Comenge Verdejo, Rueda, 2012, £9.90
Very youthful and aromatic wine showing pears, grapefruit and pineapple with a good intensity. Lively crisp and dry palate, more grapefruit flavours, decent finish and depth. A fine example of modern Rueda Verdejo.

Tasted 25th January 2013

Biberius Crianza , Ribera del Duero, 2009, £12.50
Mature nose offering mocha, dark fruits and plums. The palate has a good depth of fleshy ripe fruit balanced by plentiful mellow tannins and oak spice, Long finish, classy wine. Got the vote of best value wine and a bit of an ‘ooh la la’ moment!

Tasted 25th January 2013

Bodegas Comanges, Ribera del Duero, 2007 ( Tempranillo)

One of the most popular wines at the Goods Shed this year has been ‘Biberious’, Ribera del Duero 2011 produced by Bodegas Comanges. This wine is the one that carries the name of the estate and it is a super, fleshy, modern style Ribero del Duero. It is not the firm structured style that takes years to shed its tannic carapace but one that, at five years, delivers layered fruit and spice with a velvet-textured mesh of fine, ripe tannins. It has harmony too and great persistence.

Tasted 16th November 2012

Can Majoral Butibalausi White, Mallorca 2011 organic (Premsal, Parellada and Chardonnay)

An interesting, gentle citrus scent, fresh and clean with a slight pine note which leads to a clean , crisp, fresh palate of medium weight. Certainly attractive and mouth filling it has a brightness which is refreshing and lends the wine to fish dishes and aperitif style.

Tasted 16th November 2012

Butibalausi Red, Can Majoral , Mallorca, 2010 (Callet, Manto  Negro, Ull de Llebre, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon) organic.

A dark ruby wine with aromas of black plums, blackcurrant, leather and spice. A complex nose, fairly four square with a garrigue note in the background. The palate carried the sturdy , but accessible, character of the nose and with similar flavours but with the addition of a firm mineral element.

Tasted 16th November 2012

Can Majoral, Son Roig, pla I Levant, 2007 (Cabernet Sauvignon dominant with some Merlot and Syrah) organic.

A deep coloured wine, the glistening look of which promised a richness on the palate. The nose was laden with heavy kirsch, cassis and black fruit conserve scents, maintaining the promise and the palate then delivered. It was big, broad, unctuous, almost deep enough to spread on toast, yet balanced and vinous. The fruit characters were of black fruits almost cordial like but shot through with savoury edges. Very long and satisfying wine. Not a generic  Bordeaux style, nor with the purity of Oz or the black cherry of Napa, more akin the intense nature of recent Pontet Canet vintages.

Can Majoral, S’Heretat, pla I Levant, 2006  (Callet, with a little Merlot and Syrah)

Broad structure, loose knit with an earthy core. A very different feel to the Son Roig, this has a Mediterranean character with herbal, pine notes, red fruits which are integrating well with dusty tannins. This is not in the classic style of Roig but is nevertheless an interesting, textured  quality wine.

Es Verger, Ses Marjades 2007, Mallorca Organic.

Hailing from the Serra de Tramunta in the hills (the vineyard is at 500m) of Mallorca this wine was the hit of the evening. It has a very ripe nose, not surprising given its alcohol level of 15%, with notes of prune, black cherry and a range of spices. The oak element is well integrated now and after 4 year in bottle the wine is showing a lovely maturity. The fruit and spice flavours went well with the terrine as did the richness and firm tannic underlay of the wine.

Tasted 22nd November 2012

Mara Martin Godello, Spain, 2011.

A terrifically bright and refreshing wine from the DO of Monterrei. Made with the Godello grape it had an apple blossom scent, fine lean structure but with ample fruit to flesh it out. I had come across the wine before and thought about taking it on but I must confess to being grateful to a customer named Zena who had tasted the 2011 and recommended it. It was a great wine to balance against the fresh seafood canapés. Lovers of Albarino should try the Godello as it has a similar structure and weight; perhaps Godello lacks the finesse of the Albarino but it is a delicious wine nonetheless.

Tasted 22nd November 2012

Cava Robert J. Mur  

Robert J Mur’s Cava had a very positive character with notes of lemon and apples amid a gentle persistent stream of bubbles. Unaffected by the earthy notes that can sometimes be found on lesser Cava this is clean and fresh, making it a satisfying aperitif.

Tasted 22nd November 2012