Descendientes de José Palacios Corullón 2005

I've said before that this is a sleeper, and I still think its ture. Tempranillo and Garnarcha get all the big press, but well made Mencia wines are stunning and offer something quite different. I took this to an offline last week and did the blind options thing. Unfortunately people know I'm going to bring Spanish, but no one guessed that this was Mencia.  In fact most people had never heard of it. But besides being a great options wine, its an excellent wine in its own right.  Whenever someone asks me for a suggestion for something a bit different but great, this is the wine that comes to mind time after time. A bit of a price rise on this one too.

Its's open and going right from the start, seriously great fruit  here: blackcurrent, blueberry and subtle cherry loaded up with earthy notes, a bit of mocha and violets.  Oooh, those tannins are bloody good. I always love the fleshy tannins in this wine, they give the wine a texture that takes it to another level. Balanced and very long on the finish.  The palate shows blackberry and blueberry fruit with roasted coconut, sage, mocha and minerals.  More minerals on the finish.  A spanking wine that I just want more of. A monty for the cellar, drink from 2011. 94+ Pts

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $115 Closure: Conventional Cork

Other vintages: 2003, 2004 

Dominio de Tares Baltos 2005

This is probably one of the strangest wine labels I've seen.  It's even textured.  I kind of like it, I'm sure it would be much more enjoyable after a couple of bottles.  I'm thinking that Hoddles Creek should do something similar for their reserve label, but with frogs instead of people.  Very classy.

The Baltos is a entry level wine from Dominio de Tares.  Its 100% mencia and sees 6 months in french oak.   Apparently this wine was developed for the American market…

Ruby red in the glass, a bit lighter in colour than I expected.  The nose show toasty oak, earth, cloves, pepper, coco and cherry liqueur with raspberry and mulberry fruit.  Silky in the mouth, the acid is poking out a little bit at the moment but the fruit tannins are fine and plateful.  For the most part the palate is a bit simple with raspberry and mulberry, but adds some minerals to the finish.    A wine with a great nose that is let down by a simple palate.  87 Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars RRP: $30 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.dominiodetares.com

Dominio de Tares Cepas Viejas 2004

It looks like a number of the major importers have just landed new shipments of Wine in the last couple of weeks.  Loads of new releases should be hitting the shelves, including this one.  Dominio de Tares has been one of the leading producers in Bierzo since 2000.  Going on this bottle they deserve it.

Cepas Viejas is made from Mencia vines that are around 60 years old.  It sees 9 months in both French and American wood.

The nose opens up with overwhelming coffee oak and earth, so straight into the decanter it goes.  An hour later it was much more balanced showing raspberry and cherries, chocolate, and some roses and violets, as well as the coffee and earth. Very tight and meaty in the mouth, the tannins took a while to show themselves, but when they did they bought friends.  Flavours of roasted meats, raspberry and currents hit the palate, followed up with a long, minerally finish.  A bit primary at the moment, will be worth the wait in a couple of years.  92 Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars RRP: $52 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.dominiodetares.com

Descendientes de José Palacios Corullón 2004

Ok, another big name 04 wine.  I think of all of the red wines of Spain, Mencia from Biezro is the real sleeper.  I've only had a handful of wines from the region, but they have all been intriguing wines with real character and style, seemingly built for long term aging.  I need some of these for the cellar.

There is also a range of single vineyard wines from the same stable, I think I need to investigate.

Kicks off with a slightly subdued nose of mulberry, earth and rocks.  It opens up with more air to show some boozed cherry and mocha.  Great structure and balance. A bit tight at the moment, but open enough to show the restrained power wrapped in soft and abundant luxury tannins.  Great blackberry and blueberry fruit with roasted coconut, sage, mocha and minerals.  A good long, minerally finish.  Drinking really well now, but I'd put this away for a couple of years.  94+ pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $95 Closure: Conventional Cork

Descendientes de José Palacios Corullón 2003

Tucked away in the northwest corner of Castilla y Leon is a little region called Bierzo.  It is high up in the hills and hides a number of very old (50-100 years old) vineyards planted with an odd little grape called Mencia.  It is apparently a clone of Cabernet Franc brought to the region by french pilgrims on their way to Santiago and has mutated in mencia.  The region started to gain popularity again in the late 80s and has attracted new investment and talented winemakers and viticulturists to develop the region into something similar to Priorat. 

This wine is made by Alvaro Palacios and is named after the nearby town of Corullon.  The hills are very steep and must be worked by traditional methods, mostly the work is performed by hand and horse. Modern winemaking methods come into play to make this great expression of the region.

A very intense and gloriously complex nose of dark berry fruit, minerals, flowers and a touch of pepper and spice.  At this stage the palate is full bodied and structured, it cries out for time in the cellar.  Blackberry and blueberry notes with some animally complexity and minerals in the mouth. Good tannins and it has the acid to live a long time.  A good long finish.  I would avoid opening this for 2-4 years and then enjoy over 5 years.  94 Pts.

Source: Boccaccio Cellars Price: $80 Closure: Conventional Cork