Pazo de Arribi 2006 Bierzo Menca (Northwest Spain) Im breaking with my normal nomenclature here because the winery name (in the fine print) is RNE 8179-LEno, reallyand I just cant bear to see that in print. A contract bottling for Classical Wines, the importer? Could be. And I admit that, as a result, Im trepidatious given the history of such things. But no fears are necessary, other than the usual worries about continuity of sourcing: this is a very tasty wine. Red, blue, and black fruit not purple, though well-structured and showing layers of decayed-flower aromatics. Tellicherry pepper dust, too. (8/10)
Capanes Mas Donis 2009 Montsant Rosat (Catalua) Strawberry and red cherry edging towards and peering over candied, but not so far past that edge that its unpleasant. Its just very modernistic, shiny, and bright. But it would work just as well as a pastille, I think. (8/10)
Amesguren Ameztoi 2009 Getariako Txakolina Rubentis (Northwest Spain) Fizzy, chalky, fizzy, short, fizzy, drawing down to its finale, and fizzy. Did I mention the fizz? Bites more than purrs, nipping and snapping at every approach. (8/10)
Pionero Mundi 2008 Rias Baixas Albario (Northwest Spain) Lemon, grass, curd, and sunshine. (9/10)
Telmo Rodriguez Gaba do Xil 2007 Valdeorras Godello (Northwest Spain) Quite vibrant, pacing somewhere between a bronzed firmness and an abandoned, yet two-dimensional, still life of beach living. Quite flavorful, but never tripping over itself into a stumbling, clumsy drunkenness. Fun, but a slightly more sophisticated version thereof. (10/10)
Capanes Mas Donis 2009 Montsant Rosat (Catalua) Strawberry and red cherry edging towards and peering over candied, but not so far past that edge that its unpleasant. Its just very modernistic, shiny, and bright. But it would work just as well as a pastille, I think. (8/10)
Amesguren Ameztoi 2009 Getariako Txakolina Rubentis (Northwest Spain) Fizzy, chalky, fizzy, short, fizzy, drawing down to its finale, and fizzy. Did I mention the fizz? Bites more than purrs, nipping and snapping at every approach. (8/10)
Pionero Mundi 2008 Rias Baixas Albario (Northwest Spain) Lemon, grass, curd, and sunshine. (9/10)
Telmo Rodriguez Gaba do Xil 2007 Valdeorras Godello (Northwest Spain) Quite vibrant, pacing somewhere between a bronzed firmness and an abandoned, yet two-dimensional, still life of beach living. Quite flavorful, but never tripping over itself into a stumbling, clumsy drunkenness. Fun, but a slightly more sophisticated version thereof. (10/10)