Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2022 vintage. Last tasted 8.22.25 (9.3). Decanted and tasted after an hour at approx 59 degrees. Light-medium body. Definite honey/mead notes. Some of the flights of fancy when last tasted reigned back this visit. Yes, still some subtle tea flavors but not nearly as demonstrative as a half year ago. This is slowly being brought into heel with mineral notes now having raised prominence vs no seat at the table last August. 2.26.26. — 4 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Color looks pretty advanced but the nose is more youthful. Shows classic old school Barbaresco scents of macerated cherry, faded rose petals, old barrels, and gravelly earth. In the mouth it’s pretty vigorous, showing those angular and mouth-coating ‘17 tannins, and while they’re prominent they’re not green or astringent. Intense, dry flavors are of dark cherry extract, savory dark, dried herbs, and cracked rock. Pretty good acidity and the finish is long. The tannins make food a requisite.

UPDATE: After 2 hours of air, the fruit is deepening and lessening the prominence of the tannins. Upping from initial 9.1 to 9.2. Air helps this puppy. — 4 years ago

Ian Hamel

9.3

2022/5/13 with zukedon, etc. From a half-bottle, bought on release. Bright yellow-gold. On the nose this has developed that honeyed note which only comes from cold northern Chardonnay with some age. There’s also steel and stone. The palate is very intense - it starts with more honey and perhaps some candied citrus peel, but more chalk and steel quickly take prominence. This is a powerfully mineral, dry, salty, alkaline wine - like most 2006s from all over Burgundy, the acidity feels on the low side (though it’s there at the edges of the mouth), and this isn’t about fruit either (with the main fruit note from the mid palate onwards being bitter citrus oils). Bracing, fascinating. — 4 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2018 vintage. From the estate formerly known as Château Goubau (renamed 2016) and from the same family that brings you L’If and some wine called Le Pin. 95% Merlot. 5% Cab Franc. Really dark hue. Mint, blackberries, earth and tobacco in the nose. Medium-bodied with ample, silky tannins. The longer in the glass, the more white pepper and herbaceous flavors gain prominence. Nice QPR and will look to pick up more. Pretty now but just may be a stunner in a few years. — 5 years ago

Leo Nissola

10

Notes of whirled earth and anise, complex, with a succulent in feel and oak prominence. Beautiful nose with strong black cherries perfume, and sharply delineated finish. — 6 years ago

with Ben

James Forsyth

9.2

A little bit flat, the 1994 Phelps Backus has seen its best days. Took a little time to open up and a fine licorice note rose to prominence. Black current and leather, dried plums and autumn leaves. It's dark and a touch heavy. Maybe it isn't at its best but what a privilege to try this wine with some age. — 6 years ago

Jason Gelman

9.1

very different style of bordeaux but in a great way. believe this bottle has zero oak barrel aging so it’s a lot lighter bodied than your typical bordeaux. a lot of the familiar aromas are there (leather, tobacco, etc) but much softer and the fruit takes on more prominence. enjoyed the softer, more delicate style. fun to try. — 6 years ago

Yury Glazkov

9.5

Even though the vintage is ranked 82 by RP, this wine made an absolute great impression, entertaining different tones every sip. I felt more prominence of paper, forest, dry and wet, and autumn fallen dry leaves, mushrooms, with berries, jammed wild strawberries and some cranberries, coming wrapped in woody aromas. Highly elegant, well but not perfectly balanced with small show-offs of acidity, tannins or sweetness on the runway — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2020 vintage. Clean and filled with subtleties that will gain more prominence in a few years. Would try to hold off tackling this again until it is a toddler. — 3 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

Fairly clear garnet-ruby dress. Nose cherry red fruits, aging is present without prominence, beautiful elegance. In the mouth it is smooth, light, greedy carried by a beautiful freshness that still suggests a beautiful aging potential. Beautiful affordable and refined bottle.

Robe grenat-rubis assez claire. Nez fruits rouges cerises, élevage présent sans proéminence, bel élégance. En bouche c’est souple, léger, gourmand porté par une belle fraîcheur qui suggère encore un beau potentiel de garde. Belle bouteille abordable et raffinée. — 4 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2018 vintage. Initial nose with a trace fecal component that blew off 2-3 mins after opening. Heavy metal body. Nose reformed to feature grounding/hot Szechuan pepper, traces of fresh ginger, heaps of bramble fruit and watercress. Lengthy, astringent, iodine-laced and plummy. chocolate, kirschy finish. Almost imperceptible cedar and tobacco hovering about that may gain more prominence in the coming years but for now, they’re on the back burner. Sounds totally disjointed and wild but it works. Last tasted 4.8.22. — 4 years ago

David Kline

9.3

Antique gold-amber. Triple fat white head of pile stuffing, a sticky, loose leafing reminiscent of stylized cloisonné clouds for lacing. Sweet dankness interswirled with lemon, tangerine and grapefruit notes. But ever earthy with cola highlights on the nose. Nutty and hempy initially; caramel, light coffee, dark pastry, grapefruit oil, peel and zest appear with prominence. Ever flavor on the palate remains for the ride, and it is a long one. Persistence of viscous!
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#hiwire #hiwirebrewing #hiwiremosaicipa #mossicipa #mosaichops #ipa # #indiapaleale #dryhopped #centennialhops #beer #bier #biere #birra #cerveza #cerveja #dank #ncbeer @hiwire_hanna — 5 years ago

with Courtney

Michael Hawkinson

9.2

Oaky nose, very fruit forward, sweet cherries and blackberries, peppery finish, after breathing the pepper and oak rose in prominence and fruit subsided — 6 years ago

Michael Seely

9.1

Structure and delicate prominence! Lovely 2016 from a fabulous producer. — 6 years ago

with Jeff and Joe

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

Super-vitaminized syrah in the Moroccan sun (drunk on the spot!). Cuvée admirably conducted by Alain Graillot renowned for his Croze-Hermitage: charming nose of ripe red and black fruits, and an explosive bouquet of dried flowers. Wonderful vinification with well-integrated fruit / wood tannins; a supple and velvety palate. Otherwise, it is still very alcoholic. This prominence can be attenuated per hour of ventilation and refreshed to 13-15 degrees. 14-18 € ok, but not more!

Syrah sur-vitaminée sous le soleil Marocain, bue sur place! Cuvée admirablement conduite par Alain Graillot réputé pour ses Croze-Hermitage: nez charmeur sur des fruits rouge et noirs bien mûrs, et bouquet explosif de fleurs séchées. Vinification admirable avec des tanins fruits/bois bien fondus; une bouche souple et veloutée. Pour le reste ça n’en reste pas moins très alcooleux, dont la proéminence sera atténuée par heure d’aération et rafraîchi à 13-15 degrés. 15€ euros c’est bien mais pas plus ! — 6 years ago

Michael Chelus

9.4

Black cherry, raspberry, eucalyptus, vanilla, licorice, cassis and oak. Full-bodied and well-integrated tannins. — 3 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.2

Perfecto!
An old, Chinchona infused vermouth that’s date, anise, bitter luscious.
Based on 20 yr. Oloroso.
W some soda on a hot day, pow!

@Delectable Wine : This is Valdespino Quina.




HISTORY

The history of the aperitif dates back to the 5th century B.C. when Hippocrates concocted a wine-based beverage macerated with wormwood flower and other herbs, which was traditionally used as a restorative and an appetite stimulant. In the late 1700s, in Italy, a flavored wine called "vermouth" was introduced as an appetite booster before meals. This tradition later spread to France and Spain.

In Spain, the aperitif and the "tapa" have together contributed to create a unique "social occasion" which has gradually become a key attraction for the general public and tourists worldwide; that is, the longstanding association of social gatherings with Spanish gastronomy.

The main difference between Spanish aperitifs (Vermouth and "Quina" or Tonic Wine, in particular) and their French and Italian counterparts lies in the quality of the aromatic flavors and the botanicals and fruits employed. Spanish aperitifs are somewhat sweeter and lighter, whereas Italian aperitifs are distinctive for their bitter flavor, while their French counterparts tend to be drier.

VALDESPINO AND
THE ORIGIN OF THE APERITIF

The connection between the Valdespino family and the aperitif dates back to the end of the 19th century and became especially relevant in the first quarter of the 20th century, at the height of the sherry wine boom.

By 1920 the House of Valdespino was already producing several wines macerated with root extracts and botanicals. They were called "tonics" and "quinados" and were recommended as "tonic – aperitifs" or "fortifiers", as shown on the labels of the time.

From 1930 until the second half of the 20th century, The House of Valdespino was particularly active in the production of beverages macerated with different botanicals, fruits and bitter root extracts (cinchona bark and vermouth). The company marketed several wines with considerable success, mainly on the domestic market but also in countries like the USA, where, in the 60s, Valdespino, together with their associate Jack Poust, launched a vermouth with orange called "Tomboe", designed mainly for the younger clientele.

Thanks to the boost provided at the time by the export of sherry wines to England and its overseas provinces, there was a boom in the production of wines made, or rather, macerated with the root of Cinchona Calisaya, whose bark, popularly called "quina", was the basis of quinine, an extract that contributed effectively to malaria prevention.

Since then, Valdespino has been macerating and bottling blends of different varieties of their own sherries.

THE ORIGIN OF
THE "JEREZ APERITIF"

The Estévez family, owners of Bodegas Valdespino since 1999, carried on with this tradition, and continued to macerate old wines from the different Valdespino soleras with various botanicals, natural extracts and fruits. These were small productions and batches, bottled for their own consumption, elaborated experimentally and in advance of what has now become the family's new collection.

The launching in 2021 of "Valdespino Aperitifs" represents an important milestone for the company, since it is a unique range in the Valdespino catalogue.

Valdespino's original "Tonic for the Sick" label, dating back over a century, has been selected in an attempt to recover some of the iconic designs from the family labels museum. The image, somewhere between Art Deco and vintage, has inspired the design, which is intended as a benchmark for today's aperitif ranges.

This is the first time that a Jerez winery has developed a collection of aperitifs by recovering old recipes and original labels from the early 20th century, using Very Old Oloroso Wines from the founding soleras of the Jerez firm, which today constitute our prized "VOS" and "VORS" (Sherry Wines of an average of over twenty and thirty years of age, respectively).


VERMOUTH

A coupage of Very Old Oloroso Sherry Wine (aged for 15 years) and Moscatel, which provides a stylish citrus note. After undergoing a hydro-alcoholic maceration process with bitter extracts of mugwort, coriander, elderberry and gentian, together with chamomile flowers, aromatic cloves, cinnamon, dried Seville oranges and juniper berries, the final blend is then aged in barrels which have previously contained Valdespino Oloroso Wines, all these coming together to make an intense and complex vermouth with a sumptuous balance of aromas.

This vermouth is a signature aperitif with an unmistakable identity characterized by the prominence of the Old Oloroso from Jerez, alongside an elegant dash of bitterness, which is offset by the sweetness of the Moscatel. The result is a subtly balanced taste with unique spicy and citrus notes provided by the botanicals and fruits.

Bright mahogany color with coppery tones.
Intense spicy aromas with hints of Oloroso Sherry.
Citrus notes from oranges, with a lovely, spiced blend of clove and gentian. An elegant, enveloping bitterness resulting in a complex yet smooth palate. Warm and welcoming, faintly sweet aftertaste.
Serve in a tumbler glass, with ice and a slice of grapefruit or orange. Ideal as an aperitif, accompanied by nuts, olives and pickles, it also combines superbly with canned fish tapas such as anchovies, pickled tuna and the like.

QUINA

This aperitif is the result of the coupage of 20-year-old Oloroso Wines with Pedro Ximenez from the soleras of our iconic PX "EL Candado". The procedure involves a hydro-alcoholic maceration process of Cinchona bark (Quina) with gentian root, natural licorice extract and nutmeg, along with a selection of dried citrus fruits, such as grapefruit and Seville oranges.

The result is a stylish, complex, one-of-a-kind aperitif with a bitter refreshing note. The Pedro Ximenez also provides a characteristic nuance of dried fruit (sultanas, dried figs, dates) that makes this tonic wine ever more unique.

A fresh and sweet palate with citrus and slightly tart notes, all wrapped up in a spicy combination of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla … leaning into the sweet reminders of the Oloroso Sherry barrels where it is aged.

Dark mahogany color with coppery tones.
Spicy aromas with vegetal notes from the botanicals and Oloroso Sherry.
Slightly bitter notes of Cinchona, combining well with the botanicals (licorice, nutmeg) and hints of dried fruits (dates, sultanas). A stylish citrus touch and the quinine bitterness bring about a warm, lingering aftertaste.
Ideal as a complement in cocktails (Rum Old Fashioned, Negroni, Mahattan, etc), it also makes for a perfect aperitif in a tumbler glass, on the rocks, with a cinnamon stick and a twist of orange.Serve with crisps, olives and pickles.


BODEGAS VALDESPINO
CTRA. N-IV, KM. 640 - 11408 - JEREZ, SPAIN
Bodegas Valdespino - All rights reserved 2021 — 3 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

A perfect Chiroubles which honors the appellation. Light, airy, sensual, feminine Beaujolais. Red fruits fragrances deciliously intoxicating but without prominence. Multiple vegetal / floral nuances. The finish is discreetly persistent with very delicate tannins.

Un Chiroubles parfait qui fait honneur à l’appellation. Beaujolais féminin, sensuel, léger et aérien. Fragrances de fruit rouges délicieusement enivrantes mais sans proéminence, avec multiples nuances végétales/florales. La finale est discrètement persistante sur des tanins d’une grande délicatesse. — 6 years ago

Michael Seely

9.5

This 08 is outstanding and provides a vivid glance of why the 08 s will be with us for even more time to come. This is an exquisite wine with soul and breathe. Distinguished character expressing terroir and full fruit that gently and fully expressing across the entire palette. She is to be adored and honored in the prominence attributed to the tradition of her full expression. — 6 years ago

with Jeff and Joe

Byron Fuller

8.9

Unusual cuvee ten years in concrete vats (MV as well?)— still very fresh. Loads of wood, apparently russian oak. Disorienting match of freshness and wood prominence. Will be interesting to follow. — 6 years ago