Dinner with Mariano Garcia

Perfect then, so this is a errant to you Majesus, please please, could you bring me a bottle of Prima.... It’s just to bother Walt.... ;))) ;)))

It’s not out yet! (at least not in dark territories of Durham, NC) ... but I can pretend I did bring one to you :-DDD

maJesus

If you made plans to come up to DC like you were supposed to, you could have joined us. See what happens when you don’t keep your promises?

I know, I know ... my mom told me one always should keep the promises, but I did not realize the consequences were so VERY bad!!! ... I think that this is the first year that I do not end up going to DC for some reason or some other: fate was against me, what could I do :-(((

maJesus

Walt,
what (if any) affect will this new bottling have on San Roman ?
It’s one of my favourite wines in the world and one of the things about it is that there was no second or premium cuvee...just SR

This is a natural question, but I cannot imagine that Prima will affect San Roman at all. Again, I do not have all the information that I need to fully respond to your question, but my impression is that the following factors are relevant:

- The fruit comes from (1) Maurodos vineyards that have a soil composition that always has been considered not ideal for San Roman and (2) from purchased grapes.

- I don’t think there will be that much Prima produced. It will not be sold in Spain, and I got the distint impression that Aurelio Cabestrero, the American importer, wishes he can get a LOT more than he will get.

- I have complete confidence that Mariano would not compromise San Roman at all for this small and probably low-profit project.

Prima is no San Roman. We tried Prima with 2001 San Roman and the quality difference is obvious. But I still applaud the idea of this wine and look forward to enjoying it more. Even without San Roman-quality ingredients, Mariano can produce a very good wine that shows the bold character of Toro at attractive prices.

Cheers Walt,
I will put this question to Alberto next time we meet.
I assume Eduardo is the winemaker ?
I just hate when I feel the quality of a wine is ";diluted"; by super cuvees and vineyard parcels being hived off.
This has happened with Mauro but to be fair the crianza is still a very good wine.
However the nagging feeling is that back in the early 90’s one was getting Terreus fruit in the ";basic"; Mauro.
They are lovely people and wonderful company.
It makes enjoying their great wines even easier !

Ray

I too hate it when a winery making a wine that I like tons begins producing a ";super-wine"; which takes away the best of the grapes that would otherwise go to my loved, moderately priced wine. However, Prima is of a lower price than San Roman, a more modest wine, so, even if they would come from the same grapes, I am guessing that Prima would get the worst, not the best grapes, so S. Roman has nothing to loose (and maybe, maybe a bit to gain :-)))

MaJesus