Tag: Spain

Simplesmente… Vinho 2026 I – Morrazo and Salnés

Published 9. March 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

This year Simplesmente Vinho highlighted wines from neighbouring Galicia. One of the tastings focused on “iconic wines”, offering a glimpse of the diversity of the region. It also showed that ageing wines over many years can be complicated. Bottles evolve differently, and even well-known wines can show variation. Still, the tasting gave a vivid impression of the Galician vitality. Here are some of my favourite wines from the albariño stronghold.

Antonio Portela never ceases to impress with his wines from the Morrazo peninsular seashore. The maritime influence is unmistakable, bringing a saline freshness that runs through the range. Area Brava, named after the beach, and O Mare Namorado are both strong representatives of his work. Here I chose a wine with plenty of personality that I have not highlighted before: Solpor 2023, a rosé made from tinta femia and fermented in damajuanas. The colour is delicate onion skin or faint peach. The aroma combines strawberry and peach with hints of white orchard fruit. On the palate the wine is light but expressive, with lively acidity carrying the fruit through the finish. The texture is supple and refreshing, and the low alcohol – just 9% – gives it an effortless drinkability.

Then a strong trio from the Val do Salnés subzone of Rías Baixas.

From Nanclares y Prieto, Alberto Nanclares continues to produce super-mineral whites alongside increasingly stylish reds. Soverribas 2024, a parcel wine, is a fine example. It is pale and finely drawn, with aromas of apple and citrus. On the palate it is vibrant and precise, showing lively acidity and a distinct stony minerality that lingers on the finish. The wine feels airy and transparent, yet with enough depth to give it structure.

At Zárate, Eulogio Pomares continues his impressive work with terroir-oriented, mineral wines that emphasise vineyard character. Just before the festival I had an off bottle of Balado, which made it particularly important to see the wine in proper form. This time the 2024 vintage showed beautifully. After three months on lees without bâtonnage, the wine is light in colour yet remarkably intense. The nose is very fresh, while the palate combines concentration with energy, finishing with a clear saline edge that reflects its coastal origin.

Finally, Miguel Alfonso of Pedralonga produces wines of remarkable elegance, both white and red. I have highlighted his “normal” whites before. Marel 2023, aged for a year in amphora, shows a golden colour with a slight amber hue. Aromas of orange peel and dried citrus lead into a deep palate with gentle tannin and a broad, textured finish. Despite the amphora ageing the wine retains clarity and lift, with freshness balancing the richer tones from skin contact.

What these wines share – and what I value most in wines from this part of Galicia – is their mineral, fresh and subtly saline style. The Atlantic presence is unmistakable, giving the wines both tension and drinkability, and tying together very different interpretations of the region’s vineyards.

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Wine of the Week

Uva de Vida at Bendito

Published 27. February 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Whenever I am in the center of Madrid I try to find time for a visit to Bar Bendito in the Mercado de San Fernando. This time I was served three wines and some tasty bites.

One of the wines was Biográfico Graciano y Tempranillo. Biográfico is produced by Uva de Vida, the biodynamic project of Carmen López Delgado and Luis Ruiz in Santa Olalla, Toledo, in the countryside south of Madrid. The vineyards lie on sandy and clay-limestone soils, where organic farming is not a marketing slogan but a working philosophy. Everything here is cultivated biodynamically, with a strong commitment to soil life and ecological balance.

The wine blends two classic Spanish varieties: Tempranillo and graciano. Tempranillo provides the structure and dark fruit, while graciano contributes freshness, aromatic lift and a slightly wild edge that keeps the wine vibrant.
Fermentation takes place with native yeasts, followed by ageing in a mix of concrete and neutral vessels that preserve the fruit rather than marking the wine with oak. The result is a wine that feels both energetic and grounded.

Biográfico Graciano y Tempranillo 2022 (Uva de Vida)

Dark cherry colour. The aroma also shows dark cherries, woth crushed herbs and a hint of spice. On the palate it is supple but precise, with fine tannins and a lively acidity that carries the fruit through to a long, savoury finish.

Price: Low

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Wine of the Week

Homemade wine at Gota

Published 20. February 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Last night at Gota, the tiny bar in Madrid’s Chueca district, I was poured a glass of Bailando en el Filo 2024 by Victoria Sánchez, one half of the duo behind Pequeños y Salvajes. On an earlier visit it was Nahuel Ibarra who stood behind the bar. It seems only fitting that their wine appears in a place that shares their spirit: small, lively and a little wild.

The wine comes from El Tiemblo in the Sierra de Gredos, a landscape of old vines and granite soils that has become one of the most exciting sources of Garnacha in central Spain. It’s made by carbonic maceration.

Bailando en el Filo — “dancing on the edge” — is an apt name. The wine has that same sense of balance and risk. There is something refreshingly unforced about it, almost as if the wine were being made in the moment. It feels improvised, like music played without a written score — yet guided by instinct and intuition.

Bailando en el Filo 2024 (Pequeños y Salvajes)

Light ruby red. Bright red berries, wild herbs and a faint earthy note rise from the glass. The palate is lively and finely textured, with freshness and lightness carrying the wine effortlessly forward. Serious glou-glou.

Price: Low

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Wine of the Week

Structured and saline single plot albariño

Published 13. February 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Zárate is one of Rías Baixas’ historic estates, with records dating back to the 18th century. Today the project is guided by Eulogio Pomares, whose work in Val do Salnés has helped redefine albariño as a serious, terroir-driven wine capable of ageing with grace.

The fruit for Tras da Viña comes from a single vineyard planted in 1970 on decomposed granite soils typical of the Salnés Valley. The Atlantic influence is unmistakable here: humidity, cooling breezes and slow ripening, giving tension and aromatic precision.

The grapes are hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for an extended period on fine lees without bâtonnage. The long élevage builds texture and depth while preserving the saline backbone that defines the site.

Tras da Viña 2021 (Zárate)

Pale golden, brilliant. The nose is refined and mineral, with white blossom, lemon peel and a faint herbal edge. On the palate it is taut, layered, with citrus, green apple and crushed stone. It finishes long and saline. Albariño with structure and charm.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Generous Rioja garnacha

Published 6. February 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Víctor Ausejo is based in the village of Alberite, where the river Irégua flows past before joining the Ebro near Logroño. We’re in a transitional zone towards lower Rioja, where garnacha is in fact a key grape, well adapted to heat, drought and alluvial soils.

Everything here is farmed organically, and all work is carried out by hand.

The Los Pepones vineyard lies in the village of Sojuela, at 650 metres above sea level on the foothills of the Moncalvillo mountains. Planted in 1951, it measures just 0.36 hectares. The soils are sandy clay, and the vines are trained as free-standing en vaso, typical of old Spanish vineyards.

The grapes are destemmed and cold-macerated for three days before spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is then aged in used French and Hungarian barrels and bottled unfiltered.

Garnacha Tinta 2021 (Víctor Ausejo Viticultor)

Fairly deep red with a bluish rim. Generous, sweet-toned fruit (the alcohol kept just in check), red and dark berries (raspberry, blackberry), flowers, spice and aniseed. Plenty of tannin without aggression, an earthy touch, refreshing acidity, good concentration and length.

Price: High

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Wine of the Week

Beautiful light-extracted garnacha

Published 30. January 2026 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

From the windswept heights of Valdejalón in Aragón, Frontonio redefines what garnacha can be. Founded by winemaker Fernando Mora and partners, the project focuses on high-altitude vineyards, many of them old bush vines rooted in slate and limestone soils. Extraction is careful; freshness is more important.

La Cerqueta comes from a single, historic vineyard planted at around 600–700 metres above sea level. The vines, trained en vaso (gobelet), are dry-farmed. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, and the wine is aged in large oak foudres and older barrels to preserve purity of fruit and the subtle mineral imprint of the site.

La Cerqueta 2022 (Frontonio)

Beautifully translucent, pale ruby colour with a delicate garnet rim. On the nose, it opens with wild strawberries, redcurrant and crushed pomegranate, followed by dried herbs, white pepper and a distinct stony nuance. The palate is finely etched and vibrant, with bright acidity carrying red berry fruit across a supple texture. Tannins are silky and integrated, and the finish lingers with notes of rosehip, blood orange and a gentle saline touch.

Price: Medium

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Wine of the Week

Great from slate

Published 26. December 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

One of the defining expressions of high-altitude garnacha from Spain, Pegaso Pizarra comes from very old bush vines planted on steep, slate-rich soils in Cebreros, within the wild mountains of Sierra de Gredos. These vines thrive above 950 m on metamorphic rock, working organically and hand-harvested to capture purity and place — the very essence of this dramatic terroir.

At the heart of this wine is Telmo Rodríguez, one of Spain’s most influential vignerons. For over three decades he has championed forgotten vineyards and traditional viticulture across the country, seeking to restore ancient sites and make wines that speak of history and landscape rather than manipulation. His work with Pegaso (named after a classic Spanish vehicle) helped put Cebreros on the map, revitalising this rugged corner of Castilla y León and focusing on old vines, organic practices and slow, natural winemaking.

Made from 100% garnacha from bush-trained vines over 80 years old, fermentation happens with indigenous yeasts and the wine is aged extensively in a mix of oak barrels (400–500 L).

Pegaso Pizarra 2018 (Telmo Rodríguez)

The wine shows a medium ruby colour with clear garnet and faint brownish tones at the rim, indicating some evolution. On the nose, it is complex and expressive, moving beyond primary fruit. Dried red cherries, wild strawberries and cranberry are joined by Mediterranean herbs, dried flowers and graphite. With air, more savoury notes emerge: leather, tobacco leaf, subtle smoke and a hint of earth. The palate is silky yet structured, with finely grained tannins, herbs and dried fruits, black tea and spice. Acidity is well judged, giving length and clarity, while the finish is long and stony.

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Wine of the Week

Friedrich Schatz’ Acinipo

Published 5. December 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Friedrich Schatz is one of the great figures of Andalucía’s modern wine story. A German who arrived in the Serranía de Ronda in the early 1980s, he planted varieties that were then unheard of in the area and worked organically long before it became fashionable. His estate lies in the cool, high-altitude folds north of Ronda, where limestone soils and Atlantic influence create conditions quite unlike the Andalucía most people imagine.

Acinipo 2017 is made entirely from lemberger (blaufränkisch), a variety Schatz has championed with remarkable consistency. The fruit is farmed organically at around 600–700 metres, fermented with native yeasts and aged with a gentle hand to foreground the grape’s natural lift and the site. No unnecessary extraction, no over-seasoned oak – just an honest expression of place.

Acinipo 2017 (Bodega F. Schatz)

Deep, vibrant ruby with a slight garnet hue at the rim. The nose is bright yet brooding, offering sour cherry, redcurrant and dark raspberry, with subtle herbs and a mineral undertow. The palate is energetic and finely structured, carried by limestone-driven tannins and a cool, mouthwatering finish.

Price: Medium

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Articles

Catalan orange wines

Published 6. October 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

6 October is International Orange Wine Day, a celebration of a style that is both ancient and newly revived. By fermenting white grapes on their skins, winemakers create wines that blur the line between white and red: textured, often amber-hued, and full of unexpected aromas. What was once an old tradition in parts of Georgia, Friuli and beyond has become a contemporary expression of artisanal winemaking worldwide.

Catalonia, with its patchwork of landscapes and long history of experimentation, has embraced this revival with conviction. The region’s native grapes reveal strikingly different characters when handled as orange wines. Malvasía de Sitges, often floral and delicate, transforms into something more savoury, saline and spiced, its aromatic charm shaded by texture and grip. Macabeu, usually restrained and discreet in cava and still whites, gains depth and a surprising nutty, almost oxidative complexity. Garnatxa blanca, typically generous and rounded, might take on a more energetic profile, showcasing both a redish colour, a tannic backbone and subtle bitterness from the skins. A forth grape, xarel.lo, is not present here. That grape is worthy of a thematical evening of its own.

Tabla Rrasa Nèc-Tar 2021 (Portal del Priorat, Alfredo Arribas)
Montsant – malvasía, seven days’ skin maceration, stainless steel

Golden, amber hue and slightly turbid, with a faint natural spritz that lifts the aromas. The nose recalls ripe apple, mango and wild herbs, with a faintly spicy edge. On the palate it is bright and linear, its high acidity wrapped in a fine, lightly phenolic texture. A whisper of bitterness on the finish gives it definition and length. This is a vivid, energetic take on malvasía, where the variety’s usual floral charm gives way to something more tactile and savoury.

Brisat del Coster 2020 (Josep Foraster)
Conca de Barberà – macabeu, low yield, 21 days’ skin maceration

Deep golden in colour, with aromas of orange peel, chamomile and yellow orchard fruit. The palate is dry and quietly firm, with a gentle tannic frame and notes of citrus peel, quince and a touch of butter and almonds from the long maceration. Structured yet understated, it shows how macabeu can move from neutral backbone to expressive texture when treated as brisat – the Catalan word for orange wine.

Trementinaire 2019 (Herència Altés)
Terra Alta – garnatxa blanca, macerated during fermentation, then pressed and aged 22 months in used oak

Pale gold with amber glints. The nose opens with orange zest, dried herbs and toasted nuts. Broad and glyceric on the palate, yet balanced by a subtle salinity and a delicate bitterness that keeps it taut. Layers of hazelnut, honeycomb and iodine unfold with air, giving a sense of power and maturity. A contemplative wine.

Orange wine is, after all, about rediscovery — of grapes, of methods, of flavours once thought forgotten. In Catalonia, that rediscovery feels both rooted and new. Here’s to continued curiosity — and a happy International Orange Wine Day.

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Wine of the Week

Lumière shines

Published 3. October 2025 by Vidar Kenneth Johansen

Muchada-Léclapart is a fascinating partnership between Alejandro Muchada, a grower from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and David Léclapart, the biodynamic Champagne vigneron. Together they have carved out a unique space in the Sherry district, where their wines explore the terroir without fortification, expressing the albariza soils in their purest form.

This wine comes from a single vineyard called La Platera, a 1.6-hectare plot in the western part of Pago Miraflores, just outside Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The palomino vines are more than seventy years old, massal selections rooted in pure albariza – a mix of tosca and lentejuela that gives both finesse and tension. Farming is fully biodynamic, and the work in the cellar is equally gentle: spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in used French oak barrels, followed by ageing on fine lees, without fortification or additives.

Lumière 2023 (Muchada-Léclapart)

Pale, almost crystalline gold with silvery glints. The aromas open with lemon peel, grapefruit pith and white flowers, followed by hints of chalk dust and a whisper of sea breeze. On the palate it is taut and linear, with a fine, almost chalky grip that frames the fruit. There is a marked salinity, echoing the Atlantic winds, and a cool herbal note that brings freshness.

Price: High

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