Classical Wines Portfolio (1-11-07)

Last night I tasted through this line-up from Classical Wines, importer of great estate bottled from Spain and Germany. Visit their web-site at http://www.classicalwines.com/ for the complete listing and reviews of these fabulous wines. We had this event at a local Spanish Restaurant, and were served a selection of Tapas.

Here is what I tasted:

C.H. Berres Impulse Sapphire Riesling, 2004

• This estate is located in Urzig along the Mosel.
• Owned by the same family sine 1515.
• Brilliant, pale gold in color.
• Soft aromas of peach and nectarine with a good spice component - orange blossoms.
• Juicy on the palate with smooth, dry fresh flavors.
• Flows across your palate and through to the finish; some chalkiness.
• Quite good, velvety, just off-dry.

Burklin-Wolf Estate Riesling (white label), 2005

• Pfalz, Germany
• Brilliant, pale gold in color.
• More candied flavors than the Berres.
• Intense nose with spicy, candied lemon rind and orange zest; quite pronounced on the aromatics.
• Quite dry almost to the point of being austere in style.
• Short-ish finish.

Can Feixes Blanco Seleccio, 2005

• Penedes, Spain
• Gold in color
• Very mild aromatics - slightly flowery with some salt or wet stone components.
• Clean and minerally on the palate.
• Very well balanced; good wine to have with food.
• Finished smooth and lovely.
• (2) perhaps even deserving a "+"??

Morgadio Albarino, 2005

• Rias Baxias, Spain
• Sea salt on the aromatics
• Round flavors
• Balanced smooth and quite nice
• Lengthy, velvety finish.

Carchelo Monastrell, 2005

• Jumilla, Spain
• Vibrant, purple/garnet red.
• Intense nose of grape and spice, smoke, ripe raspberries and other briary flavors
• Smooth and soft on the palate, though, with just a touch of dusty tannins.
• Great flavor through the finish, which maintains intensity
• Great Value.

Bodegas Gormaz Tempranillo, 2004

• Ribera del Duero, Spain
• Deep garnet color
• Spices on the nose with underlying raspberries
• Really smooth on the palate
• Easy finish - balance is very good with velvety fruit flowing on the finish.
• This wine has improved greatly over the past 6 months.

Bodegas Guelbenzu "Azul", 2003

• Navarra, Spain - bordeaux style blend
• Garnet color with a touch of fade to the rim.
• Easy nose of cherries and raspberries
• Smooth and mellow on the palate
• Kind of Bordeaux-like in its feel on the palate
• Dry finish with a bit of tang.

Candado de Haza, 2003

• An Alejandro Fernandez production, Ribera del Duero, Spain - all Tempranillo.
• Deep color - rich garnet to an almost black core.
• Quite intense on the nose with sweet, deep raspberries and cherries and licorices - a touch of garigue, as well.
• Quite rich and velvety on the palate, very smooth.
• Finishing dry and pervasive.
• Great with food, very good example.
• (2+)

Dehesa La Granja, 2001

• Another Alejandro Fernandez wine, (Zamora) Toro region.
• 100% Tempranillo, 24 months in American Oak.
• Quite deep raspberry red color with a very dense core.
• Nose is intense with some spice and deep raspberry aromas; lush nose.
• Very rich, velvety feel on the palate with pervasive flavors.
• A dry style, but balanced through the finish with a touch of tannin structure that carries the fruit quite well.

Dominio de Tarres "Exaltos" Mencia, 2003

• El Bierzo, Spain (Northwest Spain with Atlantic influences).
• 100% Mencia, aged for approximately 9 months in 50% American, and 50% French oak.
• Deep garnet/black color with an opaque core.
• Aromatics are full of raspberries, rosemary, thyme, brown sugar, white pepper...earthy flavors.
• On the palate this wine is quite good: smooth and rich with rolling, well integrated tannins.
• Long finish that is smooth and supple.
• Very Good.

(Bodegas Toro Albalá) Dom PX Pedro Ximénez, 2002

• Dessert-style wine from Montilla; made from grapes dried in the sun for two weeks to concentrate.
• Rich amber, toffee, caramel color.
• Orange zest and toffee predominate the aromatics with spices, maple and a touch of alcohol coming through.
• Super glycerous on the palate with orange marmalade, toffee, and cinnamon spices.
• Rich, sweet, but balanced on the finish.
• Very good.