Difficult, expensive wine projects have exerted a lifelong gravitational pull on Pablo Álvarez Mezquíriz-one that has not weakened with time. Two years shy of his 70th birthday-the date he has promised to step down as CEO of his Vega Sicilia Spanish wine empire-Álvarez announced earlier this year he is building a new winery in Galicia, named Deiva, with the goal of producing an iconic white wine.
"I have always wanted to create a world-class Spanish white, similar to a top Burgundy, and I believe the Albariño grape has that unique potential," he told Wine Spectator during a recent visit to New York. A man of few words and fewer smiles-Álvarez was in town to unveil the new vintages of his estates' wines, highlighted by Bodegas Vega Sicilia, which is widely considered to be Spain's first-growth. As we tasted the 2017 Valbuena and the crown jewel Unico 2012, he explained how his journey to craft a great white wine in Spain has been long in the making.
Back in the mid-1990s, Álvarez planted Chardonnay and Rhône white wine varieties at Vega Sicilia's estate in Ribera del Duero, with less than-ideal results. After looking around in Burgundy ("No one can afford to buy in Burgundy!" he complained) and a successful white wine project in, of all places, Hungary, he refocused on Spain and, for the past four years, has been busily buying up vineyards in the Rías Baixas region of Galicia in northwest Spain.
So far, the company has invested $20 million, and the first cuvée will be released in 2025. It will take many vintages beyond that first release to achieve Burgundian-like finesse and complexity, he said, but he's confident that eventually he will do just that.
Denne historien er fra July 31, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
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Denne historien er fra July 31, 2022-utgaven av Wine Spectator.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.
Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting
Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:
War in Middle East Affects Vintners
The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.
Savoring Persimmon Season
For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"
Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack
Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.
Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!
Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"
Kistler's DARKER SIDE
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built
THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE
THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES
MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman
Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.
