Some of my favorite wines anywhere have their origin in the south of France, in Spain and in Portugal. And they are ideal for the varied foods we eat during the holidays.
France’s Rhône Valley, for instance. It runs roughly from Vienne in the north to Avignon in the south. The northern Rhône, where the leading appellations are Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, is syrah country.
While Saint-Joseph, a thirty mile long appellation along the western bank of the Rhône River, is considered secondary to them, its best wines can still approximate the substance and power, intense fruit, and firm tannins of those two but at more affordable prices. I really enjoyed the 2015 E. Guigal ($33), from a seventy-year-old firm with a reputation for quality at the top of the wine world. Moderately intense, fresh red berries mingle with herbs and suggestions of its granite soil.
And Crozes-Hermitage similarly is generally a less structured, complex wine but some, like the 2017 Ferraton “La Matinière” ($26) are an exception to the rule. This is syrah for everyday drinking; expressive with plenty of bright, fresh fruit, notes of spice, leather and smoke and smooth texture.
Do you know “The Prisoner”, the popular California red blend created by winemaker Dave Phinney and now owned by the drinks conglomerate Constellation Brands? Well, Mr. Phinney (while still responsible for Orin Swift wines) has moved on to southwestern France, namely the commune of Maury. A region with views of the Pyrenees and just two hours north of Barcelona, Phinney was mesmerized by its steep vineyards of mostly old grenache vines and other Rhône varieties.
For about ten years now, Phinney has been making wine there under the Department 66 name (a reference to its administrative division and also known as the Côtes Catalanes wine region). Made primarily from grenache, the wines he makes here are potent, intense and luscious.
The 2014 “D66” ($38) is dark, deep, voluptuous dark berries, cassis, spice and earthy, stony notes, rich but drinks elegantly. The 2015 “Others” ($25) is made for earlier drinking, with plum, dark berries, earth, spice and floral notes, all going down easy with a supple texture.
Across the Pyrenees, Ribera del Duero produces many of Spain’s most prestigious wines. Tempranillo is the premier red grape, though here it is known as tinto fino or tinta del país. From García Figuero, the 2016 Tinto Figuero 12 ($32) is a Crianza that was aged 24 months before release with twelve months in barrel. It has a nice balance of fruit and oak, fresh cherry and plum, with notes of licorice, smoke and dark chocolate, light tannins and lively acidity support the supple texture.
Located in the northwestern region of Galicia, Valdeorras (valley of gold) has a wine growing history that dates at least to the Romans. Today, it is known for good value white wines from godello and red wines from mencía, such as the 2016 Pagos De Galir ($17). Smoky and leafy notes frame cherry and berry flavors in this fresh, focused red. Showing detail and balance, this is supple and expressive, with a juicy finish.
Neighboring Portugal has long been a premier source of fine (especially red) table wine values. These days, wineries are contending at premium levels, too.
The Symington family, a fifth generation Port producer and one of the most respected names in Portuguese wine, offers several good table wines. Typically they feature high proportions of touriga nacional and touriga franca, two of the major grapes of Port, occasionally with small amounts of others. From the family’s famed Quinta do Vesuvio vineyard, the 2015 Pombal de Vesuvio ($28) is full of ripe black fruits and minerality. The wine is intended for early drinking—rich with tannins but equally full of bright fruits.
Prats + Symington is a twenty-year partnership between Charles Symington and Bruno Prats, the former winemaker and owner of Chateau Cos d’Estournel in Bordeaux. This wine is intended to marry the best of both worlds. With fruit sourced from one of the oldest estates in Portugal, Quinta de Roriz, combined with Bordelaise winemaking, expect a complex, yet approachable wine. The 2017 Post Scriptum de Chryseia ($27) is designed for drinking in the near term. It is structured but expressive of red fruits and savory elements, elegant and finishes with relaxed tannins