Spanish Wine

Modest and passionate about his vineyards, Abel and his wife Maite have been making understated wines in San Vicente since 1988.

Lying in the shadow of the Sierra Cantabria, Abel has vineyards in the finest parts of the Alavesa. His knowledge and understanding of the soils is enthralling and to taste in his cellar can be an education on the effects different soils have in different years. He wants only to express the fruit and the soil and unlike many Riojans, he leaves it more or less at that. He does not want to stamp the wines with any particular style or mark of his own other than his respect for the very natural quality of the grapes and for the magical places that they were grown.

Straw yellow. Intense aromas, floral, very perfumed, with good fruit expression in the foreground, and well integrated wood notes of balsamic and dried grass. In the mouth it has superb acidity with a bright, smooth, silky and pleasant finish.

Modest and passionate about his vineyards, Abel and his wife Maite have been making understated wines in San Vicente since 1988.

Lying in the shadow of the Sierra Cantabria, Abel has vineyards in the finest parts of the Alavesa. His knowledge and understanding of the soils is enthralling and to taste in his cellar can be an education on the effects different soils have in different years. He wants only to express the fruit and the soil and unlike many Riojans, he leaves it more or less at that. He does not want to stamp the wines with any particular style or mark of his own other than his respect for the very natural quality of the grapes and for the magical places that they were grown.

Modest and passionate about his vineyards, Abel and his wife Maite have been making understated wines in San Vicente since 1988.

Lying in the shadow of the Sierra Cantabria, Abel has vineyards in the finest parts of the Alavesa. His knowledge and understanding of the soils is enthralling and to taste in his cellar can be an education on the effects different soils have in different years. He wants only to express the fruit and the soil and unlike many Riojans, he leaves it more or less at that. He does not want to stamp the wines with any particular style or mark of his own other than his respect for the very natural quality of the grapes and for the magical places that they were grown.

Cherry red, purple and traces of violet. Subtle notes of cocoa, liquorice, and balsamic. It enters the mouth dry and structured.

Modest and passionate about his vineyards, Abel and his wife Maite have been making understated wines in San Vicente since 1988.

Lying in the shadow of the Sierra Cantabria, Abel has vineyards in the finest parts of the Alavesa. His knowledge and understanding of the soils is enthralling and to taste in his cellar can be an education on the effects different soils have in different years. He wants only to express the fruit and the soil and unlike many Riojans, he leaves it more or less at that. He does not want to stamp the wines with any particular style or mark of his own other than his respect for the very natural quality of the grapes and for the magical places that they were grown.

A very classy and compelling wine. Deeply coloured with a pure, intense bouquet of crushed fruits, spice and oak. Elegant oak aging enhances the wine’s complexity and class.

Sourced from highly selective parcels of 100-Year-Old Vines in central Spain. These low yielding vines bare fruit with the most wonderful natural balance. The vineyards sit approximately 600 metres above sea level with a warm continental climate. The grapes mature over the growing season to their optimal ripeness, they are hand-picked and then the bunches are hand selected before fermentation. This 100-Year-Old Vine Tempranillo has spent 6 months in French and American oak giving it some lovely layers of complexity. Garnet red in colour, hints of spice and summer fruits on the nose, with a lengthy finish with apparent tannins and integrated acidity.

Alchemy Wines

Bela is the latest project by Rioja legends, C.V.N.E. Situated in the heart of Ribera del Duero with high altitude vineyards at 800m they are already creating something of a stir. Significant investment has gone into both vineyards and winery and little expense is being spared as they strive to recreate the magic they have been weaving in Rioja for 140+ years

Hand harvested, fermented and then aged in cask for 9 months, this is generously flavoured, full of red fruit notes underpinned with a splash of oak and a spicy, toasty finish.

A lively, sappy blend of Monastrell and Garnacha Tintorera that's packed full of lively black plum and blueberry fruit.

Delicate pink colour with aromas of ripe berry fruit and strawberry. Dry, approachable and well-balanced, with more appealing juicy strawberry fruit and a creamy mouthfeel.

Ruby red colour. A clean nose with notes of balsamic and fine nuances of plum and clean oak. Intense spice and oak on layers of velvety cherry fruit and a slight hint of licquorice. Lasting rich fruit flavours with smooth round tannins. Complex and structured. A pleasant finish with red fruits and hints of eucalyptus.

Bodegas Luis Cañas

Ruby red with earthy colour notes. Elegant and complex in the nose with a good concentration of black fruit, thyme and rosemary with secondary aromas of leather and tobacco leaves. It is polished and rounded, making it pleasant and easy to drink. Fleshy with both elegance and power. It has touches of black fruit jam and liquorice warm, with a long, delicious and persistent finish.

Bodegas Luis Cañas

Bright cherry red in colour, with fresh black fruit aromas, with spice, balsamic, underbrush and cedar notes. A full bodied crianza that is well structured, elegant with a long mineral like finish.

Bodegas Manzanos

The Ca N'Estruc estate dates back to 1548. Here on the slopes of the holy mountain of Montserrat in Esparreguera - half an hour away from Barcelona - Francisco Marti cultivates 22 hectares planted at 165m on alluvial soil.The estate has a unique microclimate with the vineyards planted to protect vines from the cold north winds whilst optimising sunshine to ensure full ripening. They experience cool summers, mild winters and an average annual temperature of 14ºC.

Produced predominantly from the Xarel-lo grape (55%), along with a portion of Garnacha Blanca (17%), Chardonnay (15%) and Macabeu/Viura (13%). The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo selection in the vineyard. They're then destemmed, gently pressed and the must is allowed to settle at 15ºC for 24 hoursAfter racking natural yeasts from the vineyard are introduced to begin the fermentation. Each variety is initially fermented seperately in 25hl stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature for 2 weeks, then the fermentation is completed in 500 litre French oak barrels. The wine matures for 5 months in Allier oak barrels - some new, and some 1-2 years old, with medium toast.

Complex and layered with aromas of tropical fruit and brioche . The palate is opulent with savoury, nutty characters balanced by apricot and a touch of vanilla. Weighty with mineral complexity and bright citrus acidity on the finish.

Ca N'Estruc

The ‘recent’ history of wine at the Pago Casa Gran estate began at least 300 years ago. There they have preserved an ancient wine cellar from those times in the Casa Benasal building. Manuela Galbis, the founder’s mother, reinitiated wine production at Pago Casa Gran during the 1960’s.

The Casa Benasal Elegant combines the trend for light body, flavourful wines with the uniqueness of the estate. A part of this wine has been matured in concrete vats while the other part goes into oak barrels.

Pago Casa Gran

Intense dark cherry colour. Attractive aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants and raspberries, blended together with hints of spice and vanilla. Complex and elegant on the palate with fine tannins and a good length.

C.V.N.E.

A project between sisters, Ruth & Ana de Andres, Garganta del Aguila is produced from selected parcels of high altitude Garnacha, grown on the distinctive decomposed granite soils of the Gredos Mountains (west of Madrid).

Vines scratch out an existence in these once abandoned vineyards, up at 1,007 metres close to the walled town of Avila, dotted amongst huge granite outcrops, with roots sunk deep into the sand-like soils. With a long standing fascination for the wines from this region, it was just a matter of finding the right vineyards and the right people. After speaking to various contacts Ruth & Ana came across a small winery, with 8 partners (the youngest of whom was 70 years old!), who had access to incredible old plots of bush vine Garnacha on these very particular soils. All of the plots are smaller than 1 hectare; yields are super low, and currently they hand-harvest from across 90 different sites in order to produce this wine. The idea was to produce a youthful wine from these old vines; with a focus on purity and an unencumbered expression of the variety and terroir. Ruth describes this as a ‘down-to-earth wine’ ... it’s not over manipulated in the winery and is more commercial and approachable in style than some. Ruth & Ana are now on their fifth vintage and the collaboration is going from strength to strength.

Raspberry and wild strawberries, together with herb like aromas such as origano and thyme. In the mouth, it is soft and velvety. Fresh and vibrant, it leaves a fine aftertaste reminding the same herbal aromas as in the nose.

de Andres Sisters

Unevolved and intense with light purple rim. Pronounced cassis and cigar box nose with lifted floral perfume and violets. Full and unctuous on the palate with intense black fruit characters, well integrated oak and a long glyceric finish.

El Escoces Volante

Is this a slightly blush orange wine, a rose made using orange wine methods or a bit of both? Who knows and, frankly who cares - when a wine is this deliciously drinkable who cares what label we bup on it.

Made from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, fermented on skins and aged in 1000L Amphorae, this is an orange wine with a definate pink hue (OK, so maybe we do care what label we put on it). Seriously cool and refreshing and packed with stone fruits, mineral rocks and a hint of anise.

Altolandon

Aromatic and intense, lovely aromas of wild red berries, blossom, nutmeg and hints of sandalwood. Fresh, fruity and well balanced with sensations of raspberries, vanilla and cinnamon.

Bodegas Manzanos

The Gómez Cruzado winery dates back to 1886 when Angel Gómez de Arteche started to produce and bottle his own wine in Haro, at the very heart of Rioja Alta. This was in the day when the wine trade between Rioja and France passed along the Tudela-Bilbao line, and the key Rioja wineries were located around the station of Haro. The winery sits just 100m from the station to this day.

One of Gomez Cruzado's ‘Terroir Selection’, Pancrudo is an expression of selected vineyards around Badarán, in southern Rioja Alta. Here the high elevation, limited yield, red iron-rich soil, northern exposure and continental climate produces a wine with distinctive character. The old bush-trained Garnacha vines are planted in red ferrous-clay soils in the rolling hills of Badarán (near the upper Najerilla), due south of Haro. The vineyards are north-facing at around 650m altitude. The grapes are hand-harvested into 200kg crates, and are sorted by hand at the winery. After fermentation in stainless steel, gently plunging the cap, malolactic fermentation takes place - 65% in new French oak, and 35% in egg-shaped concrete tanks. The resulting wine is blended and bottled.

Awarded 96pts in Tim Atkin MW's Rioja 2022 Special report

Bodegas Gomez Cruzado

The Gómez Cruzado winery dates back to 1886 when Angel Gómez de Arteche started to produce and bottle his own wine in Haro, at the very heart of Rioja Alta. This was in the day when the wine trade between Rioja and France passed along the Tudela-Bilbao line, and the key Rioja wineries were located around the station of Haro. The winery sits just 100m from the station to this day.

Produced from grapes cultivated in the highest parts of the Ebro valley. Predominantly Garncaha (65%) from Alto Nejerilla, in the area between the towns of Badarán, Cordovin and Cárdenas where the vines grow in red ferrous clay soils; and Tempranillo (35%) from Samaniego, and the white limestone soils of Sierra Cantabria. Hand-harvested into 200kg crates with a selection of bunches at the winery. Garnacha and Tempranillo are destemmed and vinified separately. They undergo cold fermentation with native yeasts, and a short maceration. Then the two wines are assembled and refined in concrete for around 5 months.

Bright and aromatic with cherry and berry characters and a hint of liquorice. The palate is complex with layers of plum, bramble and forest fruits, all supported by fine tannins, and long and elegant on the finish.

Bodegas Gomez Cruzado

The Gómez Cruzado winery dates back to 1886 when Angel Gómez de Arteche started to produce and bottle his own wine in Haro, at the very heart of Rioja Alta. This was in the day when the wine trade between Rioja and France passed along the Tudela-Bilbao line, and the key Rioja wineries were located around the station of Haro. The winery sits just 100m from the station to this day.

85% Tempranillo, 10% graciano, 5% Garnacha

Pronounced black cherry, cedar and spice aromas. The palate is supple yet richly-flavoured with layers of dark plum, bramble fruit and cherry supported by well-integrated tannins. Toasty notes, black pepper and dried fruit characters on the finish.

Bodegas Gomez Cruzado

Temopranillo & Garnacha. Aromas of sun-drenched cherries, raspberries, fragrant blooms, licorice and exotic spices fill the glass. Perfectly balanced acidity and tannins create a sauve and sophisticated mouth feel. Enjoy year round from a summer BBQ to a hearty winter stew or just with some hard cheeses, crusty bread and great friends.

A blend of grenache and Pinot Noir, the wine is silky, fruity, with a surprisingly long lingering finish. This wine is equally welcomed at the dinner table, the pícnic table or wherever good friends congregate. It is the natural accompaniment to Mediterranean cuisine.

100% Muscat of Alexandria, the wine is suave and sophisticated and finishes with a bright clean acidity. Ideal as an aperitif or perfect for seafood, roasted white meats, fish and semi hard cheeses.

A nose of pink grapefruit, passion fruit, and mandarin oil notes. The palate is rich with minerality and racy lime zest acidity, giving a lovely texture and intensity.

Bodegas Naia

A beautifully balanced example of white Rioja that straddles the styles of the old and the new. Vibrant citrussy Viura is blended with the more weighty Malvasia and the brief barrel maturation adds a honeyed roundness to the crisp lemony fruit. Beautiful golden yellow colour with bright lemon-tinted reflections. Elegant, combining hints of flowers, fruits and hazelnuts. Dry, with just enough acidity to make it fresh and lively with a structured and tasty finish of ripe fruit.

Bodegas Luis Cañas

A beautiful ruby colour. A clean nose with good intensity. Complex aromas of leather, ripe sweet fruit and herbs over a base of fine oak. Palate: Potent and juicy with structure and good tenacity. The finish shows lots of spice and is ample, complex, long and persistent.

Bodegas Luis Cañas

Tangible proof of elegance, balance and constancy characteristic of the Marques de Murrieta Winery and its surrounding vineyards situated in the Ygay Estate, it is a red Reserva wine with a balanced aging of two years in new and partly new American oak barrels and a year and a half in bottle. The result is an elegant wine that combines complexity and fineness, summing up the best attributes of our identity and actuality. Marqués de Murrieta is more than a brand in the international market, it represents age-old wisdom expressed in one of the most recognized wines of Spain. With our daily work, respect and love for our land, the selection of the best grapes and the attention to detail throughout its almost four years of production, Marqués de Murrieta is a safe and constant value of the best quality.

The freshness of the fruit prevails in the nose of this Marqués de Murrieta Reserva 2016; aromas of strawberry, cherry, floral hints, eucaliptus tree, thyme and fine cabinetry.

In the mouth the wine is harmonious, fresh and it has polished tannins that provides the wine with a pleasant texture. Its fruity long finish keeps an extraordinary freshness.

Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta

A lively, sappy blend of Monastrell and Garnacha Tintorera that's packed full of lively black plum and blueberry fruit.

Powerful passion fruit and stone fruit aromas. The palate has flavours of ripe citrus, fresh nectarine and peach. Textural with a subtle bitter twist on the bright and long finish.

Bodegas Naia

An extraordinary barrel-fermented wine from ancient, pre-phylloxera vines.

Intense aromatics of ripe melon and pears balanced by leesy, yeasty notes. The palate is soft and textural with well-integrated, toasty oak characters, kiwi and grapefruit acidity and impecable balance. A deliciously bitter twist on the finish maintains the interest right though to the next sip.

This is a bit special - a blend of Albillo and Maccabeo, produced following biodynamic principles and fermented and aged in old, French "demi-muids" (500-600 litre barrels). Beautifully pure, balanced and expressive.

Intense, fruity notes of zesty citrus, ripe apple and pear are complemented by white floral blossom and mineral nuances. Fresh and beautifully balanced, with a creamy texture and a long finish.

Ripe aromas of black fruit with warm wood spice. Cherry and plum fruit on the palate with fresh acidity and smooth balancing tannins. Classic, approachable and satisfying.

Ontañón Familia

Made from Godello grapes sourced from old vines found in Virgen de Galir’s 20 ha of premium vineyards, this wine has great complexity and finesse from its maturation on the lees.

Virgen del Galir

Although Pazo Barrantes has been the ancestral home to the Creixell family (owners of renowned Riojan winery Marques de Murrieta) since the 15th century and where Albariño has been grown and made for generations, it was not until 1982, when the vineyards were re-planted and 1991, when the winery was built, that it started to release their wines. Located in the Salnés valley, just a few kilometres from the Atlantic coast, the winery boasts 12 hectares of Albariño vineyards surrounding the 16th century Galician Palace. All the vines are trained high on supporting wires in the “Parral” trellis system, as is the local tradition, to guard against mildew and rot, and also to assist ripening. expressive nose with intense aromas of white stone fruit, citrus fruit, bay and touches of balsamic. it is a fresh and full-bodied wine with a lengthy finish bursting with juicy white fruit and salinity.

Young, fresh and fruit-driven, with varietal notes of white fruit and flowers, freshly cut grass and a citrus touch. The palate is harmonious and tender, with beautiful volume and freshness, finishing dry.

Pazo Señorans

Starting with 11 hectares of vineyards in 1999, Miguel Pérez Cerrada has made Domini de la Cartoixa a leading light in Priorat.

His ‘Formiga de Galena’ Priorat is truly impressive, with massive depth of flavour and great intensity. Garnacha, Carninena and Syrah all work together to produce a profusion of red and dark fruit flavours. Still a little tight at the moment (but still delicious) - if you've got the patience and discipline to put this away for a couple of years it will blossom into something magnificant.

Complex nose of ripe plums and rich red fruit, combined with liquorice and fig characters. On the palate the wine is generous, rich and spicy - weighty with a good concentration of red and black fruit flavours, fine tannins, and fresh acidity on the finish.