Albada Macabeo Calatayud 2015
6 bottles with free shipping for: $102.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $180.00
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| Country: | Spain |
| Region: | Calatayud |
| Grape Type: | Macabeo |
| Winery: | Bodegas Virgen de la Sierra |
| Organic: | Yes |
Light straw-colored, it offers an attractive nose of green apple, lemon-lime, white fruit, banana and melon. Ripe, crisp, and refreshing, this Spanish white wine has quite a long finish and it represents an excellent value.
No oak.
Vineyards:
ALBADA Macabeo is made with 100% Macabeo grapes coming from very old vines. Most of them are over 50 years old and many of them are up to 100 years thanks to the enormous dedication of the grape growers, generation after generation. This wine has been selected to get proï¬t from the great potential of old vineyards and little production of Macabeo located in the heart of D.O. Calatayud.
Winemaking:
After crushing and destemming the grapes, they were macerated during 10 hours at 11ºC. The following step was the drawing off the must, which fermented in a controlled temperature of 11ºC for 4 weeks. Long maceration on the lees are the perfect way to extract maximum flavors from the macabeo varietal.
Origin of the Name ALBADA:
The word "Albada" has two meanings: one refers to the ancient songs performed by the local vine growers, while the other means dawn. The circular art work of the label was designed by the artist Aitor Tellechea. It is an etching that represents the "Garnacha from Aragon", place of origin of this grape variety which is now spread worldwide. The circle means perfection, well-balanced power; from the beginning to the end. The course of life that begins again every season for our wine, in the vineyard.
Reviews:
Brilliant golden straw color. Floral, tropical aromas and flavors of lemon blossoms, sour sop and honeydew, and pickled melon rind and mango with a silky, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, interesting, medium-long whole peach, green apple, and earth finish with fine, fruit tannins and no oak. A silky, tasty Spanish white with great purity and finesse. 92 Point Beverage Tasting Institute
Bodegas Virgen de la Sierra Estate
Founded in 1954, Virgen de la Sierra is a grape growers co-op with 579 members, and 710 hectares (1,753 acres) of vines growing at 750 meters above sea level. The average age of the vines is close to 40 years. The principal grape variety is Garnacha (60%). Others include Macabeo or Viura (20%) and Tempranillo (16%), with the remaining 4% being a mix of experimental varieties: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay.
The region's semi-arid climate and high altitude make for ideal growing conditions for quality Garnacha and Macabeo grapes. Hot dry summers, with a sharp shift in daytime to nighttime temperatures let grapes reach full ripeness, while maintaining good levels of acidity. The red iron-rich oils are rocky, with a mix of sand and gravel and a low amount of organic material. A thick clay subsoil helps retain moisture through the long dry summer months.
This wine was named after the secret cuvee the Princes of Orange were keeping for their private consumption and sharing on special occasions. Long before the appellation Chateauneuf du Pape was created, the princes of Orange were enjoying the fine wines from this area. This wine made from a blend of 90% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre, and 5% Syrah exhibits aromas of ripe black fruits, liquorice with a smooth texture and perfect balance. Ideal with grilled steaks, beef stews and cheeses.
Soil : Clay and siliceous with round pebbles on the surface.
Average age of the vines: 45 years.
Vinification : Total destemming. Cold pre-fermentation maceration during 4 days at 12°C then long maceration during 20 to 25 days with regular punching over and daily release- temperature controlled at 28°C to 30°C .
Vinified and matured in stainless in order to show the purest expression of the Grenache and the terroir.
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What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
The Soberanes Vineyard is the latest exciting joint venture between the Pisoni and Franscioni Families. The site features tightly spaced vines and is planted to 33 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah and sits on the Santa Lucia Highlands Bench adjacent to the Garys' Vineyard. The clonal material planted in the loamy, rocky soil is very diverse and features over a dozen of the most renowned heritage selections from California and Burgundy in pursuit of the finest wine quality.
Review:
The vineyard is famous for producing ripe, luscious Pinots stuffed with massive fruit. Many wineries have dipped into it over the years. Krutz’s rendition is dry, balanced and full-bodied, with relatively high alcohol framing raspberry, cherry, cola, red plum, exotic spice and sandalwood flavors. It should age well through 2020–2022.
- Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Marcassin Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The 2013 Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard may be even better. Notes of caramelized citrus, hazelnut, apple blossom, lemon oil and orange marmalade are all present in this wine of dazzling aromatic and flavor dimension. It is full-bodied, again shows some wet pebbles (which I equate with minerality), vibrant acidity, and no real evidence of any oak. Much like the 2012, the finish goes on for 45+ seconds. This is another killer Chardonnay from Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer. -Wine Advocate 100 Points
What an extraordinary tasting this was at the Marcassin winery just north of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. Just when you think the duo of Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer can’t make greater wines, they bowl over the taster with an array of exquisite quality that really must be tasted to be believed. Marcassin was probably California’s greatest Chardonnay after the famous Chalone winery fell from the pinnacle and onto hard times in the 1980s (and it has yet to rebound). Moreover, Marcassin set the bar for great Pinot Noir as well. And while both their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have many competitors these days (from the likes of Harford Court, Mark Aubert, Kistler, Kongsgaard, DuMol, Thomas Brown, Peter Michael, Martinelli and Luc Morlet, to name a few), John Wetlaufer and Helen Turley remain the reigning geniuses of these two varietals in California. Certainly, their meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and in the winemaking and élevage account for the quality, but they were among the pioneers who saw the unlimited potential from the Sonoma Coast, now a relatively crowded neighborhood. This was a remarkable tasting that simply blew me away, and I have been following their wines since the first Marcassins were made in the early 1990s. By the way, any doubts about aging potential should be crushed immediately, as even in the most challenging vintages in California, Marcassin Chardonnays and Pinots have aged as well as, if not better than just about any grand cru white Burgundy. For example, 1995 and 1996 Chardonnays, particularly those from the Lorenzo Vineyard, are incredibly youthful and dynamic, and the Marcassin Estate Pinot Noir, even from vintages such as 1998, is simply amazing.
The three Chardonnays tasted include two perfect wines. Perhaps the closest comparison is not to anything made in California, but a Corton-Charlemagne in a top vintage from the famous Jean François Coche-Dury.
