Just remember, I told you so.
Because as soon as Monsieur Parker rates this one, it will be 'Las Rocas' all over again. That's assuming Mr. Solomon decants this wine before the tasting.
The wine: 2003 Bodegas Emeterio Fernández 'La Legua' Cigales
I have been running with this wine for some time now (i.e months) and while none of the monkeys (retail) here in Savannah have picked up on it, it seems the hell-hole that is Atlanta has. As such, the supply is nil. Word has it a container left Spain this week, so it should be back in about a month. I suspect that between now and then, the ratings will come out and it's going to be off to the races.
For the Spanish-challenged readers, the wine come from the Cigales region of Spain. I know it's in another language, so think the first part of 'Cigar' and then tack on the maker of those tasty potato chips, Lay's. It is located in the region of the Valladolid. Another funny word. Think Vaya-dough-lead (as in not to follow). The importer of the wine is Eric Solomon and he along with Jorge Ordoñez (another importer) are bringing Spain and its wines to the front and center. This vintage of La Legua is 94% Tempranillo (Temp-rah-knee-yo) and 6% Garnacha (aka Grenache). Pricing varies, but I have seen it from $9-$12US. I sell it for $10.75 and it's worth every penny, and then some.
My first encounter with this wine was during a tasting of 12-13 Spanish reds. The La Legua was about #3 in the line-up. I tasted it, jotted down a few notes, and inquired as to the price. The wine performed about what a $10-$11 bottle should. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. I trust this post is proof that the latter is not true. After going through the remaining ten or so wines, I step out on the lanai for a tasty tobacco flavored treat. Upon returning, I set about re-visiting the wines. This is a practice I do as often as possible (sometimes tasting at 9.00 in the morning then re-tasting at 5.00 at night) because wines being the living things that they are, they can and often do change dramatically. Enter La Legua.
What I had initially written off as some entry-level bottle of decent ripple had gone through the vinous version of Bill Bixby (Don't make me mad...) to Lou Ferrigno. Subsequent bottles (and there have been many) have proven this process to take about 15-20 minutes from when the cork is pulled. Again, straight-away the wine has the usual suspects of your average 'quaffable' juice. Muted/non-exciting nose, decent fruit, tannins are present, maybe a bit strong but all in all, somewhat blasé. Given a little time, this wine explodes. Aromatics of leather, earth, dry-aged beef scream from the glass. The palate unfolds giving incredible dark fruits which help balance out the tannin that seems abit strong at the outset. Another flavor that comes through and one that I have found in other wines from nearby (specifically Toro) proved intitally hard to pin down. The F.A. and I went round and round about it. The consensus: buttered popcorn. I know that sounds like the last things you would want in a wine (unless you can't get enough CA. Chardonnay), and especially a Spanish red, but I think its pretty accurate. Possibly a combination of the terroir (effectively high desert with extreme temperature fluxuations) and the barrels in which it is aged (French and American). Either way, this is a wine to seek out. I have yet to find a client that wasn't impressed by this wine. I suspect you will be too.
From a Spanish wine website:
I couldn't have said it better myself.
The wine: 2003 Bodegas Emeterio Fernández 'La Legua' Cigales
I have been running with this wine for some time now (i.e months) and while none of the monkeys (retail) here in Savannah have picked up on it, it seems the hell-hole that is Atlanta has. As such, the supply is nil. Word has it a container left Spain this week, so it should be back in about a month. I suspect that between now and then, the ratings will come out and it's going to be off to the races.
For the Spanish-challenged readers, the wine come from the Cigales region of Spain. I know it's in another language, so think the first part of 'Cigar' and then tack on the maker of those tasty potato chips, Lay's. It is located in the region of the Valladolid. Another funny word. Think Vaya-dough-lead (as in not to follow). The importer of the wine is Eric Solomon and he along with Jorge Ordoñez (another importer) are bringing Spain and its wines to the front and center. This vintage of La Legua is 94% Tempranillo (Temp-rah-knee-yo) and 6% Garnacha (aka Grenache). Pricing varies, but I have seen it from $9-$12US. I sell it for $10.75 and it's worth every penny, and then some.
My first encounter with this wine was during a tasting of 12-13 Spanish reds. The La Legua was about #3 in the line-up. I tasted it, jotted down a few notes, and inquired as to the price. The wine performed about what a $10-$11 bottle should. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. I trust this post is proof that the latter is not true. After going through the remaining ten or so wines, I step out on the lanai for a tasty tobacco flavored treat. Upon returning, I set about re-visiting the wines. This is a practice I do as often as possible (sometimes tasting at 9.00 in the morning then re-tasting at 5.00 at night) because wines being the living things that they are, they can and often do change dramatically. Enter La Legua.
What I had initially written off as some entry-level bottle of decent ripple had gone through the vinous version of Bill Bixby (Don't make me mad...) to Lou Ferrigno. Subsequent bottles (and there have been many) have proven this process to take about 15-20 minutes from when the cork is pulled. Again, straight-away the wine has the usual suspects of your average 'quaffable' juice. Muted/non-exciting nose, decent fruit, tannins are present, maybe a bit strong but all in all, somewhat blasé. Given a little time, this wine explodes. Aromatics of leather, earth, dry-aged beef scream from the glass. The palate unfolds giving incredible dark fruits which help balance out the tannin that seems abit strong at the outset. Another flavor that comes through and one that I have found in other wines from nearby (specifically Toro) proved intitally hard to pin down. The F.A. and I went round and round about it. The consensus: buttered popcorn. I know that sounds like the last things you would want in a wine (unless you can't get enough CA. Chardonnay), and especially a Spanish red, but I think its pretty accurate. Possibly a combination of the terroir (effectively high desert with extreme temperature fluxuations) and the barrels in which it is aged (French and American). Either way, this is a wine to seek out. I have yet to find a client that wasn't impressed by this wine. I suspect you will be too.
From a Spanish wine website:
"En la tierra de los rosados hay tambien grandes tintos, este es un ejemplo"Translation: In the land of rosés, there are also great reds, this is an example.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
1 Comments:
Thanks for the tip. I just tried to get some from the local distributor who carries Solomon, but this wine was passed over. I will keep trying!
Jens
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