Camino's red classics

The Camino de Santiago passes through two premium red-wine areas, Navarra and Rioja, but there are others also deserving of a wine-lover’s attention

CONTINUING OUR trip along the Camino de Santiago from last week, here we take a look at red wines. Some names will be more familiar, as the route goes through Navarra and Rioja, two of the premium red-wine regions of Spain. However, it also crosses a vast plateau of gently rolling hills, hot in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter.

Burgos is the historic capital of the kingdom of Castile, or Castilla. Although it lies beside Rioja, the wines are very different, and are more powerful, with richer, heartier fruit. In the past this was one of Spain’s great vineyards, but it slipped from view more than 150 years ago.

However, there has been huge excitement over the past few decades, with the emergence of two of Spain’s new superstar red regions, Ribera del Duero and Toro, as well as Cigales and the white wine region of Rueda. But almost every part of this large region is capable of producing full-throttle red wines, many under the general title of Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Léon. Over the past decade, there has been huge investment and quality has shot up.

Moving westwards the climate is cooler and wetter, and the wines become lighter. Bierzo on the border with Galicia produces some savoury red wines from the Mencía grape. The best manage to bring their grapes to full ripeness.

Over the border, along with the white- wine-producing areas of Valdeorras, Monterrei and Rías Baixas, are Ribeiro and Ribeira Sacra. Ribeira Sacra, or sacred hillside, is one of the most stunningly beautiful parts of Spain, consisting of steep green valleys cloaked in forests and, occasionally, vines. The reds are mainly Mencía. Some are still a little green and light, but the potential is certainly there, as proven by the Lalama below.

WINES OF THE WEEK

Ribeira Sacra Lalama 2006, 12.5%, €23.99Made primarily from the Mencía grape and streets ahead of anything I have tasted from this region. A wonderful mature light wine, the sweet, dark fruit is brilliantly counterbalanced by a savoury touch. It has very good length, lovely acidity and is a joy to drink. Those of you who like red Burgundy should seek this out. Stockists Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; The Wicklow Wine Co; The Wine Room at No1 Pery Square, Limerick; thestoreroom.ie.

Rioja Reserva Bodegas Muga 2005, 13.5%, €18.95The economic downturn is not without its advantages; for years the Irish importer of Bodegas Muga has had to fight to maintain any sort of allocation for the wines. Thanks to a falling demand in Spain, he reports that this year he has a larger quantity available. These are some of the very best Rioja, mostly made in a very traditional manner. The reserva has a complex, elegant nose of blackcurrant and mint, with a fairly full-bodied palate that is impeccably balanced, with cassis and forest fruits, all bound up in lightly tannic structure. Beautiful wine. Stockists Donnybrook Fair; O'Briens; Redmonds, Ranelagh; Higgins Off-licence, Clonskeagh; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Sheils, Dorset Street; McHughs, Artane and Kilbarrack; Lilac Wines; The Mill Wine Cellar, Maynooth; Comans, Rathgar; Londis, Malahide; O'Neills, SCR.

Rioja La Vendimia 2008 Palacios Remondo, 14%, €12.99Alvaro Palacios makes some of the best modern-style Rioja from his base in the warmer Rioja Baja. It has very attractive, ripe, sweet, slightly jammy fruits, but with good acidity; this is a supple, very fruity, easy wine at a very keen price. The same producer's Rioja La Montesa is also worth buying for its lush, soft, rich fruits. Stockists Redmonds, Ranelagh; Ardkeen Stores, Waterford city; West Cork Gourmet Store, Ballydehob, Co Cork; Next Door, Thomastown, Co Kilkenny; Brian Barry Off-licence, Midleton, Co Cork.

Garmendia 2004, VT de Castilla y Léon, 14%, €15.60Made from the three classic Rioja varieties, Tempranillo, Graciano and Garnacha, this has a little more power than most Rioja, but it works very well. A sweet maturing, quite elegant nose, with very smooth, slightly minty cherry fruits, and a nicely rounded finish. It is a very attractive wine to serve with roast lamb or beef and is made from organic grapes. Stockists The Organic Supermarket, Blackrock, Co Dublin; Manning's Emporium, Ballylickey, Bantry; Connemara Hamper, Clifden, Co Galway; marypawlewines.com

TWO UNDER €12

Rioja Cosecha Sierra Cantabria Cosecha 2007, 13.5%, €11.45 An elegant wine with good, pure, piquant cherry fruits, and an easy supple finish. Very good everyday Rioja, to drink with lamb cutlets. Stockists O'Briens

El Chucaro NV Vino de Mesa Spain, 12%, €4I suspect that many Tesco customers will have tried this wine out already. I am not sure how they do it, but Tesco have managed to find one or two drinkable wines at an amazing €4. This has a nice sweetish jammy nose; it is a little rough on the finish and there is not a huge amount of flavour but there are some nice very Spanish, sweet, rounded cherry fruits and some tannins on the finish. Not really a party wine, but great for a barbecue or for everyday drinking if the budget is currently stretched. Stockists Tesco

BEER OF THE WEEK

Hop Hazard IPA, River Horse Brewery, New York, 6.5%, €3.29 for a 12fl oz bottle

Intensely hoppy and dry, with lots of crisp acidity. This is very tasty beer with real character and it went very well with an onion and olive pizza.