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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/wpid-Photo-May-18-2013-2341.jpg" target="_blank" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/wpid-Photo-May-18-2013-2341.jpg" id="blogsy-1375242860936.7966" class="alignleft" width="230" height="307" alt="Las Retamas 2009: Spanish wine from the Madrid region"></a></div>

<p style="text-align: justify;">We were in Bar Amor in the Malasaña district of Madrid for my birthday dinner.  It had been a full day of great food and wine...honestly it was a bit of a blur.   Bar Amor has a short, but good wine list, with a nice selection of Spanish wines and local Madrid wines.  The Retamas 2009 caught my eye right away as it was on my hit list.  It&#39;s the little sister to the well known Madrid wine El Regajal, one of the wines that changed Madrid&#39;s reputation in the wine world.  The Retamas del Regajal, a Tempranillo blend, is a big, fruity and attractive wine at an amazing price.  It was the perfect match with our delicious presa ibérica dish, an intensely flavored cut of ibérico pork.  The dish and the wine both stood out from the enjoyable birthday haze.</p>

<!--more--><p style="text-align: justify;">Bodegas El Regajal has been producing great wines for over ten years and has been instrumental in changing the reputation of Vinos de Madrid.  In a previous article I talk a little more in depth about the subregions, el Regajal is in the warmest, Arganda, specifically the Aranjuez area.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The wines are warm, big and very accessible, and are similar in style to wines of La Mancha and outlying appellations.  The winery follows biodynamic principles in the vineyard and has a small modern winery that respects the the environment to the utmost.  It&#39;s only about a 30 minute drive from Madrid, so it&#39;s an easy visit form the capital.  </p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">There are three wines, the Regajal Selección Especial, which I have been tasting for a decade and remains a benchmark for quality among Madrid wines.  It&#39;s also great value, it has barely risen in price since I first started drinking it; it retails in Spain for about 15€.  There is the ultra-premium Galia, which I haven&#39;t tried.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The baby of the family is the Retamas, and it is a steal as it retails for only about 8€.  For this price point you get a Tempranillo blend with 10 months aging in French oak that has big black and red fruit with some nice oak spice.  Very big, round mouth with a long smooth finish.  It&#39;s a simple, but really pleasant wine for the price and a lot of wine for the price.  A must for big red lovers.  It&#39;s perfect with meats, barbecue, roasts of any type really.  </p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately it doesn&#39;t seem to be easy to find online here in the US, but I will keep you updated if I get more info.  Look for this wine and El Regajal, when visiting Madrid!</p>

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