##For 2020, we recommend eight wines  together with a restaurant on the outskirts of Valencia. The wines are from two Valencian bodegas, one in Requena and the other with its base in Fontanares. We have included a supermarket wine from Tierra de Castilla because it represents good value and quality. The wines from Coviñas are available from some supermarkets and those from Cent Piques from some smaller specialist shops in Ruzafa.

 Cent Piques Vermut Blanco, Bodegas Vinados, DO Valencia 15% ABV

The first wine this month is an artisan Vermut from Cent Piques. Made with a base wine, herbs and with floral, citric and root botanicals and all from the Valencia region. Lightly sweet, citrus notes, cinnamon, silky easy entry and a pleasant, long finish. A very easy to drink Vermut.

Cent Piques Verdejo Eco 2019 Bodegas Vinados, Fontanars, 11.5%ABV

The new vintage wines are starting to emerge! This ‘Verdejo’ is an ecological wine and contains minimum sulphites. It is a fresh wine for drinking within the year.  Salvador, the winemaker has reduced the use of stalks in the pressing to 3% from the previous vintage.  As a result, the wine is easier to drink. Pale gold with deeper gold flashes, clean and bright. On the nose this is fresh and floral, white flowers (almond), hint of custard and apple, herbs (fennel). In the mouth very fresh and intense on entry with a big acidity, green apple fruit, well-structured, good body with a mineral note and slight bitterness in a dry, long finish.

Juntos Moscatel Gran Menudo 2018, Bodegas Volver IGP Tierra de Castilla 11.5% ABV

Guest wine from Cuenca from a bodega with major interests in DO Alicante. From the lesser known small berry Moscatel… this is a very good example of a bodega producing a supermarket wine, which is good quality and cheap. Pale yellow, clean and bright. The nose is intensely fragrant with rose, rose petal, rose water and Turkish delight, orange blossom and white flowers. In the mouth fresh, clean and with a good structure and balance. Sufficient body, fresh acidity and just enough of a sweet note (alcohol) are perfectly matched in this wine. (Available from Aldi) Great aperitif wine!

Al Vent Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Bodegas Coviñas DO Utiel-Requena 11.5% ABV

One of our favourite Sauvignon Blanc wines grown in the Valencian Community. Normally very Northern French in its style. Straw-coloured, with a glint of emerald and a natural limpid brilliance. A touch of fennel and orange peel on the nose, with sultry hints of tropical fruit. A perfect blend of fresh acidity and elegant fruit in the mouth, well-structured and balanced. Long finish with fruit.

Aula Cava Reserva Brut Nature, Bodegas Coviñas DO Cava (Requena) 12% ABV.

A blend of Macabeo and Chardonnay.  Each variety is vinified separately. Fermentation in stainless steel. Once blended for the second fermentation, it then spends 46 months ‘en rima’. Clean and bright pale-yellow colour with gold reflections and fine, persistent bubbles. The aroma has pears, fennel and patisserie with a lovely hazelnut note. Balanced, persistent with elegant acidity. Winner of Gold medals in the World Competition in Brussels.

 Cent Piques ‘Si’ 2017 Petit Verdot, Vino Ecologico, Bodegas Vinados Fontanars 13% ABV

A new red from this variety recently released by Cent Piques. 100% Petit Verdot with 12 months in French oak and 12 months in bottle before release.  Medium to full bodied, black cherry colour with a violet edge. Long slow fat glycerinous legs. Ripe cherry fruit, herbs, hay, blue flowers (violets) on an intense nose. In the mouth this is big, blue flowers are followed by spicy (clove and nutmeg) notes, black fruit, a juicy acidity, round tannins and a little warmth from the alcohol. Fresh oak, in a well-structured and well-balanced long smoky finish. This is a vinazo!

Aula Syrah 2016 Bodegas Coviñas DO Utiel-Requena, 13.5% ABV

Syrah, the great grape variety of the Northern Rhone valley and the Languedoc-Roussillon, Australia and now the Valencian Community. A full bodied deep black cherry-coloured wine with strong legs. Blackcurrant, cassis, plum jam, wild blackberries and spices on the nose with smoky notes from the oak. In the mouth all of these fruits, juicy acidity and round tannins, with a long and elegant finish.

Veterum Vitium, Bobal 2016, Bodegas Coviñas DO Utiel-Requena 13.5% ABV

This wine is picked a little green (under-ripe) and is from wines up to 85 years old from Coviñas’s best parcels of vines. 3-6 months ageing in oak. Intense red with light earthy hues. Deep and complex, menthol with powerful fruity and oaky notes. Balanced, with smooth and silky tannins and persistent fruit on the palate.

Our restaurant RECOMMENDATION is ‘Tavella restaurant Pablo Chirivella’ in Beniferri. Popular with the gastronomy press, wine writers and sumilleres… the restaurant is in an old agricultural house on the edge of the city and not far from the Casino. Chef Pablo Chirivella is a Valencian with experience working in China, the UK, Tenerife, the Pais Vasco and Mexico. He uses KM.0 as his philosophy, using local quality produce (whether from the market-garden or the sea) with cooking influences from the other places he has worked. He is a master of the brasa, the wood-based fire, and serves good portions of long-aged beef steaks (110 days) and fish cooked in this manner.   There are set menus and an ‘À la Carte’ option (rice dishes need to be ordered in advance.) 

TAVELLA restaurant Pablo Chirivella

Camino viejo de Líria, 93

Beniferri,

Valenciana,

Spain Tel: 635 69 36 56

More information at  https://www.facebook.com/tavellarestaurant/

Riki Wigley & Marian Darás

VÍ Vid is a project supporting the development of wine knowledge and gastronomy in the Valencian Community. We run wine clubs, give tastings of Valencian wines in English and support wine-makers and bodegas directly. We can be found in Instagram (Vivid8402), and through our blog VÍ Vid at https://vvidblog.wordpress.com, in Facebook, (https://www.facebook.comVivideventos) and in Twitter @vividvinos.