Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Wines of the Week - November 3rd

It's getting decidedly cold in New York, but it's getting warmer Down Under, and I'm looking forward to getting back there for a brief blast of Summer next month. For those looking for Summer wines, or for those who love great high acid wines at any time of the year, here's the pick of the Albariños I recently tasted (tasting hosted by snooth and Rias Baixas wine group).

Bodegas Martin Codax Burgáns Albariño 2010

I enjoyed this wine back in Summer, and it was nice to see a familiar face in the line-up. The Bodegas Martin Codax is a co-operative of 285 producers located in the sub-zone of Val do Salnés. The Burgáns bottling underlines the Celtic heritage in the region, and distinguishes it from the wines bottled under the Martin Codax label. The nose hints at the sweetness to come on the palate, but the aromatics are more apple than peach or apricot. Plenty of acidity on the palate, which stops the peach flavours from being overly ripe, and keeps the sweetness in check. Very well balanced and classy wine, with a lovely rounded minerally finish.

Bodegas Santiago Ruíz Santiago Ruíz 2010 

Unlike most of the wines at the tasting, this wine is estate grown in the O Rosal sub-zone, and uniquely for the tasting, this wine is not 100% Albariño, with Loureiro and Treixadura adding to the 70% Albariño. Not surprising, the wine stood out, offering some complexity that is not necessarily a feature of Albariño. The nose combined some floral notes along with some tropical fruit. Plenty of acid was expected, but the wine was also quite drying, without really being astringent. A well structured wine, I'll be trying to find it again, preferably with a plate of shellfish to keep it company.

Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes Albariño de Fefiñanes 2010
 
Probably just edging the Burgáns for my wine of the night, this was another estate bottled wine, also from the Val do Salnés sub-zone. The nose was a little muted compared with some on the night, but there was an intriguing combination of stone fruits and some tarter, almost grassy notes. The palate was consistent, with some sweet stone fruit adding to the mouthfeel, while there was plenty of tart citrus and minerality to like and keep it all elegantly harmonious.

Previous week.


     


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