Wine with Leslie: Award-winning wines, including three tasty Riojas
It is award season in the Irish wine world with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals up for grabs in the annual NOffLA (National Off-Licence Association) Gold Star Awards. I was one of the final judges for the white wine and sparkling section and standards were mostly very high, especially in the still wine sections.
There was a disappointing entry into the Champagne section but Piper Heidsieck was nevertheless a worthy winner given how well every bottle I try seems to be drinking these days.
At the tail-end of Spanish Wine Week 2020 it is appropriate that Spain took so many top awards. Out of the six still wine Gold Medals available, Spain took five out of six, only losing out to best Old World White wine under €10 to a Languedoc Sauvignon Blanc from Labouré-Roi.
I feature a few of the winners below and will likely mention more in the coming weeks. There is a handy booklet containing all the winners which you can pick up at your local Independent Off-Licence — if you are in Cork then O’Donovans is your best bet as Gary O’Donovan is the current chairman of NOffLA.
It was a year for the old guard to make a comeback with DeLoach Californian Chardonnay winning White Wine of the Year and a strong showing from Rioja Lopez de Haro Crianza won Red Wine of the Year; and Conde de Valdemar won best red under €20.
As part of Spanish Wine week, I’ve been watching some webinars from Spain and the ever inspirational Telmo Rodriguez spoke on one about how we tend to think of Rioja as having ‘begun’ with the arrival of the French in the 19th Century.Â
The French arrived as a result of the shortage of wine caused by a mildew outbreak (oidium) in South Western France — around the same time we had our own mildew problems with potato blight (the cure is the exact same for blight and oidium: spraying with copper-sulphate).Â
Telmo argued that Rioja could also be said to have ended then as the traditional style made in Rioja’s 130 villages began to change to take on a style that appealed to the markets served by the Bordeaux merchants. He is seeking to rediscover that traditional style and I wish him luck.Â
In the meantime there are three Rioja recommended below made in the more conventional style that I still find rather tasty.
NOffLA and Independent Off-Licences such as O’Donovans, Vintry, McHughs, Drink Store, Joyce’s etc.
This makes a nice change as previous winners of the New World Under €10 Gold are often Sauvignon Blancs or Chardonnay-based blends. Delightful tropical fruit aromas with passionfruit and pineapple notes mixed with lemon oil, textured and fruity on the palate with some nice lemon and bright juice flavours on the finish.
Despite the familiar label this seems to be the first time I’ve mentioned this wine. Mainly Tempranillo plus some Garnacha and Graciano and aged for 18 months in French and US oak - bright black fruit aromas, big plums and soft primary fruits on the front and mid-palate and light spice notes on the finish.
A new wine to me and interestingly it beat out Santa Rita’s tasty Central Valley Rosé and Les Roseraies Rosé D’Anjou. A portion of all sales goes to Breast Cancer Research. This is a little riper and richer than I would normally recommend but those ripe creamy strawberry fruits are balanced by some freshness on the palate — serve nicely chilled to tone down the sweetness.
Part of the El Coto family of wines — I’ve mentioned their Rosado, Coto de Imaz Reserva and Gran Reserva in the past. From the highest vineyard in Rioja at 875m this has rich creamy fruit aromas with soft herbal notes, crisp apple and pear fruits on the palate and any oak flavours cut through with freshness thanks to the altitude.
This deservedly won Gold for Best New World White Under €20 although it had strong competition from Canada and Chile. Mainly fermented in stainless steel plus some in barrique this has vanilla, melon and tropical fruit aromas mixed with orange flower water and lime — textured and complex on the palate with lingering pear fruits and fine balance and complexity. Surely Chardonnay is due a comeback?
In the traditional Rioja style with 27 months of French and US barrel ageing (mainly the latter) this is 80% Tempranillo plus some Graciano, Garnacha and the rarely-seen Maturana. Older than most Reserva Rioja this tastes fully mature with lovely layers of creamy red and purple fruits, lively spicy undertones and fine length and elegance.
Matsons, Bradleys, www.craftcentral.ie, Martins, Drinkstore, Redmonds, McHughs, Joyces, O'Briens.
So unlike spiced pumpkin latte which Starbucks invented in 2003, pumpkin-based ales have been around since the 18th century. Trouble Brewing’s annual Pumpkin Ale is always much anticipated and this year is brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves with an earthy richness from the pumpkin — it’s a humdinger (forgive the Americanism)!
Pouring a bright copper-gold colour with rich spice and malt aromas and nutmeg and cloves particularly to the fore. Complex earthy red fruits with prominent spice and hops on the palate, crisp acidity and lingering prickly hot spices on the finish. Watch also for White Hag’s 6% Pumpkin Ale out this month called Samhain.
