August 7, 2020 |
Emily Riley
Crushable Wines from Spain and South America
Spanish Wine Trio, SHOP HERE
Descendientes de Jose Palacios Pétalos del Bierzo 2018
About the producer:
Álvaro Palacios (a celebrated producer of Priorat) teamed up with his nephew, Ricardo Perez, a Bordeaux trained enologist, to fulfill his early passion for making great old vine wine from the Mencía grape. Pétalos is made from vineyards scattered across Bierzo’s western border and made for early enjoyment.
Tech notes:
- Region: Bierzo, Spain
- Varietals: Mencía
- Biodynamic practicing
- Vineyards: Located in and around the village of Corullon – a mix of high elevation and lower
- Vine age: 40 – 90 years old
- Soil type: Schist and ~ 30% clay
- Harvested by hand
- Vinification: Fermentation in large oak vats. Maceration 25 days. No fining.
- Aging: Several weeks in new French oak barrique followed by 6 – 10 months in 2nd and 3rd use barrels.
Ulls de Mel Vin Naturel Red 2018
- Region: Penedès, Spain
- Varietals: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha
- Vine age: Over 40 years old
- Soil type: Predominantly limestone and sand
- Harvested by hand
- Vinification: Fermented with indigenous yeasts. No added sulfites. “Natural” wine.
Bodega Marañones 30,000 Maravedies 2016
About the producer:
Bodega Marañones is located in the DO of Viños de Madrid in the sub-zone of San Martín de Valdeiglesias where the Sierra de Gredos meets the Sierra de Guadarrama. Their vineyards stretch from the steep hillsides at the base of the mountains down to gentler slopes near the valley floor – providing them with a variety of terroirs that capture a more Mediterranean expression of the Gredos. Helmed by Fernando Garcia, who together with Dani Landi, are the creative minds behind Comando G, Bodega Marañones is farmed organically and manually with the assistance of mules due to the steep slopes of their vineyards.
Tech notes:
- Region: Castillo y Leon (Vinos de Madrid), Spain
- Varietals: Garnacha and Morate (approximately 10%)
- Biodynamic and organic practicing
- Vineyards: 650 – 800 meters
- Vine Age: 30 – 70 years old
- Soil Type: Sand and granite
- Harvested by hand
- Vinification: 24-hour cold pre-fermentation maceration. Whole cluster, natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel tanks and oak vats.
South American Trio, SHOP HERE
Garzón Albariño Reserva 2019
- Region: Uruguay
- Varietals: Albariño
- Vineyards: Atlantic Ocean influenced
- Soil Type: Granite and schist (“ballast”)
- Hand-harvested
- Vinification: 3 – 6 months on fine lees in stainless steel
Catena High Mountain Vines Malbec 2017
- Region: Mendoza, Argentina
- Varietals: Malbec
- Vineyards: High altitude vineyard in Maipú, Lujan de Cuyo, Tupungato, and San Carlos
- Vine Age: Up to 80 years old
- Soil Type: Limestone, clay, sand
- Vinification: Fermented in barriques for 34 days. Malolactic fermentation. Aged for 14 months in American and French barriques, 35% new.
J. Bouchon País Viejo 2019
About the producer:
Bouchon Family Wines began in the late 19th century when young viticulturist Emile Bouchon left Bordeaux, France for Chile. Today, Julio Bouchon and his children carry on their 4th generation family winemaking tradition in the Maule Valley.
Tech Notes:
- Region: Maule, Chile
- Varietals: País
- Vineyards: 650 ft.
- Vine Age: 100 year old Gobelet vines
- Soil Type: Granite and sandy loam
- Harvested by hand
- Vinification: Fermented with native yeasts in concrete