THE GREAT TRANS-ATLANTIC TASTE-OFF!

Colin Harkness

In the Blue Corner, from New Mexico, USA, Michele Padberg; In the Red Corner, from Cheshire, UK, but nowadays, Alicante, Spain, Colin Harkness – this lightweight contest comes to your screens via 5Barricas’ Valencia Plaza online magazine!

Of course, despite the opening this is not at all a competition between two International Wine Judges, it’s simply an opportunity to look at one wine, namely Bodegas Vera de Estenas’, Casa Don Ángel, from two different perspectives. Plus, this month’s Colin Harkness Wine Review affords me the opportunity to further introduce a new name to the Spanish Wine Sector.

Younger than half my age, Michele Padberg, Co-Owner (with husband, Jesse, plus brother and sister-in-law, Chris and Liliana) of Vivác Winery****, New Mexico, is already an internationally recognised wine expert. In brief and on Michele’s website** she describes herself as: Advanced Sommelier; International Wine Judge; Wine Writer; Wine Speaker; Wine Educator; and (stating the obvious!) Wine Obsessed!

She’s also a fellow member of the prestigious Circle of Wine Writers*** (CWW) and it’s within this forum that I first ‘met’, Michele, just prior to her emigration from her New Mexico home to Spain, where she, daughter, Denali Dae, and Jesee are now settled. It was clear from internet correspondence that we had not only wine in common so, amongst other possibilities, we thought this might be a first collaboration. 

As regular readers will know, I’m a big fan of Spanish wines, championing them whenever I can. For all wine judges it’s crucial to remain unbiased, completely open minded so, whilst I’m certain that my love of Spanish wines is because they are so good and not because I feel I owe allegiance to the country having allowed me to live here, I also wanted to see, for example, at least one tasted from a different perspective. The International Taste-Off was born! 

Enter, my old friend, Félix Martínez, owner and Head Winemaker of Bodegas Vera de Estenas*, whom I’ve known now for many years. Since taking over the reins from his father, Félix has developed the winery into one of the most accomplished in DO Utiel-Requena, winning a string of national and international medals, awards and plaudits. Old, established lines have evolved, the list extended with new wines added – and more to come, no doubt. Wine tourism has also developed, including the amazing, ancient underground cellar adorned still by original, large ‘tinajas’ (clay amphorae); along with the redesign and refurbishment of the almost palatial finca where people can stay overnight, perhaps having attended one of the special events held in such a delightful spot – as indeed have we.

Félix has a flagship wine, Casa Don Ángel Bobal, a bottle of which was sent to Michele and myself (and to my Editor, Fernando – well he wasn’t missing out, of course!) and an informal date to taste agreed upon. From Michele’s critique (following) it’s clear that she is an accomplished wine writer, as well as being an astute judge. NB note the USA English spellings!

Estenas Casa Don Ángel Bobal 2021

“A perfect garnet color, this wine is just starting to stretch its legs. It starts with a bold berry in the nose that is tart and fresh with a robust ripeness. I’m instantly thinking of marionberry (an Oregon USA cross between two types of blackberries whose result has the bright red notes of a raspberry with the dark rich notes of a blackberry), it also reflects red plum and black cherry. As it swirls open it shows notes of black tea, cacao, and worn leather. Further time in the glass gives it pink peony and fresh lavender fields layered over dried thyme and anise seed. On the palate it pops with unexpected freshness and the bright red berry gives way to mature fruit cobbler with hints of herbal notes and a quick bite of tannin at the finish. It is utter elegance. The velvety tannins give it considerable body, but its pronounced acidity gives it a lift that doesn’t tire your palate.

This wine begs for food and I found myself obsessed with all the things I wanted to taste with it. Like a good new resident to Spain, I had Ibérico and Manchego in the fridge. The wine is transformed with each pairing now giving minerality and a floral note on the palate and ending in rich blackberry.”

Well, that’s the gauntlet well and truly laid down!

Casa Don Ángel Bobal 2021 wine is made, of course, with the indigenous variety, Bobal, whose vines are old, producing few, but gloriously rich grapes. It macerates for about a week with regular punching down of the skins to ensure good extraction. The juice is then fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel, with malolactic fermentation occurring in old cement deposits. To finish the wine, it is placed in used French oak barrels where it rests for about 24 months, adding to its flavour profile and increasing its depth and complexity, rounding off the wine before bottling.

Immediate fruit as soon as the cork is pulled – damson to the fore, with blackcurrant and cherry. It’s a very dark cherry colour with lighter coloured cherries at the edge where it meets the glass. As it fills the glass (well, only a third-full, of course – this is a proper pour!) the aromas consolidate, damson and other dark bramble berry fruits first, but with some leather and mature oak in the background and, surprisingly some milk chocolate notes, initially, before changing to a darker chocolate liqueur smell.

The room takes on the aromas found in the producer’s cellars making raising the glass to the lips even more of a pleasure. On the palate, it’s full, but at 15% ABV, it’s not at all overbearing – credit to Félix. The mature damson, almost like damson jam taste, but certainly without the sugar, is immediately there on the palate, where it remains until, and after swallowing. Hold it in the mouth and you’ll taste, and feel, that this wine is perfectly in balance, with fresh acidity making it a bright and fresh wine, with sufficient tannin, alcohol and certainly oak-backed fruit to last for the long haul. 

A wine to savour, a wine to pair with meat dishes, a wine to share with family and friends. It’s drinking very well now, but has the necessary attributes for it to age, probably for ten years, if kept under the correct conditions, though I would probably taste the first bottle of the case I’d laid down after another four years and take it from there!

NB  Félix, Fernando (of course!) and I are anxiously awaiting a sample wine from Vivác Winery. When we have received these wines I will write Part Two of this special edition, telling readers more about this New Mexico winery, whose vineyards are at such an altitude that they have been accepted as members of the Heroic Viticulture Group (https:www.cervim.org/eng/)!

0 comentarios en THE GREAT TRANS-ATLANTIC TASTE-OFF!

Este sitio usa Akismet para reducir el spam. Aprende cómo se procesan los datos de tus comentarios.