Verdeval 2008

what’s this?

Name wine: Verdeval – 2008

Type: white wine

Winery: Vins del Comtat, D.O. Alicante

AVIN: 3763060493751

Used on event: 2nd Vino Valencia Wine Event at Ginger Loft, October 21, 2009

Sold in these shops:
• Alforins.com: 5,95 €

It’s a real pleasure to have this dry Moscatel at the October Vino Valencia event. The success of the sweet Moscatel-based mistelas and vinos de licor of Alicante and Valencia sometimes leads to the delights of dry Moscatel being insufficiently celebrated.

The heartland of Moscatel in Alicante is La Marina Alta, running inland from Jávea and Denia up to Montgó and the Sierra de Bernia. Vins del Comtat itself is higher up again near Cocentaina, but these grapes are sourced from selected old Moscatel de Alejandría vines in La Marina Alta.

After removing the bright blue plastic cork, the combination in this wine of tartness and delicately floral and exotic aromas is particularly remarkable as another longstanding maker of Moscatel wines in these parts told me that the 2008 vintage was the most challenging he had encountered in forty years.

You’d never guess as you enjoy this refreshing yet sophisticated wine.

Vino Valencia Tasting Notes

Appearance: You get to this classic Alicante dry 100% Moscatel on removing the bright blue plastic cork. The wine is elegantly pale, with hints of green. Moscatel is one of the few grapes that is both widely used for wine and for eating as a table grape.
Nose: Often, the overriding impression on the nose is simply “grapes”, but here there are a whole load of aromas elbowing for room – we got jasmine, roses, lychees (JM), and grapes.
Palate: The roses came through again in the mouth, softening the sharpness of this eminently dry wine. A really fresh, dry, and characterful white wine that brings back memories of summer, and is not too heady at its 12.2% ABV.
GL food thoughts: The Ginger Loft immediately thought of marinading their tapa in jasmine or tea, or even edible rose petals. It will be fascinating to see what they come up with.