Spain

• Alicante
• Andalusia
• Campo de Borja
• Castilla y Leon
  • Bierzo
• Catalonia
• Jerez
• Jumilla
• Madrid
• La Mancha
• Manchuela
• Méntrida
• Montsant
• Navarra
• Pais Vasco (Basque)
• Priorat
• Rias Baixas
• Ribera Del Duero
• Ribera del Guadiana
• Rioja
• Rueda
• Terra Alta
• Toro
• Valdeorras
• Valdepeñas
• Valencia
• Yecla

This is a young wine from Rioja using Sauvignon Blanc grapes.  It is a bit of a different take on both white Rioja and Sauvignon Blanc.  Light silvery gold in color.  The nose is very nice.  There is some grapefruit but mostly this has a refreshing clean aroma to it with some underlying minerals.  On the palate, this is again, about the minerality.  A very round wine and easy to drink.  Some citrus and acidity but not dominant.  Works fine on its own bout will work with lighter foods.  Retails for around $15 which is a nice value.  

This is from the Basque region of Spain.  It is a bit richer and more elegant than most Txacolis.  Also no spritz.  Light golden in color.  The nose has some citrus and minerals.  On the palate, this is tart but also rich bodied.  Some citrusy notes.  Good finish.  This is very food friendly but needs light and medium bodied foods.  Retails for $20 which is fair.  Made from the Hondarrabi Zuri grape.  

Light silvery gold in color.  A fair amount of medium sized bubbles.  The nose is clean with slight citrus and minerals.  Also a bit of a burnt note.  On the palate, this is slightly bitter.  Easy drinking.  Not a lot of depth but would be a perfect mix for mimosas or other sparkling mixed drinks.  

This is made from the Mencia grape in northwest Spain.  It is an excellent wine that combines both the acidity and elegance of old world wines with the fruit forwardness of brightness of new world wines.  It is also around $25 which is a good value.  Ruby in color, deeper at the core.  On the nose this has bing cherries, slight olives and a bit or herbal notes.  On the palate, this has a strong backbone of acidity.  Good cherry flavors.  Medium bodied but sinewy.  Nice finish.  Very food friendly with a wide variety of foods.  

Great showing for this bottle.  Purple in color.  The nose is dusty with dark cherries and tobacco.  On the palate, black cherries and the tobacco continues thru.  Good balance.  Some tannins left.  Nice finish.  Blind I would have guessed right bank Bordeaux.  Still youthful, but not a baby.  Probably needs another five years until peak.  Nice complexity as it unwinds in the glass.  Great with some hearty food.  Maybe a point or tow of upside still.  

I used to drink a lot of this wine and earlier vintages back in the day.  Its been a while, but when a friend popped the cork, it was fun.  Still a great wine.  Ruby in color.  The nose is earthy with slight barnyard.  Cherries, slight dill, and slighter vanilla.  On the palate, cherry fruit with a bit of cherry cough drops.  Good acidity.  Very food friendly.  Softer texture.  Nice depth.  Seems to be drinking at or near peak but no hurry.  

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Monastrell (Mourvedre).  In its youth, this was a big, sweet, oak drive and tannic wine.  At age 9 it has come together nicely.  It is still drinking youthfully but no longer dominated by oak, there is still plenty of fruit.  It is ripe and there are still medium tannins left.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, coffee grounds and spice.  On the palate, this has a lush texture.  Juicy black cherry and some cassis fruit.  There is a nice depth here if not (yet) delineated.  An underlying coffee note.  It worked with mildly spiced

Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has a damp forest floor quality with black raspberries, and black cherries.  On the palate, this is drinking quite well and much younger than its 15 years would suggest.  It has shed most of its oak from its youth with plenty of fruit still left.  It is ripe and jammy.  Slight tannins mostly integrated at this point. Nice glycerin driven texture.  Seems at or close to peak but no hurry.  Slight warmth on the finish.  

My second time trying this.  The first was with my dinner in the Barcelona train station from a 375ml.  We need more trains in the US.  Ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries.  On the palate, this has a slight amount of acid.  Cherries and slightly bitter cherries.  No real tannins.  Just a nice, little bot of fruit wine.  Drink in the next couple of years.  For under $15, this is a good value and may be the choice from time to time on a restaurant list.  

This is made from Garnacha Blanco.  Light golden in color.  The nose has minerals, steel and lemons.  On the palate this is crisp-ish.  Mostly minerals.  Slight fruit.  Good with food.  Inexpensive.