Suggestions on buying a good bottle of wine in Madrid

[peregrina2000]

I am going to be in Madrid next week and want to buy a good bottle of wine to bring home for someone as a special thank you. This person has quite the wine palate and I guess you'd call him a wine snob, though I'm not using that term pejoratively. My taste is such that I enjoy a Coto Crianza more than a box of wine, but that's about the extent of it. So I'm out of my league here.

Here's what I'd like help with:

A good bottle of reserva Rioja that is not generally or widely available in the US.
Any ideas on where I would find it.

Thanks to all the alcohol experts out there, Al does your knowledge extend beyond the whiskey category?

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Allende Aurus Rioja

 

[SYates]

I personally would go for a nice bottle of Aragon red, far less common / well known than Rioja and sure to impress. Buen Camino! SY

PS A white Rioja is also pretty rare to find outside the country but easily found in Spain.

 

[Tincatinker]

Laurie, you might as well try El Corte de Ingles as anywhere; the one on the Plaza de Callao is the only one I know that stocks Vega Sicilia Unica from the Ribera de Duero. They'll also have the CVNE Gran Reserva Imperial. The 1999, 2001, 04, 05, 07 or 08 are the years to go for, depending on budget.

Low volume, Finca production is rare in Rioja but you might take a look at some Bierzos. Still a few hand (foot?) made products around and Bierzos are difficult enough to find in the UK.

Happy hunting!

PS. and SY is spot on on the white wines of Rioja

 

[Felipe]

I am not an expert, but I had a good moment at Vinoteca Vides, Calle Libertad 12, barrio Chueca, not far from Gran Via. The owner is a a nice guy, proud of his impressive and unconventional offer of Spanish wines.

 

[peregrina2000]

Ok, I can give a bit more info, since some of you are obviously cognoscenti. Last night we were served an amarone and it's one his favorite types. Means nothing to me, but maybe to Tinca, Sy or Falcon. I also know he is not generally fond of French wines because of something about the way they are aged but I can't remember the details. Maybe this will give a better idea about the type of wine he would most like. I wouldn't be so persnickety but this is a really special person so I really appreciate the help. Mencia? Ribera del Duero? I said Rioja just because I know he likes it, but he mostly drinks Italian wines so is probably not familiar with too much in Spain.

Thanks amigos.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Amarone grapes are dried partially before fermentation, so the alcohol content of the wine exceeds 14%, above the normal 12% for most Spanish and French wines. It can be a fairly sweet wine, which Spanish wine would not normally be. If you want a sweeter wine, then Spanish whites may be worth considering.

Spain makes most of its wine from Tempranillo or Grenache (Garnacha) grapes. Rioja and Ribera wines are mostly Tempranillo grapes. The wines can be quite good from either region. You might ask the recommendations of the wine merchant in a Spanish wine store. He probably will be eager to make some good recommendations to sell some bottles that are more expensive than his regular customers might be buying!

Good luck on a decision!!

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, falcon, just goes to show how bad my palette is, because I would never have used the adjective sweet to describe that wine. Oh well. I'm taking notes and will go to a wine store. I've seen that Luvinia is a very highly recommended wine store in Madrid and it's about 2 kms from my hotel, so I'll head there. More suggestions welcome in the meantime!

Thanks to all. Laurie

 

[SYates]

... Means nothing to me, but maybe to Tinca, Sy or Falcon. ...

It does indeed, yummy, yummy and licks lips. If he likes that kind of wine you could be also in business with a really old, good Port or even Madeira. The later might be much more difficult to find in good quality as it has gone out of fashion lately, but if you do find one ... Oh boy! Or a good Oloroso might also go down well! Need a glass now, Cheers! SY

 

[Pelegrin]

Lavinia is very famous in Madrid but I have been there only once and i don´t remember very well that place.
I know Bodegas Santa Cecilia c/Blasco de Garay 74 Metro Islas Filipinas that is a big shop and I was always well informed by the staff.
In my opinion, it is easier to be succesful choosing a Rioja than a Ribera (where of course there are also very good wines).
In case of Mencia I'd choose a Ribeira Sacra or a Valdeorras.

 

[newfydog]

Too me, Spanish wines are rather sweet, though nothing like an Amarone, which I am always amazed people spend that kind of money for something so disgustingly sweet!

Riojas are sold under various designations Gran Reserva, Reserva, Crianza, and generic. The Reservas must be an excellent wine and has special regulations for aging time and barrel type. The Crianza has similar regulations, though not as strict. I find a Rioja Crianza to be one of the best deals in the world of wine. A Crianza will generally be better than a Reserva of the same price--- you pay for that prestige.

For a special bottle, go for the prestige and controlled quality of a Gran Reserva

 

[SYates]

Nice one, apart of the prices @newfydog where I live a top quality Gran Reserva is starting at $10 Oh the joy of lining in Europe! SY

 

[Castilian]

Disclaimer: I don't know about wines so this is not a recomendation/suggestion but something to ask to someone who actually knows about wines (e.g.: the guy/gal at the wine store or any of the wine experts on this forum).

May a good Pedro Ximénez be a good idea for your friend?

 

[Pelegrin]

Pedro Ximenez is a very different type of wine. It is a muscatel grape, so the wine is very sweet and has more alcoholic strength than "normal" wines, so it is closer to Sherrys. It is good for desserts.

 

[peregrina2000]

Too me, Spanish wines are rather sweet, though nothing like an Amarone, which I am always amazed people spend that kind of money for something so disgustingly sweet!
View attachment 16816

Hi, newfydog, thanks for this. Both you and falcon referred to Amarone as sweet, so I think you are talking about something different than I am when I say sweet. Wikipedia says the name Amarone (which is a recent denominacion controllada) means "The Bitter One" to distinguish it from Recioto, also in the same Valpolicella region. My question is -- what's a dry Spanish red in your opinion?

Thanks, I'm learning probably more than I need to know to find my friend a bottle he'll like, but I appreciate the help. Laurie

 

[Castilian]

Pedro Ximenez is a very different type of wine. It is a muscatel grape, so the wine is very sweet and has more alcoholic strength than "normal" wines

Thanks for posting and for letting me know that Pedro Ximénez is a very different type of wine. As I said, I don't know about wines but when I read the Amarone was sweet and had more alcoholic strength than many Spanish wines, Pedro Ximénez wines came to my mind and I thaught it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask about them. It seems I was right about Pedro Ximénez being sweet and with more alcoholic strength than other wines but it seems too it has (almost) nothing to do with an Amarone... Sorry if my question was absurd.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Both you and falcon referred to Amarone as sweet

Dehydrating the grapes before fermentation CAN result in a sweeter wine, as much as 4-5% is left as sugar. It depends whether it is fermented until all the sugar is gone. If it is fully fermented, then it will be dryer, and the 14% minimum alcohol level for Amarone may be well-exceeded.

Some Pedro Ximenez is among the best sherries by many authorities! Several wineries use the title, so they differ. It is usually an aperitif or dessert wine rather than an accompaniment to the meal.

Again, I say ask the wine store in Madrid. My tastings have mostly been in the U.S. of exports. On the Camino I usually stick to the 4E bottles! Most of the menu peregrino are not worth a 40E bottle of wine...

 

[peregrina2000]

Falcon, your comments reminded me of a funny story. On the Camino de Levante somewhere before Toledo, we were having a menu del dia that was about 16 euros, pretty steep for pilgrim budgets but for some reason in Castilla y Leon, they frequently double menu del dia prices on weekends. Anyway, the waiter asked if we wanted wine, we said, yes please, red. He then asked if we wanted gaseosa to go with it. We said no. He then said, well this wine isn't really drinkable without gaseosa. I told him I thought that a 16 euro meal should come with a wine that was drinkable on its own, and he was embarrassed and brought us a nice bottle, no extra charge.

Thanks for the explanation of the amarone, I was not aware I was drinking such high-alcohol wine. Good thing I wasn't driving! Anyway, I will report back on the red I eventually buy -- I'll probably head to that highly rated store and see what they say. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Lavinia is very famous in Madrid but I have been there only once and i don´t remember very well that place.
I know Bodegas Santa Cecilia c/Blasco de Garay 74 Metro Islas Filipinas that is a big shop and I was always well informed by the staff.
In my opinion, it is easier to be succesful choosing a Rioja than a Ribera (where of course there are also very good wines).
In case of Mencia I'd choose a Ribeira Sacra or a Valdeorras.

Hi, Pelegrin, thanks for that suggestion, it's about half the distance from my hotel as the Livinia, so I'll probably go there. It's also just a block away from the street I lived on in the 70s, Calle Galileo, where the next door neighbor had cows and the sereno used to drink on the corner waiting to open the door for my roommate and me. So I can take a little nostalgia trip while I'm looking for a bottle of wine!

 

[WldWil]

I would recommend 2008 Marques de Riscal Reserva, Rioja DOCa, Spain

Indicative blend: Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo. Also known as Herederos del Marques de Riscal.
Price Range of 750ml bottle, ex-tax in USD
Average: $18 From: $17 To: $23
Score: 84
The Wine-Searcher score of 84/100 is calculated from the following wine critic scores.

Plus, I have personally enjoyed a bottle to confirm it this year while on vacation and thinking about my Camino coming up.

 

[newfydog]

Of course, the most special bottle of wine in Spain is free!

 

[Pelegrin]

Hi, Pelegrin, thanks for that suggestion, it's about half the distance from my hotel as the Livinia, so I'll probably go there. It's also just a block away from the street I lived on in the 70s, Calle Galileo, where the next door neighbor had cows and the sereno used to drink on the corner waiting to open the door for my roommate and me. So I can take a little nostalgia trip while I'm looking for a bottle of wine!

Cows next door and serenos in c/Galileo? Wow, then that was before Neil Amstrong said on the moon "One small step for a man....."

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Flogging a dead horse, I found this from an Italian wine producer that illuminates the sweet vs. dry Amarone:

Sub-Region: Amarone della Valpolicella
Amarone della Valpollicella is responsible for producing Italy’s finest rich, full-bodied, and unfortified, dry red wine. Dry Amarone is a relatively new style of wine and was only officially recognized since 1953. It was thought to have been made accidentally when some fermenting grape must, destined to be fashioned into the sweeter ‘Recioto dell Valpolicella’, was forgotten about and left in the vat until it fermented to dryness. The wine is made from three principal grapes, Corvina and Corvinone, which must comprise a minimum of 80% of the blend, and Rondinella. Molinara and Croatina are also used in small amounts. Once the grapes are harvested they are left to dry on racks in lofts for about 100 days over the winter to concentrate. The fruit is then pressed and fermented the following March and left to age in casks for up to seven years.

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, thanks, everyone. I'm in Madrid and spent the day trying to get my circadian rhythms moved over to Spain time, Lots of walking, a trip to my favorite little art museum, Museo de Sorolla ... but I digress. Thanks so much to pelegrin for the recommendation of Santa Cecelia on Blasgo de Garay. It's a great place and the people were very helpful. I got a 35 euro bottle of some rioja reserva whose name I can't remember and which is sitting wapped up in bubble wrap for the trip home. I also got my husband a bottle of special Spanish brandy, which I've never drunk and about which I know nothing! The staff seemed quite trustworthy and knowledgeable. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Castilian]

On the Camino de Levante somewhere before Toledo, we were having a menu del dia that was about 16 euros, pretty steep for pilgrim budgets but for some reason in Castilla y Leon, they frequently double menu del dia prices on weekends.

If it was before Toledo, it wasn't in Castilla y León but in Castilla la Mancha. Although in Castilla y León isn't rare either to find more expensive menú del día prices on weekends...

 

[jostony]

I am going to be in Madrid next week and want to buy a good bottle of wine to bring home for someone as a special thank you. This person has quite the wine palate and I guess you'd call him a wine snob, though I'm not using that term pejoratively. My taste is such that I enjoy a Coto Crianza more than a box of wine, but that's about the extent of it. So I'm out of my league here.

Here's what I'd like help with:

A good bottle of reserva Rioja that is not generally or widely available in the US.
Any ideas on where I would find it.

Thanks to all the alcohol experts out there, Al does your knowledge extend beyond the whiskey category?

Buen camino, Laurie

Try Muga reserva, especial

 

[Al the optimist]

As a museum lover have you tried the one in Conde Duque with it's history of Madrid?
PS If you do turn right as you leave, walk towards Plaza Espana and go into the first bar (La Pomorada) - They have Asturian Sidra (well Miguel is Asturian)! Sorry, I'm prejudiced as it's my local barrio and bars since my days living in Madrid. The bar opposite (El Cafe Sin Mombre) is only open in the evenings and has a Galician barman. You can't escape Camino connections.

 

[jostony]

I am going to be in Madrid next week and want to buy a good bottle of wine to bring home for someone as a special thank you. This person has quite the wine palate and I guess you'd call him a wine snob, though I'm not using that term pejoratively. My taste is such that I enjoy a Coto Crianza more than a box of wine, but that's about the extent of it. So I'm out of my league here.

Here's what I'd like help with:

A good bottle of reserva Rioja that is not generally or widely available in the US.
Any ideas on where I would find it.

Thanks to all the alcohol experts out there, Al does your knowledge extend beyond the whiskey category?

Buen camino, Laurie

In UK you can buy at http://www.ultracomida.co.uk/spanish-food-wine/show/muga-seleccin-especial-rioja

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Why rioja and not a Galician wine ? Galician wines are increasingly well regarded in most wine outlets in Madrid, they're in fashion !! Ask for some help and advice if you can. Otherwise look out for an oak matured red from Ribeira Sacra like Guimaro which secure 98 points with Parker a few years ago.

 

[s. brown]

Why rioja and not a Galician wine ? Galician wines are increasingly well regarded in most wine outlets in Madrid, they're in fashion !! Ask for some help and advice if you can. Otherwise look out for an oak matured red from Ribeira Sacra like Guimaro which secure 98 points with Parker a few years ago.

I guess I'm a little late with this post since you've already purchased the wine, but . . . . a few years back there was great PBS special called On the Road with Mark Bittman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Maria Batalli and a Spanish actress whose name I have forgotten. They are driving around Spain eating and drinking. It was a great series. One of the wines that they all loved was Albarino, a white, which I believe comes from Galicia. They drank it and used it in some recipes. You can get some of the recipes on the On the Road website.

 

[Pelegrin]

Well, thanks, everyone. I'm in Madrid and spent the day trying to get my circadian rhythms moved over to Spain time, Lots of walking, a trip to my favorite little art museum, Museo de Sorolla ... but I digress. Thanks so much to pelegrin for the recommendation of Santa Cecelia on Blasgo de Garay. It's a great place and the people were very helpful. I got a 35 euro bottle of some rioja reserva whose name I can't remember and which is sitting wapped up in bubble wrap for the trip home. I also got my husband a bottle of special Spanish brandy, which I've never drunk and about which I know nothing! The staff seemed quite trustworthy and knowledgeable. Buen camino, Laurie

I'm glad you liked the place. I went there several times some years ago when I did a wine tasting course where the students had to buy the bottles.

 

[Pelegrin]

I guess I'm a little late with this post since you've already purchased the wine, but . . . . a few years back there was great PBS special called On the Road with Mark Bittman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Maria Batalli and a Spanish actress whose name I have forgotten. They are driving around Spain eating and drinking. It was a great series. One of the wines that they all loved was Albarino, a white, which I believe comes from Galicia. They drank it and used it in some recipes. You can get some of the recipes on the On the Road website.

Yes, Albariño is a type of grape that is the most popular inside the Galician Origin Denomination (OD): Rias Baixas. This grape is also produced in the north of Portugal. There are excellent Albariños, but also not that good. Usually the price gives the information.

 

[oursonpolaire]

While I am also late for this conversation, I would suggest that you have a look at a mencia, a grape grown in Bierzo, which is like a clean-tasting burgundy. While I very much like the vino negros of Rioja and Catalonia, this is a pleasant alternative from the usual substantial Spanish reds. I was introduced to it by a handful of grapes from some vineyard workers out of Villafranca de Bierzo and the grapes were so good that I thought I would try it out of the bottle.

 

[jostony]

While I am also late for this conversation, I would suggest that you have a look at a mencia, a grape grown in Bierzo, which is like a clean-tasting burgundy. While I very much like the vino negros of Rioja and Catalonia, this is a pleasant alternative from the usual substantial Spanish reds. I was introduced to it by a handful of grapes from some vineyard workers out of Villafranca de Bierzo and the grapes were so good that I thought I would try it out of the bottle.

Agree. As you travel from across Spain you are , frankly, spoiled for choice on choosing a good wine from each region

 

[Deleted member 22638]

Well as this thread continues its wonderful perambulation - I am minded to share my little secret, In Santiago there is a great little Hotel Costa Vella, on Rúa da Porta da Pena, 17, which has a wonderfully secluded leafy courtyard garden and where at the drop of a hat they serve fabulous Galician Wines, they taste wonderful and are reasonably priced .

 

[jostony]

Well as this thread continues its wonderful perambulation - I am minded to share my little secret, In Santiago there is a great little Hotel Costa Vella, on Rúa da Porta da Pena, 17, which has a wonderfully secluded leafy courtyard garden and where at the drop of a hat they serve fabulous Galician Wines, they taste wonderful and are reasonably priced .


View attachment 16960 View attachment 16961

Thanks for sharing

 

[peregrina2000]

Well as this thread continues its wonderful perambulation - I am minded to share my little secret, In Santiago there is a great little Hotel Costa Vella, on Rúa da Porta da Pena, 17, which has a wonderfully secluded leafy courtyard garden and where at the drop of a hat they serve fabulous Galician Wines, they taste wonderful and are reasonably priced .


View attachment 16960 View attachment 16961

Unfortunately, your little secret is secret no more, Kevin. I used to always stay in Costa Vella, but have found that it gets booked way earlier than it used to. The family also owns two other hotels on the same street, and the Altair is kind of a step up -- modern, a bit more upscale, and then there´s the Mauro (¿?) which is industrial chic, I guess you´d say. Not sure why people like seeing exposed concrete walls and pipes overhead, but this place creates that atmosphere perfectly.

I also bought my friend a bottle of wine recommended by some of my friends here in Spain of a local bodega -- by local I mean from the Comunidad de Madrid. It seems there are quite a few up and coming bodegas here, too. Yesterday, I read that Spanish wine exports now top France´s, so all these vineyards we see while walking have done their job for the industry. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

there are quite a few up and coming bodegas

Store fronts appear everywhere along all the caminos where you can wine taste or just drink. The ones I have visited feature just a few local wines. The cost has always been modest. Sharing a bottle of wine with fellow pilgrims is a regular activity in the nearest bar or restaurant, but you can suggest that the group go to the nearest bodega instead.

 

[jbear]

For something good, that you won't see too often in the US, I'd go for Viña Tondonia from R. Lopez de Heredia. I'm a fan of the wineries in Haro- Muga, Ramon Bilbao, Rioja Alta are all winners in my book. However, RLdH's wines that come to the US usually end up in restaurants with ridiculous mark ups. The others are easy to find here, to the point that I've seen Ramon Bilbao and Muga at Costco on occasion.

 

[jostony]

For something good, that you won't see too often in the US, I'd go for Viña Tondonia from R. Lopez de Heredia. I'm a fan of the wineries in Haro- Muga, Ramon Bilbao, Rioja Alta are all winners in my book. However, RLdH's wines that come to the US usually end up in restaurants with ridiculous mark ups. The others are easy to find here, to the point that I've seen Ramon Bilbao and Muga at Costco on occasion.

I totally agree with your wine selections. I love Muga wines. If you want quality wines Marquess de Murrieta produce Castillo Ygay which is great and Marques de Caceres have "Gaudium" which are top notch too. Then there is Toro and Ribera del Duero - where do I stop...!

 

[Walter1407]

Have you already bought the wine?
Many well-known Spanish wines are available in the USA; I e.g. bought a bottle of Riscal in Texas last July. So if you want an unusual wine, you should ask for something like a bottle from a "Coleccion Privada", of which usually only a few thousand are produced. Many traders have such wines "under the counter". We drank a bottle of Sello del Rey (Castilla, Coleccion Privada) yesterday. It contains 14.5% alcohol and costs just under 30 euros. The Sello del Rey contains residual sugar, but less than Amarones do. It's not a world class wine, but it's definitely not average.
Especially in the Rioja region, some wines are "traditionally vinified" whereas others are "modern". If you know which style is preferred, the choice is easier.

... I have only just seen that you already bought the wines ... Wishing you a good journey!