Hola!
This weekend, we're raring to go with this superb lineup of Spanish greatness, hitting many different delicious marks from all around the sun-kissed, wine-obsessed country, including Mencia, Albariño, Sherry, a blend of Viura and Garnacha Blanca, Carignan, and of course Tempranillo!
Come by this Saturday (5th August) between the usual 12 to 2pm, and tell us what stands out - we're so keen to see what each one brings and what stands out for each of you, from the luxurious 2016 Vivaltus red blend and unique 100% Carignan sourced from Terroir al Limit in Priorat, to this very enticing 25+ year old Gran Solera Sherry which will no doubt finish off the lineup in style! We've tried our best to give the best possible snapshot of not just one region, but the entire nation, so we hope to see you all then for what should be a whole lot of fun!
2021 Mengoba Bierzo Brezo Mencia - $26 on offer ; $30 RRP
"Pérez’s entry-level Mencía comes from multiple remote parcels of 30 to 60-year-old vines dotted around the slate-rich hillsides of Valtuille and Villafranca del Bierzo. The blend also takes in a splash of Garnacha Tintorera (Alicante Bouschet) and Godello for added brightness and crunch—but the hero here is Pérez’s high-grown and chiselled Mencía fruit. If you fancy a detour from Cru Beaujolais or Loire Cabernet Franc, this is an excellent place to go. It’s filled to the top with pure, refreshing and juicy fruits. Mineral notes in the form of oyster shell and sheet steel as well as supple and sleek fruits and spices. It’s animated and full of verve with some gravelly tannins lending a serious tone. Of course, there’s the signature, assertive acidity and a snappy finish." - Bibendum
2021 Santiago Ruiz O Rosal Albariño - $34 on offer ; $39 RRP
"A wine labelled with the sub-regional designation of O Rosal must contain Loureiro, and here (where the component hovers around 10%) the controlled yields of the variety bring ripe citric drive and notes of blossom to the blend. With an unusually high percentage of Albariño this year, the 2021 weighs in at 76% Albariño, 11% Loureiro and 5% Treixadura, with the balance Caíño Blanco and Godello. Each variety was individually fermented and raised for six months on lees in stainless steel before blending and bottling. To put it plainly, this is a lovely, invigorating Spanish white. Fresh lime citrus combines with slightly more tropical notes than the 2020, all fringed with salty lemons. Driving acidity, rocky grip and mineral drive are balanced by a supple mouthfeel and a long-lasting close. The drinking in the sunshine vibe is strong here - another cracking release." - Bibendum
2019 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Crianza Tempranillo - $46 on offer ; $52 RRP
"Clean and brilliant with an attractive black cherry color and purple undertones. Quite intense aromatics revealing ripe red berry and black fruits. Licorice notes, typical of the Tempranillo variety, also come through. Sweet, roasted coffee bean aromas follow with hints of vanilla and touches of spice. A fleshy, silky entry on the palate with perfectly integrated acidity and very pleasant, gentle tannins. Black fruit flavors in the finish with blackberry in particular. The oak is very nicely integrated, expressing notes of toast and vanilla, characteristic of a wine aged in American oak barrels. A medium to long finish." - Winemaker Notes
"Dark garnet in color, this wine has aromas of blackberry, raspberry and chocolate covered espresso bean. It is smooth on the palate, with polished tannins and berry flavors joined by notes of milk chocolate, cocoa powder, anisette and violet that wend their way to a floral and fruit finish." - 93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Equipo Navazos PX Gran Solera 25+ Years Sherry - $55 on offer ; $63 RRP
"The Equipo Navazos PX Gran Solera is the result of ageing the pure, very sweet, fortified must of Pedro Ximénez raisins—harvested from vineyards located in the towns of Montalbán, Montemayor and Puente Genil (around Montilla)—for an average of 20+ years, "... or maybe even 25 years, the solera system hardly allows us to be more precise," says Jesús. It comes from a solera of 22 casks located in one of the finest bodegas at Jerez de la Frontera. Here it has been aged in a typical Jerezano style (such as La Bota #36), that is, in casks filled only up to 5/6 of their capacity. This Jerezano method results in a less fruity, earthier, savoury and complex style of PX. The aged complexity, balance and yumminess on offer here has to be tasted to be believed. The Jerezano method used here results in a less fruity, earthier, savoury and complex style of PX." - Winemaker Notes
“Mid-depth mahogany, the colour grading to olive on the rim. Its racy complexity offers rich Cadbury Old Gold chocolate, together with dried figs and spices. The finish is, of course, sweet, but it doesn’t cloy.” - 95 Points, James Halliday
2021 Valenciso Rioja Blanco - $50 on offer ; $57 RRP
"This fleshy, classy white is crafted from 100-plus-year-old vines of Viura (70%) and Garnacha Blanca (30%). After a wild ferment, the wine was aged on lees in Russian, steam-bent, untoasted oak barrels (a fine-grained Caucasian wood that allows for excellent balance between fruit and oak) for nine months. The result is a super-aromatic wine with stone fruits, crushed citrus, mineral saline elements and a silky, fleshy and vibrant palate (racy, yet with good texture thanks to the low yields from the ancient vines). The full and slightly creamy mouthfeel is shot through by invigorating and balancing acidity and the lengthy finish is tinged with salty minerality. Since 2017 the wine has been presented in a Burgundy-shaped bottle, another indication of where its inspiration lies." - Bibendum
2015 Valenciso Rioja Reserva - $59 on offer ; $67 RRP
"From an Atlantic styled vintage, the 2015 is a more elegant and finessed release than 2014. The result is a beautifully cool, spicy and elegant Rioja with plenty of strawberry sweetness spiked with resin, brown spices, blood and anise notes. It has a supple texture and a fresh, racy finish. Super classy." - Bibendum
"Sourced from 29 parcels in Briones, Haro, Ollauri, Rodezno and Villalba, it's a pure Tempranillo that sees 33% new wood and is fresh, floral, textured and refined, with some sweet spices and a core of red berry and black cherry fruit embellished with chalky minerality. Drink now to 2030." - 94 Points, Tim Atkin MW, Rioja Report
2019 Terroir al Limit 'Dits del Terra' Priorat - $158 on offer ; $182 RRP
// 100% Carignan
"Chiselled, lacey and refined, it’s a beautifully balanced release, flush with pure berry fruit, spice and mineral flavour. The palate is deep and supple with succulent fruit interwoven with all kinds of spice, Mediterranean herbs and floral notes. The finish is long and perfumed with fine, energetic tannins and refreshing lift." - Bibendum
“The wines are very transparent with the vintage, and the 2019 Dits del Terra shows the openness of the year, a wine that is expressive and aromatic, charming and approachable but still serious and very mineral with fine tannins. Part of the wine matured in oak foudre, making it a little more classical. It has 14% alcohol but feels very balanced, and the alcohol doesn't show.” - 95 Points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
2016 Bodega Vivaltus Ribera del Duero - $246 on offer ; $289 RRP
"What a debut! Even given the distinguished track record of Bordeaux-based consultant Jean-Claude Berrouet, this is a remarkable wine that is part of a welcome new trend in Ribera del Duero. Elegant and refreshing, it has very fine tannins, floral top notes, subtle oak and just a hint of leafiness from 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Releasing the wine through the Place de Bordeaux with five years of age gives you some idea of the ambition that owner Yllera has for this superb cuvée." - 97 Points, Decanter
The eponymous 2016 Vivaltus was really impressive. I was already amazed at the unbottled sample, and the finished wine seems even better! It's a blend of Tempranillo with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, mostly from old vines. It fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and aged for around 12 months in French barriques, 20% of them new. But there's no oak in the nose, which is ethereal and perfumed, elegant and nuanced, with notes of violets, wild berries and herbs. The palate shows ultra-refined tannins and comes through as beautifully textured, with a fine, chalky minerality, very good precision, clean and focused flavors and a long, tasty finish. This is really amazing." - 96 Points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
If you wish to purchase any of these wines, please use the links above. Alternatively, email us at sales@thewineemporium.com.au, or contact us on (07)32521117 if you have any questions // Prices valid until Thursday the 10th of August