The Event: A Taste of Spain – Rueda wines

The Date and Time: Sunday, May 29, 2016  11AM to 5PM

The Event: A Taste of Spain – Rueda wines

The Venue: Patria Restaurant

The Target Audience: wine trade, and then later, Spanish wine lovers.

The Availability/Catalogue: some of the wines are available by consignment, the occasional one turns up at Vintages. There are four on the General LCBO list, but they were not in this show.

The Quote/Background: Felipe Gonzalez-Gordon, Director of DO Rueda, spoke to the wines, most of which were not represented in Ontario. Ten wines were at the seminar, along with six wine writers. Rueda whites are the number one top quality selling white wines in Spain. They became a DO in 1980, and red/rose Rueda followed in 2008. Verdejo, at 10.5 Hectares, has 80% of the plantings, followed by sauvignon blanc (15%) and other varieties (mostly red). The area, like all of Spain, is tightly controlled in terms of expansion by the EU.

The Wines: I did not try every wine. Retail prices were estimates when available, but most verdejos were in the mid-teens or less, most sauvignon blancs were slightly higher. After 12:30 it became a consumer event, and it was tough to get a wine sample as every booth had lineups (not complainin', just explainin'). Some wines I just did not get to.

As far as I can tell, 36 wines were listed but I know for sure than at least one did not arrive.

 

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Emina Personal Carlos Moro Fermentado en Barrica 2009

-Grupo Yllera Cantonsan Espumoso Reserva Familiar NV MT  $20   John Hanna

-Hijos de Alberto Dorado NV

-Jose Pariente Fermentado en Barrica 2013  $32.35  Cottonwood

 

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Finca Montepredoso Verdejo 2014  STEM

-Marques de Caceres Verdejo 2014   $14.95 Dionysus

-Finca La Colina 2014 Old Vines

-Sanz Sauvignon Blanc 2014   Wineonline

-Friz Sanz Te NV [semi-sweet]   Wineonline

-Hermanos del Villar Oro de Castilla 2014    ABCON

-Grupo Yllera Vendimia Nocturna 2014   $17   John Hanna

-Robert Vedel Cepas Viejas 2013

-Jose Pariente Cuvee Especial 2014  $32.35  Cottonwood

-Jose Pariente Apasionado 2013  [off-dry]  Cottonwood

-Felix Sanz Vina Cimbron Sauvignon Blanc 2014

 

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Protos Verdejo 2014  SpainOnly1 Imports

-Marques de Caceres Excellens Sauvignon 2014   Dionysus

-Emina Verdejo 2014

-Sanz Verdejo 2014   Wineonline

-GarciaRevalo Harenna Edicion Limitada 2014

-GarciaRevalo Tres Omios Lias 2014

-Grupo Yllera Vina 65 2014   $13   John Hanna

-Jose Pariente Verdejo 2014  $21.10  Cottonwood

 

The Food: Patria went all out for this one with appropriate food. Since there were only two kinds of white wine everywhere, the food went well with whatever one had on a plate. To begin with, there were Patria's well-known spiced nuts, olives, charcuterie/salumi, Spanish cheeses, octopus carpaccio on toasts, breads, meats. Served platters included flatbreads with anchovies and/or cooked red peppers, some deep fried cheeses, more meats. In a very crowded area there was shrimp paella, and some ribs with rice and truffle oil.

The Downside: we started late as we waited for stragglers for the seminar.

The Upside: for years we have had no wine trade events on Sundays. Suddenly, there were two such events this May. A good time, people seem to be available. Wine is always 24/7.

The Contact Person: felipe@parallel36.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 86.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com