Every wine producing country is facing a series of daunting challenges, global warming and the threat of higher tariffs from one of their best customers, the United States. Wine grapes need a slow but steady ripening process, and the recent elevated temperatures around the world are not only speeding up that process but also impeding it.
When grapes get too hot, the production of sugar increases dramatically resulting in the production of excess sugar and speeding up the ripening process. This may sound fine or even beneficial, but it is most definitely not. For the wine grapes to achieve their individual and distinctive flavor, they require a slow but steady ripening process with no major rapid changes in their growing conditions. Excess heat increases the fruit sugars in the grapes, which translates as a much higher alcohol content in the wine when fermented to dryness. In most cases, the wine grape growers are doing their best by shading the growing vines and, wherever possible, irrigating the vineyard.
Among the most talented and experienced warm weather fine wine grape growers are those of Spain, whose wine grape growing procedures are centuries old. Many of the Spanish grapes come from vineyards located high up on mountains where altitude and cooling breezes of those mountains cools the glowing grapes.
Conde Valdemar 2023 Blanco ($18)
This wine proves that fine wines can be made from a country with a very hot climate. I believe the term “Spanish Beauty” could be applied to the name of this wine because it is most certainly a true child of Spain. The aroma of this wine is not only a pleasant way for it to say, “Drink me,” but it is also its affordable price and complex construction. Made from 75% vura, 20% malvasia and 5% of the rare tempranillo blanco, this wine displays the excellent quality that can be obtained from grapes grown under very warm or even hot conditions. There’s no mistaking the aromas of white pear, stone fruits, fresh cut citrus and an interesting floral element which continue undiminished to a long finish. This wine is also the perfect companion to lighter, summertime meals.
Conde Valdemar 2024 Rose ($18)
Here is a very pink wine that has been made from 80% garnacha and 20% of the Spanish viura grapes, which impart to the wine the inviting aroma of roses which is joined by the aromas of strawberries, raspberries and a suggestion of fresh ground pepper. There is, however, a caveat with this wine. Rose and white wines are all too often served too cold, which results in all of the subtle beauties of a wine being chilled out of existence. Fifteen minutes in the door of the refrigerator prior to serving should result in the perfect temperature to allow the beauty of this wine to present itself. This too is a wine that has been designed to accompany the warm weather foods that we look forward to during the winter.
Vilarnau Brut Reserva ($15)
Another popular wine that comes from Spain is the well-made and affordable Vilarnau Brut Reserva sparkling wine. The grapes for this wine come from the northeastern part of Spain around the city of Barcelona, where breezes from the surrounding mountains and the Mediterranean ocean cool the vineyards. The Vilarnau Brut Reserva has been made in the classic style of fermentation in the bottle from a blend of 50% macabeo, 35% parellada and 15% xarello grapes. This is a sparkling wine that can easily compete with those selling for three or four times its price and presents the aromas and flavors of apple and pear in a citrus background. These aromas do not fade with time but seem to get stronger as the wine sits in the glass.
Wine columnist Bennet Bodenstein can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.