Summertime – and that means white wine. It’s something that Spain does so well. Crisp, chilly Verdejos and Albariños, salty manzanilla Sherries, these are the mainstay of a summer lunch. Yet when the sun shines we should remember that along with these vibrant young whites, Spain makes wines worth cellaring and rediscovering after several years or more in the shade.
There’s a view that Spain has two great cellar-worthy white wines: Castillo Ygay, by Marqués de Murrieta; and López de Heredía’s Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva. Both Riojas, they have become deeply fashionable. However, their very success obscures the exciting reality of what is happening today in Spain. Nowadays there are a number of wines which need time in the cellar to reach their top character. Not as long-lived as Ygay, but determined escapees from the ‘buy today, drink today or tomorrow’ treadmill.
That these two long-lived icons are made predominantly from Viura (with Malvasía, 3% in the former case and 10% in the latter) is notable. For Viura, known elsewhere as Macabeo, can be disappointing and drab. This underlines a key feature to remember if you are keen to buy wines for cellaring: so much depends on the vineyard, the climate, and the producer. Even after the wine has spent years in the cellar, the influence and judgement of the people behind it remain discernible.
Wine writer and DWWA judge Cristina Alcalà spells this out: ‘Spain was a traditional red wine country in production and consumption. It turned towards white wine when it discovered the power of certain native varieties. Furthermore, it had producers with sensitivity, who weren’t worried about experimenting or losing face, who were able to make white wines with cellaring potential.’
この記事は Decanter の July 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Decanter の July 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Wine lover's guide to ALSACE
Pretty postcard villages, delicious food, fascinating history and, of course, excellent wines - this beautiful northeastern corner of France has everything a wine lover could ask for
José Pizarro does Christmas Spanish style
In a Decanter exclusive, the celebrated chef offers up an alternative menu for the seasonal celebration
Perfect whiskies for wine lovers at Christmas
What better gift could there be for a wine and whisky lover than a whisky matured in barrels previously used for wine? Our selection of 12 great bottles shows just why it can be a match made in heaven
WHITE CHATEAU
Hitherto a bit-part player, the white wines of this celebrated southern Rhône region are well placed to find themselves increasingly in the spotlight, as a result of the changing climate conditions. Our Rhône expert recommends 20 of his favourite examples to seek out
Chablis 2023
Variable weather made it challenging at times, but a late hot spell came to the rescue, resulting in plenty of good wines for drinking and for keeping. Having tasted almost 400 Chablis 2023 wines, our expert selects 30 of his favourites, along with five from top producers in neighbouring crus
Looking BACK, looking AHEAD
As 2024 draws to a close, we asked eight of our regular contributors to nominate their most memorable wine experiences of the year and to reveal what they're anticipating most in their plans for 2025
25 TOP SYRAH/SHIRAZ REDS
Two names, a multitude of personalities. For almost two centuries, Syrah has been woven into the fabric of the southern hemisphere's wine world. Today, it makes some of the most exciting and terroir-expressive wines to be found south of equator, with a growing shift towards single-site bottlings
A Resource for the World? - Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation's borders
Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation’s borders
Great Cabernets of South America
Other varieties may hog the limelight across South America, but the world’s most popular grape for red wines has played a critical role in the continent's wine heritage. We trace Cabernet Sauvignon’s story here, and recommend 16 benchmark wines to try
PROVENCE by train and bike
With rail links to Paris, Nice, Marseilles and beyond, a vast network of cycle paths and quiet roads, and a plethora of historic wine estates, Provence is an ideal destination for an eco-friendly, car-free and carefree) holiday
