A Great Location:

Priorat is found in the hills of Catalunya. Interestingly, the vines grow on a unique soil of red slate mixed with tiny bits of mica. This soil, known as llicorella, is excellent at reflecting heat. As a result, the vines receive good signals for ripening, and avoid frost damage despite being up in the hills. Being on a slope ensures that the grapes get maximum levels of sunshine. It’s a fantastic site.

The Kind of Wine that Priorat Produces:

Traditional:

Classic Priorat is a very alcoholic wine. It is made from Garnacha and Cari?ena vines with very small yields, and it’s aged for an extended period of time. Some examples have even used soleras. The process tends to give them qualities of hung meat and fungi. That’s not to knock this style, as there’s a time and a place for that sort of wine as ‘Tio Pepe Shows Sherry’s Savoury Side’ makes clear.

The New Style:

This is the style that’s been making the headlines. Since encouraging experimentation with other styles, Priorat has earned the highest classification in the Spanish wine system, DOC. In fact, to know that you’re getting a good specimen, look for ‘DOC’ on the label.

What makes the difference is the addition of non-Spanish grapes. Often the wine still includes Garnacha and Cari?ena, but they appear alongside Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, Priorat wines have a really strong bramble flavour. It’s also possible to detect new oak, but the big tannin and pronounced fruit character mean that these wines have great ageing potential. By all means buy them to drink, but considering improving a few with age.

Good Priorat Wine to Try:

1. Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles shows how a little experimentation pays off. It mainly uses Cari?ena and Garnacha but with Cabernet Sauvignon as well. The tasting notes include lots of red fruit flavour, and some minerality as well. There’s a good balance between acidity and tannin too. As a result, the bottle picked up 92 points from Robert Parker, 92 from Vinous and 95 from Guía Peñín.
2. Barranc Dels Comellars mixes things up even more. The bottle uses Black Grenache in a mix with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Expect more plummyness from the merlot along with the bramble and tannin provided by the Cabernet Sauvignon. Guía Peñín gave it 89 points.
3. Coma Blanca really is very different. It’s white, for a start. Yet the experiment has payed off, as Robert Parker gave the bottle 93 points. It’s a spicy white which would go well with curries, and particularly those with roasted meat, as it has a fuller body for a white.
4. L’Ermita 2000 Magnum is for really pushing the boat out. Not only is magnum bottle an ideal size for special occasions, but it picked up an incredibly rare 100 points with Guía Peñín! Mind you, the 2000 vintage will set you back €1600. That’s how good it is, but if you’re looking for a bargain from a wine with good pedigree, there are other vintages available.

Buy now.

Explore the Wider Region:

Just around the corner from Priorat is Penèdes. There have been some interesting developments in the wine industry there too, as biodynamic wines have taken off in the area. Read ‘Recaredo Aloers 2010: The First Penedés Wine Certified With The Demeter Biodynamic Farming’ to find out more.

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La entrada Everything You Need to Know About Divine Priorat Wine se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

As I list the awards that Mar de Frades has gained below, imagine the applause that these bottles have witnessed:

Some Recent Awards Mar de Frades Has Picked Up:

• International Wine Challenge Commended Winner 2016;
• International Wine & Spirit Competition Quality Award;
• Bronze Decanter Award 2015;
• Silver Decanter Award 2015;
• Gold Sommelier Wine Awards 2015;
• Silver Sommelier Wine Awards 2014;
• International Wine Challenge Bronze Winner 2014;
• International Wines and Spirits Competition 2014, Silver (Albariño).

Some Recent Awards the Sparkling Mar de Frades Has Won:

• International Wine Challenge, commended;
• Silver Decanter Award 2015;
• International Wines and Spirits Competition 2016, Silver (Bottle Fermented Sparkling).

I could go on, but you get the idea. This producer creates wines which stands out from the field.

Mar de Frades Albariño Tasting Notes:

On the nose, it smells of soft summer fruit, and a little floral with a hint of pineapple. To taste, the citrus flavours that are usually found in Albariño are present, but rather than tasting of lemons it has orange flavours. The fruit is jammy. It also has a herbaceous quality that lends it to drinking with vegetables.

Buy now.

Mar de Frades Brut Nature Tasting Notes:

The sparkling version has a lovely peach aroma, with eucalyptus and a slight saline quality. Ageing has given it a toasty and nutty character as well. To taste, it is essentially a creamier, smoother version of the regular Mar de Frades Albariño, and it would be lovely with smoked salmon.

Buy now.

What Makes Mar de Frades So Special?

Local geography greatly improves the quality of the wine. The vineyard is tucked behind an estuary on a slope, which means the vines are shielded from strong winds coming in off the Atlantic. Yet having a maritime climate means that the grapes can spend longer growing and developing their flavours. As a northerly wine region, there’s no guarantee that any particular vintage will be good, but the 2016 vintage saw an excellent summer.

The Mar de Frades Brut Nature is also no ordinary sparkler. It’s made with exactly the same process as Champagne, and resting on its lees adds to that toasty flavour. Yet by using just the Albariño, the wine has a lovely citrus quality, that you wouldn’t find in a Champagne blend.

Delicious Things to Eat with Mar de Frades:

While many fish dishes would work very well with Mar de Frades, there’s an interesting Dutch meal of haddock with mango chutney, ‘Schelvis met mango-saus’. The condiment is likely to work well with the soft fruit qualities of the sparkling wine. The herbacious notes would also be good with samphire, if it’s in season. The regular Mar de Frades has orange notes, and sour oranges go very well with fish like grouper. Although if you can’t get a sour orange, just mix the juice of two regular oranges with a lemon.

Explore the Wonderful Region of Rias Baixas

If you like the sound of Albariño, there’s a whole region making it. This article, ‘Discovering the Best Albariño Rías Baixas Baixas Has to Offer’ talks about other excellent examples available through eBuy Wines, and ‘3 Reasons You’re Incredibly Lucky to Taste Rías Baixas’ looks at how unlikely it is that you can sample this wonderful stuff.

La entrada Why Mar de Frades is Mighty Fabulous Albariño se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

What is Muscadet wine?

Muscadet is one of France’s best-known white wines. French store shelves are packed with bottle after bottle of Muscadet, funny-shaped bottles bearing terms like “Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine” or “Muscadet Sur Lie”. The French know Muscadet to be a fantastic food wine, and they often use it for cooking too. Let’s take a step back and establish a few facts about Muscadet, shall we?

• Did you know?

  Muscadet wine is produced from the Melon de Bourgogne grape variety.

Where does Muscadet come from?

The wine we know as Muscadet is French, and comes from the Loire Valley. This area may be more famous for the Sauvignon Blanc-based wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, yet more Muscadet is made here than any other type of wine.

There are four separate appellations for Muscadet wine:

• Muscadet AOC

  This is the generic appellation for Muscadet wine, and it covers the entire region authorised to produced Muscadet. Wines simply labelled as “Muscadet” will be the simplest and, usually, cheapest examples of the style.

• Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOC

  This appellation covers a slightly smaller part of the growing area than the generic designation, though accounts for around 80% of all Muscadet produced.

• Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire

  This small appellation is located in the north-west of the growing region, and is at its best during warmer vintages. In colder years, its northerly situation can lead to problems in achieving ripeness in the grapes.

• Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu

  This is the newest Muscadet appellation, and is located in the south-west of the region, around the Grandlieu lake.

What does Muscadet taste like?

As with all things in wine, it depends. Generally speaking though, Muscadet is a bone-dry wine, very light in body and with very high acidity and flavours of citrus fruit, minerality and some salinity. Generic Muscadet AOC wine will be the lightest and simplest tasting example, while wines from the more specific appellations may show more individual character reflecting where they’ve come from.

• Muscadet sur lie:

  Some quality Muscadet wines are aged “sur lie”, in contact with the dead yeast cells left over following alcoholic fermentation. These wines are more complex in flavour, and have developed the sort of yeast flavours you might find in Champagne.

Food pairings for Muscadet wine

In France, Muscadet is cheap and plentiful. Its cool, refreshing flavours are perfect for hot summer days, eating virtually whatever you like al fresco. Its light body and strong acidity make it a very versatile food wine, so there are very few combinations that actually won’t work.

Perhaps the classic pairing here is for Muscadet and oysters, though any seafood that you can get your hands on will work well. The wine’s slight saltiness and tingling acidity are perfect with prawns, lobster and crab meat.

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La entrada Making sense of Muscadet se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Introducing Portuguese white wine

Fortified Port wine is the national speciality, sure. And yes, there’s white Port wine. These are superb wines reflecting centuries of know-how and made in a number of distinctive styles. But we’re not interested in Port today. No, what we’re talking about here is Portugal’s dry white wine, the sort of table wine that you can easily drink with dinner without falling over!

To understand these wines, let’s have a quick introduction to the key white grape varieties used in Portugal!

3 Portuguese white wine grape varieties you should know

The country is home to a great many indigenous varieties of red and white grapes. For our purposes, we’re going to focus only on three of the most important Portuguese white wine grapes. Understand these ones and you’ll be able to carry a conversation with any Portuguese wine buff!

1. Arinto

   The Arinto grape variety is relatively aromatic, and produces white wines that are fresh, high in acidity and with lots of lovely fruit flavours. The best Arinto wines are found in the Bucelas DOC region, and the grape is also used in the blend for Vinho Verde DOC wines, where, confusingly, it is referred to as “Pedernã”.

2. Trajadura

   The Trajadura grape produces Portuguese white wine in the Vinho Verde region. It has a number of characteristics that make it very useful as a blending grape, primarily its medium to full-body and distinctive lemon aromas.

3. Alvarinho

   Better known as Albariño and found in Spain’s Rías Baixas, Portuguese Alvarinho is grown in selected parts of the Vinho Verde region, where it makes up a blending component.

Still with us? Good! You may have noticed a pattern above. Each of these grapes is featured to one extent or another in Vinho Verde wine. To bluff your way through any Portuguese wine talk, understand Vinho Verde!

Vinho Verde: The Portuguese white wine region to remember

Portuguese white wine is made in numerous styles across numerous regions. The good news is that you can get by pretty well by understanding just one: Vinho Verde.

The Vinho Verde DOC region lies in the northwest of the country, to the north of Porto. Generally speaking, the wines are blends of a number of grapes, including those discussed above. The wines are light in colour, high in refreshing acidity and low in alcohol – usually no more than 11.5%, though where a specific grape is mentioned on the label the alcohol content may rise to 14%.

One particular style is Vinho Verde Alvarinho, made exclusively from the Alvarinho grape variety. This style is usually higher in alcohol than the regional average, and has distinctive flavours of ripe tropical fruit.

If you’re thirsty to check out more Portuguese white wine, look to regions like Dão, Lisboa, Tejo and Alentejo.

La entrada Why you should be drinking more Portuguese white wine se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

If you’re already a Viña Sol fan, you’re in luck: We’ve got three great wines that you’re going to want to try next. First, though, let’s see what all the fuss is about…

Tasting Torres Viña Sol

Viña Sol belongs to the more everyday end of the Torres range, and it provides excellent value for money without much of a fuss. From the Penedès region, it’s a blend of Parellada and white Grenache. Let’s open a bottle and have a taste, shall we?

• Sight:

  In the glass, Viña Sol has a nice colour of bright, pale yellow – paler than you might think by looking at the dark green glass bottle!

• Smell:

  It’s got a very attractive nose with both floral and fruit aromas, with just a hint of exotic fruit at the end. It’s a fun wine to smell!

• Taste:

  Light and refreshing – you could drink this all day. There is wonderful freshness, lightly tingling acidity and a lingering, fruity finish.

• Food pairing:

  Have a bottle of Viña Sol with a seafood risotto – delicious!

You can buy Torres Viña Sol here.

Three more wines to try instead of Torres Viña Sol

Like the sound of Viña Sol? Great. Now’s the time to try something new! We’ve picked out three of our favourite Spanish whites that will appeal to Viña Sol fans based on style, taste or price!

1. Gramona Moustillant Blanc

Another Penedès white at a very accessible price, this one differs from Torres Viña Sol in that it’s 100% Parellada.

• Sight:

  It’s a more strawlike yellow, with glimmering, steely reflections and the slightest effervescence.

• Smell:

  This is highly aromatic, again with dominant notes of fruit and flowers. There’s even a hint of herbaceousness in there, like freshly cut grass. You’ll want to give this a few sniffs to appreciate it all!

• Taste:

  Easy-drinking and light, with a faint hint of tongue-tingling carbonation. Very refreshing and eternally quaffable.

• Food pairing:

  Pair this with a barbequed or grilled piece of fish, and enjoy a taste of Catalan summer no matter what the season!

Buy Gramona Moustillant Blanc right here.

2. Lignum Blanc

From leading producer Albet i Noya, this comes from the same region as Viña Sol but uses different grape varieties. Here, you’ve got the international grapes Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay and local grape Xarel.lo.

• Sight:

  Visually, it’s a pale yet bright straw yellow.

• Smell:

  It shares some of Viña Sol’s fruity and floral aromas, with a decidedly more spicy character. Very attractive.

• Taste:

  Still pleasant, light and fresh. It’s got pretty high acidity, meaning it’ll go great with a lot of food. Speaking of which…

• Food pairing:

  The high acidity here can cut through creamier dishes, so try it with a thick cream of chicken soup or pasta carbonara.

Buy Lignum Blanc here.

3. Espelt Vailet

Spain’s Empordà region is not particularly well known. Located close to the French border, it has historically produced sweet wines, though has recently gained attention for its high quality and excellent value dry white wines, too. Like Torres Viña Sol, Espelt Vailet is produced from a blend featuring white Grenache, though instead of Parellada it is combined with Macabeo. This is a different take, but should appeal to Viña Sol lovers anyway!

• Sight:

  Bright and straw-like colour, with stronger green hints than any of the others we’ve tasted.

• Smell:

  Seriously aromatic, and probably the most complex of the bunch. You’ve got those fruits and flowers, with plenty of exotic spice and creamy vanilla. Very interesting!

• Taste:

  It’s smooth, slightly fuller in body than the others and with great fruit character. Still very refreshing and easy to drink.

• Food pairing:

  Try this with Young Chow fried rice with pieces of seafood, pork and vegetables. Delicious!

Tempted? You can buy Espelt Vailet here.

Thinking of buying some bottles? Sign up for our special offers and receive a €5 discount on your first purchase!

La entrada 3 wines that Torres Viña Sol fans will love se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Why Dry White Burgundy Wine Pairs So Well with Chicken

The main white grape to come from Burgundy is Chardonnay. What’s more, the most popular way of preparing chicken is to roast it, and that means the chicken’s flavours are intensified in the oven. Happily, Chardonnay produces wines with tropical fruit flavours. What’s more Burgundian winemakers often develop these flavours by maturing the Chardonnay in oak, which changes the character considerably. It takes on creamy, buttery, toasty notes that pair well with roasted flavours, stock, and white sauces.

What’s more, the Burgundy region is very diverse. That means there’s a wine to suit each part of the chicken, as for instance the Chablis area creates wine with less flavour, more acidity and lighter body. That’s great for delicate breast meat. Meanwhile, Chardonnay from Côte d’Or is full bodied and positively overflowing with flavour, which is great for thigh or wing meat.

Some Finger Lickin’ Chicken Dishes to Try with Dry Chardonnay

• Chicken Maryland – Banana is one of the flavours that crops up in Chardonnay, and in this dish, chicken and banana are plated up together. Both the chicken and the banana have creamy ‘yellow’ flavours, which the wine brings out beautifully.
• Roast Chicken with Lemon – Citrus fruit is another flavour characteristic of Chardonnay, and particularly so of those from Mâcon or the better quality Mâcon Villages. Rub the chicken flesh with the lemon, and stuff the carcas with several of the fruit. Then serve with a good bottle of white Burgundy.
• Poulet au Comté – This is a lovely dish with Comté, a hard cheese, and another export of the Burgundy region. In fact, they do say that ‘what grows together, goes together’. The creamyness of the cheese is excellent with an oaked Chardonnay.

Enjoy the Combination Even More with a Burgundy Wine Glass

While I’m discussing how to get the most from your Chardonnay, it’s worth noting that the kind of glass you drink it from will also alter the experience. ‘Burgundy’ wine glasses are designed for exactly that kind of wine. At INVINIC, we have a range of glasses to suit several different kinds of wine, and you can see how the shapes change between the recommended varieties. The Riedel Sommeliers Chablis-Chardonnay glass has a wide bowl which allows more of the aroma to collect above the wine.

Some Spanish Alternatives

If you’ve liked hearing about dry white Burgundy, there are other regions producing the same style of white wine. In fact, Spain produces a few versions of white Burgundy:

• Augustus Chardonnay. This has the classic flavour profile of a white Burgundy. There are the tropical fruit flavours, and the toasty nuances which come from oak ageing. There is also a creaminess about the wine. Of course, it is entirely made from Chardonnay grapes, and with 90 points from Guía Peñín, it stands up to comparison with the wines of France.
• Albet I Noya Col.leció Chardonnay. Not only is this a pure Chardonnay with 91 Guía Peñín points, it has been aged with French Limousin and Allier barrels. They’ve gone to very exacting steps to recreate the French taste, but without recreating the the high price tags that come with the very best white Burgundies.

More About Chardonnay

If you’ve discovered a love of Burgundy’s finest grape, there’s more to learn. Read ‘Chardonnay is a lot more versatile than you think’, and find out where else Chardonnay makes an appearance in the world of wine.

La entrada Chickens Should Be Afraid of Dry White Burgundy Wine se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

How is demi-sec Champagne made?

All Champagne is made using the so-called “traditional method”. This is a long, time-consuming process that costs money and is very labour intensive. Dry Champagne and demi-sec Champagne are made in the same way, until quite late in the process with the addition of a sugar solution known as the “dosage”. The lower the dosage, the drier the wine will be. It is quite common today to see Champagne producers making “zero dosage” wines, that have no sugar whatsoever.

Demi-sec Champagne is permitted to have between 32 and 50 grams per litre of sugar. This is considerable, when you think that Brut Champagne can have no more than 12 grams per litre. Despite its name meaning “half dry”, demi-sec Champagne has quite noticeable sweetness, and would stand up to most sweet desserts. Perhaps this highlights why this style is not so popular today.

Why isn’t demi-sec Champagne more popular?

Champagne is a consumer product, and Champagne houses have long listened to the needs and wants of the market. These are historic producers, yes, but they’re also multi-million euro businesses. They focus their energy and resources on what their customers want, and evidently that is not sweet Champagne

Demi-sec Champagne and other sweet styles – such as sec and doux – are very much a niche market. Even the world’s finest and most popular sweet wines, such as Sauternes, occupy a relatively small share of the overall wine market. Some people like wines with high sugar content, but many don’t. While most consumers will be happy to drink a dry wine, many will be physically turned off by a sweet wine. These are practical, commercial considerations and they can and do affect the production of demi-sec Champagne and other sweet wine styles. Even in Sauternes, many producers have started to push dry styles of wine as the sweet wine market is so tough.

Is demi-sec Champagne the only sweet sparkling wine?

No. The demi-sec Champagne is also used in producing some French crémant, and even producers of Cava can sometimes produce sweet styles. Italian Moscato d’Asti is a particularly popular style of sweet sparkling wine.

• Try MdO Moscato de Ochoa for a decidedly Spanish take on the sweet Moscato d’Asti style.

Food pairing with demi-sec Champagne

Food pairing with sweet wine can be difficult. Food pairing with sparkling wine generally is a different story, and most dry sparkling wine is very versatile with food. Sweet sparkling wine, however, is a different story. If you’ve got your heart set on serving a demi-sec Champagne with food, try one of the following:

• Demi-sec Champagne with foie gras. The sweetness and acidity will cut through the fattiness of the food, providing a very nice balance.

• Demi-sec Champagne with spicy Asian food. This creates an interesting balance of flavours that will actually be greater than the sum of its parts!

• Demi-sec Champagne with cheesecake or other sweet dessert. Aim for a dish that is as sweet as the wine, and enjoy!

Do you like to drink demi-sec Champagne? Tell us about your favourite bottles in the comments below!

La entrada Demi sec Champagne: Why isn’t it more popular? se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Semillon Chardonnay is a case in point: Maybe you understand Semillon, and maybe you understand Chardonnay. What happens when you put ‘em together, though? And why even do it in the first place? Don’t worry, though. Our handy Semillon Chardonnay cheat sheet will tell you everything you need to know!

Semillon Chardonnay and other wine blends

First things first: Semillon Chardonnay is a blended wine, that is, it’s a wine made by blending together two or more distinct grape varieties. Many famous wines are blends, such as Bordeaux and Champagne. The red Bordeaux blend is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, though may also include Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère. The Champagne blend may include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The Semillon Chardonnay blend is not as common as Bordeaux or Champagne, but it is common in one place: Australia.

Australian Semillon Chardonnay: Where does it start?

Semillon Chardonnay as a blend is possible because its two component grapes, Semillon and Chardonnay, are both individually popular in Australian wine.

• Semillon is common in the Hunter Valley and Barossa Valley regions, where you will find top barrel-aged examples like Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon 2009. This is a high-quality Aussie Semillon, hand-picked from the best vineyard land and fermented and aged in French oak. This sort of Semillon has a savoury flavour profile and aromas of cashews, exotic fruit and brioche. Such wines are capable of long ageing, and this is a beautifully mature example.

• Chardonnay is found in different Australian regions, and a great example is Pierro Chardonnay 2002 from the Margaret River region. Quality Australian Chardonnay of this kind is rich, complex and full-bodied. Expect aromas of toffee and peach, among others.

Putting it together: Semillon Chardonnay blends

Individually, Semillon is great and Chardonnay is great. Why, then, do winemakers blend the two together and make Semillon Chardonnay? Of course, the only person who can answer that is the individual winemaker in each case. One likely reason is an effort to accommodate consumer tastes. The premium, high-end Australian whites mentioned above appeal to a certain type of consumer – usually serious wine lovers, adventurous and with expensive taste. They are not to everyone’s taste, however!

Lots of wine lovers dislike oak-aged whites. Some find Chardonnay too full-bodied. Others find the aromatics of Semillon don’t appeal to them. Some can’t afford to buy higher-end bottles, and find that cheap Chardonnay or Semillon are not to their tastes. These reasons, and many more besides, mean that lots of consumers simply won’t be buying a top Australian Chardonnay or Semillon any time soon. The solution for the forward-looking Australian wine industry: Semillon Chardonnay blends!

The appeal of Semillon Chardonnay

Semillon Chardonnay offers the consumer some clear advantages: When compared to high-end single varietal wines, these blends are less expensive. Many such blends are made by large producers in huge volumes, so costs are low and prices can be low, too. For those that are put off by the style of either Chardonnay or Semillon, a Semillon Chardonnay blend can strike a gentle balance between the two: The character and acidity of Semillon with the generosity of fruit of Chardonnay!

Have you ever tasted a Semillon Chardonnay wine? Tell us about your favourites in the comments below!

La entrada The Semillon Chardonnay cheat sheet se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

• Spoiler alert: They’re different! Verdelho and Verdejo are two distinct and unrelated wine grape varieties.

Verdelho vs. Verdejo

To understand the difference between the two, let’s think in terms of geography for a moment.

• The Verdelho grape is native to the island of Madeira, home of the fortified wines of the same name. Wines made from Verdelho, either as a blending component or single varietal, are produced in Madeira, mainland Portugal, Australia and beyond.

• Verdejo, on the other hand, is best known in the white wines of the Rueda region in Spain. Depending on how the wine is labelled, there are particular requirements for the percentage of Verdejo used in the blend of Rueda wine.

What does Verdelho wine taste like?

What Verdelho tastes like will depend on the style of Verdelho wine you’ve got and where it has come from:

• The grape is best known in Madeira wines, where it is one of the so-called noble grapes. Verdelho Madeira is a fortified wine with between 27 and 45 grams per litre of residual sugar. Tasting this style of wine, you’ll be struck by its smokiness and high levels of acidity, as well as the sweetness from the sugar content.

• Australian Verdelho, best in the McLaren Vale, is a dry white wine. It may be young and simple, or undergo barrel fermentation or ageing. The varietal characteristics to expect include exotic fruits, lime and honeycomb.

What does Verdejo wine taste like?

So, we know Verdelho. What about Verdejo? Far from being simply a Spanish translation of the word “Verdelho”, this one is distinctive in its own right. Verdejo is at home in Spain’s Rueda region, where it produces wine in a number of styles:

• Rueda Verdejo is legally obliged to contain a minimum of 85% Verdejo grapes. More commonly, this wine will be a pure Verdejo varietal. The wines are profoundly aromatic, fruity and with notes of fennel.

• Rueda, when labelled as such, must contain a minimum of 50% Verdejo. As a result, the Verdejo characteristics are less prominent and the wine is less aromatic, quite fresh and smooth on the palate.

• Rueda Espumoso is a sparkling wine from Rueda that may have different percentages of Verdejo grapes depending on the labelling. It is made using the traditional Champagne method, and is a very fruity and smooth bubbly.

Which do you prefer: Verdelho or Verdejo? Tell us below!

La entrada Verdelho and Verdejo: What’s the difference? se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.

Alternatives to the rose bouquet

There’s nothing wrong with a bouquet of roses on Valentine’s Day. Roses are traditional, they’re romantic, and they’re usually easy to find. They’ll also cost you a small fortune, but love knows no bounds and all that. Instead of your traditional rose bouquet, though, why not give your lover a beautiful bottle of wine? To us, a rosé bouquet beats a rose bouquet any day of the week!

• Top tip: In wine terms, “aroma” and “bouquet” are not strictly interchangeable terms. The word “bouquet” is used to describe the aromas in wine that come from the winemaking process. This includes aromas arising from processes such as carbonic maceration, said to give Beaujolais wines a banana aroma, as well as from oak ageing and maturation.

Wine gifts for Valentine’s Day

It may give new meaning to the term rose bouquet, but pick the right bottle of aromatic rosé or floral white wine and you’re sure to impress your sweetheart. It’s impossible for us to know what sort of wines your girlfriend or boyfriend likes. If you know their favourite, then go with that! Otherwise, consult our handy guide below for some inspiration!

San Valentin wines to gift instead of roses

Fresh and aromatic rosé wines

An entirely different rosé bouquet than you might be used to, but consider this category for your cherie. Pink wine just looks romantic, and that’s always a plus. All the better if the wine is rich in aromatics and smells good in the glass, too. If you are buying for a girly girl, or simply a romantic soul, nothing quite says Happy Valentine’s Day like a rosé wine. Pick one of our special selections and it’ll be a happy Valentine’s indeed!

• Marqués de Riscal Rosé 2015
• Magali Rosé 2015
• Miraval Rosé 2015

Zesty white wines

It’s hard to beat a crisp, zingy white wine for pure vivacity and energy. An acidic white wine can tingle the palate and stimulate the senses and really get one in the mood for love. Gift your loved one a light, zesty white wine for Valentine’s to show the ceaseless energy of your passion! When it comes to this task, we like a Sauvignon Blanc. Find our top picks below and see why this grape is so popular.

• Palacio de Bornos Sauvignon Blanc 2016
• Palacio de Menade Sauvignon Blanc 2013
• Finca la Colina Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Sensual light red wines

Red is the colour of Valentine’s Day, and is the colour of most self-respecting rose bouquet selections in your local florist. Forget the flowers and pick up a light-bodied red wine that will illustrate your desire without overpowering your Valentine’s Day dinner. A Gamay or Pinot Noir is just what Dr. Love has ordered! Choose from the below and you should be in good health.

• Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2015
• Bru de Gramona Pinot Noir 2013
• Dalwhinnie Moonambel Pinot Noir 2004

That’s it. Happy Valentine’s Day, and hopefully you’ve now got an idea for a gift other than the tired old rose bouquet. Tell us about your favourite Valentine’s Day wines below!

La entrada A San Valentin wine or a rose bouquet? Last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts se publicó primero en Blog INVINIC.