At a recent wine seminar held at Century, Erica Mitchell of Opici Wines gave an interesting presentation on the wine import business, including the strict regulations on wine bottle labeling imposed by the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The TTB requirements for wine sold in the United States include such items as the country, vintage, alcohol content, a declaration of sulfites and the two government warnings.
Erica also served two Spanish wines imported by Opici, an Albariño and a Tempranillo. The 2011 Pazos de Lusco Zios Albariño from the Rias Baixas appellation on the northwest coast of Spain is a still white wine made from 100% Albariño grapes with multiple images of the sun on the label. This is a fresh, new white from the Pazos de Lusco winery fermented in stainless steel, with crisp flavors of green apple and lime. It would be good served as an aperitif or paired with salad or seafood. Rating: 
The 2008 Dinastia Vivanco Crianza is a red wine from the Rioja region in northeast Spain made from 100% Tempranillo grapes, fermented in stainless steel, then aged 16 months in oak and 6 months in the bottle before release. This is a bright red fruity wine with some tannins which would pair well with tapas or empanadas. The wines from Dinastia Vivanco are presented in a uniquely shaped green bottle reminiscent of old fashioned Bordeaux bottles. This wine received 90 points from Wine Spectator and is #59 on the W.S. Top 100 List for 2012. Rating: 