In Praise of Jose Pastor

Jose Pastor, a relocated to California Valencian madman, has developed an astounding and brave portfolio over the past year. In California, Jose Pastor Selectionsis distributed by Farm Imports, (the power team of Jeff Vierra and Keven Clancy) who also distribute the LDM wines. You can see, the bar is high, and Jose's portfolio fits in like a perfect dovetail joint. When I arrived, the event was in full eswing. The place was packed with happy tasters. Few knew that Jose, Jeff and Keven had just barely, but eskillfully, averted a collective nervous breakdown. Imagine, coming into a place where you're expecting 200+ people to taste-but the venue (Bar Agricole) is a construction zone. The dream team did some fancy two-stepping, rented some umbrellas, aired the soccer game. eSpain won and so did the wines. Jose, who I must disclose is my friend, has assembled a collection of growers who have the power to open the door on freshness and excitement for eSpanish wines. I mean, think of it, ...an importer who has the balls to aim for wines that are terroir driven, uninoculated, no added biting acid and no forced deacidification. Acid freaks unite and celebrate. Not only that, a...