Table of contents for October-December 2020 in Selectus Wines

AMID THE UNCERTAINTY… Since the last issue of Selectus Wines, our industry has been having a bit of a hard time. For a while, it looked as if the restaurants, bars and hotels were returning to a decent level of activity that was cause for optimism. However lately, and I guess due to the relaxation of restrictions in August, it seems we are back to square one and we will again see the capacity of these establishments reduced and the consumption of wine with it... We asked the Spanish Wine Board to give us their outlook for the wine industry. Over the summer they launched a campaign to support the hospitality sector and a second wave is due this October. In this issue, you can read how they see the…

The Penedés winery has unveiled a new wine with a “surprise” production and varietal as part of its “Secret Life of Plants” project. Following experimentation and trials with the grapes grown in the Llopart vineyards, the winery has crafted a new wine from a micro-vinification of just 1.950 bottles. It will be unique and transient, because, each year the winery will be producing and releasing a different wine. The winery has set itself the challenge of creating a new enigmatic wine with each new harvest which is aimed at stimulating all the wine drinker’s senses: consumers can download a file from the lavidasecretadelesplantes.com website and fill in their own tasting notes or take a fun quiz to discover the riddles that lie hidden in the wine. L’Enigma is part of…

SW: When we return to the “new normal”, do you intend to continue this type of activity to support the hospitality sector? This autumn we will be back with the #Chateemos activation; a very original way of enjoying a bottle of wine and tapas with friends. The Spanish Wine Board has devised an alternative way of serving wine: the “chatocubo”. This is a new format, designed exclusively for the Wine Board, that will encourage consumers to enjoy a wine and includes ice and five “chatos” or wine glasses. The promotion will also take to the streets with the help of various #Chateemos commandos who will encourage consumers to visit hospitality venues to enjoy some wine and participate in competitions with the chance to win various prizes. #Chateemos is a play…

PERAJ HA’ABIB 2017 · CELLER CAPÇANES D.O. Montsant / Capçanes, Tarragona - Spain / www.cellercapcanes.com / P.V.P.: 26,90€ / 35% Garnacha, 35% Cariñena, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon / 15,00º This is a wine made according to Jewish tradition whose name means spring blossom. Kosher wine is made with the greatest respect for the vineyard’s natural balance. This wine comes from a vineyard planted with old Garnacha vines, along with low-yielding Cabernet Sauvignon and Cariñena, growing on high-lying terraces. Replicating the area’s typical landscape in the glass, the wine is elegant, full-bodied and mature. It is smooth and meaty, yet still fruity despite the year spent ageing in the barrel, and shows a fabulous evolution. Un vino que se elabora según la tradición judía, y su nombre significa flor de primavera. El vino…

@selectuswines ©CIVR For the first time since the magazine’s launch, the Selectus Wines tasting panel tasted and rated the wines from the Roussillon region of France at the kind invitation of the CIVR (Roussillon wine board). As our readers will be aware, we normally provide a short description of the wines tasted by our panel of expert tasters so that the reader gets a pretty good idea of what he or she can expect from the wines. But this was such a special event that we will certainly repeat it in the future. The 76 wines included in this tasting were wines already available on the Spanish market. They were all tasted blind and in batches of 3-4. The tasting session lasted a total of about 5 hours and the…

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…

PALOMINO The Palomino or Palomino Fino is one of the most internationally recognised and appreciated grape varieties of Southern Europe. It makes up 95% of the vineyards planted in Jerez, but you may be surprised to find it in other locations in Spain such as Extremadura, Galicia, Cantabria and Castilla y León. In the Canary Islands, it goes by the name of Listan Blanco. The history of Jerez spans not just generations but civilisations. One of the darkest periods of history for Jerez was in the 10th century, during the caliphate of Alhaken II and Arab domination, when all the vineyards were grubbed up on religious grounds. Later, in around the 13th century, Alfonso X reconquered Jerez ushering in a revival of the region’s vineyards and the Palomino varietal. But…

How many references do you currently have? The number of the SKUs in the shop is approximately 1,100. How many bottles do you usually have in stock? Approx. 10,300 bottles (wine, beer and spirits together). How many bottles do you sell in one year? approximately 100,000 bottles (only in the Lanchid shop). What is the oldest wine you have in the shop now? Oremus 6 puttonyos Aszú 1972. What is the cheapest wine in the shop now? Price? Csanádi Saugvinon Blanc 2019, price: 4,05€. What is the most expensive one? Price? Chateau Lafite Rotschild 2014, price: 1.170,78€. What is the cheapest wine you´ve sold in the history of the shop? Price? Csanádi Saugvinon Blanc 2019, price: 4,05€. And the most expensive one? Price? Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 2000 (In wooden box),…

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 Taura 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…

VINSANTO 2012 KOUTSOGIANNOPOULOS WINERY Vino de Santorini / Vothonas - Grecia / www.santoriniwinemuseum.com / P.V.P.: 45,00€ / 75% Assyrtiko, 25% Aidani / 10,10º This Vin Santo is produced from sun-dried white Assyrtiko and Aidani grapes. Its intense sweet aromas are the result of the dehydration of the delicate grapes that, once converted into raisins, create tiny quantities of a divine juice. A minimum of five kilos of grapes is needed to produce just one of these bottles. A sweet, ripe, full-bodied wine meant for Dionysian experiences. A partir de las uvas blancas Assyrtiko y Aidani secadas al sol se produce este vino santo. Sus dulces e intensos aromas son resultado de la deshidratación de las delicadas uvas que una vez convertidas en pasas regalan un zumo celestial aunque muy escaso. Un…

INSPIRATION MINERALE 2018 CLOS SAINT SÉBASTIEN A.O.P. Coilliure Banyuls Sur Mer - France www.clos-saint-sebastien.comP.V.P.: 30,00€ 90% Grenache Gris, 10% Grenache 14,0º A real knockout. Its amazing aromas, a mixture of wild herbs and iodine, and its verticality on the palate, with the elegance of yellow plum, camomile and salinity, result in a magical combination that very few wines possess. The purity of the Grenache Gris is transmitted, with a touch of Garnacha Blanca. The schist stone draws out the aftertaste and its excellent acidity will accompany it through the years. Un auténtico flechazo. Sus asombrosos aromas, mezcla de hierbas silvestres y yodos, y su verticalidad en boca, con elegancia la ciruela amarilla, la manzanilla y la salinidad, dan como resultado una combinación mágica que muy pocos vinos poseen. Se transmite…

HUGO 2017 THUNEVIN-CALVET A.O.P. Côtes de Rousillon Calvet ,Maury - France www.thunevin-calvet.frP.V.P.: 37,90€ 70% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah 15,0º This great wine, considered to be a very special cuvée, is produced from selected grapes. Generous on the nose, with multiple aromas, chocolate, tobacco, liquorice, pepper and cloves, and on the palate with exuberant berried fruit and good concentration. Although powerful on entry, it then turns silky, pleasant and very elegant. An exquisite Grenache that coats the palate and an attractive Syrah that penetrates it. A finely crafted wine in terms of its freshness, best enjoyed without haste, but without hesitation. De uvas seleccionadas nace este gran vino, considerado una cuvée muy especial. Generoso en nariz por sus múltiples aromas, chocolate, tabaco, regaliz, pimienta, clavo, y en boca por su exuberante…

Las ventas de dos días de Sotheby´s wine en Hong Kong superan la estimación prevista y llega a los 10,69 millones de euros. SENSACIONALES REGISTROS EN LAS VENTAS DE DOS PROPIETARIOS DE COLECCIONES DE VINOS TWO PRIVATE COLLECTIONS 100% SOLD Wines from the Cellar of Joseph Lau Smashes High Estimate, Totalling 5,77€ million. The Five-Star Cellar, Iconic Wines of Impeccable Provenance Achieves 2,21€ million. BURGUNDY TAKES TOP SPOT ACROSS ALL THREE SALES Led by 12 bottles of Romanée-Conti Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1990 from the Cellar of Joseph Lau Sold for 432.148€. ENTHUSIASTIC BIDDING FROM COLLECTORS AROUND THE WORLD With the hammer falling on almost 1,000 lots of fine wines and spirits, Sotheby’s Wine’s two-day series of sales in Hong Kong concluded today with a total of 10,69€ million –…

The Hotel Marqués de Riscal, a Marriott International Luxury Collection hotel, was designed by the famous architect Frank O. Gehry and opened in 2006 when it became one of Spain’s first wine tourism hotels. Thanks to its innovative design featuring a profusion of spectacular and peculiar shapes, it is already an architectural icon. The titanium and steel exterior of the building sits in stark contrast to the architecture of the wine cellars, designed by the architect Ricardo Bellsolá in around 1858, with which it coexists within the Ciudad del Vino. The hotel extension work was entrusted to architect Cesar Caicoya, who was also involved in the original project. His brief was to add 18 luxury bedroom to take the total number of rooms to 61. These rooms come with all…

2020 will obviously be remembered as the “Year of Covid-19”. It has been a strange year which has caused many problems in several walks of life. In our industry, the wine industry, the effect has been far-reaching: fairs and events cancelled throughout Spain and abroad, loss of sales due to the closing down of the hospitality sector, etc. But now it is time for us to adapt to the new reality, move forward and look at the glass as being #SempreMedioLena (always half full) in the words of the Spanish Wine Board’s new campaign. The Spanish Wine Board has put together various initiatives that invite people to actively seek out and share good news and to raise a toast to all the good things in life, with a glass of…

FRANSOLA 2018 · BODEGAS TORRES D.O. Penedés / Vilafranca del Penedés - Barcelona / www.torres.es / P.V.P.: 24,95€ / 100% Sauvignon Blanc/ 13,50º This wine’s aromatic elegance is also evident on the palate. Few wines possess so much structure yet so much finesse. This finesse was created by the ageing of a proportion of the wine in new barrels which no doubt also gave it the body and subtle tannins that make this wine ideal for food. If you also consider its freshness, succulence and persistence on the palate, then you have to take your cap off to this wine! Su elegancia aromática se manifiesta también cuando tenemos el vino en la boca. Pocos vinos poseen tanta estructura y tanta fineza a la vez. Una fineza domada por la parte…

MIRGIN GRAN RESERVA 2016 ALTA ALELLA D.O. Cava / Alella - Barcelona / www.altaalella.wine / P.V.P.: 11,50€ / Pansa blanca (xarel·lo), Macabeu, Parellada / 12,00º An organic, vegan cava aged for about four years. Its elegant bubbles with notes of yeast and the date of disgorgement on the label remind us of the time this bottle has remained silently and patiently ageing in the cellar. Citrus on entry, pastries on the mid-palate, salinity on the finish, fresh and very Mediterranean as a whole. The absence of added sugar gives it the transparency of a product crafted on the land but kissed by the sea. Un cava ecológico y vegano con una crianza de unos cuatro años. Su elegante burbuja, con las notas de levaduras y la fecha del degüelle en la…

GRANDE CUVEE ROSE 2019 DOMAINE LAFAGE A.O.P. Côtes de Rousillon Perpignan - France www.domaine-lafage.comP.V.P.: 16,90€ 70% Grenache Noir & Gris, 30% Monastrell / 12,5ª Elegance is the ultimate definition of this rosé. When you swirl the glass, you can clearly appreciate the subtle strawberry aromas that accompany the bright pink colour. Appearance and nose merge into a pink sea of fresh, aromatic sensations. On the palate, the freshness continues, and its silky texture and fragrance envelopes and fills the mouth. Long, satisfying, succulent and attractive in all senses. Impossible to resist. La elegancia es la máxima definición de este rosado. Claramente se pueden apreciar los sutiles aromas de fresas que acompañan el brillante color rosado al rociar la copa. Vista y nariz se funden en un mar rosado de sensaciones…

LOUANGES 1932 SARL INFINIMENT A.O.P. Maury Montescot - France www.chateau-de-lou.comP.V.P.: 450,00€ 100% Macabeo / 17,0º Despite its ageing, this is a well-balanced wine, full of vitality and freshness. Old gold colour, very dense, the nose is evocative of dried nuts, honey, candied orange and caramel. On the palate, its dense liquid teases and reveals it fullness, opening its ancestral wisdom and enticing us with an excellent combination of acidity and sweetness. I’m sure that there isn’t a drop left after it’s opened, but if there is, there’s no risk of it remaining for long. A pesar de su añejamiento, es un vino equilibrado, lleno de vitalidad y frescor. Color dorado viejo, muy denso, en nariz nos recuerda los frutos secos, la miel, la naranja confitada y el caramelo. En boca…