France, Spain + Portugal

At first glance a Spanish rose, a French white, and a Portuguese red may not have a lot in common. Three different styles. Three different climates. Three different countries. This trio, however, represents a commonality that resonates with me: the pursuit of greatness and individuality above all else. Didier Dagueneau made aname for himself by dedicating himself to crafting the greatest Sauvignon Blanc possible in Loire Valley appellation of Pouilly Fume. In identifying the unique soils (Silex) and lowering yields to previously unimaginable single-digit numbers, Dagueneau, and how his descendants, he was able to place Sauvignon Blanc amongst the greatest wines of France (typically Burgundian Chardonnays), not only in terms of quality but also in terms of collectability. Often revered for their high quality and mineral driven backbone, Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc has long been revered for its refreshing, sometimes almost saline quality. Dagueneu’s take the varietal to a new level, adding depth and richness rarely found in France’s top region for Sauvignon Blanc. At eight years past vintage, the 2012 ‘Silex’ was drinking wonderfully, opening further with more than an hour’s decanting. Ripe, exotic tropical and citrus notes melded with almost savory floral accents while being supported by flinty minerality, thanks to the unique concentration of silex (flint) in the vineyard.

Commitment to making the best wines possible above all else is what sets the Lopez family of Spain apart form many of their counterparts in the famed region of Rioja. Since the winery was founded almost two hundred years ago by Don Rafael Lopez de Heredia it has crafted wines without compromise and only release them for sale after deeming them aged to perfection in the winery’s damp, moldy cellars under the Erbro river. Barrel aging reigns supreme in Rioja, and no other estate goes to the extremes as Bodega R. Lopez de Heredia. From undertaking the daunting task of running their own, on site cooperage to more than doubling the appellation’s aging requirements for their wines, and exclusively using American oak, they remain dedication to the regions history and tradition. While their reds and whites are increasingly sought after by collectors and top restaurants the world over, it is their low production rose that brings about the most excitement and frenzied purchasing. Only produced in excellent vintages and claiming the top of the pyramid title of Gran Reserva, it is aged four and a half years in barrel and five sand a half in bottle for release. The most sought after roses globally are most likely to be the small production, barrel aged examples that have the potential to age alongside their red and white counterparts, but one that already has ten years notched on its door frame is exceptionally rare. The Tempranillo and Garnacha berries that go into the rose bottling must be perfect in every way, and over time slowly develop insanely complex layers of ripe fruit, delicate floral, gentle citrus, and exotic spice flavors that are fully revealed with at least an hour of aeration. As with all of their wines, the Lopez family has never waivered in their style of winemaking. As international tastes change, many estates have followed suit hoping to grow sales and attract the new set of wine drinkers. From the adoption of small, French oak barriques, the use of new oak, and a modern desire amongst some in the region to eschew the regional bending tradition in favor of expressing single vineyard sites, and the modern rose boom (and with it, the move to lighter and paler roses), the Lopez family has stayed true to their roots. And they’re better off for it!

Portugal is a wildly fascinating country. The untamed beauty of the Atlantic coastline the rugged mountainous interior along with the delightfully delicious cuisine are reasons enough to plan a visit. The wines, too, are becoming more and more of a calling card for Portugal, even as the amount of Port, the traditionally famous Portuguese wine, consumed globally has declined sharply over the past century. Now, the dry wines and unique varietals, long loved in the small, out of the way villages of central Portugal, become more recognized in major wine markets. In Bairrada, a central, almost coastal appellation about 1/3 of the way between Lisbon, the capital city in the south, and Oporto, the famous wine town in the north, is home to the unique Baga grape. This dark-skinned varietal is known for its ability to retain high levels of acidity while reaching generous levels of ripeness on the vine and handles oak aging well. Finally, the wine world at large is catching onto the fact that this varietal has great aging potential, as seen by this example from 1995. From the old cellars of the Quinta do Poco do Lobo (owned by Caves Sao Joao since the 1970s) it was only just released for sale in 2018. Reminiscent of a theoretical cross breeding of savory Norther Rhone Syrah, opulent Napa Cabernet, and spicy Chianti Classico, the Bairrada bottlings from Poco do Lobo are remnants of a winemaking tradition almost lost. As much outward exploration was undertaken by the great Portuguese explorers, little attention was paid to what was happening at home. A lack of global attention, poor economics and turbid politics left may Portuguese wine regions unchanged long after many other western European regions modernized. Electricity didn’t arrive in the hard to reach villages inland Portugal until the late 1980s in some cases! I, for one, am thankful for this as today the modern wine world, with its more open mind, is free to explore the unique wines of Portugal, often for pennies on the dollar when compared to wines of similar quality from traditionally valued regions.