2 small local importers are bringing Spain's best wine to Seattle

Two Seattle-based importers — Classical Wines and Small Vineyards — are helping bring some of Spain's best regional wines to our tables.

WE ARE FORTUNATE to have a number of small, focused wine importers based in the Seattle area. People such as Terry Theise, Robert Kacher, Joe Dressner and Kermit Lynch have made national reputations by discovering regional European wines of distinction. Yet those who do equally fine work here often labor rather anonymously. Two you should know:

CLASSICAL WINES (www.classicalwines.com) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, a milestone that any importer of somewhat obscure and often challenging wines would be happy to reach. And when I say obscure and challenging, I mean to compliment husband-and-wife owners Steve Metzler and Almudena de Llaguno.

As an underfunded, mid-1980s startup, their decision to focus on the wines of Spain was risky. The modern era of winemaking had barely begun in Spain a quarter century ago. In fact, with the exception of Rioja and a few generics, the country's table wines were virtually unknown.

Even today, the profusion of labels, producers and obscure grape varieties makes it difficult for consumers to get a handle on Spanish wines. Knowing a good importer is the surest way to find the best wines you've never heard of.

Over lunch, Metzler explained what he calls their "back-to-the-roots sourcing" — a commitment to finding authentic regional wines from grower estates. What ties these wines together is a stylistic thread that puts the flavors of indigenous grapes and rocky soils front and center.

Classical Wines does not sell directly to consumers; rather, Noble Wines Ltd. distributes to retail and on-premise accounts. Among the current offerings are many standouts, including:

Viña Reboreda 2007/2008 ($12): a dry, floral, flavorful white; just 11 percent alcohol.

Carchelo Monastrell 2007 ($11): Spanish mourvèdre, dark, leathery, plummy, tannic.

Loriñon Rioja 2004 ($15): floral and earthy, with sweet berry fruit and a freshness often missing in Rioja.

Guelbenzu Azul 2005 ($16): a tempranillo/cabernet/merlot blend; dusty, tarry, finished with cedary tannins.

SMALL VINEYARDS, the other locally based importer, is new to Spain but not to the concept of bringing in hand-harvested, organically grown, family-owned wines. Owner Josh Hansen has built the business on an exceptional lineup of Italian specialties (also represented by Noble). This spring, he has rolled out a sister portfolio (self-distributed) of Iberian wines.

Small Vineyards (www.svimports.com) wines all carry a gold oval sticker with the importer's name, making them easy to spot on retail shelves. "Our name is a story," Hansen explains. "Small means specialness and also quantity — as in small-production estates — and therefore quality."

Searching for "elegant, European rather than international-style wines — classic, but not too rustic" he has pulled together a lovely group of well-priced wines. Recommended:

Martina Prieto Pariente Verdejo 2007 ($15): a ringer for a flinty Pouilly-Fumé; intensely grassy, pure and penetrating.

Finca El Tesso 2007 Tempranillo ($10): scents of violets, raw meat, sea salt and mineral; a perfect match for Serrano ham.

Clua Domenech Terra de Pedres 2005/2007 ($11): mix of garnacha, syrah, cabernet and merlot, flavors of berry over rock, silky tannins and a lick of vanilla.

Parmi L'Infant de Porrera 2006 ($30): a fine Priorat, comparable to wines costing far more; a profusion of pomegranate, blood orange, rock, acid and graphite flavors.

Note that vintages are changing and some may have flipped before this column reaches print. Any wine from Classical Wines or Small Vineyards will offer exceptional flavor.