Young, floppy-haired Spaniard Telmo Rodriguez describes himself, in a tribute to Spain's much-improved network of autopistas that allow him to make wine all over the country, as a driving rather than flying winemaker. He has been making a dependably crisp, inexpensive white Rueda, Basa (a glass of which was presented to me blind as I arrived at the smart, new Parisian restaurant Atelier de Joël Robuchon (which Nick will be reviewing soon). He also makes extremely user-friendly reds in Alicante, Cigales, Toro, Ribera del Duero and Rioja, as well as his quite delicious Molino Real sweet white from Malagà. The 1999 was a wine of the week here in September 2001 and the 2000, tasted recently, is every bit as stunning – an extraordinarily peachy, inviting nose with hints of orange flower leading to real weight and vivacity, a dessert wine like no other. (I see there is now a much cheaper second sweet wine, MR Moscatel, which I have not tasted.)
I tasted a range of his current reds recently and came away impressed by the value offered by the 2000 vintage of his basic, fruity Almuvedre (£4.99 WineSearcher.