We've written about the wines of Rafael Cambra before. His old-vine Monastrell, called "Uno," was one of the first modern Spanish wines to unflaggingly win us over with its perfect balance of power and elegance.
Cambra's follow-up bottling, called "Dos", is another stunning wine, packing incredible depth of flavor into a bottle that's priced to drink any and every night. This wine is equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; a Spanish rendition of Bordeaux-meets-Napa Valley with a concentrated nose that comes out of the bottle complex, yet smoothes out to present a balanced spectrum of cassis, dark fruits, herbs, tobacco and a fine-grained minerality. The palate is saturated with layered, palate-staining fruit, much more effusive than the nose, both delineated and layered with great definition and length.
With a foot in both worlds, Cambra's Dos is incredibly versatile - not to mention absurdly priced. It is equally as comfortable in the cocktail-party setting as at the more serious dinner party, with the table ablaze with game, hearty meat dishes and richer pastas. This is a strong, fruit-forward wine that's food friendly! Not necessarily the easiest thing to find nowadays.
The fact of the matter is that it's easy in the tortuous sun of Spain's Valencia to make a wine with brash swagger, with overripe fruit and a structure bowing under the weight of extract and alcohol. Cambra, however, stands out from the crowd with wines that show an uncommon balance and complexity.
This artistry isn't totally surprising - after all Cambra grew up in one of Spain's most important (wine) nurseries. He grew up, quite literally, among the vines; the family business has provided vines to clients like Vega Sicilia and Alvaro Palacios for many years. In fact, there's a certain eminent wine critic (take a guess) who says Cambra's Dos is a Spanish rendition of Cheval Blanc!
While this is not $20 Cheval Blanc, Cambra's Dos *does* compose itself with a Bordeaux-like majesty that seems at once broad and all-encompassing, yet nimble and suave as well.
While we've been fans of Rafael Cambra since our first encounter with his wines, the Dos provided such a memorable experience at a recent holiday gathering that we purchased all that remains in the U.S. market. This way, lovers of great "new world" Spanish wines have a shot at grabbing some BEFORE the 2005 reviews hit the stands and top wines are swept up in a wave of value-driven ecstasy! Click below to check out inventory and purchase online!
