Page 14 - Tesco Wine Club Magazine - March

Castilla y León is famous for its castles and this is one of my favourites: Penafiel Castle.
14 March 2010 Tesco Wine Club Magazine
Day 2:
Ribera del Duero
An early start and a morning’s drive gets me to Castilla y León and its trendy red wine district of Ribera del Duero. Here the impressive wineries seem to announce themselves with grand authority, letting you know you’re in one of Spain’s best wine regions.
One of the most striking is the Vina Mayor winery, where the Tesco Ribera del Duero is made. Today I’m just paying a quick visit to catch up with the wine-makers and check on the latest vintage.
Like the best Riojas, the reds from here are generally made from 100% Tempranillo. But as
the vineyards are at a higher altitude, the grapes have thicker, darker skins, leading to darker, more intense wines. I would love
to linger as I adore Ribera del Duero wines, but I have to make tracks for my hotel which lies on the way to Rueda.
Day 3: Rueda
A short drive southwest brings me to the plains of Rueda: Castilla y León’s white wine district. Over here everything seems a bit more laid-back,
more restrained and low key. You would never guess that it produces many of Spain’s greatest whites!
Today I’m going to Agricola Castellana, a brilliant co-operative based in La Seca. The simple square building
looks nothing from the outside...but behind its doors there’s some real wine- making wizardry going on!
Crisp and citrussy..
Tesco Palestra Rueda Verdejo, 2008, 12.5%
A beautifully aromatic white with aromas of fresh limes and apples leading into flavours of zingy citrus fruits.
£6.99 75cl bottle price BUY 6 IN-STORE,
GET 5% OFF
Case of 6: £39.84
Quote ref: 061305463
Chief ‘wizard’ is Angel Calleja, the head winemaker here. I’ve been working with him for the past few years, since I first introduced the
Rueda to Tesco. In fact I always visit around this time of year to help Angel put the blend together for the latest vintage.
Day4&5:Rueda
– the blending process
Angel doesn’t speak English and my Spanish is rusty at best, so we end up talking to each other through Norrel Robinson, a Scottish Master of Wine who’s based in Spain. With a mixture of pidgin-English, pidgin-Spanish and much pointing and gesturing, we manage to get the best blend for the
Rueda.
I enjoy serving this wine to friends
who usually drink Sauvignon Blanc as the Verdejo grape is equally aromatic but with some additional peach and citrus notes that make it deliciously different.
It’s just the sort of wine to get your taste buds going, so after the blending we all decide to jump in a taxi and head for the pretty town of Tordesillas, in search of something to eat. We end up in a charming café near the impressive redbrick Convent of Santa Clara.
Day 6: Toro
I just have time for a quick stop in neighbouring Toro. Here the landscape appears more rough and ready, in fact the complete opposite of Ribera del Duero. I love it here as the reds are usually big juicy blends of Garnacha and Tempranillo and are often real bargains. In fact, they’re just the sort of wines you always hope to find when you go travelling off the beaten track. That evening I fly back to London satisfied but exhausted...it’s been a truly rewarding trip.
Great with lamb...
Caño Tempranillo Garnacha, 2007, 13.5%
Aromas of fruits of the forest followed by enjoyable flavours of cherries and raspberries.
£5.61 75cl bottle price BUY 6 IN-STORE,
GET 5% OFF
Case of 6: £31.97
Quote ref: 052201378
CASTILLA Y LEÓN
On the menu
The speciality of Castilla y León is lechazo asado, spring lamb that’s roasted until it’s crispy on the outside yet tender on
the inside; absolutely superb with a spicy red wine from Toro.