Valencia Wine Competition 2014- Concurso Cata de PROAVA 2014.

Here we are at the end of March already! Around this time each year Valencia holds its Wine  and Gastronomic Products Fair, ( the XXVI Mostra de Vinos, Cavas y Licors and XXIV Mostra d´Aliments Tradicionals) held in the dry river bed, formerly the course of the River Turia.

There has always been a wine competion to choose the best wines from the Bodegas who are associates of PROAVA, the organisers of the Fair. This year was no different except in its organisation.

PROAVA is the organisation charged with promoting quality agricultural and food products from the Valencian Community. From its headquarters in Barrio Carmen, the historic centre of Valencia it has links with the wine DO´s ( Alicante, Utiel-Requena, Valencia, DO Cava and IGP Castellon) as well as the DO´s of other products covering DO Valencia Olive Oil, DO Arroz de Valencia etc, etc. This is the major fair organised by the agency each year but they also participate in smaller fairs within the community, promote the products at home and also hold a Xmas fair to promote the sweet wines and turrons for which Valencia is famous and a fair to promote the excellent cavas from Requena.

Felix Cuartero, President PROAVA

The headquarters is built above a medieval wine cellar and grain store which helpfully you can sit above and admire through the glass floor if you attend one of the regular free tastings held in the building. Until recently the organisation was presided over by Eduardo Maestres, but this year has seen the succession by Felix Cuartero, a calm, intelligent and deep thinking man with a passion for the quality of Valencias produce and who firmly believes a more professional approach is necessary to get the message out. This coming at a time when more and more tourists coming to Valencia do so specifically for the gastronomy….and we are not just talking authentic Valencian Paella here!

Felix was professor at the Requena Wine School which has turned out several top wine-makers in its history. He has therefore an analytical approach to tasting wine, although I have heard him say more than once that wine is to be enjoyed and not over critically assessed. Nonetheless he has initiated one major change this year to the organisation of the annual wine competition.

Formerly called the Els Bodeguers tasting, taking its name from the independent wine shops in the Valencia area, this year the tasting has been taken back `in-house´ by PROAVA. There had been some criticism recorded that the prizes were being handed out on a rota basis although I have no view on or evidence of this.

This year a tasting panel of professionals was assembled, a group of fifteen people from different walks in the wine world. It was to include representatives from Els Bodeguers, three of the DO´s, wine makers from the community, wine and food writers from the Valencian press and the National weekly wine press and a representative of the consumers with a special knowledge of wine from the community.

The tasting took part in two phases commencing on 14 March in the PROAVA HQ where some 140 wines submitted by the 40 bodegas affiliated to the body were to be tasted and the majority eliminated from the competition. The second part on 21 March was to select the best wines in each category which would lead to the award of medals. The results were announced yesterday, 27 March.

PROAVA,Tasting Panel and Staff.

Each wine was tasted blind in both parts of the competition, the tasters recording a mark for each in 7 categories. Wines had to score 44 marks or less to proceed ( the best marks being the lowest scores) and the tasting was held in silence and in secret.

The marks were then entered into a spread sheet and analysed by PROAVA staff to identify firstly those proceeding and ultimately those being awarded the medals.

 

Ricardos Blog, PROAVA Tasting.

 

So competition over these are officially the best wines from Valencia as identified in the Concurso Cata de Vinos PROAVA 2014 and all of them can be tasted in the Fair which takes place between the 2nd and 6th of April. Don´t miss your opportunity, there are some very good wines to be tasted and bought!

Medal Winners, PROAVA Wine Competition 2014.

Young Whites,            Gold….Marina Alta, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante.

                                             Silver..A2, Bodegas Antonio Arraez, DO Valencia.

                                           Bronze..Vegamar Blanco, Bodegas Vegamar, DO Valencia.

                                           Special Mention..Marsilea Verdejo, Enologico Oleana, DO   Utiel Requena.

Whites with Barrel Ageing.

                                           Gold….Laudum Chardonnay, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante.

    

                                       Silver…Blanc D´Enguera, Bodega Enguera, DO Valencia.

                                           Bronze..Cullerot, Celler del Roure, DO Valencia

                                          Special Mention, ..PX , COOP Moixent, DO Valencia.

Rosados,                       Gold…….Vall de Xaló Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante.

                                                    …….Al Vent , Bodegas Coviñas, DO Utiel-Requena

                                            Silver….Suenos del Mediteraneo, Bodegas Utielanas, DO Utiel-Requena.

                                           Bronze…Viña Enterizo, Bodegas Coviñas, DO Utiel-Requena

                                          Special Mention…Rosa Rosae, Casa de las Vides, DO Valencia.

Al Vent Rosado

Young Red                    Gold….ABC, Casa de las Vides, DO Valencia.

                                             Silver…Ontinium Tempranillo, DO Valencia.

                                           Bronze…Calabuig, Bodegas Arraez, DO Valencia.

                                             Special Mention..Parreño, Latorre Agrovinicola, DO Utiel-Requena

Barrel Aged Reds       Gold…..Icono Syrah, Bodegas La Viña, DO Valencia.

                                           Silver…Biologia, Los Frailes, DO Valencia

                                             Bronze…Casa L´Angel, Bodegas La Viña, DO Valencia.

                                             Special Mention…Soplo, Rafael Cambra, DO Valencia.

Crianzas                         Gold……no award

                                              Silver…Aurum de Zagramonte, Bodega Torrevellisca, DO Valencia.

                                              Bronze…Laudum Crianza, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante

                                              Special Mentions, Vegamar Crianza, Bodegas Vegamar, DO Valencia

                                                                                      Castell D´Aixa, Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante

                                                                                       Tapias , Bodega El Villar, DO Valencia.

Reserve Reds                Gold….No award,

                                              Silver…Enterizo Reserva, Bodegas Coviñas, DO Utiel-Requena.

                                              Bronze…Laudum Reserva, Bodega BOCOPA, DO Alicante.

Naturally Sweet Wines  Gold…..Fondillon Alone, Bodegas BOCOPA, DO Alicante.

                                                    Silver…Verdil de Gel, Bodegas Enguera, DO Valencia

                                                    Bronze….El Novio Perfecto, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino, DO Valencia.

                                                    Special Mention….Punt Dolç, Heretats de Taverners, DO Valencia.

Licor Moscatel                   Gold….Riu Rau, Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante.

                                                    Silver…..Marques de Caro, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino, DO Valencia.

                                                                 ……..Vittore, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino, DO Valencia.

                                                    Bronze….Sol de Reymos, Bodegas Reymos, DO Valencia.

                                                   Special Mention….Dona Dolça. Baronia de Turis, DO Valencia.

Licor Other Varieties     Gold….Vall de Xaló. Bodegas Xaló, DO Alicante.

Vermouth                             Gold…..Cuatro Xavos, Bodegas Alejandro Sanz,

                                                  Silver….Vall de Gorgos, Bodegas Xaló

                                                  Bronze…Daniel Belda Vermouth, Bodegas daniel Belda. 

                                                    Special Mention….Vittoré, Bodegas Valsangiacomo Cherubino.

Some 38 Bodegas are taking part in this years fair and the four DO´s will be represented, together with  thirty three other exhibitors covering cheeses, sausages and other meat products, real beers, chocolate, bread and patisserie and other specialists.

A Visit to Bodega Latorre Agrovinicola, Venta del Moro.

Tiled Artwork, Old Bodega.

 

 

Latorre Agrovinicola, the large bodega on the edge of Venta del Moro, conceals its true size. Built on the triangular-shaped corner between two roads out of ( or into)  town it hides much of its complexity as well. It looks like a compact set of warehouses but these house a series of areas dedicated to different parts of the winemaking process.

We visited today to catch up with the current head of the fourth generation family bodega, Luis Miguel Latorré Ochando. His grandfather José Maria founded the bodega although it really took off when he incorporated his three sons, José Maria, Luis Miguel and Luis into the firm in 1968.

The original bodega had been enlarged in both 1942 and 1950 when Finca Garrido, a beautiful house outside the town was purchased together with its vineyards to add to the Finca El Parreño. A further enlargement took place in 1973 which allowed cold fermentation of the wines to commence. Several further changes have been made, each allowing modern scientific techniques to be applied but the bodega has retained much of its origins despite these changes.

Outside the Bodega

We were shown around by wine-maker Luis Miguel (  great grandson  ) and joined by his father part way through the tour. This starts where the grapes arrive to be tested for sugar content and quality, the basis on which prices are set. Latorre is more than a family bodega because it buys in grapes from local growers who do not make their own wine. Tests are made from the beginning of August to determine quality and picking dates. Because the bodega makes either must or finished wine to sell on to prestigious clients in Spain, France, Switzerland and Russia quality is very important. Indeed 90% of the production is sold on in this way, just 10% of the very best wines being retained for bottling with one of the bodegas distinctive labels.

Once quality is determined the grapes go up the hill to be discharged into the hopper, de-stalked and pumped to one of the holding tanks where they macerate to extract colour and flavours, the number of hours and temperature depending on which product it is destined for. The trailers in which the grapes arrived are then scrupulously cleaned before they leave to collect another load.

Tanks in the Reception Area

The tour then moves on from the reception area to where the musts or wines are refined before they go down the slope to the holding tanks or deposits, via one of the two laboratories where tests are continuously made. In the upper lab there is an impressive map of the facility which puts its size into perspective!

Then it is on to the bottling plant, the barrel park and the bottle store where the crianzas and reserves lay ageing quietly.

Finally you make it to the tasting room which doubles up as the bodegas shop. But before we get onto the tasting, we were also there to select some wines for a promotional event in Valencia in April, some serious impressions had been made. Firstly for a family run bodega there is a lot going on here, with a philosophy of step by step modernisation as it happens. It is not just the way the bodega has grown over the last 100+ years, but the careful thought into the arrangements that has been part of it. Pumps are largely not necessary as gravity does the work. The old concrete or ceramic tanks hold enough to fill a tanker so that a finished wine can be sent on its way to its destination , the tank cleaned and the next batch moved into it.

Luis Miguel.Jr Explains the Bottling Line

But for all the old technology, modern filtration eg plays its part leaving perfectly clean musts or wines without odours to move to the next stage. Given the huge amounts of grapes which could potentially pass through the bodega each harvest time the geography also helps. With the same variety being grown at between 625 and 900 metres above sea level,( such is the geography of the local catchment area)  picking times can vary by as much as two to three weeks allowing each enough time to be vinified before moving on to a later ripening variety. Also because Venta del Moro is the most Southern part of the plateau harvest generally starts the earliest in the D.O. here. ( Cava excepted.)

And it is not just the winery which is modernising, the range and style of wines is also under scrutiny as is  their respective labelling.

The entry-level Parreño covering a white from Viura/Verdejo, a Bobal Rosado and a tinto from Tempranillo/ Cabernet Sauvignon all have sparkly new lables.

Bottles from the Tasting

The Catamarán, an oak aged white has not been made for a couple of vintages but will be re-launched shortly. The red crianza already has a new lable and thought is being given to the older style reds, the reserva and Gran reserva. These long oaked wines are no longer fashionable, the modern market demanding concentrated, fruity wines which express the character of the grape variety. Sad because the 2001 Bobal Gran Duque is a fantastic wine but it cannot compete with old riojas even though the price is much more affordable.

Back to the tasting though. We worked our way through the young style wines first.

Parreño blanco 2013, at 11.5% ABV is a fresh, fruity white, pale gold in colour with white flowers on the nose, ripe melon and apple fruit from the Viura ( Macabeo) followed by  concentrated fennel. In the mouth it is full, well-balanced with nice fresh acidity and the alcohol is well-integrated.

The Parreño Rosado is a no holds barred, fresh young Bobal. It is strawberry in colour from 50-year-old vines. Not surprisingly it is full of pear drops on the nose and bubble gum and rhubarb and custard in the mouth. 13% ABV from the 2013 vintage and perfect for Summer drinking when reds are too heavy!

The Parreño Tinto 2013 is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Bottled two months ago, it has lots of red and black fruit on the nose, characteristics of both varieties and in the mouth smooth, sweet tannins.

Parreño Range.

The Duque de Arcas Roble 2012 is a madurado en barrica wine…3 months in both French and American oak. At 13% ABV it too is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon and was bottled 6 months ago. Immediately it is a better balanced wine, a nice cherry colour with sweet fresh red fruit on the nose. In the mouth it is round with good volume, a very easy drinker.

The Crianza from the same range is a step up again. This has Bobal in the mix with the Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon and you notice  the difference straight away. Bobal does not dominate the other varieties in a blend which is why so much of it is exported…as well as for its colour! It does add a discernible strawberry fruit into the mix. Quite complex on the nose if still a little closed, aromatic. In the mouth there is a sweetness, complexity, smooth tannins and a  nicely balanced wine which could be matched with a dessert. Impressive.

The next wine however could only be described as phenomenal! A cask sample which could only be a pure Bobal! This is a new wine, 14 months in Barrica and 14% ABV. In colour it is a deep black cherry colour with a violet edge and very long slow, glycerinous legs. On the nose, fresh and young, morello cherry with liquorice, chocolate and spice, clove.  In the mouth it was full, very smooth and lovely….just needing some time in bottle. Once ready, hopefully in the summer this will be sold as a new style wine, `Bobal Alta Expresión´.

Bobal 2001, Left, 2012, Right.

Finally we tasted the classic Gran Duque, the Bobal Seleccion from 2001. Now with a terracotta edge it still has a violet colour, testament to Bobal´s ability to age without colour loss. It still has fresh red fruit jam on the nose and liquorice with hints of honey. In the mouth the sweet tannins balance with the long-lived raspberry fruit and has a long, full finish full of caramel and balsamic notes.

An impressive tasting of wines from this bodega.Four wines selected for the tasting we left for lunch….which may get its own write up another time!

 

My thanks go once again to Luis Miguel, father and son and to Marian Daras and my daughter Cj who between them took a super selection of photos to choose from!

http://www.latorreagrovinicola.com