Explorer Club: Why Spain?

If you have been drinking wine long enough to see trends come and go, Spain probably holds a soft spot in your heart. Personally, Spain has proven to me that it over-delivers, at lower price points, than many traditional wine countries.  

Historically, Spanish producers have wrestled with whether or not, and to what extent, to adopt modern winemaking tools such as French oak, temperature controlled fermentation, cultured yeast, and modern harvesting and sorting. These techniques reshaped the global wine economy and allowed Spain to respond more directly to what modern drinkers enjoy.

Spain has also traditionally favored longer cellaring cycles. In contrast to wines from Bordeaux, which are often released well before they are truly ready, thereby requiring the buyer to cellar them for another three to five years, in Rioja, producers often do that work for you, releasing wines with real age already on them. Our 2018 Rioja Reserva is a great example of the value this ‘pre-cellared’ approach brings.

Not everyone embraced modernization. Many producers and longtime lovers of Spanish wine seek wines that clearly express Spanish heritage, traditional techniques, and indigenous varietals.

One such indigenous varietal is Garnatxa, also known as Garnacha or Grenache. It is one of the oldest genetic lines in viticulture, cultivated around the Mediterranean long before formal record keeping existed. From southern Spain through the Rhône Valley, it has long been a cornerstone grape. This month we are featuring a single Garnatxa expression which carries the lighter color and warm Mediterranean aromatics associated with older production styles, while still benefiting from thoughtful modern winemaking.

Let us not neglect Spanish white wines. From salty, textured Albariño, and age worthy Viura, to the bright energy of Txakoli, Spain offers an incredible range of palate pleasing variations. When I tasted our Moscatel in this month's wine club, I was pleased to find a product which showcased how using modern techniques to elevate regional variation can forge a path forward against the whitewashing of modern winemaking. 

And of course, there is Cava. Our opening bubbles this month is a non-alcoholic wine from a renowned Cava producer. Of the hundreds of non-alcoholic wines I have tasted throughout my career, this is the closest I have found to something that actually behaves like wine. It sets the tone for the evening and invites comparison, curiosity, and conversation.

Spain continues to be one of the most compelling regions in the world for drinkers who value history, patience, and genuine value in the glass. Come and Partake with us, wine is better with friends. 

This Month’s Wines

Botani Moscatel Old Vines

Málaga, Spain

100% Moscatel de Alejandría

2024

Down on the south west coast of Spain, on the eastern side of the Strait of Gibraltar, sits the town of Málaga, the capital of Andalucía. The wine region uses both the city name and that of the nearby mountains, the Sierras de Málaga, to market their wines.

The grape featured here is Moscatel de Alejandría, one of the oldest unmodified grape varieties still available in the modern world. Its story is entwined with winemaking in the Egyptian empire and traces its history through North Africa and across the Mediterranean.

Despite the long traditions surrounding this grape, in classic Spanish fashion the producers here changed course. Rather than leaning into sweetness, the wine is fermented slowly and cold all the way to bone dry, with fruit harvested for balanced acidity rather than perfume and candied character. The result is aromatically intense while still finishing with a wonderful minerality that lingers and invites another sip. To me it successfully blends the tension of Spain, blending modern precision through stainless fermentation and tight temperature control yet still maintaining a regional personality using ancient varietals, traditional trellising, and hand harvested fruit from fifty to eighty year old vines. 

This is a wine I love in a tapas setting. Pair it with tapenade and good bread, the locals suggest espeto, sardines skewered and roasted over an open pit. That may not be on the menu this weekend, but I will grill some fish from time to time and this wine would be a memorable pairing with that.

Herència Altés La Pilosa

Terra Alta, Catalonia, Spain

100% Garnatxa Peluda

2024

Moving to the south east, about halfway between Barcelona and Valencia, buried up in the mountains is the region of Terra Alta in Catalonia. These rugged landscapes were famously painted by Picasso during his early years, when he spent time here creating watercolors that captured the energy of the towns tucked into the hills.

This wine carries that rustic old world charm in the glass, showing a crystalline garnet color and a medium body that opens slowly with air. Aromas of dried red fruit and wild Mediterranean herbs emerge as it breathes.

La Pilosa refers to a hyper local sub variant of Garnatxa called Garnatxa Peluda or hairy garnacha. This adaptation produces fine hair-like fibers on the leaves, which help hold moisture in the hot dryer climate, this shows a brighter fruit structure than its less hairy big brother Garnatxa.

In the glass, the wine offers a rich aromatic structure balanced by freshness and restraint. This is old Spain, fighting for its regional image in a massive international wine market. This would be my go to wine for a saffron rich paella with plenty of shellfish, or a juicy herb crusted pork chop.

LAN Rioja Reserva

Rioja, Spain

2018

For me, Rioja remains the most recognizable wine region that firmly places Spain among the world’s greatest producers. La Rioja as a region is a sparsely populated river valley with a history dating back to the Phoenicians. There are medieval writings that reference Rioja as a respected source of wine. Located north of Madrid, the region is dominated by long established estates and multi generational traditions.

LAN is one of the younger historic estates in Rioja, founded in the mid 1970s.. Because of this, their approach to winemaking and marketing has always reflected a closer relationship to what modern drinkers are looking for.

The Reserva level wine in this month’s club has spent significant time resting and developing complexity. French oak influence and Tempranillo tannins have had the time they need to mellow, resulting in a full bodied wine with depth, structure, and balance. This is where modern Rioja has driven the style.

 While this wine is perfectly enjoyable on its own, I will always favor a modern Rioja when roasted lamb is on the table.