Mike Steinberger of Slate offers his guide to finding great wines: grab a selection from one of his favorite importers. Read why importers make a difference and which importers to look for in his article: "Never Buy a Bad Bottle of Wine Again" on Slate. Be sure to also download his handy Foreign Wine Cheat Sheet.
Spain today continues to be one of the most exciting areas for wine in the world. The combination of the varied topography and accompanying cultures creates the dynamics for an incredibly rich landscape. The innovation in vinification techniques and vineyard management (continuing exploration in sustainable agricultural practices) is what makes this incredibly forward thinking country so exciting.
The San Francisco Chronicle's Jon Bonné documents sherry's past and its future as well as offering some advice and information for sherry novices.
"We merry band of sherry fans have learned to suffer in silence. I have loved sherry for as long as I've loved wine - its tang and drama invigorate my palate as few drinks can."
In the November 28th edition of the Financial Times Jancis Robinson lists her picks for the best red wines to enjoy this holiday season. Joan d'Anguera's Finca l'Argata 2005 makes the list, and here's what she had to say:
Really interesting, very well melded, pretty chewy but full of life. A blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet from this high, granite-dominated, Catalan zone.
In my continuing effort to proselytize on behalf of the wonderful style of wine that is sherry, my girlfriend and I organized a sherry dinner at our house this past weekend. Five courses, five sherries, good times. The idea was, of course, first and foremost to have some good food and good wine, but it was also to educate a little about what sherry is and how damn good it is with food. So we spent a whole day between the farmer’s market, various grocery stores, and the kitchen (but mostly the kitchen), cooking up a storm.
Check out our new Tempranillo Seminar: Tempranillo's Favored Terruño to learn about tempranillo and the two most famous tempranillo growing regions: Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Download the companion PDF for more detailed information.
Josh Raynolds from the International Wine Cellar has posted part 2 of his Best New Wines from Spain for 2008 on the International Wine Cellar website (coming soon to press). We've compiled all of the De Maison Selections wines here for your reading pleasure.
The new lot numbers on our Finos and Manzanillas are not just random codes. Each number has a meaning and knowing the meaning behind the number will let you know how fresh these sherries are. Each winery has its own system of generating a lot number but you can always tell that it is a lot number because it will be prefaced by the letter "L". Using the current lot numbers as examples, here is a breakdown of the meaning of each winery's lot numbers so that you can tell exactly when that sherry was bottled.
[UPDATE] The sample lot numbers used in the below examples are no longer current. These lot numbers in these examples remain unchanged so that they may be used as a reference tool to help decode the current lot numbers. Please also note that the lot number reflects the bottling date of the wine and not the US release date.
La Cigarrera Manzanilla
The current lot number for La Cigarrera Manzanilla is L08120. The number following the L may be the most confusing of the three but it can be broken into two segments: year and day. The first two digits denote the bottling year, in this case "08." The last three digits represent the day within the year; in this case the "120" stands for day 120 or April 29th (2008 is a leap year). Lot number code L08120 means that this lot was bottled on the 120th day (April 29th) of 2008.
El Maestro Sierra Fino
The current lot number for El Maestro Sierra Fino is L0208. The number following the L can be broken into two simple segments: month and year. The first two digits signify the month; for the current lot number that would be "02" or February. The second two digits denote the year, "08" for this lot. Lot number L0208 means that this lot was bottled in February of 2008.
Gutierrez Colosia, Fino Elcano
The current lot number for Fino Elcano is L010508. The number following the L is fairly straightforward: it is simply the date of the bottling. But remember, they're using the European standard format so the day is shown before the month. Lot number L010508 means the lot was bottled on the 1st of May, 2008.
The most commonly overlooked aspect of Fino and Manzanilla sherries is always freshness. While Amontillados and Olorosos are known for their longevity – they initially became popular due to the fact that they would not spoil during a long sea voyage – Finos and Manzanillas are best consumed when they're freshly bottled and served cold. In an effort to ensure that you're drinking the best sherry possible we had our three producers print lot numbers on every bottle of Fino and Manzanilla. So next time you pick up a bottle of one of these fine wines look at the back label and make sure that you're getting the freshest batch out there. Look below for a list of the current lot numbers.
In the July 29th edition of the New York Post David Appell recounts his experince with Natural Cider in Spain. Check out his article on the New York Post's website.
Mike Steinberger of Slate talks about summer wines. What is Mr. Steinberger bringing with him to the beach this summer? Muscadet. Follow the link to see why he's chosen this livley wine from the Loire as his Perfect Summer Wine.
"In addition to the bevy of dry rosés that shimmer in the summer sun, I endure the heat with fino sherry. It hails from Jerez in southwestern Spain, between the Strait of Gibraltar and Portugal. Born from palomino grapes that are embraced by flor , a strain of yeast that protects the wine from turning into vinegar, it has a nutty note with the essence of the sea breezes that help make it the quintessential Spanish apéritif. Serve by itself, chilled or on the rocks with a twist of lemon, or with light snacks such as almonds, aged cheese (especially manchego), olives and anchovies — the oily fish just sings with fino. Like a cut flower, fino is best appreciated when fresh, within three months of bottling. Not for the cellar — it is for now. Also, try an ounce added to your gin and tonic"
Wines of The Times:
For Overlooked Sherries, Some Respect
The New York Time's Eric Asimov talks about why "dry sherry is both the greatest value and the single most abused category in wine" in his July 9, 2008 Wines of The Times article. You know how we feel about sherry, so take a look and see what Mr Asimov has to say.
In the July 3rd article entitled "Of sommeliers and stomachs" The Economist reports on a recent study that focuses on the health benefits of red wine. The study, conducted by Dr
Joseph Kanner's team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found that drinking red wine with red meat helps to block toxins from entering your system. Read the full article at The Economist for all of the details.
Why don’t people drink more sherry? This is the question I can’t get out of my head after coming back from sherry country, where imbibing fino seems as natural as breathing.
In their June 2008 issue, Wine Enthusiast Magazine takes a look at "Old Vine Treasures from Spain's High Plains" and uncovers Garciarevalo's Tres Olmos.
91 Points
Garciarevalo
2006 Tres Olmos Verdejo
Rueda
$17
Tres Olmos is that rare wine that smells great, tastes just right, and lingers for a long time on your palate. Almond, pear and citrus aromas smartly give way to a wave of blended citrus fruits, and the finish is long and confident.
I am excited to welcome Dani Boxford to De Maison Selections.
I have known Dani for about six years and have always been impressed by her professionalism and passion for the business. Dani got her start in the business as a pastry chef and quickly got bitten by the wine bug. She worked for four years as a wholesaler in Texas and the last two years Dani worked for a supplier of New Zealand wines.
Dani has personally visited the majority of our producers in Spain. Her enthusiasm for representing these producers is self evident.
Spain’s great qualitative momentum continues to lead it forward at a dizzying pace. Having spent 2 weeks in Spain touring the northern areas, I see an amazing country that continues to inspire and surprise me in many different ways.
James B. Steward of SmartMoney.com asks "Is Spain the New Bordeaux?" He says "the question of Spain versus Bordeaux isn't as far-fetched as it might seem," and puts Spain to the test. See the results of his blind tasting on SmartMoney.com.
Ever wonder what the terraced vineyards of D Ventura look like, or Doniene Gorrondona's 150 year-old Hondarribi Beltza vines, how about soleras of Gutierrez Colosia? Now you can see photos of those and more on our new Gallery pages. Look for the Gallery link on most of our wineries' pages to see a selection of photographs from that winery and their vineyards.
As Txakolina catches on, the complexity and beguiling nature of this little wine continues to intrigue us. At first we were just curious and happy to find unadulterated white wines but then a strange thing happened. We began to see a very diverse landscape of many different styles reflecting the individual DO’s and the philosophy towards the wines as applied by the winemakers. Today it is not possible to speak in general terms about Txakoli. Txakoli is a multi faceted region representing some of the most authentic whites of Spain. Read Bloomberg's article by Elin McCoy.
2006 in Catalonia and the Mediterranean coast appears to be a very good vintage and not marred by some of the heat and conditions that North Central Spain suffered. The initial quality of wine from this vintage is good.
Check out Jordi Rotllan's detailed vintage notes for Priorat here.
The 2006 vintage, which just finished, is strikingly good on the Northern Coast of Spain with the exception of Ribera del Duero and Rioja. In the Basque Country and Galicia the sun shone brightly throughout September and allowed sugars to rise gradually.
Rioja and especially Ribera del Duero suffered from the heat of September. This heat caused some of the grape skins to burn. For Rioja the wines are light and approachable, but lacking in structure of the previous vintages. In Ribera the results will be even more variable.
Bierzo also appeared to have benefited from practically being in Galicia. Overall 2006 will be a vintage to dissect by region with some stellar wines from lesser known regions…right up our alley!
Founded by André Tamers in 1996, De Maison Selections is a twelve-year-old importing company specializing in unique, high-quality, boutique wines from Spain and France.
Today's focus for De Maison Selections continues our tradition of seeking out unique producers from Spain and France. The current majority of our portfolio is geared toward Spain. Spain continues to be a great wine frontier, constantly offering wonderful surprises.
The People:
André Tamers
French and American citizen with extensive experience on all levels of the wine trade, André Tamers started in the business in 1985 as buyer at a restaurant with a wine list of 150 selections. Having lived extensively in France, he decided to move to Spain for a change. In Spain he lived in Barcelona where he studied painting at the well-known Escola Eina. During this sabbatical period, he traveled extensively throughout the viticulture regions of Europe allowing him to nurture contacts in the winemaking world. André's fluency in both French and Spanish has been influential in discovering little-known producers.
Dani's love of wine began while working as a pastry chef in a fine dining restaurant while studying at the University of Oklahoma. Dani got involved in sales after school and ended up working for a wine wholesaler in Texas. While there, she was able to extensively study all areas of wine making and sales. Dani has traveled the world and visited many of the wineries she has represented, including De Maison Selections' properties. After four years on the wholesale level, she spent two years as a New Zealand winery's sales manager for five states. She is thrilled to now represent De Maison Selections in the western half of the United States
Christopher Pataky
As a member of the De Maison Selections family since 2003 Christopher Pataky is our resident webmaster. Using his degree in art history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chris applies his experience to the design and development of this website.
Alexander Wallace
Back from Geneva, Switzerland, where he was completing an internship at the United Nations, Alexander Wallace is quite pleased to be incorporating his love of wine into his professional life. As an American raised in France, he is fluent in French and also speaks Spanish. At De Maison Selections he serves as the first point of contact in the office and assists with logistics.
Ibone Candina
Born in Bilbao, in the Basque Country, and raised in the UK, France and the US. With a Masters in International Marketing, Ibone started working in the wine business as export manager of two wineries in Rioja. After travelling around the world for 10 years she decided it was time for a change and she took a sabbatical year to get a proficiency degree in Basque and to travel to Brazil. Her passion for fine wines has led her to travel throughout the main wine regions of Europe. She is fluent in English, French, Basque and Portuguese, and speaks a little German. She met Andre while working for Palacios Remondo and their long-time friendship has continued until the present. She is excited to work as De Maison Selections' consultant located in the Basque Country where she also organises wine tours.
Contact Us:
Telephone:
+1 (919) 933-4245
Fax:
+1 (919) 932-6107
Main Office:
1289 N Fordham Blvd, E-1
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
USA
San Francisco Office:
1155 Leavenworth St
San Francisco, CA 94109
USA
Bilbao Office:
c/ Viuda de Epalza, 10 - 4º izq
48005 Bilbao (Bizkaia)
Spain
