Spain

A consistent producer of phenomenal, Riojas of both traditional and modern styles, Bodegas LAN deserves this tribute through its painstaking attention to detail, its active focus on the quality of their prime material and the skillful management of a complex system for oak ageing.

Founded in 1975, Viña Ijalba has 80 hectares of vineyards planted on the poor soil of recovered open cast mines. Because the soils are limey and have little depth, the stressed vines are forced to reduce their yield, which greatly increases the quality of the grapes. The winery is fully organic and focuses on producing fresh, modern and fruity wines which express the full potential of the native grapes of the Rioja region.

Vega Sicilia is unquestionably a unique wine, and one of the great Spanish classics. Its personality not only comes from the supreme quality of the grape and the rigour involved in its manufacture, but also, and above all, from the care for detail that the Álvarez family has succeeded in transmitting to the wines. The peculiar characteristics of Vega Sicilia define it as a very Spanish wine and it is one of those wines that command respect at the very mention of its name. The Vega Sicilia wines possess an old but stately air, like period furniture; wines with great elegance, finesse, complexity and ample capacity for maintaining their characteristics in the bottle for a long time.

This wine estate began activities in 1980, when three brothers, Benjamìn, Manuel and Adolfo Pèrez Pascuas, decided to initiate an ambitious project: to make one of the best wines in Spain and to carve a niche for it in the international marketplace. Viña Pedrosa is a beautifully crafted collection of wines showing the elegance and finesse achieved by this high quality family Bodegas.

Made in the small village of Gumiel de Mercado in the Ribera del Duero in the family's state of the art winery, this is a fabulous and modern style of Spanish wine. Both wines represent great value for money and provide a juicy, black fruit profile with well integrated tannins. The AC Joven has no oak ageing and is bright and juicy, while the Arrocal spends 4 months in oak, giving it extra depth and complexity, with opulent mulberry fruit and a twist of vanilla.

In 2000, two of the most respected names in the wine world, François Lurton & Michel Rolland, together with Michel's wife Dany, decided to combine their international winemaking experience of over 70 years in the vineyards of the world and produce a premium wine in the relatively unknown DO region of Toro in north-west Spain, neighbour to Ribera del Duero. The fruit of their partnership is the rich and smooth Campo Eliseo DO Toro, made from 100% Tinta de Toro, a varient of the classic Spanish variety Tempranillo. Only 1000 cases are produced each year. A second wine, Campo Alegre, a baby brother to Campo Eliseo is produced using the same attention to detail, but which is lighter in style. It is aged for 12 months in new French oak barrels.

Celler del Pont is a project realised by a group of friends who each owned old vines near the village of La Vilella Baixa. The grapes are transformed in to a rich and full-bodied wine in a tiny garage winery, with production never exceeding 5,000 bottles. A blend of Mazuelo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha Negre and Syrah, the resultant wine is aged for 12 months in new French oak barrels and is bottles unfiltered. Impressively rich and long, this deep coloured wine is great with all game dishes such as venison, pheasant and wild boar.

Terra Alta or "High Land" is well named, with vineyards at between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. Cold winters and hot, dry summers combined with strong winds and poor soils provide a wild, extreme wine making environment. It is the largest Denominaciòn de Origen in Catalonia and is a region that is just beginning to realise its massive winemaking potential. Situated close to Priorat, the area boasts similarly ancient vines of Garnacha Blanca and Garnacha Negre, with small pockets of imported varieties such as Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Felix Sanz Winery was born in 1934 and has dedicated all its efforts to create a range of unique and different wines. Their philosophy is based in living through the magic of the wine with intensity and love of the land, as they respect the freedom and expression of each individual wine. The Rueda region is set in the heart of natural surroundings that are very favourable to the production of high quality wine. The region is already specialised in producing internationally renowned white wine and has begun to produce red. Although the vines are relatively young still, they are producing some very lively, elegant, fruity red wines apt for ageing in barrels.

These wines come from the largest wine-making region in the world, La Mancha. With low rainfall, hot days and cool nights, the 30-year plus vines are naturally low-yielding and produce wines of great concentration.

Santiago Ruiz is regarded as "the father of Albariño", having established one of the first wineries in Galicia in 1860. The wine is a blend of native Galician varieties - 75% Albariño, 15% Louerio, 10% Treixadura, 5% White Caiño and Godello. Clear and bright yellow staw in colour, the nose is very aromatic with lemon, apple and peach fruit and balsamic, floral and mineral notes. It is very fresh, harmonious and well balanced with plenty of citrus fruit on the palate and a floral finish. A perfect match for fish, shellfish and cold hors d'oeuvres.

This wine hails from the Catalonian region of Penedes, not far to the south of Barcelona. It combines a trio of grapes typical of the area, namely Xarael-lo, Macabeo and Parellada. This is a "Brut Nature" style of Cava which means it receives zero dosage prior to the second fermentation and is therefore refreshingly dry. A complex nose gives a mix of apple and citrus fruit, with a nutty, waxy character when mature. Its new and modern packaging adds to this wine's appeal.