LeDomduVin: Feel Good Wine!

Feel Good Wine! 

Bodegas Luis Cañas Rioja Reserva Selección de la Familia, Rioja Alavesa, Villabuena de Alava, Spain, 2019

Recently, I had a great time drinking this wine over some delicious tapas at the bar of @bayfaresocial restaurant, in Rosewood Hotel HK, with one of my coworkers. This juicy Rioja hit the spot as a perfect feel-good wine, making me feel in heaven for a moment! Great food, great wine! Just what I needed that day! 😋😋😋😋😋😁👍🍷

Bodegas Luis Cañas Rioja Reserva Selección de la Familia, Rioja Alavesa, Villabuena de Alava, Spain, 2019

Bodega Luis Cañas is a family-owned winery with over 200 years of history in viticulture and winemaking. It wasn't until 1970 that Luis Cañas launched its first bottled young wines, having previously sold exclusively in bulk. From then on, sales increased, and it gradually became one of the prominent wineries in Rioja Alavesa.

In 1989, a new chapter in the winery’s history began as Juan Luis Cañas, the sole son of Mr. Luis Cañas, took leadership. At 33 years old, he introduced innovative ideas and started creating new wines while also offering more aged Cuvées, setting the groundwork for what would eventually evolve into the modern winery.

This wine is one of the few Rioja wines that blends Cabernet Sauvignon with Tempranillo. In the early 1980s, Bodegas Luis Cañas received approval from the D.O.Ca. to plant this variety as an experiment, and it has remained part of the blend ever since. 

A blend of 85% Tempranillo and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Rioja Reserva Selección de la Familia is an easy-going red wine aged for 20 months in 50% French oak and 50% American oak. In the glass, it displays a deep and dense purple hue. The nose offers ripe aromas of black fruits, mingling with earthy yet smooth notes of graphite, smoked tobacco, and chocolate, and oaky nuances. The palate is full-bodied, rich and suave, balanced and layered, with ripe and present yet well-integrated tannins, gently coating and expanding towards the long finish. Nicely done! Loved it!

 

*****

I posted this post on Facebook, and a Spanish producer I'm friends with (on FB) put a comment roughly saying: 

"There are many better wines (in Rioja) than this one, which is very industrial." 

To which I answered: 

"Of course, there are many better wines (in Rioja), but there, in this tapas bar, in Hong Kong, that's what they had by the glass, so I wasn't picky, and sure enough, with the tapas, it was super good and it went down very well. 😋😁👍"

To which I added: 

"That's what wine is all about, and you know it as well as I do: the place, the atmosphere, the company, the moment, the context, the food, etc., can transform a wine and make it better, right there, in the moment. 😁👍🍷"

To conclude: "Wine is all about the moment!" - Dom.

And that is exactly what this wine was! 

• Was it the best Rioja I have ever tasted? No, but it was definitely one of the nicest I've tasted recently, especially considering the price (a bottle costs about 20 euros retail). 

• Is it industrial, as that producer said, mass-produced? It isn't, but even if it were, so what? There are many wineries in Rioja producing a lot of bottles, and the wines are delicious. Quantity does not always mean lower quality. The same goes for Bordeaux, for example.  

• Was it great? Yes, as it was pretty juicy, rich, layered, balanced, with appealing aromas and flavors, good structure and texture, with integrated tannins, and a smooth, long finish. 

And at that moment, that day, it was all I needed to enjoy my tapas and have a pleasurable moment! I enjoyed it very much! So much so that my coworker and I both had another glass, as one wasn't enough! This wine made me feel good right then, and that's all that matters! 

Wine is all about the present moment, and fortunately, tasting is subjective, so there is something for everyone. There is no real point in downgrading a wine someone is enjoying simply because you don't like it yourself or don't find it good enough. Everyone's palate is different. 

And, of course, there will always be a "better, faster, stronger" wine out there that might be superior, but it doesn't matter. If you consider the wine you're drinking at that moment the best in the world (even if it isn't) and it makes you feel good, then, no matter what, it is the best wine in the world at that moment! And don't let anyone tell you otherwise! 

As my grandfather used to say: "Si tu n'aimes pas ça, n'en dégoûte pas les autres!" (which could awkwardly be translated as "If you don't like something, don't disgust others with it").    

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Bodegas Roda "Sela" Rioja 2022

Bodegas Roda "Sela" Rioja 2022

Produced only since 2008, “Sela” is Bodegas Roda's latest project and the youngest of their wines.

The grapes are sourced from vineyards planted with 15 to 30-year-old bush vines cultivated using sustainable viticulture practices.

During harvest, the grapes are hand-picked into 16 kg crates and then sorted by hand at the winery. Alcoholic fermentation occurs spontaneously, followed by malolactic fermentation in French oak vats. 

The wine then undergoes a shorter aging process than its older siblings, spending 12 months in second-use French oak barrels.

The resulting wine is friendly, bold, juicy, ripe, and full of character, making it surprisingly approachable in youth and ready to be enjoyed shortly after its release, unlike other Roda wines, which usually require more time to showcase their flavors and full potential.

This wine also possesses excellent aging potential in the bottle for those who prefer to wait for it a little.

Bodegas Roda likes to say that it is a wine that attracts young people or those with a younger palate who are beginning their journey into the world of wine.

Although I am not that young anymore, I could not agree more, as this wine has a lot of youthful appeal, and I can understand why it pleases younger drinkers. It was delicious with the Spanish tapas I had with it.

Bodegas Roda “Sela” Rioja 2022

"Sela" 2022 is a blend of 89% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano, and 7% Garnacha, featuring a dark, intense red color. The nose is fresh and fragrant, offering bold, fruity aromas of ripe dark plum, red cherries, and berries, enhanced by subtle floral and earthy notes and a faint hint of oak, despite its 12 months of aging in the barrel. The palate is fresh, fruity, round, ample, rich, generous, and layered, with a good balance, structure, and fine, integrated tannins. It expands nicely with a lovely texture from the beginning to the lingering finish. Love it.

Not only for the absolute beginners! 😉😁👍🍷

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Tentenublo Escondite del Ardacho "El Abundillano" Single Vineyard Rioja DOCa Spain 2019

Tentenublo Escondite del Ardacho "El Abundillano" Single Vineyard Rioja DOCa Spain 2019

The other day, I returned to Bayfare Social in Rosewood (HK) to serve the wines for a private dinner.

Bayfare Social is a Spanish restaurant with a relaxed, cozy atmosphere and a convivial vibe. I love their food, inspired by classic Spanish tapas and pinchos dishes.

After finishing my job for the night, I treated myself to a well-deserved dinner at the bar counter since I didn't have the chance to eat earlier.

I went for two of my favorites on their menu: the "Calamares a la Andaluza" (fried squid, parsley, and Aioli) and the "Hovos Rotos" (Iberico Ham, fried potato, Spanish egg, and Aioli). 

I wanted a glass of Rioja wine to accompany these dishes, so I asked for the "Artadi" they usually offer by the glass. Yet, they were out of it, so I asked the bartender if he had another Rioja by the glass, and he generously poured me a glass of this Rioja I had never heard of before. It was a pleasant surprise, as the wine tasted great and paired well with the food. 

 

Tentenublo Escondite del Ardacho "El Abundillano" Single Vineyard Rioja DOCa Spain 2019

As an “old school” Sommelier and a Rioja wine lover for 30 years, I usually like my Rioja made with a majority of Tempranillo. Yet, I’m always eager to taste and learn about wine I have never tried before.

This Rioja is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Tempranillo, and 10% Malvasia. The color is intense, dark, and opaque. The nose displays incentive aromas of ripe black cherry mingling with licorice, mocha, and earthy notes. The palate is generous, complex, ample, coating, structured, juicy, and well balanced by good acidity between the ripeness of the fruit, the tannins, and the 15.5% alcohol. It offers plenty of texture and chewiness while remaining fresh, with a lovely mineral and saline touch in the long finish. Loved it.

Tiny production: 1300 bottles or less.

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Artadi Viñas de Gaín 2020

Artadi Viñas de Gaín Vineyard Selection 2020 

con Jamón Ibérico, queso, huevos and patatas fritas.

The other day, I was at “Bayfare Social”, a cozy, vibrant, and welcoming Spanish restaurant in Rosewood (HK), to do the wine service for a private dinner. After the service, as it was my first time coming to this venue, I decided to taste some of their food with one of their wines by the glass.

With the suggestions of Cillian (the restaurant manager) and Yann (the assistant restaurant manager), I went for the “HUEVOS ROTOS” (Ibérico Ham, Fried Potato, Spanish Egg, and Aioli – see picture) and the “TXIPIRONES” (Baby Squid, Spanish Egg, Padrón Peppers), and chose the Artadi Vinas de Gain 2020 to go with it.

Pairing the wine of a great Rioja producer like Artadi with some Spanish comfort food was a wise decision, as it was a great match!

More especially a wine I know pretty well as I visited Artadi a few times in the mid-2000s and love their wines (I bought and sold a lot during my “New York” years).

ARTADI VIÑAS DE GAIN 2020

A beautifully crafted wine with a dark red color. It boasts aromas of ripe plums, black fruits, and berries intertwined with chocolate, licorice, earthy and toasted notes. The palate is medium-bodied, fruity, ripe, rich, dense, complex, yet fresh, vibrant, and youthful, with present and persistent yet integrated tannins, providing this attractive wine with a gentle texture and solid structure. Well balanced, it expands nicely until the long finish. Still a bit young (IMO) and yet so approachable now, too. Loved it.

The wine paired better with the HUEVOS ROTOS (in the picture) combination of ham, egg, and potatoes, echoing in harmony in a festival of flavors on the palate. 

I also like the cozy, comfortable, cheerful, and accessible restaurant atmosphere, where people were smiling joyfully and chatting while sipping a glass of wine with some Spanish fare. The restaurant felt good and alive. Loved it. Highly recommended. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Marques de Riscal Elciego (Alava) Vino de Crianza 1922

Marques de Riscal Elciego (Alava) 

Vino de Crianza 1922

I'm always humbled when in the presence of such a piece of history. 

I mean, it's not every day that I come across such an old and rare bottle, especially one from Marques de Riscal. 

The cellars I am inventorying are usually primarily stocked with French wines. Some Italian and American wines are occasionally found, but Spanish wines are a rare discovery.

Marques de Riscal is one of my favorite Rioja wineries, and I had the chance to visit it a few times and drink and sell a fair amount of their wines over the past 20 years. 

Being able to hold this bottle of Marques de Riscal 1922 brought back a lot of great memories. 

Back in the early to mid-2000s, when I was working in New York, at @pjwine, I had the chance, every year, to organize and participate in the PJ Wine owner's wine-buying trip to France and Spain. 

A trip of 15 to 18 days, usually occurring at the end of March and beginning of April, focused mainly on tasting Bordeaux Futures and visiting wineries around Rioja, Priorat, and Ribera del Duero.

This is how, at the time, Peter Yi (wine lover and owner of PJWine.com), Justin Berlin (a Spanish wine aficionado extraordinaire), Sam Nelom (a wine amateur and blind-tasting legend), and I ended up eating in some of the best restaurants in the southwest of France and the northern part of Spain had to offer.

That's how, in 2006, we got to experience chef Ferran Adrià's "El Bulli" and eat at Marques de Riscal's restaurant after tasting some of their wines. 

We were also among the first guests to spend the night in some of the best suites of the newly finished Frank Gehry-designed Marques de Riscal hotel. It was a tremendous experience. 

And for those who may wonder, no, I did not open this bottle as it is part of a private cellar. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 

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LeDomduVin: Quaffable wines

Quaffable wines

It is fun to regularly participate in food & wine pairing/tasting for various events in our restaurants and other venues, as well as doing and supervising the wine service during these events.

Organizing the wines for these events and tasting them with the team allows me to come down from the stratospheric heights of top wine levels where I usually spend most of my time, to come back down to earth, to the world of more affordable quaffable wines.

Yesterday, we tasted these wines:

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain NV

A blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier, it is gentle, nice, and easy, light to medium bodied with a fine mousse, crispy without being too acidic, and good minerality and chalky nuances, delivering pear, lemon flavors, with light notes of ginger, seashell and toasted brioche.

Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy Sancerre Terre de Maimbray 2020

Soft, supple, and mineral, well balanced, light-bodied, and easy-going, yet rounded by ripe fruit flavors, which almost made it taste sweet with the Thai-influenced food we had with it. The finish was a bit short for my taste (but that's me). 

William Fevre Montmains Chablis Premier Cru 2019

Fresh, really crisp, light to medium bodied, superbly balanced between the ripeness of the fruit and the razor-sharp lemony acidity, developing a cleansing steeliness marked by a mouthwatering minerality bringing both structure and texture lasting to the zesty lingering finish. Loved it.

La Rioja Alta S.A. Vina Alberdi Reserva Rioja DOCa 2018

Frankly, I had higher expectations for this wine as I love this producer, and Rioja wines in general, more especially when it is a "Reserva", but it was light, too light, and short unfortunately, lacking both charm, complexity as well as structure and texture (in my opinion). Not a bad wine, just "blah"...

Thierry Germain Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Franc de Pied 2016

As the main course was fish, I could have chosen a Pinot Noir, but I preferred a Cabernet Franc instead. It was a great alternative, as this wine was rather light, with great acidity, bright red, and dark fruits, integrated tannins, excellent balance, and long-lasting fin. Loved it.

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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