Budget Bubbly Surprises in Spanish Wine Tasting: Richard Vines

If you’ve ever stared at the rows of wine bottles in your local London store and wondered which might offer the greatest pleasure and value for money, help is at hand. Bloomberg invited retailers to nominate their finest reds and whites for less than 15 pounds ($21.80) from six regions -- Spain/Portugal, Italy, Germany/Austria, France, U.S./South America, Australia/New Zealand -- then tested them with restaurateurs and sommeliers in a series of tastings.

Here’s the view on Spanish and Portuguese wines from Sam and Eddie Hart, the part-Spanish brothers who own the eateries Barrafina, Fino and Quo Vadis. They were joined for part of the blind tasting by the entrepreneur and winemaker Rollo Gabb. The high scorers included a budget Cava from Somerfield Plc.

The tasting took place in the private club above Quo Vadis and among the celebrities who dropped in for a drink was Suggs, from the British ska band Madness.

Here are the tasters’ verdicts, with marks out of 10 after their comments. It’s worth noting that the prices of the 14 wines vary and that the cost only loosely correlates to the scores.

WHITES 1. Fortnum & Mason Albarino, Rias Baixas 2007/11.50 pounds:

Sam: “This has a clean nose. It’s very aromatic: peachy and intense, a typical Albarino. If you were to be critical, it’s a little pear-drop, but we’d be lucky to find a better Albarino among these.” Eddie: “It’s a bit green and hollow in the middle, but I want to like that one.” 7.5/10.

2. Sainsbury Taste the Difference Albarino, Rias Baixas 2007/6.49 pounds:

Eddie: “This is slightly fatter. It’s a nice wine, rounder, fuller, more complete. The first one had a brilliant nose but this is fatter on the palate: more exotic fruits than the first, which was peachy. This is like a slightly unripe passion fruit. It’s better, if lacking in elegance.” 8/10.

3. The Co-operative Vina Vedra Albarino 2007/7.99 pounds:

Sam: “This is disappointing. It’s flat and bitter. Not zippy. White wines need zing. It’s lacking acidity and everything else. It’s lucky to get a 3.” Rollo: “Total con.” 3/10.

4. Waitrose Fillaboa Joven Albarino, Rias Baixas 2007/12.49 pounds:

Sam: “We’re still in the same region. It’s going to be the best from the nose. Yes, it’s the best we’ve tasted so far. That’s an excellent wine. Peaches, pears. Nice minerality and fruit.” Eddie: “It’s quite young and it will get better. Delicious. Nice finish.” 9/10.

5. Somerfield Cava (Sant Sadurni d’Anoia) 5.09 pounds:

Eddie: “It’s nice. We hate Cava but this is good. How much is it? That’s terrific value. It’s a nice clean Cava: well made, good fruit with little bubbles.” Sam: “Cava can be bitter and dry but this is creamy in the mouth. If we tasted 100 Cavas for the restaurant, that would be in the top 20 percent.” 8/10.

REDS 6. Tesco Finest Vina Mara Rioja Reserva, Spain 2003/8.98 pounds:

Eddie: “This couldn’t be from anywhere else. American oak, chocolate, vanilla. You have this attractive vanilla, slightly sweet.” Rollo: “They’ve chucked in American chips and the fruits have been killed by the oak.” Sam: “It’s got a slightly tart finish and it’s slightly hollow in the middle. It’s velvety smooth, ripe fruit, soft tannins but the oak is too dominant. Still, it’s a crowd pleaser.” 7/10.

7. Aldi -- Ramon Lopez Murillo Rioja Reserva 2004 Spain/5.99 pounds:

Rollo: “It’s wrong. It’s out of condition. It’s oxidized. We can’t judge this. It’s undrinkable. It is so out of condition.” Sam and Eddie groan when they taste it. Unscored.

8. Sainsbury Olarra Clasico Rioja 2005/5.99 pounds:

Eddie: “It’s got a sour nose, like vinegar or nail varnish.” Rollo: “It’s either out of condition or just disgusting.” 2/10.

9. Waitrose Douro Valley Reserva Quinta de la Rosa 2006 Portugal/ 9.99 pounds:

Sam: “It’s a food wine. It’s pretty good, with a nose like cherry and black licorice or maybe a bit of coffee bean, a slightly oily aroma. It’s like dark chocolate with a sweet filling. Good structure, balanced. It’s tannic, so definitely a food wine.” Eddie: “I feel sad when I taste Portuguese wines because they have good wines and every year everyone expects a surge in interest and it has never happened.” 8/10.

10. Marks & Spencer Rioja Pago Real 2006/11.99 pounds:

Sam: “It has a white peppery, cigar-tobacco spicy nose. It’s a modern-style rioja. This is more sophisticated and better made. It has softness and elegance. Who made it? Telmo Rodriguez? Telmo has been to Fino and we’ve bought loads of his wines.” 8.5/10.

11. Somerfield Almena Real Rioja 2003 (cut to 5.99 pounds from 11.99 pounds March 25-April 21):

Eddie: “It’s slightly alcoholic on the nose. It’s cedar woody. It’s not bad but it’s not as good as the one before. The finish is hollow and watery and there’s not much in the middle. They’ve used American oak. This would fall to pieces with food. This is thin.” 5/10.

12. Waitrose Cune, Cerro de la Mesa 2004 Crianza, Rioja/8.99 pounds:

Sam: “This is knackered. I’m getting oxidized and cooked.” Eddie: “I can’t pick that up in the slightest. I just get lots of new American oak.” They call over the bar manager, who also isn’t keen. Sam: “I wouldn’t drink it.” Eddie: “I quite like it.” Sam 4, Eddie 6 for 5/10.

13. Selfridges Drink Me Douro 2006/11.99 pounds:

Sam: “It’s a bit hot. I don’t like it. Stewed fruit, Ribena. It’s hard to get enthusiastic about drinking it, especially after trying all these other wines. It’s alcoholic and jammy.” Eddie: “It’s good, well made.” 5 and 7 for 6/10.

14. The Co-operative Puerta Colorada Tinto Rioja 2006/7.99 pounds:

Eddie: “It’s pleasant but underwhelming, quite unusual on the palate. A huge whack of pure oak. American.” Sam: “It’s a bit weird.” Eddie: “It’s OK on the nose, not overpowering, but the moment you taste it, the taste has been killed to death by the oak. You get a whoosh.” Sam: “It’s out of kilter. All over the place. Unbalanced. Wait: It’s come together. It’s infusing in the glass. It’s better now.” 7/10.

Part one of a six-part series. Next: Italy.