White from Spain

I'm trying to help my boss pick out the wine for a dinner he's hosting at Taberna del Alabarder in DC, and I'm wondering what would be a good white selection. Sauvignon blanc or verdejo? The Gessami 2005 Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc sounds like it might be good, but I've never had an SB from Spain.

I'm also going to recommend a tempranillo for the red; here is the link to their wine menu...if anyone has anything that they've tried on here and liked, please let me know!

http://www.alabardero.com/menus/vinos/WineList.htm

Thanks!

I've had a cheap Telmo Rogriguez Sauvignon Blanc before that was excellent and a huge bargain. If that was anything to go by then I'd be confident in the one you mention.

Judging by your choice of SB, you would be inclined for an unoaked, acidic wine? My choices would be the Txomin Etxaniz Getariako Txakolina or an Albariño. I understand (but don't remember ever tasting) that Lagar de Cervera is very good.

My choices would be the Txomin Etxaniz Getariako Txakolina or an Albariño.

To that I would add Martinsancho, Rueda; but I certainly applaud Otto's choices.
Best, Jim

Choosing only from the Taberna's wine list (and not going for absurdly expensive wines):

If you want a truly unique, terroir-infused, non-New World, Mediterranean white, try Joseph Puig's Odysseus 2005 Pedro Ximénez from Priorat.

If you want an excellent, appley-grassy verdejo (not expensive, to boot), try the 2005 Naia from Rueda.

If you want a straight-as-an-arrow, apricot-and-lemon albariño, try the 2005 Lusco do Miño from Rías Baixas.

On the red front:

Mencía: Descendientes de J. Palacios Corullón 2001, Bierzo

Tempranillo (Ribera del Duero): Alonso del Yerro 2003

Tempranillo (Rioja): Artadi Viñas de Gain 2004

Tempranillo (Toro): Viña San Román 2001 or 2002 (2001 is better and more expensive, but 2002 is truly remarkable for the vintage)

The Gessami 2005 Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc sounds like it might be good, but I've never had an SB from Spain.

The Gessami is far more Muscat than Sauvignon. It's very good, but you have to be in a very aromatic mood.

Thanks for helping me narrow down some of those choices Victor! That's exactly what I was hoping for. Too bad I'm not invited to the dinner, I would have liked to have tried whichever we end up having

Thanks for helping me narrow down some of those choices Victor! That's exactly what I was hoping for. Too bad I'm not invited to the dinner, I would have liked to have tried whichever we end up having

I'd be crying too.
As you're not invited I say choose something simple, likeTorres Vina Esmeralda or Cava. If you were were invited I would have said Albarino - what could be more exciting than a good Spanish Albarino. I've only had a couple but very impressed with both - there's a kind of exciting mysteriousness to this varietal. Latest was Valminor Albarino 2004 from Rias Baixas. Recommended.

Thanks for helping me narrow down some of those choices Victor! That's exactly what I was hoping for. Too bad I'm not invited to the dinner, I would have liked to have tried whichever we end up having

I'd be crying too.
As you're not invited I say choose something simple, likeTorres Vina Esmeralda or Cava. If you were were invited I would have said Albarino - what could be more exciting than a good Spanish Albarino. I've only had a couple but very impressed with both - there's a kind of exciting mysteriousness to this varietal. Latest was Valminor Albarino 2004 from Rias Baixas. Recommended.

Thanks, Sue. I haven't yet tried an Albarino, so it's definitely on my list for sometime soon. I'm going to MacArthur tomorrow night to stock up on some other varietals; hopefully they'll have something similar to what you have recommended, as well as a Chilean Reisling (Jenise's thread piqued my curiousity there) to cover my whites for this trip.