The golden pipe-dream in rioja

DOC Rioja is not immune to the white wine trend around the world. This new reality is the central theme in the PlanetAVino magazine corresponding to December, which is already available in your usual outlets, in paper in Spanish, and in digital format in Spanish and English.

 

The Rioja whites are on the warpath. For many years, they have been mere troupers, complementing winery catalogues that usually highlighted their red wines, leaving the whites to always be the lesser of the two. This new era of Rioja whites opened up with six new permitted grape varieties, alongside the three traditional ones. New style wines including the current trend for long life wines. Just like some of the traditional white wines.

Also in our review of contemporary issues, we take a look at sustainability in the wine production process, from the vineyard to waste management. This issue is becoming more and more important, and awareness of this part of the wine process is important in certain markets. This is the subject prepared by José Hidalgo Togores in his section, Learning More.

Another usual section, although somewhat intermittent, is Planeta 40ª, dedicated to drinks other than wine. In this edition, Pilar Calleja writes an introduction to the unknown yet attractive world of sake, vino de arroz which has reached our shores through Japanese cuisine which is very popular throughout Spain.

These are the main articles in this edition of PlanetAVino that is full of information, opinions, tracks and advice, all summarised list below.

Summary

28 The algorithm of Rioja whites

The golden pipe-dream in Rioja today. The Regulating Council wants to promote white wines and make them equivalent to the reds, in terms of their commercial image and strength. There are several wine making trends in use and, surprisingly, both the modern and traditional approach, seek long life wines.

42 History: Bodegas La Emperatriz

Founded as a winery for making bulk wines and twenty years later it is looking for a place among the leading names in Rioja. Yet it always has its feet on the ground or, more to the point, on the rounded stones covering the estate.

 

48 Learning More: The example of the forest

Sustainable initiatives are gaining importance and conviction in the wine world, perhaps even to a greater degree than in other economic sectors. Carbon footprint, energy efficiency and the water footprint are becoming everyday concepts.

52 Planeta 40º: Sake, the wine from the land of the rising sun

A far cry from the image projected through poor quality products, sake is emerging through Japanese cuisine as an occasional alternative to wine. It has a ritual, a sake culture and a wide range of types and sensations.

Sections

3 The World of Andrés Proensa

            Rather than not at all

6 News.

            Seeking protection outside

12 Se Veía Venir by Salvador Manjón.

            Now, it’s time to drink it

14 The Spyglass of Pedro Ballesteros.

              Gran Canaria wants to grow

16 New Releases

            The new Codorníu peak

20 Highlighted wines

22 Wines and Wineries

Viña Esmeralda

Bodegas Monasterio de la Oliva

28 The algorithm of Rioja whites

40 Message in a bottle

It’s all about the weight

42 History

Bodegas La Emperatriz, quality under the stones

48 Learning More

The example of the forest

52 Planeta 40º

            Sake, the wine from the land of the rising sun

56 Tracks

Áperi

Enzo Sushi

La Mojigata

Casa Don Pedro

60 Free Bar

            III Wine Culinary

            Books

62 Cooking with wine.

            A cold Christmas

64 The Biodynamic Tasting

65 La Otra Cara by Dani Pacios

66 El Toque del Quera by Pepe Iglesias

            This damned leap year is finally ending

Ribera del Duero 2011 

For many, the ’11 vintage is the best Ribera del Duero has produced in recent years. The in-depth tasting that PlanetAVino publishes in its February edition confirms the quality of the area’s leading wines in a year that seems to be crucial in terms of quality and also figures, for a denomination of origin in full growth.

 

A nearly perfect vintage. Nature respected the Ribera del Duero vine growers, and the usual freezing temperatures and hailstorms did not occur during the life cycle. A long life cycle this time, slightly earlier due to the warm spring, led to a harvest qualified as excellent and which also marked record figures for production and sales. Happiness for an area that is also facing changes to its regulation which, except for including white wines, does not look like introducing any deep-rooted changes, at least with regards modernising, which does seem to be necessary. This is all explained in the article accompanying the tasting of more than fifty great reds from the ’11 vintage in Ribera del Duero.

This is the central issue, but not the only one in this edition of PlanetAVino which congratulates Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil, in the historical section, on its 100th anniversary. A modest birth, as a bulk wine winery, according to the area’s typical style until recently, and which has become one of the motors and references of modern DO Jumilla.

Other major issues are in the usual sections. Learning More analyses the legal aspects of wine labels, and Planeta 40º is more wine-focused than ever with an article on wine-based spirit drinks, entitled Sons of the grape and wine.

The news section focuses on two conflicts where the concept of a denomination of origin as it is outlined in Spain, has a significant role. The Chronicle confirms that Artadi has left DOC Rioja, and there is also the conflict over Valencian wine in the article entitled “The strange case of the invading DO”.

Also there are the novelties, opinions, news, highlighted items and usual sections, including a proposal for enjoying a tour of Cadiz at any time, but particularly for those who are lucky enough to visit during Carnival. All this is outlined in the following summary:

PlanetAVino No. 65

22 Ribera del Duero 2011, a nearly perfect vintage

If in Rioja it was the ’10 vintage, in Ribera del Duero for many the biggest vintage in terms of quality and also production, was 2011. A time also when this Castilian area is growing and preparing a new regulation with very few major changes.

32 Historical: 100 years of Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil

Founded in 1916 and refounded in 2002, this is the leading winery in DO Jumilla and the centre of a wine making group that operates in several parts of Spain. Miguel Gil Vera is the key to the winery’s recent history, and also Murcia’s recent wine developments.

 

40 Learning More: Labels, more than just the wine’s identity card

Not only is it the wine’s first sales argument or its identity card. Current legislation, the general and specific denomination of origin regulations, outline a number of requirements before approving a label.

44 Planeta 40º: Sons of the grape and wine

The offspring from the marriage between grapes and wine, and its derivatives, using stills. Wine and grape spirits with a long tradition in Spain, including some leading names and careers, which are important for understanding the recent history of Spanish wine.

Sections

3 The World of Andrés Proensa

            A cracking model

6 News.

            Chronicle: Artadi stirs up Rioja

            The strange case of the invading DO

12 Se Veía Venir by Salvador Manjón.

            A sector that is asking for changes

14 The Spyglass of Pedro Ballesteros.

              Missive to large-scale distributors

15 New Releases

16 Highlighted wines

            Outstanding: Muga Selección Especial ‘04

16 Wines and Wineries

Vinos y Bodegas Tramuntana

Heredad de San Andrés

22 Ribera del Duero 2011, a nearly perfect vintage

32 Historical: 100 years of Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil

38 Message in a bottle: Baby boomers, millennials and generation Z

40 Learning More: Labels, more than just the wine’s identity card

44 Planeta 40º: Sons of the grape and wine

50 The Shelf of Eduardo Martín: Recipes for liqueurs and other drinks

52 On a wine tour around … Cádiz

59 Free Bar

            Books

The Vintner’s Word: A proposal for Ribeiro

60 The Sixth Flavour: Mapping the smells/flavours and taste

62 Cooking with wine.

            Bordeaux soup

64 The Biodynamic tasting

65 La Otra Cara by Dani Pacios

66 El Toque del Quera by Pepe Iglesias

            Ikebana

Together at the top

Álvaro Palacios and Peter Sisseck, together with the 2012 vintage wines from Rioja, are the main features in the new, bi-monthly publication of PlanetAVino. However, they are not alone, as this edition is full of information, opinions and good wines.

Peter Sisseck, a Dane settled in Peñafiel, and Álvaro Palacios from Rioja who wonders between Bierzo, Alfaro and Gratallops, are an unusual case in the competitive world of Spanish wine. They share a philosophy based on organic approaches, and profess a deep, professional respect for each and they are also good friends. They talk about their lives, their personal friendship, their vision of wine and their projects, in an extensive report prepared by Amaya Cervera.

As this is the time for selecting the best wines for the festive season, the magazine’s team has compiled a detailed tasting of Rioja reds from the 2012 vintage, which produced many top quality wines that may have remained in the background because of the success of the previous years. They use this tasting to provide an in-depth analysis of the recent development of DOC Rioja.

Wine fashions and wine making trends are the basis of the Learning More section, which is a permanent part of the magazine so that José Hidalgo Togores can provide us with a detailed explanations of the more technical and serious aspects of wine making. In this case, he analyses the different wine styles that are changing at a dizzy pace.

Also, we can highlight the chronicle by Miguel Ángel Rincón on the unsettled time for Spanish sparkling wines; in a more relaxed tone, we have Mara Sánchez’s account of the cycle dedicated to wine-focused cinema at the Seminci festival in Valladolid; there is also a tour around the best wine bars in Pontevedra; a sophisticated menu proposal for the Christmas festivities, provided by Pepe Iglesias and the Message in a bottle section by Maria Pilar Molestina.

The usual sections are also included, as summarised below:

PlanetAVino nº 64

22 Peter Sisseck and Álvaro Palacios

At the top of contemporary Spanish wine, they are surely the two producers with the best international projection. They share the same vision of wine with a quasi- mystical facet, and also a close friendship spanning several years.

32 Rioja 2012, a numerical year

In the middle of the recession, Rioja is fixed on registering commercial growth and as far as the Spanish market is concerned, it is heading towards a monopoly. A detailed tasting of the ’12 vintage that offers great quality but often lies in the shadow of the ’11 vintage, and particularly the ’10.

48 Learning More: A time for design

Trends and fashion in wine. Like many other facets of daily life, wine is influenced by fashion. The wine styles, colours, aromas, structure, different production techniques and ageing periods are changing at an unusual speed.

Sections

3 The World of Andrés Proensa

            Dazzling

6 News.

            Chronicle: bubbles full of doubt

            Proensa Guide 2016

10 Se Veía Venir by Salvador Manjón.

            Christmas festivities, a good example

12 The Spyglass of Pedro Ballesteros.

              Cava and its competitors

14 New Releases

16 Wines and Wineries

Calatayud, 25 years

Petra Mora, highlighting quality

22 Peter Sisseck and Álvaro Palacios, with their feet on the ground

32 Rioja 2012

46 Message in a bottle: Looking towards China

48 Learning More: Wine trends and fashion

52 On a wine tour around … Pontevedra

59 Free Bar

            Seminci

            Books

            Antonio de Benito

            The Vintner’s Word: Ignacio de Miguel

60 Cooking with wine.

            Burgundy Soup and Albacore Teriyaki

64 The biodynamic tasting

65 La Otra Cara by Dani Pacios

66 El Toque del Quera by Pepe Iglesias

            Wine posing

Freshness in the heat

Fresh rosados, underwater ageing, multi-coloured botanical ingredients, a monumental Albariño and a stroll through the vineyard. PlanetAVino is full of colourful proposals to help you forget the high temperatures of this blazing, long summer.

Following the special edition dedicated to the magazine’s tenth anniversary, PlanetAVino has gone back to, what we could call, its normal pace. However, this term “normal” has to be understood in its broadest sense, because this publication strives to run away from monotony and offer dynamic, useful information for quality wine lovers.

A magazine that can put its finger on the latest trends cannot overlook the new fashion for rosados. Unusually pale rosados that enrich the palette of colours for wines. They are now paraded in terraces and restaurants virtually all over the planet in an unusual boom, and Spanish wineries are responding well. In this edition, we look into Spanish rosados, those pale, and still paler, wines that are as easy to drink as they are difficult to produce, in terms of high quality.

If we are talking about trends, we must also include some that may be considered extravagant. One of these is underwater ageing, the initiative run by some entities who have left their wines to age on the seabed. At the moment, this is just an anecdote that has found another outlet in wine or diving tourism, while they study how wine is effected by its time on the seabed.

Almost at floor level, in the vineyards, we have to take a stroll around the leading plantations that apply in-depth all the current technical and scientific advice, to try and control every aspect of their vine growing, as much as possible. This is not a contradiction, because, as José Hidalgo explains in his article about precision viticulture, vineyard knowledge and control by almost futuristic means, saves on treating and punishing the land, and so we can grow vines more naturally using the more technological means.

The refreshing style of this edition, also invades two of the usual sections. In the Historical section, we commemorate the twenty years anniversary of the Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas label; a monumental Albariño which has been classified as ‘the world’s best white without wood ageing’ and which, for decades, has been among the two or three best white wines in Spain. Its limited production cannot be compared with the unstoppable G&T wave which will, no doubt, increase almost to Tsunami levels in the summer. PlanetAVino discusses this fashionable mixed drink from another angle, i.e. its botanical ingredients, or the products used to adorn and complement the G& T glass (sometimes to an extreme), many of which are also used to prepare the actual gin, and even the tonics

All this plus the usual opinion sections, tracks, news, recommendations, gastronomy, label designs and new labels that make up each edition of PlanetAVino.

The content of Number 62 PlanetAVino, corresponding to August and September, which has been available since the last week in July on paper (by subscription and individual examples sent by mail; it is not available in the kiosks) and in two digital versions, Spanish and English, is summarised in the following summary:

PlanetAVino No. 62

Summary

18 Fashionable rosados: A symphony in pink

We do not know if it is here to stay, but the new trend in rosados, very pale wines with hardly any colour, is what the world is drinking. They add to the rosado colour spectrum, creating a symphony of colour.

28 Underwater Ageing

Most are run as research projects, others to give a new slant to marine tourism and others simply as a profitable business. The wineries do not publicise it very much, but ageing wines on the seabed could prove to be more than a simple anecdote.

 

34 Historical: Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas

An extraordinary vineyard, with plants estimated at 300 years old, for an exceptional wine. This is the vineyard where Gerardo Méndez started his career and produced what has been qualified as ‘the world’s best white without wood ageing’.

 

42 Learning More: Precision viticulture

From the satellites lined up in the sky to the computer-controlled ground level sensors (or those underground, or on the leaves). It is all useful in precision viticulture, a set of refined technologies aimed at producing the best quality grapes.

40 Planeta 40º: Fashionable botanical ingredients

Fruit and wild berries, spices, plants, and perhaps even a whole ham one day. The fresh G&T fever has turned into a display of colour in increasingly more Baroque style glasses. The idea is to adorn the glass and also back up the nuances already present in the gin.

Sections

3 The World of Andrés Proensa.

            Niche wines

6 New.

            Winery associations

9 Se Veía Venir by Salvador Manjón.

            Making wine also means selling it

11 The Spyglass of Pedro Ballesteros.

              Pure wines

12 New Releases

14 Highlighted wines

            Pazo de Señoráns

16 Wines and Wineries

Siglo Saco

18 Fashionable rosados. A symphony in pink.

28 Underwater ageing

34 Historical: Do Ferreiro Cepas Vellas

40 Message in a bottle: True colours

42 Learning More: Precision viticulture

48 Planeta 40º: Fashionable botanical ingredients

54 On a wine tour around … Jaén

56 Tracks

            Jardín

            Jules Verne

59 Free Bar

            Books

            The Vintner’s word

60 The Sixth Flavour: The theory of humours

62 Cooking with wine.

            Mussels in Muscat

64 The biodynamic tasting

65 La Otra Cara by Dani Pacios

66 El Toque del Quera by Pepe Iglesias

            Pinchos or what?

10 years is a whole life time in the world of journalism, particularly if we are talking about a printed magazine, and a specialist magazine to boot, in such a troubled sector as wine. PlanetAVino is celebrating its first decade with a special edition that analyses the development of Spanish wine over the last 10 years, to try and glimpse what the future will be like.

PlanetAVino is a bi-monthly magazine published, together with the Guía Proensa, by VadeVino Editorial and directed by the journalist Andrés Proensa, and it was launched in June 2005. When it was released, there were already rumours of some signs of a crisis in the wine sector, but nobody expected it to be as bad as it has been. It is not the magazine’s fault, but its history reads like the chronicle of an unprecedented crisis in wine sales, the survival of wineries and the closing of publications.
In his opinion column, The World of Andrés Proensa (La Luna), which has opened the magazine since the first edition, the director at PlanetAVino qualifies the survival of a specialist publication as a virtual miracle, given the state of things today. The withdrawal of advertising (the main pillar of support for all communication media without exception), has been felt even more strongly in the wine world, which is reducing its investments in promotion and dedicating most of its meagre capital to the export market. Also, neither the institutions nor the main operators, who generally do not make top quality wines, seem interested in having a critical press.
In spite of this, the editors at PlanetAVino, who are supported by a good number of subscribers, feel strong enough to celebrate these first ten years and those to come, without losing the magazine’s sign of identity: independence, critical spirit, maximum care over editing and, above all, respect for its readers. And all of this comes together in punctually-timed editions every two months and a clear definition of the information contents.
Along these lines, to celebrate the date the editors did not want to boast about their successes or complain about their shortcomings. On the contrary, the main topic, also on this occasion, is wine and all its trappings. This edition has considerably increased its number of pages and it has also received special support from many of the wineries and entities who have backed the magazine over the years, with advertising investments.
So, the central topic of the number 61 edition, entitled 10 years 10, is dedicated to analysing the success stories, the failures and the main forecasts for the future of Spanish wine. Also, it includes a report featuring the opinions of various wine producers, in an attempt to guess what Spanish wine will be like in ten years’ time.
The birthday celebration is present in other sections, like the Chronicle, which talks about the disastrous career of the specialist press during this period, Highlighted wines, which showcases more than twenty wine labels launched in the same year as the magazine, or Planeta 40º, the section focusing on spirits, and which in this edition, opens with the significant title “The decade we turned premium”.
These special articles, which have meant increasing the number of pages in this edition, have not significantly modified the content in other sections, like Learning more, Message in a bottle, News, New Releases and the usual opinion columns, maridaje or cooking with wine, although here we have repeated the recipe that was published in the No. 1 edition, now in an updated version. Just like the magazine itself, because ten years do not pass by just like that.
The content of the No. 61 edition of PlanetAVino, which corresponds to June-July and is available from the end of May on paper (subscription sales, or individual sales sent by mail; it is not sold in the kiosks) and in two digital versions (Spanish and English), is summarised below:

PlanetAVino No. 61

Summary

6 Chronicle: The ominous decade

In the last ten years a large number of publications specialising in wines and gastronomy, have disappeared, while only a few have appeared, and many information professionals have joined the ranks of the unemployed..

18 Highlighted wines: Born in 2005

This usual section on new vintages is dedicated to reviewing the most highlighted wines that were launched in the same year as the magazine. More than twenty labels, nearly all consolidated names among leading Spanish wines.

24 10 years 10

To celebrate the tenth anniversary, thirty facets of the wine world are highlighted in this period and classified in three chapters: 10 success stories, 10 failures and 10 forecasts.

48 2025 Vintage: the wine of the future

We have tried to illustrate the Spanish wine scene in ten years’ time, based on the prophecies of leading, contemporary wine producers. Will these trends be consolidated or not, and what will define Spanish wine in the 2025 vintage?

58 Learning More: The war of the worlds

Terpenes and thiols are vying each other for the aromatic crown in the wine world. One of them is very much terrestrial, while the other is like an alien. Or are they both extra-terrestrial elements?

46 Planeta 40º: The decade that we became premium

The world of spirits is best fitted to the common saying: drinking less but drinking better. The recession has brutally affected this segment, but they are better at defending their luxury products.

Sections

3 The World of Andrés Proensa.

Talking about wines

6 News.

Chronicle: The ominous decade

12 The Spyglass of Pedro Ballesteros.

Predictions

14 Se Veía Venir by Salvador Manjón.

More than just moderate drinking figures

16 New Releases

18 Highlighted wines

Born in 2005

24 10 years 10

10 success stories 10
10 failures 10
10 forecasts 10

48 2025 Vintage: The wine of the future

54 Message in a bottle: Identifying that something remains

42 Learning More: The war of two worlds

46 Planeta 40º: The decade that we turned premium

72 On a wine tour of … Cáceres

76 The Sixth Flavour: A good contrast is better than a bad blend

78 Cooking with wine.

Country chicken with Palo Cortado sherry

80 The biodynamic tasting

81 La Otra Cara by Dani Pacios

82 El Toque del Quera by Pepe Iglesias

Should we trust our debtors?