Excitable Spanish Fun

Two spiffing Spaniards provoked me into a flurry of exclamation points today.

First off was the Torresilo Ribera del Duero 06, an intense wine which immediately seduces with sweet soft spice aromas under a distictive gunpowder note and velvet licorice (I know, I know, pseuds corner. I don't care).

The palate is soft sweet juicy licorice, followed by long lasting expensive sizzled herb butter. Mmmmmm, expensive butter. The finish is long and elegant. Profound and Excellent, 5.

Next was the Geol 06, a dense purple looking wine with a nose of mint chocolate and cat fur, which evolves into the expensive barrel treatment afforded to a top-end Speyside. It's a little young for maximum pleasure, but not by much. Very good, -4.

As I say, a flurry of exclamation points. It's because of wines like these that I love my job. Try either of them and you'll be more than satisfied.

"Peers an Happel"

To a presentation of some of the wines of Marqués de Cáceres by Florent Thibaut, their Export Sales manager. He spoke most knowledgeably and entertainingly, and, I must add, with a wonderful accent - "peers an happel" are the fruit flavours to be found in the Blanco Crianza '03 (cork) which scored a solid 14/20.

The most interesting wine of the evening was the Gran Reserva 1995 (cork). It was still fairly purple, not really aged looking at all, and boy did it show well tonight. Last time I tasted this we opened a second bottle, so dull was the first, and the second bottle only confirmed our opinion of the first. But tonight's bottle was full of wild flavours and aromas - my notes include "spaghetti hoops on very buttery toast, talcy perfume, bananas, ?toothpaste". Yeeeeha! (Also a very strong 16+/20).


I must also mention the Satinela Semi Dulce ('05, cork), which possesses one of the dodgiest labels on any sweet wine anywhere. Don't be put off as I was for so long - try this one soon. It's very, very pale, only just green; mildly aromatic, fruity and very clean; and has a lovely sweet vinous palate. This late harvest Viura scores 15/20.