Spanish Wine Fair - Old Billingsgate

12-Mar-09 - The wine trade goes bonkers with events from mid-March to the end of June, and the Spanish Trade Fair is usually one of the first events. It used to be held at the Royal Horticultural Hall on Vincent Square but moved a few years ago to Old Billingsgate, by the Thames, which is a much better, and bigger venue. Unfortunately a side-effect of this is that there are more exhibitors, and now that the show is only on for one day (it was originally held over two days) it's practically impossible to get around to everybody. In addition, everybody knows everybody at the event and it's too easy to get into chatting with old chums while the time slips away.

In the event I pruned my list ruthlessly to ensure that I got to taste wines that I wouldn't ordinarily encounter, vowed not to be beguiled into stopping for lunch, and set to work. The only other thing about the venue is that there's nowhere to sit, and as I need to get my breath back and rest my creaking joints about every fifteen minutes, it really is a nuisance. Fortunately, however, all the stands had high stools behind them and I simply 'borrowed' one at each of my visits. I did mention the lack of seating to the lovely Sue Glasgow, who arranges the event every year, and she has promised to look into it.

There isn't room here to list every stand I visited or every wine I tasted, so I'll try and keep it simple. I was looking particularly for wines from 'emergent' regions and focussed on such as Ribeira Sacra, Bierzo, Montsant, Priorat, Tierra de León, Arribes, Almansa, etc. I did taste some other wines, especially the excellent new vintage of Rías Baixas, but I haven't listed them below.

These are some of the highlights (17/20 and over only, and in the order in which I tasted them):

2005 Baboix, Buil i Giné, Montsant (Alliance Wine) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, 14% abv

2007 Giné Giné, Buil i Giné, Montsant (Alliance Wine) - 17/20
Cariñena, Garnacha, 14% abc

2005 Joan Giné Giné, Buil i Giné, Montsant (Alliance Wine) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, 14% abv

2008 Peregrino Verdejo, Gordonzello, Tierra de León (Antoine Peterson) - 17/20
Verdejo, 12% abv

2006 L'Heravi Crianza, Vinyas d'en Gabriel, Montsant (Antoine Peterson) - 17/20
Cariñena, Garnacha, Syrah, 14% abv

NV Casa Don Ángel Malbec, VdM, Vera de Estenas (Antoine Peterson) - 17/20
Malbec, 13% abv

2004 Perinet, Mas Perinet, Priorat (Antoine Peterson) - 18/20
Cariñena, Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Garnacha, Merlot, 14% abv

2005 Gran Abadengo, Ribera de Palazas, Arribes (Besós) - 18/20
Juan García, 13% abv

2004 Finca El Puig, Gran Clos, Priorat (Besós) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, 15.5% abv

2006 Taberner, Huerta de Albalá, VdlT Cádiz (Boutinot) - 17/20
Syrah, 15% abv

2007 Perlat Anyada, Cellers Unió, Montsant (Buckingham Schenk) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah, 13.5% abv

2003 Llicorella Selección Especial, Cellers Unió, Montsant (Buckingham Schenk) - 18/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Syrah, 14.5% abv

2006 Mas d'en Compte barrel-fermented, Joan Sangenis, Priorat (Burridges) - 17/20
Garnacha Blanca, Picapoll, Pansal, Macabeo, 13.5% abv

2006 Mas d'en Compte Crianza, Joan Sangenis, Priorat (Burridges) - 17/20
Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, 13.5% abv

2004 Gran Marius Reserva, Piqueras, Almansa (Burridges) - 17/20
Monastrell, Garnacha Tintorera, Tempranillo, Syrah, 13.5% abv

2005 Coma Vella, Mas d'en Gil, Priorat (C&D Wines) - 17½/20
Garbacham Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cariñena, Syrah, Merlot, 15% abv

2005 Cartoixa Reserva, Scala Dei, Priorat (Codorníu) - 18/20
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Garnacha, Syrah, 14% abv

2007 Vega de Luchán, Ejeanas, VdlT Gállego-Cinco Villas (Donaldson Reeves) - 17/20
Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cabernet-Sauvignon, 13.5% abv

2007 Rectoral de Amandi, Gallegas, Ribeira Sacra (Donaldson Reeves) - 17/20
Mencía, 12.5% abv

2007 Misterio de Fontana Roble, Fontana, Uclés (Dreyfus Ashby) - 17/20
Tempranillo, 14% abv

2005 Itsas M Urezti, Itsas Mendi Upategia, Bizkaiko Txakolina (Dreyfus Ashby) - 17/20
Hondarribi Zuri, 13% abv

2006 Fra Guerau Crianza, Fra Guerau, Montsant (Freixenet) - 17½/20
Syrah, Garnacha, Monastrell, Tempranillo, Cariñena, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, 13% abv

2008 Verd Albera, Martí Fabra, Empordà (Indigo Wine) - 17/20
Moscatel, Garnacha Blanca, Garnacha Gris, 13% abv

2005 Clos d'Agon, Mas Gil, Catalunya (Indigo Wine) - 18/20
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Syrah, Merlot, 13% abv

2007 12 Volts, 4 Kilos Vinícola, Binissalem (Indigo Wine) - 18/20
Callet, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, 14% abv

2007 4 Kilos, 4 Kilos Vinícola, Binissalem (Indigo Wine) - 18/20
Cabernet-Sauvignon, Callet, 14% abv

My general feeling was that standards were higher than ever and the variety of Spanish wines simply becomes wider every year. The fair seemed to be very well attended but unfortunately I didn't get to visit the 'exporters' section at all. I shall just have to arrive earlier next year... Or go to Spain more often.

In a break with tradition, there was a consumer event in the evening, in another hall on the first floor at Billingsgate, where about 30 exhibitors were showing wine (and some foods from Spain) to 300 readers of SQUARE MEAL Magazine. The event was a sell-out: I was there as a pundit to answer any questions and, judging by the number of people who came up to the table with queries, it was a great success. It would have been good to linger once the rush was over but I had to dash to catch the 21:00 from Euston to Milton Keynes Central. Needless to say there were no seats in second class (are there ever on this train?) so I parked myself in first and waited for the guard. He arrived eventually and said he's come back to collect the upgrade, but never did. As I got off, he was at the door and said "Oh, I never did get back to you.." To which I replied "Thank you very much!" and headed of for the Travelodge.

Spanish Wine Fair - the view from the coffee lounge

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