To all Best Winers,
This stuff never gets old.
If memory serves, this is the 14th vintage of this remarkable value form Spain’s sunny southwest to grace our shores.
The first vintage I sold, the 1999 Solanera, caused quite the uproar at the time. Where was Yecla? What was Monastrell? Who are these guys? We had to allocate that wine on release because of the following tasting note from Bob Parker:
“This spectacular, opaque black/purple-colored, seamless, fabulously concentrated offering is deep and chewy, with glorious quantities of earthy black cherry/blackberry fruit, full body, velvety, sweet tannin, and a mouthcoating, long, concentrated finish with no hard edges. The oak has been totally absorbed by the wine's wealth of fruit. It is an astonishing value.”
Since that time this wine has been the pinnacle of value in Spanish wine, even among it’s’ remarkably underpriced counterparts.
Every vintage of Solanera has scored ‘90’ or above since its inception. That’s a remarkable feat for a wine that sells for under $15.
But hey, what has Solanera done for you lately?
Hmmm….seems like all they did in 2012 was make their Best Wine yet. Tough to think that they could improve upon their already-great track record, but they essentially shattered their own exceedingly high expectations with the rambunctious, luscious, 2012 Solanera Viña Viejas.
We’re thinking it might be that the younger vine material used in this wine, namely a 15% dollop of beefy Cabernet Sauvignon, is gaining another level of complexity as the vines have gained a decade of age.
Or maybe these guys have just gotten better at what they do.
Regardless, this wine is a sick value of the most delicious kind. I’m drinking it now. It is one sexy beast.
Parker writes, “Even more remarkable is the 2012 Solanera Vinas Viejas, a blend of 70% Mourvedre, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Grenache aged 10 months in a combination of French and American oak. A custom cuvee that is only available through importer Eric Solomon, this amazing red wine displays notes of lead pencil shavings, acacia flowers, black raspberries, blueberries and black currants. This full-bodied, intense 2012 tastes like it should cost three to five times as much. Full-bodied, stunningly pure and textured, it should last for 4-5 years, possibly longer.”
94 points. For a wine that costs $13. You kidding me?
And the value keeps coming. Castaño’s 2010 Monastrell is also back in stock and provides a potentially sillier value scenario. We call it ‘baby Solanera’ around here but that does not imply the wine is any shorter on impact. Check out our video with the man Daniel Castaño himself as he explains what makes his wines so unique:
We’re talking 35+ year-old Monastrell vines, a 90 point score from the stingy International Wine Cellar, and a price tag of…$8.
How many $8 wines do you know of that are, “Pliant and expansive, offering deep dark fruit flavors and showing a creamy texture. Sweet and penetrating on a youthfully tannic finish with distinct licorice and cherry notes.”?
Spain once again solidifies its bulletproof reputation as home of the world’s greatest wine values, hands down, no “if’s”, “and’s” or “but’s”.
Kyle Meyer and Tristen Beamon, Proprietors, BestWinesOnline.com
|
