Spanish Vines is an importer of well-priced Spanish wines that are new to the New York market. In fact, some of their wines were just introduced at the Wine Expo last weekend. So far they are only available at Garnet Wines & Spirits on the Upper East Side.
Particularly interesting to me was the Cinco Josés. This wine comes from the Campo de Borja region of Spain. It is made from 40-year-old Garnacha (Grenache) vines.
Before I go on, what’s really the difference in a wine made from grapes from young vines and another that’s made from older vines? According to Jancis Robinson in the Oxford Companion to Wine: “Grape vines can grow for over 120 years. After about 20 years vines start to produce smaller crops, and average yields decrease, leading to more concentrated, intense wines.”
Like everything else in the wine world, there is a debate over what constitutes “old vines.” This wine just tells you how old the vines are, letting you judge for yourself. Very diplomatic, but not necessarily a reason to recommend a wine.
I recommend it because it’s a crowd-pleasing wine; a wine you can serve to just about anyone – assuming they like red wine – with success. That’s because it is a fruity wine but not overpoweringly jammy. It’s well balanced with good acidity, soft tannins and a pretty elegant structure. All of these complement the aromas and flavors of plums, blackberries and dark chocolate. It’s easy on the palate and on the wallet. A win/win situation all around.
Other newly introduced wines from Spanish Vines include an Albariño, which is clean and crisp with floral and citrus aromas, and hints of peach and lemon on the palate. There also is a blend from Priorat called La Ninota (20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah,40% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo,10% Merlot). As would be expected from the region, it’s a powerful wine that shows strong red fruits as well a minerality that comes from the region’s black slate and quartz soil.
Garnet also sells these wines for $16.99 and $15.99 respectively. Garnet Wines & Spirits is located at 929 Lexington Avenue (68th Street), 212.772.3211.
Through March 16, the red wines will be discounted 10% off of these prices for bottle sales and 15% for case sales. (Cinco Josés: $8.99 and La Ninota: $14.39)
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