Come taste the magic of “I Think” and La Bota Sherries from Equipo Navazos today, Saturday, May 19 from 4 to 7pm at Tinto Fino – Vinos de España, 85 First AVE (btw 5th & 6th) in Manhattan, 212.254.0850. This free, in-store tasting marks the launch of “I Think” Manzanilla in the USA! It will be accompanied by Navazos Niepoort dry Palomino and two rare La Bota Sherries.

Equipo Navazos began as a small group of Sherry lovers who sought out special and "forgotten" barrels of Sherry to bottle and share privately amongst themselves and their friends. The La Bota Sherry series quickly achieved cult status with Sherry aficionados and received extraordinarily high praise from wine critics. And eventually began limited commercial distribution in the US and elsewhere.

The "I Think" project began in 2010 at the behest of a British wine merchant who loved the La Bota Sherries but was looking for something with a different profile: a younger and fresher style that reflected the vibrancy of Sherry tasted in barrel in Sherry country, yet still exhibited some of the complex and profound character of the La Bota series.

After tasting through thousands of barrels, Equipo Navazos was able to identify some very special barrels that fit the criteria and the wines were drawn (“saca” in Sherry terms) from barrel and bottled, with minimal filtration in the style known as "en rama" (in the raw), in October 2010 as "I Think" Manzanilla.

After the success of the first saca for the UK market, a second, limited run was created in April 2012 for the US market, "I Think" Manzanilla Saca de Abril 2012. The wine is pale golden straw colored, with a pungent nose of waxy honey, white flower, salty almond, and hints of green apple, buttery dough and shitake mushroom. On the palate, it is tangy and vibrant, with yeasty, honeyed richness and mineral, lime pith, and anise nuances. The finish is long and smooth with roasted nut, chalk and brine notes.

Presenting the wine at this tasting will be Jesús Barquín, who is part of the Equipo Navazos team and is considered by many as one of the top Sherry experts in the world. Jesús is also a well known and highly respected wine writer and critic—he co-authored the recently published book “The Finest Wines of Rioja & Northwest Spain”. In addition to "I Think" Manzanilla, the tasting will include Navazos Niepoort dry Palomino and two other sherries from the La Bota series: La Bota #32 Manzanilla and La Bota #34 Palo Cortado.

Don’t miss this exciting chance to be one of the first in the USA to taste “I Think” Manzanilla, sample Equipo Navazos’s highly sought after Sherries, and to meet one of the men behind the amazing Equipo Navazos project!

Don’t miss a perfect after work stopover today, May 17th, from 5 to 7:30PM at Despaña – Vinos y Mas (410 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013). They will host an in-store tasting of wines from Bodegas Horacio Calvente, a recent addition to the Spanish-Wine-Exclusives portfolio.

Bodegas Horacio Calvente began as a personal vision of its namesake, Horacio Calvente. Horacio recovered forgotten and neglected old vineyards in the Sierra Nevada mountains south of Granada near the Mediterranean coast, and using traditional winemaking methods along with modern techniques, he strives to produce high quality wine that showcases the tradition, terroir and potential of the region.

The featured wine at the tasting will be the Calvente Castillejos 2009, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah based red blend. The grapes come from high altitude vineyard plots on steep slopes in calcareous clay and shale soil. Hand picked during second half of September and fermented for 16 days, the wine then aged for 16 months in new French oak barrels. The wine has a rich and complex bouquet of dark fruit and spices and is balanced, well structured and ageworthy. As a special treat two other Calvente wines, not yet available in the US, will be poured, the Guindalera red 2008 and the dry Guindalera Moscatel 2011.

Presenting the wine at this tasting will be Jesús Barquín, a friend and longtime supporter of the winery. Jesús is a well known and highly respected wine critic and writer – he co-authored the recently published book “The Finest Wines of Rioja & Northwest Spain”, and is considered by many as one of the top Sherry experts in the world. Jesús is also part of the Equipo Navazos team and will top off the tasting with their La Bota de Manzanilla #32.

Don’t miss this exciting chance to taste the wines from Bodegas Horacio Calvente and one of the most sought after rarities, La Bota Sherry!

One of the highlights of my trips to Spain last year was the discovery of L’Escaleta, nestled in a mountain valley setting in the small town of Cocentaina in the province of Valencia. It was really more like a revelation.

Not only that such an elegant, refined and at the same time inventive cuisine could be found in the countryside, but that it was executed at a world class level. And also with such relaxed elan so far afield from the culinary poles of San Sebastian, Barcelona and Madrid, for which Spain is well known.

This is part of what makes Spain such a rich destination for food and wine lovers. The ingredients can be outstanding throughout Spain, but the level of cooking can be unexpectedly high, whether at a humble neighborhood bar or at ambitious restaurant off the beaten track like L’Escaleta.

My business partner, María Alvarez, and I were visiting Celler la Muntanya, our new winery partner for the first time in the nearby town of Muro. We were hosted by winery co-founder Juan Cascant, and his wife Inmaculada. Juan had insisted that L’Escaleta was the place for our first evening in the area.

It was a rainy night. The arched entrance gate opened into a beautiful arbor-way covered in a night sheen of rain and light. As we walked across wet cut stone our anticipation grew. All was peaceful, still and the quiet only broken by the soft sound of rain and our footsteps. It seemed there only for us. The lights were the only clue that it was open.

Inside we were warmly greeted in a modern space featuring glass sheets, yellow ochre walls and terra cotta tiled floors. As we entered the inner dining area it had more traditional elements of limestone columns, Mediterranean wall tiling and was furnished with elegant dark wood and red velvet touches. However, the main dining room was not empty of guests, but rather occupied by a mix of well spaced tables of convivial diners that included German wine importers, whom María knew.

It turns out L’Escaleta has a top wine list and an award winning sommelier, Alberto Redrado, which makes it a destination in the region for wine lovers. It had received 2 stars from Guia Repsol, which I find more accurate than Michelin for restaurants in Spain, and was recently listed as 10th of the top 25 best gastronomic restaurants in Spain (and one of the 101 restaurants to visit before you die!) by Condé Nast Traveler (Spanish Edition).

Not realizing the extent of the accolades at the time, we had simply put ourselves in the hands of Juan, Alberto and his cousin, chef Kiko Moya. And we proceeded to be amazed. As the evening progressed it became increasingly clear that this was not simply excellent, but a restaurant operating at the highest level.

The delicious contemporary takes on classic Mediterranean flavors pictured above mark the modern edge of the chef Kiko Moya’s cuisine. They rely on heritage elements, such as the Pericana, but in this case re-conceived with brilliant technical skill as something like an aioli sandwich, where the bread is pericana wafer and the aioli center is milky garlic ice cream. Or with the Botifarra, a rustic, centuries old sausage recipe laced with truffle and chocolate tones.

As we were with Juan, we were freed from the need to puzzle through the extensive and impressive wine list to make pairing choices. We were treated to a progression of Celler la Muntanya wines. The bright bold, yet refined flavors of the food was balanced beautifully by these rich yet elegant Mediterranean wines.

I was glad we were in Juan’s hands. He had chosen the “traditional” tasting menu (though with the opening modern flourishes). As we delved deeper into the culinary traditions of the Muro and Alicante area we increasingly relished how well the wines were showing with the meal.

This was a great meal. From top to bottom, from the wait staff, wine service, relaxed atmosphere and lively company to the outstanding cooking and forays into the culinary past and the cutting edge of the present. There was not a single weak dish as can often happen in a long tasting menu such as this, and my least favorite plate was still delicious. So many perfectly done details, like the butter, the bread, great olive oil, the little thyme blossoms on the eggplant cubes, all combined to help make for a magical evening.

For Maria it was the finest meal she has had, and this after many years of fine wining and dining in the trade. For me, being lucky enough to visit San Sebastian’s best for more than 10 years (and top spots in France and Italy), its tricky to make a clear ranking of greatest meals.

As with so many special food and wine high points the difficulty is remaining objective through the soft blur and shimmer of memory and putting your finger on all the many elements that came together to make one night’s magic greater and more enduring than another’s. What I can tell you is that our evening at L’Escaleta was one of them.

On a recent trip to New York, Juan Cascant of Celler la Muntanya and his wife Inmaculada took time off their vacation schedule to meet with Spanish wine lovers and to present their wines for an in-store tasting at Despaña – Vinos y Mas.

Juan and his friend, Toni Boronat, co-founded Celler la Muntanya in 2003. Their mission is to produce high quality wines by sourcing grapes from a mix of outstanding local, organically farmed micro-vineyards, pay fair rates for the quality of their produce, and to promote an ecologically, culturally and economically sustainable wine production practices. Juan is in charge of the sales and marketing of Celler la Muntanya while Toni is responsible for the day to day vineyard and winemaking work.

Juan and Toni are pioneers in the Microvinya movement which strives to rescue and restore small vineyard plots across Mediterranean Europe and to make them economically viable. Microvinya is part of a broader initiative spearheaded by Elviart, a non-profit association whose aim is to defend the Mediterranean ecosystem, culture, and arts. Juan is the current president of Elviart.

At the tasting on April 12th, 2012 at Despaña – Vinos y Mas, Juan poured the following wines to enthusiastic responses:

        • Celler la Muntanya Albir 2010
        • Celler la Muntanya LLiure Albir 2009
        • Celler la Muntanya Negre 2009
        • Celler la Muntanya Dolç 2009

In addition to the tasting at Despaña – Vinos y Mas, Juan and his wife Inmaculada enjoyed a culinary tour of Manhattan, including a visit to Hearth Restaurant (403 E 12th Street, New York, NY 10009, tel: 646-602-1300) where Celler la Muntanya Negre is on their wine menu, both by the glass and on the Seasonal Reds list. Also of note Spanish Wine Exclusives’ Gran Cerdo and Orgullo are also available at Hearth Restaurant.

For more on Celler la Muntanya, check out the winery profile at Spanish-Wine-Exclusives.com. Or to see Juan’s PowerPoint presentation click here to view or download (file size 73.3mb).

Spanish Wine Exclusives was thrilled to introduce Antonio Palacios, Carme Casacuberta, Antoni Pena and Basilio Izquierdo to Spanish wine lovers in the New York area this past fall.

We would like thank Tinto Fino, our retail partner, for their help in organizing the events; Tía Pol and Tertulia for hosting the dinners and for their culinary feats; and the attendees for their interest and support. If you have missed any of these events, we will be planning more winemaker dinners for 2012 so stay tuned.

Our winemaker dinners offer the attendees a very personal way to interact and learn more about the winemakers, their philosophy, and of course, their wines. These personal stories are more than just the fulfillment of their winemaking dreams, they also represent the exciting, informative and important views of the Spanish wine culture today.

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Sensorial Winemaking with Antonio Palacios of Bodegas Lazarus
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 @ Tía Pol Restaurant

On October 18th, special guest Antonio Tomás Palacios, winemaker of Bodegas Lazarus and Professor of Enology at the University of La Rioja, was joined by a group of wine enthusiasts in an intimate dinner at Tía Pol. Antonio shared his knowledge in the art and science of Sensorial Winemaking, which incorporates the heightened sensitivities of specially trained blind winemakers into the winemaking process, and led the group on a sensory exploration through a mini tasting of wine faults, and then through the evening’s featured wines paired with Tia Pol’s exciting Spanish cuisine. The menu and wine pairings consisted of the following:

Equipos Navazos Manzanilla “I Think”
Cuchifritos
♦ ♦ ♦
Lazarus Viogner 2010
Squid a la Plancha with Sunchokes & Autumn Squash
♦ ♦ ♦
Lazarus “Black Label” 2005
Wild Game & Mushroom Fideos
♦ ♦ ♦
Lazarus “Orange Label” 2007
Seared Long Island Duck Breast with “Lazarus” Braised Cabbage & Stewed Fruits
♦ ♦ ♦
Gonzales Byass “Noe” Pedro Ximenez VORS
Leche Frita

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Winemaker Dinner with Carme & Antoni from Vinyes d’Olivardots
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 @ Tertulia

Following the successful winemaker dinner with Antonio Palacios, on November 8th Spanish Wine Exclusives was excited to welcome Carme Casacuberta and her husband Antoni Pena of Vinyes d’Olivardots, located in the northernmost Mediterranean DO of Empordá. With the help of Priorat’s foremost winemakers, father and daughter team José Luis and Sara Pérez, Carme and Antoni strive to make distinctive, exceptional wines that reflect the terroir of the estate, and the culture and traditions of the region. Pairing with these wines are the big, meaty and flavorful dishes specifically prepared by chef Seamus Mullen of Tertulia. The menu and wine pairings consisted of the following:

Asturian Sidra Reception
♦ ♦ ♦
Castro de Lobarzán 2010 Godello/Treixadura, DO Monterrei
Seamus’s Selection of Tapas
♦ ♦ ♦
Vinyes d’Olivardots Gresa ‘Expressió’ 2007
Arroz a la Plancha
(Calasparra rice, snails, wild mushrooms, celery, fennel, iberico ham)
♦ ♦ ♦
Vd’O 1.08 – 60 year old cariñena plot ‘Vinya de l’Avi Joan’ 2008
Vd’O 2.08 – 100 year old cariñena plot ‘Hort d’en Joan’ 2008
Cordero
(Grilled lamb breast)
♦ ♦ ♦
Vd’O 3.08 – 100% syrah ‘Paratge Olivardots’ 2008
Chuletón de Buey a la Brasa
(40 day aged prime rib, grilled on the coals, romesco)

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Winemaker Dinner with Rioja Legend Basilio Izquierdo
Tuesday, November 29, 2011 @ Tía Pol Restaurant

Rounding up the winemaker dinner series and repeating his visit to New York was the Rioja legend, Basilio Izquierdo, owner and winemaker of his namesake winery, Basilio Izquierdo. Basilio was the head winemaker for over 30 years at CVNE and Contino in Rioja and was responsible for some of their most sought after vintages. On November 29th, with the help of Kerin Auth of Tinto Fino as his interpreter, Basilio shared his wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of Rioja winemaking tradition, and lead the group through a tasting of his wines, paired with dishes carefully prepared by Tía Pol. The menu and wine pairings consisted of the following:

B de Basilio Blanco 2009
Para Picar
(garbanzos fritos, croquetas de bacalao, montaditos de lomo adobado,
embutidos ibéricos)
♦ ♦ ♦
B de Basilio Blanco 2010
Vieiras Crudas con Limón
(nantucket bay scallops with chiles “escabechadas” and meyer lemon)
♦ ♦ ♦
Carlos Serres Gran Reserva 1964
Añares Reserva 1982
Crema de Hígado con Conejo, Pato, y Codorníz
(goose, duck and chicken liver pate with confit of rabbit, duck and quail)
♦ ♦ ♦
B de Basilio Tinto 2007
Costillas de Res
(red wine-braised short ribs with catalan-style kale and celery root puree)
♦ ♦ ♦
Postre
(chocolate sponge cake with pedro ximenez cream filling)

Recently in New York City I attended a blind tasting of Bordeaux reds from the now legendary 1982 vintage. The tasting harkened back to the seminal “Judgement of Paris” blind tasting of 1976 in which California wines prevailed over top wines from France. However, in this case two Spaniards and one Italian were the upstarts.

The Bordeaux were a mix of Left and Right Bank classified growths. While we were not treated to first growths, the tasting did feature many acclaimed wines, including the 100 point scoring Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien. The wines were:

1982 Left Bank Bordeaux:
• Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien / 2nd Growth
• Château Léoville Barton St. Julien / 2nd Growth
• Château Beychevelle St. Julien / 4th Growth
• Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac / 5th Growth

1982 Right Bank Bordeaux:
• Château Latour à Pomerol, Pomerol
• Château Pavie St. Emilion / Premier Grand Cru
• Château Figeac St. Emilion / Premier Grand Cru
• Château Fonroque St. Emilion / Grand Cru
• Château La Dominique St. Emilion / Grand Cru

1982 Upstarts:
• Jean Leon Cabernet Sauvignon Penedès, Spain
• Miguel Torres Gran Coronas Mas La Plana “Black Label” Reserva Penedès, Spain
• Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany, Italy

The Jean Leon winery was a groundbreaking force in the Penedès region in terms of world quality, Bordeaux style wines. It was started in 1963 by Jean León, a Spaniard, who became a successful restauranteur, was part of the ’50s Hollywood scene, and had even partnered with James Dean in a restaurant venture. The 150 hectare Jean Leon estate was created in the Château style and revolutionized wine production in the region and in Spain by planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot varietal clippings from acclaimed Bordeaux wineries including Château Lafite-Rothschild and La Lagune.

The historic Miguel Torres winery and their Mas La Plana “Black Label” were the other major force in putting Penedès on the map in terms of international reputation and acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in the Mas La Plana vineyard starting in 1966 and the first vintage released was the 1970 edition that shocked the French wine world—and probably a lot of Spaniards too—when it bested the likes of Château Latour in the Paris Wine Olympiad of 1979.

Castel Giocondo has been a respected Montalcino estate since the 19th century, and has taken on an even higher profile since 1989 when it became the property of the Frescobaldi family, one of the top winemaking families of Tuscany. 1982 is considered by most an excellent vintage in Brunello di Montalcino. Mirroring Bordeaux, it was hot and dry, producing rich, powerful wines, though without the extra elegance and brighter acidity found in what some consider to be the very best vintages.

There were ten tasters, a mix of wine enthusiasts, collectors (including Jim, who bought most of the Bordeaux on release) and a few wine professionals. The wines were opened about one half hour before the tasting, bagged and tasted blind over the following 2.5 hours. The group rankings are below, with brief notes on each.

#12: Château Pavie St. Emilion / Premier Grand Cru
Unfortunately this bottle was corked, and thus is not a fair representative of the wine. There was clearly quality underneath, but the cork taint put it in last place.

#11: Château Figeac St. Emilion / Premier Grand Cru
This bottle was quite firm and a bit dull, though with some length and complexity. Musty and dusty undertones probably contributed to its poor showing. Further tastings would be required to see how representative this is, or if it was perhaps slightly corked.

#10: Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy
This wine really stood out as different from the Bordeaux blends. Most tasters didn’t “get” the appeal. And it also showed signs of oxidation, which didn’t help. This bottle was purchased at retail a year earlier, so its hard to say if this was simply a tired bottle or an indicative one, since none of the tasters were familiar with this wine at this age.

#9: Château Léoville Las Cases St. Julien / 2nd Growth
This was a disappointing showing for this wine. Even after being open for a few hours it was still not very giving. It showed classic Left Bank graphite minerality and minty tones, but the fruit character was overshadowed by unusual exotic herbal tones and a touch of oxidation. Not the best bottle of this I have had, but it did not show any glaring flaws either. This bottle was not purchased on release.

#8: Château Fonroque St. Emilion / Grand Cru
This was a bright and lovely, mature Right Bank red. It offered pretty rose petal and cedar tones over a core of dried berry notes. Finished firmly and elegantly. Some objected to noticable gamey notes, while others found they added complexity and charm. This is what most of us hope for in a mature Bordeaux, especially from a less acclaimed and more modestly priced producer.

#7: Château Beychevelle St. Julien / 4th Growth
An elegant St. Julien showing the ripeness of the vintage with roasted red pepper top notes over inky black plum flavors. Cigar wrapper, smoke, black soil and touches of mint and coffee rounded out the tertiary notes of this very enjoyable, mature Bordeaux.

#6: Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac / 5th Growth
One of the most full-bodied wines of the night, as one would expect from Pauillac, but still elegant with a soft, spiced finish. Classic red currant scents and flavors predominated with touches of mint, licorice, black soil, graphite, tar and an umami undertone that added complexity.

#5: Château La Dominique St. Emilion / Grand Cru
A good showing for La Dominique, with ample, ripe red currant flavors and a firm finish made graceful by age. Ash, wet cigar, minerals, baking spices, brioche and floral tones added to this lively Right Bank red.

#4: Château Latour à Pomerol, Pomerol
One of the more dense and rich entries, with the promise of further ageability. The nose featured red currant, mint, chalk, potting soil scents with a slight bell pepper undertone. Deep and smooth on the palate with red berry flavors, buttressed by notes of tar and tobacco. Finished long with lingering dusty red currant tones.

#3: Miguel Torres Gran Coronas Mas La Plana “Black Label” Reserva Penedès, Spain
A classic Mas La Plana, offering fragrant currant and cranberry scents, layered with notes of cedar and smoke—plus an intriguing touch of musk. The palette was both bright and delicate with precise currant and cranberry flavors along with notes of cedar, spice, and hints of damp earth, tobacco and coconut. This elegant, pure and lively wine was holding strong and should continue to impress for years to come for those with bottles to spare. Purchased at retail.

#2: Jean Leon Cabernet Sauvignon Penedès, Spain
A very complex wine, showing a panoply of aromas from plum and currant fruit to nuances of cedar, lavendar, violet, smoke, iron and even a touch of toffee. On the mouth jellied plum and blueberry compote flavors mingled with cedar, smoke, cinnamon, ash and black soil tones, plus a touch of cigar wrapper. Graceful, bouyant and harmonious. A beautiful wine. Purchased at auction.

#1: Château Léoville Barton St. Julien / 2nd Growth
Probably the most powerful and backward of the group in its youth, this bottle was singing, but still firm and youthful. Creamy currant scents were at the core of the nose with rich cedar notes and touches of smoke and damp earth. The palate was bright and cranberry tones added to the core of currants with lingering cedar and mineral notes. A powerful and graceful, mature red.

The outstanding showing of the two Spanish wines was the shocker of the night, especially considering they were the least expensive wines of the group—both as mature bottles (at retail or auction when you can find them) or back when they were released in the 1980s. The Jean Leon was purchased last year for $30 and the Torres for $60. While the Léoville Barton, Lynch Bages and Léoville Las Cases will set you back around $185, $300 and $435 each respectively.

For those familiar with the quality and value these Spanish reds offer, it was no surprise they showed well. What was a surprise is just how well they showed against so many classified Bordeaux in one of Bordeaux’s greatest vintages. Keep in mind that 1982 is generally classed as a very good year in Penedès, but not excellent.

The long and the short of it is that Spain offers a wealth of outstanding, world-class wines for those willing to step beyond the well known international classics. Even at a head to head level. And sometimes at ridiculiously low pricing for what you get in the bottle.

Our 2011 started with intensive focus on unearthing new wine treasures in Spain. Our search led us literally across the country, covering nearly 1800 miles. We began on the eastern edge of Spain on the Mediterranean coast in Alicante and headed west nearly to the western coast on the Atlantic Ocean in Galicia.

Our goal was to follow up various promising leads, including a whole range of exciting new wines coming out of Galicia, especially Mencía-based reds and Godello-based whites, mixed in with other newly revived indigenous grapes.

Stops in between included Almansa, Madrid, Ribera del Duero and Rioja; as always hunting for very special, low-production wines to bring back to the States. And as you might expect, the regional cuisine was an integral part of the search too. OK—a highly enjoyable part! But more on those adventures later.

In Galicia we explored a mix of wineries from the DO’s of Ribeiro, Valdeorras, Monterrei and Ribeira Sacra. We had already tasted through an array of samples, which had helped us narrow down where to visit. Plus we explored tips from winemakers as we went along.

What we found is that the diverse new wines emerging from the cooler, damp Atlantic climates of “Green Spain” and Galicia in particular, require a re-calibration of the palate to be understood. Contrary to the ripe, fruit driven reds of Mediterranean influenced Jumilla or westward to the more Continentally influenced reds of Toro, these new wines are more mineral and acidity driven.

And dare we say, more sharply focused toward the subtle elements under the fruit. To make an analogy with the geography and wines of France: these wines move away from the Southern Rhône or even further westward to Bordeaux, and instead make a sharp turn toward Burgundy. There. We have said it. Although the region is warmer than Burgundy the analogy holds some truth.

And this is what all the excitement is about. As the various sub-regions emerge and the winemaking matures, the unique identities of these DO’s are being developed right before our eyes.

We will be sharing more of our explorations of the region and the compelling expressions we have found.