Day 2

Went to the panel tasting called Iberian Criterion today. It has 10 table wines from Spain and Portugal, Presented by the makers from cia. Telmo Rodriguez, Quinta Vale Dona Maria, Torres, Cordonius, Symington and Quinta de Crasto. Rodriguez and Cristiano van Zeller from V.D. Maria are my two favourite wine makers for the last few years. The wines are across the board excellent with unique characters, soft tannin, lfull but restrain fruit, interesting mineral, bright clean acidity and long but clean 'tails' (to borrow from sake tasting terms). What is most remarkable is the finesse and elegance of these complex wines--great class and ready for food and enjoyment, they are exceptional but not full of themselves. I bought these three today (the Brolio is one I miss buying yesterday). The V.D.M. is more lean and structured than the 2002, more like the 1997. The CV is Cristiano's new project and it is massive but still very elegant and food ready, I like it so much that I bought one bottle even though it costs $106, he made only a few hundred cases after all... The sad thing of the day is that Telmo's wonderful M2 is sold out...