Bert
09/01/2025 (Mon) 15:57
[Preview]
No.40221
del
Well we have completed the first week of a MIDDLING Grand Tour and that means it is time to catch up on our SENSATIONAL series of /WORLD TOUR WINE/ !!
I have been out of the /wtw/ office for the last week so a few bottles today to catch up. Rest assured, these bottles were actually drank the day of the appropriate stage, so hold your complaints to the board of directors.
Stage 5 of the Vuelta FINALLY involves some Spanish soil, but we have a bit of a cheeky wine here to celebrate the prolonged Grand Depart. The ITT is around the city of Figueres, the capital of Alt Emporda, and we have a wine from Alt Emporda to enjoy.
RIM Vins de Jordi Esteve "Contraban" 2021 ($36)
So this is a blend of Grenacha and Muscat d'Alexandria made it petillant naturel-style (please refer to former editions of wtw) with very natural vinification - unfined, unfiltered, unsulfured. Almost of the fruit is grown in Emporda proper, but there is a little bit of fruit from a friend's vineyard in Roussillon, hence the name 'Contraban' (it was previously illegal to trade across border during reign of Franco).
Pours a light red/ruby with some cloudiness and effervescence. The nose is initially super wild and barnyard but blew off pretty quickly. Nose has ripe red fruit of rhubarb and strawberry with some funky herbaceousness, super interesting. Palate is light and sparkly with lightly drying tannins around the crunchy fruit core.
There's some rough edges here with the brett and funk, but it is pleasant. Perfect for sitting around a fire in the late summer, went well with BBQ chicken. I apologize for the out-of-focus picture, I believe I was quite drunk by this point.