Our first exclusive Wine Dinner of 2024 on Thurs 29th Feb was a super interesting Spanish producer – Bodegas Frontonio. We were honoured to be joined by Fernando Mora MW, the winemaker, heart and brain behind the Bodega. He opened the evening for us, and throughout his story of transformation from Mechanical Engineer to Winemaker Extraordinaire, from bath-tub production to historic cave maturation, one element has stayed firm – his passion for everything he puts his mind to.

We then sat and enjoyed two white wines. Microcósmico Blanco Macabeo 2022 and Elástico Blanco 2020. The 100% Macabeo Microcosmico gave us aromas of limes on the nose, accompanied by notes of white flowers and fennel. A vibrant palate with some texture from the 6 months it spent on its lees in stainless steel vats, with a delicate mineral finish. The Elastico is a blend of Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo and Palamino, and provided the perfect contrast with a creamier palate, aromas of white flowers, citrus notes and hints of butter and nuts. I paired this with a super fresh starter of Baked Seabass, Fennel & Orange Slaw, Toasted Almonds – each wine sung beautifully in their own way.

We moved on to a pair of reds, paired with Locally Reared Venison, Crispy Patatas Bravas & Pisto and whilst both wines are Garnacha based, the compositions were pleasantly different and each bought their own personality to the mix to pair with the rich, gamey, savoury and a little piquant main course.

  • The Telescópico 2020 is a blend of Garnacha Peluda, Mazuela and Garnacha Tinta, offering aromas of picota cherries, floral notes (rose petals) and wild oregano. The palate is fleshy yet fresh, with the finesse of Grenache and the magic of Carignan. It is a bright wine with energetic tannins and a fine, flavourful texture from the 5 months it spends on lees in stainless steel vats and 8 months in French oak barrels.
  • By contrast, the Supersónico 2020 gives crunchy redcurrant, purple flowers (violet) and savoury herbs (bay leaf) with a delicate mineral element. It is a high-altitude blend of Garnacha Tinta and Macabeo spending 4 months in oak barrels.

The evening concluded with the fabulously complex Las Alas de Frontonio Tinto La Tejera 2020 which comes from the oldest vineyards in the Valdejalón area (Zaragoza). It seamlessly combines fruity, floral and mineral elements in a picture of freshness and elegance. We had notes of jasmine and citrus, deep red fruits and a delicious wild meatiness. Silky tannins and a mouthwateringly long finish, giving way to some spicy cedar notes from the 7 months spent in French oak. We enjoyed this with a Sangria Poached Pear, Lazos & Crema Batida, which was perhaps the most engaging pairing of the evening. The red wine and spice of the Sangria pear complimented the spice of the wine, but in hindsight the sweetness of the Lazos and Crema Batida may not have let the wine express its fruity nature as well as the final course of the evening  – Manchego Cheese & Quince Membrillo could have.

A fair few guests stuck around to buy and enjoy some more bottles, so I think we could say it was a successful evening!

We hope you enjoyed reading about our exclusive wine dinner featuring Bodegas Frontonio. At Chesil Rectory, we pride ourselves on offering exceptional wine-tasting events and wine dinners that showcase the best of Great British dining in Winchester. Don’t miss our upcoming events and wine tastings – check out our events page for more information.