The Wine in Spain falls far from Plain

More and more I read articles that corral a certain cluster of affordable 'every day' wines, a treasure trove of dedications and salutations to vineyards both old and new that are trudging forward in times of economic strife to keep our tables and bellies full of quality wine. You know what I'm finding less and less of on sed lists? California Tradition. Call it oenological evolution, or perhaps some divine nod to the forgotten areas outside of dogmatic comfort zones; the truth is, the value balance has shifted to non-domestic markets.
One of my favorite varietals, Mencia, is a beautiful pairing for gamey meats and heavy starches. Originally thought to be a 'grand-pappy' to Cabernet Franc(see, there is another Cab), this slightly above mid-bodied red is both elegant and substantial in it's fruit-driven nature. Musty, but not overly dusted, it's raw trail berry flavor coats the pallette in the vein of chocolate covered cherries or the prized corners of your mother's homemade blueberry pie pieces. It's fragrance muscles up to the task, hinting at just whispers of refined earth, but really pushing that dried fig and tobacco clippings we all want from our 'Bay Side Beauties', but find ourselves scraping our wallets to purchase.
I have never met the man, but Eric Solomon(a fellow 'Charlottean' as well) has brought droves of chic and gorgeous wines from 'other' parts of the old world. Specializing in French and Spanish Wines, he began his 'European Cellars' from his living room in New York with the help of just two obscure(and now famous) wines; 'Domaine de Marcoux' and 'Domaine de La Janasse'. A wunderkind of the wine world, Solomon started young and as it stands he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. His pallette is superb, and his ability to take risks on otherwise unheard of vineyards helps us all appreciate the true value of walking on the wild side of wine.
It comes as a double edged sword from this reader, as he had hoped to continue to sneak wonderfully affordable wines from Priorat(an area in the southern part of Catalonia, Spain) from the shelves and let the rest of you struggle to find the perfect Napa Cab. I jest only because I find that most workaday wine drinkers apply a price tag with a certain assumed quality, rather than actually believing too good can be true. Ribera Del Duero, a region that relies on the delicate Tempranillo grape, is producing wildly popular everyday wines that marry an air of regal earthiness with a great number of dried off-black fruits. Tempranillo is a dimunitive of the word 'Temprano', meaning 'early', and it's early ripening gives it a balance of leafy vegitation and sweet tobacco-like spices. Adding in malolactic fermentation(application of lactic bacteria to convert malic acid, the sharp acid in Granny Smith apples, to the creamy lactic acid) makes a Tempranillo this author's top choice for a 'Rocky' like Cabernet Sauvignon contender.
If you're a risk taking Maverick like Mr. Solomon, or if you're just up to a good suggestion, I suggest you go out and try something from our Spanish friends. Whether it's Priorat, Ribera Del Duero, Rias Baixas(Ree-as By-shass); you're sure to surprise and impress your company. Hey, if you're lucky, you might fall in love with a wine twice; Solomon fell in love with Clos Erasmus and then again with Erasmus Winemaker Daphne Glorian shortly thereafter. For now, let's just stick to loving his wine though, maybe I'll blog love life advice in a later column.
Cameron