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mong Spanish wine regions, it is the northern names—Rioja,
Ribera del Duero, Toro, Bierzo and Rías Baixas, among others—that
regularly draw the flashy headlines. However, if big red wines,
fortified wines in myriad styles and traditionally crafted sweet
wines get your mouth watering, then it’s the south of Spain that
merits attention.
From the dry plains of La Mancha east to the sea-kissed Levante
and down through historic Andalucía, southern Spain is home to most
of the country’s top wines made from lusty varieties like Syrah,
Monastrell (Mourvèdre), Garnacha (Grenache), Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot. It’s also where one finds Spain’s best fortified and
dessert wines: dry Sherries from Jerez, luscious Pedro
Ximénez-based wines from Montilla-
Moriles and sweet Moscatels from Málaga.It used to be easy to
dismiss southern Spain
as a sprawling, sun-baked land responsible for mostly subpar
wines with high alcohol, odd or raisiny flavors and poor balance.
Although southern Spain’s hot, dry climate still produces many
chunky, baked, sometimes wacky-tasting wines, it also yields jewels
that boast size, powerful flavors, finely roasted earthy
nuances
and exquisite balance. “I don’t accept that the south is overly
chal-
lenged,” says Xandra Falcó, general manager of her family’s
Dominio de Valdepusa, which makes wine under the Marqués de Griñón
label from vineyards near Toledo in La Mancha.
“Every region in the world has its good wines and its bad ones,”
she says. “If you care for your vines, control your macerations
and
have a winemaker that understands the grape varieties and the
terroir, you can make fine wine. It’s always more a matter of who
is behind the wines than where they come from.”
To simplify southern Spain, think of it as being divided into
three regions. The biggest and most amorphous subsection is
south-central Spain, which includes La Mancha, Valdepeñas and
smaller Denominaciónes
B Y
M I C H A E L
S C H A C H N E R
When it comes to
full-bodied reds,
quality Sherries
and delicious
dessert wines,
southern Spain
has enough stars
to populate a
small galaxy.
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Levante
Tucked into the southeast corner of Spain is the Levante, which
draws its name from a prevail-ing easterly wind that begins near
the Strait of Gibraltar and grows stronger as it enters the open
Mediterranean.
The Levante is Monastrell country—both dry and sweet. But
Cabernet Sauvignon, which can handle the region’s warm climate, has
been coming on strong in recent decades, primarily as a component
in blends. Syrah, too, has found a home in the Levante.
Bodegas Gutiérrez de la Vega’s Casta Diva Fondillón, a sweet
Monastrell hailing from old vineyards in the inland Sierra de
Salinas area, exemplifies the potential of the variety when grown
in this region.
“Fondillón is released with a minimum of 10 years in cask,” says
Steve Metzler, an expert in Spanish wines and the wine’s American
importer.
“It’s fermented using whole Monastrell clusters in open-ended
barriques, punched down by hand,” he says. “It’s not fortified, but
the end product resists oxidation, and its high acid and tannin
levels balance the moderate alcohol and high residual sugar. It is
the natural expression of the land, in which
some raisin character is appropriate.” Enrique Mendoza’s Santa
Rosa Reserva, a
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, highlights just
how good international varieties can be in the Levante. The 2006 is
not showing any hints of oxidation or overripeness.
“The Santa Rosa Vineyard was planted in 1984 with the intent of
making a great wine,” says José “Pepe” Mendoza, winemaker and
vineyard manager. “In the Mediterranean, we have to search for
sites where the vines won’t shut down [because of extreme heat and
sun exposure]. We’ll go as high as 700 meters to get the freshness
we seek.”
While the sweet Fondillón goes best with blue cheeses or
chocolate, Santa Rosa Reserva can be paired with game—perhaps
venison or wild boar served with a berry sauce or wine
reduction—grilled beef or bison.
South-Central Spain
La Mancha alone sports approximately 1.24 million acres of
vines, so variation in quality, as you might imagine, is enormous,
ranging from downright awful to excellent.
At their best, south-central Spain’s red wines are lush, dark in
color, full bodied and loaded with rich, slightly baked and earthy
flavors supported by firm tannins and healthy acidity. When pairing
with food, go with old standbys like Manchego cheese and roasted or
grilled meats.
de Origen (DOs) like Almansa, Méntrida, Manchuela and
Utiel-Requena. Mostly, these are wines made from Tempranillo,
Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bobal and Garnacha, either as
single-varietal wines or as blends.
To the southeast, in the direction of the Mediterranean, is the
Levante, home to regions like Jumilla, Yecla, Bullas, Valencia and
my personal favorite, Alicante. In the Levante, Monastrell is king,
while international varieties like Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot are
the bishops, rooks and knights often used to fill out blended
wines.
Finally, Andalucía is the land of sweet and fortified wines made
from Moscatel, Palomino and Pedro Ximénez grapes. Sherry, in its
myriad forms, is the top dog among Andalucían offerings, given its
centuries of history and a dedicated global following. But both
Málaga along Spain’s southern coast and inland Montilla-Moriles are
noteworthy for their golden-colored dessert wines.
Top, the Valdepusa vineyards in autumn; above, Carlos Falcó, the
Marqués de Griñón, and his daughter, Xandra
Far left, brothers Pepe and Julián Mendoza of Enrique Mendoza in
Alicante; left, Felipe Gutiérrez de la Vega, maker of Fondillón
90 Atalaya 2010 Alaya (Almansa). This smells of baked black
fruits, coco-nut, vanilla and char. Flavors of blackberry liqueur
and cassis are backed by generous oak tones. It’s a robust wine,
made from Garnacha Tintorera. Gil Family Estates.abv: 15.5% Price:
$35
90 Marqués de Griñon 2005 Summa Varieta-lis (Dominio de
Valdepusa). This modern-leaning blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
and Petit Verdot feels like a padded vise, with demanding tannins
and blackberry, toast and coffee flavors. Winebow.abv: 14.5% Price:
$30
87 Anciano 2005 Reser-va (Valdepeñas). Mild red-fruit aromas set
up a palate with red plum and raspberry fla-vors, finishing clean
and slightly complex. It’s nice to find a val-ue-priced Tempranillo
with five years of aging before release. Well-Oiled Wine Company.
Best Buy. abv: 15% Price: $11
87 Atalaya 2010 Laya (Almansa). Leathery plum and berry aromas
form a nice opening as a minty choco-late note pops up. It feels
spunky, with rubbery tannins and flavors of plum, cherry, mint and
herb. Mostly Garnacha with some Monastrell. Gil Family Estates.
Best Buy.abv: 14.5% Price: $9
97 Bodegas Gutiérrez de la Vega 1999 Casta Diva Fondillón
(Alicante). Fon-dillón represents the pinnacle of red Spanish
dessert wines. Subtle but expansive on the nose, this has a blend
of dark fruit and cinnamon aromas. It delivers excellent balance
and flavors of roasted plum, black cherry, nutmeg, raisin and
chocolate. Drink now or hold in a good cellar for another decade.
100 cases made. Classical Wines. Editor’s Choice.abv: 16% Price:
$88/500 ml
93 Enrique Mendoza 2006 Santa Rosa Reserva (Alicante). This
smells exotic and smooth, like sandalwood, baked berries and
brandied plums. On the palate, it feels firm and secure, with deep
flavors of cassis and black cherry. A bullish red to drink now; 70%
Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% each of Merlot and Syrah. Winebow.
Editor’s Choice. abv: 14.5% Price: $50
92 El Nido 2009 Clio (Jumilla). Opaque, with a bouquet sealed
tight by toasty oak, tobacco, cola and baked, minty aromas. It’s
saturated but not syrupy, with roasted, savory flavors of clove,
nutmeg, hickory and blackberry. 70% Monastrell and 30% Cab-ernet
Sauvignon. Gil Family Estates.abv: 15.5% Price: $45
91 Rafael Cambra 2007 Dos (Valencia). Aromas of kirsch,
licorice, mineral and black-berry introduce a flowing palate with
black fruit, spice and chocolate flavors. This 50–50 blend of
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is easygoing, with a smooth
fade to the finish. Frontier Wine Imports.abv: 14.5% Price: $25
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Andalucía
Sherries from the towns of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de
Barrameda and Puerto de Santa María have, for centuries, been the
driving force behind Andalucía’s wine culture. But as the wine
world has evolved, the wines have drifted into the “acquired taste”
category.
Some people love the briny crispness of a fino or manzanilla,
while others reject them as too salty and sharp. That same
take-it-or-leave-
it attitude generally applies to the richer, fuller styles of
Sherry, be they sweet or dry olorosos, amontillados, palo cortados
or PXs (Pedro Ximénez).
Aside from Sherry, Andalucía features some outstanding fortified
wines from Montilla-Moriles, which sits directly north and inland
from Málaga, itself a source for fine sweet wines made from
late-picked Moscatel. These are classic dessert wines, aromatic
and richly textured but not cloying. Think fruit-based desserts and
sharp blue or aged cheeses for potential pairings.
With the dry Sherries, pair salty appetizers, soups and white
meats topped with creamy sauces, especially if you are using that
particular Sherry to boost your stock or add character to your
sauce.
Left, aging Sherry at Bodega Hidalgo in Jerez; below, ancient
Moscatel de Alex-andria vines in Málaga
94 Alvear NV Solera 1927 (Montilla-Mo-riles). This ranks well
above most Pedro Xi-ménez sweeties, with lush, fresh aromas of
raisin and spice that are distinctly not syrupy. Flavors of caramel
and chocolate are ideal, and the finish is smooth as silk. Fine
Estates from Spain. Editor’s Choice. abv: 16% Price: $25/375 ml
92 Jorge Ordoñez & Co. 2008 Victoria 2 (Málaga). A sweet
Moscatel that opens with nectarine and apricot aromas along with a
hint of pet-rol. It feels pure and racy, with flavors of pineapple,
honey and mango. Delicate on the finish. Fine Estates from
Spain.abv: 13% Price: $26/375 ml
91 Hidalgo NV Marqués de Rodil Palo Cor-tado (Jerez). Light in
color, with pecan aro-mas. There’s nothing blowsy about this
refined palo cor-tado; it’s tight in the mouth, with narrowing
acidity and tangy flavors of citrus, almond and rancio. Winebow.
Editor’s Choice. abv: 18% Price: $42
90 Bodegas Dios Baco NV Élite Amontil-lado (Jerez). This smells
nutty and oily, but within normal parameters. It feels fresh, round
and comfortable, with nuttiness, sweet toffee and caramel flavors.
Finishes with toasted pecan and peanut butter notes. Semidry in
style. CIV/USA. Best Buy.abv: 18% Price: $15