Rediscovering Spain

South Florida CEO, Sept, 2005 by David Bernad

Florida recently surpassed New York as the second largest consumer of wine in the United States, according to numbers published by wine industry consulting firm Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates. In fact, from 1992 to 2002, consumption of wine in Florida increased by an astonishing 55 percent--the fastest growth rate in the nation, a study published in the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System shows.

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Historically, Floridians have always been fans of wines from California, Italy and France, but in the last five years, producers from Chile, Argentina, and, most significantly, Spain, have multiplied their exports to the US, and to Florida in particular. I expect Spanish wines to have a particularly strong showing at October's fourth annual Miami International Wine Fair.

After millions of dollars in agricultural and technological investment over the past decades, Spain has earned a reputation for producing some of the world's most fascinating wines, often at a fraction of the price of those from California, Italy or France.

Out of the thousands of Spanish wines that I have tasted over the last few years, there are a few that I think best represent Spain's current revolution.

The 2002 Panuelo Rojo (panuelo is Spanish for bandanna or scarf, a symbol of celebration and tradition) is an everyday drinking wine, made with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in the region of Navarra. It is an intense, bright ruby red wine with mature, subtle aromas of blackberries and blueberries. As it goes down, the Panuelo Rojo moves onto spicier notes with an elegant vanilla touch from its five months of aging in French oak barrels. In fewer words: it's an amazing, fruit-driven, easy-to-drink, yet complex wine for $10.99--a real steal.

True marvels are also being made in the La Rioja D.O.C. by Bodegas Urbina. (D.O.C. stands for Denominacion de Origen Calificada, a government-regulated wine production area with strict regulations pertaining to growing of grapes and crafting of wines.) A complete unknown in the US market, yet an established star in the United Kingdom, Bodegas Urbina is your quintessential Rioja Alta producer. Refreshingly, this single-state winery crafts wines with great capacity for ageing using modern technology, yet harvested by hand and avoiding the use of weed killers and pesticides. This process creates lighter, refined wines that don't attempt to overwhelm the palate with loads of fruit and alcohol.

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The Urbina Gran Reserva 1994, made with 100 percent Tempranillo grapes and aged for 5 years (including 24 months in oak barrels), offers a splendid, ripe and complex nose with well-balanced oak and fruit tannins, and a taste of intense rich fruit. At $45 per bottle, the Urbina Gran Reserva 1994 is a bargain, and a perfect candidate to impress even the most knowledgeable of wine drinkers.

A more modern wine-making style can be found at Bodegas del Medievo, also in La Rioja D.O.C. This relatively new producer crafts outstanding, fruit-driven wines using mainly Tempranillo and Grenache grapes. The 1998 Medievo Reserva, which is aged 24 months in French oak and 24 months in the bottle, will retail for $19.99. The Medievo Reserva has an intense black cherry color, complex aromas of ripe berries and creamy tones brought by the high-quality oak used in the "reserva" ageing process. It is well balanced in the palate, showing fresh fruit with silky tannins and a generous finish.

The region of Priorat, located some 100 miles south of Barcelona, emerged at the turn of this century as Spain's most innovative winemaking region, and Clos Berenguer is the newest arrival from Priorat to the Florida market. The 2002 Clos Berenguer Crianza (55 percent Grenache, 35 percent Carignan and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes) presents a red ruby color with aromas of red fruit, plums, raisins, caramel, dark chocolate and butter. This wine is juicy, with a powerful attack, yet is also well balanced. It offers a long licorice finish that is unique to Clos Berenguer. The 2002 Clos Berenguer will retail for $38, an amazing value taking into consideration that only 1,000 bottles are available in Florida.

Finally, I'd like to introduce our readers to the region of Somontano, a rock star in Spain, yet a relatively unknown D.O. (a less rigorous wine production area designation) in the US. Idrias Sevil, a Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend produced by Bodegas Sierra de Guara, is one of the emerging stars in this region. The 2002 Idrias Sevil is a very elegant wine of red cherry color, with violet tones. Complex and intense, it has aromas of mature, mineral black fruits and a long, persistent finish. It is aged for 15 months, mostly in French Oak. At less than $25, this is a wine worth tasting on a weekly basis. The same winery also produces Idrias Abiego ($15.99), Sevil's younger brother, which is aged for six months, and has Tempranillo grapes added to the Merlot-Cabernet blend.

David Bernad is the founder and general manager of the Miami International Wine Fair and President of Vinamericas Inc.