Spanish Wines in Nelson… It must be time for a blog post from our wine expert, Neil Hodgson!
Spain is considered one of the old-world producers, with many varieties planted that we just don’t have in our part of the world. Varieties like Tempranillo, Verdejo, Godello, Graciano, Monastrell, Touriga, and others are almost unheard of here.
For many years the grapes that produce Spanish wines were treated as just another crop, like tomatoes and potatoes, but in the 1970s producers started focussing on quality rather than just quantity and we are now seeing some wonderfully complex Spanish wines on the shelf in Fresh Choice Nelson.
For me the best Spanish wines are the reds; because of the very warm climate, the only decent white variety, in my opinion, is Albarino which is also being produced here quite successfully.
The reds, however, are the stars and deliver wonderful flavour and complexity for very little money, especially when you consider they are produced on the other side of the world and shipped here. Great examples can be bought for around $20.
At Fresh Choice Nelson you\’ll find some great examples, including the Rey del Mundo 2012 Tempranillo for $19.99, a saving of $6 and the gold medal winning Vino Tinto Altacena 2014 Tempranillo for $13.99, a saving of $6.
Both of these wines have rich fruity flavours with a touch of tamarillo spiciness making them excellent value winter drinking with a beef casserole.
Another good example and also a gold medal wine is the Elefant Tempranillo Shiraz blend for $15.99, the Shiraz adds sweet depth of flavour to the spiciness of the Tempranillo, making it very easy to drink in front of a nice warm fire.
If you want to try a rich red wine with flavours just a little different but just as delicious as something from Australia then be brave and choose something from Spain, you will be surprised just how good these wines are!
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