A TRIP ‘ROUND THE IBERIAN PENINSULA - JOANNE MAXWELL, SECTION CHAIR
It is probably fair to say that many of the Hull section members have travelled to Spain or Portugal (or both) at least once. So we were all very happy to have Paul Tate-Smith of Derventio Wines give us tastings of his selections from those two well-established, wine-producing countries.
We started with a Vinho Verde from Portugal, which is actually a rosé made from the Espadeiro grape. To keep the colour pale, Paul explained that the grape skins are only in contact with the wine for less than one hour. The wine has a slight “spritz” tang and would be delicious either to sip on its own or enjoy with food.
Next, Paul offered a Rueda Verdejo from Spain. This wine is 100% Verdejo from a producer located on the banks of the Douro River. The wine is unoaked and the grapes are hand-harvested. The flavour is clean and crisp.
Our third tasting was, according to Paul, the most popular of the Spanish wines: an Albariño from Galicia in north-western Spain. Paul explained that the cool breezes from the Atlantic Ocean produce a thick-skinned grape. The producer hand-harvests the grapes, and the wine is not stored in oak, giving it a good “length”.
The red wines, three from Spain and one from Portugal, all featured wines from different parts of each country. The Tempranillo was from Rioja, the heart of red wine production in northern Spain; the Ribera del Duero Crianza is made near Madrid in the central part of the country; and the Tinto de Toro is made in north-western Spain near the Portuguese border.
From Portugal, we tasted a Castelo do Vinteiro from the Douro region, which stretches from Porto on the Atlantic westwards to the border with Spain.
In addition to his tasting notes sheet, Paul helpfully provided a map of the Iberian Peninsula, which will prove very useful for any Hull section sommeliers planning a trip to enjoy the wines of Spain and Portugal.
- Vento’z Vinho Verde Rosé 2025 – 11.5% ABV, £10.50
- Ilusionista Rueda Verdejo 2025 – 13% ABV, £12.50
- Albanta Albariño 2025 – 12.5% ABV, £14.50
- Puerta Vieja Rioja Tempranillo 2022 – 13.5% ABV, £11.00
- Peñamonte Toro Roble Organic 2022 – 14.5% ABV, £11.50
- Castelo do Vinteiro 2019 – 13.5% ABV, £11.00
- El Ilusionista Ribera del Duero Crianza 2021 – 14.5% ABV, £15.00
