“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance” Socrates
Hello friends,
Today I am going to comment on an anecdote which happened a few years ago during the presentation of a type of barrels.
A group of oenologists from Rioja wineries were invited to taste wines which had gone through different grain barrels: tight and coarse grain.
The grain of the barrel is the distance between two growing consecutive rings, which means the growth from spring to summer.
Since the spring growth is constant, this grain size is determined by the summer growth. Being a fine wood grain that with a small summer growth and of tight grain that with a bigger growth. This size influences over the organoleptic qualities being the fine grain more aromatic. With regards to the tannin, the wood is more tannic when less finer is the grain, since the tannins are found in the summer wood.
In the above paragraph I have tried to summarise what must have been commented in the presentation, the theory of any oenology book.
Afterwards they started to taste a wine aged in barrels of different grain size. At the beginning people said that you could clearly taste the differences, you could hear comments such as you truly feel the tannin notes, its more harsh and so on; when suddenly Felipe Nalda a retired Technical Director of Bodegas Riojanas with more than 45 years of experience and having produced million of kilos of grapes said out loud “ Do you really taste the difference? At first people were surprised with his comment put little by little they realised the wines were alike; and changed their minds on their opinions.
Many times there is no danger in proving something which there is nothing to prove, I always say that if a wine seems the same to another, although it has gone through different barrels or treatments, I say it, there is nothing to be ashamed of.
People should make more triangular tests where there is always more mistakes than correct answers.
Have a nice weekend.
“The joy to see and to understand is the most perfect gift of nature” Albert Einstein.
Dear folks,
Today I am going to tell you a little of the history of the Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja.
The other day after dessert we finished with a Monte Real Gran Reserva 1978 (Bodegas Riojanas).
A surprising wine that after 32 years was in perfect conditions for its consumption. It was not as evolved as it could seem. With an intense tile colour, emphasizing in powerful aromas on the nose with a harmonious blend of ageing in oak and leathers mainly, not cherry-like aromas like other wines that I have tried, and an easy mouth pass with smooth tannins.Te recomendamos Muestras gratis y regalos
But the reason why I am writing this post is not to praise the high quality of this wine but to describe a little the history of La Rioja.
As you can see in the back label appears the year Cosecha 1978, it seems normal to you that the vintage year is on, but it isn’t , since it wasn’t until 1980 when the vintage controls were restored in the Denomination.
This was because for the Bodegas Riojanas Centenary in 1990, they decided to prepare a special wine Viña Albina and Monte Real of 1978. Notifying the Regulators Council to come to certify when the wine was put into the barrels, when it was racked and bottled; moment then when they were kept locked in the winery’s cemetery until the bodega’s centenary in 1990.
When it was time to label and after the Regulators Council rigorous control, it was authorized to seal it with the vintage year 1978, numbering the bottles instead of putting the behing label of previous harvests.
Reason why you already know that really the first year in which the Regulator Council certified a vintage year was in 1978 instead of 1980.
I hope you found this piece of history interesting.
“Beware of the person of one book.” Saint Thomas de Aquinas.
Hello dear friends,
As you all well appreciate, spring has arrives, therefore the habit of having a vermouth from the German wermut “ajenjo” is back.
The reason of this post is to let you know that in Spain we also produce very good vermouths such as: Martinez Lacuesta (Haro), Pascali (Cenicero), Yzaguirre, Vermuts Miró…
According to Wikipedia, the vermouth was invented by Hippocrates a well known doctor of the ancient times. He soaked Artemisia flowers and dictums leaves in wine and he obtain what in the Middle Ages was called “Hippocrates wine” or simply “herbs wine”.
Since the end of the 18Th century with the arrival of new technology, the aromatised wine entered a new productivity dimension, where the experience of the Piedmonts pioneers excelled, but it was from the 19th mid century when the Luigi and Giuseppe Cora brothers´, founders of the very well known brand “Martini”, the preparation of the vermouth acquired a industrial nature.
With the pass of time, the word also acquired a generic meaning to define aperitif – any drink with tapas- before lunch.
A very local synonym “Tiroles” is known as Vermouth in the area of Cenicero-Haro (Rioja Alta).
The vermouths I like the most are Pascali and Martinez Lacuesta Reserva, they are infinitely more complex so much in aroma as in the mouth compared with the other more commercial ones like Martini, Cinzano o Campari.
On the other Spanish ones I cannot comment since I haven’t tried them.
Anyway gentleman, you know it is not only Martini, there are other wineries that are doing things well.
Tasting
Today I am going to comment on an anecdote which happened a few years ago during the presentation of a type of barrels. Hello friends, Hello friends, “Real
ancomar
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2025-04-15
