Wine: The Pilgrimage BIERZO

[rioja routard]

Hola

Tesco's have a red wine from the Bierzo region in Galicia called 'The Pilgrimage'.
It is not cheap at £6.99 a bottle.
It shows Spanish pilgrim routes on the label and Santiago de Compostela.
I think it is made in the new world style so may be quite nice.
As it is my birthday I will share a bottle tonight with my girlfriend and have it with a large steak.

Here is some more information about it;

The Pilgrimage is created from one of the wonderful, but little known, "Native Grapes of Spain". Mencia is indigenous to the small DO Bierzo that is currently gaining a big reputation with the wine enthusiasts around the world. The wine is very approachable when young with pronounced cherrry and plum fruits on the nose and complex chocolate and spicy notes. There is masses of soft fruit flavours, fresh acidity and rounded tannins leading to a long smooth and creamy finish. A great wine to discover and consume with all kinds of Mediterranean cuisine.
The vineyards are the key with this outstanding wine. They are located between the villages of Corullon, Villafranca del Bierzo and Cacbelos on a mosaic of complex soils ranging from alluvial clays and stones on the valley floor to granite and schist higher up the slope. The vines are mature with ages up to 35 years and they had a fabulous 2006 vintage with no disease, rot and other problems. It was an extremely ripe year with forward style wines. The harvest is 100% by hand to select the best grapes. The juice is carefully extracted and fermented in small stainless steel fermenters where precise control of the temperatures is possible. A small portion of the wine is matured for 2 to 3 months in new oak barrels.

 

[John H]

Your a person after my own heart. I'll be up to Tesco's tomorrow first thing to buy a bottle or two. I do hope it's better than the San Damiano I got on the Pilgrimage. Though that might have been in Leon. Whoops, probably just started a civil war!

 

[Andrewere]

I bought a bottle from Tesco's yesterday after reading your post and, though I'm no expert, I would say it's not a bad wine at all.

Thanks, Andrew.

 

[brendan nolan]

I've only just come across this post. My previous info was that the Bierzo wine was hard to get hold of outside of its own region in Spain. In Spain it tasted wonderful.
Brendan

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Let's hope the wine travels as well as the memory Brendan

Suerte

 

[Martin0642]

Tried this last night - MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We like this wine a LOT

 

[Javier Martin]

Wines, Wines, Wines ...

It's true, we are lucky, in Spain there's a lot of good wines, and not too expensive.

When we begin in Navarra, there's a good wines (in my opinion the best are the "Rosados", not red wine but not white one).

Then, La Rioja. ¿What can I say about?. Of course, there you have to taste the red wines.

In Burgos, from Burgos to Leon you are walking on the "Ribera del Duero" Land. In the last times it are been considered a so good wines like the Rioja, here in Spain. Sometimes, better than Riojas.

When you are in El Bierzo, this special area makes a good wine, in my opinion no so good than Rioja or Ribera, but of course quite good.

In Galicia there's a lot of people who owns a little piece of land, where they like to make their own wine. Just 800 - 900 litres, enough for oneself and may be to present or to send. It's a not very good wine.

You can find, of course, the famous Albariño or the Ribeiro, white wines, and very recommended with sea food.

If you arrive to Santiago by the VDLP, in Seville you can enjoy good wines like the "Tio Pepe", sherries and so.

Extremadura produces any quite good wines, the same like Zamora area (Toro wines, and so)

I coud talk about the portuguese wines, wines from Valencia, from Barcelona ... but I suppose it's enough.

Cheers and ... ¡Buen Camino!

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Javier - let's invent a Camino Tinto and try them all!

 

[Javier Martin]

Yes ... nothing better than having a rest after any kilometers and enjoying a good glass of wine, isn't it?

 

[rioja routard]

Re: Wine: STORKS TOWER

TESCO have another Camino related wine called Storks Tower which is a blend of Tempranillo Shiraz from the León area. Those of us that have plodded that way will find the symbol of storks on a church tower on the wine label bringing back fond memories.

It is on offer at £3.99 instead of £5.99 at the moment. There is a rosé version too but for me I am a confirmed red wine drinker.

cheers!

 

[stephenDevlin]

I bought a bottle of 'The Pilgrimage' yesterday. I'm going to have it with supper tonight.

 

[vinotinto]

Well, you can tell how much I like wine from my name...

Indeed, the only day I didn't drink wine on the Camino was the day I got sick (climbing the big hill outside of Cizur Menor - ugh). Go figure...

Anyway, after that day I always made sure I had plenty of vino tinto, and subsequently I never had a digestive issue. So now, I have a fond place in my heart (and stomach) for Spanish wine. I'll look for that brand at a local wine store I frequent that has lots of Spanish brands - gracias!

By the way, I wonder if you can get orujo de hierbas in the US? That's some mighty potent stuff...yum!

 

[rioja routard]

Hello

This wine is available at Tesco's Calais now, located in the Cité d'Europe priced at just over £5 depending on the strength of the € and the weakness of the pound.

Santé / cheers

 

[MermaidLilli]

The Pilgrimage is created from one of the wonderful, but little known, "Native Grapes of Spain".
The vineyards are the key with this outstanding wine. They are located between the villages of Corullon, Villafranca del Bierzo and Cacabelos on a mosaic of complex soils... The harvest is 100% by hand to select the best grapes.

I was in Villafranca del Bierzo, home of Jesus Cato at the Ave Fenix albergue. I got to stay with them for 3 days and helped as a hospitalera, thereby meeting and working with those who were also volunteering there. One of the things that I liked about Jato is that he allows those pilgrims who, because of lack of funds, stay there, free of charge and pick grapes in the vineyards of Villafranca.
I would receive much pleasure, spiritually, to drink the wine that was handpicked by the small group of people that were there at the same time as me.
Has anyone found this wine sold in the States?
With Love
Lillian

 

[William Marques]

A reminder to those in the UK that the Confraternity of St James has a Camino Wine Box available this year with 10% of the price being donated to the refugio in Miraz. 12 bottles from vineyards all along the camino.

http://www.csj.org.uk/miraz-appeal-02.htm#Winebox

William