Friday, December 1st
Bubbles, Port, Rioja & some of the finest wines Bierzo has to offer! Join us for this festive tasting of outstanding Spanish & Portuguese wines!
Spanish & Portuguese Tasting
Le Petit Bijou
Friday, December 1st
4pm - 6pm, $20
With Special Guest, Allaina Lawrence of International Wines
256-964-7980 to Reserve
NV Gelida Cava, Penedes, Spain $24.99
“Deep straw-gold. Deep-pitched aromas of pear nectar, yellow apple and fennel, with a smoky lees element in the background. Taut, stony and gently toasty on the palate, offering bitter pear skin, gently sweet orange and chamomile flavors and a touch of lemon peel. At once rich and lively, with solid closing thrust and a hint of florality on the clinging finish.” Wine Advocate
2019 Emilio Moro La Revelia White, Bierzo, Spain $47.99
Sophisticated, structured and complex. It triumphs for being our most special Godello. The combination of nuances and elegance of it give it a unique personality.
Critical Acclaim
JS93James Suckling
Creamy and toasty nose with hazelnuts and roasted cashews to the freshly squeezed lemon and a drop of crushed-stone minerality. Flavorful and slightly saline, with a medium-bodied, mouthwatering finish. Very succulent, yet creamy mid-palate texture. Shows length and brightness.
2021 Descendients De J. Palacios "Petalos", Bierzo, Spain $22.99
94 pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
&
92 pts Wine Spectator
A bright, harmonious red, with savory notes of mineral and cigar box on the nose, transitioning on the silky, mediumbodied palate to accent flavors of crushed black raspberry, black olive and milled pepper. Reveals light, fine tannins on the finish.
In Pursuit of the Dream. The idea of making great wine from old-vine Mencía never left Alvaro, and his experience in Priorato - particularly with L'Ermita - convinced him of Bierzo's enormous potential. Meanwhile, his nephew Ricardo Perez had finished enological studies in Bordeaux and was travelling across France - absorbing everything he could about great wines. He worked the harvest at Chateau Margaux, and did internships at other Bordelais firms like Moueix (Pétrus, Trotanoy, etc.). He also visited Alvaro frequently and came to share a belief in Bierzo's potential. In 1998, the two decided on a joint venture and set out in search of the region's finest old vineyards.
2019 Muga El Anden de la Estacion Crianza, Rioja, Spain $24.99
Winemaker Notes
El Andén de la Estación, a name which pays homage to the train station that was responsible for shipping wine from Rioja to Bordeaux during the phylloxera, was born out of the family's desire to produce a traditional style classically gastronomic Rioja Crianza, with a profile showcasing the Muga signature complemented by a youthful and fresh profile.
Blend: 70% Tempranillo, 30% Garnacha
Critical Acclaim
RP92Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 El Andén de la Estación is a new red that takes advantage of the Barrio de la Estación, the train station neighborhood of Haro. It's a Crianza with less extraction, looking for the elegance and finesse of the classical Rioja wines. It's a blend of Tempranillo from their younger vines and Garnacha (that they buy) that matured in French and European barrels for 14 months. It's a quaffable red with lots of Garnacha character (it might represent up to 30% of the blend, by far the highest in Garnacha from the portfolio). It's floral, juicy and expressive, very open and approachable. This is delicious and still quite complex.
2020 Emilio Moro Malleolus Red, Bierzo, Spain $55.99
Very covered cherry red color, intense on the nose, highlighting ripe black fruits that gain intensity as the wine evolves in the glass. During the tasting, a fruity base is perceived, nuances of the typical aromas of Tempranillo and spicy notes characteristic of the great vintages of this brand. In the mouth it is voluminous, with ripe and silky tannins. The aftertaste is long and very persistent.
Its silkiness and elegance on the palate allow this Malleolus 2020 to pair with any roast or stew, making it one of the Ribera del Duero wines recommended by the public and critics.
Critical Acclaim
WE97Wine Enthusiast
Dark ruby violet-colored in the glass, this wine has enticing aromas of orange peel, milk chocolate and black raspberry. Plush tannins and bright acidity wake up your mouth to flavors of ripe cherry, cranberry, anise frond and dried lavender.
Kopke Fine Tawny, Douro Valley, Portugal $22.99
The Oldest Port House Est. 1638
A vivid orangey-brown colour. On the nose, it reveals aromas of ripe and honeyed fruit combined with fragrant notes of vanilla. A smooth and round palate, full of rich and enveloping flavours.
Hand-picked at the optimum time, the grapes are then destemmed, crushed and converted into wine through a process of careful maceration, enhanced by constant churning during fermentation. This takes place in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature (between 28-30°C) until the right degree of sweetness (baumé) is achieved. At this point, grape brandy is added to create the final fortified wine. Made by blending wines of different harvests, with different levels of maturation in stainless steel and wood for a minimum of 3 years, the result is a rich and aromatic wine, with the perfect level of sweetness.