A typical Saturday in Boston. Crazy busy, and tastings galore at our shop. Today was all about Spain in the Wine department. And one particular stand out for me was this beauty from the Jorge Ordonez portfolio. I had just finished helping a customer with a recommendation for a wine to pair with a fig, blue cheese, and bacon concoction in which she was serving as an appetizer. No problem. Heard this one before. Just as she was walking out the door the cork was popped on the 2008 “Botani” Moscatel Seco from Malaga in southern Spain. I took in the bright citrusy aromatics, redolent of sparkling Moscato from Italy, and was blasted with a laser beam of seco! Seco simply means dry. As does Sec when in France. This laser light of acidity carried through on the palate, where I found all the lovely components of the Muscat grape flaunting themselves, but this time they were bone dry. What a refreshing bit of juice to lay upon ones lips! All I could think about was that the damned fig, blue cheese, and bacon appetizer was going to be pairing with the wrong mate tonight. Well, not wrong. Just not the soul mate I had newly discovered! The Muscat fruitiness of this wine with the Blue, check. The verve present here to cut the richness of the bacon, check. The fig, well were talking the ultimate; a marriage of sweet and sour, check. I headed out the door to chase down my customer. She was gone. The wine has lingered in my mind all day. I like the write up on the back of the bottle. Here it is:
“…Located in the village of Almachar in the mountains high above Malaga, (the Denominacion de Origen is Sierras De Malaga.) A collaborative effort of Jorge Ordonez, his family and the world famous Alois Kracher from Austria. The vineyards were chosen because of their advanced age, the unique red slate soils and perfect micro-climate. A perfect expression of a dry Malaga wine, bright citrus aromas with exotic spiceness on the palate. Perfect with everything seafood, and summertime dishes.”
This is a rare, completely unique, and truly interesting wine to challenge your palate. I find it excruciatingly so. And, with the minds of Jorge, and one of the wine worlds all time greats (the late Alois Kracher) merging to create this work of art, this is a wine that simply cannot be passed by. Get it at around 20 bucks and be the first one on your block to bring a bottle of wine from Malaga to the the next shindig. Find this wine!
