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By The Glass Kevin Toyama |
Rueda in Spain is noted
for its white wineNearly 25 years back, I was introduced to the world of wine at a family gathering. My Aunt Louise, always the festive one, had brought a delightful bottle of sparkling white wine. It was amazing, floral and perfumed with a hauntingly familiar fragrance. When I tasted it, I thought, "Wow, this is good -- asti spumante, I gotta remember that!" It stirred a curiosity that grew into a passion and gave me the courage to join a wine club, despite the ridicule of a good friend. Funny though, that friend ended up making the wine business his profession as well.
With so many wines to discover, I am continually amazed by the quality and value available. One of the countries to watch is Spain.
In the northwestern part of Spain, the village of Rueda has long been known for excellent, fashionable white wines. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the kings of Castilla resided nearby. In the 18th century, Charles IV had his favorite Rueda wines shipped to London.
One of the remarkable modern white wines of Rueda is Cuevas de Castilla 2002 Cuvee R.S. (Richard Sanx), at $12.19. A vibrant blend of 80 percent verdejo, 15 percent viura and 5 percent sauvignon blanc grapes, it is a remarkably perfumed dry wine with flavors of citrus, tropical fruits and a gorgeous, flower-filled bouquet. Perfect for seafood and Asian flavors, and ideal for our island cuisine. Wine writer Robert Parker says, "If more Spanish producers begin to make whites like Cuevas de Castilla 2002 Cuvee RS, the rest of the world will take notice --rated 88 points."
I wholeheartedly agree, but for now, it can be our secret.
Back in the 1860s a tiny insect known as phylloxera almost annihilated the world -- well at least the wine world. This aphid was famous for its devastating exploits around the globe. Only by the grafting over of classic French vines to American rootstock did modern wine growers manage to survive.
But in the southeastern corner of Spain, the appellation of Jumilla withstood the tide of phylloxera. Higher elevation and sandy soils thwarted the advance of the pesky insect. Bodegas Olivares had vineyards planted back in 1872 and its Altos de la Hoya 2002 is made from ungrafted old vine mourvedre (92 percent) and grenache (8 percent) that is incredible. Deep, rich flavors of cassis, plums and blackberries, intertwined with a French garrigue-like quality -- graphite, dried herb and dusty spice. This deep, dark beauty is not for the faint of heart. Instead, if you lust for big and bold, this is it.
Try it with braised or roasted meats -- venison, boar, pepper steaks -- and you'll see why. The best part of this is an amazing price of $8.99 for a piece of history. It's the deal of the 19th century here in the 21st.
Kevin Toyama is manager of the Beretania R. Field Food & Wine Co.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals. Write to features@starbulletin.com