Did you know – Blog INVINIC https://blog.invinic.com/en The Wine Of Life Sun, 26 Mar 2023 07:14:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.23 https://blog.invinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/logo-invinic-iso-150x150.png Did you know – Blog INVINIC https://blog.invinic.com/en 32 32 The best Spanish wines of 2017 for the AEPEV https://blog.invinic.com/en/the-best-spanish-wines-of-2017-for-the-aepev https://blog.invinic.com/en/the-best-spanish-wines-of-2017-for-the-aepev#respond Fri, 12 Jan 2018 16:19:15 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/the-best-spanish-wines-of-2017-for-the-aepev The list of winners of the IX prizes of the Spanish Association of Wine Journalists and Writers, AEPEV, which honour the best wines of Spain in 2017, has just been published.   Of the more than 655 brands of wines presented, some of the most renowned Spanish wineries stand out. Read more…

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The list of winners of the IX prizes of the Spanish Association of Wine Journalists and Writers, AEPEV, which honour the best wines of Spain in 2017, has just been published.

 

Of the more than 655 brands of wines presented, some of the most renowned Spanish wineries stand out.

 

We recall that these awards are divided into 11 categories, but also awarded the prize for Best Wine of the Year, which has fallen this time in the magnificent Don PX Gran Reserva 1986 of the winery Toro Albalá.

 

Don PX Gran Reserva 1986: Best Wine of the Year

The Toro Albalá winery stands out for its production of great generous and sweet wines from the DO Montilla Moriles, such as Don Px Convento 1946, scored with 100 Parker points.

The Don Px Gran Reserva 1986 is a much more affordable wine than the previous one, but with an extraordinary quality. It is a Pedro Ximénez with a 30-year-old cask ageing, which makes it ideal for pairing not only with desserts, but also with a dish made from some sweet sauce. It has 94 points from the Peñín Guide, and 92 points from Robert Parker, so we can consider it undoubtedly as one of the great Spanish wines.

 

Let’s go see some of the other award-winning wines.

 

Borsao Tres Picos 2016: best red wine of 2015 and 2016

The Borsao Tres Picos does not stop accumulating prizes. Vintage after vintage becomes one of the best exponents of the fruit that the well worked Garnacha grape can give us.

Tres Picos 2016 seems to have nothing to envy its brother from the previous vintage – Tres Picos 2015-, excellently scored by Parker and Peñín and once again being one of the best references of Spanish wine in the world, both for its quality and price.

 

Baron De Chirel Vineyard Viñas Centenarias Verdejo 2015: Best white wine in oak barrels

Baron De Chirel Viñas Centenarias Verdejo 2015 is made by the Marqués de Riscal winery, and it is perhaps the best wine this winery makes! Although this is one of Rioja’s legendary wineries, this white wine made from centuries-old Verdejo grapes with very low yields is a “signature wine”, full of nuances and flavours that you will find in very few white wines in the world. Even though it’s not cheap, don’t hesitate to give it to you for your enjoyment at any event.

 

Here is the complete list of the wines awarded in this 2017 edition of AEPEV.

Don’t miss them!

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The best Spanish wines of 2017 according to Luis Gutiérrez (from Robert Parker) https://blog.invinic.com/en/the-best-spanish-wines-of-2017-according-to-luis-gutierrez-from-robert-parker https://blog.invinic.com/en/the-best-spanish-wines-of-2017-according-to-luis-gutierrez-from-robert-parker#respond Wed, 20 Dec 2017 09:34:33 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/he-best-spanish-wines-of-2017-according-to-luis-gutierrez-from-robert-parker Luis Gutiérrez, the taster for Spain of Robert Parker‘s magazine, has just published in the prestigious magazine the best of 2017 for Spanish, Chilean and Jura wines.   As always, we will make special mention of their impressions of Spanish wines, since they are the ones that interest us most, Read more…

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Luis Gutiérrez, the taster for Spain of Robert Parker‘s magazine, has just published in the prestigious magazine the best of 2017 for Spanish, Chilean and Jura wines.

 

As always, we will make special mention of their impressions of Spanish wines, since they are the ones that interest us most, although we must recognize that Chilean wines also have their place in the wine world!

Canta la PerdizLuis Gutiérrez begins by talking about a wine from Ribera del Duero, the Canta la Perdiz 2013, from Dominio del Aguila winery, which with 98 points already tells us its incredible quality.

La Faraona 2014He continues to tell us about one of the year’s star wines, La Faraona 2014, from the Descendientes de José Palacios winery, owned by Ricardo ‘Titín’ Pérez Palacios and his uncle Álvaro Palacios. This is one of the few wines of the year with a perfect 100 points, the maximum score that can be awarded to a wine. And why does this wine have 100 points? For Luis, the old Mencía grape vines, together with other varieties such as Godello, Alicante Bouschet or Gran Negro, produce fruit of such quality that the resulting wine has so much complexity and is infinitely so good that it could give him no less than that. This wine in particular, and the other wines from this winery in general, place Bierzo as one of the leading Spanish winemaking areas.

Casa Castillo Pie Franco 2014Finally, he finishes his review of the best Spanish wines of 2017 with Casa Castillo Pie Franco 2015, something better than the 2014 vintage, according to him. This wine made from Monastrell grapes from Jumilla (Murcia) is undoubtedly one of the best wines in the world made with this variety.

 

At INVINIC we subscribe to these wines, there is no doubt about that, but we do not want to, and we cannot, forget other great classics of Ribera del Duero or Rioja that this year have taken a step forward and that, for us, have nothing to envy these three great wineries.

 

And for you, what was the best wine you’ve tasted this year?

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Organic wines… Different wines? https://blog.invinic.com/en/organic-wines-different-wines https://blog.invinic.com/en/organic-wines-different-wines#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2017 13:59:21 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/organic-wines-different-wines In recent years a series of wines known as organic wines have appeared on the market in Spain.  However, despite the advertising carried out by the wineries, there are still many unknowns about what this label encompasses and characterizes: what is an organic wine? What are the advantages?   The Read more…

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In recent years a series of wines known as organic wines have appeared on the market in Spain.  However, despite the advertising carried out by the wineries, there are still many unknowns about what this label encompasses and characterizes: what is an organic wine? What are the advantages?

 

The requirements that the regulations establish to enter the Organic Wine category are within the Generic Denomination “Organic Agriculture”, regulated in Spain in 1989 and whose control and certification is managed through the Autonomous Communities. In other words, organic wines follow the same precepts as in other organic products.

 

The most important rules in relation to this certification are two: that the farm or industry where the product has been produced or processed is subject to controls and inspections are carried out and, secondly, the non-use of chemical products.

 

In relation to the latter, it is necessary to know that in the winemaking process it is necessary to know that mineral fertilizers are forbidden in the cultivation and harvesting of the grape, and only those of vegetable origin (e. g. pomace shoots,…) and animal origin (compost and manure) are used. In crop protection from insects, pesticide use is prohibited, with the use of pheromones or more resistant strains to prevent pests. In the fermentation phase, natural yeasts will be used and, finally, small amounts of sulphur dioxide and tartaric acid will be allowed as preservatives and acidity correctors.

 

Once the difference is clear, the advantage of these wines over the rest is the guarantee that they will not ingest any type of chemical component, so it is aimed preferably at a sector with a great interest in the prevention of health and environmental conservation.

 

As for the people most reluctant to consume this type of wine, we must point out that quality depends on many factors and not exclusively on the production method, so we can find different types of organic wine, and therefore also exceptional wines.

 

Because organic wines can also be of quality!

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Gin & Tonic, separately or together? https://blog.invinic.com/en/gin-tonic-separately-or-together https://blog.invinic.com/en/gin-tonic-separately-or-together#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2017 22:00:00 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/gin-tonic-separately-or-together Well, however you want, the truth is that together they are one of the few combinations that have a proper name (Gintonic). But let us know a little about the history of these drinks: Johann Jacob Schweppes in 1783 invents an effective system with which to introduce bubbles of carbon Read more…

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Well, however you want, the truth is that together they are one of the few combinations that have a proper name (Gintonic). But let us know a little about the history of these drinks:

Johann Jacob Schweppes in 1783 invents an effective system with which to introduce bubbles of carbon dioxide in the water bottled in bottles. The company that created, as you imagine, is nothing more and nothing less than Schweppes, which it established in London, although it was not until 1870 that the company decided to include quinine in carbonated orange soda to produce the tonic.

The gin originated in Schiedam, Holland, where they obtained this alcoholic beverage from 30% malted barley and cereals, which after being distilled was flavored with berries of juniper and other herbs.

It is known that the first recipe of Dutch gin dates from the seventeenth century where a professor at the University of Medicine in Leiden tried to obtain a remedy for gallstones and kidney conditions by mixing the components we mentioned earlier. It was called Genievre (juniper in French). The product became popular and people started calling it Genever.

And why the mix? As a celebration, as British troops began to mix the tonic with the gin to celebrate their victories in India. Another version of gintonic is that it is born due to the properties of quinine to combat malaria. The British soldiers displaced to India began to combine the tonic with the gin to be able to improve the flavor of the first one.

After many years, different types of tonic and gin continue to be manufactured, of which we recommend the following:

Gins

Geneva Hendricks, Geneva Citadelle, Geneva Jonge Bols (Young) and Geneva Bulldog.

Tonics

Boylan Tonic, Fentimans Tonic Water, Indian Fever Tree and Q Tonic

 

Have you tried any of the ones we suggest? Which do you like?

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What is a biodynamic wine? https://blog.invinic.com/en/what-is-a-biodynamic-wine https://blog.invinic.com/en/what-is-a-biodynamic-wine#respond Thu, 31 Aug 2017 22:00:00 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/what-is-a-biodynamic-wine Biodynamic wines are included in the so-called organic wines. However, its production is more complex than any other type of organic product.   It all began in 1924 in present-day Poland, where philosopher Rudolf Steiner, after listening to farmers’ concerns about the fertilizers they were using, proposed a series of Read more…

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Biodynamic wines are included in the so-called organic wines. However, its production is more complex than any other type of organic product.

 

It all began in 1924 in present-day Poland, where philosopher Rudolf Steiner, after listening to farmers’ concerns about the fertilizers they were using, proposed a series of changes in agriculture in the area based on mineral, vegetable and animal balance. In other words … A way to make self-sufficient agriculture in each farm, using ingredients from the area.

 

Following this principle, the wine is made with purely natural components – without the intervention of industrial processes. In addition, it uses an astronomical calendar that governs the times of harvest, pruning and harvesting of the grape according to the moon’s journey through the twelve constellations of the zodiac.

 

The standard bearer of biodynamic viticulture is Nicolas Joly and his great wine Coulée de Serrant. Joly – worried because the wines were losing their terroir, its originality and the character that gives the earth to him – begins to work in the Coulée de Serrant product of biodynamic way and it verifies, that through these techniques, the wine is more alive.

 

The calendar is governed by the positions of the moon and establishes four days that produce four wines with different characteristics:

  • Fruit Day: The satellite is in a constellation of fire. The wine is more explosive and enhances its fruity nuances.
  • Root Day: The moon is in a constellation of earth. The wines are more muted.
  • Flower Day: the moon is in a constellation of air. The floral nuances are intense and are the protagonists of the drink.
  • Leaf Day: The moon is in a constellation of water and marks more acidity and bitterness.

 

Leaving aside the most esoteric part of this practice, it is true that, as with other natural processes, the moon influences the making of this drink. However, the most important aspect of this wine is that it is made without artificial additives, following a completely handmade method and, for this reason, a raw material of excellent quality is necessary if we want the final product to satisfy the consumers’ palates.

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Do we like the aromas of a wine? https://blog.invinic.com/en/do-we-like-the-aromas-of-a-wine https://blog.invinic.com/en/do-we-like-the-aromas-of-a-wine#respond Thu, 24 Aug 2017 22:00:00 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/do-we-like-the-aromas-of-a-wine If you’re reading this, you’re a winelover. And it is for that reason that we are sure that you already know when a wine likes it or not. But we have to remember that the flavors that we really distinguish are very few: Sweet: we find it on the tip Read more…

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If you’re reading this, you’re a winelover. And it is for that reason that we are sure that you already know when a wine likes it or not.

But we have to remember that the flavors that we really distinguish are very few:

  • Sweet: we find it on the tip of the tongue
  • Acid: on the sides of the tongue
  • Salty: on the sides of the tip of the tongue
  • Bitter: at the end of the tongue

Lately we talk of a fifth taste: Umami, which is the feeling of pleasure that “forces” you to repeat, like eating a good freshly ham cut by hand, you will not stop!

In the end, as you see, at most we have five flavors to determine if something, in this case a wine, we like. That is why in the wine world, we almost always prefer to talk about the aromas of wine.

 

The aromas in the wine

The aromas are more determinant and complex than the taste when evaluating a wine. There is a robot in Japan that distinguishes more than 500 aromas in a wine. Sayonara Baby! The human being obviously has much less ability to define the aromas of a wine, and we could consider that if the best wine experts in the world can distinguish 30 different aromas, that is a lot.

Do the test! Think of the last good wine you have taken. How many aromas come to mind that memory? Maybe less than 5 …

 

The different families of aromas

We can talk about different families of aromas: fruity, floral, vegetable, spicy, balsamic, etc.

All have their meaning and come from something concrete: the grape variety, the barrel, the aging in bottle, the land where the vineyard has been cultivated, type of winemaking, etc.

By way of summary we can indicate that the aromas are included in:

  • Primary aromas:

As its name indicates, are the “first” aromas that we find in a wine: floral, vegetable, fruit, mineral and spices. These aromas are contributed by the grape variety used, the vineyard (area and composition), and the climatology.

  • Secondary aromas:

Due to the type of winemaking (alcoholic and malolactic fermentation), we find here lactic, amylic or fermentation aromas.

  • Tertiary aromas:

The last aromas that we find in a wine are those that are due to the aging in the barrel and its subsequent aging in the bottle. They bring complexity and finesse, and can make the difference between a good wine and an exceptional wine. Here we have balsamic, wood, empireumatic and fruit aromas.

 

In short, to value a wine well, we want the aromas to be pleasant, of a medium-high intensity and, above all, that invite us to smell and take a sip. If we repeat, then it is good!

 

 

Wine Tasting – StateofIsrael

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Understanding Pinot Grigio rosé and other pink wines https://blog.invinic.com/en/understanding-pinot-grigio-rose-and-other-pink-wines https://blog.invinic.com/en/understanding-pinot-grigio-rose-and-other-pink-wines#respond Sun, 23 Jul 2017 22:00:00 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/understanding-pinot-grigio-rose-and-other-pink-wines Have you ever wondered how they make Pinot Grigio rosé? Pinot Grigio wine is white, right? So how can Pinot Grigio rosé be pink? The answer is simpler than you might think, but it’s a good question. We all enjoy a glass of rosé during the summer, but how much Read more…

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Have you ever wondered how they make Pinot Grigio rosé? Pinot Grigio wine is white, right? So how can Pinot Grigio rosé be pink? The answer is simpler than you might think, but it’s a good question. We all enjoy a glass of rosé during the summer, but how much do we really know about the pink stuff?

This guide will tell you all about how rosé wine is made, so you’ll be able to impress whoever will listen at your next barbeque!

 

What is rosé wine?

Rosé wine, sometimes called Rosado (in Spanish and Portuguese) and Rosato (in Italian), is neither white nor red, but pink. There are many different shades of pink and many different styles of rosé wine. Rosé is increasingly popular these days, with quality Provence rosé and inexpensive Californian rosé wines constantly in demand.

There is not just one style of rosé, just as there’s not just one style of red, white or sparkling wine. Rosé is often overlooked as being too simple a category, but there’s a wide range produced from bone dry to a little sweet, pale to quite dark and light to almost full-bodied. The different styles are down to a whole host of factors, from wine growing regions and grape varieties to winemaking styles.

In this guide, we’ll try to get a handle on rosé winemaking in particular. Let’s go back to our friend Pinot Grigio rosé, then.

 

How is rosé wine made?

Making rosé wine has a lot of steps in common with white and red winemaking, though it has some distinct methods of its own. The winemaker starts with (red) wine grapes, and has a number of options to choose from in order to produce a rosé wine. Four of the most common methods are:

  • Direct pressing:

    Here, the grapes are gently pressed before alcoholic fermentation. The grapes do not stay in contact with their skins for very long, so the juice does not contain that much colour or tannin. This produces the lightest coloured rosé wines.

  • Drawing off:

    In this case, the process is the same as making red wine until the alcoholic fermentation begins. After the fermentation has been going on for some time (between a few hour and a couple of days), the winemaker drains the juice away from the skins (“drawing off”). The juice finishes fermenting without its skins, producing a relatively dark rosé wine.

  • Saignée:

    This French term means “bleeding”, and the process is similar to drawing off. The difference is that instead of drawing all the juice off the skins, the winemaker leaves some in the tank. This actually produces two wines: A rosé, and a highly concentrated red wine. The red wine is usually the winemaker’s primary goal, meaning that the rosé is often just an afterthought and not necessarily the best quality.

  • Blending:

    This is pretty simple: The winemaker blends some red wine and some white wine together, yielding a pink wine. Blending is not permitted in the EU, with one key exception: Pink Champagne.

 

How do they make Pinot Grigio rosé?

That’s all well and good, but what about Pinot Grigio rosé? If blending is not permitted, how do they do it?

You probably know Pinot Grigio best as a light and simple dry white wine, probably from Italy. You may not have seen Pinot Grigio rosé, but it exists. The secret to how Pinot Grigio can make a pink wine lies, quite simply, in the skins: The Pinot Grigio grape has a dark skin, ranging in colour from blue to purple to red to grey.

Making Pinot Grigio rosé can thus be done using any of the techniques mentioned above. The Italians produce a skin-fermented rosé wine from Pinot Grigio known as Ramato, that is quite interesting indeed.

What is your favourite style of rosé wine? Tell us in the comments below. 

 

[cta_generico id=2599]

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3 great white wine brands (that won’t cost you a fortune) https://blog.invinic.com/en/3-great-white-wine-brands-that-wont-cost-you-a-fortune https://blog.invinic.com/en/3-great-white-wine-brands-that-wont-cost-you-a-fortune#respond Thu, 29 Jun 2017 22:00:00 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/3-great-white-wine-brands-that-wont-cost-you-a-fortune How many white wine brands can you think of? Familiar and recognisable brands provide reassurance for people buying wine, but the notion of wine brands can sometimes upset wine purists (read: snobs). We’re going to talk a little bit about why you don’t hear more about white wine brands, and Read more…

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How many white wine brands can you think of? Familiar and recognisable brands provide reassurance for people buying wine, but the notion of wine brands can sometimes upset wine purists (read: snobs). We’re going to talk a little bit about why you don’t hear more about white wine brands, and then pick out three of the best brands that a) you’re sure to love, b) won’t cost you a fortune and c) prove the value of branding in wine.

 

The “controversy” of wine brands

The idea of branding (or marketing in general) is sometimes frowned upon by wine producers. There’s a stigma attached to it. It sounds a bit too commercial and businesslike for the great châteaux of Bordeaux and bodegas of Ribera del Duero. They’re farmers after all, right? Most “serious” winemakers will tell you that they are selling a natural product with a sense of place (they might even say “terroir“), and not a “brand” at all.

The truth is that branding is huge in wine. It’s absolutely crucial, especially at the very high end. Château Mouton Rothschild, at hundreds of euro per bottle, is just as much a “brand” as supermarket stalwart Mouton Cadet. Château Haut-Brion is a brand, Vega Sicilia is a brand… Shall we go on?

Like it or not, wine brands are important, and white wine brands doubly so. Many of the most casual wine drinkers are those that simply pick up a bottle of white wine now and again, and here is where branding matters most.

 

What great white wine brands have in common

If you’re reading this blog, let’s assume that you’re at least interested in wine, and more likely you’re a wine lover. It’s important to remember (and too easy to forget) that most people out there have a passing interest in wine at best. They don’t know much about wine, and they don’t need to know much about wine. They don’t care, frankly. Wine brands help these disinterested people to pick out a bottle and get on with their day.

Great white wine brands have a few things in common, thankfully.

  • They have an identity

    This could be the region from which they’ve come, the owner or founder’s name, the winemaker’s name or something else entirely. Whatever it is, good wine brands are self-aware, know who they are and everything they do is consistent with that identity.

  • They offer value

    Value doesn’t necessarily mean low price. A good wine brand will sink or swim on repeat business and word of mouth. If it develops a reputation for overperforming, it’s golden – if it costs you less than you’d happily pay, it’s good value. Conversely, if you find it overpriced, you’re probably not going to buy it again – and you probably are going to tell your friends about it. Ultimately, though…

  • They taste good

    Simple as that. A €3 white wine brand from the supermarket may not have the complexity or nuance of Château Haut-Brion Blanc, but if it doesn’t taste good, it’s not going to survive long.

 

So that’s what makes for good white wine brands. Put it to the test with one of our three favourites.

 

3 great white wine brands

  1. Torres Viña Sol

    One of Spain’s leading white wine brands, Viña Sol is a hugely accessible white blend from the Penedès region. Fresh fruit flavours and relatively gentle alcohol make this a go-to white for many. Superstar producer Miguel Torres knows a thing or two about branding, and Viña Sol always delivers the goods.
    Buy Torres Viña Sol 2016 here.

  2. Ramón Bilbao Verdejo

    One of Spain’s best-known producers, the Ramón Bilbao brand is very strong internationally. It’s got a deep sense of identity and offers great value for money. Ramón Bilbao Verdejo is one of its most popular white wine brands, a 100% Verdejo wine from the Rueda region. This is racy, aromatic and more-ish.
    Buy Ramón Bilbao Verdejo 2016 here.

  3. Paco & Lola

    Visually one of Spain’s most distinctive white wine brands, Paco & Lola Albariño is proof positive that branding works in wine. Instantly recognisable for its polka dot design, the wine itself is highly aromatic, fresh and fruity, encapsulating everything that makes the Rías Baixas region so popular. Beyond the region’s generic popularity, the Paco & Lola brand has forged its own clear identity, and has become a reference point for many white wine drinkers.
    Buy Paco & Lola 2016 here.

 
The White Wine Lover's Guide

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Drink this instead of Campo Viejo Rioja, thank us later! https://blog.invinic.com/en/drink-this-instead-of-campo-viejo-rioja-thank-us-later https://blog.invinic.com/en/drink-this-instead-of-campo-viejo-rioja-thank-us-later#respond Tue, 20 Jun 2017 22:00:00 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/drink-this-instead-of-campo-viejo-rioja-thank-us-later Is Campo Viejo Rioja your go-to Spanish red wine? With sales of around two million cases per year, you’re not the only one. Supermarket shelves are full of Campo Viejo wines, from its entry-level Garnacha all the way up through Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva Rioja levels. For many people, Read more…

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Is Campo Viejo Rioja your go-to Spanish red wine? With sales of around two million cases per year, you’re not the only one. Supermarket shelves are full of Campo Viejo wines, from its entry-level Garnacha all the way up through Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva Rioja levels. For many people, Campo Viejo Rioja is their reference point for Spanish wine.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but we think you can do better…

 

What’s the problem with Campo Viejo Rioja?

There’s no problem, truly. Campo Viejo Rioja range is a part of Pernod Ricard, the drinks giant behind other brands like Brancott Estate and Jacob’s Creek. Pernod Ricard is not in the business of making bad wine, and Campo Viejo is a clear case in point: It’s good Rioja. Sometimes, it’s very good. It’s usually very well-priced, too. What’s not to like about a Rioja Reserva wine for under €10? The “problem” with big brand wines like Campo Viejo is not quality or price, but scale.

Most of the best wine in the world is made in extremely limited producers. Artisans grow grapes on tiny plots of the best land, harvest by hand and do everything with love and care. Is it possible to achieve the same result on what’s closer to an industrial scale? Campo Viejo Rioja comes close, for sure, but there’s nothing quite like the real deal.

As an alternative to Campo Viejo, we’ve looked outside the Rioja region altogether…

 

Our top substitute for Campo Viejo Rioja

Vizcarra Senda del Oro

You probably haven’t heard of this one, but you’re going to want to try it. Not exactly a household name like Campo Viejo Rioja, but it’s the real deal. Vizcarra Senda del Oro 2015 comes from Bodegas Vizcarra, a small family-owned winery in Spain’s Ribera del Duero region. This place is Rioja’s biggest rival, and is home to some of Spain’s greatest names, including Pingus and Vega Sicilia.

Winemaker and owner Juan Carlos Vizcarra Ramos is the second generation to run the family property. Today the winery is gravity-fed, with minimal use of pumps. Juan Carlos carries out frequent experiments and microvinifications with plots of old vines in the search of an ever better expression of his family’s vineyard.

Alcohol content: 14%
Serve between 12ºC and 16ºC
Optimal consumption period: 2015-2018
The wine does not need to be decanted
Best served in Tempranillo Glass
Pairing: Legume, Mushroom, Roasts, Sausage, Stews.

 

Why fans of Campo Viejo Rioja will like it

  • Grapes:

    Vizcarra Senda del Oro 2015 is a 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) wine, the fruit picked by hand from 15-year-old vines. Tempranillo is the key grape in Rioja, too, and plays a large part in the blends of the various Campo Viejo Rioja wines. The two wines thus share some of the same fruit flavour profile.

  • Winemaking:

    Oak barrel ageing red wines is a signature of both Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Most Campo Viejo Rioja wines undergo a relatively long ageing period before release. With 7 months in American and French oak, Vizcarra Senda del Oro has had a short but respectable time in oak too. This puts it closer to Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza than Reserva, where it takes some structure from the oak but retains most of its fresh fruit flavours.

  • Price:

    We can say that it’s all about the grapes, the winemaking and the family spirit. That’s not the whole picture, though. Price matters in wine and this one is priced very well indeed. For less than €10, you’ve got a quality red wine from a small family producer, with some nice critics’ scores (89 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and 90 points from Guía Peñín) – all coming together to make a viable alternative to Campo Viejo Rioja!

Buy Vizcarra Senda del Oro 2015 here.

 

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The 5 fine and rare wines any wine lover has to try https://blog.invinic.com/en/the-5-fine-and-rare-wines-any-wine-lover-has-to-try https://blog.invinic.com/en/the-5-fine-and-rare-wines-any-wine-lover-has-to-try#respond Tue, 13 Jun 2017 22:00:00 +0000 https://blog.invinic.com/the-5-fine-and-rare-wines-any-wine-lover-has-to-try How many fine and rare wines does the average wine lover get to try, do you think? Not that many. By definition, fine and rare wines are, well, rare. Most of the best wine in the world is made in such limited quantities that very few of us ever get Read more…

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How many fine and rare wines does the average wine lover get to try, do you think? Not that many. By definition, fine and rare wines are, well, rare. Most of the best wine in the world is made in such limited quantities that very few of us ever get to taste it.

 

Question: Why don’t people drink more fine and rare wines?

Short answer: It’s because they’re fine and rare wines.

Whether it’s from a small Burgundy domaine, a grand Bordeaux château, a legendary Champagne house or a top Spanish bodega, demand almost always outstrips supply when it comes to fine and rare wines. Spending hundreds – or thousands – of euro on a bottle of wine is not an everyday occurrence for most of us. Put it together, and you end up with a huge percentage of the world’s finest wines being enjoyed by a very small minority of super-rich wine lovers.

That doesn’t mean we can’t dream, though. The world of fine wine is vast and there’s good (and even great) wine everywhere, but truly outstanding wine is a little harder to come by. They’re out there, but you just need to know where to look.

For those of you that have a special occasion coming up, are planning on winning the lottery sometime soon, or are perhaps looking into robbing a small bank, we’ve compiled a list of five of the greatest fine and rare wines ever made.

 

The 5 fine and rare wines you have to try

The world’s finest wines don’t come cheap, and many of us won’t ever get near them. If you’re the kind of person that likes to spend a little (or a lot) more on the finer things in life, however, you’re going to want to memorise this list!

 

1. Krug Clos de Mesnil 1996

Champagne has long been a byword for luxury, and it’s no surprise that some of the world’s most fine and rare wines are sparklers from the Champagne region in northern France. Krug Clos de Mesnil 1996 isn’t just any old Champagne, either: This is a single vintage, 100% Chardonnay, single vineyard bottling from one of the region’s greatest houses. The vineyard in question is the eponymous Clos de Mesnil, a tiny 1.85-hectare site in the Mesnil-sur-Oger village on the Côte de Blancs. Champagne simply doesn’t get better than this. Oh yeah, and it’s got a perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate!

 

Alcohol content: 12%
Serve between 4ºC and 8ºC
Optimal consumption period: 1996-2021
Best served in Prestige Cuvée Glass
Pairing: Appetizers, Bluefish, Fowl, Seafood, Soft Cheese, Whitefish.

Buy Krug Clos de Mesnil 1996 here.

 

2. Teso La Monja 2009

Spain’s Toro region produces some of the world’s most fine and rare wines. Top producers, like the Eguren family of Teso la Monja, can make fine wines on a par with anything from Ribera del Duero or Rioja, let alone Bordeaux and Burgundy. Teso La Monja 2009 is 100% Tinta de Toro (the local name for Tempranillo) and comes from a tiny single vineyard plot whose vines predate the phylloxera epidemic. The wine is made in accordance with the principles of biodynamics, and in tiny quantities: Not much more than 800 bottles are made each year. This is the highest end of Spanish wine.

Alcohol content: 13%
Serve between 14ºC and 18ºC
Optimal consumption period: 2009-2034
We recommend to decant the wine 1 hour before serving
Best served in Tempranillo Glass
Pairing: Beef, Game Animals, Grilled Red Meats, Roasts, Stews.

3. Château Palmer 2000

Officially ranked a third growth in Bordeaux’s 1855 Classification, Château Palmer has long outperformed even that prestigious distinction and has a loyal, cult following to rival any fine wine in the world. It was the château’s legendary 1961 vintage that eventually gave rise to the term “Super Second”, and it often makes superior wines to its first growth neighbour, Château Margaux. Its unusually high Merlot content gives Château Palmer a seductive and almost haunting perfume to complement its power and complexity. This 2000 vintage is one of the finest in recent memory. This is mature and you can certainly drink it now, though it will continue to evolve and hold for years to come. Château Palmer 2000 is a modern classic and a benchmark for the estate, for Margaux and for Bordeaux as a whole.

Serve between 12ºC and 16ºC
Optimal consumption period: 2000-2025
We recommend to decant the wine 2 hours before serving
Best served in Bordeaux Glass
Pairing: Aged Cheese, Game Animals, Grilled Red Meats, Legume, Roasts, Stews.

4. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 2001

The pinnacle of fine and rare wines is surely Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy. No other wine producer in the world comes close to the prestige that surrounds this estate and its wines. The most famous of all is the tongue-twisting Domaine de La Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti, but there is an entire portfolio of fine wines besides. La Tâche 2001 comes from a tiny hillside vineyard in Romanée-St-Vivant. The wine is one of the finest expressions of Pinot Noir, showing a velvety warmth, spice and earthy notes. One of the great bucket list wines, plain and simple.

Alcohol content: 13%
Serve between 14ºC and 18ºC
Optimal consumption period: 2001-2026
We recommend to decant the wine 2 hours before serving
Best served in Burgundy Glass

5. Château d’Yquem 2001

Last but certainly not least is Château d’Yquem 2001. A perfect 100-pointer from the world’s greatest sweet wine producer. Great Sauternes can outlive any red wine, and there’s simply no greater Sauternes than Yquem. Producing Sauternes is a painstaking process and attention to detail is crucial. Château d’Yquem simply does not compromise on quality, and will not hesitate to not release a given vintage if the wine does not meet its exacting standards. From an excellent vintage, the 2001 Château d’Yquem is characterised by harmonious balance, undeniable opulence and first-class refinement. There’s literally nothing like Yquem.

Alcohol content: 14%
Serve between 6ºC and 12ºC
Optimal consumption period: 2017-2032
Best served in Sauternes Glass
Pairing: Blue Cheese, Chocolate, Desserts, Ice Cream, Pastry.

 

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