Pontecilla 2006 Tempranillo

Pontecilla 2006 Tempranillo
Calatayud, Spain

This week was a homecoming of sorts during our selection process for today’s wine. Traversing a mountain of wine, seeking the ideal offering, I was joined by some old friends and new colleagues. Together, we sampled some of the top wine values from around the world with generous amounts of feedback for each of them.

Among the collection of wine we sampled, members of our group continued to come back to reevaluate one tremendous little bottling from Spain. A consensus was reached, and among the many adjectives used to describe the Pontecilla, “amazing” was the most common.

Our pick for today is Pontecilla 2006 Tempranillo from the D.O. Calatayud in Spain. It is made from 100% Tempranillo; most vines are at least 40 years old with many over 50. On the nose, we found the complexities that Tempranillo shows combining subtle notes of cherry, plumb and leather. This steller red has a refreshingly bright character and its moderate tannins and long finish complete it.

In addition to its incredible purity and luscious flavor profile, we are also very pleased that it happens to come from one of our favorite and most well-respected importers in the United States, Fran Kysela. Over the course of the last 9 years, we’ve been huge supporters of Fran’s wine and are always eager to sample his latest and greatest. For those of you who don’t know, Fran is responsible for bringing us wines including; Thorn Clarke’s Shotfire Ridge, Tres Ojos, Domaine de la Mordoree, Grand Veneur, and Step Road, to mention a few.

Pontecilla is loosely translated as “little bridge”. We see this wine as a bridge between “new world” and “old world” styles. As we all endure these seasonal days of Wisconsin, look to this wine as a great choice for your fireside evenings, while also being readily available to fill up your glass for the first 65 degree grilling days.

Calatayud lies in the northeast of Spain, more specifically in the Aragon province (the second largest quality wine producing region in Spain) and it became a D.O. in 1990. Though 1990 seems to signify infancy, the cultivation of vineyards here actually dates back to more than 2000 years. In some areas these vineyards can look more like high desert, wind-struck wastelands, which house vines resembling rugged shrubs with lush, deep green foliage atop. The soils of these vineyards can be extremely rocky and loose – rich in limestone, marl, and slate, thus providing plenty of opportunity to make great wine.

As with a most of Fran’s selections, this could easily warrant a 90 point rating. Maybe we’re all lucky it has yet to be reviewed. Wines of this nature, with beautiful quality and great price have a tendency to disappear quickly, so jump on it if you can find it.