Moscatel Dorado Playa Regla 17%, José Mellado Martín

Appearance
Deep amber with coppery highlights towards a golden rim, legs.
Nose
Lots of gently tangy Moscatel fruit with notes of overripeness and (fairly brief) barrel ageing. There are slight hints of tea, quince jelly and of course, raisin, yet this doesn't detract from the freshness.
Palate
Soft sweet and smooth, still with that gentle tang and a little body too. Generous and easy going it doesn't cloy and has good length leaving a lingering Moscatel flavour. Needs to be chilled.
Comments
This is the entry level Moscatel from the other private bodega in Chipiona (there is also a cooperative). Easy going pleasure.
Price
About 5 euros

Fino Playa Regla 15%, Bodegas José Mellado Martín

Appearance

Pale golden straw, very slight haze. legs

Nose

Saline with distinct seaside aromas, hints of Palomino fruit, straw, minerality and not a great deal of flor, young and fresh if not over complex.

Palate

Reasonably tangy and saline with a touch of flor bitterness, good and dry with a crisp minerally freshness this would be great with the local seafood.

Comments

Looks as if it was bottled en rama with only light filtration, but this is not mentioned. At a guess, the vines were grown on sandier soils which, while perfect for the famous local Moscatel, give slightly courser Finos. Being produced in Chipiona, which is in the production zone but not the ageing zone, this wine while controlled by the Consejo does not carry the official DO seal, but  rather a production zone seal. Playa Regla is a beautiful nearby beach overlooked by the tall lighthouse and the Nuestra Señora de Regla monastery.

Price

3.50 euros, can't argue with that.

Bodegas: José Mellado Martín

This family bodega was founded in 1974, though its founder, José Mellado Martín (born 1935) was brought up with the wines of Chipiona, where in many homes people used to make a little Moscatel, which has an aroma which never leaves you. The Mellado family was no different and José heeded the call to the wine trade. They bought their first bodega, called Bodegón Alobasto in the Calle del Castillo in 1974 and before long were producing 1,500,000 litres and bottling them.

The new bodega built 1990

In 1980 they consolidated with the acquisition of another bodega opposite Alobasto from Florido Hermanos and made this the centre of operations introducing their own brand, called the Playa Regla range, at the same time. Until then they had supplied Moscatel to the big bodegas such as Domecq, Garvey, Real Tesoro, Terry etc. They are now the largest Moscatel producer. In 1985 they launched the Moscatel de Pasas Soleras de la Abuela, a special wine made from selected sun-dried Moscatel grapes.

Moscatel sunning at the bodega

1990 saw the construction of another bodega sited in one of the firm’s vineyards – they own all their vineyard - just off the Rota road, and here they installed more up to date equipment. While they specialise in Chipiona’s famous Moscatel, famous since before Roman times, they also produce a good range of other wines, though they cannot carry the DO Jerez as they are aged in Chipiona. If you are in Chipiona you can buy the wine bottled or draught at the bodega or a two despachos (shops) in the Avenida de la Diputación and Calle Víctor Pradera. The firm is registered with the Consejo as a shipping bodega.

Legendary Chipiona-born singer and actress Rocio Jurado visiting

The Playa Regla range consists of:

Moscatel: Dorado, Oscuro, Especial and Pasas, each with different degrees of sunning and ageing

Fino, Oloroso and Cream

Address: Crtra. A-491 Chipiona-Rota, Km. 2, 11550 Chipiona, Cádiz

Telephone: (+34) 956 370 197

Internet: www.josemelladomartin.com, e-mail: bodegas@josemelladomartin.com

Visits? By appointment