Wine Education

How to Open a Bottle of Wine

2010-11-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF WINE

Place the foil cutter, the knife part of the tool, or a sharp cutting disk, under the lip at the end of the wine capsule on the top of the bottle. Press against the edge under the rim of the foil and rip the cutter knive upwards all the way to the top removing the foil.

Carefully enclose the knife back into it's recess.

The coiled section of a Sommelier knife is called the "worm". Place the tip of the worm just next to the center of the cork, on a 45'angle. The middle of the worm (where there is no metal) should be over the middle of the cork.

Press the worm into the cork turning clockwise while you twist the the bottle anticlockwise in your other hand turn the worm until it's just about tothe end of the cork.(don't go any further into the cork.

Move the lever arm down against the neck. (top of the bottle).

Pull up on the lever (i.e. the handle) firmly. The cork will gently lift up out of the bottle.

If a cork is stubborn, while standing, hold the bottle between your knees and pull up on the corkscrew. This should give you extra leverage to remove the cork.

If you've got an older wine that's thrown a lot of sediment, you should keep it stored on its side, undisturbed, until ready to drink. When service time comes, carefully put it in a cradle that will hold it at an angle. Remove the cork with the bottle still at that angle (taking care not to spill the wine), and carefully decant.

First of all when opening a bottle of wine you cut the foil under the second lip of the bottle in order not to contaminate the wine that flows back into the bottle

Setting a bottle of wine with sediment in it upright will disturb the sediment, and when you tilt it to pour it, will disturb it further.

Things Needed:
- Waiters corkscrew
- Bottle of Wine

How to Taste Wine

2010-11-17T14:20:00.000-08:00

HOW TO TASTE WINE

Look at the wine, especially around the edges. Tilting the glass a bit can make it easier to see the way the color changes from the center to the edges. Holding the glass in front of a white background, such as a napkin, tablecloth, or sheet of paper, is a good way to find out the wine's true color. Look for the color of the wine and the clarity. Intensity, depth or saturation of color are not necessarily linear with quality. White wines become darker as they age while time causes red wines to lose their color turning more brownish, often with a small amount of harmless, dark red sediment in the bottom of the bottle or glass. This is also a good time to catch a preliminary sniff of the wine so you can compare its fragrance after swirling. This will also allow you to check for any off odors that might indicate spoiled or corked wine.

Swirl the wine in your glass. This is to increase the surface area of the wine by spreading it over the inside of the glass allowing them to escape from solution and reach your nose. It also allows some oxygen into the wine, which will help its aromas open up.

Note the wine's viscosity, how slowly it runs back down the side of the glass, while you're swirling. More viscous wines are said to have "legs," and are likely to be more alcoholic. Outside of looking pretty, this has no relation to a wine's quality but may indicate a more full bodied wine.

Sniff the wine. Initially you should hold the glass a few inches from your nose. Then let your nose go into the glass. What do you smell?

Take a sip of wine, but do not swallow yet. Roll the wine around in your mouth exposing it to all of your taste buds. You will only be able to detect sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, think: meaty or savory. Pay attention to the texture and other tactile sensations such as an apparent sense of weight or body.

Aspirate through the wine: With your lips pursed as if you were to whistle, draw some air into your mouth and exhale through your nose. This liberates the aromas for the wine and allows them to reach your nose where they can be detected. The nose is the only place where you can detect a wine's aromas. However, the enzymes and other compounds in your mouth and saliva alter some of a wine's aromatic compounds. By aspirating through the wine, you are looking for any new aromas liberated by the wine's interaction with the environment of your mouth.

Take another sip of the wine, but this time introduce air with it. In other words, slurp the wine without making a loud slurping noise. Note the subtle differences in flavor and texture.

Note the aftertaste when you swallow. How long does the finish last? Do you like the taste?

Memorice your experiences. You can use whatever terminology you feel comfortable with. The most important things are your impressions of the wine and how much you liked it. This will force you to pay attention to the subtleties of the wine. Also, you will have a record of what the wine tastes like so that you can pair it with meals or with your mood.

Wines have four basic components: taste, tannins, alcohol and acidity. Some wines also have sweetness, but the latter is only appropriate in dessert wines. A good wine will have a good balance of all four characteristics. Aging, decanting and aireation will soften tannins. Acidity will soften throughout the life of a wine as it undergoes chemical changes which include the break down of acids. Fruit will rise and then fall throughout the life of a wine. Alcohol will stay the same. All of these factors contribute to knowing when to drink or decant a wine.

Here are some commonly found tastes for each of the most common varieties, we also have to bear in mind thieir growing region, harvesting decisions and other production decisions that have a great impact on a wine's flavor character:

- Cabernet: black currant, cherry other, black fruits, green spices.
- Merlot: plum, red and black fruits, green spices, floral.
- Zinfandel: black fruits (often jammy), black spices or briary.
- Syrah or Shiraz: black fruits, black spices, especially white and black pepper.
- Pinot Noir: red fruits, floral, herbs.
- Chardonnay: Cool Climate: tropical fruit, citrus fruit in slightly warmer climates and melon in warm regions. With increasing proportion of malolactic fermentation, Chardonnay loses green apple and takes on creamy notes, Apple, pear, peach, apricot.
- Sauvignon Blanc: Grapefruit, white gooseberry, lime, melon.

Malolactic fermentation: is the natural or artificial introduction of a specific bacteria, that will cause white wines to taste creamy or buttery.
Aging in oak: will cause wines to take on a vanilla or nutty flavor.
Your own opinion: Don't worry if your preferences are different from those of other people around you. Everyone has their own tastes and the exciting thing about wine tasting is discovering exactly what your tastes are.

Pairing Wine: Try pairing wines with unusual ingredients and note the how it enhances or diminishes the flavors of the wine. With red wines try different cheeses, good quality chocolate and berries. With white wines you can try apples, pears and citrus fruits. Pairing wine with food is more complicated than "red with beef and white with fish." Feel free to drink whichever wine you want with whatever food you want, but remember a perfect pairing is a highly enjoyable experience.

Ultimately, a wine should complement the food and cleanse the palate. So big, jammy, sweet wines will not do as well as ones with a more composed bouquet or aromas and high acidity.

Tannins: is a very common term in wine tasting, usually with red wines. It refers to the astringent, bitter compounds found in grape skins, stems and seeds as well as the oak barrels in which the wine is aged. If you want to know what tannins taste like, just bite into a grape stem or eat a cabernet grape off the vine. In young red wines, tannins taste bitter and drying, but with age they taste silky.

If the tannins are too dominant, give the wine some time ageing in the bottle or decant the wine. There are actually different types of tannins some from the skins, some from the seeds and some from the barrel. Airing is unlikely to reduce their astringency. Tannins need time to polymerize and fall out of solution. However, airing a wine a little while might allow it to open up and then the more pleasant aromatic components might be in better proportion to the whole composition of the wine. If you are serving a bottle, pour the wine into a decanter or a carafe and let it sit for an hour or two before drinking.

URBINA GARNACHA 2009

2010-10-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

URBINA GARNACHA 2009

Brand name: URBINA GARNACHA 2009
Appellation: Rioja
Vintage: 2009
Wine Type: Red Young, Unoak
Qualification of the Vintage: Very Good
Grape Type: 100% Grenache, Garnacha
Preparation: Carbonic Maceration
Production: 40,000 Bottles

Ruby red colour with a bright purple rim.

Primary aromas of red fruits like raspberries, currants, cherries, with some aromas of dark flowers like violets.

Fresh taste, good body and balance of flavours. It pairs well with white meats like chicken, turkey, pork etc. It also combines very nicely with Italian food like pasta and tomato or pomodoro sauce.

2nd Annual Rioja Grand Tasting Events in NYC and Chicago

2010-03-01T00:58:00.000-08:00

Information of how to participate at the Grand tasting NYC and Chicago

May 4: The Ivy Room, Chicago

May 6: The Puck Building, NYC

Participation

- Rioja importers and wineries already exporting to US market.

- Each participant will receive a 6-foot table with all necessary wine ware.

- Provide your own representative(s) to pour (maximum of two people per table).

Wines

- Each participant may feature up to six wines* per table for the walk-around tasting, which will be reflected in the program.

- Please specify which wine should be featured as a top Rioja Value:

- The featured value wine is your choice, but should highlight the Rioja in your portfolio that poses the highest quality at its respective price point.

- It need not be your least expensive wine and could be any level (Crianza, Reserva, etc.), but should offer higher quality and price than other wines at the same/higher price point.

- A limited amount of wines may be served at the Seminars and surrounding press events due to limited space – we will confirm if your wine is selected but encourage your suggestions.

Attendees

- The goal is to welcome between 100-150 trade attendees in Chicago and 250-300 trade attendees in NYC throughout the walk-around tasting.

- The organization will invite key on- and off-premise buyers and national and local media in both markets.

- Forward information for key accounts who you would like to receive an invitation. In addition, print/digital invitations will be made available to you to distribute.

Contact Info

- Complete the participation Form and return it to participant coordinator, Viviana Pinzon (vpinzon@crt-tanaka.com) by March 15th, 2010

- Table placements and wines showcased in surrounding press events are first come first served.

Wine making experience

2010-02-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

EXPERIENCE

Wines are made first in the vineyard.

Satellite imageing of the vineyards, to read the canopy, the heat is giving off, how dry or moist it is, etc.

You can read all the books in the world and use all the latest equipment and data but at the end of the day you learn through experience.

If you get the data from the satellite you can ask different vine growers what to do and probably all of them they will give you different answers. Vine growers and wine makers, we all have all this beautiful tools and new equipments and still we all have to try them through try and error.

I guess the analogy will be to open a cook book and try to cook. You can read a million books about wine making and still every situation is different. It should be and asterix right at every recommendation because there is so many things that will influence the outcome of a wine. The style, temperature, how the grapes come in, soils, the weather of that particular year, its so complex that any turn of the dice can make a difference.

Again is experience, you need to use science to guide yourself, but at the end you need to be a little bite intuitive. There is million tools out here to manipulate wines, colour adds in case you end with light grapes, alcohol removal from inverse osmosis if your wine has too much alcohol, and so many things that people provably don’t want to know, but the rule number one is the more natural you can be the better the wine is going to be.

I learned more in the field and working than in technical courses

High precision viticulture

2010-02-17T10:35:00.000-08:00

HIGH PRECISION AGRICULTURE

All the wine making techniques are universal so the only thing that we can claim as our own are the grapes and whatever unique flavours and aromas we can pull out of the ground and that’s what precision farming is all about.

Precision farming it has to do with exactitude pointing out small areas of the vineyard, working the vines individually to bring the best that we can. Precision farming takes to action all the high equipment that you can imagine: GPS mapping systems, infrared satellite photography, computer programs, traceability, yes all those fun toys.

We have a GPS antenna inside a hat that goes back to the GPS unit that we wear on a bag pack and that goes to a PDA telling us where we are, then we mark the spot, then we dig the soil to see the roots and how they are and how they are developing, then we take soil samples for chemical analysis. We take a close look at root distribution, how far the roots can go. Is not good or bad the dip they can go but to know how to manage it.

This equipment is great to find grapes that ripen and grow uniformly or evenly and grapes that ripen in different times, in that way you don’t end picking grapes that are green, unripe or overripe and you can get exactly what you want for each type of wine.

Then we put all the data in a software computer application that links together all the data collaborating the viticulture and wine making processes to be able to manage that vintage the best way possible. Optimization and statistical data, optimized operations, all leads to a greater efficiency.

Getting the grapes right is the first challenge and then don't making any mistakes along the way that can spoil the wine.

Matching wine and food

2010-02-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

Pairing wine and food

You should drink the wine you like with whatever food you want but you need to understand that the traditional rules are based on centuries of experience.

A good food and wine match is an evenly matched struggle for your palate. The first bite of the food should be delicious. The first sip of the wine should be equally enjoyable and it should replace the taste of the food. With the next bite of food, the flavours are fresh again and it should be as wonderful as the first bite. If the match is good, each bite of food replaces the taste of the wine and each sip of wine replaces the taste of the food. In a poor match, one is so dominant that it is all that is tasted through the meal.

Wine pairing with meet

For very young red wines, cook your beef rarer than you might otherwise. The extra fat and protein will limit the harshness of young tannins.

With well aged red wines, cook the beef more than you normally would. Very rare beef can overwhelm the subtle complexity that are the desirable result of proper aging.

Recommendations

- Try to harmonise the flavours on the palate by using the wine as a contrast rather than a match.

- Use the wine as an ingredient in the overall dish and try to find balance in the a flavours.

- Foods which are high in acidity, need the balancing of a wine which has a concentrated fruit or intensity.

- Foods which have higher sweetness or lots of fat content need the acidity in a wine for a perfect balance.

- Use your common sense and judgment for the balance of food and wine flavours. Bear in mind your own personal tastes.

- Try to find the perfect balance, the perfect harmony of food and wine, it is one of life's great pleasures and privileges.

- You are made of what you eat, eat good, drink better and you'll be find.

Forget the rules

An important rule about matching food and wine is to forget the rules. Forget about shoulds and shouldn'ts. Forget about complicated systems for selecting the right wine to enhance the food on the table. This is not rocket science. It's common sense. Follow your instincts.

La Rioja Grape Varietals

2010-02-17T09:49:00.000-08:00

RED GRAPES

Tempranillo: The classic red grape variety of Spain, and in particular, Rioja. On its own produces soft supple wines, with aromas of soft red summer fruits like strawberries and raspberries. Tempranillo produces wines of great structure, wines which can be enjoyed as young, fresh wines for early drinking or matured for many years to become wines famous for their depth, character and elegance.

Mazuelo / Cariñena: This grape variety can be blended with Tempranillo to add colour, weight and tannins which helps the wine to age gracefully. Mazuelo on its own is very rare.

Garnacha: This grape variety adds warmth and spice both for early drinking and aged styles of Rioja. Single varietal Garnacha wines are starting to make their way to the UK so keep your eyes peeled for warm, spicy everyday drinking wines and the refined, highly prized wines made from old vine Garnacha.

Graciano: As a blending partner with Tempranillo, a small quantity of Graciano (typically 3-5%) can add extra fruit and elegance to the wine. But as a grape variety, Graciano is capable of making varietal wines of great character and finesse. They can often be very long lived.

WHITE GRAPES

Viura: Viura produces clean, fresh, zesty and lightly herby young white wines.

Garnacha blanca: This grape variety can be used in small amounts to add weight and body to Viura wines which are aged for 6 months or more. However, small amounts of varietal wines are made from Granacha Blanca grapes from very old vines to produce concentrated and exceptional white wines.

Malvasia: This grape variety is used in small quantities alongside Viura to make classic oak-aged white wines. Its mousy, savoury character, added to the fresh crispness of the Viura and the vanilla of the oak produce wines of great individuality and style.

NEW VARIETALS

In 2007, Rioja regulators approved the use of 9 new varieties of grapes, enabling greater complexity in its white wines while maintaining its identity and heritage.

These include three non-native varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo as well as three native ones Maturana Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco and Turruntés. Another three native minority grape varieties, these red, were also approved: Maturana Tinta, Maturano and Monastrell.

Modern vs Classic wines

2010-02-17T04:28:00.000-08:00

When I was a young wine maker I wanted to make big wines, bold, and wines of impact. I have recognized over time that elegance is more important that impact.

The beautiful thing about the grapes grown here in this region of Rioja is that they have beautiful bright acids and intense fruit. This wines exhibit a beautiful fruit and character that making them delicious with food. The modern wines are excellent for an aperitif wine.

Soulfulness is important for the wines, to be able to express the place where they come from.

The tempranillo grape is one of the most elegant grapes it goes really well with both meet and fish and with vegetarian food.

URBINA CRIANZA

2010-02-17T04:08:00.000-08:00

95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano and Mazuelo. Fermentation at 28ºC and maceration during 28 days in stainless steel tanks.

The wine is aged 12 months in oak casks, and a minimum of 6 months in bottle before release.

Ruby-cherry colour, well-balanced, nuances of blackberry fruit on the palate with a firm taste, good structure and persistence.

A well balanced wine, round on the palate, with a firm taste, good structure and great potential for ageing in bottle.

Color: Ruby-cherry red
Nose : Well balanced, wine nuances of blackberry fruit.
Taste: A firm taste, good structure and persistence.

Soil 50% clay-limestone and 50% sandy-limestone.

This wine comes from vines of great cuality from vineyards of about 20 yrs of age.

Harvest by hand.

Sugar rate: 0-5 g/l
Alcohol: 12.5%

Malolactic: 10 days at 20º, after alcoholic fermentation.
Age barrel: 3 months in new oak, and 9 months in 7 yrs old barrels.
Type of wood: American 80% and French oak 20%
Level of toast: medium
Aging potential: 10yrs

Ph: 3.8
Extract: 25.18 g/l
Color intensity: 5.583
Method of fining: fresh egg whites
Total acidity: 4.12g/l
Volatile acidity: 0.59 g/l
Total SO2: 68 mg/l
Free SO2: 17 mg/l
Potassium: 1300 mg/l

Urbina Scores

2010-02-17T04:01:00.000-08:00

- Decanter classified URBINA SELECCION 1997 with 4 stars.

- Jancis Robinson : Lively, round, properly oaked. Rather sweet and almost Burgundian in style (Urbina Seleccion 1997).

- British Airways seleccted Urbina Reserva Special 1996 for their CLUB and Business Class Flights.

- Robert Parker classified URBINA RESERVA ESPECIAL 2001 with 91 points.

- Guia Penin de los Vinos de España give 85 points to URBINA Reresva 1997

- Guia Penin de los Vinos de España give 85 points to URBINA Selección 1998

- Guia Penin de los Vinos de España give 84 points to URBINA Crianza. 2002

How to score wines

2010-02-17T03:55:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to imagine better quality (94-100 points). * * * * *
Excellent quality (90-93 points). * * * *
Very good quality (87-89 points). * * * *
Good quality (85-86 points). * * *
Well-made wine but without distinction (82-84 points). * * *

Best drunk young (within two years of vintage).

You can drink this now or cellar it for drinking in a few years.

It would be a pity to drink this now. Cellar it to allow it to evolve.

URBINA WINERY

2010-02-17T03:26:00.000-08:00

BODEGAS URBINA

Bodegas Benito Urbina is situated in Cuzcurrita de Rio Tiron, on the north-western edge of Rioja. A family owned estate consisting of some 75ha of vineyards. Four generations of the family have dedicated themselves to the cultivation of their vineyards and production of wine.

In 1975 Urbina began to age and bottle their own wine in order to retain the special characteristics of a small single estate. Their sole objective, the production of quality wines, has been achieved as the result of careful viticulture using traditional techniques, harvesting by hand and avoiding the use of weed killers and pesticides.

Bodegas Benito Urbina produces 300,000 bottles of red wines and 50,000 bottles of white and rosé from their own vineyards.

CLASSIC WINES

URBINA BLANCO
URBINA ROSADO
URBINA TEMPRANILLO(Young,Without oak)
URBINA TINTO CRIANZA
URBINA TINTO RESERVA
URBINA TINTO GRAN RESERVA

MODERN WINES

URBINA TINTO ESPECIAL (Raisins, Late harvest)
URBINA TINTO RESERVA ESPECIAL
PLOT (High Expression)

URBINA
CUZCURRITA-LA RIOJA-ESPAÑA
Calle Campillo 32,33
Tel/Fax 941 22 42 72
www.urbinavinos.com
urbina@fer.es

URBINA Sensory Analysis and Wine Pairing with Food

2010-02-17T02:45:00.000-08:00

WHITE URBINA

100% Viura without oak.

This wine has a beautiful clean and shiny yellow straw colour.

Aromas of fresh apple and pear fruit which are very pleasant.

In the mouth it is greatly balanced with proper acidity that conveys a point of coolness and excellent in length.

This wine is very pleasant in the summer season and it accompanies really well with white fish dishes.

Because of its price and quality it is consumed daily by many people at home and restaurants and by many Galician's that love white wines and are settled in La Rioja.

Do to the weather on the vintages of 2006 and 2008 the wine has an elegant and delicate floral aromas with a palate which is very similar to the smoothness of the Albariño wines, on the other hand on 2007 this wine has more fruit aromas and flavours, very structured in the mouth reminding more to the grape variety godello, is a wine that improves with some ageing in the bottle.

URBINA ROSE

100% Tempranillo without barrel.

Has an attractive, pink salmon colour.

There are beautiful aromas of raspberry and apricot fruits on the nose.

There is a soft and slightly sweet taste making the wine very fine.

Matches very well with Spanish tapas, canapés, sandwiches, light meals and snacks since the wine cleanses your palate by removing the taste of previous food and leaving it ready to taste and enjoy the next dish or food.

Until recent year this type of wine was the most consumed for the Rioja people at the shouting of: ¨Please give me a clear one ¨

Urbina Tempranillo (Young wine)

100% Tempranillo without oak.

This wine has a lovely cherry red colour with a nice bright ruby rim.

There are primary aromas of red fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, currants and cherries.

There are pleasant fresh fruit flavours with good body and balance. Matches perfectly with white meats like chicken, turkey and pork. It also combines nicely with Italian food and pasta especially with the pomodoro or tomato sauces.

For its price and quality is served at numerous bars and easy going restaurants.

URBINA CRIANZA 2004

100% Tempranillo and stays a year in 60% American oak barrels and 30% French Allier oak barrels

Has an attractive ruby red colour with some brick tones on the rim.

On the nose we can find red fruits with spicy hints coming form the wood, which gives us vanilla and cinnamon.

His entry into the mouth is very good, its balanced and has a very interesting and peculiar final length.

This wine is like a 4x4 it matches really well with all types of foods, dishes, weather seasons, and times of the day. It is very friendly with meals you can enjoy it with vegetables, soups, white meats, red meats and fishes.

It is a bestseller used daily by the restaurant businesses.

URBINA RESERVA 1997 and SELECCION 1998

95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo, Garnacha and Graciano. This wine comes from the best grapes from vineyards over 20 years old.

This wine has spent two years in 50% French and 50% American oak barrels and about 7 years in the bottle.

It has an impressive garnet colour with some brick ageing tones on the rim.

Wonderful bouquet of aromas such as spices, eucalyptus, scrub, nail, nuts and all this is over a fruity background.

In the mouth has a very complex taste, pleasant and excellent length. To underline his excellent progress over the time spent on your palate.

This wine can be enjoyed with vegetables in general, stews and especially with lamb meet.

Chefs of restaurants are always arguing how difficult is to match wine with some vegetables such as asparagus and artichokes, all until they discover this wine.

URBINA GRAN RESERVA 1991, 1996, 1994

95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo, Garnacha and Graciano.

This wine comes from the very best grapes from vineyards older than 30 years old, some of them reaching 80 years of life.

The wine stays one year in old barrels an another year in new barrels of French and American oak. Also stays in the bottle gaining in complexity and maturity for approximately 12 years.

This wine shows an extraordinary brick colour coming from its grate qualities and capacities of ageing in the bottle.

It has great complexity on the nose, showing stewed fruits or the aromas of figs, quince and dates.

In the mouth is powerful, tasty, fresh and in turn, has a good balance.

A wine for special occasions.

URBINA SPECIAL 2004 (Raisins, Late harvest)

100% Tempranillo without barrel.

In the vineyard we make a late harvest looking for the grapes to look almost like raisins by drying the grapes on the vine and concentrating aromas and flavours.

The colour of the wine is dark and opaque.

There is a powerful aroma of raisins with hints of black fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, black cherries, and black currants.

The first contact of the wine with the palate creates an explosion of fruit in the inside of your mouth and taste buds, on the other hand this flavours quickly disappear, cleaning your taste buds of previous sensations. This wine is often used at the start of numerous weddings accompanying Spanish tapas, starters, entries and canapes before the main banquet.

It is quite a unique and original wine.

URBINA Reserva Especial 2001

95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo, Garnacha and Graciano.

This wine comes from the best grapes coming from vineyards over 20 years old of age.

The wine spends two years in French oak and American and approximately two years in the bottle.

Has a fantastic, bright colour.

The wine has a medium intense nose, very fine black fruit which is perfectly balance with the oak coming from the barrel.

Very round on the palate, without any edge, the highest expression of harmony and balance.

This wine goes really well with all kinds of meals and times of day. Is a wine that any wine drinker will enjoy no matter his age or wine preferences.

The most famous wine guru in the world Robert Parker give this wine 91 points.

PLOT 2006 (High Expression, Author wine, Design wine, Modern Style)

For this wine only the very best tempranillo grapes are collected, from the best vineyards, picking the best clusters from the best vines when they are perfectly ripen, to be able to pick the fruit at its highest expression. This is what technicians call a high precision viticulture.

The wine spent six months in brand new barrels of French oak coming from the Allier forest. In the barrel we practice the batonnage technique, stirring the lees only when the moon is full or is decreasing.

An intense, bright colour with violet and purple glints on the rim.

On the nose has high intensity, showing aromatic black fruit such as blackberries and blueberries, in addition we also find a clean and straightforward scents of cedar and white pepper very characteristic of the French oak.

On the mouth is powerful, showing a big structure, it is rich and tasty, while the long-emphasizing their fresh and highly fruity aftertaste.

It is a trendy wine to share with modern people and to impress with new ideas and styles.

Examples of how to describe wine

2010-02-16T03:37:00.000-08:00

Colour

Has an attractive, bright colour.
This vintage has a deep, ruby-red colour.
Is showing a touch of age with a brick-red colour.
Has a deep colour with brick-red glints.
Has a dark, cherry colour with purple glints.
This is a fully mature wine, showing a light, brick-red colour with an orange rim.

Nose

There are beautiful fresh fruit aromas.
There are wild red berry fruit aromas.
A fruity nose of raspberry and blackurrant.
There are powerful oaky aromas with spicy hints.
There is a complex bouquet of leather and vanilla.

Palate

There are beautiful fresh fruit flavours.
There are hints of spice and liquorice.
There is a good balance between fruit, tannin, alcohol, and acidity.
There is a soft, fruity attack, with hints of spice and oak coming through.
It is round with good backbone and a lingering finish.

Potential

It is ready to drink now.
To drink now or over the next two or three years.
A wine to lay down.

Food Recommendations

This wine can be enjoyed with -------.
I should be served with -----.

How to explain wine

2009-12-02T05:48:00.000-08:00

This is a ….

General Adjective (opinion)

Attractive, Beautiful, Wonderful, Great, Superb, Classic, Lovely, Fantastic, Extraordinary, Marvellous, Fine

Nice, Good, Average, Interesting, Disappointing, Strange, Disastrous

Specific Adjective (technical)

Round, Soft, Complex, Long, Fully mature, Fresh, Powerful, Rich, Concentrated, Full-bodied

Youthful, Fruity, Easy-to-drink, Simple, Light, Hard, Harsh

More Specific Adjective (technical)

Spicy, Ripe, Oaky, Silky, Tannic, Velvety, Toasty, Unctuous, Fleshy, Well-balanced

Gamey, Acid, Over-oaky, Thin, Herbaceous, Green

"The Golden Nose 2010" Competition Begins

2009-11-29T13:46:00.000-08:00

This is the nineteenth edition of the ¨The Golden Nose¨ the oldest of Spanish’s sommeliers competitions. This is the contents that brings the most media attention; every year gathers around 500 sommeliers around Spain.

The challenge will be happening in the coming months in the cities of San Sebastian (11 November), Seville (19 January), Madrid (February 17), Valencia (March 9th) and Barcelona (4 May). The contest will qualifying only the best wine tasters in the different regions and areas of the country, the winners of each zone will go to the final challenge in Madrid on 5th and 6th of June 2010.

The semi-finals begins with an activity in which the participants become judges, tasting at high speed around fifty to sixty wines delivered daily by many wineries. Analyzing and evaluating the visual, olfactory and taste characteristics of each wine, but with an added difficulty: All wine bottles are hidden under a cover that prevents receive any information, like bottle shape, label or any external sign that might give clues.

The last test of the semi-finals is to taste six different wines. After the tasting the participants leave the room, when they return they find a dark glass on each table and they have to use only their nose and sense of smell to describe the grape variety or blend of grape varieties of the previous wines.

La Nariz de Oro
c/Amador y Fernando, 6
28040 Madrid
Tel. 91 311 05 00
Fax. 91 459 57 00
e-mail: info@lanarizdeoro.com

Wine tasting at The Cultural Rioja Center in Madrid

2009-11-24T15:55:00.000-08:00

During the tasting we explained the various nuances and organoleptic characteristics of 9 different wines and pairing it beautifully with different foods and dishes.

The event was held on 18th November 2009 at 19:15 hours at The Cultural Rioja Center in Madrid (C / Serrano, 25-Madrid) the tasting was commented by the winemaker Pedro Benito Sáez.

The duration of this activity was two hours and half. Due to limited seating of 45 people, we will do another event to meet the people who were on the waiting list.

CLASSIC WINES

URBINA WHITE
URBINA ROSE
URBINA TEMPRANILLO (Young, Without oak)
URBINA CRIANZA
URBINA RESERVA
URBINA GRAN RESERVA

MODERN WINES

URBINA ESPECIAL (Late harvest)
URBINA RESERVA SPECIAL
PLOT (High Expression)

BODEGAS URBINA
CUZCURRITA-LA RIOJA-ESPAÑA
Oficinas: Gran Vía, 54. Tel/Fax 941 22 42 72
26005 Logroño
www.urbinavinos.com
pedro@urbinavinos.com

HANDFORD WINES

2009-11-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

BOUTIQUE WINERIES OF SPAIN

Boutique Wineries of Spain is a tasting with James Handford MW of approximately 20 wines; white, red, sparkling, fortified from primarily smaller boutique producers in Spain. The winemakers also come to the event to explain their new releases. It was celebrated on 10th November 2009 at ¨Handford Wines¨ 105 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, London SW7 3LE.
Telephone: +44 20 7589 6113 Fax: +44 20 7581 2983 E-mail: james@handford.net

WINES TASTED AT THE BOUTIQUE WINERIES OF SPAIN:

WHITE WINES

Praxet Cuvee 21 Brut, Cava £10.99

Castro Celta Albariño 2008, Rias Baixas £11.9

Marti Fabra Verd Albera 2008, Eporda £9.99

Jorge Ordoñez & Co Botani 2008, Sierras de Malaga £16.99

Cantocuerdas Albillo de Bernabeleva 2007, Vinos de Madrid £18.99

Naides 2006, Rueda

Cervoles Blanc 2007, Costers del Segre

RED WINES

Bodegas Jiménez Landi Banodillo 2008, Mentrida £9.99

Castell del Romeo Gotim Bru 2006, Costers del Segres £ 9.99

Urbina Reserva Especial 1997, Rioja £16.99

Urbina Gran Reserva 1996, Rioja £18.99

Torres Mas Borras Pinot Noir 2007, Penedes £20.95

Bodegas Jimenez Landi Pielago 2007, Mentrida £21.99

Navaherreros Garnacha de Bernabeleva 2007, Vinos de Madrid £16.99

Huerta del Albala Taberner 2006, Cadiz £21.95

Torres Gran Murralles 2001, Conca de Barbera £54.95

Juan Sangenis Planots Vinyes Velles 2006, Priorat £75.00

FORTIFIED & SWEET

Fernando de Castillo Palo Cortado, Jerez £28.95

Jorge Ordoñez & Co Selección Especial 2006, Malaga £15.99

COMING EVENTS AT HANDFORD WINES:

Handford Christmas Tasting at the Orangery
Tuesday 17th November 2009. With over 30 iconic red & white wines cluding: the best of thier new producers, new vintages from thier classic producers, and many of thier perennial best sellers.

Napa Valley Masterclass
Wednesday 18th November 2009. Presented by Greg Sherwood MW. The tasting includes premium wines from : Staglin, Dalla Valle, Frogs Leap, Duckhorn, Viader, Joseph Phelps, Stags Leap Winery, Clos du Val, Shafer and Pahlmeyer.

'95 vs. '96 Bordeaux Super Seconds
Thursday 19th November 2009. With Richard Brazier you will be looking at Chateaux Cos D’Estournel, Palmer, Grand Puy Lacoste, Ducru Beaucaillou & Pichon Lalande.

Handford 'Blind' Vintage Champagne Tasting
Tuesday 1st December 2009. Tasting with Jack Chaddock, Gavin Deaville and James Handford MW. They will be showing some of the best known vintage Champagnes from houses such as Dom Perignon, Krug and Cristal but all blind.

Handford's Top 40 Wines

Map of the wine regions of Spain

2009-11-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

Wine is a liquid expression of a place, the weather of that area, the climate of that particular year, the soil, and the person who makes the wine. Different places different wines. Which is better? That depends on each person, Should not be dogmatic.

Galicia

1. Rias Baixas (Albariño)
2. Ribeiro (Treixadura)
3. Ribera Sacra
4. Monterrei
5. Valdeorras (Godello)

Castilla y León

6. Bierzo (Mencia)
7. Tierra de León
8. Cigales
9. Arribes
10. Toro (Tempranillo)
11. Tierra del Vino de Zamora
12. Rueda (Berdejo)
13. Rivera del Duero (Tempranillo)
14. Arlanza

La Rioja

15. Rioja (Tempranillo)

Pais Vasco - Euskadi

16. Txacoli de Álava
17. Bizkaiako Txakolina
18. Getariako Txakolina

Navarra

19. Navarra

Aragón

20. Campo de Borja (Garnacha)
21. Cariñena (Garnacha)
22. Calatayud
23. Somontano

Cataluña

24. Costers del Segre
25. Terra Alta
27. Montsant
28. Priorat (Garnacha)
29. Conca de Barberá
30. Penedés (Macabeo, Xerello, Perellada)
31. Pla de Bages
32. Alella
33. Empordá

Baleares (Manto Negro, Callet)

34. Binissalemn
35. Pla i L´levant

Comunidad Valenciana (Monastrell, Bobal)

36. Valencia
37. Utiel-Requena
38. Alicante

Murcia (Monastrell, Bobal)

39. Yecla
40. Bullas
41. Jumilla

Castilla la Mancha

42. Almansa
43. Manchuela
44. Ribera del Júcar
45. Uclés
46. Mondéjar
47. La Mancha
48. Valdepeñas
49. Méntria

Madrid

50. Vinos de Madrid

Extremadura

51. Ribera del Guadiana

Andalucia (Manzanilla - Fino - Amontillado - Oloroso)

52. Condado de Huelva
53. Manzanilla de Sanlúcar (Palomino
54. Jerez - Xéres - Sherry (Palomino)
55. Málaga (Pedro Ximenez)
56. Sierras de Málaga
57. Montilla-Moriles (Pedro Ximenez)

Canarias

58. La Palma
59. El Hierro
60. La Gomera
61. Abona
62. Tacoronte-Acentejo
63. Valle de Güímar
64. Ycoden - Daute - Isora
65. Valle de La Orartava
66. Gran Canaria
67. Lanzarote

Learn How to Taste Wine

2009-11-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

Wine Tasting and Visit to the Bodega

During the visit to the single-state family own winery the installations will be shown and follow by an explanation and tasting of how this unique wines are made.

At the end of the visit a video is shown where the visitors can see how the harvest is carried out, how the vinification is conduct, the process of ageing the wine in the barrels, and how the wine is bottled for the final costumer to enjoy.

To finish we will have a delicious tasting where our guests can appreciate all the characteristics of the wines available at the winery.

In the tasting room the visitors can enjoy and taste of the following wines:

CLASIC WINES

URBINA WHITE
URBINA ROSE
URBINA TEMPRANILLO (Young without aging in the barrel)
URBINA CRIANZA
URBINA RESERVA
URBINA GRAN RESERVA

MODERN WINES

URBINA ESPECIAL (Late harvest, grapes become olmost like raisins)
URBINA RESERVA ESPECIAL
PLOT

The time estimated for the visit is 2 hours with the possibility of visiting a close vineyard.

The visit hours are: Every day from 11:00 - 13:00

URBINA
CUZCURRITA-LA RIOJA-SPAIN
Calle Campillo 32,33
Tel/Fax 941 22 42 72
www.urbinavinos.com
urbina@fer.es

Map of wine consumption in the world

2009-11-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

La Rioja has become a well established brand, is among the 5 or 6 wine regions that everyone recognized worldwide. The wines are very well made and you really get value for your money. There is big range of styles from really traditional, complex, silky wines to a very modern, fruit driven, concentrated, clean wines, allowing the regions to have different market segments. It also has historical background and you can find older vintages, which occurs in a few wine areas.

Annual wine consumption per capita in 2007 according to FAO:
- More than 30 liters: France, Andorra, Luxemburg, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Croatia, Switzerland, Spain, Argentina, Austria, Uruguay.
- 15 to 30 liters: Australia, Chile, Germany, Hungary, Denmark, Romania.
- From 7 to 15 liters: USA, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Suezia.
- From 1 to 7 liters: Russia, Brazil
- Less than 1 liter: Other Countries

Which wine is the best wine in the world?

2009-11-24T09:17:00.000-08:00

The best wine in the world is the one that you like the most. Meaning that each person perceives the quality of wines in different ways, some people perceive the quality of wines in voluptuous, fleshy, fruity, young characters and on the other hand there are others who perceive the quality in lighter, velvety, delicate, complex, mature characteristics and all of these nuances explain above can also be combined in many ways. Which is better? That depends on the palate of each person, it should not be dogmatic.

I think it’s the same situation as when we eat at a restaurant and we order a tenderloin or filet mignon. The chef will ask if we want the meat undercooked, medium, or well done. He is offering us the best quality and raw material they have but prepared in different ways. For one person one way might be the best but for another may be the worst.

Obviously there are certain minimum parameters to consider a wine of acceptable quality or not. For me a quality wine should be round, meaning it shouldn’t have edges, neither too much wood, acidity, alcohol, bitterness, sweetness, fruitiness, meaning that these sensations need to be blended correctly, harmoniously conjugated and balanced all together. Also it should be original, having a special touch that makes the wine stand out from the rest. I like wines that express the terroir or the place where they come from making it impossible to clone or manufactured it in any other part of the world.

It is also true that young people start drinking young, fruity and easier to recognize wines, as your palate evolves you end looking for things that are not so predictable and when you reach an advanced level of tasting wines like Crianza, Reserves and Grand Reserves are the delight of your senses.

The wines that are truly breaking the ground and drawing the attention of customers, restaurants, critics and sommeliers are completely natural, single state, hand crafted wines, produced by small producers.

Wines Made for Competitions and Golden Medals

2009-11-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

The issue of listing wines with high scores and letting wine gurus tell us in their magazines what is good or bad can be controversial because wine magazines usually don’t make a living out of the ones they sell but out of the financial contributions received by the sponsors or advertisers in most cases wineries that invest large sums of money in marketing and advertising. It is also true that you can have the best wine in the world but if nobody knows it, that wine may be stored in your cellar for ever, it is also true that some people think more about the logo or animal that they are going to put on the label that in the actual product that's inside the bottle. Creating wine culture is a slow process.

There is a difference between wines for competitions and wines to be drink. They are not the same. The most powerful wines tend to excel in comparative tastings, but are not necessarily the ones that excel when it comes to drinking and rotate in bars and restaurants. If one pays close attention to a bottle of those who win contests are halfway full in the table, while a friendlier bottle of wine is finish, or better yet, calls for a second one, they are more friendly with meals. What happens is that the wines for competitions are extremely concentrated, making their match with food quite difficult with a meal. However, if instead of having spirits you decide to drink one of these wines they are gorgeous.

The wine tasting and competitions conduct by wine experts and specialists are very useful as a reference for consumers. But you must always take note that these ratings are subjective and there are cases where a wine has been highly rated and scored on a tasting or competition and not very well rated in others. Consumers should be aware that wine evaluations are conducted on a given day and atmosphere and a group of people.

Advantages of Buying from an Independent Wine Merchant

2009-11-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

Emphasis being place on the quality of products. They can offer a range where the bigger players cannot; we are talking a mixture of small-scale, low-volume, off-the-beaten-track, artisan producers alongside with super-premium classics from those with established and well-earned reputations.

Knowledgeable staff often de owner. They also tend to have a team of passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff. Get a good relationship with them, allow them to show you new things, they can personalize your wine choice and the road to better drinking begins.

They offer a mailing list which area a great way to find out about a range of regular customer events such as regular tastings; if you’re looking to expand your palate and your drinking repertoire, these events offer the perfect opportunity to try before you buy.

The Most Characteristic Aromas in Wine

2009-10-01T03:02:00.000-07:00

Wine smells like wine, on the other hand by that same rule wines would smell all the same and it is not the case.

It is difficult to express what you feel when you test a wine. Explaining the difference between them is where you can find the biggest challenge.

A wine guru does not smell more than others, he is been trained to put names and labels to the different sensations that he perceives.

FRUIT

Citrus: lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange
Green fruit: apple, pear, currant
Stone fruit: apricot, peach
Red Fruit: strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, plum, red currant,
Black fruit of blackberry, blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, black currant
Tropical Fruit: banana, pineapple, kiwi, melon, lichy, mango (passion fruit)
Dried fruit: raisins, prunes, figs, dried apricots, sultana

FLORAL

In flower: elderberry blossom
Flowers: rose, violet, hawthorn, linden, perfume

SPICES

Sweets: cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, licorice
Acres: pepper black / white, juniper, saffron

PLANT

Fresh: asparagus, green pepper, mushroom, truffle
Cooking: cabbage, canned vegetables (asparagus, artichokes, peas, etc..) black olives.
Herbaceous: eucalyptus, grass, hay, mint, blackcurrant leaf, wet leaf, thyme
Grain: almond, coconut, hazelnut, walnut, chocolate, coffee
Wood: oak, cedar, medicinal, pine, resinous, smoky, vanilla, snuff
Mushrooms / Fungi: mushrooms, truffles

OTHER

Animal: leather, musk, fresh butter, wet wool, meat
Dairy: butter, cheese, cream, yogurt
Mineral: land, oil, rubber, tar, stony, steely
Maturity: candy, sweets, honey, jam, molasses, cooked, boiled, stewed
Honeyed: honey, jam, marmalade of quince, jujube
Fermentation / Autolysis: yeast, beer, biscuit, bread, toast

"The Best Sommelier of Rioja 2009"

2009-06-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Achieving the title of "The Golden Nose" at the national level is not an easy task. This is well known for the aspirants that participate at the five qualifying stages throughout Spain.

Only 10 could move to the final of the 52 sommeliers that were competing for the prize, including seven of them from Rioja. And from this group he won the prize for best sommelier of Rioja and therefore "Nariz de Oro", the young sommelier from the Urbina wine shop in Cuzcurrita, Pedro Benito Sáez who beat the best score at the tasting they face.

In this eighteenth edition of "The Golden Nose", the place chosen for this phase was the London Hotel in the capital San Sebastian. They spent the day wine tasting with the only breaks in which they attended several interesting presentations by representatives of the Rias Baixas and Jerez wine appellations among others.

During the first tasting participants were testing a variety of wines from all of the denominations in the country, in which all labels where covered to choose the top 300 that will be published in the magazine that hosts the famous competition, “Vino+Gastronomía” Wine & Cuisine. Four wines from the region have been chosen as finalists and they will be eligible for entry in the list of the Best Wines of Spain.

The final test consisted in tasting six different wines, a Garnacha, a Graciano, a Tempranillo, a blend of 60% Tempranillo with Garnacha, 60% Tempranillo and other graciano mixture and the last three varieties of 60% Tempranillo 20% Garnacha and 20 % Graciano. After tasting the six wines participants left the room and then return to it and found a dark glass on each table and by only using the sense of smell they start describing the variety of the wines previously tasted.

A complicated test that passed our local representative Pedro Benito Sáez who will try to lift the national trophy in the grand final to be held in Madrid. Best Sommelier of Rioja Pedro Benito Sáez will have to sharpen his senses to successfully pass the final test in which the seven highest ranked sommelier of all Spain will have to face six different wines or alcoholic beverages at random, and find out what they are. A challenge for The Best Spanish Nose in 2009.

Pedro Benito "The Golden Nose"

2009-06-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

What do you do?

I work in the Urbina Wine Shop in Cuzcurrita, a fourth generation family business. I have a Bachelor of Business Administration and I studied Viticulture and Oenology in the United States and Rioja.

What is a Sommelier for you? What represents for you the figure of a Sommelier?

The sommelier is the professional responsible for everything related to wine in a restaurant. Their functions range from the preparation of the wine list, purchase, management of wines and drinks, giving advice and customer services, prepare tastings at wine shops and creating wine tours.

The sommelier has the mission for transmitting and passing on to the clients that enthusiasm to taste good quality wines, prolonging the pleasure that provides eating food and drink well, for the delight of the senses.

What led you to be a Sommelier? At what age and how?

What finally hooked me to this profession was the opportunity to learn the entire process of wine, from the vines growing up, the distribution and sale of the bottles, in addition to the exchange of information with the world of wine enthusiasts.

It is nice to be here to see how gradually the customers become more frequent and regular. There is exchange of views on our tastes in wines and they start trusting you to choose wines for them, for a celebration, a special occasion or simply to keep learning.

The relationship established with customers becomes very special because at the end of the day we are selling a little bit of happiness.

What quality will you highlight in a good sommelier?

It may seem a cliché, but humility, humility and humility.

A professional sommelier must be honest and sincere; you have to learn to listen to customers to be able to give them what they want and with the ability to communicate all the information effectively. In short, give them a good service, serving the wine and drinks with style and working with good humour.

Let the customer speak so you can have as much information as possible about his taste and preferences. Immediately after we can offer suggestions based on the dishes ordered and context (time of year, price, menu order, family meal ...), and suggest a wine or, in some cases several, giving concise but effective explanation of why the wine is been recommended to them.

The psychology is very important to fully know how to interpret the wishes of your customers and advise them not only a wine that goes well with a certain dish, but with his personal taste, and even with his personality and the price level at which they want to or can move.

Recommend a Chateau Petrus or a Vega Sicilia has no merit, nor requires excessive knowledge, and no psychology, or four wines to recommend a meal consisting of appetizer, first, second, and dessert. The merit, what is really difficult is to advised a wine that goes well with the whole menu, without firing the bill at sidereal prices.

What do you need to study or what kind of education you need to became a sommelier?

Although it is important to take professional sommelier courses, practice and continuous wine tasting are essential to stay update and current. Discretion, psychology, smell, taste and memory are some key qualities.

Continuous progresses and changes are happening in the areas of catering, food and hospitality: changing in taste and changing in the type of consumption. It is necessary that the sommelier is aware of these variations in taste and the different types of restoration. All this knowledge requires an in-depth theoretical preparation and constant updating.

Are there special conditions needed to become a sommelier?

Any person with a minimal training in catering, with a predisposition to customer service and vocation can be sommelier. Later on, his dedication, passion and abilities will position him in one way or another.

Since I began my training I didn’t stop from learning and being always alert of all the new innovations and developments that are been released.

To become sommelier or a professional wine taster you do not need to have special conditions is something that is learned and perfected with experience.

To become good at anything it requires a lot of dedication, sensitivity, putting a lot of effort, excitement, restlessness and lot of passion.

Do you think restaurants should have a sommelier?

I believe that every restaurant should have at least one person in order to advise, guide and provide minimum services to customers regarding the service of wine and drinks, whether you want to call them sommeliers, waiters, etc.

Is it true that a fish should always be accompanied with a white wine and red wine with meat?

White wine with fish is not always in use since we found very light and fruity red wines, such of those made with carbonic maceration. Red wines are great with meat, but there are great white wines that may be fine to, although in this case is more difficult to give examples or to persuade customers.

How many matched wines and food dishes had ended into a divorce?

I believe that matching wine with food should not be something dogmatic it is subjective. There are some parameters, yes, but everyone should follow the matching according to their own taste and common sense, as in life itself.

Sommeliers first aim should be to please the client and surprise him with his proposal of food and wine. Matching wine and food is our daily challenge, and we must know how to transmit it. A good service of wine is not giving the best wine but the one that gives you the most pleasure.

A happy match between wine and food can be a unique experience and produce a lingering an unforgettable pleasure.

What are the wines that are appealing and fascinating customers?

The wines that are truly breaking the ground and drawing the attention of customers, restaurants, critics and fellow wine sommeliers are completely natural and pure single state wines, produced by small producers.

A good wine is synonymous of an expensive wine?

An expensive wine is synonymous of pounds, euros or dollars or wines selected for a few humans that can afford them. However, a good wine is one that, depending of the price or the place where it comes creates enjoyment and pleasure to the customer and it will linger in the memory.

Which one is the best wine?

Balanced, original, lingering, and affordable. That should be a wine almost perfect.

Behind a bottle of wine there is not only one man or a superman there is hundreds of authentic professional, vine-growers, winemaker, wine experts, ect.

What do you think of the wines of today?

I think that today thanks to technology and the new generations of winemakers and vine-growers which are better prepared than ever making better wines, but more homogeneous and similar to each other, more concentrated and with more alcohol.

The most popular products on the market meet only half the pleasure they are chosen so as to be suitable for the wider number of population as possible, and therefore are less personal and distinctive.

How do you explain the taste of a wine?

In many ways. A wine can be light, delicate, silky, elegant, balanced or meaty, voluptuous. And all this combined in many ways.

What are your tastes?

I do not like the mythical super-expensive wines, which have access only a few humans. I like the wines that can be enjoy by a greater number of people. Never look at a wine by the bottle or the brand, but through a glass and try to assess if it is transmitting something.

What can you see and discover in these wines?

Well, the same as when one is speaking with a person of eighty or ninety years of age, all the wisdom and the history behind it, it still alive, that wine is not dead. When you taste a very old wine somehow transports you to another era.

What happened in the world of wine in the last fifteen years?

There has been a radical turn; Spain is one of the worlds largest in terms of variety and quality. Has changed the philosophy of vine-growers, the winemakers and consumers. Nowadays we expect more from wine.

The consumption of wine is smaller, but increasingly of higher quality. The customer demands quality, seeking a balance between quality and price. The Spanish wine market at the international level has a long way to go. The quality of some of our wines is extraordinary.

What did attract you to the competitions of the "Golden Nose"? How did you decided to apply? When was it?

"The Golden Nose" each year gathers about 500 sommeliers, making it the most prestigious competition.

We taste 50 – 60 wines a day out of 1,000 Spanish wines to choose the top 300.

Three days of healthy competition with educational sessions on different wine making areas, regions and grape varieties, it is also a meeting point to find wine lovers and sommeliers.

The contest has two decades of history, is the oldest of the national competitions and every year is getting more media attention. To participate in this contest is synonymous with wanting to improve and keep learning.

I went with the intention of spending a day with colleagues and friends. It is a wonderful opportunity to sample a significant number of referrals and new wines, exercise tasting abilities and exchange opinions and share views with other professionals and people like me, who love wine.

It is the hour of truth, to sharpen up your senses "The Final Challenge The Golden Nose 2009 " of being the best sommelier of Spain the challenge that all sommeliers want to reach, but only one can reach the glory.

How feels being the best sommelier in Rioja this year?

Imagine. For me, it is very important because you are tasting wines all day long and it is important to be able to show that you are good at what you do.

Do you train to become the best? How do you do, follow some method?

The smell is like a muscle that needs to be exercised. The senses are instruments that need to be tune. It is a work of practical training. The more you taste the better.

It is essential to study the different varieties of grapes and wine areas to understand the feelings and sensations that brings the different regions and each glass of wine.

And now you should prepare for the semi-final?

People on the streets ask whether you have to study or prepare for the contest, but the truth is that you already have been training all your life for this. The day of the tasting the only thing to do is relax and taste the wines. The hour of truth has arrived.

Do these competitions, open you doors or is just personal satisfaction?

Taking part in a competition means to question your knowledge and foreground, face candidates from around the world to acquire in the confrontation and challenge a clearer perception of your own preparation.

Ultimately you always win in a competition like this, you always return home with new knowledge, sharing of information and with more friends.

Tell us a little bit more about your experience in any of the tasting and challenges that you did on this contests.

The semi-finals began with an activity in which participants became judges, scoring and giving points to select the best wines.

Tasting at high speed about fifty to sixty wines delivered daily by many wineries. We analyzed and valorise the different stages: visual, olfactory and taste of each wine, but with an added difficulty: all the wine bottles are hidden under a cover cloth that prevents us from receiving any information, either the label form the bottle or any external sign that might give clues.

The truth about blind tasting is that it is the best way to realise what you still need to learn and realice all of the surprises that can came along. Is the most challenging and, at the same time, the more fun and complex challenge of all.

The final challenge consisted in tasting six different wines, a Garnacha, a Graciano, a Tempranillo, a blend of 60% Tempranillo with Garnacha, 60% Tempranillo and other Graciano mixture and the last three varieties of 60% Tempranillo 20% Garnacha and 20 % Graciano. After tasting the six wines participants left the room and then return to it and found a dark glass on each table and by only using the smell they start describing the variety of the wines previously tasted.

In this competition, we must identify the wine, not the brand or label.

It's different. When you go to a restaurant you quickly notice who understands about wines and who understands about brands. To me, what I really like about this competition is that you have to identify the wines. You have to find out the differnt components, the years, how it is been made.