Last night's wines

Session number 2 for the wine course I'm giving and last night was Cava and rosés.

First did a quick resumé of the week before and gave them a bottle to taste blind of Nava Real Verdejo 2008 D.O. Rueda to see if they recognised it from the week before. We analysed it point by point and then decided it could be one of two wines(this or Martin Codax Albariño 2007 which isn't really anything like it, but they were on the right tracks). I thought they did very well and was rather pleased that we could achieve this in such a methodical way.

By the by, found out that one of the class is an archaeologist (originally from the Ukraine?) who is on an emergency team to investigate finds that are made as a result of all the earthworks from the TAV line. Slightly eccentric and speaks good Catalan for a foreigner.

Rimarts Brut Nature Reserva
Good bead with delicate nose of apples and yeast. Dry and reasonable acidity with a crisp and clean finish. Not full of character, but well integrated bead, well-balanced and reasonable value at 8€.

Rexach Baqués Brut Imperial
Darker colour and larger bubble. More obvious toasty nose. Bubbles more apparent and a bit aggressive - all an explosion at the beginning and then taste fizzles at the end. Simple. 5€

Moet Brut Imperial
Good colour, fine, steady bead. Hints of wet wool on the nose as well as lactics and yeast. Good acidity, but not quite dry. Grows on the palate and finishes clean. Frankly not particularly interesting even though it has all the right sort of Champagne characteristics. 27€

Ochoa Rosado Lágrima 2008 D.O. Navarra
50/50 Cabernet/Grenache. Good salmon pink, delicate strawberry nose and good red-fruit flavours on the palate. Pretty light and fresh this vintage. Nicely balanced. 4,50€

Pago del Vicario Petit Verdot Rosado 2007 VdeT de Castilla
Very dark mulberry colour. Rather vegetal or mineral nose. Reasonable fruit on the palate still, with a drying sensation on the finish. Just about intact, but on its way out. An in between sort of wine. 5€