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Product Name
Vintage
Price
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Region
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2022
$23.13
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More wines available from Zarate
More Details
Winery
Zarate
Vintage: 2012
2012 has, so far been a positive year for wineries around the world. While it may be a little too early to speak of the wines being made in the northern hemisphere, European and North American wineries have already begun reporting that their harvesting season has been generally very good, and are predicting to continue with the kind of successes they saw in 2011. However, 2012 has been something of a late year for France, due to unpredictable weather throughout the summer, and the grapes were ripening considerably later than they did in 2011 (which was, admittedly, an exceptionally early year). French wineries are claiming, though, that this could well turn out to be advantageous, as the slow ripening will allow the resulting wines to express more flavour and features of the terroir they are grown in.
The southern hemisphere has seen ideal climatic conditions in most of the key wine producing countries, and Australia and New Zealand particularly had a superb year, in particular with the Bordeaux varietal grapes that grow there and which love the humidity these countries received plenty of. Also enjoying a fantastic year for weather were wineries across Argentina and Chile, with the Mendoza region claiming that 2012 will be one of their best vintages of the past decade. Similar claims are being made across the Chilean wine regions, where Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon had an especially good year. These two grape varietals also produced characterful wines on the coastal regions of South Africa this year.
Varietal: Albarino
Spain and Portugal were always home to some fantastic quality white wine grape varietals, and amongst the finest is the Albarino. Thought to be a close relative of the French Savagnin grape, the Albarino varietal has been grown in Spain since the 12th century, and has always been revered by Spanish winemakers for its ability to produce white wines of exceptional quality and character. Typically, wines made from the Albarino grape are dry, with a light body and a lovely high level of acidity which cuts through the soft fruit flavors it carries. These grapes produce exceptionally aromatic white wines, and are generally associated with notes of apricot and peach. It often has a slightly bitter quality, as a result of its thick skins and large quantities of pips, but this merely adds to the balance and nature of the wine.
Region: Galicia
Spain is one of Europe's most ideal wine producing countries, with a wide range of terroirs and ideal climatic conditions for cultivating a fantastic variety of grapevines. However, the region of Galicia suffered a dramatic fall from grace in the 19th century, due to economic downturns which led to vineyards being left untended, and wineries derelict. This was a tragic loss to the wine world, as Galicia had once been an important center for Spanish wine, and one which had considerable influence and popularity due to its excellent range of white and red blended wines. However, the 20th century saw Galician wine making undergo a rebirth, and today, thanks to years of hard work and dedication, Galician wines are back on the shelves, and attracting a lot of attention thanks to their stunning flavors and careful, balanced blends of native fine grape varietals.
Country: Spain
From the deep and intense Rioja wines, or the dry and refreshing Ruedas, from Tempranillos to Verdejos, the range and quality of Spanish wines is always going to impress and fascinate. With several thousand years of traditions and expertise leading the way, Spanish wineries are currently producing some of the most flavorful and interesting wines to come out of Europe, striving to overcome the reputation problems the country suffered in the mid to late twentieth century. Despite being one of the largest producers of wine in the world, with billions of bottles being filled each year, Spanish wine producers are more interested in quality over quantity than ever before. The results of this are some truly world class wines rivaling even the finest produce of France in regards to balance, character and flavor, gaining new fans and enthusiasts every day.