Spanish Red Wines

This artisan Tampesta Golan is again Prieto Picudo, this time aged in oak for 26 months. It is delicious and natural. Although aged for 26 months in oak it isn't overpowering as some Reservas can be, it is far more balanced and elegant.

The wine is made by expert Galician winemaker Luis Buitrón, vice-president of the Spanish Federation of Winemakers and president of the Association of Oenologists of Galicia. Highly recommended.

Herederos 1808 Selecion D'Autor is the top wine from this excellent family winery. More gentle and sophiticated rather than powerful. Only 6 months in oak but then 20 months in bottle so not the heavier vanilla style of Rioja. More purity of fruit with elegance and structure.

This is the top wine from Rosa Maria Zarza, from her family vineyard with an average age of 50 years.

Selected plots of Tempranillo were hand harvested, fermented and subsequently aged in oak for 14 months.

This is a beauty!

Tasting notes to follow.

There's good fruit flavour with a hint of vanilla. The wine is very smooth with great balance, as it is made naturally without any acid rectification or other trickery. Herederos farm biodynamically and use minimal oneological products during the winemaking, producing a pure wine that tastes as wine should!

Herederos farm biodynamically and inform us that all their wines are low in sulphites (under 30 ppm free SO2 in all of them). Delicious fruit with noticeable vanilla from the oak. Not a big hitter, far more elegance rather than power. Great balance and very smooth, and not over dry on the finish as many Riojas can be.

This is the third red from Bodega Vagal, first vintage just released. Biodynamically farmed and organically certified.

It's a fantastic wine produced at altitude (940 metres) so plenty of fresh acidity. It spent four months in oak.

Tasting notes to follow.

Bodega Vagal is a tiny artisan winery practising biodynamic methods (pending certification) roughly midway between Madrid and Logrono at altitude. They only make three wines and this Cuvee Joana is excellent. In fact I'd go further and say definitely try a bottle as it is something special. Beautifully made with power, grace and purity.

This Malcaracter Roble is also a natural wine, farmed organically. The Tempranillo grapes are hand harvested and fermented with their own yeast. The wine is aged in French and American oak for six months then bottled unfiltered. Good fruit with a little spice, well balanced with a nice palate weight, ideal with cheeses or similar fayre. Excellent value.

This Malcaracter is a natural wine, farmed organically. The Tempranillo grapes are hand harvested and fermented with their own yeast. The wine is aged in oak for twelve months and bottled unfiltered. Fantastic.