanahuja calls Garbet “heroic”, comparing it to the vineyards of Ribeira Sacra, Priorat and the Moselle. And it is... The estate stretches over four hills with a 100 m difference…

This South African winery, established in 1776, is now considered to be one of the five top producers in the country and one of the most active in the sensational Franschhoek Valley. With a change of ownership in 1993 the winery initiated a radical review of its wines, increasing production of Cabernet Sauvignon from 6,000 bottles to over 3,000,000 today. The 20 hectares of vines are cultivated organically but grapes are also purchased from other vineyards. Distinguished by its commitment to the environment, the winery practices organic viticulture using natural yeasts and dispensing with new oak for the production of its wines. This wine, which is made from 95% Semillon grapes with 5% Sauvignon Blanc produced from 110 year-old vines, is one of South Africa’s most admired and sought out…

This wine is from one of the southern hemisphere’s most emblematic wineries, in fact, one of the most recognised and respected on the planet. This magnificent winery was created in 1845 in South Australia by a British doctor, Christofer Rawson Penfold, and his wife. They planted vineyards and started to produce fortified wines to be used as “medicine” for their patients. The wines became famous and the company decided to plant more vines and increase production in order to sell their wines throughout Australia. Today Penfolds owns important vineyards in Barossa, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, among other areas. Its iconic wine - Penfolds Grange - is one of the most prized in the world. A bottle of this prestigious red once fetched nearly $ 50,000 at auction. This wine is…

The second edition of ViArt took place at the Jean Leon winery in Penedes on the 31 July. ViArt pairs this winery’s excellent wines with an artistic discipline, which, this year, was theatre. The combination of the winery founder’s two great passions, acting and wine, proved very popular and the event was fully booked. Jean Leon’s CEO, Mireia Torres, has confirmed that the winery will be continuing this annual event which brings together wine, culture and art. El pasado 31 de Julio se celebró en la bodega Jean Leon, en el Penedés, la segunda edición del ViArt, un acto en el que se maridan sus excelentes vinos con una disciplina artística, que en esta ocasión ha sido el teatro. Dos de las pasiones del fundador de la bodega, la interpretación…

STATIC AGEING As we continue our look at how spirits are aged, we should devote some space to getting to know and understand the two ageing methods which, depending on the origin, tradition and type of beverage, are the most known and used around the world, i.e., static ageing and solera ageing. Today we will look at the procedure commonly used for most spirits and without doubt the oldest of the two, static ageing, which, as the name suggests, involves ageing a spirit with little movement and certainly without the mixing together of spirits of different ages as part of the process. Static ageing is similar to the ageing of vintage wines which remain for months or years without being mixed with other wines before they are finally blended. In…

Toni Gelabert is happy to remain in quiet anonymity and modest silence, which he will only break when he feels like it. “I make wines to last. They will speak for me and some already do”, he says. This man of deep convictions has his feet planted firmly in the Son Fangos soil (D.O. Pla i Llevant, Manacor) and his eyes turned to the sky (he works with lunar cycles). He respects the land and knows it like the back of his hand. His wines are certified organic but he goes far beyond this, keeping a constant eye on his land. To put it another way: everything that can be done, will be done, to obtain the best possible grapes and healthy, balanced vineyards. A lover of fine Burgundies, his…

One of the rare recorded examples of the sudden end of a society is that of the Minoan people. In 1650 BC the greater part of the island of Santorini disappeared in a tremendous volcanic explosion. The tidal wave which followed was so huge that it wiped out, amongst other things, the first palace at Knossos and the famous Labyrinth of the Minotaur in Crete, some hundreds of kilometres away. Santorini, until then a circular island with a volcano at its centre, became a small archipelago formed from the volcano’s remaining sides, with an enormous salt lake in the middle. But, as every cloud has a silver lining, this development resulted in one of the greatest natural harbours in the world. Uno de los raros casos en que el ocaso…

2001 85% SYRAH AND 15% CABERNET SAUVIGNON. 15.6% Fire. This is a rested wine; it has lost the intensity of its early years and retains the wisdom of successful ageing. The fire and alcohol of the early years have died down into lovely embers. Prunes and raspberries. Red pepper. Warm. Carob. Drinking chocolate. The sea can be felt, the slate too. It has reached its climax. 2003 85% SYRAH AND 15% CABERNET SAUVIGNON. 14.8% Earth. Violet-flavoured candy. Bouquet garni. Density. Extraordinary on the palate. Dead leaves on the autumn earth. Ripe blackberries. Liquorice stick and, after a few hours, black liquorice. The ferruginous Licorella is pronounced, and the humus and stressed earth (2003 was a year of extreme temperatures) are reflected in the grapes. The wine is complete in every…

Ata Rangi is without question one of the most distinguished wineries in the New World, with its wines available in over 25 countries. It is situated in the area of stony terrain around Martinborough, at the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island. Prompted by studies that highlighted the great similarities between the microclimate in this area and that of Burgundy, they selected this property on which to plant their vines. This was in 1980 and would be the start of viticulture in the region. A key factor in the success of their wines is the icy wind blowing up from Antarctica, which forces the vine to reduce its production, resulting in wines which are more concentrated and fuller in flavour yet still fresh. Although arguably the star of the…

Founded in 1870, the Torres Group is synonymous with the history of Catalan wine of the last century, which has reached every corner of the globe. This family-owned group has managed its international growth and generational transition with dexterity. Today, Torres wines are available in over 140 countries and, along with ten other family-owned wine companies, Torres is a member of the prestigious “Primum Familiae Vini” international association. It is without question, the Spanish wine family, due to its history and tradition, its international operations, its focus on the environment and its defense of native grape varieties. You have before you the latest new wine from Bodegas Torres. A little gem, an absolute pearl. This wine is a tribute to the monks of the courageous Carthusian Order who arrived in…

From the prestigious, centenary Mariinsky distillery in the heart of Siberia (Russia), comes a special collector’s high-end vodka that has captivated the palates of diehard fans of this noble, typically Russian, spirit. This vodka - Beluga Transatlantic Racing Vodka- was specially created to commemorate the victories of the Russian national team in sailing regattas around the world. Its production is based on a selection of the best malted wheat, distilled and finally filtered through delicate cotton filters that endow it with freshness, exceptional softness and silkiness on the palate. Beluga Transatlantic Racing Vodka is a perfect combination of weight and balance, a pure neutral aroma, and a fine, enveloping body despite its 40 degrees. It goes without saying that enjoying it with real Beluga caviar will be a unique experience…

Last July, the World Heritage Committee, meeting in Bonn and chaired by Maria Böhmer, German deputy foreign minister and member of the German parliament, concluded its 39th meeting, in which it added 24 sites to the list of World Heritage sites and approved the extension of three sites already listed. One of these sites was the region of Champagne and everything that makes up this wonderful geographical area. El pasado mes de Julio, el Comité del Patrimonio Mundial, reunido en Bonn bajo la presidencia de Maria Böhmer, ministra adjunta de Relaciones Exteriores y diputada del Bundestag, concluyó su 39ª reunión, en la que inscribió 24 sitios en la Lista del Patrimonio Mundial y aprobó la extensión de tres sitios ya inscritos. Uno de estos lugares es la región de la…

For a few years now, the native red variety of the Levante has been seeking recognition for its ability to produce top quality wines, along with its rosé, sweet and sparkling wines. This grape variety has also colonized vineyards in Provence, Australia and California, where it goes by the name of Mourvèdre or Mataró. La variedad tinta autóctona del Levante lleva ya unos cuantos años reivindicando su capacidad para dar lugar a tintos de gran calidad, amén de rosados, dulces y espumosos. Con los “alias” de mourvèdre y Mataró, también ha colonizado viñedos en Provenza, Australia y California. Like other native Spanish grape varieties, the Monastrell has had to wait for the rise in popularity of local grape varieties for it to no longer be considered as raw material fit…

JOAN ARBOIX ROURA Mallorca, 1981 @Joanet112 Professional sommelier since 2006. He began working as a sommelier at the Moo restaurant (1* Michelin) in the Hotel Omm in Barcelona in that same year. Balearic Islands Sommelier Champion in 2008. Since August 2013, he has been managing the Arola restaurant in Santiago de Chile (Chile). Sumiller profesional desde el año 2006. Ese mismo año empieza a trabajar como sumiller en el Restaurant Moo del Hotel Omm de Barcelona (1* Michelin). Campeón de Sommeliers de les Illes Balears en el año 2008. Desde Agosto 2013 es el responsable del Restaurant Arola en Santiago de Chile (Chile). ANNA VICENS Girona, 1973 @annavicens Professional sommelier since 1997. She is a member of the Empordà D.O.’s tasting panel and currently works as a sommelier for the…

The very name Louis Roederer speaks of luxury in the world of wine. It is no coincidence that their cuvée Cristal was the emblematic champagne of Tsarist Russia for more than 40 years. This illustrious House was established in 1776 and has been run by the same family ever since. Today, Louis Roederer is an international byword for quality and prestige with a clearly defined philosophy. Whilst other champagne producers buy-in grapes, Roederer is proprietor of 200 hectares of vines for the production of their own wines. There is no other great champagne house with such a high proportion of vineyards. Brut Vintage is highly representative of its year. It is only produced in those exceptional vintages when Maison Louis Roederer can obtain fruit of outstanding quality from its vineyards.…

On Thursday evenings in June and July, the lobby of the Urso hotel in Madrid, was the place to enjoy nearly two hours of live music courtesy of a Jazz trio. Ruinart’s Blanc de Blancs champagne, served at the exclusive events, was the perfect complement to these evenings of musical pleasure. Durante los meses de Junio y Julio, en el lobby del hotel Urso, en Madrid, las noches de los jueves se convirtieron en un lugar en el que disfrutar, durante aproximadamente dos horas, de música en directo ofrecida por un trío de Jazz. Ruinart participó en estas exclusivas citas con su Blanc de Blancs, que redondeaban el momento de placer musical.…

The famous Rioja wine was born in Elciego, a small village in the province of Alava, in the mid-nineteenth century. A lady –Doña Marceliana Hurtado de Amezaga– played a part in its creation, but it was her nephew –Don Camilo, the Marqués de Riscaldiplomat, journalist, freethinker, a man ahead of his time, residing in Bordeaux, who was at the origin of the important French influence that led to the emergence of modern Rioja. En Elciego, pequeño pueblo de la provincia de Álava se forjó el célebre vino de Rioja. Fue a mediados del siglo XIX y con la importante intervención de una mujer, Doña Marceliana Hurtado de Amézaga, tía carnal de Don Camilo, Marqués de Riscal, diplomático, periodista, librepensador, hombre adelantado a su tiempo, que residía en Burdeos. Esta gran…

If you want to discover the real secrets of Scottish malt whisky, a wonderful way to start is with “The Original” from Glenmorangie, made at the distillery of the same name, which has been located in the famous Highlands of northwest of Scotland since 1843. It is recognized as being one of the best in the world. Doing away with stereotypes of overly aged or smoky whiskies, the Original Single Malt 10 Years sought to retain the essence of its origin in an old brewery , respecting the fresh fruit aromas of anciet craft ales and revealing a wide array of exotic fruit, flowers and white fruit that make this an irresistible and charismatic whisky. Its secret lies in its subtle, light character , the wood shows through timidly ,…