1993 Portugal

One word summarises the Mustiguillo message and that is Bobal, one of the greatest and most under-rated Spanish grape varieties, now on the cusp of a renaissance. Mustiguillo is a family project, dedicated to organic viticulture and the pursuit of elegance and finesse rather than excess oak and the like. A well-rehearsed mantra maybe, but one that does not have many adherents of such pedigree.

Located on terraced escarpments of ancient Dolomite limestone, the vineyards of Quincha Corral are seen by many as the definitive statement of the Bobal varietal. The bonus of the superlative 2012 vintage underlines this statement with a deeply coloured wine, its rich, smoky, floral aromas and luxuriant, grippy mouth-feel harnessing an ensemble that has a long and successful life to look forward to.

There were 2037 bottles of Moncerbal produced in 2012 and its makeup is described as 98% Mencia and 2% white grapes…varied indigenous white grapes, one infers, so fantastically interbred that their precise identity is a mystery. The 2012 is spicy on the nose, echoed by a peppery twist on the finish. In between there is pure red berry fruit, a hint of eucalypt and even aniseed adding aromatic complexity.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Álvaro Palacios is not exactly a new face on the wine scene; he has helped revolutionise the Spanish wine industry by making rich, complex wines in Priorat. Álvaro, with his nephew Ricardo Pérez, established Descendientes de J. Palacios in 1998 in the village of Villafranca del Bierzo. They named the estate in honour of Álvaro’s father who passed away in 2000.

A blend from El Carretil, La Poza de Ballesteros and Veldeginès, the 2012 Pagos Viejos is beautifully judged. Structured and full (presumably from the El Carretil element) floral aromas on the nose give way to powerful blueberry and dark cherry notes across the palate. The freshness of the vintage is apparent, with lovely acidity and energy at the core.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, owner and winemaker of Artadi, is recognised as one of the greatest names in the business in Spain. The winery was once a co-operative of 13 growers who owned well-sited vineyards around the town of Laguardia in the Alavesa wine region of Rioja. Juan Carlos saw the potential of these wonderful vineyards and purchased the Bodega, immediately amending the philosophy and style of winemaking. The winemaking is modern with an emphasis upon fruit driven wines, characterised by the terroir of individual vineyard sites – a far cry from the philosophy of traditional Rioja producers. French oak is used, not American, allowing the principle variety, Tempranillo, eloquent natural expression.

The vineyard of El Pison is in the form of an amphitheatre, lying in a small hollow protected by a barrier of sandstone. This vineyard, planted in 1945, is remarkable and can make a claim to produce the finest wine in Spain. A lifted, pure expression of Tempranillo; black cherry and damson fruit, ethereal precision, spice and mineral hints. So much depth and body, twinned with elegance and finesse, and complexity will come with age.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, owner and winemaker of Artadi, is recognised as one of the greatest names in the business in Spain. The winery was once a co-operative of 13 growers who owned well-sited vineyards around the town of Laguardia in the Alavesa wine region of Rioja. Juan Carlos saw the potential of these wonderful vineyards and purchased the Bodega, immediately amending the philosophy and style of winemaking. The winemaking is modern with an emphasis upon fruit driven wines, characterised by the terroir of individual vineyard sites – a far cry from the philosophy of traditional Rioja producers. French oak is used, not American, allowing the principle variety, Tempranillo, eloquent natural expression.

2012 was a relatively dry vintage, with drought threatening at some points. The blend here is 96% Garnacha and 4% Samso; Garnacha is described as La Reina, the queen of all varieties, generous, soft and benevolent and, of course, completely devoid of caprice. Mules till the soil here as they always have done, and the high mineral content of the sub-soils (zinc, aluminium and iron) lends definition and purity to the grapes. The wine is rich and velvety and yet with ethereal charm and, to use a phrase which Alavro would like, has real presence.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Álvaro Palacios, whose family owns the prestigious Rioja Bodega, Palacios Remondo, spent two years at Château Pétrus before setting up on his own in Priorat in 1989. From the very beginning, he set out to produce world-class wines by using fruit from extremely low-yielding old vines and by applying ultramodern winemaking techniques. The cream of the crop is the single vineyard wine L'Ermita, which was first produced in 1993. Arguably the most individual red wine in Spain, it is certainly now the most expensive.