Tasting Report February 2025
CBWS Tasting held on 20 February 2025 at Javea Golf Club and attended by 64 members and guests
The February Tasting, hosted by Neville and Sara was themed ‘ The Art of Wine Tasting’. Neville welcomed the members and guests and provided a brief introduction to our updated wine scoring sheet. A full explanation of our approach to scoring is given on the Wine Scoring Guidance page of our website.
The evening was presented in informative and entertaining style by Steve Sanchis of Bodegas Leopoldo in Ondara. Steve used each of these very different wines to illustrate the methodology and techniques of wine tasting.
| Wine 1 Name and Vintage | Malcorta 2023 100% Verdejo by Javier Sanz from Rueda D.O. |
| Price per bottle | €16.76 |
| Wine 1 Description | Malcorta is an almost extinct Verdejo grape. It receives its name due to the woody nature of the stem which makes harvesting difficult. It ripens earlier than conventional Verdejo which gives higher acidity.It is produced by cold pressing, allowing the must to settle by gravity and then fermented slowly at below 15 degrees Celsius. This allows maximum preservation of the fruity aromas.the wine is pale straw colour. It has intense aromas of citrus, white blossom flowers, stone fruits and subtle flinty mineral notes.On the palate the acidity accentuates the fresh and lively character and a good fresh finish. |
| Wine 2 Name and Vintage | Fillaboa Albarino 2023 Rias Baixas D.O. |
| Price per bottle | €15.61 |
| Wine 2 Description | This wine comes from the historic Finca Fillaboa, a 50-hectare vineyard set on rolling hillsides that border the Tea and Miño rivers. Eight of its vineyards make up this blend, which are the most representative and of the best quality. The soil is sandy loam with an abundance of pebbles and the age of the vineyard ranges from 18 to 31 years.Production in this winery focuses on enhancing the primary aromas of the Albariño grape together with the uniqueness of the “terroir”, resulting in harmonious white wines with good structure.Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature between 14C and 16C. Subsequently, it is kept in tanks on fine lees for for a minimum of 6 months.It is straw yellow colour, clean and bright.On the nose it has a high intensity aroma of ripe fruits, pineapple, apple, and citrus. Aromatic with pleasant fermentative notes. Soft on the palate, full with good structure. Well integrated medium acidity. It is balanced, fresh and has a good long finish. |
| Wine 3 Name and Vintage | Delit de Monastrell 2021 red crianza 100% Monastrell from Bodegas Finca Collado, Salinas. Alicante D.O. |
| Price per bottle | €15.06 |
| Wine 3 Description | Wine from a single vineyard of vines which are over 50 years old, so production is low and flavours are concentrated and complex. the grapes are harvested by hand and macerated for 10 days in 600 litre open barrels with 10% whole clusters and 20% whole grapes.At the end of fermentation the wine is transferred into new French oak barrels for 12 months of ageing on its own and on chardonnay lees.It has a deep red intense appearance. on the nose, the red fruit aromas combine elegantly with tertiary and pastry notes. The taste is pleasant and elegant with balanced fruit, acidity and integrated tannins and a long after taste. |
| Wine 4 Name and Vintage | El Primer Paso 2023 red crianza from Bodegas Dominio Bendito in Toro D.O. 100% Tinta de Toro |
| Price per bottle | €12.10 |
| Wine 4 Description | These grapes are picked by hand from the Jara and Valdefinjas vineyards at an altitude of 720 metres in Toro, the vines are between 15 and 45 years old. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and concrete vessels using indigenous yeast. After fermentation the wine is aged for over 6 months in a combination of American and French oak barrels. The wine appearance is vivid intense purple red with hints of violet. The aromas are intense including blueberries and blackberries with toasted notes of coffee, cocoa and liquorice. It is elegant and full bodied with good acidity and firm expressive tannins |
| Wine 5 Name & Vintage | Seleccion Especial red crianza 2020 from Bodegas Abadia in the Abadia Retuerta D.O.P. 64%Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Syrah and 7% Merlot and Petit Verdot. |
| Price per bottle | €27.04 |
| Wine 5 Description | A blend of the best wines from the vintage. The wine is aged in French and American oak barrels.It is dark red in colour, with a clean attractive nose with aromas of red fruits, red current, raspberry and cherry. There are also mild herbal and menthol notes with a subtle creaminess. On the palate it is smooth and refreshing with pleasant high quality tannins, both fine and mature. The fruit, acidity and tannins are well integrated and balanced, leaving a long aromatic finish. |
| Closing Comments | Neville thanked Steve for his excellent and enthusiastic presentation. The wines tasted are available to purchase at Bodegas Leopoldo which is certainly worth a visit. This was another successful event at Javea Golf Club which is increasingly becoming one of our favourite venues. |
Neville thanked Steve for his excellent and enthusiastic presentation. The wines tasted are available to purchase at Bodegas Leopoldo which is certainly worth a visit. This was another successful event at Javea Golf Club which is increasingly becoming one of our favourite venues.
Neville Richardson