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This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous

Welcome to this week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous ! Each week, we compile a list of wines from the Vinous database that you need to add to your wine wish list. With all the various regions, producers, and grapes, no week will be the same! All of the wines listed in this feature are available for purchase on Banquet . This week's must-try wines are from Joaquín Hidalgo’s article, The Rambunctious Catalan Mediterranean and Beyond . Enjoy his notes for this week's must-try below! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Within a surface area that only accounts for 6% of Spain, Catalonia bottles a wide range of Mediterranean and continental wines in two distinct styles. White and sparkling wines rule the roost on the coast–which is the main focus of this report–where the ethereal Xarel·lo fills glasses with sun and energy. In a land rich in native varieties, this dispatch takes readers on a tour of Mediterranean flavors and attempts to offer a lucid guide to the tangled mess of categories and classifications that hold sway in the region.” -- Joaquín Hidalgo, The Rambunctious Catalan Mediterranean and Beyond, September 2024 “En un territorio que cubre solo el 6% de España, Cataluña embotella una alta diversidad de vinos donde los caracteres mediterráneo y continental ofrecen dos vertientes bien diferenciadas. Los blancos y las burbujas mandan en las zonas litorales –donde pongo el foco en este reporte– y el corazón etéreo del Xarel·lo llena de vida y sol las copas. Tierra rica en variedades nativas, este reporte propone un viaje por el sabor mediterráneo y navega las agitadas aguas de las definiciones estilísticas del territorio catalán.” -- Joaquín Hidalgo, El Agitado Mediterráneo Catalán y Más Allá, September 2024 1. NV Alvear Solera 1830 2. NV Alvear Solera 1927 3. NV Alvear Oloroso Asunción 4. 2021 Bodegas El Nido El Nido 5. 2021 Bodegas El Nido Clio 6. 2020 Bodegas El Nido Clio 7. 2018 Gramona Brut Imperial 8. 2023 Jorge Ordóñez Málaga Selección Especial Nº2 Victoria

Jorge Ordoñez & Co.

#2 Victoria Málaga Moscatel

Delectable Wine
9.3

The 2023 Selección Especial Nº2 Victoria was sourced from a 1920-planted vineyard in Vélez-Málaga, Alta Axarquía, in the Sierras de Málaga. This late-harvest wine was aged seven months on the lees and bottled with 190 grams of sugar. Yellow in hue, it presents herbal aromas with peach and apricot notes and a faint hint of nard. Sweet and balanced on the palate, it offers an intense mouthfeel with a long-lasting savory finish. This is a delicate, well-crafted wine. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago

Bodegas El Nido

El Nido Jumilla Cabernet Sauvignon Monastrell 2021

Delectable Wine
9.2

The 2021 El Nido is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Monastrell from Jumilla. Aged for 22 months in American and French oak barrels, this garnet-red wine offers forward aromas, with prominent oak followed by notes of tomato leaf and ripe black fruit. Big and rich, the palate is bold and substantial, finishing with ripe fruit flavors. Despite all that ripeness, there are some slightly green notes here. The 2021 is a carefully crafted red that’s both savory and stylish. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago

Alvear

Solera 1830 Montilla-Moriles Pedro Ximénez

Delectable Wine
9.6

In the world of wine, some are commonplace while others are truly unique. The NV Solera 1830 is firmly in the latter category. This 100% Pedro Ximénez has been aging since the 19th century, resulting in a concentration and richness that command full attention. With a syrupy texture, this rich and sweet wine delivers nuanced, clean aromas of herbs and spices, accompanied by creamy caramel notes. Complex and long-lasting, its umami-driven palate is best experienced firsthand. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago

Gramona

Brut Impérial Cava Chardonnay 2018

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2018 Brut Imperial is a Corpinnat blend of 56% Xarel·lo, 30% Macabeo, 10% Parellada and 4% Chardonnay. Produced using the traditional method, it spent 60 months on the lees. The bouquet features aromas of lime and lemon pie, complemented by a delicate array of fine herbs. Dry and creamy on the palate, the ethereal flow is enlivened by calibrated acidity. Refreshing and joyful, this sparkling wine is a delight. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago

Bodegas El Nido

Clio Jumilla Monastrell-Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2021 Clio is a blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the 1936-planted Zingla Vineyard in Jumilla. Aged for 23 months in French and American oak, this garnet-hued wine offers complex aromas of herbs and plums, complemented notes of mint, balsamic and ash. Concentrated and rich on the palate, it flows with a silky texture, culminating in a velvety finish. This is a ripe, sun-kissed red with a precisely executed barrel-aging regimen. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago

Alvear

Solera 1927 Montilla-Moriles Pedro Ximénez

Delectable Wine
9.5

The NV Solera 1927 is a sun-dried Pedro Ximénez wine sourced from Sierra de Montilla. Aged for 20 years in a very old solera, this mahogany-colored wine offers aromas of caramel, saffron and tar, along with licorice and herbal notes. Very sweet and concentrated, the palate reveals a wild herb core with a balanced and potent mouthfeel. Despite its sweetness, it maintains balance with a warm, rich heart—a unique sip from Montilla. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago

Bodegas El Nido

Clio Jumilla Monastrell-Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2020

Delectable Wine
9.3

The 2020 Clio is a blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Zingla Vineyard, which was planted in 1936 in Jumilla. Aged for 22 months in French and American oak barrels, this garnet wine unfolds in the glass with ripe black fruit and dried fruit notes, layered with herbal and oaky nuances and a prominent vanilla tone. Indulgent and bold, the rich palate features a velvety, overwhelming mouthfeel. This is a ripe, concentrated red born under the Mediterranean sun. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago

Alvear

Asuncion Oloroso Pedro Ximénez

Delectable Wine
9.5

Olorosos are white wines aged for so long in solera oak casks that they turn mahogany in color, but the real transformation occurs in the aromas and the palate. The NV Oloroso Asunción is a perfect example. Made from 100% Pedro Ximénez from Montilla-Moriles, it offers nutty aromas of sautéed almonds and saffron, along with undergrowth and caramel notes. Dry, lean and overwhelmingly chalky on the palate, it finishes long and persistent. This is a very impressive wine—a perfect contrast of dryness and richness with a refreshing core. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, September 2024)
 — 2 months ago