[Old World ] Spanish Wine

                                      Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2013

I love Spanish wines, it always surprise me and show unexpected flavor. Recently, I tried different price range of Spanish Wines and want to share with everyone.  

BodegasBorsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2013

Tres Picos is a 100% Grenache red wine, made by Borsao winery, from Northern Spain Campo de Borja. The wine name “Tres Picos” means Three Peaks, which is the Grenache for this wine are exactly from mountain vineyards between 35-60 years old, located in 600-700m altitude. It fermented in stainless steel tank, and then spends 5 to 10 months in French oaks. This wine has dark purple color, shows plum, cherry, menthol and spices aromas. In the mouth has rich fruit like plum and blackberry, it is medium to full body, dry red wine but after taste can find the sweeten of ripe fruit. The price is around HKD $125~150 ( at Watson Wine).

                                Bodegas Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja DOCa 2001

BodegasFaustino I Gran Reserva Rioja DOCa 2001

The Faustino Gran Reserva used traditional packaging like a gold wire wrapped the bottles and Faustino iconic frosted bottles which are easy to recognize in wine shop. Bodegas (Winery) Faustino established in 1861, located in Oyón, Rioja Alavesa. The Gran Reserva blended with mainly Tempranillo, plus Graciano and Mazue. It spent 26 month in French oak and at least 3 years in bottle. This is a traditional Rioja style wine, it very plummy, it has ruby red color with light orange on the rim. The aromas have plum, spices, tobacco and little of oak. In the mouth have delicate palate, medium body, mild and acid, tannic. The price is arouns HKD $250~$300. 

                                     Bodegas Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2013

                                 #1 Greatest Value wine of 2014 By Robert Parker 

                              Bodegas Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja DOCa 2001

我都幾鍾意飲西班牙紅酒, 因為每次都飲都會有驚喜或意想不到的發現. 近來試了兩枝不同價錢的西班牙紅酒, 想和大家分享一下.

BodegasBorsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2013

Tres Picos 採用100% Grenache 來釀製, 酒莊 Borsao來自西班牙北部的  Campo de Borja.酒名"Tres Picos"是西班牙語解, 三個山峰的意思, 因為釀製這款紅酒的葡萄就正是在山上的葡萄園採摘, 樹齡大約35-60歲, 位於600-700米高. 首先會在不銹鋼酒桶內發酵, 之後再放在法國橡木桶內5-10個月. 深紫色的葡萄酒帶有西梅, 車厘子, 薄荷, 香料的芳香. 口感非常豐富, 有濃郁水果香, Medium ~ Full Body, 這是一款Dry紅酒,  不過After Taste可以找到一些類似水果熟透時的甜. 價錢大約 HKD $125~150 (屈臣氏酒窖有售). 

                               Bodegas Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja DOCa 2001

BodegasFaustino I Gran Reserva Rioja DOCa 2001

Faustino Gran Reserva 用了最傳統的包裝, 金屬酒瓶網和他們代表性的磨砂瓶, 所以在紅酒鋪內非常容易認得出. Bodegas (酒莊) Faustino 在1861年創立, 位於Oyón 在Rioja Alavesa內. Gran Reserva主要是用Tempranillo葡萄, 加配多兩款葡萄Graciano / Mazue. 葡萄酒會在法國橡木桶陳年26個月, 裝瓶後在酒瓶內再陳年多3年. 這款酒可品嚐到Rioja的傳統風格, 非常  Plummy, 帶有紅寶石色的酒, 在紅酒的邊緣位有輕微橙色, 比較舊年份的紅酒都有機會帶有橙色,銅色,等等. 芳香都有李子, 香料, 煙草, 輕微的木桶香(可以當是雲呢拿). 口感細緻帶有美味水果香,Medium Body,輕輕的酸和柔和的單寧. 價錢大約 $250~$300, 己忘記在哪裡買.

[Spain] Viña Eguia Reserva 2010 Rioja

 Few years before, I became interested in Spanish wine especially Rioja wine because my first tasting of Spanish wine is Rioja red wine. Rioja has white and red wine, red wine mainly made with Tempranillo, this grape shows cherry, strawberry and plum characteristic and after barrel it shows tobacco aromas. The Spanish wine labels indicated Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, different between these terms are the wine aging time in oak and in bottle. For example, Reserva wine has spent at least 1 year in oak and 2 years in bottle before release. When we purchased the wine, we can enjoy it right away, doesn’t need to spend time to aging in wine cellar. I prefer Reserva wine because compare with Crianza, it has more layers and fruitier, fresher than Gran Reserva.

The other 2 terms are: Crianza, wine has spent at least 6 months in oak and 18 months in bottle before release and Gran Reserva, wine has spent at least 18 months in oak and 5 years in bottle before release. Gran Reserva wine should only be made in finest vintage. Besides that, Spanish wine also has an AOC system, it classified by Vino de Pago (Wine from a signal estate), DOCa, DO, VCPRD, VdlT (Similar to France Vine de Payes,) VdM (Table Wine),etc. As I see in HK, the most common is DOCa and DO wine. Do (Denominación de Origen) is roughly equivalent to France AOC, the wine need compliant local wine regulation to become DO wine. DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada) is highest level of Spanish wine classification, similar to Italy DOCG wine. From now, it only has two regions can compliant DOCa, which are Rioja and Priorat.

This time, I tried a good value Rioja wine, it is Viña Eguia Reseva 2010. Rioja has separated 3 sub-regions Rioja Alta, Alavesa and Baja. This winery situated in Rioja Alavesa, compare with the other 2 sub-regions, Alavesa is the northernmost side and closest to Atlantic Ocean, that benefits a cooler climate. There is mountainous with higher elevation and the soils are containing rich chalky clay and limestone, where the best Tempranillo grapes are found. This wine mainly made with Tempranillo and aged in American Oak and French Oak for 24 months and 2 years in cellars.

My Taste Note: I decanted this wine for around an hour, shows Ruby Red with little purple color. It has very attractive aromas such as red fruit, tobacco and licorice. First in the mouth, the tannin was too strong, a little astringent but 30 minutes later, it getting better and smooth. This wine is dry, fruity and crisp acidity. Overall, this wine provides basic Rioja wine characteristics and style.  

幾年前我已經開始喜歡飲西班牙葡萄酒,特別是來自Rioja(里奧哈), 能因為我第一次試飲的西班牙酒是Rioja的紅酒, 所以比較情有獨鍾. Rioja紅酒主要都是用Tempranillo(添帕尼優)來釀製,這種葡萄是帶有車厘子,士多啤利和西梅的特色, 經過木桶熟成後它會發出煙草的香氣. 西班牙葡萄酒的酒標上印有Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, 這3個不同的稱呼是代表釀成的葡萄酒在木桶和瓶裡陳年時間. 譬如Reserva的葡萄酒在推出之前,最少在木桶裡陳年1年和瓶裡2年才發售.當我們買了這枝Reserva, 其實都已經可以即時享用, 不用再放進酒櫃里陳年2-3年. 我個人比較喜歡Reserva, 因為味道是比Crianza有層次和比Gran Reseva清新和多一點果香.  

另外兩個: Crianza, 葡萄酒在推出之前,最少在木桶裡陳年6個月和瓶裡18個月才發售和Gran Reserva,葡萄酒在推出之前, 最少在木桶裡陳年18個月和瓶裡5年才發售.Gran Reserva只會在好的年份才生產. 西班牙葡萄酒都有一套類似法國AOC法定產區的制度. 它們分為DOCa, DO, VP(酒來自單一葡萄園), VCPRD, VdlT (類似法國的Vine de Payes,) VdM (餐桌酒), 等等, 以我留意我覺得香港比較容易找到DOCa和DO的酒. 大致上Do等級(Denominación de Origen)相等於法國的AOC等級,葡萄酒需要按照當地條例來釀製就可以成為DO酒. 西班牙酒最高等級是DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada), 類似意大利的DOCG, 到現在只有兩個產區可以成為DOCa,這兩個是Rioja和Priorat, 而第一個成為DOCa是Rioja.

這次我試了一枝超值的Rioja紅酒, 這是Viña Eguia Reseva 2010. Rioja內部分為三個產區Rioja Alta, Alavesa和Baja. 酒莊是位於Rioja Alavesa,對比另外兩個產區Alavesa是最北邊和最近大西洋, 可以得益到一個涼爽氣候. 這裡都是山區, 海拔比較高,泥土包括含有白堊的粘土和石灰石. Alavesa有這樣的環境和氣候是可以種出最好的Tempranillo. 這款酒主要都是用Tempranillo釀製,在美國和法國木桶內陳年24個月和2年在酒瓶內.

我的品酒筆記:我大約Decant了1小時,顏色有紅寶石色帶小小紫.它的香氣有紅色水果例如車厘子, 煙草和甘草. 剛剛飲的時候單寧比較強勁,有少少澀但是30分鐘之後,單 寧變得柔軟平滑, 口感上是Dry帶有Fruity味道, 適量的酸.整體這款酒能提供基本Rioja紅酒的特色和風格, 價錢不算太高而可以品嚐到Rioja質素的酒.