One of the real gems was discovering the newly created DO Arribes where we had a wonderful visit to La Setera Winery. Here, the Duero River has shaped dramatic canyons along the border between Spain and Portugal – the scenery is simply breathtaking. The DO is not allowed to be called Arribes del Duero because DO Ribera del Duero protested it was too similar to their own name, but the area is called Arribes del Duero. Confused?
La Setera is run by a very engaging couple who make interesting wines from a little known (to most of us at least) grape variety called Juan Garcia. They also make the most wonderful cheeses and in fact this was the business they started first. Having tasted a few vintages of Juan Garcia, which seemed to have more than a few similarities to Cabernet Franc to me, we also tasted their experimental wine made with Touriga Nacional. This was a delicious wine that managed to balance elegance and a delicate fragrance with a voluptuous, silky, texture. It managed to give a refined and sensual tasting experience all at once. I can’t wait to see how they progress with this wine in future vintages. We finished with their lovely sweet fortified Merlot again a much fresher and more delicate Port-like wine, accompanied by their home-made and mouth-wateringly delicious goat’s and blue cheeses.
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The fascination of tasting and getting to know little known grape varieties such as Juan Garcia, Prieto Picudo (dark pointed), and even the more well-known Mencia for the reds and roses, and Godello, Albillo and Albarin for the whites. Some of these showed great potential such as the whites made from Albarin at Bodegas Margon (in spite of the name and some of the aromas they told us this was related to Chenin Blanc). I also thought the Godello Sparkling wine (no dosage) from Bodegas Y Viñeos Agribergidum was delicious and showed amazing promise for a first vintage.
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The incredible hospitality and charm with which we were received at Bodegas Otero, as after a thorough tasting of their wines they allowed us to taste a 1970 Rose made from Prieto Picudo (a grape variety which I felt had some of the chalky tannins, firm acidity and tarry notes more akin to some well-known Italian varieties) accompanied by home-made empanadas.
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At Bodegas Viñas del Cenit, we stood in a truly sandy-soiled vineyard where I wondered if there was any soil in the sand and marvelled at 200 year old Prieto Picudo vines with their unusual habit of spreading branches laterally along the ground. No phylloxera here then.
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Staying at the Hotel El Convento in Coreses (Zamora) was a totally bizarre experience. With its strange mix of Rococo design, gold, religious artefacts, gilt throne-like chairs and paintings of naked women in erotic poses on the winery ceiling , it takes kitsch to new heights but is nevertheless a memorable experience.
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As musical accompaniment to dinner, a band of thirty or so cloaked troubadours played their traditional instruments and songs as well as the odd ‘O Sole Mio’ and Beatles song thrown in for our benefit. Watching several senior CWW and AWE members do the conga and enjoying themselves as they became the entertainment.
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Discovering the beautiful countryside with trees already in blossom as we drove across northern Spain’s remoter areas and walked around the beautiful centre of León.
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There were many culinary highlights but having lunch at Restaurante Imprenta Casado in Leon was probably my favourite – delicious food and full of laughter and good company.
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All in all, it was a trip well worth making. A full report will appear later in the CWW newsletter. Many thanks to Ade Internacional Excal for supporting this trip (Omar, Fernando and Marcos) and especially to John Radford for getting the whole thing off the ground and organising it.
© 2009 – 2012, Susan Hulme MW. All rights reserved.