Events

TopWineSpain: Spain demonstrates its achievements
«Enoteka» №7-8 (65) 2008

Spain is getting closer to an aspired position of the world’s leader in quality winemaking.

Some of its latest achievements were shown at TopWineSpain in May. Over 30 estates from famous and lesser known wine areas participated.

TopWineSpain tasting is quite miniature in number of participants and guests. It was the second event, held a day before the specialized international sweet wines fair Vinoble. This was done deliberately by OpusWine, organizer of both events, who decided to maximize the presence of international wine trade and press in Spain for Vinoble and now offers a complimentary programme on Spanish wines.

The name of the event — TopWineSpain — implies the highest level of winemaking names, but at the moment they are not delivered altogether. Yes, some great names such as Alejandro Fernandez and Miguel Torres are present, but the absence of Vega Sicilia, Pingus and Alvaro Palacios estates makes one doubt the event’s ambitious name. Palacios and Sisseck appear not to be interested in advertising their wines at an additional expense of 4,000 euros — this is how much a producer must pay for participation. Nonetheless, other young (as well as established) and quality oriented companies eager to receive international acclaim and good business contacts find an opportunity to show their wines at TopWineSpain very attractive. It is not an open event. The wineries invited for participation are pre-selected by Carlos Delgado, president of OpusWine and director of the Spanish edition of Vinum magazine.

The advantage of TopWineSpain is that it offers a good representation of quality Spanish winemakers. It provides instant insight into most significant wine zones — from ‘white’ Rias Baixas and Rueda to ‘red’ Rioja and Yecla, from internationally recognized Ribera del Duero and Priorat to swiftly developing Toro and Navarra. Only Jerez is missing from the list of prominent regions, but its absence is likely to be explained by the fact that organizers prefer to keep sherries in Vinoble.

Rias Baixas and Rueda continue to lead in producing best white wines of Spain. Both areas have successfully created their images through association with a local grape. It is Albarino in case of Rias Baixas and Verdejo for Rueda. Both regions can produce wines of the highest quality level — such as Pe Redondo 2005 (Albarino) by Martin Codax or Ossian 2006 (Verdejo) by the eponymous winery. It is notable that winemaking estates from Ribero also participated in TopWineSpain. This is the area with has started to appear on the radars of the international wine circuits thanks to its exciting blends from indigenous white grapes. A good example of the area’s potential are Vina Mein wines which are based on Treixadura with an addition of half a dozen of other local varieties.

As one may have expected, Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines were a prominent part of the reds at TopWineSpain. Tempranillo ruled the show, this great Spanish red variety that is second to none in expressing the country’s true winemaking spirit. There were enough wines of superb and, occasionally, outstanding quality at the tasting. Full range of Pago de los Capellanes from Ribera del Duero should be mentioned first, especially its exceptional wines from single vineyards — Parcela El Picon 2003 and Parcela El Nogal 2004. While in Ribera, my praise also goes to Abadia Retuerta, El Vinculo and Hermanos Sastre. Rioja kept a status quo between traditional (La Rioja Alta, CVNE) and modernist (Finca Allende, Izadi) bodegas. Here I should single out wines by Fernando Remirez de Ganuza, in particular Trasnocho 2005 with its grace and understated power.

Despite a limited number of estates which in fairness didn’t claim to embrace the full geographic scale of the Spanish winemaking, TopWineSpain succeeded to present several new noteworthy projects, either wine releases or wineries. At Bodegas Torres table impressive bottles of Salmos 2006 and Perpetual-Salmos 2005 were opened — from the company’s latest winemaking initiative in Priorat. In the meantime, Dominio de Tares that built a solid reputation in Bierzo through work with old Mencia vines, started to produce wines from an unknown Prieto Picudo grape in Leon. Not quite so young Cellers Augustus estate in Tarragona that is well known among top restaurateurs thanks to its range of superb aged vinegars (they are, for instance, used by Ferran Adria) offered an original take on white Xarello from old vines.

One of the brightest discoveries at TopWineSpain was perhaps Huerta de Albala winery, founded three years ago in Cadiz province. It successfully works with a local Tintilla de Rota grape (a sub-variety of Graciano) and makes quite a distinctive, appealingly juicy Barbazul with aromas of a basket with freshly picked, sweet wild berries. Still, Huerta de Albala’s main success should be attributed to Syrah. The winery has been able to produce enchanting Syrah-dominated wines with great freshness, depth and purity — Taberner and Taberner No1. I am yet to come across a Syrah in Spain that can be equal to this winery’s offerings. Both Taberners are worthy examples of a superb Syrah grown outside of its home in the Rhone Valley.

TopWineSpain tasting took place in vicinity of Sevilla, in a historic complex Hacienda Benazuza which today is transformed into a deluxe El Bulli Hotel of Ferran Adria’s fame. The choice of this venue was supposed to highlight the event’s exclusivity and to be further enforced by a lunch designed by the mega-chef. The hotel with its Moorish layout of buildings and gardens and medieval architecture and the grounds with courtyards and gardens of amazing beauty didn’t fail to impress. Lunch, however, didn’t live up to high expectations. Of some dozen tapas and four lunch courses only two — giant jamon airbags and cold tomato salmorejo soup with quail egg, jamon dice and crunchy bread — could stand up to a level of impeccably executed, top class creative dishes. In search of more emotions, one had to heavily rely on wine. But wasn’t that TopWineSpain’s goal after all?