Notes de dégustation

Guide Peñín des vins espagnols

Harold Hamersma – Critique de vin néerlendais

Robert Parker – Critique de vin américain

Jancis Robinson – Critique de vin britannique

Alaviana 2014

Floris Legere, Alaviana 2014 Calatayud
Tasting: 22 Feb 2016
Score: 17
2016 – 2020
Winemaker Ludovic Vano. Old vines: 80% Garnacha, 20% Syrah planted at 800-1,000m. Aged six to eight months in French oak for the Syrah and concrete for the Grenache. No fining or filtration. Bottled November 2015.
Deep cherry red. More fragrant than the 2013 with lifted, fresh cherry and blackberry fruit and just a hint of spice – very inviting. On the palate, extremely fine texture and seems to have greater intensity than the 2013 but without the heat on the heat on the finish. (This bottle is not labelled so I don’t know the alcohol level.) Elegant and fresh with extremely fine tannins. The 2013 may have more power but this wins out in terms of finesse and you could broach it already. (JH)

Alaviana 2013

Floris Legere, Alaviana 2013 Calatayud
Tasting: 22 Feb 2016
Score: 16.5
2017 – 2021
Winemaker Ludovic Vano. Old vines: 80% Garnacha, 20% Syrah planted at 800-1,000m. Aged six to eight months in French oak for the Syrah and concrete for the Grenache. No fining or filtration.
Deep crimson. Subtly fragrant with aromas of both red and black fruits, lightly spiced, and a more stony/rocky quality at the same time. You can smell dry rocks under the sun. Intensely moreish and mouth-watering even with 14.5% alcohol. It has a really clean-cut finesse on the palate and just a little bit of heat on the end. Impressive fruit quality and a long spicy, darker-fruited finish with just a little bit of chewiness from the tannins. Excellent restraint in the use of oak. Long, dry finish. (JH)

Atractylis 2013

Floris Legere, Atractylis 2013 Calatayud
Tasting: 22 Feb 2016
Score: 17
2017 – 2023
Winemaker Ludovic Vano. 100% Syrah grown at 800-1,000 metres. Fermented in open-topped concrete, then 15 months in French oak, with malo in barrel. No fining or filtration.
Deep, dark but bright cherry red. So peppery on the nose it made me smile at first sniff. Wonderfully peppery Syrah, unimpeded by the oak in terms of aroma. Lots of black fruit under that peppery, crunchy first impression. There’s also a rocky quality similar to that on the Alaviana 2013 that makes it more complex. A light floral note too. On the palate, much darker and more meaty/savoury, and the oak a little more evident but not intrusive. Darkly fragrant, serious but not heavy or overextracted. Very well balanced so that the fruit still shines. Tension and freshness and length. If I had to make a comparison, I would say more northern than southern Rhône. (JH)