M

span class="inline inline-left">Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva wine is sealed with a wire cage.It was a Spanish wine resembling a youthful Bordeaux wine in need of decades of cellaring and hours of decanting.

It'€™s earthy, leafy, spicy (black pepper), powerful, dense, concentrated with flavors of blackberry, mulberry, black cherry and Java plum (Syzygium cumini), lively acidity, some burnt sensation and dry tannins.

It gave a round and supple mouthfeel and, with 14 percent alcohol, had a thick, oily consistency forming legs in the glass. Definitely, it has to be drunk with food.

That was Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva 2001, scored 93 by Robert Parker'€™s Wine Advocate and Gold Medal winner of CINVE 2011 (International Wines & Spirits Contest), that I tasted at Decanter Wine House in Kuningan, Jakarta, during a recent tasting event attended by one of the winery'€™s owners, José Luis Muguiro.

The power and concentration of this wine remind me of the massive, firm-structured Chateau Margaux 1983. This is perhaps attributable to the fact that winemaker Paul Pontalier, who joined Chateau Margaux in 1983, helped as consultant with the blending.

Moreover, it was a reserva wine, aged in American oak barrels for 32 months and in bottle for three years prior to release. In spite of this, however, I found it intriguing that a Tempranillo-based wine could mirror a red Bordeaux.

Perhaps, the two varieties used for blending, Graciano and Mazuelo, are responsible for enhancing the Cabernet Sauvingon-like effect that Tempranillo, to a certain extent, has. Mazuelo (a Rioja name for Carignan) brings tannins and acidity while the Graciano contributes spiciness, aromatic nuances and flavors to the blend.

Above all else, however, this famous and old winery in Rioja has, right from its beginning in 1858, been using French winemaking methods and skills to craft wine in Medoc style. Their consultants include Jean Pineau, who introduced the reserva concept back in 1858 and top French oenologist Emile Penaud.

Indonesia is one of the few countries in the world which has a stock of 2001 Gran Reserva. The other countries are Singapore, South Korea, Australia and the US.

Finca Torrea 2007 with the label showing the outlines of the vineyards on google map.The reason, according to Muguiro, is to address the long waiting period wine importers here have to face in order to get government approval. Another factor is apparently the country'€™s lively wine scene. Jakarta and also Bali are not foreign to winemakers. Pontalier'€™s son was in Jakarta the day before yesterday, Muguiro added.

The other reds on offer were, in descending order of quality, Reserva 2006, Finca Torrea 2007, Roble 2008 and Proximo 2009. They are all made from the same base grape variety, Tempranillo, mixed with Graciano and or Mazuelo. They were round, ready to drink wines with varying structure, texture and concentration.

The age of the vine and the aging period plays a crucial role in determining the wine'€™s taste profile. Reserva 2006 and Finca Torrea 2007 were both medium-bodied and aged in American oak barrels for 24 and 18 months respectively.

Made from the grapes of 20-year-old vines, Reserva 2006 impressed with its tobacco and chocolate flavors and spiciness. Torrea exhibited coconut flavors when poured right after the bottle was opened as well as red fruit jam flavors. Proximo and Roble are lighter, fresh and designed for banquetting and a wine-by-the-glass option.

The whites are four Verdelhos and one Sauvignon Blanc coming from Rueda, a white-wine region discovered by Peynaud. All save one are subjected to cold fermentation, a method introduced by a Petaluma winemaker from Australia seven years ago.

Modern wine enthusiasts will be delighted with the bold, bright, simple, straightforward, refreshing, fruity flavors of Rueda 2011 (which showcases striking grapefruit, lime, gooseberry flavors, minerality and good acidity) and Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (which is delicious and exhibits flavors of sweetened, preserved Indramayu mango).

Those with a penchant for oak may love the light, smoky and classy Limousin 2009. Unlike the previous Limousin which spent four months in barrel, this 2009 is oaked for less than three months.

Traditional wine drinkers may consider Finca Montico 2010 which is a more refined, complex version of Rueda 2011. Here, flavors are presented in a quieter, more reflective manner as the grapes, according to José, come from older vines, at least 20 years old, in Rueda'€™s poor, stony terroir of Montico district.

Drink it after drinking the former, and the difference between the great appeal of youth and the gracefulness of inner treasures that comes with advanced age is evident. This epitomizes the brand'€™s juggling act of embracing the bold style of the New World while maintaining the charms of the Old World.

'€” Photos by Arif Suryobuwono