Monday 5th May
08.30 Depart RAFALET Car park
13.00 (approx) Stop for luncheon, own arrangements
16.00 Arrive at Viñas El Regajal, Careterra N-4 Km 50, 28300 Aranjuez
17.30 Depart Viñas El Regajal
18.00 Arrive at Hotel Don Manuel, Calle del Principe 71, Aranjuez
19.45 Group welcoming drink in Hotel
20.30 Dinner at Restaurante El Asturiano
Tuesday 6th May
09.45 Depart Hotel Don Manuel, Aranjuez
10.15 Arrive at Vinos y Acietos Laguna, Calle de Illescas 3, 28360 Villaconejos
11.45 Depart Vinos y Acietos Laguna
12.15 Arrive Bodegas Jesús Diaz, Calle del Convento 38, 28380 Colmenar de Oreja
13.30 Luncheon at Bodegas Jesús Diaz
16.00 (approx) Depart Bodegas Jesús Diaz
16.45 Arrive at Hotel Don Manuel, Aranjuez
Rest of the day is free
Wednesday 7th May
09.45 Depart Hotel Don Manuel, Aranjuez
10.45 Arrive Bodegas Tagonius, Carretera de Ambite Km44, 28550 Tielmes
12.15 Depart Bodegas Tagonius
13.15 Arrive Aranjuez
Own arrangements for lunch and afternoon free. A sightseeing “train” ride around Aranjuez has been organised leaving at 15.30, for those who wish to join in. It takes about 50 mins.
20.15 Assemble in Hotel
20.30 Dinner at a Restaurante El Rana Verde
Thursday 8th May
09.45 Depart Hotel Don Manuel, Aranjuez
10.45 Arrive at Vinos Jeromin, Calle de Fray José de San jacinto, 28590 Villarejo de Silvanés
12.15 Depart Vinos Jeromin
13.30 Luncheon Stop (own arrnagements)
14.30 Depart for Jávea
19.30 Arrive RAFALET Car Park, Jávea
Somontano was established as a Denominacion de Origen (DO) in the mid 1980s, but boasted only 4 or 5 bodegas and was relatively unknown. It is only in the last decade that it has come into prominence with over 20 new wineries being added and its sales increased tenfold. The Somontano DO is located in the centre of Huesca province in the north of Aragon. The largest town in the DO is Barbastro, which is just 80km from the French border in the valley of the river Vero. This was the setting for the Society’s annual wine trip.
The journey to Somontano is long so the party of 16 members and two guests night-stopped in Zaragoza. We were lucky to have two members of our party, Fausto and Ana Vicente who had lived in the town for several years and they gave us an excellent guided tour around the central historic sites. The following morning we visited our first bodega at Riglos, some 40 kms north west of Huesca: the Bodega Reino de los Mallos. The winery is located within the Murillo de Gállego municipality of Huesca amid stunning scenery. It is a small bodega of 30 hectares at an altitude of 550metres facing directly north and lies outside the DO area and thus only produces Vino de la Tierra, but its 2003 Tinto made from Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot (40% each) and Garnacha (20%) was voted the best Vino de la Tierra in Spain in 2006. Grapes are carefully selected and hand picked. We enjoyed what was euphemistically called a light lunch at the Bodega and then drove past Barbastro to the family run bodega of Vinos y Viñedas Estada. Located 8 metres underground, at a height of 300metres above sea level it dispenses with the need for air conditioning. We were given a most enthusiastic talk by the owner on the management of grapes to ensure that best results are achieved. We tasted four wines of which the Estaba San Carbás 2005 White was the best having achieved 90 points in the Guia Peñín. Regrettably it was no longer available. We returned to Huesca and our hotel which was to be our base for the next two nights.
The Bodegas Meler near Barbastro was our first port of call the following morning. Located on 24 hectares, of which only 12 are being cultivated, it was established in 2004 and produces 80,000 bottles a year. We tasted their Meler Barrica Tinto 2004 made from 50% each Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon, Meler Rosado 2006 a 100% Cabernet-Sauvignon and Meler Chardonnay 3867 a 100% chardonnay of which only 4000 bottles were produced and sadly no longer available. The midday visit was to Bodegas Pirineos a short distance outside Barbastro. A disappointing visit given the good wines they produce from their 100 hectares. We only tasted the Mesache 2006 white which was served at about 14°C, rather than the required 8°C. Lunch was taken at the restaurant Casa Gervasio in Alquézar, one of the most picturesque villages in Aragon. The fact that we were able to rise from the table at the end of that repast was surprising.
A good siesta on the coach ensured we arrived reasonably fresh at Bodega Blecau, established in 2000 and the flagship winery of Viñas del Vero. It makes only one wine, currently the 2003 Reserva Red a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon. We were not offered this wine for tasting and, given its price of over 60€ a bottle, none was purchased. We did however taste Viñas del Vero 2004 Chardonnay which spent 8 months in barrel, their Colleción Las Coronas 2005 a 100% Syrah which had spent 10 months in barrel and the Crianza Tinto 2003 a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, which turned out the favourite for those purchasing and all of which scored highly in the Guia Peñín.
The morning of our fourth day we visited the newly refurbished Espacio del Vino in Barbastro and enjoyed a coffee in the warm sunshine on the Paseo del Coso in Barbastro, with a few hardy souls squeezing in some sightseeing, before taking off for a midday visit to the Bodegas Enate. Established in 1991 the bodega covers an area of 600 hectares, has a production of three and a half million litres of wine per year, and a fully computer controlled fermentation plant. We lunched at the bodega and during lunch tasted three wines: a Rosado 2006 made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2002 Chardonnay which had been fermented for six months in new French oak barrels and a 2002 Reserva also made from 100% Cabernet-Sauvignon spending one year in French oak and one year in bottle. All were excellent and where appropriate featured in the Guía Peñín with high marks.
The journey to Alcaniz and the Parador took over two hours and allowed plenty of time for the now obligatory siesta on the coach. The Parador is situated at the summit of the Pui-Pinos overlooking the city of Alcaniz, and from where there are beautiful views across the town, the valley and the river Guadalupe. The Parador is a restored castle which in 1179 became the seat of the monastic order of Calatrava having been ceded to them by King Alfonso II.
The final bodega on the trip was another “boutique” bodega founded in 1995; Venta d’Aubert situated almost on the borders of the Aragon and Valencia Regions. Set in 80 hectares, of which 18 are cultivated, it has 3 full time employees and up to 14 part time depending on the season. Its production is 60 to 80 thousand bottles a year of which 75% is exported. We tasted a Venta d’Aubert 2005 Blanco, 60% chardonnay, 20% Garnacha Blanca and 20% Viogníer; the Ventus Tinto from 2004 a blend of Cabernet-Sauvignon, Garnacha Tinta and Merlot; and a Venta d’Aubert 2002 Tinto using the same blend as the Ventus with the addition of Syrah. With the exception of the Ventus all receiving high marks in the Guía Peñín.
Lunch was taken at the restaurant Casa Roque in the historic walled city of Morella which lies within the province of Castellon. At the luncheon, on behalf of the Society I presented Tim Ladd, the tour organiser, with three special wines from the bodegas we had visited as a token of our appreciation. Having arranged the previous eight trips for the society, this was also the last trip to be organised by Tim Ladd. Altogether a very successful five days, beautiful scenery, historic towns and tasting top of the range wines from a variety of bodegas ranging from the smallest to the largest in a region which is fast making its mark in the world of Spanish wines.
Gaby Ferenczy
13th June 2007
click on thumbnails below to see photos, taken by Margaret Ferenczy
