Introduction

New to VI Vid! We have decided to publish the notes from our regular monthly tastings as a guide for a wider audience. We plan to do this every two months from here on.   This blog covers the wines from the November and December 2025 tastings (143 and 144)

The Cavas and Sparkling Wines.

1. Cava Sutra Brut, Macabeo/Chardonnay, Bodegas Arraez DO Cava Guarda 11.5%ABV.

The bodega’s first Cava is a blend of 90% Macabeo with Chardonnay. It has a minimum ageing on the lees of 9 months to qualify as Cava and then a little longer to qualify as Cava de Guada.

Pale yellow colour, brilliant in aspect, fine, persistent bubbles and a good mousse. On the nose, white fruits, citrus notes. Fresh and youthful. Immediately round and silky on entry, intense, with fine, well-integrated bubbles, refreshing and inviting.

2. Cava Sutra Brut Reserva, Macabeo/Chardonnay, Bodegas Arraez DO Cava 11.5% ABV

From the 2022 vintage and with a minimum of 18 months ‘en rima’, this wine qualifies as ‘Reserva’. A similar colour to the previous wine with fine bubbles and a persistent mousse. Also, 90% Macabeo, the additional time in contact with the lees gives this wine an elegant nose with both fruit and toasty notes, pan de Centeno and citrus notes. Creamy, full-bodied, with a persistent and satisfying finish.

3. Cava Roxanne Brut 2024, Chozas Carrascal Rosé DO Cava Guarda de Requena 12.5%ABV.

The newest DO Cava de Requena. Roxanne Blanco was, of course, the ‘Prosecco-style’ Cava introduced several years ago and has always been popular in this group. An aperitif-style cava, with a minimum of 9 months to qualify for the basic level of Cava, itis a blend of Garnacha Tinta with a little Monastrell.

A very attractive Rose colour with strawberry flashes, gentle mousse, fine, persistent bubbles. On the nose, lots of red fruits, strawberry in particular, but even with a short time in the bottle, it has notes of pastries, over a fruity base. In the mouth, it is quite full on entry, silky, with very well-integrated bubbles, and a notable length. A lovely addition to the bodega´s range.

4.  Clos de Lôm Cuvée Privée, Brut 2023 Malvasía Método Tradicional , Bodegas Clos de Lôm DO Valencia 12% ABV

Technically, the first Metodo Tradicional produced in DO Valencia is from 100% Malvasia. It has 20 months ‘en rima’. One of their best still wines is a Malvasia, which is growing in popularity in Valencian vineyards.

This is lemon-yellow in colour, with golden flashes, green hints and fine bubbles. On the nose, mature stone fruit, peach, citrus notes, orange flower, notes from pasteleria, nuts etc. Creamy on entry, fresh and nicely balanced, with a refreshing acidity, flavourful finish and well-integrated bubbles.

The White Wines.

5. . ‘Vividor’ Verdil 2024 , Bodegas Arraez, DOP Valencia, 12% ABV.

100% Verdil, a local variety to Fontanares and Font de Figueras, is grown on flinty, stony and very poor soils. Originally used in Vermut, Daniel Belda is credited with saving the variety from extinction.

Today, it is still vinified by a handful of bodegas in the area. Pale yellow in colour with green flashes, it is clean, bright and youthful in appearance. Fragrant but quite full on the nose with hints of yellow stone fruit (mature apricot). Fresh and smooth on entry with a lively acidity. Full in the mouth, with a long citrus finish, with a light sweet note.

The Rosado

6. ‘La Madriguera’ 2024, Bobal Rosado, Bodegas Arraez, ‘Wines from Spain, 12.5%ABV

The new wine in this range, in which there were already a Merseguera and a Monastrell.

 From clay soils to the west of Valencia, this is a pale rose colour, clean and bright. Intense fruity and floral nose, characteristic of Bobal, strawberry, raspberry and floral notes (violet).

Very fruity, fresh and well-balanced in the mouth, and very easy to drink with a good finish.

The Red Wines

7. Mala Vida Edición Limitada, 2022, Bodegas Arraez, DOP Valencia, 15%ABV

This limited edition Mala Vida was originally introduced for the 10th anniversary of the original wine which introduced Toni Arraez and his wines for young people in 2010. 10k bottles are now produced annually from Garnacha and Monastrell.

 Intense red cherry colour, with a medium to full body. Complex nose which most resembles a compote of mixed red and black fruits. It has had 8 months in French oak. The low production from these 30+ year-old vines gives a wine which, in the mouth, is very similar to its nose, red and black fruit, some depth and a long satisfying finish.

8. Arraez Lagares, 2020, Monastrell/Cabernet Sauvignon, Bodegas Arraez, DOP Valencia 14.5%ABV.

The first Crianza wine made by the bodega, a project between Toni and his father, using parcels of vines planted by his grandfather. This was the first wine in the ‘Parcelas’ range,

 From chalky and stony soils. Intense garnet colour. 60% Monastrell, the combination with Cabernet Sauvignon gives a complex nose with mature black fruits, toasty and balsamic notes, coffee, liquorice and a base of eucalyptus. In the mouth, it is fruity and fresh on entry, with a full body and well-balanced. A long finish follows, with lots of fruity and toasty notes.

The Red Wines.

9. Señorío de Fuentealamo Syrah, 2022, Madurado en Barrica 4 Meses, Wines from Spain 14% ABV.

Unusual in that following a cold maceration, the fermentation takes place in horizontal tanks which rotate.The malolactic fermentation then takes place in new oak, and the wine stays in the barrel for four months, so a short Crianza. We don’t see a lot of Syrah in Valencia, so an opportunity to look at a different variety.

Intense, violet and red colour. On the nose, intense red fruit, blue flowers (violets), which is very characteristic of the variety. Toasty notes from the pass-through oak. Very smooth on entry, fruity, meaty, flavourful with very smooth, mature tannins. Good finish and a very nice wine.

10. Les Mainetes, Petit Verdot, 2022 Bodegas Fuenteálamo DO Jumilla, 14% ABV

Petit Verdot is a French variety from Bordeaux, which is used as a ‘salt and pepper seasoning ‘ variety there. It is noted for its black pepper spice and green pepper vegetal notes. In Spain, it is capable of making very good wines as a monovarietal. This wine is the result of a careful   selection of bunches of grapes when they at their optimum point. This means the grapes can be stored in cold chambers until the whole harvest is completed. After this, a long maceration takes place to extract the maximum concentration possible, and the wine undergoes a short pass through the barrel.

Very intense black cherry colour. Equally intense notes of mature black fruits on the nose, jammy, very fine toasty notes, spice and balsamic notes. In the mouth, powerful on entry, correct acidity, fruity and with a great structure. Long finish!

11. Les Mainetes, Monastrell 2022 Crianza, Bodegas Fuenteálamo DO Jumilla 14.5% ABV

This wine has had a full 12 months Crianza. 12 days of fermentation followed by 12 months in oak barrels.

Monastrell at its best, full-bodied, deep black cherry colour. On the nose, strawberry and raspberry fruit. In  the mouth Powerful and full of flavour on entry, with typical Monastrell flavours, toasty notes from the Crianza, a good structure and long finish. Worth buying this to lay down. It will develop and repay keeping.

12. Mainetes, Monastrell,2023, Vino Naturalmente Dulce, Bodegas San Dionisio DO Jumilla, 13.5 % ABV.

A very special sweet red wine, full of character. This wine is from naturally sweet Monastrell grapes, which are allowed to ferment slowly in oak barrels. This style of wine can be achieved by several methods, e.g. drying grapes in the sun, freezing them or leaving them on the vine to dry out a little. The important element is that no sugar is used; the sweetness comes from the natural, concentrated, residual sugars from the grapes. Monastrell lends itself to this method, and some of the best come from Jumilla or the Jalon Valley in Alicante. They lend themselves to serving with pâté, foie gras, some desserts and blue cheeses and are immensely versatile.

This wine is an intense violet colour. It has aromas of dried grapes, vanilla and smoky notes from the oak, but you may note black olives and even caper berries. Fresh, approachable, with a long finish. Powerful and very notable aftertaste. (50 cl bottles) and one of the best we have tasted.