Weekly Tasting Report (Sep 29-Oct 4): Spain takes the spotlight

A collection of Spain’s most established and most contemporary producers form the mainstay of this week’s tasting highlights as well as another impressive set of Barolo 2016 wines. The top wine is the revered Alvaro Palacios Priorat L’Ermita 2018 (98 points) which is full-bodied yet balanced and with a compact style. This is Priorat with “superb finesse and precision” and expresses violet, purple fruits, lavender and slate in classic Priorat mode.

Also from Palacios, the Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Aubaguetes 2018 (96 points) exhibits “pure aromas of blueberries and cherries with lavender and white pepper”. James liked the “persistent, ultra fine tannins” and praised it for “finesse and focus.” The Alvaro Palacios Priorat La Baixada 2018 (95 points) is all about “brightness and beauty” and shows classic characters of “blackberry, black cherry and crushed slate” with “tight, compressed tannins that coat the palate.”

The wines of Comando G are always so expressive and several are among our top wines tasted this past week with a trio of 96-point ratings. The Comando G Vinos de Madrid Rumbo al Norte 2017 has “aromas of dried meat, spice, berry and chocolate” and delivers a “very structured and serious” palate with “density and richness.”

A “fine grained and very pretty” Comando G Vinos de Madrid 1er Rozas 2018 offers “dried strawberries and cherries … black tea leaf and lavender, too.” This made a big impression on the palate with “full-bodied … chewy tannins” that need some time to open and will be best enjoyed after 2022.

And the third 96-point Comando G wine this week is the Sierra de Gredos Mataborricos 2018 with “aromas of berries, spice, fresh herbs and bark with cherries and flowers” that lead to a palate that offers a “full-bodied … long, linear finish” in a tightly structured mode. Give it just a little time to come around and try after 2022.

Rated just below these at 95 points, the Comando G Vinos de Madrid La Bruja de Rozas 2018 is an “opulent yet polished” red with a “silky mouth feel.” The aromas of slate, blackberry and black-cherry make for an attractive red that is the most approachable of the Comando G wines here.

To Rioja, and Muga delivered a very drinkable Rioja Selección Especial Reserva 2016 (95 points) this week which James praised for “subtle fruit and supple tannins” that carry plenty of flavor in a linear and tight palate. This is a “very pretty, manicured young red with plum, berry and dark-chocolate”, a concentrated, fresh and classic Rioja.

Also from 2016, the Torres Penedès Reserva Real 2016 (95 points) is another full-bodied Spanish red with intense flavors and lightly chewy tannins. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot, James found the “aromas of blackberries, dark chocolate and tar” quite persuasive. In a more round and fruity style, the Artadi Garnacha Navarra Pasos de San Martín 2016 (95 points) is all “plum, berry and cherry character” and is very drinkable now.

The full-bodied and youthful Celler Capçanes Montsant Peraj Ha’abib Flor de Primavera 2018 (95 points) is a “rich, deep red” with “round and polished tannins” carrying plenty of flavor. Also from 2018, the Envínate Ribeira Sacra Lousas Viñas de Aldea Vinos Atlánticos 2018 (96 points) impressed with “a concentrated yet fresh, vivid and energetic palate” that carries flavors of “crushed-raspberry, orange peel and white pepper”. It is very drinkable and will cellar too.

There’s a strong suite of 2016 Barolo wines from Paolo Scavino to add to the comprehensive line-up of excellent 2016s we have already rated this year. The Barolo Bricco Ambrogio 2016 (97 points) is a star of the Scavino 2016 vintage with “extremely attractive aromas of dried strawberries, rose petals and dried spices, such as cloves.” The palate is medium to full bodied and manages to deliver density with brightness and focus. Also rated 97 points, the Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi 2016 has such gorgeous aromas of ripe fruit with leather, toffee and walnut character. This is “full-bodied, yet so reserved and polished “ and James noted it is a “serious follow-up to the great 2015.”

Then there’s a quartet of cru Barolo wines all rated 95 points for Scavino. There’s the “complex and exciting” Paolo Scavino Barolo Monvigliero 2016, the very fine-tannined and tightly-focused Paolo Scavino Barolo Prapò 2016, the blue-fruited and polished Paolo Scavino Barolo Ravera 2016 and the aromatic and silky Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc 2016. Also look to the very consistent and good value Paolo Scavino Barolo 2016 which also rated 95 points.

This week’s highlights are wines that all demonstrate great typicity from a diverse range of terroirs and are generally built to cellar with ample tannin structures, some finer and some fuller. It also shows that Spain is producing very unique reds that have an underlying balance and freshness and linear drive with special character and flavors from Ribeira Sacra to Priorat. They are all presented as fresh and concentrated styles with concentrated, ripe fruit at their core. We hope you find some space in your cellar for these.

– Nick Stock, executive editor