WINES + SPIRITS
ENJOY THESE PREMIER SPANISH WINES | BY NANCY ZAFFARO
The fact that Spanish wines are ranked among the best wines worldwide and have high visibility to the most discerning collectors, oenophiles, and investors is no secret. Here, we look at three premier Spanish wines you should consider adding to your wine portfolio. While prices have increased simultaneously, the availability of the most heralded wines have become increasingly hard to find or win at auction; Spanish wines provide terrific value and should not be overlooked by those who love good wine. Our Selection Criteria We selected these wines based on several criteria. All are from established, respected, and award-winning wineries. Each wine represented has won profound respect in its own right. Each wine has excellent aging potential, offers sound investment value, and is expected to appreciate in value. Each of these wines will be an essential part of your wine portfolio, whether you purchase to invest or enjoy for personal consumption. And finally, each one offers a beautiful vineyard and tasting room setting to visit in Spain. However, do establish contact and make arrangements ahead of time before you visit. We do not doubt that each of these three wines will be an important part of your wine portfolio. Bodegas Valduero, 12 Años Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero Twelve Años Gran Reserva 1999 is a highly rated and multi-prized Tempranillo (Tinto Fino) from Bodegas Valdureo. It has been rated as one of the best wines worldwide. This elegant red is from their Gran Lujo line and is in the Ribera del Duero region. Bodegas Valduero is a family-owned winery. 150 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | AUG/SEPT 2023
The winery was founded in 1984, and the owners are committed to a “zero” energy expenditure. They have made a €1,300,000 commitment to make that happen. One of their innovations involves a system by which grapes are crushed by gravity rather than using electrical pumps. This process saves energy and results in higher-quality fruit for their wines. Sometimes all good things come together, which is the case with Bodegas Valduero’s 12 Años Gran Reserva. The color is deep, the red fruit aromas are present and lasting, the tannins are high, the body is full, and the black fruit flavors are present in all the best ways Tempranillos from the Ribera del Duero are known for. You will enjoy intense and concentrated flavors. The 12 Años Gran Reserva also delivers some warmth from vanilla and ends with long notes of ripe berries. Tempos Vega Sicilia, Único Reserva, Ribera del Duero Único Reserva is a Tempranillo (Tinto Fino) and Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Tempos Vega Sicilia. It is their flagship wine. But they do not stand on this laurel alone; the winery makes some of the most sought after and valued wines in Spain and worldwide. This wine is also from the Ribera del Duero. By those who know, it is often considered reminiscent of the finest of Bordeaux wines. The wine is fermented in wooden tanks. After fermentation, this wine may age up to 10 years in various wooden barrels and tanks, both wood and metal. The wine takes hands-on to a new level. This wine can remain in your wine cellar for decades. Tempos Vega Sicilia also includes Único Reserva Especial in their
portfolio; this is a non-vintage release of blended wine produced usually from three consecutive years of grapes used in the Único Reserva. The price point is higher, and while investment appreciation is solid, the Único Reserva has thus far enjoyed higher value increases. A visit to this winery can be a daylong experience as it is located two hours north of Madrid. Sierra Cantabria, ‘Magico’, Rioja Sierra Cantabria was established in 1870 and has remained family-owned and run for five generations. With grapes from their six vineyards in three of Spain’s winegrowing regions, they have long made some of the best wines Rioja—and Spain—have to offer. Accolades are many, but in 2022, the Peñín Guide scored 17 of their wines with at least 92 points. Six of these wines were rated at over 95 points. The wines offer high quality, investment value, and a unique tasting experience when opened from your wine cellar. The grapes from one of their finest wines, Magico, hail from their Las Sepultures vineyard in the Rioja D.O.Ca. Magico’s first released vintage was in 2010. It remains one of the most talked about wines of that year. The wine is a blend of grapes from the vineyard. Primarily reds are in this vineyard, and primarily Tempranillo, of course. But other reds include Grenache, Graciano, and Petite Boushet. Whites include Calagraño, Turruntés (also known as Rioja), and Viura. The wine profile is unique. Big round dark fruit predominates, including plum, but you will also taste the terroir here, with hints of graphite and scorched earth. This wine is rich, full-bodied, and multi-dimensional.
