Contributed by Rick Fisher from
Bodega: Adventures in Spanish Food & Wine 

Back in February of this year while visiting New York City for another Spanish wine event, I happened (luckily so) upon a luncheon (well, more of a gastronomic Disneyland) hosted by one of Spain’s more obscure wine regions – Manchuela. Do not let Manchuela’s relative ambiguity fool you. This region is producing some incredibly unique and interesting wines. Up until that fateful meal I had tried one wine from the region and was aware of only one other. Check out my article to get a window into some of the wineries in the area as well as the D.O. Manchuela itself.

One of the wineries presenting at the NYC luncheon was Bodegas Villavid. I was impressed by the quality of the wines as well as the tremendous value it (and others in the region) boast. Unfortantely, the wines were not available in the U.S. at that time. Today they are being distributed in New York; they are still seeking a West Coast distributor as well. My only regret after tasting the wines was that I was unable to sample the complete line-up. Well, that has now been taken care of thanks to my friends at Villavid!

Bodegas Villavid is located in the municipality of Villarta, in the middle plain of the sickles of the Cabriel River. Home to approximately 1600 hectares (3950 acres) of vineyards, the vines have an average age of 25 years. The indigenous grape of the area, Bobal, was once only used for blending due to its inconsistency. Nowadays winemakers are producing some tremendous wines from 100% Bobal. At Villavid, this varietal occupies 70% of the vineyards. Other varietals planted include Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Macabeo, and Verdejo. Winemaker Miguel Jesús is a master of the craft and is producing some delicious and food-friendly wines. Following are the six which I had the pleasure to enjoy (with my Rickter Wine Ratings):

2009 Blanco Villavid: (50% Macabeo/50% Verdejo) Grapes of more than 10 years old produce a beautifully fresh, airy, and crisp white wine. The pale yellow color leads to tart tropical fruit and citrus on the palate (pineapple, tangerine, lime). Well-balanced wine. (8/10)

2009 Rosado Villavid: (100% Bobal) Bobal in a rosado? Why not! And this one is excellent. Faded raspberry color in the glass but full of fragrant aromas of fresh red fruit (strawberry, raspberry) and a little licorice. Flavors of the same on the tongue with a crisp acidity and a surprisingly long finish for a rosado. Highly recommend this rosado. (8.5/10)

2009 Crianza Villavid: (100% Cencibel) A young, but expressive, Tempranillo. Grapes more than 35 years old are harvested by hand. Burgundy in color with aromas of ripe red fruits (especially cherry), licorice, coffee, and pepper (and palate). Tannic but exhibits a good balance of acidity and fruit. Persistent finish. (8/10)

2005 Reserva Villavid: (100% Bobal) I am falling more and more in love with Bobal (thanks to wines like this!). Deep red with violet hues. Leather and spice on the nose with touches of ripe dark fruit and balsamic. Pleasing taste with red and black fruits and wood balancing a medium finish. (8/10)

2004 Crianza Villavid: (100% Tempranillo) Dark red in the glass and aromas of ripe cherry, licorice, coffee, and white pepper. Fruit-forward with red fruits and a fairly smooth and round finish. I found this wine to be a bit past its prime and would opt for a more recent vintage, if available. (6.5/10)

2006 Tempranillo-Syrah Villavid: (50% Tempranillo/50% Syrah) 30-year-old Tempranillo vines and newly-planted Syrah are aged for 12 months in American oak. Beautiful violet color and aromas of balsamic, ripe red fruit, and leather. On the palate a long and wonderful taste of ripe cherries, licorice, and earthy undertones made me want another bottle of this wine. My favorite Villavid wine of all. (9/10)

If you ever come upon a Villavid wine, buy it. Don’t even think about it! These are excellent wines and, hopefully, will become more readily available in the U.S. They are certainly worth seeking out.

Life is short. Drink Spanish wine!

Rick Fisher is an independent Spanish wine & food journalist for "CataVino", author and publisher of the blog "Bodega: Adventures in Spanish Food & Wine" and also a blog contributor on VinVillage.com.