Spain

Waitrose Mellow and Fruity Spanish Red 2011 Campo de Borja, Spain 4.99
100% Garnacha from vineyards situated at an altitude of 350 - 700m on small slightly rolling hillsides, on terraces of the Huecha river and the Llanos de Plasencia, making up the Somontano del Moncayo. The low bush vines are widely spaced and planted on brownish-grey lime and clay ferrous soils. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 22 - 26°C with 7 to 12 days maceration. Winemaker Inigo Alberto. Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 13.5%, TA 5.5g/l, pH 3.55, RS 0.64g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 285 branches.
Juicy, fruity, nose. Nice taste. A hint of liquorice on a fruity wine. Great price!!



Heredad del Rey Selección Reservada 2010 Yecla, Spain 8.99
80% Monastrell and 20% Syrah from the Campo Arriba vineyards to the north of the appellation at an altitude of 750 - 800m above sea level. Soil is mainly limestone with some sand. Monastrell is 35 years old, planted as bush vines with a density of 1,660vines/ha and giving an average yield of 3-4000kg/ha. Syrah is 15 years old, trellised, with a planting density of 2,777vines/ha and a yield of 5-6000kg/ha. Harvest took place in late-Sept to early-Oct. Fermented for 10 days at 26 - 28°C, then matured for 12 months in 50% French and 50% American oak barrels. 20% of the barrels were new, 40% 2nd fill and 40% 3rd fill. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Winemaker Mariano López. Alc 13.5%, TA 5.15g/l, pH 3.7, RS 2.8g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 260 branches.

Not a very inviting nose. The palate’s pretty good, though. Oaky, balanced and juicy. Nice.


Mas d’en Gil Coma Vella 2007 Priorat, Spain 23.49
20% Cariñena, 20% Garnacha Peluda, 20% Garnacha Pais, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah and 5% Merlot from family-run 125ha estate in Bellmunt del Priorat. Most vines are 40 - 60 years old, on slate soils and the average yield is just 15 - 30hl/ha. Handpicked in mid-late Sept at
night and given 20 day maceration with fermentation lasting 7 - 10 days at 28 - 30°C in inox tanks. Malo for 15 - 20 days at 25ºC in underground tanks. 43 separate components then blended and aged for 12 - 14 months in 225l French oak barrels (20% new, 40% 1 year, 40% 2 years old) followed by 7 months - 1 year in bottle. Alc 15%, TA 5.1g/l, pH 3.4, RS 1.6g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 123 branches.

Strange aroma of over-ripe fruit. Lovely savoury, oaky taste. Intense, bright acidity and long, oaky flavour. Good. Bum, just saw the price. Would have given it a star.

Anciano Tempranillo 2004 Gran Reserva, Valdepeñas, Spain 8.99
100% Tempranillo grapes were hand-picked at the optimum point of ripeness from 30-year-old vines in stony Valdepeñas vineyards. The soil is clay-lime and the climate fully continental, with cold winters and hot, dry summers. After fermenting in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 15 days, the wine was aged in French and American oak for a minimum of 2 years. Winemaker Norrel Robertson MW. Unfined and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 13%, TA 5.1g/l, pH 3.70, RS <4.0g/l. Special Offer: Save 1/3, £8.99 - £5.99 from 10/10 to 30/10. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 285 branches.

Sweet vanilla nose. Very Rioja. Without being. The taste is a little too strawberry sweets.

Waitrose Vega Ariana 2010 Rioja, Spain 5.99
85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and 5% Graciano. Harvested at 7t/ha from a mixture of chalky-clay and alluvial soils surrounding the Viña Herminia Estate in the eastern-most part of Rioja Baja towards Alfaro. Fermented at 28 - 30°C, with daily pumpovers. Macerated for 7 – 15 days. Aged in used (1 - 4year old) American oak barrels for 6 months. This is the first vintage of Vega Ariana which includes a proportion of Graciano grapes from a blend put together by Nick Room and David Bastida in May 2012. Available in-store October 2012. Winemaker David Bastida. Suitable for vegetarians. Alc 14%, TA 4.8g/l, pH 3.3, RS 1.9g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 285 branches.

Very little nose. Toasty oak. It is cheap, but it doesn’t quite do it for me.

Beronia 2007 Reserva, Rioja, Spain 12.99
90% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from Rioja Alta. Harvest of the Tempranillo began on 19th Sept - older Graciano and Mazuelo picked later, all by hand and with an average yield of 5,000 - 5,500kg/ha. Cold soaked at 8 - 10ºC for 2 - 3 days before alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks, immediately followed by a slow malolactic with lees contact. Transferred to barrels with American oak staves and French oak ends for 20 months. Matured in bottle for a further 18 months before release. Bentonite fined so suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Alc 14.0%, TA 5.4g/l, pH 3.55, RS 1.5g/l. Special Offer: Save £3.00, £12.99 - £9.99 from 10/10 to 30/10. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 259 branches.

Gorgeous American oak on the nose. Really very inviting. Perfect Rioja. A really very good example. Oaky, vanilla finish. Fair price. *



Arco do Esporão 2010 Alentejo, Portugal 9.39
40% Syrah, 40% Aragónez and 20% Touriga Nacional from Herdade de Esporão, a family owned estate in the Alentejo. Vines are 15 years old and grown on clay/loam soils with a high proportion of schist and granite. Standard static fermentation tanks with yeast inoculation, regular pumpovers and délestage. Ferment took place at 25°C, with a total maceration time of 7 days. Pneumatic pressing was followed by natural malolactic in stainless steel tanks and then 6 months in new American 225l oak barrels for 50% of the blend. Bottled May 2011. Winemaker David Baverstock. Alc 14.0%, TA 6.5g/l, pH 3.62, RS 2.0g/l. IWC Silver and DWWA Bronze Medal Winner. Special Offer: Save 25%, £9.39 - £6.99 from 10/10 to 30/10. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 249 branches.

A bit stinky on the nose. Dark, bright, young, plummy fruit. Very fruit and alcohol led. Nice and worth getting on offer.

F’OZ Red 2011 Alentejo, Portugal 9.99
40% Aragónez, 40% Trincadeira with 20% Castelão. The vineyards are located in Estremoz in the heart of the Alentejo region. Owned by
João Portugal Ramos, soils here are limestone, clay and schist and semi-sprawl vine training is used to create a canopy for the ripening grapes to protect them from burning. Irrigation is used in moderation to keep the vines in good health. Grapes were harvested into 15kg baskets and then sorted before entering the winery. Fermentation was temperature-controlled in stainless steel tanks, no oak is used on this wine. Alc 14%, TA 5.2g/l, pH 3.59, RS 4.0g/l. Available from Waitrose Wine Direct and 2 branches.

Very stinky nose. Is this a new Portuguese trend. Dark plummy fruit. No oak. Can’t get excited.

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