Weekend wine with Blake Creedon
I walked out of Cork’s Imperial Hotel, nostrils aflare with that mix of polished wood, brambly baked fruit and spice which sums up good modern Spanish reds.
For instance Cune Crianza 2008 (Imported by Febvre and stockists include O’Brien’s, O’Donovans, and Superquinn at around €14) is a smashing example of a crisp, elegant Spanish mid-priced red, all crisp bright fruit with an undertow of polished wood and mint.
Spain, too, has its equivalent to the “super Tuscans” — top-class wines which don’t fit into the structure of the denominación system (for instance, because they use unapproved grape varieties) and instead bear lowly designations such as Vino De La Tierra. One of the last wines I caught up with at the end of the tasting as the lights were flashing was outstanding Finca Loranque VT Castilla 2005, a sumptuous seductive tempranillo syrah imported by Approach Trade and stockists include Kingdom Food & Wine, Tralee at around €19.50.
However it’s not all reds and of course much attention is paid to Albariño from Galicia. I think people can get a bit over-excited about the grape and the style — good and all as it can be, it’s merely one leg of the great white wine traditions along the Atlantic seaboard including Bordeaux and Muscadet. Having said that, some are absolute crackers including Contrapunto Albariño 2010 DO Rías Baixas (www.bubblebrothers.ie and Bubble Brothers stores in Cork; €16) its firm, taut freshness an excellent foil to touches of floral and flashes of tropical fruit flavour.
Finally, the great Cava sparkling wine tradition which is understandably making inroads into Champagne — is another category entirely, so I’m going to return to some of those super (and very good value) bubbles at a later date.
A great value introduction to one of Spanish wine’s hidden gems — the unique sweetly earthy mencía grape. This one’s imported by Classic Drinks and available in Ardkeen Stores Waterford; D6 off-licence Harold’s Cross, Dublin; Wine Boutique D4; Magic Carpet D18 and Stack’s, Listowel. Or try Approach Trade’s deliciously smoky, complex Otero 2009 at €11.50.
This simple, perfumed, soft-textured and spicy red and its more formidable sibling (a 2007 crianza at €15.95) are part of the excellent value range imported by Boyne Valley’s Greenlea Wines (041-9870300) and available at Dunnes; O’Donovans Cork; Deveneys D14; Savages Swords; Hole in the Wall D7 and Martin’s, Fairview.
This is a very good value relatively simple tempranillo — light pretty, spicy. Imported by Greenlea Wines (041-9870300) and available at Hole in the Wall D7; Martin’s, Fairview; O’Donovans, Cork and Joyce’s, Galway.
Albariño has eclipsed various verdejos, viuras and even cavas as Spain’s white wine of choice — this one, dense with tropical fruit and tingling with fresh acidity, is made to accompany rich seafood dishes. Imported by Approach Trade (www.approachwines.com 051-640164), stockists include O’Briens, Karwigs, Red Nose Wines, Clonmel, and www.onthegrapevine.ie.
This is one of the great value reds — mouthwatering brambly stalky berries on a firm bed of tannin. Imported by Barry & Fitzwilliam and available at SuperValu, Centra independent off-licences, where you will also find the fresh citrus and lovely pithy texture of its partner white, Raimat Abadia Blanco 2006 which is also available quite widely at around €11.49.
The hallmark of quality Spanish wine is its ageing in barrel and bottle, delivering here an elegant rich still bright with cherries and layers of delicious savoury spice. Imported by Febvre 01 2161400 and stocked in independents including Donnybrook Fair; The Corkscrew, Redmonds of Ranelagh, Sweeneys of Glasnevin and Bin no 8, Clonskeagh.
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