Vintage Report: Spain En Primeur - The latest releases...

Huge sweeping vistas greet you as you crest a cleft in a hill, on almost empty roads with arid dry rocky outcrops and fields of yellow wheat gently swaying in the midday sun.

It is a big country and the third largest wine producing country in the world, which is a tough stat to swallow when on home soil wine consumption is at an all-time low. Anecdotally we were told that in fifteen years average per capita consumption has dropped from around 45 lt/annum to only 9 lt/annum, a fact many attribute to fashion amongst the younger generation, as much as the burgeoning current economic crisis.

Well more fool them. And more for us. It really is no surprise that Spanish wines find great favour abroad. They provide value sound options to consumers at just about every price point, from entry level everyday wines right up to the very upper echelons of worldwide production.

Owing to the diversity of wine Spain has to offer, our En Primeur release comprises a variety of vintages. From 2012 we have the extraordinary Ossian, a wine that marries minerality and richness to superb effect. Coming from vines ranging from 140 – 265 years old, surely some of the oldest wine producing vines on the planet, it’s a wine of nobility and intellect that transcends the appellation of Rueda.

In 2011, most notably we have the two new releases from Aalto, fast becoming one of Ribera del Duero’s and indeed Spain’s hottest properties. In Aalto and Aalto PS 2011Mariano Garcia and Javier Zaccagnini have crafted two utterly seductive wines that combine richness and generosity with silk textured freshness.  It’s a highly compelling combination.

Further north in Senorio de San Vicente in Rioja the Eguren family poured a selection of wines for us which once again proved just what a class act this estate is across every level of production. Worth especially looking out for are the 2010 Riojas which will go down as classics. At lunch they kindly poured a 1994 San Vicente Rioja which was so gloriously youthful, sweet, precise and refined it stopped this buyer in his tracks and was an amazing argument for sticking these wines away, tempting as they are when young.

Also from 2010 we have the amazing wines of Mas Martinet – 2010 being a vintage every bit as serious in Priorat as it is in Rioja. As well as her best ever Martinet Bru, Sarah Perez’ three highly individual crus offer power combined with spellbinding delicacy and vibrancy. They are truly not to be missed.

All in all there is a lot to be excited by in this Spanish release. We very much look forward to seeing you at the tasting on the 2nd September.

Julian Campbell and Giles Burke-Gaffney, Buyer and Buying Director respectively