Over recent decades, the knowledge concerning Spanish wines held by overseas consumers has increased from that of a small group of quality labels to include a wide range of varieties and proposals which define the diversity of Spanish wines on offer. In this respect, prestigious UK wine writer, Jancis Robinson, has started the New Year by reporting on aspects of Spanish wines which are still unfamiliar on foreign markets. In two articles published by UK media outlets, the journalist focuses her attention on white wines under DO Rioja and gives wide coverage to DO Costers de Segre.
Under the heading, `Spain continues to surprise wine lovers´, the first of the two articles, published by the eMedia financial website, ‘citywire’, covers the most outstanding aspects of DO Costers de Segre, by using, ‘Ekam 2008’ from the Castell d’Encus bodega as an example. The UK expert highlights this wine made from the Riesling grape variety, which takes up most of this Catalan bodega’s plantation, for its intensity, deep minerality and its versatility for combining with food, mentioning that it can also be drunk on its own. Jancis Robinson writes about her surprise at finding a quality Spanish Riesling which she compared with a German counterpart finding the former the more outstanding wine.
The Castell d´Encus bodega is located in the Lleida sub-Pyrenees, under DO Costers de Segre, its owners, Joaquín Molins Gil and Joaquín Pascuas Medel uphold the region’s long winemaking tradition by modernising and diversifying its production. In addition to the Riesling grape variety, the bodega cultivates Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Albariño, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. The wine writer also highlights another wine from the bodega, ‘Taleia 2008’, made from a coupage of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, emphasising Castell d´Encus’ commitment to white wines.
White wine is also the main subject of the second article written by Jancis Robinson in The Financial Times, `The secret of a great white Rioja´, where she praises the qualities of the Riojan Viura grape (also known as Macabeo) used to make the region’s whites. White wines, at least those from Rioja, are the great unknown on foreign markets, despite the fact that they were, according to the article, the most highly produced wines in the region until 1975. This unawareness is apparently encouraged by QDO Rioja’s Regulating Council, by favouring the production of grape varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay in detriment to the local Viura strain. According to the journalist, the regulating body’s decision to allow a 49 percent blend with international varieties seems unnecessary given the saturation of such blends on the world market, which would, on the other hand, be grateful for the release of wines capable of expressing the character of the terroir where they are made.
The UK wine writer also cites the Finca Allende bodega as another example of commitment to Riojan white wines, which in recent years has experimented with a coupage of Viura and Malvasía, increasing the percentage of the former in order to boost the quality of its wine. In addition, Jancis Robinson recommends a list of the most outstanding Spanish whites made from the Viura/Macabeo variety, not only from Rioja, which are available on the market, including such great names as ‘L’Olivera’, under DO Costers del Segre, ‘Viñas del Vero Blanco’, under DO Somontano, and ‘Marqués de Murrieta’, Capellanía, Rioja.
With these two articles, Jancis Robinson not only highlights the presence of Spanish wines on foreign markets but also makes it very clear that the variety on offer is a direct result of the sheer diversity of Spain itself.
