For nearly two decades, the José Pastor Selections back label has been synonymous with authentic Iberian wines. Our longevity has always been based on taking risks (the good kind). We entered the scene at a moment in wine history when regional and tradicionally made Iberian wines were disappearing and being replaced by an international style stripped of terroir. It was a time when chemicals in the vineyard and manipulation in the winery were the most celebrated and profitable. Long before it was fashionable, we championed the work of traditionally minded growers who believed in a minimalist approach in the vines and in the cellar. In 2017, a small and growing family of Latin American winegrowers joined the portfolio.
Natural Spanish Wine Tasting
W/ Jose Pastor Selections
Thursday, April 28th 4-6pm
*Our original wine bar location- 103 Northside Square*
$35 Per Person (Includes Personal Charcuterie Pairing)
Or
$20 Per Person (Wine Tasting Only)
Reservations Requested. Call 256-964-7980
Presented by special guest, Beth Farris of Grassroots Imports
Taste Exciting New Wines From The Most Innovative Producers In Spain, Canary Islands, and Mexico !
Envinate's Palo Blanco vineyard in the Canary Islands with the Atlantic behind.
The Line-Up
2020 AT Roca Classic Penedès Rosat Reserva, Penedes, Spain $25.99
There is a revolution happening in Penedès and AT Roca is at the vanguard. After decades under the control of the sprawling and dominating Cava DO, a handful of producers have defected. It started with a single winery, but slowly more and more quality sparkling wine producers are disassociating themselves from this DO that has nothing to do with a sense of place. Catalans have never been afraid of separating from the masses, and in the heart of Catalunya, AT Roca is no different.
This vintage dated, sparkling rosé is made from equal parts Macabeu and Garnatxa. The Garnatxa is gently macerated with its skins for 9-12 hours, giving the wine a very pale pink hue. The Macabeu for this wine comes from the Massís del Garraf subzone, grown in calcareous gravel soils at 320-420m elevation, whereas the Garnatxa comes from a lower area in Conca de l’Anoia where the soil is more clay-calcareous. Primary fermentation is in stainless steel using natural yeasts, and then aged sur lie for a minimum of 20 months and bottled with zero dosage. Disgorgement date listed on the back label.
2020 Vimbio "ACL" (Albarino, Caino Branco, Loureiro), Rías Baixas, Spain $21.99
ACL comes from three parcels on clay soils, primarily Albariño with the rare and nearly extinct Caiño Branco added for acidity, and a bit of Loureiro for fruit and spice. Grapes were hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed immediately before undergoing fermentation and lees-aging in stainless steel tanks, stirred regularly only for the first three months. The finished wine was bottled without fining, and with a light filtration and minimal added SO2.
2020 Alfraedo Maestro "Amanda" Rosado, Ribeira Sacra, Spain $27.99
“Wine made with only grapes, well-kept vineyards, and healthy land.” This is the mantra of Castellano winegrower Alfredo Maestro, a bright light amongst an abyss of industrially farmed, over-ripe, over-oaked, and over-manipulated wine-scape that is the Ribera del Duero these days. He makes some of the most singular white and rosado wines in the region and his tintos are remarkable for their purity and elegance.
Amanda is made from 30-90 year-old Garnacha Tintorera vines grown on clay-calcareous & alluvial soils at 700-1000 meters elevation in the Olmos de Duero valley of Ribera del Duero. Fermented in steel vat with wild yeasts and around 20 hours of skin contact, and raised in tank with the winter temperatures naturally clarifying the finished wine, which is bottled with nothing added and nothing taken away.
2020 Envinate "Benje" Tinto, Tenerife, Canary Islands $28.99
Envínate (translates as "wine yourself") is the brainchild of 4 friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez. This gang of 4 formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernandez in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a winemaking consultancy, which evolved into Envínate, a project that focuses on exploring distinctive parcels mainly in the Atlantic-inflected regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands.
Benje Tinto is sourced from 1,000 meters elevation, old-vine, pie franco parcels of Listan Prieto (Mission) with a bit of Tintilla, named “Masca,” “La Zanja,” “Valle de Arriba,” and “Llano Redondo”, all of them located in Santiago del Teide. Each parcel is hand-harvested and vinified separately, some in concrete and some in small open tubs. Maceration is 10-30 days (depending on parcel) with daily punch-down; malolactic fermentation is in neutral French barriques, then raised 8 months in the same barrels without battonage. Bottling is without fining or filtration.
2020 Stratum Wines "Matas Altas", Jumilla, Spain $21.99
95% Monastrell, with small amounts of Moravia Agria, Blanquilla, Forcallat, Bobal and Rojal from the La Muela vineyard of 70-year-old own-rooted vines at 900m above sea level. The soils are calcareous: mostly limestone, with a sandy texture. The grapes were mostly destemmed, leaving 20% whole, and fermented in wooden vats on their skins for 60 days in an infusion style with infrequent pump overs. After 60 days, the grapes were pressed and transferred to a large neutral French oak barrel to complete malolactic fermentation and rest without racking for 13 months. Bottled without fining or filtering.
2020 La Casa Vieja "Mision", Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico $31.99
Humberto Toscano was born and raised in the small town of San Antonio de las Miñas in an adobe ranch that dates back to the 1800s. After spending some time in the United States, Humberto decided to return to the ranch and the centenarian vines planted on the estate wishing for a calmer lifestyle. He spent time recuperating the family’s three hectares of vines that have never once seen chemicals. Humberto now makes four wines all from estate fruit where winemaking is direct and minimal. Macerations are long in the old-school style and aging takes place mostly in old barrels and tinajas.
Everything is done by hand, including the labeling, and SO2 is never added at any point in the process. The vineyards are planted with ungrafted Misión and Palomino (may vines are likely older then 120 years), and he recently planted some new vines of Misión and Garnacha.
Misión is 100% Misión, destemmed by hand with a zaranda. Sees a long (3-4 week) maceration in barrel before aging in the seame vessels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered and without added SO2.
2018 Guimaro "Feixa Meixeman", Ribeira Sacra, Spain $47.99
Cultivated since Roman times, Ribeira Sacra’s steep terraced vineyards are some of the most picturesque and treacherous to work in the world of wine - think Douro, Cote Rotie, or Mosel. Like those most dramatic terruños, winegrowing here is not for the faint of heart; it takes spirited determination, unwieldy optimism, a sense of tradition, and a willingness to collaborate. All of these qualities are embodied by the young Pedro Rodríguez of Guímaro, our colleteiro in Ribeira Sacra.
From a single 1.2 ha plot -facing south-east- of 70 year old Mencía vines planted on schist at 400-450 meters. This is the original family-owned vineyard that helped the Rodriguez’s create their adega. The cuvee gets a unique vinification with foot-treading, partial whole cluster fermentation in open top cono, long maceration on the skins and raspónes, and aging for 12-14 months in old 225 liter French oak. With a core of kirsch-like red fruit, spices, and minerals, this is a serious wine to pair with wild game, offal, braises, stews, roasted or grilled meats.