THE RAIN IS SPAIN FALLS MAINLY ON THE PLAIN (AND OTHER PHRASES I WON’T BE ABLE TO SAY LATER WITHOUT SLURRING)

One of our most “on-it” sales reps is Brian from Vintner Select. Brian doesn’t come around much but he always lets me know what’s new with his company (that means new wines, allocations, etc.). He stopped by to show off some of their Spanish selections from Eric Solomon and Rare Wine Co.:

Espelt Vailet Emporda 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A really nice blend of Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo that is light, crisp and refreshingly clean, with some nice citrus notes and minerality.

Burgans Albarino Rias Biaxas 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Always a standout from the Galicia region of Spain, this shows of nice notes of honeydew melon, d’Anjou and Bartlett pear and some lemon zest and dried herbs. Would make for a great summer deck wine.

Gramona Gessami Penedes 2008. Grade=Outstanding. I love this wine but it is a tough sell. A blend of Muscat d’Alexandria, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat Frontignan, this highly aromatic and slightly sweet white wine would be a heavenly pairing with an oyster roast, grilled shrimp or roasted chicken. If it was only a bit less expensive…

Bodegas Castano Monastrell Yecla 2008. Grade=Outstanding. A stunning effort, this entry-level wine from Castano is tank-fermented Spanish Mourvedre that shows off much more spicy character than is typically found out there, with blackberry, dark plum, cinnamon, black pepper and dried currants.

Rubens Tempranillo Tierra de Castilla 2007. Grade=Outstanding. A tasty Tempranillo that shows off nice notes of licorice, loganberry, red cherries and slight cedar and tobacco smoke. Finishes with some nice acidity.

Creta Roble Ribera del Duero 2006. Grade=Amazing. I think that for the money, this is a home run, with dark black fruits, some toasted oak and cedar smoke, a bit of tobacco, truffle and dusty earth. Lots of grip and a rich finish, I think this wine is in the store next week.

Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2007. Grade=Amazing. Made from the same fruit as their Les Terrasses, this less-expensive Priorat is a welcome addition to a category steeped with too many $50-and-up wines. At last, a Priorat for the masses, and a good one at that. Showing its youth, it still displays red raspberry, red currant, a bit of white pepper, some cedar and mineral qualities, and some black truffle and cinnamon stick too. Gorgeous.