originally posted by VS:
originally posted by Lou Kessler:
Victor, you've always been the epitome of consistency. I had become convinced there was no such thing as a "bad" Spanish wine. Is there nothing we can count on in this world anymore?
I don't know if I should say that I resent it a little to be classified as a Spanish wine bigot by you, Lou! :-) You should hear what they say in Spain, where our web site is considered "downright unpatriotic"...
Actually there's a lot of wine I'm not fond of (bland traditional Rioja, souped-up modern Rioja, Ribera oak soup, barrel-fermented-and-annihilated albario) that is probably not 'bad' in absolute terms, and lots of people like it. But there are many bad wines, period - too many, particularly in my region, Castile-La Mancha, but also all over the place. You're lucky you almost never see any of them on US shelves.
A few recent examples of truly awful Spanish wines: Carriel dels Vilars 2006 (Empord-Costa Brava), Finca Comell 2002 (Terra Alta), Valdezarza 2002 (Toro), Vallarcal Roble Tempranillo Vendimia Seleccionada 2002 (Ribera del Guadiana), Monasterio de Santa Ana Monastrell 2003 (Jumilla), Heretat Vall-Vents Sauvignon Blanc 2003 (Peneds), Miquelius 2004 (Utiel-Requena). I'd better just stop here...