A visit from Bodegas J. A. Megia e Hijos, Valdepeñas
Fifty-five members gathered at Hill Top on 11th November for a memorable wine-tasting evening. We were delighted to welcome Franco, who introduced Domingo and Antonio from Bodegas J. A. Megia e Hijos in Valdepeñas, Castilla–La Mancha. They had travelled 400 km to present six of their Corcovo wines, four of which have won international medals.
White Wines
1. Airén
The evening began with a well-balanced Airén, noted for its fresh aroma of green apples. It pairs particularly well with blue cheese and smoked salmon.
2. Muscat (Gold Medal – Bacchus)
The second white wine was a slightly sweet Muscat, harvested at night to preserve freshness and aroma. Its gentle honey notes deepen with age. This versatile wine pairs well with most foods but is especially good with desserts such as Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies.
Rosé
3. Rosé 2024 (Silver Medal – Brussels World Wine Competition)
Made from 100% Tempranillo grapes, this fresh and very popular rosé complements many foods, particularly fish, pasta, tapas and paella.
Vertical Tasting of Tempranillo Reds
The final three wines were all Tempranillo reds from the same vineyard, giving us the chance to enjoy a vertical tasting. Each wine differed only in the length of time spent in oak barrels, allowing us to appreciate how aroma and flavour develop with ageing. All are best served at 16–18°C.
4. Roble 2024 – 8 months in oak
A youthful wine with a pleasant fruity aroma.
5. Crianza 2022 – 14 months in oak (Gold Medal – Brussels)
More mature and refined, with hints of wood and vanilla. Out of 800 bodegas in Castilla–La Mancha, this wine was chosen to represent the province at the wedding banquet of the King of Spain. Smooth, elegant and very drinkable—an excellent evening dinner wine.
6. Reserva 2019 – 22 months in oak (Gold Medal – Brussels 2024)
Full-bodied yet smooth, with a lovely fruity aroma. The most expensive of the wines presented, and the difference was clear: a perfect winter evening dinner wine.
The vertical tasting beautifully demonstrated the wine’s evolution through extended barrel ageing.
Domingo and Antonio also brought a limited edition of 750 magnums of their 2020 Reserva, in addition to standard bottles of all six wines, which were available for purchase at the end of the evening
Our thanks go to Pat and Brian for organising this excellent event, and to the staff at Hill Top for their warm hospitality and the delicious snacks that accompanied the wines.
Our thanks also go to Norman for the review of the evening, to Dina for her photos and to Antonio from the bodega for his entertaining video (see below).
