Hi, how great you’ve signed up! We can’t wait to see you! Please get your ingredients ready for this month's wine and tapas. (Feel free to make the tapas prior to the event, during (with us), or after! No pressure!)

Toast with Caramelized Piquillo Peppers & Sardines or Avocado

PREP: 10 minutes Equipment: COOK: 25-35 minutes - Small pan or pot TOTAL: 35-45minutes - Cutting board SERVES: 2-4 - Toaster - Plate for serving! Ingredients: 1 Jar of roasted, piquillo peppers (you will use all the liquid, too) Use a splash of balsamic vinegar. 3-4 spoonfuls of sugar 30 ml Olive Oil (to drizzle in the pot/pan before cooking) 3-4 whole garlic cloves

Instructions Drizzle olive oil in a pan, and turn it on medium heat. Put in the entire pack of roasted peppers (with all the juice). Next add the 3-4 whole garlic cloves, 3 or 4 spoonfuls of sugar, and simmer. After a few minutes, add a splash of vinegar. Simmer until the liquid has evaporated, about 25-35 minutes (smaller pots/pans will go faster!). Stir often.

Next, toast the bread. While it is toasting, open the sardine tin (or cut the avocado open!)

Now it is time to put the tosta together! Peppers with Sardines on top. Avocado with Peppers on top. Or, feel free to get as creative as you’d like!

Tasting wine: A GRAPE CALLED GARNACHA

This week we will be tasting red GARNACHA, aka “Garnacha tinta”. We specify red because you can also find blanca (white), gris (grey, yes grey), peluca & tintorera (or alicante bouschet) Garnacha in Spain. As this grape is grown in many D.O.s in Spain, our Spanish Saturday crew will most likely have quite the range!

Comunidades (Counties) and their D.O.s where Garnacha tinta is grown: ** Aragón: D.O. Campo de Borja, Cariñena, Calatayud, Somontano ** Madrid: D.O. Madrid Catalonia: D.O. Catalunya, Empordà, Terra Alta, Montsant, Alella, Conca de Barberà, Costers del Segre, Penedès, Pla de Bages, Tarragona DOCa.: Priorat Navarra: D.O. Navarra Rioja: D.O.Ca. Rioja Castilla La Mancha (still getting better!): D.O. Almansa, La Mancha, Jumilla, Méntrida, Mondéjar, Manchuela, Uclés, Valdepeñas Castilla y León: D.O. Arlanza, Arribes & Cigales ** where Garnacha is at its best!**

When to open: About 30 minutes before the tasting.

Serve cooler than room temperature: 60–68°F / 15-20°C (best to chill in the fridge for about a half an hour)

Wine labels to look for: **If you can't find it in a local shop, try winesearcher.com or wine.com (US) or thefinewinecompany.co.uk (UK)

Bodegas Alto Moncayo, DO Campo de Borja Aragonia DO Campo de Borja Tres Picos DO Campo de Borja La Paca, DO Calatayud (we haven’t tried this but you can purchase at Trader Joe’s!) Comando G, DO Madrid D.O. = Denominación de Origen = Las Moradas de San Martín, DO Madrid Wine region classification in Spain. Bernabeleva, DO Madrid Equivalent to the French Tierra Calma DO Madrid appellations (AOC) & Italian AOC. Rioja Palacios Remondo, DOC Rioja Telmo Rodríguez DOP Cebreros