Taking the world one wine at a time.
Below is a really handy guide to how Spanish wines are classified, in terms of the minimum length of time they’ve spent in the barrel/bottle. Since terms such as Crianza and Reserva will frequently appear on bottles of red Rioja, but are infrequently explained, it’s useful to remember their definitions! I have a simple mantra I learnt many years ago in order to memorize the length of time red Rioja’s are aged for. It is…
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Grape 100% Tempranillo Most often found in Spain, particularly in the Rioja wine region, the name Tempranillo is thought to be linked to the Spanish word “temprano” meaning “early”. The grape supposedly ripens weeks earlier than other varietals. Facts So this would be my first Aussie Tempranillo, at least from what I can remember, but then again my memory is pretty horrible. Tempranillo has always been a grape that has fascinated me. It is…
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Warning: This wine may contain fish bladders Wine lovers could be in for a bizarre shopping experience when a controversial federal law comes into effect in summer 2012. Get ready for label warnings declaring that your favorite beverage contains fish, eggs or milk. As part of new Health Canada food and beverage regulations designed to protect allergy sufferers and people with severe food intolerances, alcohol producers will be required to list an array…
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On Tues April 5th 2011, I got the chance to meet with Victoria Ordonez, sister to Spanish wine importer Jorge Ordonez. After an always amazing lunch at Taverna, I got a few minutes to ask her a little more about the Jorge Ordonez import company, and her role within it. So how long has the Jorge Ordonez import company been around? About 23 years now. And how long have you been…
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Grape 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, with the balance being a blend of Mazuelo and Graciano. Tempranillo goes by a bunch of different synonyms, depending on the region of Spain you are in. For example, it’s called “Cencibel” in La Mancha (south of Madrid); “Ull de Llebre” (meaning “eye of the hare”, I’ve no idea why) in Catalonia; “Tinta de País” or “Tinto Fino” in Ribera del Duero; “Tinta de Toro” in Toro; and “Tinto de…
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Ok, so, let’s start from the top…name? Juan, Juan Muga, the same as the wine. Occupation? I’m on the business side. Me and my brother, we are the 3rd generation we manage the whole company as well as the export market, and my 2 cousins manage the technical part of the winery. Zach, my younger cousin is more into winemaking, and my other cousin Jorge is more into vines. Has wine always been your career?…
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