Manchuela at the Mermaid

26-Feb-09 - I've been to Manchuela about three times but never managed to get to visit a bodega: it always seemed to be the weekend or a public holiday. So, it was very useful to be able to taste a range of the region's wines at the conference centre of the Mermaid Theatre in London - and in the afternoon, so providing the opportunity of an affordable railway ticket. Jancis Robinson was in the chair, flanked by José Peñín, of the eponymous wine guide, and Víctor de la Serna, editor of elmundovino.com and who also owns Finca Sandoval in the DO Manchuela - one of the newer estates, and a member of Grandes Pagos de España. Also the Mermaid is very convenient - being within walking distance (even for me) of Blackfriars station.

The whole thing was well organised with proper tables to sit at - and I managed to get one next to an electric socket to power the laptop (have you noticed how quickly battery life deteriorates? I've had this one for just over a year and the original 2 hours has now become about an hour and 20 minutes).

There were 14 wines on the tasting sheet, but none with prices. Where I quote prices it's approximate retail in Spain (thanks to wine-searcher.com) none were given at the time of the tasting. These were they:

WHITE

1) 2008 Altos del Cabriel - Coop San Antonio Abad - 100% Macabeo
V. pale straw//light herby fruit, very fresh and clean//delicious, clean, fresh, a little neutral but very pleasant. 15/20

2) 2008 Viaril - Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza Coop - 100% Macabeo
Do//a little gamier, some secondary (2y) hints//yes, some maceración carbonica (m/c) style, but a richer, more complex mid-palate. A bit not-quite-clean (nqc) on the finish - a lot of lees? 13/20

3) 2007 Pago Altolandon - 100% Chardonnay
Pale straw//some richness on the nose, hint of oak?//but v. clean and crisp, fresh acidity, a little 'hard' on the finish. José said it needs more time. Jancis asked 'do we need another Chardonnay?' I'm with Jancis. 14/20

PINK

4) 2008 Realce Rosado - Unión Campesina Iniestense - 100% Bobal
'Electric' pink//good, fresh, light fruit, some m/c//yes, that characteristic bubble-gum style, a nice glugger, no great character but would be very nice well-chilled on a hot day. 14/20

5) 2008 Altos del Cabriel Rosado - Coop San Antonio Abad - 100% Bobal - €2.50-3.00
Purple-pink//another ketoney hi-fruit 2y style//but a very pleasant glugger, crisp acidity, another nice, everyday summer wine. 14/20

RED

6) 2003 Azua Selección Bobal Viejo, Vitivinos Anunciación - 100% Bobal - 30 years old (yo)+
Purple-ruby//nice ripe fruit, cherry/plum and some deep, dark fruit (ddf)//nice structure on the foretaste, good balance with fruit and tannins on the mid-palate, clean, 'chewy-fruit' finish. Good. 16/20

7) 2007 Pago Altolandon - 50% Syrah, 20% Merlot, 20% Cabernet-Sauvignon (C/S), 10% Garnacha
Purple//big, spicy, smoky, tarry, peppery//yes, good structure, the Syrah prominent, nice 'austere' mid-palate and a warm, long finish, hints of chocolate. 17/20

8) 2006 Finca Sandoval Cuvée TNS - 60% Touriga Nacional (technically illegal), 40% Syrah - €93.50 (magnum)
Lustrous dark purple//some musky ddf, richness, ripeness, subtlety//lovely rich foretaste, then a 'creamy' mix of fruit and wood on the mid-palate, a little austere on the finish but with great potential. Excellent. 18/20

9) 2006 Vega Tolosa Finca los Halcones - 100% C/S - €5.80
Purple//fairly closed, quite spicy/young style C/S, austere//good C/S style, still austere with structured tannins, a hint of bitterness on the finish. Probably needs a bit longer in bottle. 15/20

10) 2006 El Monegrillo - 70% C/S, 30% Syrah - €12.00
Dark purple//warm, slightly 'sweaty' fruit, some dark damsony hints, but nqc//but good structure, fruit and working tannins, dark and austere and a long finish, with a hint of bitterness (not unpleasant). 15/20

11) 2006 Finca Sandoval - 75% Syrah, 13% Monastrell, 12% Bobal - €22.85
Bright purple//dark, 'pickled shallot' richness//dark bitter-chocolate fruit, spice, pepper, some considerable heat; austere tannins on the finish but with great potential. Needs time. 16.5/20

12) 2007 Pino, Bodegas y Viñedos Ponce - 100% Bobal (biodynamic)
Bright purple//nice, 'meaty' fruit, big spicy aromatics//musky tannins working well with the fruit, and a nice mid-palate. Still quite a lot of tannin, but looking good. 16/20

13) 2007 Finca Sandoval Signo - 90% Bobal, 10% Syrah
Do//Very ddf underpinned by some peppery spice//good, rich fruit, those musky tannins again, but pushing forward some very bright red fruit, austere finish but there is real potential here. 17/20

14) 2007 Ponce PF - 100% Bobal - ungrafted 65-80 yo - €17.90
Dark purple//subtle ddf, dark choccy spice and dried fruit//lovely rich fruit, style, chocolate, still austere but the fruit is vibrant. Excellent. 18/20

Overall the tasting demonstrated that what we have in the DO Manchuela is two separate strands of development: the old-established co-ops are still happily turning out, easy- and early-drinking wines at rock bottom prices, and doing it very well. The other strand is 'boutique' or single-estate wineries which really are striving for quality. I was sorry to see so much Cabernet, Syrah, etc. creeping into the mix (although Syrah does perform excellently here), but paradoxically I applaud Víctor for his 'illegal' plantation of Touriga Nacional. I'm also delighted to see how many producers are taking the Bobal seriously at last - yet another example of what I've always said to people who denigrate what they describe as 'bulk' grapes: there's no such thing as a crap grape, only crap winemaking.

To sponsor a weblink or picture on any post please contact john@johnradford.com