The Other 'Ribera' - Ribera del Júcar and the Lands of the Meseta

"In a place in La Mancha... of which I do not remember the name..."

- Miguel Cervantes, Don Quixote

The land of the Meseta, of Madrid and New Castile is the land of high central plains. It is the heart of Spain, decked with flat landscapes of red soil and stubby vines. In the distance, the sunburnt circle of mountains  gives one the feeling of immense isolation and wonder.

The windmills here aren't giants, no, they are short and their sails fly fast in the winter months when the plain's winds rush with a solemn howl over the landscape, creating Spain's lowest temperatures (-22 degrees Celcius). 

Following the Reconquista, Madrid became the capital. The city stood as far away from the coast as possible, central and also out of the greedy reaches of the regal but older kingdoms. Castile, Aragon, Navarre and Catalonia had longed scrapped and  squabbled with each other - Madrid would be free but  also become the new bureaucracy of the recently liberated 'Spain'. 

LA MANCHA AND ENVIRONS

Hands down, La Mancha makes the most wine in the Meseta. These are the value wines you find on the supermarket shelves of Europe and in the cheap wine section of the LCBO. They are big and fruity and simply fun to drink. Just look for Tempranillos from Vino de la Tierra de Castilla.

Valdepeñas, or 'Valley of the Stones' lies just south of La Mancha and produces some excellent Reservas and Gran Reservas. The area's history goes back to the Romans but many believe it was the monks of 12th century Burgundy who first brought Cencibel (aka Tempranillo) here. In the twentieth century, it was often considered the "Poor Man's Rioja" but as we find in the Twenty-First century, the wines can stand up to the best of North-Central Spain.

Almansa is considered 'the forefinger' of Castilla-La Mancha and could well have been assigned to the DO's (Denominación de Origin) of Valencia and the Levant. But politics is politics and borders fall where men lie but one thing's for sure, culturally, the region is more northern than Mediterranean. If anything, the one great common factor it has with its more eastern neighbors is the vast planting of Monastrell which dominates half the vineyards.

And there's also Manchuela, second-largest in size after massive La Mancha. The main grape here is Bobal which accounts for around 70% of the vineyard. 

RIBERA DEL JÚCAR

In the world of wine, we remember the big names: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany, Rioja, Jerez, Barossa, Marlborough, Mosel-Saar-Ruher, Napa, etc...etc...

Even in Spain-loving wine circles, the word 'Ribera' is often followed by 'del Duero' and we think of the robust, passionate and heady wines of the north. We think of Vega Sicilia's famous dark wines that can age for decades. 

There are other Ribera's, however. There's Ribeira Sacra in Galicia; Ribera del Andarax in Andalusia and Ribera del Guadiana in Extremadura in western Spain on the River Guadiana. 

In the Meseta, we find Ribera del Júcar fiendishly sandwiched between La Mancha and Manchuela. The D.O. lies in the province of Cuenca and surrounds seven small villages. 

There is more of a Mediterranean climate at work and it's not as harsh as the heated plains of La Mancha. It also rains more in Ribera del Júcar than in the land of Don Quixoite's  monstrous windmills: 20% percent higher to be exact. This means the vines don't have to dig down so deep to find water. 

The soils of La Mancha are red-brown sand and clay while in Júcar you'll notice outcrops of marl and limestone. This makes a difference as well. La Mancha, as I mentioned produces busty, brawny reds but here, although the wines are also big there is a seductive, perfumed quality which makes the reds intoxicating even before you sip them. 

The main grape varieties include Cencibel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bobal, Merlot and Syrah.

CASA DE ILLANA

La Mancha and Castilla are all about value. The same goes for Ribera del Júcar. 

The 2006 Casa de Illana Bobal/Tempranillo/Syrah blend offers the wine lover a gorgeous red without the hefty price tag. On the nose you'll notice perfumed black pepper and blueberries. An earthy spice seems to float and flower in the glass. Take a sip and the dark fruit will rush over your palate along with hints of smoke and dashes of baking spice. A lovely, delicate wine and only $12.95 at the LCBO in your Vintages section.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Radford, John, The New Spain. Mitchell Beazley, London, 2007.


PHOTO SOURCE
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/pictures/2007/09/20/windmills400.jpg

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Sauvignon Blanc for Early Summer - Creekside and No.99 Wayne Gretzky Estate

Last summer we complained about the rain and it looks like this summer we're going to be griping about the heat. I suppose that's human nature. One thing's for sure, if the past few days have been an indication of things to come, the sale of white wine is assured. 

NIAGARA: COOL CLIMATE AND WHITE WINES

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Ontario is a cool climate viticultural area. The Niagara Region is just above 43 degrees north latitudinal band. We share similar growing conditions to southern Germany. What this means is that we can grown and produce exceptional white grapes that will in turn make lively and refreshing white wines. 

When it comes to whites, Riesling and Chardonnay are the two main varieties that excel here. In their shadows, you can find Gewürztraminer with some great Pinot Gris/Grigio and Pinot Blanc. 

If you're looking for something to chill for these summer days, you can't go wrong with the above-mentioned as most wineries do good if not exceptional varietal or blends.

There's also Sauvignon Blanc which I've found typically depends on who you buy from...

A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFO ON SAUVIGNON BLANC

When Sauvignon Blanc is done right, it is easily distinguished from other whites. Sauvignon Blancs around the world are known for their grassy, herbaceous, green fruit, gooseberry and sometimes 'tomcat' aromas  and flavours (the latter often referred to as 'cat's pee'). 

It is grown throughout both the Old and New Worlds. In France look no further than the Loire Valley: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are the two best place to start learning about Sauvignon Blanc. The whites are definitely herbal but the former's whites have a unique smoky mineral quality while the latter are known for their 'flint'. 

In Bordeaux, the grape is typically blended with Sémillon to make white Bordeaux and high-priced sweet Sauternes and affordable Barsac. 

Speaking of Bordeaux, it is interesting to note that DNA profiling has revealed Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc to be the noble parents of the great red variety, Cabernet Sauvignon. Apparently back in the 18th century, these two vines spontaneously crossed somewhere in the region to create the most popular red grape in the world.

Sauvignon Blanc is also important to New Zealand's wine industry. In the 1970s, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc sparked a revolution on the international market and the entire country has reaped the benefits since. Today it is the most-widely planted variety in the country with Chardonnay a distant second. 
The famous Cloudy Bay label

In the Casablanca Valley along the Pacific coast in central Chile, the white grape does especially well. In South African you can find excellent varietal Sauv Blancs from Stellenbosch. In California, the white wine is lightly oaked giving the herbal component a softy creamy-toast character.

SAUVIGNON BLANC IN NIAGARA: MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR

Last year when I went wandering the wine route, I gravitated towards Riesling and Chardonnay. I tried the occasional Sauvignon Blanc here and there, stopping at wineries in both NOTL and Jordan/Beamsville but found the varietals wanting. The acidity didn't seem as bright as the best of France or New Zealand. The grassiness was quite sad in a few instances and the structures of most were a bit wobbly. 

I had really given up on Canadian Sauv. Blanc.

Then yesterday, while out buying wedding gifts, I happened on a few excellent Sauvignon Blancs from two interesting wineries.


CREEKSIDE AND GRETZKY

First, I have to mention Creekside and No.99 are actually sister companies. 

Creekside came into being in 1998 when Peter Jansen and Laura McCain-Jensen, newly returned from a honeymoon/wine tour in California bought V.P. Cellars, a languishing winery on 4th Avenue.

In June 2007, Monique Beech in the Niagara Falls Blog (she now writes for the St.Catharines Standard) announced the Great One would be opening a winery in Niagara. The location was not disclosed at the time but it turned out to be the former Willow Heights Winery at 3751 King St. in Vineland. 

The two wineries are in partnership and share both the land and winemakers. If you're looking for a tour, please call up Creekside as the Gretzky facility is not yet set up to accommodate eager wine students. Both locations have restaurants.

WINE NOTES

I wouldn't say Sauvignon Blanc has the same potential here in Niagara as Riesling or Chardonnay but with innovation and care, it can be unique. 

Take the No.99 Wayne Gretzky Estate Series 2007 Sauvignon Blanc. I mentioned that Sauv. Blanc is lightly oaked in California (they call it Fumé Blanc). This wine has the herbs, the grass but also a lovely gooseberry character. The wine is a combination of both barrel and stainless steel fermentation and you'll find a light, creamy texture to the wine that is no way intrusive but intriguing. $18.95 and available through the winery or on-line wine buying sites. 


For those that want a beautiful, zesty, green fruit gooseberry and grapefruit summer sipper, I highly recommend the Creekside Estate 2008 Sauvignon Blanc at $13.95 (winery and LCBO). A wonderful white, it's delicate but lively and a great wine to reach for after being out in the sun. 

Creekside Estate also offers a Reserve 2007 Sauvignon Blanc ($26.95). Again, if you like the idea of the Gretzky lightly-oaked Sauv., then this one might be for you. The wine was rated 4 1/2 stars out of 5 by Rick VanSickle, wine writer for the St.Catharines Standard and is a Gold Medal winner at both Cuveé 2010 and the Ontario Wine Awards 2009.  

The wine is bigger with the tropical fruit and gooseberry notes turned up in volume. It isn't as grassy as the Estate series offering but if you can imagine a grapefruit gently dipped in whipped cream, then this is your wine.

Overall, these varietal are ideal on their own or with a side salad. With the Reserve from Creekside, however, I would pair it with a creamy Alfredo pasta.

Crisp white wines like Sauvignon Blanc are also excellent with fried foods so if you need something to sip with your fish and chips, look no further this summer. 

LINKS

http://www.creeksidewine.com/  
http://www.gretzky.com/wine/ 

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Spain, Calatayud and Manga del Brujo

Why do strong men fatigue themselves with dumbbells?

To dig a vineyard is a worthier exercise.

- Marcus Valerius Martialis (Martial) (40 AD - 103 AD)

 

Spain is a fascinating country. A 19th century travel writer once described it as a 'bundle of units tied together by a rope of sand'. Even if we look at Spain's history, we see how true this statement is.

SPAIN BY DIFFERENT NAMES

Ancient settlers, many of whom came from the continent of Africa to Europe once called the country Iberia for its many rivers. 

The Greeks who arrived shortly thereafter named this arid land of solemn deserts, rugged, white mountains and wilderness, Hesperus,  or 'the land of the sunsets'. For the many men and women in the centuries of Homer, Hesiod, Pindar and Plato, the country we know as Spain was once the western border of the known world.

The Carthaginians saw it differently. While exploring this beautiful country of sunsets, they found it inhabited with numerous rabbits so they called it Espana - their word for our furry, carrot crunching  friend. The Romans followed fast - they came, saw and conquered (you know the deal) and took from their defeated enemies this particular name and since then, Espana or Spain has stayed with us. 

So really, after the rivers and the sunsets, the bunny rabbits won out. But not for long...

MOORISH SPAIN

With the fall of Rome, the Visigoths had their day in the sun and in the region of Spain, the remaining Roman legions simply could not defend the land against the stronger invading barbarians.

The conquerors, however were conquered themselves. 

There is a fascinating legend that one Visigoth king ignored a certain ritual of his predecessors. For many years, a tower was routinely locked. Seven kings had successively put seven locks on the tower door.  The eighth king, Roderick, decided to satisfy his curiosity. He had the locks broken and the door opened. What he found proved surprising.

On the inside walls of the tower were pictures of marauding horseman with strange swords. In the centre of the room, a golden vase with a scroll. The scroll simply read that whosoever broke the locks of the tower would be destroyed by the men depicted on the surroundings walls.

In 711 B.C. a man named al-Tariq lead a vast force of 7000 men across the Strait separating Spain from Africa. The man would lend his name to the rock - Gibralatar or mountain (gebel) of Tariq.

Roderick was defeated in 712. 

For nearly 800 years, the region of Spain and especially south Spain would be known as al-Andalus or 'Land of the Vandals' (i.e. Visigoths). 

WINES AND AL-ANDALUS

The majority of southern Spanish architecture was heavily inspired by the Moorish invaders. The Spanish language too was shaped by the Arabic and for us English speakers, the influence trickles down. Alcove, alabaster, alchemy, alcohol - all come from the Arabic.

In terms of wine, the Moors of al-Anadalus were relatively lax. They allowed the conquered Christians to grow grapes. In those days, the Eucharist was a fundamental ritual in the church. Fun-loving Muslims would  often visit these houses of God the way modern wine drinkers today visit a wine bar.They didn't so much partake of the Eucharist but joyfully sample the goods grown in the vineyards.

If that doesn't suggest their easy relationship with wine one can look at the poetry of the time which is laden with wine references. 

CHRISTIAN SPAIN AND CALATAYUD

After the Moors came the Christians or really a disjointed but... unified band of Christians. Between 711 and 1492 we find a lot of internal strife and struggle in Muslim Spain. As I mentioned, there was a laxness with the ruling Moors. Those followers of Islam in Africa that objected to the artistic and sometimes decadent culture of Al-Anadalus tried to rectify the situation by crossing over Gibralatar and taking over. There were numerous conflicts of rule within the different factions and the small but determined Christian tribes of the wet north found ways of taking advantage, gaining strength in numbers and pitting their enemies against each other.

In the 15th century, the last of the Moors were ousted from rule and new Spanish leaders took over.  

Speaking of the 15th century, it was apparently the architecture of this time that the winemakers of an excellent Calatayud wine, Manga del Brujo are paying homage to.

Before I go any further, I have to mention that Calatayud is located in north-eastern Spain. It is approximately 100km south of Rioja and is known for its fairly high terrain (800 metres above sea level). The countryside is planted with fruit trees (many of which are peach) and vineyards. Of the wine grapes grown, Garnacha is the mainstay taking up 65% of the vineyard. The vines are low-yielding and old vine. Tempranillo, Syrah and Monastrell are also present but don't command the same space and attention.  

In the time of the Romans, the region boasted a thriving population and acted as a staging post for the legions. The sardonic and sarcastic epigramist Martial was born here. 

But we actually get the name Calatayud from the Moors. It is a corruption of Qualat Ayub or Castle of Ayub (Job). 

So you see how it all comes together...

MANGA DEL BRUJO
I love history and I love how it can interweave through our drinking experience. It is one thing to appreciate a wine on the sensory level, I find it more thrilling to take the tasting to a new level by looking at the world it hails from. 

I also love how the winemaker is honoring the history of the region.  The old world, the old buildings, and the old vines all coming together. The wine has a weight, a density that may have inspired winemaker Norrel Robertson MW to find a co-relation with the buildings of Papa Luna. 

The Garnacha used for this wine lends a robust, dark fruit component. I also find a lovely brown-sugar, tobacco compote element on the palate with hints of black pepper. 

The wine is definitely rich, lush and seductive and at $15.95 in your Vintages section at the LCBO, it will become a highlight for dinner conversation.

And if you can bring up the history and connect it the dark liquid in your glass - well, all the better.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Crow, John Armstrong, Spain: The Root and The Flower, Berkley, University of
California Press, 1985.
Johnston, Hugh, The Story of Wine. Mitchell Beazley, London, 2004.
Jeff, Julian, The Wines of Spain. Mitchell Beazley, London, 2006.
Radford, John, The New Spain. Mitchell Beazley, London, 2007.

PHOTO SOURCE 
http://www.turismodearagon.com/files/PapaLuna.JPG

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