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5/25/05 Rosado season is upon us School is out, the rainy season is mostly over, and outdoors dining is becoming a more frequent occurrence in this part of the world. Coincidentally, this is also the moment when all the new vintage of rosado wine comes onto the market. The 2004 vintage is excellent, with many of the wines showing more balance and subtlety than last year’s wines from the super-hot/super-ripe 2003 vintage. On my recent trip to Spain, where the brief spring season is currently giving way to the long sweltering hot days of summer, rosado was on almost every café table or bar counter. The Spanish rosados we carry at The Spanish Table are all well made wines that are festive and refreshing without being inconsequential. All of these wines are also reasonably priced, which should be ample incentive to enjoy them abundantly without hesitation. Picnics in the park, dinner on the back porch, or grazing from an open refrigerator when it’s too hot to cook; these are all perfect rosado opportunities. Here are a few suggestions to help you enjoy this seasonal specialty:
Tres Ojos rosado ’04 A pink version of the ever-popular Tres Ojos Tinto has arrived in the US market for the first time. The rosado is ripe and youthful like the tinto, with a deep watermelon color and liveliness that is characteristic of good Spanish rosados. This wine is the perfect accompaniment to a summer evening Paella party. $7.99
Aloque rosado‘03 This is not a light inconsequential rosado. Bodegas Ijalba in D.O.C. Rioja makes this rosado from half Tempranillo and half Garnacha grapes. The smooth berry- like fruit, balanced by citrus notes and a gravely foundation produces a flavor profile that is far more sophisticated than most rosado wines. Serve Aloque with an elegant summer-time meal for an exciting change of pace. $9.99
Muga rosado ‘04 The high quality of all the wines from Bodegas Muga is evident in this peach colored Rioja. The wine is fresh, lively and well balanced. Berry and melon flavors form the structure of this refreshing well-crafted rosado. $10.99
Verasol rosado ‘04 This wine from D.O. Campo de Borja is all about berries. The flavors of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries along with melon and citrus show up in this fruit salad of a wine. Verasol rosado is a classic picnic wine for a hot summer afternoon. $7.99
Torres De Casta ‘04 This is a popular wine in Spain, where a glass of rosado is common afternoon refreshment. The watermelon color is mimicked on the palate with ripe melon fruit character, soft texture and a clean finish. $8.99
Floresta ‘04 This wine from D.O. Empordá Costa-Brava is light and evanescent. The berry scent and flavor is as delicate as a flower, and fades rapidly when the glass is empty. The only solution is to fill the glass back up. Low alcohol content makes this a not too risky undertaking. Share a bottle between friends at lunch and go back to work afterwards. $8.99
Parxet “Cuvee Dessert” Cava A semi-sweet Cava made from Pinot Noir grapes. Ripe berry fruit and abundant bubbles mix with a yeasty back note for a nuanced and complex flavor. This wine pairs beautifully with mixed berries and whipped cream or other fruit desserts. $17.99
6/3/05
Workers of the world, unite! The most memorable moment of my recent trip to Spain occurred while I was standing in a vineyard of 100 year old Garnacha grape vines just beginning to send out new spring foliage. Standing amongst these old vines the local grape growers would proudly point out which parcels were their individual plots, passed down to them through generation after generation of family ownership. The farmers of this land (the village of Cervera in D.O. Calatayud in this instance, but they could be anywhere in Spain) are part of a cooperative winery that forms the basis of the local economy. Rather than sell off the grapes to larger wineries, the local farmers built a small winery of their own where they can be assured of receiving a fair price for their fruit while also sharing in the eventual profits from the sale of the finished wine. These same farmers would gaze inquisitively yet silently as our group of American wine merchants sampled the wines that came from the local fruit. To criticize these wines in the presence of the growers who had nurtured the grape vines through many seasons seemed ungracious. To expound dramatically with flowing adjectives and descriptive praise also seemed unnecessary. These men wanted respect for their considerable effort and nothing more (except maybe a commitment to buy large quantities of wine at a reasonable price). Fotunately, most of the coop wines I tasted were delicious. These are not commodity wines made to please a generic international palate. These coop wines always tasted like the place where they came from, with primary flavors and aromas, balancing fruit, acid and tannins in various ways depending on the local preference. Many of these coop wines are available at The Spanish Table. Some invite serious contemplation, while most are straightforward wines that resist too much intellectual classification. Enjoy these wines for what they are, seasonal farm products that are the product of significant effort and generations of family tradition.
Tres Ojos Tinto ’03 & Tres Ojos rosado ’04- The San Gregorio cooperative winery in Cervera (D.O. Calatayud) makes Tres Ojos in both red and rosado versions. The red ($6.99) is aspicy and rich 100% Garnacha wine, and the rosado ($7.99)is a lively and refreshing blend of old vine Garnacha and Tempranillo.
Yasa ’03- Bodega Virgen de la Sierra is a five hundred and seventy nine member cooperative winery located in the village of Villaroya de la Sierra in D.O. Calatayud. Yasa ($7.99) is their young wine made from old vine Garnacha, and exhibits ripe fruit character with light tannins and bright acidity.
Figaro Tinto ’03- Bodega Niño Jesús in the village of Aniñon in D.O. Calatayud specializes in growing cherries and apples in addition to growing grapes and making wine. This one hundred and fifty member cooperative farms eight hundred and fifteen acres of high altitude vineyards (many over three thousand feet above sea level). The rocky soils are never irrigated, and the resulting fruit, though low yield, is naturally high in acid and sugar. Figaro Tinto($7.99) is a wine made from 100% old vine Garnacha that tastes and smells just like the local environment where it was produced. The bright acidity and ripe fruit character is balanced by an earthy, pebbly flavor that lends interest to this simple country wine.
Torremoron ’03- The village of Quintanamanvirgo in D.O Ribera del Duero is home to the Nuestra Señora del Rosario cooperative winery. Torremorón have been produced here for almost fifty years. Torremorón Tinto ’03($10.99) is a young wine that is full bodied and lively, with ripe cherry fruit character and a lightly tannic edge. A slight whiff of earthy Ribera del Duero character is present to remind you where Torremorón comes from.
Verasol Tinto’04 & Verasol rosado ’04- Verasol wines are made in the village of Ainzón, located in the center of D.O. Campo de Borja. The Santo Cristo coop is one of the larger cooperative wineries in the region with seven hundred and fifty members and 1200 hectares of vineyard land. Verasol wines are young wines made, like most wines from D.O. Campo de Borja, from Garnacha grapes. Verasol Tinto’04 ($7.99)is juicy and ripe, with light tannins and a soft finish. Verasol rosado ’04 ($7.99) is watermelon colored and has a pronounced strawberry scent, kept in check by bright acidity.
Montebuena ’03- The Unión de Cosecheros de Labastida is the largest coop winery in the Basque Rioja Alavesa section of D.O.C. Rioja. Montebuena ’03($7.99) is their young wine, made from 100% Tempranillo grapes, and exhibits a soft and supple nature. No barrel ageing for this wine. Montebuena is stored in large concrete chambers (imagine a normal home garage with one very small door, and a round hatch in the roof). The wine is soft and gentle, with berry-like fruit and medium strength tannin.
6/10/05 Summer Whites During my recent trip to Spain, I spent two days at the Fenavin trade show sampling wines from all across Spain. One particularly interesting feature of this event is the open tasting area where wines from specific regions are lined a up in rows, offering the opportunity to taste dozens (hundreds, actually) of wines and compare similar products side by side without any sales pitch or other marketing interference. The tasting area is huge, with row after row of tables, filling the show floor. With notepad and glass in hand I worked my way through the white wines, the sparkling cavas, and the sherries (the red wines had to wait for another day). I was happy to find that many of my favorites from this session of ‘power-tasting’ were wines that are available here at The Spanish Table. This week I’ll highlight some of the white wines that are particularly appropriate to this time of year. These wines are young, fresh and lively. They are perfect accompaniments to summer meals and are all reasonably priced.
Can Vendrell Blanco 2003 This blend of 60% Xarel-lo and 40% Chardonnay from D.O. Penedès is a refreshing un-oaked alternative to the barrel aged white wines that have given Chardonnay a reputation for flabbiness in recent years. This wine is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. The Xarel-lo grape, usually used only in the production of sparkling Cava, lends body and acidity to the blend, and gives the Chardonnay a platform on which to express its more floral nature. Can Vendrell Blanco is a wonderful match with shellfish, and is also a nice cocktail party wine served on its own. $10.99
Dionisos 2003 This 100% Albarino wine from D.O. Rias Baixas is dry and earthy, expressing the typical regional character that I describe as a flavor reminiscent of crushed seashells. Dionisos is balanced and full-bodied. A nice floral scent adds nuance to the mineral foundation. Serve Dionisos with oysters and clams on the half shell, or along with a mixed seafood Salpicón. $14.99
Valmiñor 2003 This is one of the great wine values from D.O. Rias Baixas. Valmiñor is bright and lively, with a citrus peel aroma, and flavors of quince and stone fruit. This wine is balanced and refreshing, with mineral notes acting as a foundation for the floral aromas and fruit flavors. Serve Valmiñor with gambas al ajillo (shrimps in garlic oil) or grilled sardines. $11.99
Blanco Nieva 2003 Vinedos de Nieva makes some of my favorite wines from D.O. Rueda. The Blanco Nieva in the green bottle is made from 100% Verdejo grapes (the Blanco Nieva in the clear bottle is made from Sauvignon Blanc) and is a refreshing and light wine with citrus aromas and flavors that include melon, green apple and pear. Gentle treatment of the grapes and cold fermentation help retain the fresh character of Blanco Nieva. Serve this wine with salads and other dishes featuring the bounty of fresh summer produce. Special promotional price: $9.99 (normally $11.99)
Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2002 This perennial customer favorite is a delicious 100% Sauvignon Blanc wine from D.O. Rueda where the Sauvignon Blanc grape produces wines with lush floral aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine, and flavors of melon and tangerine. Mantel Blanco Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful match with spicy food and is a refreshing alternative to red wine when paired with seafood Paella. 10.99
Talai Berri 2004 This small production wine from D.O. Getariako Txakolina is made from the local Hondarribi Zuri grape in a small Basque fishing village. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and bottled before all the sugar converts to alcohol, thereby giving the finished wine a light spritzy effervescence. Talai Berri smells of fresh turned earth and sea breeze, and tastes of grapefruit and green grapes. Serve this wine on a warm afternoon along with simple seafood dishes and fresh vegetables, and be transported (in your mind and on your palate) to the Cantabrian coast. $16.99
6/16/05 Don’t call it ‘Sherry’ The wines of Spain are numerous and varied, but few are as unique as the fortified wines known collectively as ‘Sherry’. These wines are produced in southern Spain and nowhere else. The production methods date back to the Roman era, and the wines have been an integral part of Spanish culinary heritage for centuries. Appreciation of Sherry in the United States has lagged behind the current surge in popularity of other Spanish wines. In a recent event at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa CA, Xavier Hidalgo the president of Bodegas Hidalgo-La Gitana (he is the sixth generation of Hidalgos to hold this title) suggested a solution to the current American misperception of Sherry. “Don’t call it ‘Sherry’”, he implored. “Sherry was what your grandmother drank”. “Call it Jerez” (with his Castilian accent it sounded more like ‘hair-eth’). From a retailer’s perspective I agree with his assessment of the situation. We Americans tend to associate Sherry with a dark sweet wine served with dessert. It also doubles as a condiment for soups and sauces. Sherry was stored in the pantry in my childhood home, not in the liquor cabinet. Sweet ‘Cream Sherry’ is delicious in its own right, but is not normally served in Spanish Tapas bars. In Spain, unless you request something special, you will be served a Manzanilla or a Fino Sherry (I mean, Jerez). These wines are bone dry, almost clear as water, and exhibit a salty sea breeze-like aroma and a nutty, yeasty flavor. They are served chilled before (or during) a meal in much the same way we serve regular white table wine. This lighter style of ‘Jerez’ that is so appropriate to summertime entertaining and dining comes from a wide range of producers (we will feature the sweeter style of Jerez some time in the future). Here are a few suggestions to get you started on your own voyage of discovery:
La Gitana Manzanilla Any trip to southern Spain will likely include a taste of this wine. This is the standard by which other Manzanilla is judged. Dry, bracing and a bit salty, La Gitana is at its best when accompanied by some salted nuts or fried fresh seafood. $10.99
Pastrana Manzanilla Pasada This aged Manzanilla (also made by Hidalgo-La Gitana) is amber gold in color, and has a richer more oxidized character than the young fresh La Gitana. Produced in miniscule quantities, this wine invites long contemplation. If La Gitana tastes like a sunny summer day at the beach, then Pastrana tastes like a rainy autumn afternoon at the same beach. $19.99
La Guita Manzanilla Another instantly recognizable label for anyone who has spent time in southern Spain, La Guita is a full bodied Manzanilla that has rich aromas and flavors of almonds and flor (the yeast that develops in the barrel as the wine matures). The wine is shipped in refrigerated containers to protect freshness, and is conveniently available in full sized as well as half sized bottles. $11.99 (750ml), $6.99 (375 ml)
Lustau Fino del Puerto Emilio Lustau is a producer in D.O. Jerez known for a line of unblended Jerez marketed under the Almacenista (translates as stock keeper, or warehouseman) label. Fino del Puerto is a fino made by one almacenista, a gentleman named José Luis Gonzalez Obregon. This fino is briney, with brandy-like warmth, and a long complex finish. $20.99
Dios Baco Fino Bodegas Dios Baco produces a full range of Jerez wines, all of which are delicious. Their fino is dry and nutty with a touch of green olive flavor. This light and refreshing wine is a perfect match with salty cheeses and other savory foods. $15.99
Alvear Fino En Rama Leaving the coast and D.O Jerez, and traveling north into the hills one soon reaches D.O. Montilla-Moriles. The wines here are made using the same process as in D.O Jerez, but the grape used in D.O. Montilla-Moriles is Pedro Ximénez, not Palomino Fino. Alvear is the largest wine producer in this region, and the Fino En Rama is a wine that resembles coastal finos while trading in the sea breeze saltiness for mountain air freshness and adding just a hint of aromatic sweetness imparted by the Pedro Ximénez grapes. $11.99
6/24/05 Summer Sangria Suggestions Wine flavored with fruit and spice is an ancient preparation, the origin of which pre-dates written records on the Iberian Peninsula. The Phoenicians as well as the Romans were fond of chilled spiced wine. Sangría as we known it today (wine, fruit, distilled spirits, sweetener) is one of the most recognizable and popular elements of Spanish cuisine. Sangría may be made from red, white, rosado or sparkling wine. The wine should be young and fruity with a minimum of barrel age. The fruit usually includes citrus, but Sangria is delicious when made with berries, melon or stone fruit. The fruit should be fully ripe, but still firm enough to macerate in the wine without falling apart. Distilled spirits (rum, brandy, orange liqueur, for instance) add body to the final mixture, and serve to blend flavors together. Distilled spirits and sweeteners should be added sparingly to maintain the refreshing quality of the Sangría. Sparkling water or soda pop adds effervescence to the drink. Beyond these basic guidelines, Sangría is open to interpretation, and lends itself well to improvisation. I like to think of Sangría as a technique, not a recipe. I adapt the proportions to whatever wine is on hand, and I use a variety of fresh seasonal fruit. The Spanish Table carries a helpful book entitled Sangria: Fun and Festive Recipes, by Mittie Hellmich (chronicle books , $14.95). She lists a dazzling array of Sangría preparations using every combination of wine and fruit imaginable. Mint, ginger, saffron and hibiscus flowers are among the more exotic Sangría ingredients in her book. The Spanish Table Sangría is a good starting point for experimenting with this most festive and refreshing of beverages.
The Spanish Table Sangría #2 1 ½ liters red wine (use a medium bodied, fruity red) Juice of 4 oranges Juice of 2 lemon 2-4 tbsp. sugar Slices of orange, lemon, apple, and peach 4 cups sparkling lemon soda (less for a stronger drink) Optional - 2 tbsp. orange liqueur or brandy. Combine wine, juices, sugar (use more or less depending on the sweetness of the oranges), the fresh fruit, and the liqueur or brandy if using. Chill for two or more hours. When ready to serve, combine in a large Sangría pitcher with ice and the soda. Garnish with a few pieces of the fruit.
Here are some wine suggestions to get your Sangría started:
Figaro Tinto ‘03 This young Garnacha wine from D.O.Calatayud is perfect for making Sangría. Ripe abundant fruit character, bright acidity and no barrel age are the elements that make up a good Sangría wine. Figaro Tinto has all this, and a nice price too. $7.99
Albiker ‘03 This young wine from D.O.C. Rioja is almost too nice for Sangría, but the delicate fruit character would be well paired with some strawberries, raspberries and Meyer lemons in the mix. $11.99
Rioja Vega ‘03 Another wine from D.O.C. Rioja that is ripe and lively. This wine would be perfect to use with the classic Sangría preparation listed above. $7.99
Tres Ojos Rosado ‘03 Rosado wines make wonderful Sangría! This wine from D.O. Calatayud is already full of ripe fruit aromas and flavors. Mix in some citrus and watermelon, and you’ve got a pink Sangría that will liven up any picnic or backyard Paella party. $7.99
Cristalino Rosado Cava This wine is not only pink, it is sparkling too. First macerate berries and white peaches with sugar, brandy and orange juice before final mixing with the wine to preserve its effervescence. $7.99
Blanco Nieva Sauvignon Blanc ‘04 White Sangría is a fun alternative to the traditional red variety. The tropical fruit aromas of this wine suggest a possible exotic variation of Sangría, made with pineapple, kiwi fruit and limes. $12.99