If you’re one of the people that occasionally pops by to see if I’ve posted anything, I’ll save you a couple of seconds from now on. I’ve decided to call time on Tinto y Blanco after 6 years, and if you hadn’t noticed there has been a distinct lack of effort on my part over the last 6 months or so. But there is a really good reason why.

Earlier this year, my wife and I were presented with the opportunity to import the  wines of some of our favorite producers in Rioja. We’ve jumped on board and have formed a small import company called Cosecha Imports, our first shipment has just arrived and will be ready for sale in the next month or so. Given that we are now importing wine from Spain, I felt that it was not a good idea to go writing reviews of the other importers wares, regardless of how small the company is or how much wine we import.

So, Tinto y Blanco will be frozen as it is, but with comments and posts turned off shortly, for a little while longer. Of course, if you need to, I can be reached on the same email address.

I do want to say a big thank you to all of the importers who supported the site and sent in wines, invited me to tastings and hooked me up with appointments with their producers in Spain. And to everyone who commented on posts, sent in emails, shared links and conversations along the way. Not forgetting the retailers who gave me discounts and ordered in obscure wines from unknown importers…thanks. I’ve found many friends along way, and for that alone I’ve gotta say thanks.

There is a blog over at the Cosecha Imports site, plus a twitter account, email and even a mailing list, so please keep in touch and keep drinking Spanish booze.

Cheers,

Dave Worthington

But the main purpose was to catch up with some friends, eat some home cooking, drink, talk crap and generally enjoy the place. Sunday lunch at Etxebarri was a knockout as always. Followed by a extended afternoon refreshment (about 3 litre of white wine is refreshing apparently) makes for an almost perfect sunday. Oh and shopping for Spanish food products that we either can’t get here or we pay way over the odds for. I’m sure the nice lady at Australian customs thought I was mad having a suitcase full of anchovies, tuna, peppers, olive oil and honey! More to come…

The overwhelming flavour here is ripe, but still a bit crunchy pear, which is just how I like my Albariño. In the leaner, acid driven style, yet has the texture and mid palate flavour that just makes it so easy to finish the bottle. Classic aromatics of white peach, pear, jasmine and kaffir lime leaf. Not the most complex of wines,  it’s refreshing, tasty and moreish, what more could you ask from a $30 import?   91 Pts.

Source: Rathdowne Cellars Price: Around $33 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasantiagoruiz.com

Other Vintages: 2004

I am going to be lazy here, this wine is fairly much exactly the same as the 2008, so I’ve just reused the notes here. I must say however, cool fresh, understated white wine at 11% is a refreshing change on a 40 degree day…

The nose shows plenty of herbal and grassy notes, with some fennel bulb and cucumber over the top of lemony fruit. Tight and driving in the mouth, it’s fresh and light and easy to drink. More of that lemon and herb fruit on the palate, the acidity keeps things humming along. More of a food style for my money, but definitely a fun, budget alternative to either NZ or French Sauv Blanc. 86 Pts.

The important things are all there: warm, ripe plums, dark cherry, vanilla and wood shavings, a bit of chocolate. Round and supple, slightly raspy tannins on the finish, length and a bit of acid to drive things along. 87 Pts.

Source: Ce Soir Imports Price: $14 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.salvadorpoveda.com

Other Vintages: 2003, 2007

One of the things I really enjoy with this wine is that is comes sprinting straight out of the blocks. Cherry and blueberry fruit, vanilla, thyme and cinnamon. It’s not rustic, but not totally refined either, fresh and hearty with plenty of texture and life. Sappy cherries and plums on the palate, I’m finding the 06s quite sappy and I like it a lot. Good finish of herbs and fruit.  90 Pts.

Source: Ce Soir Imports Price: $29 Closure: Conventional Cork

One interesting thing that I got out of the TempranNeo is that there seems to be something of a trend towards ‘joven’ or unwooded, young wines with Australian producers. Thats just fine with me, a good sappy and wild young tempranillo in summer is great, but the fruit needs to be absolutely top notch…there is a reason why there is a wine lake of young tempranillo from hot climates in Spain. There are a few locally that can really pull it off, Pondalowie for example, but many producers have a way to go. Still, it’s early days with Tempranillo in Australia.

Pleasing nose of earthy dark fruit, cherry liquor, herbs, eucalyptus (a classic note for this wine) and chinotto. Not sarsaparilla or cola, both are a common descriptor for tempranillo, there is some kind of slightly bitter orange/cola note in there. I’m calling it chintto. Classic medium bodied tempranillo with tangy acid and tannins that gently build as the wine gets more air. Well defined and long, plenty of fruit, but its savoury all the way. Sour cherry, herbs, chinotto and pepper. She got the Flavour! This is setting the pace for Tempranillo in Australia. 92 Pts.

Source: Winery Sample Price: $35 Closure: Screwcap

Web: www.mountmajura.com.au

Straight into it with a nose of pear and apple, kaffir lime leaf and lemon. Packed full of flavour, a good spike of acid and good length. Textured. In the mouth there is some gooseberry, fresh pear and a little sage for interest on the finish. Very tidy drinking. 91 Pts. $28

Source: Echalon wines RRP: $28 Closure: Screwcap

The nose opens up with figs, bloody meat and earth, it only gathers interest from there. Pencil shavings, some wild thyme and olives. Lovely. Easy to drink in the mouth, balance is good and the acid drives things along nicely. More of those figs and meaty notes on the palate, this would go well with some lamb shoulder. Tangy and long its a joy to drink now…plenty to like here, and as usual the price is excellent. 90 Pts.

So, what do you do when you are trying to make the best wine from Rueda. Old bush vines are essential, no idea on the age of the vines used here but they are older than those used for Basa. Once the grapes are off the vine, leave the wine making kit bag at home and let it the wild yeast do it’s thing. Sure there might be some cooling used to keep everything fresh during fermentation, perhaps just some concrete tanks for example. Then give it some texture. Let it mature on lees for an extended period or stir it up a bit…but basically leave it alone.

Finish it off with a cool label and name and you’re done. The name is a reference to how they keep the wild pigs out of the vineyard, that old favorite of shopping centres and train stations has been used here: place a radio in the vineyard and play boring or bad music at high volume and they’ll keep clear. I’m told wild boar is good eating, so personally I’d take another approach and live high on the hog.

Lively nose of subtle, tropical fruits, rocky/mineral type notes and a bit of the ol’ mountain herb. Lovely, mealy texture, lees notes, with a bit of old hay and earth. Savoury and super long finish, a shake of minerals, lemon, guava and an apple that’s been in your school bag a couple of days longer than it should have (I  like this). Walks a fine line between texture and acid, you could call it chubby if you where so inclined, but just right for me. This won’t be for everyone, but with some good food (thinking corn fed, free range roast chicken) it will really lift. 92 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $60 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.telmorodriguez.com

This is the ‘estate’ wine, there is also a regional wine from bought in grapes from growers sourounding the estate. These guys are most famous for their Selección de Añada, an aged release that sees about 3 years in tank before it’s bottled, which is quite a rare thing for an Albariño based wine.

Super aromatic nose, loaded with pear, apple, jasmine, a slight lemon twist. Nicely textured, more in the fuller figured camp than the striking acidity crowd, but not flabby though. Pear and white peach in the mouth, long finish, talc and minerals. Tangy white peach leaves a lovely after taste. 92 Pts. $38

Source: Echalon wines RRP: $38 Closure: Screwcap

I did have a short lived affair with Bordeaux and Priorat for a couple of years, before the prices got way out of control. These days I just buy more Alion and Vega Sicilia Valbuena. No it’s not the same, and that the point. I got sick of finding old and tired wines in the cellar after 5 years (Priorat) and spending a month’s pay on a case or two of wine (Boardeaux). Sure these wines aren’t cheap, I’d be lucky to buy a 6 pack of each these days, I do however feel I get better value for money and more enjoyment from the wines of Ribera del Duero.

On this tasting the 2005 is showing more fruit and herby undergrowth than last time, with a grab bag of other notes showing up as the wine gets more air: olives, violets, blackberry, mulberry and some cherry. Oak is in a supporting role, a bit of sawn wood and freshly ground coffee in the background. Long and layered in the mouth, I would almost call this lean at the moment, needs time to develop that lovely texture shich shows up by the last glass. Structured, but enjoyable at the moment. Give it a big sleep to get the most out of it, 10 years is perfect, this will easily go 20+ years in the cellar. 94+ Pts

Source: Boccaccio Cellars Price: $139 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasalion.com

LZ comes from one of the two vineyards that is fully owned and managed by Compania del Vinos de Telmo Rodriguez, this one located just outside the small village of Lanciago on the Basque side of the Rioja. (The other one is in Galacia, where the Gaba do Xil wines are made). Its basically one hill side just outside the village, you could call it and estate if you like, that is loosely modeled on the burgundy quality pyramid of village wines in the lower areas, 1er Crus at the top and Grand Grus in the middle. And I do mean loosely, it’s not quite as hard as that. Setup to be biodynamic (and now certified as such)and modern, but keeping the old traditions in the back of mind, the vines are all trained in goblet (or en Vaso in Spanish).

Up top there is a modern winery that looks like it’s straight out of a Bond film, well a modern, sustainable Bond film. Recycled barrel staves, compressed earth walls, natural temp control and gravity flow instead of pumps, the bodega ticks all sustainable, low input buildings, yet still manages to look like a something out of the thunderbirds (very cool in my book). Built low into the hilside, you wouldn’t know it was there if you weren’t looking for it. But at the heart of the bodega are these huge concrete fermenters. Custom made, trucked up the impossibly small road to the winery and lifted in place, these big grey silos are the key to making LZ the wine it is. Concrete provides excellent temperature control, and in combination with the building itself, keeps fermentation temps low and preserves all of that lovely fruit flavour. Whatever they are doing, it is surely working. I think this might just be the best young wine from Rioja I’ve ever seen…

The wine itself is a joy to drink. I’m a fairly harsh critic of  joven wines from Rioja, I often find them full of green herbs and sulfur, preferring the riper offerings from Ribera del Duero and Toro usually. But this is the polar opposite, lively with a core of red and blue fruits, wild herbs and an earthy quality. Sappy and meaty, lengthy finish that leaves the taste of minerals, ripe fruit and herbs. Middle weight with soft tannins,  spot on for summer and autumn drinking. Just the kind of thing I could drink every day for a month and be totally happy with. Grill up some mushrooms with garlic and oil, lovely. Clearly the best LZ yet. 91 Pts.

Source: The Spanish Acquisition Price: $25 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.telmorodriguez.com

Other Vintages: 2005, 2006

Morcilla de Burgos (left) and Morcilla de Leon (right)

Blood sausage is certainly one of those foods that sorts the men from the boys.  People either love or hate, or more truthfully hate the thought of it. Personally I love the stuff, but then again I’ve been eating lamb’s brains since I was a wee tot. While there are lots traditional blood sausages made around the world, unsurprisingly the  Spanish versions are the closes to my heart, or belly more accurately. I find the English stuff is a bit plain for me, the French do a good job at times, the Germans make some great blood sausages, but morcilla satisfies my craving for an injection earthy, spicy flavour every time.

At it’s most basic, morcilla is made from fresh pigs blood and pork fat with something to add a bit of flavour, such as onion and spices like pimenton (paprika), cinnamon and cumin. Something is then added to thicken this mixture up. While there is huge variation in recipes from village to village and region to region, there are two basic ingredients to do this: onions and rice. The most well known and popular version is using rice, which is generally known as Morcilla de Burgos. This produces a firmer texture (not that firm, it is kind of like a solid risotto) and when cut into slices and grilled will provide a bit of crunch. Of course there is a whole range of producers of Morcilla in Spain, ranging from industrial to artisan. If you are lucky enough to have some friends who still slaughter their own pigs, you might even get to try some home made stuff…

The other way to do things is to add onions which adds a) a lot of flavour and b) a very soft and silky texture. This method is used to make Morcilla de Leon, which may or may not be an actual sausage, rather it is a kind of soft, pungent onion and blood dip that is usually eaten with potato. You are unlikely to come across this unless you are traveling in the hills around Leon and into Gallicia, it usually made fresh in the restaurants and kitchens in the villages up in these regions.. You might also see it in a delis and shops in Madrid, but usually in a can or a jar.

For those of us here in Australia, there are rather limited choices for quality morcilla. Importing is generally not an option, most Spanish makers don’t add nitrate which is required by the food standards here, but there are some good local butchers making some excellent morcilla. Without doubt the best I’ve had here has been from the Rodriguez Bros in Sydney, which unfortunately doesn’t have wide distribution (I think you can buy them from Vic’s Meat for those not in Sydney, if you know of someone selling at retail in Melbourne, let me know!). There is also some good stuff available from Casa Iberica. Or you could always make it yourself…if you’re game!

Here are some ideas to get you going:

Scallop, morcilla and apple stacks

This is a classic combo, morcilla, scallops and apples, but with a slight twist.

Ingredients:

• 1 Morcilla
• 10 Large scallops
• 1/4 piece of Celeriac
• 50g apple sauce (homemade and unsweetened without spice if possible)
• 50g Allioli (garlic mayonnaise)

This is really simple. Grate the celeriac and place into a bowl. Mix in the Allioli, season with salt. Cut the morcilla up into slices and clean up the scallops so you have a tube like bit of scallop. Heat a fry pan to a high temp, add a tiny bit of oil and fry the morcilla and scallops  for about 30 second. Now assemble a stack: scallop on the bottom, celeriac mix next, a little apple sauce, morcilla, apple sauce, celeriac mix and scallop. Use a tooth pick to hold it all together if you like, but try to eat them in one bite if you can…

Fat boy breakfast

This isn’t really a breakfast dish, great hangover cure though. You will need a medium sized cazuela, a Spanish clay dish, for best results with this. If you’re feeding a bunch of hungry booze hounds, triple the quantity and make it in a oven proof frying pan.

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs
• 1 Morcilla
• 1/2 a Chorizo
• 4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped  (or one 400g tin)
• 1/4 of an onion, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
• Parsley

Heat your oven to 180C. Peel, dice and de-seed the tomatoes. Fry the onion in a saucepan with a little olive oil. Add the tomatoes, paprika and a little salt after a minute or two. Cook these until they are soft, not quite until they are a sauce, you want it to be a little chunky. Cut up the chorizo and morcilla into slices and bang it into the cazuela, add the tomato mix on top leaving a bit of room for the eggs at the top. Into the oven for 15 minutes. Pull it out of the oven crack the eggs over the top, back into the oven for a couple of minutes (I like the eggs to be runny, leave it in for 5-10 minutes if you want hard eggs). Out of the oven, parsley on top and its ready to go with some toasted bread.

Bachelor lentils

This is a dish I make when I’m home by myself for two reasons a) it’s quick and easy and b) you’ll be farting like a bear that’s eaten a week old salmon about an hour after eating it.

Ingredients:

• 1 Morcilla
• 1 400g can on brown lentils
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of random veg (peas, peppers, that kind of thing)
• 1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
• 1/2 teaspoon smoke paprika
• pinch of Piment d’Espelette (mild chili powder from the French Basque country, use mild chili powder if you don’t have it)
• Salt and Pepper

Chuck the veg, onion and garlic in a pot with a little olive oil, on to the stove at a low heat. While thats cooking away, mix up the spices. Add these to the pot after a minute or two. let this cook until everything is soft and then add the tin of lentils (liquid and all) and the morcilla. Whack up the heat to get this up to boil, then let it simmer until its reduced to the point where it’s a bit saucy (i.e. not too much liquid) and serve with some bread.

Ever since, I’ve been buying two Rioja Reservas in every vintage. This is one of them, the other is Remelluri, which is almost a national treasure in the Basque area and is set to move towards an organic operation with Telmo Rodriguez moving back into the role of wine maker with his sister looking after the vineyards. Getting back to Muga Reserva, it’s a typical Rioja blend of 70% Tempranillo , 20%Garnacha, and 10% Mazuelo and Graciano aged in big old vats for 6 months, then into french and american oak for 24 months. While this clearly meets the Reserva requirements, in Spanish speaking countries it’s sold as a crianza…no idea why.

Classic nose of wild thyme and oragano, earthy cherry, mulberry and woody spices. Perfect balance between fruit and structure with minerally acid. Tannins that build and build to give a sense of contrast with the acid. The fruit doesn’t stick out, it’s savoury and fresh, it sits inline with the oak, tannin and acid. Purity, complexity and structure. The finish is long with the sense of clay, minerals and tangy red fruits. Just lovely drinking. Not as imediately rewarding as the 2004 now after a decant, but this is a long term wine, drink over the next 20 years. 93+ Pts.

Source: ?? Price: Around $60 Closure: Conventional Cork

Web: www.bodegasmuga.com