Pago de Los Capellanes in Ribera del Duero

During the Decanter wine fair in London in November quite some time where spent at the stand hosted by Pago de los Capellanes (siblings on picture). The most surprising element was the high acidity in these wines from Ribera del Duero where the day temperature can be up to 40c in summer and is still a hefty 25c during harvest time in October. They are however saved by the low night temperatures in fall (down to 5c).

Their normal Crianza and reserva are both beautiful wines and further up the ladder is the enclosed El Nogal that comes from a special plot with just walnuts. 22.000 bottles are produced from this 6 ha plot with purchase price around 40€.

This is a substantial wine packed with blueberries, dark fruit, coffee, chocolate and a super delicious well balanced taste with a great acidity. A masculine and big solid wine. Lovely stuff!

Another one, El Picon, is from a plot shaped like a bird's beak, thus the name. Same characteristics as for El Nogal with perhaps more tobacco on the nose. Ca 3000 bottles. Both of them lovely wines.

Comments

Bordeaux- Le prelat du Ch. Pape Clement 2004

This is one of two second wines of the famous and expensive Ch. Pape Clement in Graves. Although young, 2004, this wine drinks really well already if you put it on carafe a couple of hours before consumption. Dark red colour, with a very attractive smell of blueberries and dark berries, its a full bodied wine with firm but nice tannins that goes best with some food. 2004 although not the best of vintages, keep surprising me with good drinkable wines at affordable prices, because from 2005 and onwards there is a big step up in prices.... Grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon 60% and Merlot 40% Price around 20€ P+

Wine # 2 Blindtasting Ganddal

Deep dark purple colour. Dark berries, cherries and mint chocolate. Full bodied with soft tannins. Reminds me of an Amarone.. A very nice wine indeed. Panel is way out as it is from the Rhone valley. Gigondas 2009 by Guigal Score 17.60 Ca 20€ or 220 NOK

Ogier Chateauneuf du Pape 2010

This is a quite reasonable Chateauneuf du Pape (ca 200 NOK or 15€). The colour is medium ruby color which was a bit surprising. Nose of ripe black cherries and liquerice with a medium + body and finish with firm tannins. The wine can be drunk now but has definitely the potential for ageing (5-10 years). Chateauneuf du Pape 2010, Ogier Bring out the steak!

Life is too short to drink bad wine

Search This Blog