Table of contents for April-June 2017 in Selectus Wines

When you talk to people around you, opinions differ about whether or not to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays and so on, but I guess it depends on your mood or how significant the date is for you. But here at Selectus Wines, we could not be more delighted to be celebrating the 5th anniversary of our publication. The first cover of Selectus Wines saw the light of day back in April 2012. For us it was a major challenge, given the climate of the time, right in the middle of one of the worst economic crises of recent years, with all the associated risks. But it was also tremendously exciting to be setting out on an adventure that, thanks to a lot of hard graft, perseverance and discipline, has led…

This started out as a perforated table in which bottles were placed at a certain angle, so that they were all stored in the same manner. But the main objective of placing them in this position was to force the sediment, which formed in wines during ageing, down towards the neck of the bottle. This then made the extraction process faster and more controlled and at the same time, gave the wines greater clarity and finesse. With this creation, Madame Clicquot wanted to make the “wines as clear as water from a natural spring.” This invention revolutionized the wine world and many champagne houses adopted this method of storing and ageing the wines and some continue to use it today, in the form of the famous “pupitres”, found both in…

Long before Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir and other “noble” varieties deployed their charms in the vineyards of the Americas, the Americas had other wines made from a grape variety which is far less well known, but which has the virtue of having been the first to cross the Atlantic. It significantly broadened the horizons of grape growing which, until that time, had been limited to the European “Old World”. Little was known until recently about this red grape, whose strains had to adapt to some very different terroirs, from California in the north to the valleys stretching south of the subcontinent, alongside the Andes, in what is now Chile and Argentina. In each region where its cultivation developed this variety was renamed - Criolla (Argentina), País (Chile), Rosa del…

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…

VINOS BLANCOS SONS DE PRADES 2014 100% Chardonnay. Bodegas Torres. D.O.Conca de Barberà. Spain. PVP.: 24,00€ Many first wines would like to be of the quality of this second wine from the iconic Milmanda. This is a more accessible wine with nice aromatic complexity, a blend of fruit and floral aromas, accompanied by subtle notes derived from its ageing. It is fresh and smooth on the palate, preserving the fruity aromas and a balanced acidity. Ya quisieran muchos primeros vinos tener la calidad de este segundo vino del emblemático Milmanda. Un vino más accesible, con una buena complejidad aromática donde combinan los aromas frutales y florales acompañadas de sutiles notas de crianza. En boca es fresco, manteniendo los aromas afrutados, untuoso y con una acidez equilibrada. ALGUEIRA ESCALADA 2014 100%…

Tenuta di Trinoro 2013 I.G.T. Toscana Sarteano - Italia www tenuta .vinifranchetti -di-trinoro .it / 160,00€ 50% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot The story of Andrea Franchetti is one that begs to be told. A descendant of a wealthy Italian family, he could have lived anywhere in the world, but he chose Val d’Orcia, in the Tuscan countryside near Lacio. It is an arid and desert-like area, but with clay soil, ideal for producing fine wines. He bought and restored a very old country house on the top of a hill. In 1997, the first of his wines was born, under the name Tenuta di Trinoro. Although it a relatively new wine compared to some of its Italian predecessors, especially compared to the best…

This latest issue will be the 20th issue of Selectus Wines. Many things have happened in the 5 years since we launched. Many different people have contributed to the success of our magazine, and rather than run the risk of leaving someone out, I will simply thank everyone for the time and effort they have invested and continue to invest in this modest publication. We hope to be able to carry on as we are, to ensure that people will still be talking about “Selectus Wines” for many years to come... These are all the covers that we have published to date. Many personalities, many wineries and many wines have been featured in our magazine. We have learnt a lot over these last five years and we still have…

“IN THE END, HOPES WERE MET AND THE NUMBER OF EXHIBITORS AND VISITORS WAS HIGHER THAN IN 2016.” “SE HAN CUMPLIDO TODAS LAS EXPECTATIVAS Y EL NÚMERO DE VISITANTES HA CREDIDO RESPECTO A LA EDICIÓN 2016” This year Vinisud became an annual event and the organisers were on tenterhooks, waiting to see how the wine trade would react to this change, accustomed as it was to the event being held every other year. In the end, hopes were met and the number of exhibitors and visitors was higher than in 2016. By all accounts, the Masterclasses were also of better quality than in previous years, although, unfortunately, our American contributor, Christy Canterbury MW, was unable to attend due to demonstrations against the new President of the United States’ immigration policy.…

 Of Riojan origin, Álvaro Palacios is one of the leading protagonists in Spanish wine of the last two decades and he, alongside other “adventurers”, put Priorat wines onto the global wine map at the end of the 1980s. He also helped relaunch the forgotten region of Bierzo, revealing the potential of the Mencía grape. He believes in the individuality of each vineyard plot. Pragmatic and romantic in equal measure, he is an out-and-out champion of great wine as a starting point. Palacios enjoys international renown and has clocked up innumerable miles travelling the globe, where he has talked about and demonstrated the glories of the Spanish wine regions’ ancient heritage. He is constantly fighting to recover, promote, put in order and preserve for posterity, Spain’s winemaking legacy, making it…

VINOS ESPUMOSOS AT ROCA L’ESPARTER RESERVE BARRICA 2013 100% Macabeo. AT Roca. Clàssic Penedès. Spain. PVP.: 21,00€ In the words of its producer, this is his best sparkling wine in barrel so far. The Macabeu from old vines grown on a single estate, combined with the production methods employed, give this wine great personality and complexity. Creaminess, freshness and volume in 3D. Según palabras del productor su mejor vino espumoso en barrica elaborado hasta la fecha. El macabeu procedente de una sola finca de viñas viejas unido a su método de elaboración le transmiten una gran personalidad y complejidad al vino. Cremosidad, volumen y frescor en tres dimensiones. RAVENTOS I BLANC DE LA FINCA 2013 50% Xarel·lo, 40% Macabeo, 10% Parellada. Raventós i Blanc. Sparkling wine. Spain. PVP.: 20,00€ De…

200 Monges Bodegas Vinícola Real D.O.Ca. Rioja La Albelda Rioja de - Espa Iregua ña www.vinicolareal.com 60,00€ 70% Viura, 20% Malvasía, 5% Garnacha, 5% Otras The name of the Vinícola Real winery can be traced back to its medieval roots in the historic town of Albelda de Iregua. It stepped into the spotlight in 1994 with its first signature wine, 200 Monges Red, which was a tribute to the monks of the San Martín de Albelda Monastery. These monks were responsible for writing the Vigilian Codex. More than 20 years later, this prestigious winery in the Rioja Baja region has brought an exclusive, reserve white wine to the market, of which only 5,500 bottles have been produced. It is a blend of Viura and Malvasia, with a touch of Garnacha…

VINOS ESPECIALES ALBET I NOYA DOLÇ ADRIÀ 2007 Syrah, Merlot. Albet i Noya. D.O. Penedés. Spain. PVP.: 23,40€ This is a sweet red wine made from over-ripe, organically-grown Syrah and Merlot grapes. It is packed with very ripe, dark forest fruit with hints of Mediterranean herbs. It is great fun on the palate with a balanced play of tannin and sweetness. Vino tinto dulce elaborado con syrah y merlot sobremadurados procedentes de cultivo ecológico, cargado de fruta negra del bosque muy madura junto con toques de hierbas mediterráneas. Boca divertida con la sensación de tanicidad y dulzor a partes iguales. MANZANILLA LA GITANA EN RAMA 100% Palomino Fino. Bodegas Hidalgo – La Gitana. D.O.Jerez. Spain. PVP.: 8,90€ This wine is made from Palomino Fino grapes grown in vineyard parcels considered…

This was the first of an event which, if the efficient management of this début is anything to go by, will have real potential for growth in future. The event was well-organized, with a focus on business and a very well-staged awards ceremony. We were able to taste many wines from a large number of wineries in the festival’s tasting zone and we made some interesting discoveries. However, we will mention those rosé wines that we were able to discuss with their producers: Primera edición de un evento que, viendo cómo se ha gestionado en este arranque, tiene visos de ir creciendo en próximas ediciones. Buena organización, centrada en el negocio, y con una muy buena puesta en escena en la gala de premios. Pudimos catar muchas y diferentes bodegas…

Wine on Fire Island. The wine of Fogo The vine is likely to be of tropical origin. Most wild vine species are found in these climes. The vine likes the heat, which stimulates its vegetative growth, encouraging it to spread over the soil or any other supports that allow it to receive more light. The vine is, after all, a creeping plant, and tends to rely more on its own growth than on the unpredictability of maturing fruit to create different individuals. But we are interested in the vine as a producer of grapes that, in turn, produce fine wines. In this respect, the vine of the tropics is of no use to us. Island of volcanoes When the Portuguese arrived, Fogo was uninhabited, but it was then populated to…

THE REDISCOVERY Álvaro arrived in Bierzo in 1999, captivated by the beauty of the municipality of Corullón, and shares the business with his nephew Ricardo. He was able to draw on his experience in demanding regions such as Priorat. After his initially more romantic and picturesque vision of Bierzo, the challenge posed by an Atlantic climate, with its more continental annual cycles, and by the extremely difficult slopes, bound him to this mystical land once and for all. For him, this historic corner of the Iberian Peninsula and origin of Europe’s most ancient soils deserved to be rediscovered and brought to the public’s attention. They currently own 45 scattered hectares in Corullón, making up a total of 250 plots planted with the Mencía grape, the area’s predominant native variety. They…

Champagne MC III BRUT Moët & Chandon A.O.C. Champagne Epernay - France www.lvmh.com 545,00€ Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier Who doesn’t know this Champagne House? With over 1,000 hectares at its disposal, Moët & Chandon belongs to LVMH, the most important luxury goods Group in the world. Its Brut Imperial is the most well-known and most consumed champagne on the market. The MCIII is a concept exclusive to this Maison, and represents quintessential luxury in every detail. For the first time, an unprecedented champagne has been created without a vintage. Rather, it is a blend of several vintages aged in three different environments: metal, wood, and glass. Its presentation is equally spectacular. The stunning bottle discreetly and subtly hints at the innovation it holds within. It is an extraordinary juxtaposition of…

VINOS TINTOS GARMÓN 2014 100% Tempranillo. Garmón Continental. D.O. Ribera de Duero. Spain. PVP.: 38,00€ One of the fashionable Ribera del Duero reds from the great Mariano García. This is a dense wine with a dazzling colour, which perfectly combines ripe fruit with lactic touches and fine quality oak, all nicely blended together. Great work that will give us plenty to talk about! Uno de los tintos de moda de la Ribera del Duero del gran Mariano García. Un vino denso, de color muy vivo, que combina a la perfección la fruta madura con los toques lácticos y una madera de calidad muy bien ensamblada. Un gran trabajo que dará muchísmo que hablar! CORTEO 2011 100% Syrah. Bodegas El Nido. D.O.Jumilla. Spain. PVP.: 80,00€ A super wine, the fruit of…

Tokaji Aszú Eszencia Dereszla Winery Tokaj-Hegyalja Bodrogkeresztúr - Hungría www.dereszla.com 104,50 70% Furmint, 30% Hárslevelú The Aulan family has owned Château Dereszla since 1999. Its 35 hectares are of exceptional quality and in a perfect location, on gentle slopes with perfect microclimates. The vineyards are divided into different plots, all of which are south-facing and located between 150 and 250 metres altitude. Eszencia is the ultimate in quality in Tokaji wines. This priceless elixir is a fabulous and legendary beast. The Hungarians say that it is best to drink this wine from a thimble, and that, in drinking it this way, one can live eternally. It is also said that due to its longevity, kings and princes typically received this wine as gifts from their relatives and friends, as a…

At the start of each year, Barcelona hosts the Gaudí Film Awards ceremonies and, this year, the representatives from the wine world included the Torres Group’s Jean Leon winery. This bodega has had an idyllic relationship with cinema since its creation, as its founder spent much of his life involved in the film world through his business activity. Anualmente, a principios de año, se celebra la gala de los Premios Gaudí de cine y el mundo del vino estuvo presente, entre otros, de la mano de Jean Leon, bodega del Grupo Torres. Esta bodega y el cine tienen una relación idílica desde sus inicios, ya que su creador estuvo muy ligado al mundo cinematográfico durante buena parte de su vida a través de sus negocios.…

The oldest winery in Andalusia, and the second oldest in Spain, was created 288 years ago! The 8th generation of the Alvears, a family name of great standing and nobility, still proudly carries the name “Montilla” around the world. Our story begins in Nájera (La Rioja), well into the second half of the 17th century, when the mayor of the town, a nobleman and Royal Treasury official, Juan Bautista G. de Alvear y Garnica, was posted to Córdoba as “Royal Tax Collector”. Given his status, position and office, he was soon wed to a distinguished Córdoba noblewoman. His son, Diego de Alvear y Escalera, was fonder of the countryside than he was of royal finances, and he set about acquiring a large number of estates in the Córdoba area, especially…