Enobytes Wine Blog

A big winner right out of the gate. Like a race horse this wine takes off and shows concentration and balance while still remaining exciting. From what I saw at the winery there was enough of this wine in their cellar for it to be around for a while. Things going the way they are in Spain right now it will probably be released soon to excited buyers looking to scoop up on vintage wine being sold at less than the usual price.

Spending 24 months in barrel aging and another 12 months in bottle, this selection from the La Mancha district was quite a revelation from this Ribera Del Duero producer known for concentrated, well-crafted reds that do not disappoint and this one was a fine example of all the aforementioned traits. Read the rest of this entry »

Why didn’t I find time to visit Oyon while we were in Rioja? That’s the city where this wine comes from and the vineyards I’m sure are there as well. 90% Tempranillo and 10% Mazuelo, this wine would have been worth going out of my way to meet the folks who made it.

As this wine opens and starts to breathe (please allow yourself enough time to let this one aerate or if you must, use one of those nifty bottle-top aeration devices like the Soiree) dark fruit spice and vanilla shows on the nose.

The wine sees 18 months barrel time and another 24 months of bottle aging. Soft tannins and elegant texture, the rich ripe fruit on the palate lingers and the finish is pleasant enough to take small sips as you will want to experience the finish over and over again.

This wine would go great with grilled leg of Lamb or an earthy mushroom risotto. ~Marc Hinton

Rating: 90 | $20 | 13.5% ABV

Find this wine to buy: Vinquire | WineZap.com

Time changes and jet lag made sleeping a challenge.  I found myself awake at dawn so I went for a walk. The entire hotel was smoke free so it was a good excuse for a walk. My little trip put things into perspective only to reaffirm the hotel location is not conducive for travelers without a car and locals were not quite ready for the sights of an American tourist walking around at 5AM looking more like the hunter than the hunted.

I queried some wholesale fish mongers as they were loading the truck with the days’ offerings, specifically about the price per kilo on the tuna and I think they thought they were going to be robbed. Probably the bad kitchen Spanish again.  I need to remember to not say anything unless I have to. A couple more blocks and my walk about was complete.  It was the start of a big day in a new country and I am pretty excited to get started.

Now back to the bar for a triple pull off the espresso machine.  I almost feel like I am in Amsterdam except for the lack of females in public places other than workplaces. At all of the Hotel bars, corner bars, neighborhood restaurants and anywhere else but the grocery store, we did not see women on their own unless they were working. I know I said they were a liberal country and we discussed this subject further at one of the wineries in Rioja and we will get to that later.

Pamela was not quite awake when I returned from my walk and trip to the espresso machine. When I told her how great the coffee was she did not believe me. Then we went downstairs and she tried one herself and bang she was hooked. From there on out it was two doubles each before we started our day. Read the rest of this entry »

As we left Portland for our first trip to Spain we had travelitis from the start to boarding the plane. Our flight was a huge bargain when I booked a Travelzoo Top Twenty Alert, $536rt from Seattle to Madrid. We were shocked as the date loomed closer and the reality of a British Airways strike seemed likely. We traveled to Sea-Tac with confidence that it would all work out; you know sort of “the best laid plans”. As we passed through a squall of snow on the drive from Hillsboro, OR to SEA our confidence took a hit and we proceeded with caution thinking at every turn how lucky we would be if things just went as planned.

Departure took place with minimal intrusions and British Airways provided a great choice of entertainment. I actually watched four movies that I had planned to rent (I cannot fall asleep where there are people I do not know. Yeah I go sleepless a lot.)

Landing at Heathrow was a confusing and educational experience all at once. God bless the duty free stores. It was a relief to board the flight to Madrid and just an hour or so later we touched down after receiving a beautiful view of the city as we approached the airport. I have entered my share of foreign countries and one thing that never changes  Read the rest of this entry »

Lodi might be known for its remarkable reds, but let’s not forget about its innate ability to make some tasty whites. In the past, this part of the country was primarily known for the cultivation of Chardonnay, French Colombard and Chenin Blanc. Fast forward a couple of decades, and its movement shifts to showcase Viognier, Gewürztraminer, and some of the best Albariño I’ve tasted in a while.

What makes Albariño so special is its intrinsic capability to mimic so many varietals, while it distinctively stands out as a wine with unrivaled character and finesse. Emulating its stature would call for a dash of grassiness from Sauvignon Blanc, a hint of almond flavors found in Pinot Blanc, a handful of mineral flavors from Riesling, a pinch of apple and peach from Chardonnay, enveloped with the sweet smells of apricots and orange blossoms found in Viognier.

Take for example, the 2009 Harney Lane Albariño from the Lodi AVA, which stands up to its Spanish counterpart, a flamenco dancer that demands attention to its rich, tart, distinctive aromas and flavors. Add a heavy dose of hot Lodi sun, and you’ll get layers of tropical notes not found in the cool, damp northwest corner of Spain.

Tastes like: Licking a tart green apple infused with grapefruit and pineapple.

Pairs nicely with: anything freshly grilled from the ocean; a dinner with a winemaker and Paella; a bonfire at the beach; a romantic picnic getaway; a midnight summers dream; an aperitif with friends and family; any kind of Asian food; risotto with apples and pancetta; the winners circle at NASCAR or Del Mar.

Cellaring: Drink now or forever hold your peace

Rating: 93 | $19 | 13.5% ABV

Find this wine: Vinquire | WineZap.com | Direct from the Winery

~Pamela Heiligenthal

As of late we have reviewed a plethora of Spanish wines most with favorable reviews. In fact there are so many great wines from Spain available here in the United States I was wondering if they actually made any wines that weren’t great.

Well if you keep looking long enough you will always get exposed to a few that should have stayed home. If your wine gets mentioned here and you feel it was misrepresented please send us a sample and we will review it again.  Who knows, maybe our bottle was off.

2008 Bodegas Viticultores de Barros Emperador de Barros Ribera del Guadiana
14.5% $12 Rating: 72

Always be cautious when a back label reads “For immediate consumption”. If I had drank it last year it would not have been soon enough. Aromas of fruit are ok but really rough on the palate.  We were only able to choke down a half a glass before I gave up.

2006 Legado Munoz Castilla Tempranillo
12% $12 Rating: 71

The traditional label leads you to think this is a serious wine, a wine find of immense proportions, even maybe one of those rare finds when for some odd reason or another they are selling a $40 wine for $10 and you grab one and race home to open it, thinking you will run back and buy all they have. It was more like run to the sink to spit before any accidentally made it past your throat.

2006 Torres Corona Tempranillo
13% $10 Rating: 75

This was one of the first Spanish wines I ever tried and even back then (80’s) I thought it represented an old style of winemaking that Spain was known for and not in a good way.  Now thirty years later it is still consistent – not good, but consistent.  Muddled aromas of asphalt and raisins lead to flavors of already smoked tobacco on a coffee grinds frame. The finish is long enough to irritate and maybe even have you take one more sip just to confirm it really is as bad as you thought it tasted.

There are a few more and once I confirm the degree of egregiousness I will review those wines also. So let it be known sampling wine is fun but along with the fun comes the hard part – letting a winery know there is a reason the wine is not flying off the shelf. Sure it may sell but only once to those who can remember the label, another good reason to take a snapshot of every label you imbibe upon. To all the aforementioned wineries please let me wish you luck in the vintages to come.

~Marc Hinton

Marc and I finally made it back home after an awesome pilgrimage through Spain’s vast wine regions. Our travels took us through Madrid, Pesquera de Duero (Valladolid, Ribera del Deuro), Peñafiel, Bilbao, Haro & Logrono (Rioja), Barcelona, Castelldefels, El Molar (Priorat), and Aragon, casting a flow of memories worth sharing with you in the coming weeks and months. For now, take 10 minutes out of your day, sit back and watch the slide show to experience everything España has to offer!

Marc and I are touring the beautiful countryside of Spain and landed in the Rioja Alta region today — Haro, to be exact — home to many of the great bodegas producing “old world” style Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta, Graciano and Mazuelo.

I was really hoping to share some of our pictures as we make our way from north to south and east to west, but guess what? I found out that adding an AT&T $59 global international 20MB data iphone add-on plan will give you access to upload about nine pictures on a social media platform (e.g. facebook, twitter) — then you hit your limit. DOH!

Sadly, I reached my limit on the very first day of travel, with 13 more days to go. Not right on so many levels — so for now, I’ll  steal borrow pics from the internet and share my own after I return from the states. If you’d like to see what $59 will get you, check out my facebook page. Oh, that’s right, I’m sort of veering off the subject. What about the Policia!?! Read the rest of this entry »

Spain…a place so diverse yet the first thing that comes to mind for most is the grand region of Rioja, followed by wines like Tempranillo, Cava or Albariño.  Dig in a little deeper and you’ll discover Spain has so much more to offer. So I’m going to let you in on ten little secrets — well, to be more precise it’s more like a few inside scoops, a few predictions and a challenge or two.

By the end of this post, you’ll be a savvy Spanish wine guru doing the funky Hondarribi Zuri dance. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo credit: Modern Language Center

I’m a wine geek at heart so when I heard about an opportunity to receive a scholarship to attend a 3-day Spanish Wine education course sponsored by the Wine Academy of Spain and Catavino,  I jumped at the opportunity to find out more about the program.

I’m well aware of some of the initiatives this well-respected academy has headed up in the past, including the World Conference on Climate Change lead by Pancho Campo. If you have an interest in the impacts of climate change and how to adapt to a new climate, check out some of the audio files I uploaded a couple of years ago.

As for their latest venture, Catavino is responsible for the organization and development of awarding one scholarship to a blogger in each of the twelve cities the Academy plans to visit. Integrating the social media aspect into the business model of the Wine Academy is a smart move …and lucky for me, they’ll be hosting one of their 3-day certification programs right here in Portland! Read the rest of this entry »