Regions of Spain and Portugal

Spain and Portugal
With a blend of tradition and innovation, Spain produces red, rose, and white wines of varying quality. It is best known for sherry, Rioja (oaky reds and whites), and sparkling known as Cava. Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache) are its most important grape varieties.
Aside from Port, Portugal makes red, white and rose wine. Since it joined the European Union, the quality of wine making has improved a great deal.

Wines Of Spain: Many wines are a blend of grapes. Red Rioja is typically a mix of Tempranillo and Garnacha, and white is mostly Viura (also known as Macabeo). Wines from Rioja’s three main districts are Alavesa, Alta, and Baja, are often blended. American oak barrels are used in Rioja to age both reds and whites .Cava is sparkling wine using the Champagne method, and can be of excellent quality.

Portuguese Wines: Portugal uses grape varieties little known elsewhere. Vinho Verde is a light white wine best drunk young. Dao’s once coarse and tannic reds are now fruitier with spicy flavors. Minho is an important region which makes Vinho Verde.

Cheers!

Dale

Fine Wine On Line

Napa Valley Late Harvest Dessert Wine

I've just experienced an amazing dessert wine, which I typically don't drink....but this one blew my socks off, so I thought I would share all I know about it.

This blended late harvest dessert wine has about one-third each of Muscat, Semillon and Chardonnay, all three of which were allowed to ripen longer than usual creating a sweet dessert wine. The Chardonnay portion was barrel fermented and after the final blend was made, the wine was aged in 100% new oak barrels for an average age of 5 years. As with most dessert wines, this wine will age very well for 8 to 10 years and possibly beyond. Late harvest wines owe their rich complex flavors to several factors. Late harvest crops are usually smaller in both weight and quantity. As the grapes ripen, they lose water making the clusters lighter while concentrating the sugar. Late Harvest wines are typically carefully handpicked to assure magnificent quality. These delicious wines — with their extended aging periods — make them highly anticipated and very, very special indeed. This Ceres Napa Valley Late Harvest Dessert Wine has aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, pralines and caramelized pears. The flavors of this wine are a perfect mirror of the aromas, with mouth-filling sweetness and layers of complexity. The finish is long and sweet with hints of fruit, finishing with a light nuttiness. Enjoy this wine with pecan pie, Roquefort cheese and walnuts or bananas foster. Yummmm! I tried it with something I would have never thought to pair with it...the Roquefort cheese. Wow! give it a try.

Cheers!

Dale

Fine Wine On Line