One of the best things with being in London is roaming through tiny, cozy wineshops. One of the worst things with being in London is paying tiny, cozy wine shop prices post-Brexit. Bottle Apostle in Victoria Park Village was a pleasant exception to the rule. The prices were moderate, the selection showed a nice balance between the natural wine crew and the more traditional crowd and the owner was knowledgeable but not overbearing.
Among the bottles we picked up was 30.000 Maravedies from Bodega Marañones. I used to work with this wine back in Oslo and had fond memories of nights filled with an abundance of pintxos, music so loud guests would complain and overpoured glasses of the 2015 and 2016 vintages. How would the 2018 vintage fare in comparison?
30.000 Maravedies 2018 Bodega Marañones
The Maravedies is made predominantly from garnacha grapes with about 10% mixed local varieties thrown in. The wine combines grapes from different sites with granite soils were the elevation ranges from 650 to 850 metres above sea level. The bodega calls it their regional or “village” wine, an moniker that somewhat belies it’s complex nature.
Initially very closed and alcoholic on the nose. After an hour or so in a decanter the fruit finally made it’s appearance (I was a bit worried there for a while) but it took almost two hours until it really opened up. When it did however the old well-known notes of violet, fresh juicy plum and licorice root welcomed me, with an addition of maraschino cherry and some new earthy tones that I haven’t noticed in earlier vintages. A hint of well-integrated oak finished off the aroma profile.
The wine is juicy yet structured on the palate with a nice perception of minerality. Harmonious and of medium length with decidedly spicy aromas and an elegant finish. The wine is clearly marked by a hot vintage, but it carries the heat well. The color was a bit dull in the glass but then again 30.000 Maravedies has never been a wine of vibrant hue…
It was lovely to reacquaint myself with the Maravedies. My only regret is that we didn’t buy more bottles as the Swedish importer Wine Group Sweden only has it’s sister wine Picarana available at the wine monopoly. As the Picarana is a decidedly delicious wine made from the lesser known white grape albillo I can however recommend picking up a few bottles while one can.
Bota Punta 
Published by