Category Archives: News of The Wine World

Dispatch from Ribera del Duero (and Ribera Blanco DO)

  By admin | May 15, 2020 - 4:56 pm | ,
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In March of 2020, Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture approved a proposal to modify the Pliego de Condiciones for the DO Ribera del Duero. The new rules allow for the production of white wines based on the Albillo Mayor grape variety to be bottled under the Ribera del Duero DO, beginning with the 2020 vintage.

The Ribera del Duero DO—located in Castilla y León—was established in 1982 and quickly made a name for its flavorful red wines based on a minimum of 75% Tempranillo (often referred to here as Tinta del País or Tinto Fino). The red wines of the area always allowed for the inclusion of up to 5% Albillo Mayor—a white grape believed to be native to the area and grown in minute quantities but renowned for the rich aromatic notes and softening effect the it brought to the red wines of the region. Rosado is also produced in the area, often based on Garnacha with perhaps a bit of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon or Albillo Mayor in the blend.

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With the newly-published revisions in the rules, the Ribera del Duero DO is now producing white wines—known as Ribera Blanco—based on a minimum of 75% Albillo Mayor. The other white grapes allowed include Alarije (Pirulés) and Chasselas—provided they were planted prior to July 21, 1982.

Ribera Blanco may be produced via stainless steel fermentation as a light, fruity wine intended for early consumption. Such wines have been described as having delicate fruit flavors (green apple, lemon, pear) and lightly floral aromas.

Ribera Blanco may also be produced via oak fermentation and/or oak aging; and may be bottled under the typical aging designation for Spanish DOP wines (crianza, reserva, and gran reserva). Such wines are expected to show hints of gold or amber in the color and exhibit aromas of ripe pear, dried fruit, oak, smoke, beeswax, and vanilla.

The proposal to allow for the production of Ribera Blanco was originally published by El Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) of Spain on July 27, 2019. While the new DO regulations have been approved at the national level, they will still need to work their way through the EU approval process.

Map via: riberadelduero.es

Map via: riberadelduero.es

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Dispatch from the Vino de Pago Chozas Carrascal

  By admin | May 13, 2020 - 5:31 pm | ,
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Photo via: http://chozascarrascal.com/vina/

Photo via: http://chozascarrascal.com/vina/

Bodega Chozas Carrascal—located in Valencia, Spain—was founded by the husband-and-wife team of Julian Lopez and Jose Maria Peidro in 1990. The poetic-sounding name of the estate is based on the nickname (“Chozas”) of one of their grandfathers, and a type of scrub oak tree native to the Mediterranean (Quercus coccifera, aka carrascal) that—once upon a time—were widespread in the area.

Thirteen years after their purchase of the property—in 2003—the winery released its first wine. These early wines, bottled mainly under the Utiel-Requena DO, included a range of red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines based on the traditional grapes of the region (Bobal, Monastrell, Garnacha, Tempranillo and Macabeo) as well as some international varieties, including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Voigner, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

In 2012, 30 hectares within the Chozas Carrascal estate were approved by the Spanish government as a Vino de Pago. Just a few days ago (on May 11, 2020), the designation was approved by the European Commission and published in the Journal of the EU. (It’s official!)

Bodega Chozas Carrascal continues to produce a wide range of wines, including reds, whites, and rosé bottled under the Utiel-Requena DO as well as sparkling wines (Cava DO). Their current releases include the following four wines bottled under the Vino de Pago Chozas Carrascal designation:

  • Las Tres: a white blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Macabeo; barrel-fermented, fermented in oak, and oak-aged for 8 weeks with daily lees stirring
  • Las Ocho: a red blend of 8 grapes; each grape is vinified separately with the final blend aged for 14 months in French oak
  • Las Quatro: a young (joven) rosé made from co-fermented Tempranillo, Garnacha, Syrah, and Merlot
  • Cabernet Familiar: 100% Cabernet Franc, aged for 9 months in new French oak
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The regulations of the Vino de Pago Chozas Carrascal allow for the production of these four styles of wine, in accordance with the following standards:

  • 100% Cabernet Franc (monovarietal/dry red):
    • Minimum of 5 months of oak aging
    • Abv of at least 13%
  • Dry red blends:
    • Grape varieties: Bobal, Monastrell, Garnacha Tinta, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot
    • Minimum of 5 months of oak aging
    • Abv of at least 13%
  • Dry white blends:
    • Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Bland, and Macabeo (Viura)
    • Fermentation must occur in oak barrels
    • No aging requirement
    • Abv of at least 12.5%
  • Dry rosé:
    • Grape varieties: Syrah, Merlot, Garnacha, and Tempranillo
    • Stainless steel fermentation followed by “oak maceration” for a minimum of three weeks
    • Abv of at least 12.5%
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The Chozas Carrascal property includes an olive orchard, a spa, and an impressive array of wine tourism/tasting experiences. Time to plan a road trip (once it is safe to travel again).

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

At long last…Wachau is a DAC!

  By admin | May 8, 2020 - 10:59 am |
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Photo of the Wachau by Robert Herbst via the website of Austrian Wine

Photo of the Wachau by Robert Herbst via the website of Austrian Wine

As announced this morning (May 8, 2020) on the website of Austrian Wine Marketing Board, Austria’s Wachau region is now officially a Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC) wine-producing region.

Along with the prestige of a DAC designation, a slew of new regulations have come into effect as requirements for use of the term Wachau DAC on a wine label. These regulations (and the wines) are divided into three categories—Gebietswein, Ortswein, and Riedenwein, in that order—in reference to an increasingly stricter list of requirements. These regulations are as follows:

  • Gebietswein/regional wines—this is the most generic of the designations, and includes wines that may be produced from grapes grown anywhere within the designated Wachau region.
    • Allowed grape varieties—white: Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Chardonnay, Neuburger, Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer, Frühroter Veltliner, Müller Thurgau, Muskat Ottonel, Roter Veltliner
    • Allowed grape varieties—red: , , Blauer Burgunder (Pinot Nor), St. Laurent, Zweigelt
    • Allowed wine styles: Single-variety (varietal) wines and blended (Gemischter Satz) wines
  • Ortswein/village wines—this designation includes wines that may be grown in any one of 22 designated villages
    • Allowed grape varieties—(all white): Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Chardonnay, Neuburger, Muskateller, Sauvignon Blanc, Traminer
    • Allowed wine styles: Single-variety (varietal) wines only; wines must exhibit little or no influence from oak
  • Riedenwein/single-vineyard wines—this is the top-level designation, and may only be produced from grapes grown within any of the 157 precisely designated Rieden (vineyards) in the Wachau.
    • Allowed grape varieties—(all white): Grüner Veltliner and Riesling
    • Allowed wine styles: Single-variety (varietal) wines only; wines must exhibit little or no influence from oak
    • Chaptalization nor enrichment of any kind is not allowed

Approved wines may be designated as “Wachau DAC” as of the 2020 vintage. The new regulations have been approved by the Austria’s Ministry of Agriculture, Regions, and Tourism (and signed into law by federal minister Elisabeth Köstinger). However, the new designation still needs to wind its way through EU approval.

The stylistic designations—Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd—as defined by Vinea Wachau, will remain in use.

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Dispatch from Rueda

  By admin | April 9, 2020 - 9:19 am |
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Graphic via: https://www.dorueda.com/es/

Graphic via: https://www.dorueda.com/es/

Quite a few changes have been made to the rules and regulations that define the wines of DO Rueda.

Rueda, located in Castilla y León (in northwest Spain), lies along the Duero River—slightly to the west of Ribera del Duero.  The area is best-known for its crisp, dry, white wines based on the Verdejo grape, which comprise over 90% of the region’s total production.

The main changes to the Pliego de Condiciones for the Rueda DO, to be reflected as of the 2020 vintage, are as follows:

Rueda Blanco: Previously, the region produced several different white wines, including Rueda Blanco (based on a minimum of 50% Verdejo), Rueda Verdejo (min. 85% Verdejo), and Rueda Sauvignon (min. 85% Sauvignon Blanc). These three products will be replaced by a single version—to be known as merely as Rueda (Blanco). This new version of Rueda Blanco must contain a minimum of 50% (combined) Verdejo and/or Sauvignon Blanc; the remainder may contain Viura, Palomino Fino, Viognier, and/or Chardonnay. (Viognier and Chardonnay are newly approved varieties for the region.)

Rueda Tinto: Red wines make up a tiny proportion of the output of the Rueda DO. Rueda Tino is a Tempranillo-based wine that may also contain Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. As a result of the recent changes, Syrah is now allowed as well.

Rueda Pálido DO: Biologically aged, fortified wines (similar to the flor-influenced styles of Sherry) are another traditional specialty of the Rueda region; however, such wines were not included in the previous line-up of Rueda DO-approved wines. This has now been remedied with the approval of the “new” category of Rueda Pálido DO. Rueda Pálido DO is a dry, fortified wine produced using the Palomino Fino and Verdejo grape varieties. The wine must be bottled at a minimum of 15% abv and be oak-aged in the presence of film-forming yeast for a minimum of three years. The resulting wine is expected to the “straw yellow to pale golden color, with aromas and flavor of yeast, marzipan, dried fruit, and roasted apple.”

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Vino Espumoso Gran Añada: The Rueda DO is approved for sparkling wine—vino espumoso—although it is rarely seen outside of Europe. A new aging designation—Gran Añada—has been approved for sparkling wines with a minimum of 36 months of lees aging.

Two other new categories—Gran vino de Rueda (implying “old vines” of at least 30 years of age) and Vino de Pueblo (made from the grapes of a specific municipality)—are also part of the new plan.

Rueda Dorado: Another product rarely seen outside of Spain, is a vino de licor (fortified wine) known as Rueda Dorado. Rueda Dorado must be produced using Palomino Fino and Verdejo grapes and bottled at a minimum of 15% abv. In addition, it must be aged for at least four years, including two in the barrel; this aging process earns the wine its golden (dorado) color and nutty, oxidative aromas and flavors. (Rueda Dorado was not affected by the recent regulatory changes, but we thought it was interesting enough to include in our list.)

The updates to the Pliego de Condiciones for the Rueda DO were first proposed in early 2019. By July they had been approved by the local Consejo Regulador and sent to Spain’s of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for further approvals. The proposal was published in Spain’s Boletín Oficial del Estado and approved by the European Union in March of 2020. Official at last!

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

New Rules Adopted for US Wine, Beer, and Spirits

  By admin | April 1, 2020 - 2:09 pm | ,
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At long last, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the United States  has finalized a new set of rules, known as the “Modernization of the Labeling and Advertising Regulations for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages.” This rule was published today (April 1, 2020) and goes into effect on May 3. The original proposal was first announced in November of 2018 and has gone through several rounds of (often cantankerous) public comment and debate.

One of the most debated (and certainly most controversial) parts of the proposed new regulations sought to limit the definition of oak barrels (as used in the aging of distilled spirits) to only include cylindrical drums of approximately 50 gallons. During the public comment periods, the TTB received nearly 700 comments on this issue, almost all of which expressed opposition. The proposal was seen to limit the creativity of distillers that prefer to use smaller—or differently-shaped—barrels and to incur a financial barrier to entry as well. The good news is that this part of the proposal was NOT adopted into the final rule.

The majority of the new rules apply to the production, process of label approvals, importation, and distribution of alcoholic beverages. However, there are many parts of the new rules that are of interest to wine and spirits professionals as well as enthusiasts. Some of these changes are discussed below.

Vodka: The definition of vodka has been updated to read as follows: “Vodka” is neutral spirits which may be treated with up to two grams per liter of sugar and up to one gram per liter of citric acid. Products to be labeled as vodka may not be aged or stored in wood barrels at any time except when stored in paraffin-lined wood barrels and labeled as bottled in bond. (The requirement for US vodka to be “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” will be rescinded.)

Agave Spirits: Agave Spirits (as a class of products) have been defined (for the first time in the US). The new definition reads as follows: “Agave spirits” are distilled from a fermented mash, of which at least 51 percent is derived from plant species in the genus Agave and up to 49 percent is derived from other sugars. Agave spirits must be distilled at less than 95 percent alcohol by volume (190° proof) and bottled at or above 40 percent alcohol by volume (80° proof). Tequila and Mezcal are specifically defined as products of Mexico, made in compliance with the laws and regulations of Mexico.

Triple-distilled(?): Tighter restrictions on claims of the “number of times distilled” were implemented. According to the new rules, a distillation means a single run through a pot still or a single run through a column of a column still. Previously, some distillers claimed one “distillation run” for each plate found in a column still (as in “distilled one hundred times!”).

The document outlining these new rules is several hundred pages in length, but if you have the time and the fortitude, check it out for yourself here.

References/for more information:

We’ll be keeping an eye on the news concerning these new laws as they develop!!

Towards a Definition of (French) Natural Wine

  By admin | March 25, 2020 - 9:35 pm |
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Logo via Syndicat Vin Nature

Logo via Syndicat Vin Nature

The debate over natural wine has raged on for years now.  To some wine aficionados, it is the only wine that matters, to others it is all but undrinkable. This debate—whether to love, hate, or disregard “natural” wine—will surely continue for generations.

However, it seems that the industry is inching closer to the goal of codifying a definition of “natural wine.” A few regions have even agreed to disagree on a definition, including—according to multiple recent news sources—the mother ship of wine producers, France.

This information was first brought to our attention via the publication of the headline La Dénomination “Vin Méthode nature” Officiellement Reconnue (“The name wine–nature method is officially recognized”)—published on March 6, 2020 via food-and-wine journal Atabula.

Before we bang the gong too loudly, there are a few things to note about this latest development. For starters, it does appear to be quite relevant in that France has agreed upon the parameters of natural wine. However, it should be noted that due to previous laws prohibiting the use of the term “natural” on wine labels, the approved term is Vin Méthode Nature (“nature method wines”)—NOT naturel nor naturelle.

In addition, approval of the label term has not yet been announced by the INAO, nor published on the website of the Ministère de l’agriculture et de l’alimentation (French Ministry of Agriculture and Food). Nevertheless, it has been approved by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and the Suppression of Fraud (la Direction générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des frauds/DGCCRF) that previously opposed the use of the term “natural.” As such, the term “Vin Méthode Nature” has been approved as a validated private label and may soon appear on bottles of French wine. Compliance wit the charter will enforced by the DGCCRF.

The effort to have the new label approved has been spearheaded by Le Syndicat Vins Nature’l (the Union of Natural Wines), presided over by Jacques Carroget (proprietor of Domaine la Paonnerie in France’s Loire Valley). It is estimated that up to sixty wines may apply to be granted use of the term (and logo) for the release of the 2019 vintage.

According to the new regulations, the following is required in order to use the label term Vin Méthode Nature and the logo:

  • Vineyards must be organically farmed, as represented by organic certification, second-year organic conversion, or private Nature and Progress charter
  • Grapes must be hand-harvested
  • Use of indigenous yeasts
  • No sulfur added before or during fermentation. Note that there are two versions of the logo available, one that declares “without added sulfites” (for wines containing less than 10 mg/L); and one that declares “less than 30 mg sulfites.”
  • No must adjustments (acidification, chaptalization, etc.)
  • No “recourse to brutal and traumatic physical techniques,” which specifically excludes reverse osmosis, filtration, flash pasteurization, and thermovinification.
  • Click here to see the entire list via the Charter of Syndicat de défense des Vins Nature’l

We’ll be watching for updates and will post more information on these developments as they are released.

Graphic via Syndicat Vin Nature

Graphic via Syndicat Vin Nature

References/for more information:

Dispatch from Soave (and 33 New Crus)

  By admin | March 17, 2020 - 2:41 pm | ,
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Map of the traditional regions of Soave/credit: Casa del Vino (own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Map of the traditional regions of Soave/credit: Casa del Vino (own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Soave DOC—Veneto’s beloved Garganega-based white wine—has entered a new phase with the approval of 33 new subzones. The new geographical indications were approved by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture in October of 2019—and as of March 2020, they have been approved and published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The Soave zone has traditionally contained two subzones: Soave Classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri. The Classico zone—the original, central part of the region located about 10 miles east of the city of Verona—consists of an expanse of rolling hills within the communes of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone. The discontinuous Colli Scaligeri subzone contains a series of hillsides surrounding the city of Verona. The name is a reference to the Della Scala family (the Scaligeri)—former Lords of Verona and once-upon-a-time owners of the land.

Vigne del Soave—a comprehensive project to map the Soave region by soil types, elevation, micro-climate, topography, and historical usage—has been in the works via the Soave Consortium for over a decade. The project was completed in 2019 with the formal designation of 33 unique geographical subzones officially known as “Additional Geographical Units” or Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva.  

Photo via: https://ilsoave.com/

Photo via: https://ilsoave.com/

The 33 new Crus of Soave are as follows: Castelcerino, Colombara, Froscà, Fittà, Foscarino, Volpare, Tremenalto, Carbonare, Tent, Corte Durlo, Rugate, Croce, Costalunga, Coste, Zoppega, Menini, Monte Grande, Ca ‘del Vento, Castellaro, Pressoni, Broia, Brognoligo, Costalta , Paradiso, Costeggiola, Casarsa, Monte di Colognola, Campagnola, Pigno, Duello, Sengialta, Ponsarà, Roncà–Monte Calvarina.

Of the 33 newly-designated areas, 28 are located within the Classico Zone. Two—resting atop volcanic soils—are located near the commune of ​​Roncà (to the north and east of the Classico Zone), and three are in the limestone hills located in the western portion of the region.

The new designations are approved for use beginning with the wines of the 2019 vintage.

Click here for an interactive map of the 33 crus of Soave, via the website of the Consorzio Soave.

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Dispatch from Empordà: Carignan Blanc is Official

  By admin | March 4, 2020 - 6:13 pm | ,
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Graphic via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

Graphic via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

Empordà—a Spanish wine region (denominación de origen/DO)—is located in the northern reaches of Catalonia, just to the south of the Banyuls AOC in France’s Roussillon region. Viticulture and wine production in the area surrounding modern-day Empordà can be traced back to Greek settlements in the area (circa 600 BCE), and is known to have flourished throughout the Middle Ages.

Viticulture and winemaking in the area took quite a blow from phylloxera, in the late 1800s, but by the middle of the 20th century vineyards had been re-planted and wine from Empordà was flowing once again. The area first received DO status in 1975, when it was known as Empordà–Costa Brava, in order to take advantage of the area’s reputation as a beautiful beach-side destination and food-and-wine hotspot. While the area’s reputation remains intact, the name of the wine region was changed to simply Empordà DO in 2006.

The Empordà DO is approved for a long list of grape varieties and an equally impressive list of allowed wine styles. These include still (non-sparkling) wines in red (tinto), white (blanco) and rosé (rosado), as well as sparkling wines (vino espumoso), fizzy/slightly sparkling wines (vino de aguja) and fortified wines (vino de licor). Specialties of the region include Garnatxa del Empordà, a sweet, fortified wine made from sun-dried Garnacha grapes, and Moscatell del Empordà, produced using Moscatel de Alejandría and/or Moscatel de Grano Menudo (Muscat of Alexandria and/or Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains).

Photo via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

Photo via: https://www.doemporda.cat/

The white wines of Empordà are in the news this week. Just yesterday (March 3, 2020) it was announced that an amendment to the region’s pliego de condiciones had been approved and published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado de Espana (Official Bulletin of Spain). This proposal had been in the works for several years; and allows for the use of the Cariñena Blanca (Carignan Blanc) grape variety to be used in the wines of the region. The Empordà DO is the first to allow the use of Cariñena Blanca in its wines.

Cariñena Blanca is a white-skinned mutation of Carignan Noir (also known as Cariñena, Samsó, or Mazuelo). By all accounts, it has been grown and used in the white blends of the region for generations —the region even boasts some 100-year-old Cariñena Blanca vines—despite the fact that it was never entered into the list of official varieties for Spain. This has all changed now, as the official list of recommended grape varieties for the DO now includes Cariñena Blanca, in addition to Garnatxa Blanca (Grenache Blanc), Macabeu (Macabeo/Viura), and Moscatel d’Alexandria. Other authorized white varieties include Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, and Xarel·lo

There are currently about 55 wine-producing estates and just over 1,825 hectares/4,510 acres planted to vine in the Empordà DO.  Perhaps one of the estates will produced a varietal Cariñena Blanca in 2020—it could happen!

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Dispatch from Valdepeñas

  By admin | January 17, 2020 - 10:48 am |
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The Valdepeñas DO (located in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) is making some changes! The EU has recently approved a modification to the Pliego de Condiciones for the region, as announced and published in the January 9, 2020 edition of the Official Journal of the European Union.

The wines approved for production in the Valdepeñas DO make up a long list. Red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines are all produced—and most of these may be made in a range of styles relating to aging (including roble, crianza, reserva, and gran reserva), as well as in differing levels of sweetness (seco, semi-seco, semi-dulce, or dulce).

The red and rosé wines of the Valdepeñas DO are based on Tempranillo (Cencibel) and are also allowed to include Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and/or Syrah. White wines are typically based on Verdejo and may also include Macabeo, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Airén, and/or Muscat (Moscatel).

Image via: http://vinosvaldepenas.com/en/#!/up

Image via: http://vinosvaldepenas.com/en/#!/up

Today’s story, however, applies to just one style of wine, defined on the Pliego de Condiciones as Tinto Tradicional. This “traditional” style of wine—once considered the signature version of the region’s wines—is light red in color (clarete) and produced using a mixture of red and white grapes. Previously, Tinto Tradicional was required to be produced using a minimum of 50% red grapes. With the modification, the new standard requires a minimum of 85% red grapes in the blend.

According to Florencio Rodríguez, Provincial Secretary of the Asociación Agraria Jóvenes Agricultores–Ciudad Real (ASAJA Ciudad Real), the change was needed to in order to modernize the image of the Valdepeñas DO and to keep up with the increasing demand for more flavorful wines with distinct varietal character.

The Valdepeñas DO is almost completely surround by the much larger La Mancha DO. The climate of Valdepeñas is warm/hot continental, and the region is quite dry—the mountains of the Sierra Morena located just to the west (defining the edge of the Meseta Central) provide a significant rain shadow.

The name of the region translates to “Valley of the Rocks” and refers to the region’s unique rock formations and rocky topsoil.

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org

Welcome to the World, Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas!

  By admin | November 11, 2019 - 4:09 pm | ,
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Photo of Bodegas Vera de Estenas via: http://veradeestenas.es/

Photo of Bodegas Vera de Estenas via: http://veradeestenas.es/

Spain has a new Vino de Pago! The new geographic indication—Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas—was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on November 4, 2019, and the appellation will be in effect as of November 24, 2019.

The newly-registered Pago is located in the comunidad autónoma of Valencia, and is surrounded by the Utiel-Requena DO. This is the fourth vino de pago to be registered in Valencia. The demarcated area extends over a gentle slope that descends from Sierra Juan Navarro towards the valley of the Magro River and the Estenas Stream.

According to the fresh-off-the-presses documentation, the wines produced in the Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas will include the following:

  • Red Wines:
    • Based on Bobal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and/or Merlot
    • Minimum abv: 12.5%
    • Maximum RS: 4 g/L
    • According to the pliego de condiciones, the red wines should be deep red in color, dry in taste, with aromas of warm red fruit and vanilla when young. Gran Reserva wines should be garnet in appearance and show aromas of ripe red fruit, wood, spice, vanilla, and roasted oak.
    • Red wiines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
    • Ageing takes place in oak casks with a capacity of 225 or 300 litres. Wines that are aged in oak for less than six months may use the label term “Cask-aged” (Madurado en Barrica); those that are barrel-aged for longer may use the terms “Crianza,” “Reserva,” or “Gran Reserva” in accordance with the general regulations for the wines of Spain.
  • Rosé/Rosado Wines:
    • May be based on on Bobal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and/or Merlot; however, most rosé is produced using Bobal
    • Minimum abv: 12%
    • According to the pliego de condiciones, the rosado wines should be red in appearance with strawberry tones and hints of purple. These wines should have intensely fruity aromas and lively, well-balanced flavors.
    • Rosado wines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.
  • Barrel-fermented White Wines:
    • Produced using Chardonnay
    • White wines are fermented in new oak casks of 225 or 300 liters.
    • Minimum abv: 12%
    • According to the pliego de condiciones, the white wines should have a brilliant straw-yellow color, intensely fruity aromas and a round, full bodied texture.
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It seems there is only one winery currently located within the demarcated area: Bodega Vera de Estenas. However, a group of vineyard owners in the area formed a coalition in order to support and apply for the PDO. If new wineries open in the area, they will be eligible to apply for the rights to use the term “Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas.

Welcome to the world, Vino de Pago Vera de Estenas!

References/for more information:

Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org