What's New in May

Vines in the Sand

When speaking about the white wines of Spain people usually skim over the interior of the country and focus on the coastal regions. But by ignoring central Spain in a quest for Spanish white wine one is missing out on some of the real treasures of Spain.

One such treasure is the white wine of Rueda. Neighboring some of the most famous red wine regions of Spain, such as Ribera del Duero, Rueda is an island of white in a sea of red. Verdejo has been the predominate grape grown in Rueda for over a thousand years, but it remained in obscurity due to how easily it oxidizes. The grapes start to oxidize as soon as they are harvested and will do so faster than they can ferment. For this reason the wines of Rueda were historically made in a style meant to mimic Sherry. It wasn’t until the later part of the 20th century that technologies and techniques were developed that have allowed farmers to keep Verdejo grapes fresh from harvest until fermentation. Using a combination of inert gases and refrigeration, the people of Rueda can now produce young, fresh wines that exhibit the complex flavors of fresh Verdejo.

Garciarevalo is an estate that is determined to preserve the flavors and characteristics of Verdejo in its wines. The ultimate expression of Verdejo is the Tres Olmos. This wine is made from a selection of the estate’s oldest vines. These pre-phylloxera vines range from 100 to 140 years old and flourish in the dry sand that defines the landscape of this region. After a careful harvest the fruit is fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged on the lees for six months and then bottled without having ever touched oak. The resulting wine is a pure expression of Verdejo that could only come from Rueda.

New Release from Garciarevalo

Tres Olmos 2009
Sourced from 100-140 year old pre-phylloxera vines. This 100% Verdejo is fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel. Aged on the lees for six months before bottling. Lime and citrus notes combine with a waxy component. The palate shows many complex elements such as marzipan and citrus derivatives. The finish is lengthy and round.

Also from Garciarevalo

Casamaro Blanco 2009
The “little brother” to the Tres Olmos is made from a blend of 10% Viura and 90% Verdejo from the estate’s younger vines. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel and bottled directly from the tanks. New for 2009: screw caps. Bright melon and citrus notes complement a lush well balanced framework.

Also New...

2010 Concoction Contest: Cider

Our 2010 Concoction Contest is underway. We want your original Cider Concoction recipes and cocktails, please email them to us. The winner will receive a hand painted porron from this year's guest artist: Beatrice Agullo.

New Submissions

To Your Health
by Mindy C. of Toro Bravo in Portland, OR

2 oz Isastegi Sagardo
2 oz Pimms No. 1
2 oz Apple Cordial*
Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Simple Syrup
Combine Pimms No. 1, apple cordial, splash of lemon juice, and splash of simple syrup. Shake and pour into a 16 oz glass. Top with Isastegi Sagardo and garnish with an apple twist.

*Apple Cordial
6 Apples (pealed, de-seeded and chopped)
1/2 cup Honey
1/4 cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 cup Lairds Applejack Liqueur
2 cups Water
3 Cinnamon Sticks
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat and then simmer for 3 minutes before removing from heat. Remove cinnamon sticks and blend the mixture on high for 3 minutes. Filter through a chinois and allow mixture to cool before use/storage.

In the Press and Around the Web

From the L.A. Times

Patrick Comiskey extols the virtues of the white wines from Spain in his recent article for the LA Times. His recommended wines include selections from Do Ferreiro, Emilio Rojo, Ameztoi and Gurrutxaga. Read "Spain’s white wines sparkle in spring sun" in the L.A. Times for the full story..

From Imbibe Magazine

Imbibe Magazine chose Ameztoi Rubentis as its Drink of the Week for April 23rd. Check out its blog to see why.

From the Wine Advocate

The Wine Advocate has published its annual reviews of wines from Spain by Jay Miller in the new issue #188. We have all of the De Maison Selections reviews compiled here (and as a pdf) for your convenience.

To keep up to date on our latest going-on's be sure to follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook.

Links of Interest

>What's New Archive
>The De Maison Selections Newspost
>André's Travel Blog