2009 Santiago Ruiz Rias Baixas

2009 Santiago Ruiz Rias Baixas

The 2009 Santiago Ruiz is a blend of 70% albarino, 20% loureiro and 10% treixadura. This wine is straw yellow in the glass and offers a vibrant floral nose full ripe peach and lemons.  It is a well-balanced wine with many layers of intensity that could serve as an aperitif and also pair well with heavier shellfish.  This wine has a long and strong mineral finish.

Santiago Ruiz is known to many as the “Father of Albarino” and the 2009 is a great example of Albarino that’s affordable enough to be a go-to every day wine.

Around $20.

2009 Pazo Senorans Albarino

2009 Pazo Senorans Albarino

’09 Pazo Senorans

Although light in color, this wine from Rias Baixas is anything but that in bouquet and aroma.  Party in a glass is what you get from the first sniff.  Nose is vibrant and screams of honey, tropical notes with lemony undertones. The 2009 Pazo Senorans Albarino is intense, creamy and well-balanced with an enjoyable crisp finish.

Around $20.

2009 Ameztoi Rubentis Rose Getariako Txakolina

2009 Ameztoi Rubentis Rose Getariako Txakolina

'09 Ameztoi Rubentis

This beautiful pale pink wine is both light and bold!  Big mouthful of the typical strawberry one is familiar with in roses, but in this case, pungent wild strawberries.  The wine is creamy yet floral and contains tons of tiny bubbles that lead to a dry finish.  Nice as an aperitif, but could also hold up to a fattier fish like salmon. Actually had this wine paired with lightly seasoned lamb chops and it held up.

match.

Style: Rose

Grape Type(s): 50% Hondarribi Zuri and 50% Hondarribi Beltza

Region: Pais Vasco, Spain

Around $20

 

2001 Ramirez de la Piscina Rioja Reserva

2001 Ramirez de la Piscina Rioja Reserva

'01 Ramirez de la Piscina

'01 Ramirez de la Piscina

What a great example of a medium-bodied Spanish Tempranillo.  This aged wine is brownish brick in color with a spicy, earth-like nose.  The wine is concentrated with enjoyable vanilla undertones and rich berry flavors.  The only thing I was missing when I enjoyed this wine was a fabulous paella.

Around $20.