Navigating Spain’s Contemporary Wine Scene

Anyone interested in what is happening in the world of wine should be looking toward Spain. From a viticultural perspective, it is one of the most fascinating wine-producing countries in Europe, if not the world.
Ask me which wines I have had the most fun tasting this year and, unquestionably, the answer is those offbeat grape varieties, grown by small, often young, artisanal wine producers in the northwest of the country. Varieties such as Albillo, Graciano and Mencia may not mean as much as Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon, but they are helping producers in spearheading a movement that puts a greater emphasis of indigenous regional styles, reintroduces traditional grape varieties and uses oak sensitively.
For the consumer, the country isn’t as easy to comprehend as, say, Australia or Chile, as there isn’t the consistency in winemaking styles. In many ways, it is probably easiest to navigate your way through contemporary Spanish wine by imagining three different strands. Firstly, there is the traditional style, where it still exists, which favors long maturation in American oak that can produce brick-red wines with a creamy, vanilla character. Secondly, there is a new international form of winemaking that embraces technology but favors heavily extracted, deep-colored, glamorous and opulent wines, which are often high in alcohol and dominated by plenty of fruit characteristics. And lastly, there is a new wave of young winemakers who are rediscovering the quality of ancient vineyard sites, using new technology judiciously and focusing on indigenous grapes. It is the latter that I find the most appealing.
“Add all these components together and the result is a wine-producing country with so much variety and style,” says Pierre Mansour, Spanish wine buyer for the Wine Society cooperative. “We try to taste all the wines we are selling together and to get a sense of the world as a whole. In those tastings, Spain, along with Chile and southern France, emerges as one of the most exciting areas to buy wine.”
Of course, to refer to Spain in winemaking terms is to hopelessly generalize. This is a country that has been making wine for more than 3,000 years. Today, it has more land under vine than any other country and is a myriad of elevations, climates, regions and styles. Spain is searingly hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Some of its vines back onto the Atlantic, others touch the Mediterranean, while other more-distinguished pockets are land-locked.
Temperatures have increased to such an extent that in certain regions, for example Catalonia, winemakers such as Miguel Torres have been forced to plant vines on higher ground in light of future temperature increases. This is where plantings of heat-tolerant grape varieties, such as Graciano, come in. High in acidity, with a tart, green character, the grape variety produces red wines with plenty of character and freshness.
Another varietal, Mencia, is being planted widely in the northwest of Spain. Wines from this grape sit in the glass with a pronounced maroon color and offer an inviting herbal character on the nose, before giving way to a tart, cherry fruit flavor on the palate. Often heralded as one of Spain’s most interesting new grape varieties, Mencia stylistically is not unlike France’s Cabernet Franc, a grape variety that goes into some of Bordeaux’s finest blends.
It isn’t just the red wines that are worth hunting out; some of the white wines coming out of Spain are fascinating. Albarino has established itself as a wonderfully aromatic white wine that has an attractive, broad, sometimes buttery feel, in the mouth, with a racing acidity on the finish. Then there’s Godello, another hugely aromatic variety, with inviting notes of peach and pineapple; it adds texture to the blend and isn’t as acidic as Albarino. And the Albillo, an early ripening variety, has a pleasant aromatic nose, with a delicious, weighty mouthfeel. At their best, these wines are thrilling.
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Tourists and residents of Manila travel out of town to the north on a short getaway look for the best place in Clark to buy some fine vintage wine to bring home after their holidays and vacations. Many find a top rated wine shop called Clark Wine Center to be an exciting place to do some shopping in Clark Pampanga. This famous wine shop is highly recommended for visitors going to Clark Pampanga to drink good wine, relax and unwind with friends and families. This frequently visited wine shop is known by tourist and visitors to Pampanga, Angeles city, Subic and Clark Philippines as a cool place to hang out in Clark. Many attend the regular wine tasting held either outdoor on the roof deck or in indoor on the second floor above the wine shop. The place has good atmosphere for a private wine tasting party or a small night out gatherings for business or social event.

Tourists and visitors staying in Angeles City, Tarlac, Baguio, Subic and Pampanga sometimes wonder what are the things to do in Clark Philippines and Pampanga? Frequent visitors to Pampanga discover that it is fun to do a little wine shopping at the famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga.

Leading Philippines Wine Supplier Yats Wine Cellars based in Clark Philippines with outlets in Angeles City, Subic Freeport and Manila Philippines has been not only a wine shop for fine wines covering all major wine regions but also a source of reliable and useful information about wine, wine appreciation, wine accessories, wine and health, food and wine pairing and all other matters relating to wine and its appreciation. This Philippines Clark Freeport based Wine Supplier and Wine Shop frequently holds public wine tasting events in Pampana Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Subic Bay area, Makati, Fort Bonifacio and other areas in Philippines capital city Manila. Private Wine events such as private wine tasting and private wine dinners are also designed and organized for private clientele for their wine loving guests.

Wine Catering is a unique product of Yats Wine Cellars, created back in 2005 in response to a growing demand for private wine parties in Manila, Cebu, Subic, Angeles Clark Philippines.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild is the most revered wine in China and many other parts of Asia. The best wine shop in Asia to buy older vintages of Chateau Lafite is Yats Wine Cellars located in Clark Philippines. Aside from Lafite, visitors can buy other fine wines at this wine shop in Clark Pampanga such as Latour, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Margaux. Excellent Burgundy wines like Chambertin, Vougeot, Musigny, Bonnes Mares, Pommard, Meursault, Chambertin, Vosne Romanee, Romanee Conti, La Tache and Romanee St. Vivant can be found here.

Yats Wine Cellars can be reached at their Clark Wine Center Philippines wine shop located on the main highway M A Roxas of Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone or their sales office in Ortigas Centre, Metro Manila. Here is the contact information:

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com