The wines tasted were:
1. Muga Cava ‘Conde de Haro’ Brut 2020
Region: Rioja, Spain
Grapes: 90% Viura,10% Chardonnay; ABV: 12%
Seriously good Spanish Cava from Muga in Rioja, fermented in bottle and aged for two years just like Champagne. This gives it similar depth and complexity, balancing youthful freshness and toasty richness with fine bubbles and excellent length of flavour. This bodega was founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Marínez and his wife Auro Caño, both from winemaking families. Today, it is run by their three sons.
The Wine Society £14.76
2. Duquesa de Valladolid, Rueda Verdejo 2022
Region: Rueda, Castilla y León, Spain
Grape: 100% Verdejo; ABV: 13.5%
This wine is a pale lemon in colour with youthful hints. On the nose are vibrant aromas of lemon, white stone fruit and hay, with hints of white flowers. The palate matches the nose with citrus and stone fruit balanced perfectly by a crisp and refreshing acidity, typical of Verdejo.
The vineyards are situated at 600 to 800 metres above sea level in the Rueda region where warm days and cool nights ensure a slow and steady ripening of the Verdejo grapes, resulting in concentrated and pure varietal flavours balanced by a crisp acidity.
South Downs Cellars £13.50
3. Adega Ponte da Boga Godello 2023
Region: Galicia, Spain
Grape: 100% Godello; ABV: 12.5%
A beautiful and authentic expression of this recovered native varietal. It offers up floral and delicately herbal notes, with pithy mineral acidity and fine structure. The overwhelming sense is one of purity, focus and freshness, with white flowers, stone fruits and a subtle hint of flint, before revealing lime, apricot and textural breadth on the finish.
Quaff £20.99
4. Astobiza Txakoli Rosé 2022
Region: The Basque Country, Spain
Grapes: 50% Ondarrabi Beltza (red), 50% Ondarrabi Zuri (white); ABV: 13%
Txakoli is the traditional wine of the Basque region in Northern Spain. The Astobiza rosé is a bone dry, citrussy wine with a delightful little spritz! It’s made from two local grapes, the white Hondarrabi Zuri and the red grape Hondarrabi Beltza. The wine delivers floral aromatics on the nose with notes of strawberries and white flowers. The palate is dry and citrussy with a lovely streak of salinity and a gentle spritz.
Quaff £18.49
5. Viña Zorzal Cueva de La Mora Garnacha, Navarra 2020
Region: Navarra, Spain
Grape: 95% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo; ABV: 13.5%
A Garnacha which is both refined and vibrant with whistle-clean red fruit and a touch of spice from 5% Mazuelo. 2020 is the latest vintage of this exclusive collaboration between The Wine Society and Zorzal and the label has been designed to reflect the relationship, depicting Zorzal`s striking ‘bird` against the backdrop of the Albert Hall.
The Wine Society £15.50
6. De Bardos ‘Clea’ Reserva Ribera del Duero 2018
Region: Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León, Spain
Grapes: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon; ABV: 14.5%
Strong structure, maturity and smoothness. Intense cherry red colour with shades of violet and purple accents. Great aromatic intensity and reminiscences of mature dark fruits, chocolate, spices and smoky aromas. Very harmonious and well-structured, powerful and fleshy. Noble mature tannins, fine acidity and lingering aftertaste.
Quaff £20.99
7. Celler l’Encastell ‘Marge’ Priorat 2019
Region: Priorat, Catalunya, Spain
Grapes: 50% Garnacha, 10% Carinena, 40% Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot; ABV: 15%
Celler l’Encastell’s small, 8 ha Priorat estate was founded in 1999. Marge is their earlier drinking but still powerful, spicy Spanish red. The grapes were picked by hand and meticulously selected on arriving at the cellar. Then they were destemmed and macerated with the skins for 15 days. Fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks and then aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months. Packed with dark cherry, cloves, mocha and 5-spice notes. Rich and balanced with a hint of pepper on the soft, fine tannins and balanced acidity.
Symposium Lewes £27.50
8. Torres ‘Floralis’ Moscatel Oro
Region: Penedès, Catalunya, Spain
Grape: 100% Moscatel de Alejandría; ABV: 15%
Floralis is a natural sweet wine made from the traditional Moscatel de Alejandría grape. Familia Torres produces this liqueur wine through a meticulous process culminating in 6 months of aging in stainless steel tanks, followed by 2-4 months of final rounding in the bottle. It has an unmistakable aromatic perspective that is very characteristic of its variety, with seductive floral perfumes (rose, geranium, lemon verbena). Its palate is voluptuous, concentrated but light, broad, and delicately sensual. Ideal as a cold aperitif or accompanying all kinds of desserts, especially fruit cakes, flans, puddings, and nuts. Also excellent in pairing with cheese.
Waitrose £11.49 for 50cl
The wines were accompanied by olives, breadsticks, cheese straws, salted almonds, pepperoni slices and three cheeses (Manchego, Stilton & Ossau Iraty)
The Godello was voted the favourite wine of the evening, closely followed by the Priorat and the Moscatel. Surprisingly the two Wine Society wines received no votes at all.