The focus of this week’s Movies & Booze is on the Iberian Peninsula and today we are going to look at a white wine from Portugal and a red wine from Spain.
Gazela Vinho Verde €10.99
Stockists: Next Door Off Licences, Nationwide; Amber of Fermoy
Portugal’ two main strenghts are the diversity of its climatic regions and its wealth of native grape varieties. Portugal occupies approximately one seventh of the Iberian Peninsula. It is rectangular in shape, roughly 600 km from north to south and 200 km from west to east.
The coastal wine regions are strongly influenced by the Atlantic, the moderating effect which dimishes rapidly as you move inland. As a result light fresh flavoured dry white wines are produced in close proximity to full bodied reds and rich fortified wines. Added to this are Portugal's unique and varied grape varieties. From the wild berry fruit characters of Touriga Nacional, Baga and Periquita to the distincitve white wines made from the spicy Fernao Pires, the delicate Loueiro or the floral scented Rupeiro.
Vinho Verde is located in the North of Portugal between the River Minho in the North and the River Duero in the South. The region is damp and temperate with no mountains to shield it from the Atlantic, so it is therefore famous for it's green mountains and valleys, with mild winters and warm pleasant summers. Both red and white wines come from this region which is sometimes known as the Minho region. It is the largest demarcated region in Portugal. Vinho Verde is by it's nature a low alcohol wine. This one is 9.0% Classic Vinho Verdes is bone dry with crisp apple acidity.
This wine is made from a blend of four traditional grapes from this region, Loureiro, Pedernã, Trajadura, Azal. Loureiro is well known for its aromatic qualities. “Louro” or Laurel is the smell associated with the grape from where it derives its name.
Gazela is ideal with salads, light fish or seafood dishes, or just as an aperitif.
2010 Torres Gran Sangre de Toro €14.49
Stockists: Centra, Tesco, Dunnes, Londis, Molloy's Off-Licences Dublin, O’Briens Wines Beers Spirit, Next Door Off-Licences, Fine Wines Group, Nationwide
This wine comes from the Catalunya region in Spain and is produced by one of Spain’s best known winemakers Miguel Torres. In March this year Torres winery was named World’s Most Admired Wine Brand in March by Drinks International.
Torrres is a family business, it was founded in 1870. The first bottle of Sangre de Toro went on sale in 1954. The name was inspired by inspired by Baccus, Roman god of wine, known in ancient times as "Son of the Bull".
Today Miguel Torres Maczassek is CEO of the company and is the 8th generation of his family to head up the family business.
This is a modern Spanish wine, made from a blend of Spanish grapes Garnacha Tinta (60%) and Cariñena (25%), it also has a little Syrah (15%) in the blend. Syrah is a French grape from the Northern Rhone but also now associated with Australia where it is known as Shiraz.
Garnacha Tinta is a high yielding grape indigenous to Spain that produces vigorous wines. It is the red grape most widely cultivated in Spain Cariñena is a red variety which produces robust red wines, it blends well with Garnacha
This wine was recently 90 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
The wine was aged for one year in oak barrel and has a lovely smoky nose, with aromas of black olives and cherry. Soft and easy to drink in the typically Spanish style it has a lovely spiciness and liquorice flavour.
This is a very easy red wine to drink, it will go well with most foods especially meat and cheese.
For details of wine events go to the wine diary www.jeansmullen.com
