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There's a new reign in Spain and it's definitely not rain

The Spanish wine armada sailed out of Vancouver last month, but not before entertaining a large portion of Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival ticket holders who seemed genuinely charmed by the length and breadth of the wines they poured all week. It seems the New Spain, the one seemingly promised for decades, has arrived.

It's hard to point to any one factor behind the current fascination with Spanish wine. Maybe it's the lack of conformity that's Spain's charm, or the country's plethora of almost unknown grapes. Then again, there's the diversity of regions, and while Spain has the most vineyards in the world, it doesn't produce the most wine. Naturally, a low-yielding vine that simply won't overproduce has to be an asset.

Perhaps it's the fabulous, modern label designs and their bright colours. Or maybe it's just because Spanish wine tastes so good with food. It could also have something to do with tapas and the fact that we've all embraced the small plate concept, but I'll let you connect the dots.

In the aftermath of an intensive wine festival week and all this excitement over Spain, I want to share some of the Spanish producers and wines that you can find in BC wine shops, both private and government.

Miquel Torres Jr. and his sister, Mireya, have successfully pushed their father to spread the legendary company's  vineyards out from its Vilafranca, Penedès, origins to some of Spain's other well know regions. The result is several terrific new labels, including Celeste (Ribera del Duero) and Salmos (Priorato). The duo pairs effortlessly into the original Torres line-up that features such classics as Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon, Vina Esmeralda and Torres Coronas.

As the weather warms up, be sure to check out the Torres Vina Esmeralda ($13.50), first created in 1961. The Upper Penedès white blend is a delicious mix of 85/15 moscatel/gewürztraminer. Now under screw cap it displays an even brighter level of minerality. Expect a bright, zesty wine with lychee, green apple, lemon lime notes. The styling is delicate yet perfectly suited to calamari or mussels or curried chicken.

Meanwhile, winemaker Anna Espelt is busy building the Espelt name with the best selection of wines she can make from her 200-hectare, 80-year-old property that lies close to the now defunct El Bulli restaurant in the appellation of Empordà in Spain's northeast corner. You can't miss the colourful labels of Espelt, designed by well-known artist, Javier Marisca. The wine to look for is the Espelt Sauló ($12.50), named after the region's decomposed granite, a blend of garnacha and cariñena that over-delivers for the price. Grilled anything is the match.

My current favourite is a wine with the unlikely name of Descendientes De José Palacios Pétalos Del Bierzo ($30), but Pétalos will suffice. Álvaro Palacios, founder of the winery of the same name, embodies the New Spain and while he is better known for his work in the Priorat turning out L'Ermita and Finca Dofi, his Pétalos shines a much-needed light on Bierzo in the northwest of Spain. The 100 percent entry-level red is made with mencia from 40- to 90-year-old vines. Crazy value, you will love its fragrant, mineral soaked, black fruit flavours. It has ridiculous style for the money.

By any measure, winemaker Telmo Rodriguez is a breath of fresh European air. Known for shunning traditional Spanish wine routes, Rodriguez has taken to the Spanish countryside to produce single-vineyard wines from lesser-known sites that technically appear to possess all the attributes required to make fine wine. By making wines outside the rules, he is able to take advantage of all the information available to the modern-day winemaker.

The Telmo Rodriguez Basa ($18) is a white wine from Rueda, where verdejo, once thought to be an unremarkable regional grape, is making waves. Basa, which loosely translates as "foundation," expresses Rodriguez's attempt to uncover the potential of Rueda and the lowly verdejo. Packed with grapefruit, mineral, gooseberry, passion fruit, melon rind and green apple flavours it is now under screw cap for complete reliability. Try it with sushi and you will soon be reaching for it regularly.

Toro, the region, not to be confused with Torres the producer, has really come into its own of late with a big helping hand from a legendary Spanish producer, Vega Sicilia. The Pintia Toro ($74) is made from 100 per cent tempranillo and is now in its fifth release. Expect a big, brawny and muscular red with a palate full of black fruit, chocolate and vanilla. You can drink it now with a steak or roast lamb or, better yet, lay this down for another five years and let it grow in the bottle.

A more recent discovery are the wines of Eternum Viti 2008 ($25) a wine from the emerging Toro region made from 30- to 40-year-old Tinta de Toro vines, 50 percent of which is aged in new French oak barrels. Expect an inky black, red wine with a dollop of vanilla on the nose and bits of earth and black fruits. The palate is smooth with more blackberry/blueberry fruit flavours. This wine needs five years to further mature but a T-bone steak would easily tame its fine-grained tannins if you want to drink it now. Great value.

All that and we didn't even mention cava, the classic Spanish sparkler. In this case may we suggest Pares Baltà Brut B ($20). Two talented young women, Marta Casas and María Elena Jimeneza, make this organic sparkler by blending parellada, macabeo and xarel.lo into a very hip, modern and affordable fizz.

Finally, there are some traditions that should never change and the great wine of Jerez - better known to your grandmother as sherry -is one of them. If I could pick one wine to kick start your Spanish adventure it would be the Lustau East India Solera Sherry ($20). Rich and sweet, its walnut, toffee, chocolate, citrus peel nose grabs your attention instantly, and its big rancio, walnut, orange peel, peppery, chocolate flavours will spellbind anyone you share it with.

That's the New Spain in 1,000 words, but don't take my word for it - taste it.

 

Anthony Gismondi is a West Vancouver-based freelance wine writer who travels the globe in search of terroir-based wine.