KYSELA PERE ET FILS, LTD.

"A very fruity red with lots of ripe fruit that verges on being a little jammy. Kir and pure fruit. Flowers and citrus, too. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins and a fruity finish. A little overdone. From organically grown grapes. Drink now."
- James Suckling (October 2020), 89 pts

"The 2019 Garnacha Vinas Viejas is just about all Grenache (there are small amounts of Moristel, Miguel de Arco, and Bobal) from ancient vines that saw a touch of stems and aging in concrete tanks. This plump, medium to full-bodied, round, downright sexy beauty gives up lots of ripe red and black fruits as well as peppery spice, herbes de Provence, and sandalwood. It's balanced, has supple, incredibly polished tannins, no hard edges, and is just a beautiful Garnacha that has so much to love. It will keep for 5-7 years, if not longer."

- Jeb Dunnuck (August 2022), 93 pts

"The red 2019 Es Lo Que Hay is mostly old-vine Garnacha with 5% other grapes, mostly Moristel with a little Miguel de Arco and some Provechón (Bobal), from very stony old vineyards in the village of Villarroya de la Sierra. The grapes fermented together with 20% full clusters in concrete and were destemmed after a five-day cold soak with the natural yeasts; then the wine matured mostly in concrete with some leftovers in Flextank egg for 15 months. It's ripe without excess (14.26% real alcohol), balanced by low pH and good acidity and has a powerful Mediterranean profile, round and full-bodied, with hints of dry hay and straw and a touch of dark chocolate. The 2019s are evolving nicely and should have a positive development in bottle, and this is a good example. 8,270 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2020. - Luis Gutiérrez"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (November 2021), 93 pts

"Light ruby red. We love a flavorful rosé of Garnacha, and the Burgo Viejo doesn’t disappoint. It’s a fresh, fruity rosé showing a strawberry nose followed by red berries accented by tangerine citrus on the palate. Finishes dry with lingering fresh fruit flavors. 100% Garnacha fermented and aged in stainless steel; 14.1% alc. Burgo Viejo is a partnership of six families with 220 ha of vines in the municipality of Alfaro."

- i-winereview.com (Rosés From Around the World: 2021 Annual Report), 90 pts

"Deep orange. Displays aromas and flavors of a range of pith, cherry and succulent herbs, with a spicy nuance in the background. Done in a generous, fleshy style, with a warm, broad finish that echoes the cherry note. This hefty pink wine would be better with food than on its own. – Josh Raynoldss"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (July 2022), 88 pts

"A 100% Garnacha fermented in stainless steel with clean, bright notes if red cherry, strawberry and dried orange peel. As it opens up, notes of sweet tobacco and minerality come to the front of the palate."

- The Tasting Panel (May/June 2022, “Down the Aisle”), 90 pts

"Amaren is the sister winery of Luis Canas, born in 1995 as a brand, and in 2009 as a separate winery, where a more modern/premium line of wines from the Canas family is produced. They own 52 hectares of vineyards averaging 50 years of age, and total production is 180,000 bottles per year.- Luis Gutierrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #210, December 2013)

"Norrel Robertson is El Escocés Volante. He now works with 32 hectares of vineyards in the region of Calatayud, and he's going to plant three or four more hectares around the new winery he's planning to build in the village of Cervera de la Cañada. He now produces around 250,000 bottles and a total of 15 labels. In Calatayud, 2019 was slightly warmer and drier than 2018 but not as extreme as in other zones of Aragón, as Calatayud is cooler and the vineyards are at higher altitude. 2020 saw more rain in the spring and a very early harvest; it was an early but complete cycle of a very elegant and balanced vintage. 2020 has the juiciness of 2018 but the wines are more elegant. The wines from 2019 are tannic from lower yields, a little in the style of 2005, a very dry year. The wines from 2019 are evolving nicely and should develop in bottle. The 2020s are more immediate, perhaps not as long lived as the 2019s but very pleasant and easy to drink already. - Luis Gutiérrez"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (November 2021)

"I tasted via videoconference with Norrel Robertson, the flying Scotsman ("el Escocés volante"), during the Covid-19 lockdown, and he presented a majority of 2018s, a fantastic vintage in many parts of Spain, including Aragón and more specifically Calatayud, the main place where he works. After the catastrophic 2017 when he lost 75% of the crop to frost, comes a year of freshness and fragrant, delicate and juicy wines when there's a shift to using more of their own grapes from the village of Villarroya de la Sierra, a cooler, higher altitude place with red clay and limestone soils rather than the slate found in other parts of the appellation. Some are sold without Calatayud appellation because they are fermented outside the appellation's limits (one of the nonsenses of the rules of the appellations of origin in Spain), and of course, he also works in Galicia, Murcia and Valencia. He produces a grand total of 300,000 bottles per year. Many wines are produced in Flextank (plastic) eggs; he only has a couple of concrete eggs, used for Es Lo Que Hay and En Sus Trece. The wines are exuberant and showy, round and lush, not shy.

2020 started with the purchase of a 4.7-hectare site on the outskirts of the village of Cervera de La Cañada, where he plans to consolidate production of his own 26 hectares of vineyards under the same roof. Other than preserving some old vineyards, he has also planted some new ones for the future, and he is planning to plant more in the coming years. Among the old vineyards is a new jewel in the crown, a 1.2-hectare stony plot planted in the 1930s with red Garnacha (Fina) and some other local varieties; it was first fermented separately in 2019.- Luis Gutiérrez"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #248, April 2020)

Happy New Year! 

We are preparing for a busy and exciting 2016 here at Kysela. Our annual Mondovino trade tastings are coming up next month, and we are going all out. A team just returned from France, where they previewed a phenomenal new vintage & discovered some great additions for our portfolio. Our wines and wineries are earning 90+ point ratings from top publications & winning international championships. The new year is off to a great start, and plan to keep this momentum going all year long.

So, do any of your resolutions involve wine? Are you planning to drink BETTER wine this year? Try varietals and regions that you've never heard of? Maybe you're going to drink a new craft beer everyday? Here's a list of some products we think you should try....you know, when you get back from the gym.

Albada Blanco Macabeo - from a 70 year old vineyard site. Cold fermented, which yields a peachy, Roussanne-like character. Fragrant, refreshing and clean.

Albada Garnacha - a field blend of Old Vine Garnacha (40-80 year old vines) with flavor components of black pepper, Rhone Valley spice, perfume and fruit. The Garnacha is reminiscent of Chateauneuf du Pape!

*These Albada wines are our top values right now!

Kloof Street Chenin Blanc - made by Mullineux Winery, Platter's 2016 Winery of the Year!  A blend from three parcels of old vines, this lush, lemony value is seriously dense and complex.

Dogfather Imperial Stout - the brew you can't refuse! Brewed with seven malts and four hops, and aged for 3-4 months in Heaven Hills Bourbon Barrels. Rich & chocolatey with subtle hop bitterness. 

Leyenda Cream Sherry - perfect for staying warm. Dark mahogany color; dry fruits & hint of raisin on the nose; smooth and well rounded. This Cream sherry is a blend of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez. 

Burgo Viejo Rioja Crianza - classic old style Rioja. Red berry, juicy cherry, vanilla flavors. Structured and complex.

Everyone loves a wine that "over delivers"; a wine that is just way too good for the price. This week's Spanish feature, 2011 Vinsacro Rioja, does just that!

Vinsacro Rioja is made by the Escudero family, winemakers and grape growers that go back generations. Bordeaux-trained winemaker Amador Escudero transformed their small family bodega from the Rioja Baja region of Spain into a major Rioja wine producer. He saw the potential in their old vineyards (and when we say old, we mean OLD - we're talking some over 100 years) & knew he could work with them to make modern-style, premium Rioja wine. From there, the Vinsacro (formerly called Valsacro) project was born.

Vinsacro wines have a reputation of being consistently fantastic from one vintage to the next. The 2011 Vinsacro Rioja is no exception, earning an excellent 92 point rating from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:

"Bright purple. Heady, oak-spiced aromas of black and blue fruits, cigar box and cola, with a sexy floral nuance emerging with aeration. Seductively sweet and expansive, offering intense blueberry, cassis and vanilla bean flavors that deliver liqueur-like intensity and depth. Seamless in texture, with slow-building tannins adding shape to the clinging, smoky finish. In a distinctly modern style and awfully easy to drink now. - Josh Raynolds"
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Sept/Oct 2014), 92 pts

This award-winning, expertly-made Rioja is a great value and true over-deliverer!

Contact your Kysela Pere et Fils, LTD. sales representative, state distributor, or local retailer to order Vinsacro Rioja!

Everyone loves a wine that "over delivers"; a wine that is just way too good for the price. This week's Spanish feature, 2011 Vinsacro Rioja, does just that!

Vinsacro Rioja is made by the Escudero family, winemakers and grape growers that go back generations. Bordeaux-trained winemaker Amador Escudero transformed their small family bodega from the Rioja Baja region of Spain into a major Rioja wine producer. He saw the potential in their old vineyards (and when we say old, we mean OLD - we're talking some over 100 years) & knew he could work with them to make modern-style, premium Rioja wine. From there, the Vinsacro (formerly called Valsacro) project was born.

Vinsacro wines have a reputation of being consistently fantastic from one vintage to the next. The 2011 Vinsacro Rioja is no exception, earning an excellent 92 point rating from Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:

"Bright purple. Heady, oak-spiced aromas of black and blue fruits, cigar box and cola, with a sexy floral nuance emerging with aeration. Seductively sweet and expansive, offering intense blueberry, cassis and vanilla bean flavors that deliver liqueur-like intensity and depth. Seamless in texture, with slow-building tannins adding shape to the clinging, smoky finish. In a distinctly modern style and awfully easy to drink now. - Josh Raynolds"
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Sept/Oct 2014), 92 pts

This award-winning, expertly-made Rioja is a great value and true over-deliverer!

Contact your Kysela Pere et Fils, LTD. sales representative, state distributor, or local retailer to order Vinsacro Rioja!

Fran Kysela, valued customers & Kysela representatives traveled to Spain in June, where they visited 15 wineries, tasted over 100 wines, and consumed massive amounts of pork. This week we are featuring the hottest wines from the trip. ¡Viva España!

TOP PICK
2010 Finca Sobreno Seleccion Especial - Aged for 14 months in American oak barrels. Super rich, concentrated Toro with power and finesse. Tangy and precise for its size, it finishes with excellent persistence and lingering smokiness.

2014 Fefinanes Albarino - 100% Albarino. This is always one of the top 1-2 producers in Rias Baixas. First bottler of Albarino in 1904 & still one of the top in Rias Baizas. Round, clean, and pleasant with baked apple, honey, and lemon.

Leyenda Pedro Ximenez Sherry - Intense mahogany. Deep aroma of dried fruits (raisins, figs). The bouquet has subtle notes of chocolate and coffee. Smooth and velvety in the mouth with a long after taste.

2012 Pago de Carraovejas Crianza - Rich and fruity in the mouth with well integrated oak, notes of coffee and cacao and supple tannins. Full bodied, smooth and long finish.

 2014 Palacio de Bornos Verdejo Rueda Blanco - Verdejo is hot, hot, HOT in Spain. Hugely aromatic, with tropical fruit, tangerine, lemongrass and lemon thyme. Full in the mouth, well structured, dense and persistent with a lingering aftertaste. The wine has great length and a delicious mouth-filling richness.

2010 R&G Rioja Crianza - highly-concentrated, dark cherry-red wine. A lively, delicate nose with liquorice and fresh fruit aromas of the Tempranillo variety, with spicy hints. Ample and fleshy and has elegance, complexity and power. 

2012 Tres Ojos Garnacha - one of our classic values, this Old Vine Garnacha has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet with wonderful elegance and lightness. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good quality. 

2011 Vinsacro Rioja - Josh Raynolds calls this one "seductively sweet and expansive, offering intense blueberry, cassis and vanilla bean flavors that deliver liqueur-like intensity and depth. Seamless in texture, with slow-building tannins adding shape to the clinging, smoky finish. In a distinctly modern style and awfully easy to drink now"

Contact yourKysela Pere et Fils, LTD. sales representative,state distributor, orlocal retailer to order these & other great Spanish selections!

Fran Kysela, valued customers & Kysela representatives traveled to Spain in June, where they visited 15 wineries, tasted over 100 wines, and consumed massive amounts of pork. This week we are featuring the hottest wines from the trip. ¡Viva España!

TOP PICK
2010 Finca Sobreno Seleccion Especial - Aged for 14 months in American oak barrels. Super rich, concentrated Toro with power and finesse. Tangy and precise for its size, it finishes with excellent persistence and lingering smokiness.

2014 Fefinanes Albarino - 100% Albarino. This is always one of the top 1-2 producers in Rias Baixas. First bottler of Albarino in 1904 & still one of the top in Rias Baizas. Round, clean, and pleasant with baked apple, honey, and lemon.

Leyenda Pedro Ximenez Sherry - Intense mahogany. Deep aroma of dried fruits (raisins, figs). The bouquet has subtle notes of chocolate and coffee. Smooth and velvety in the mouth with a long after taste.

2012 Pago de Carraovejas Crianza - Rich and fruity in the mouth with well integrated oak, notes of coffee and cacao and supple tannins. Full bodied, smooth and long finish.

 2014 Palacio de Bornos Verdejo Rueda Blanco - Verdejo is hot, hot, HOT in Spain. Hugely aromatic, with tropical fruit, tangerine, lemongrass and lemon thyme. Full in the mouth, well structured, dense and persistent with a lingering aftertaste. The wine has great length and a delicious mouth-filling richness.

2010 R&G Rioja Crianza - highly-concentrated, dark cherry-red wine. A lively, delicate nose with liquorice and fresh fruit aromas of the Tempranillo variety, with spicy hints. Ample and fleshy and has elegance, complexity and power. 

2012 Tres Ojos Garnacha - one of our classic values, this Old Vine Garnacha has a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length but yet with wonderful elegance and lightness. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good quality. 

2011 Vinsacro Rioja - Josh Raynolds calls this one "seductively sweet and expansive, offering intense blueberry, cassis and vanilla bean flavors that deliver liqueur-like intensity and depth. Seamless in texture, with slow-building tannins adding shape to the clinging, smoky finish. In a distinctly modern style and awfully easy to drink now"

Contact yourKysela Pere et Fils, LTD. sales representative,state distributor, orlocal retailer to order these & other great Spanish selections!