Tintoralba mentioned in Korea Herald
December 3rd, 2007
The recent trip to Korea has put Bodegas Tintoralba in the picture in Korea.
Read the article that was published by the Korea Herald on 1st December 2007.
OK, the Higueruela 2006 may not be oaky as the article says, this wine in particular has never seen any oak in its life, but then again, it’s always nice to be talked about.
“Take a glass, rinse it out with a little wine, pour in the wine again, inhale, scrutinize and sip. Buyer and visitor alike went through these motions at the Wines from Spain Fair held at the Shilla Seoul hotel this November. And they were all looking for one thing: a reasonably priced but good tasting wine.
With more and more Koreans drinking wine, the demand for a vintage of relatively good quality at affordable prices is on the rise. And Spanish wine, having grabbed the attention of American wine experts like famed wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr., is steadily making its way into the Korean market.
According to Lotte Department Store wine sales assistant Lee Hye-young, 31, “These days there are customers who drink wines from Argentina and Spain.”
Spain, once a nobody in the world of upscale wine, is now producing vintages that are on par with wine-producing countries around the world. Naturally, moderate prices play a factor in the success of Spanish wines. But the use of native varieties of grapes along with diverse growing conditions leads to the creation of a vintage that is truly unique. The Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes are among some of the traditional varieties that produce high quality vintages that can stand alone, without the support of a Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon.
A classic example is the Bodega Tintoralba, a winery that cultivates the Garnacha Tintorera, a local grape. Situated at an altitude of between 900 and 1,100 meters, the shallow limestone soils and the harsh climate lead to a longer ripening process. The result: a highly tannic, bold wine with light caramel undertones. And beware, one glass of this turns lips a lovely purple color.
According to Tintoralba export manager Emilio Saez van Eerd, the Garnacha Tintorera was originally used to add color to other wines.
“It was normally sold in bulk, only to add color,” said Saez van Eerd. “It has a very thick, dark, purple color.”
Indeed, the wines are a deep, deep purple and smell of caramel and wood. One sip of their Higueruela 2006, a 100 percent Garnacha Tintorera red, sprouts a forest of oak in the mouth. Not surprising that two of their vintages, the Higueruela and the Crianza Tintoralba, made it onto the list of Best Buys in Spain in the Wine Advocate, a high-profile American wine magazine.
For those who shy away from oak, the Tempranillo is a good local variety. Protos Bodega Ribera del Duero de Penafiel, S.L. produces a fruity vintage, the Protos Crianza 2004.
“We really believe that Tempranillo is good enough,” said Protos export manager Carlos Villar Bada.
And Protos not only makes a good red, they also have an excellent white, using the Verdejo grape, a white variety from Castile. The Verdejo grape was first used to make white wine in the early ’70s, when young enologist Francisco Hurtado de Amezaga discovered its potential. And the Protos Verdejo 2006 makes the most of that grape. The wine is clean, fresh and has a light pineapple aftertaste.
According to Bada, the Protos Verdejo 2006 is selling in Korea now. And other Protos vintages should be available in Korea in January, according to a representative of Inter-Buergo Rueda Co., Ltd., which imports Spanish wine.
But for those who don’t want to wait till January, the Higueruela 2005 and the Tintoralba Crianza 2002 can be purchased at Kim’s Club in Jamwon-dong for 19,900 won per bottle. And the Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong has a substantial collection of Spanish wine. About 15 vintages are for sale. Prices range from 15,000 won to a whopping 120,000 won.
By Jean Oh”
2007.12.01
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