It is rare that two great things share the same name. Certainly there are exceptions to the rule. Michael Jackson was the King of Pop; his namesake the King of Beer.

Javier Asensio is not as well-known an example of this phenomenon, but certainly a welcome addition to it. A wonderful producer of Spanish wine from the Navarra region, Javier Asensio apparently also runs one hell of a car dealership (at least if this happy customer is anything to go by).

So if you need four wheels for getting around the Canary Islands, call Javier Asensio. But if you’re craving a scrumptious red for dinner, stop by Vino for a bottle of Javier Asensio Navarra Crianza 2005.

This blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 20% Tempranillo hails from the region that borders Rioja to the Northeast. It is there the Asensio family which had long been making bulk wine for local cooperatives began to revitalize their production methods almost 20 years ago. In 1993, the company suspended its bulk sales and began to concentrate on making estate wines from its 72 hectares of vines. “Our philosophy,” says Javier, “is to make great, but not prize-winning wines. We focus on easy-to-drink wines at reasonable prices.” Nice.

Of course, it’s not always a blessing to share a famous name. In any case, you can celebrate or console yourself with wine and we have just the one for you…

Javier Asensio Navarra Crianza 2005
$15

For more information please contact 212-725-6516 or info@vinosite.com.


It’s happening again. Whenever we feel the change of seasons up here in the North East, it’s always accompanied by a sense of excitement and new beginnings mixed in with a little nostalgia.  If you’re not quite ready to be out with the hot sun and in with the cool breezes, we recommend you pay a visit to Galicia. Bodegas Fefiñanes Rias Baixas Albariño 2009 gives you the best of that summer feeling from a place that for much of the year can seem more like a rainy autumn afternoon in Manchester, England.

Albariño has thrived in the northwest Spanish region of Rias Baixas for centuries and its wonderfully expressive nature is exemplified best by Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes. Named after the 17th Century Palace in the center of the estate (above), the Bodega was the first to bottle under the Rias Baixas D.O. appellation. Wine has been produced here since 1904, and the Albariño label (depicting the Palacio) has remained unchanged since 1928.

Today current owner Juan Gil Careaga (above) ensures the winery’s significant heritage is maintained. Winemaker Cristina Mantilla vinifies this Albariño in stainless steel to retain freshness. The wine reveals beautiful aromatic fruit reminiscent of a leaner Viognier but with a zest and minerality that sets it apart as a perfectly refreshing aperitif and a bullseye match for seafood. It kind of makes you reminisce about the dog days of summer, doesn’t it?

Bodegas Fefiñanes Rias Baixas Albariño 2009
$23

For more information please contact 212-725-6516 or info@vinosite.com.

A name can be deceiving. For example, if you’ve never tasted “sweetbreads” before, it may be helpful to know that they are neither sweet nor bread, and in fact have little at all to do with such sugary confections. Wine can also have a tendency to slightly confuse. Take the improbably-named Bodegas Juan Gil “Wrongo Dongo” Jumilla Monastrell 2008. When Bodegas Juan Gil decided to attach a funny title and quirky label to their wine, they certainly weren’t the first to engage in this type of bottle marketing. They say never judge a book by its cover, but indeed, names and labels have been shown to have a potential influential effect on the bottom line.

But does this make “Wrongo Dongo” the “wrong” choice? Do not be deceived. Their 100% Monastrell (Mourvèdre) from the arid Jumilla region of south eastern Spain is worthy of consideration beyond its label. The Juan Gil winery has been in the family for four generations, specializing in what is one of Spain’s more exotic native grapes. Situated 700 meters above sea level, the fruit grows at high daytime temperatures and cools down by as much as 77°F at night, promoting the heavy ripening needed while slowing down its natural vigor. The wine, jumping with ripe blackberry fruit and aromatic herbs is remarkably balanced despite its raised alcohol level (15%).

And at $11 a bottle, we at Vino find it particularly appealing, no matter what is written on the label. For a wine with a silly name, “Wrong Dongo” exhibits all the right stuff.

Bodegas Juan Gil “Wrongo Dongo” Jumilla Monastrell 2008
$11

For more information and please call 212-725-6516 or email info@vinosite.com.

Have you ever met somebody who you swear one day would hit the big time?  Think you’d see them appear on that super star discovery show? No, not Idol or “This Place” Got Talent… the real super star discovery show. That’s how we felt when I was first introduced to Bobal, the hidden gem from Spain’s south-eastern Valencia region.

Known mostly as a native workhorse that produces loads of juice concentrate and fills up blends for a color boost, this third most planted Spanish variety is finally beginning to forge an identity as a grape worthy of savoring. Documents show that The Utiel-Requena appellation has hosted Bobal since the 15th Century. By adapting to the extremes of the local climate this vigorous grape has made itself uniquely at home here. It is bold and rich in character, but unlike other important Spanish varietals like Monastrell, it retains acidity and is not exceptionally high in alcohol.  For careful winemakers who employ the fruit of older vines, they are discovering its great potential to produce powerful wines of complexity and longevity.

Vera de Estenas is one such producer. Founded by the Martinez family in the 1940s, they hand harvest their Bobal from low yield vines up to 100 years of age. Current third generation winemaker Felix Martinez Roda matures the wine in tank and French barriques, allowing its intensity to broaden, giving us deep complex fruit with balanced structure. It’s the kind of profile that makes one wonder “Where have you been?” Although they already know where it has been, more and more producers from the region are determined to be a part of where it is going. From where we’re standing, that looks like the Stars, baby!

Vera de Estenas Bobal 2008 $13

Photos courtesy of Vera de Estenas.

For more information please call 212-725-6516 or email info@vinosite.com.