Wine with Leslie: The sweetest Spanish sips from the new season
Speaking of Spain, the annual ‘Eat Drink Spain’ festival has begun, and runs from now and into late October. Restaurants, wine bars and shops across the country will be showcasing the joy that is Spanish food and wine.
I endlessly debate with myself which wine region I would move to given the opportunity.
Perhaps Burgundy so I can become friends with winemakers whose wines I can’t afford (I’ll invite them to dinner!), or maybe Piedmont for Barolo, or maybe Spain, yes, anywhere in Spain.
The Irish have a huge affinity with Spain and I’m no different, I love the value to be found in its restaurants and the diversity of wine styles. Yes — diversity!
Do please look to the regions; Rioja will do fine without you for a week or two.
Alvaro Palacios happens to be from Rioja but it was in Priorat he made his name when he bought Finca Dofi winery in 1990 and linked up with some other winemakers to push the region which was once huge but had shrunk into irrelevance.
Palacios was in Ireland in the spring and the tasting he conducted lingers with me. His Rioja ‘Propiedad’ was ultra-fine and his Bierzo wines fascinating but it was the single vineyard Priorats that really shone.
I tasted l’Ermita (€1200-2000) last year and it is complex and layered but more realistically the Finca Dofí (c. €90) is also stunning—crunchy blackberry, black cherry and layers of ripe fruits and balancing minerality.
The La Baixada from old bush vines, had blackcurrant, black raspberry with meaty savoury and herbal notes, also gorgeous. His Camins Priorat (€28) is recommended below.
Speaking of Spain, the annual ‘Eat Drink Spain’ festival has begun, and runs from now and into late October. Restaurants, wine bars and shops across the country will be showcasing the joy that is Spanish food and wine.
On Thursday October 9, I will be hosting a dinner with matching Spanish wines in my happy place, the Mustard Seed in Co. Limerick ( mustardseed.ie).
Another highlight is the wineonline.ie Rioja festival in Dublin on October 18.
For more events log on to foodswinesfromspain.com and look in the Upcoming Events section.
Montsant is just down the hill from Priorat and this winemaker Anna Rovira is a star.
This is a new label for the winery (previously it was called Mas Donis); 25% Garnacha, plus Carinyena, Syrah, Merlot and Tempranillo.
Packed with floral red and darker fruits, strawberry, cherries, plums and with good weight matched by balancing acidity.
A gorgeous fruity hug of a wine.
Imported by Bubble Brothers for many years now (since 2008), the winemaker was even in Ireland for a dinner last July which I sadly missed.
A blend of Samsó (carinyena) and 30% Garnacha this is exactly what you want from this region, plush red and black fruits, weight and texture and layers of juicy fruits to dig through.
Their Ritme Celler Priorat is also recommended.
This is Palacios’s entry level Priorat and a solid introduction to one of Europe’s finest wine regions.
Ripe black fruits, supple and intense but opening up in the glass; concentrated black cherry and plums, a must try.
‘Finca Dofí’ Priorat was Palacios’ first vineyard (1990) and is intense and elegant simultaneously and also recommended ( mitchellandson.com have the 2017 for €86)
Another brilliant spirit from Tipperary Boutique Distillery (following ‘80’ Apple Brandy).
Aged for 3.5 years in a Faustino Rioja barrel this is limited to 430 bottles.
Pours pink-gold with delightful orange flower, juniper and spice aromas.
Smooth on first sip with warming spices (cloves and allspice) and a peppery finish.
Properly tasty and intriguing.
Try with tonic, dirty martini or Gin Fizz.
