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Home , Calatayud (DO), Campo de Borja (DO), Montsant DO

The Spanish Table

Berkeley Newsletter- January 2005

Iberian We Love Garnacha! So many great made from Garnacha grapes are finding favor with our customers. Here are a few: Borsao Tres Picos ‘03- A perennial favorite (and a great bargain) is back in stock here in Berkeley. Juicy old vine Garnacha fruit from the Campo de Borja D.O., with lively acidity and spicy finish. $12.99 Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria ‘03- A special edition Garnacha from Coto de Hayas in the Campo de Borja D.O., using only fruit from one hundred year old vines. Abundant Garnacha fruit character, and just a touch of . $12.99 El Chaparral ‘02- Made by Vega Sindoa in the Navarra D.O. Light bodied Garnacha, also from old vines, with a delicate strawberry taste at the outset. The finish has In Berkeley, we have a well- notes of black pepper that add complexity to the established reputation for wine. $11.99 appreciating food that is Clos dels Codols ‘01- fresh and locally produced. Vivid clear ruby color, and bright cherry aroma and flavor are memorable aspects of this refreshing The closer we are to the wine from the Monsant D.O. Made from 80% source of what we serve at Garnacha, and 20% Cariñena, this wine pairs mealtime, the more we wonderfully with poultry. $15.99 enjoy it. Tres Ojos ’03- In summer, markets brim Plenty has been written about this wine in these with an overwhelming pages, but it bears repeating. Old vine Garnacha variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and artisan food products. By January, this from the D.O., with fresh berry fruit bounty gives way to a layered over a rich base flavor of spice and gravel. smaller selection of more Such a deal! $6.99 predictable offerings. New Arrivals The initial enthusiasm we We’re always trying/buying/stocking new wines. share for squash, beets, kale, Here are a few of our recent additions: chard, cabbage, broccoli and Isis ’01- other winter crops begins to Don’t be put off by the funny crayon drawing on the wane after the fall harvest. label. This wine, from the Montsant D.O., is Knowing we have several composed of , Garnacha, Cariñena, and more months of this same . Rich and concentrated in limited selection, we search aroma and flavor, Isis is reminiscent of the wines from neighboring Priorato, but at a friendlier price. out alternatives and $19.99 amendments to the fresh Logos I- food we hold so dear. The folks who make Valsacro in are behind The preservation of the this new bodega in the Navarra D.O. Logos I is summer harvest for use in made from 40% Garnacha grapes, with 30% wintertime is an ancient and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Andy tradition that crosses all featured this in the wine club in December. He cultural and ethnic described the wine this way: “Rich, juicy dark boundaries. These dried, berries, cassis, chocolate, anise, roasted coffee beans & notes of fresh herbs from the Cabernet cured, jarred, canned, Sauvignon make this a mouthful of a wine.” pressed, and yes, fermented Everything he says is true. $24.99 (this is a wine newsletter Clos Mogador ’02 - after all) foods are essential This wine has contributed significantly to the recent elements at our table during popularity of the Priorato D.O. Wine writers have this season. They liven up filled pages with glowing reviews of previous our limited supply of fresh . They called the 2001 Clos Mogador food and give our meals ‘intense’, ‘sensational’, and ‘muy elegante’. In any year, this wine is profoundly concentrated and variety and, quite literally, redolent with flavors of earth, wild herbs and dark spice. fruit. Try this for yourself before the An added advantage of numeric scores are tallied up. $77.00 ‘putting up’ foods for the Aura ‘03- winter is that these products This refined , made in the Rueda D.O. are easily transported, and from grapes is rich without being can be distributed (sold) in overblown. The aroma is full of citrus and green markets far from the source apple scents, while the acidity gives the flavor a bright component that is sometimes missing from of production. This is the other verdejo wines$18.99 essential logic behind a store like The Spanish Table. We specialize in importing the Creu de Lavit ‘03- best foods from and Renowned (Spanish ) producer Portugal, where extension of Segura Viudas has fashioned this wine from 100% the summer harvest is a Xarel-lo grapes. Usually thought of as a Cava well-practiced art, perfected Grape, Xarel-lo also makes a wonderful still white wine. This blend of two-thirds steel tank fermented, over centuries. and one-third barrel aged Xarel-lo has bright fruit Olives and grapes become character, and just a hint of toasted barrel flavor. oil and wine, milk becomes $12.99 cheese, and pork becomes Chorizo and Jamón. A vast array of fruits and TST Favorites vegetables are jarred and These wines are familiar to many of us. For those canned, and over time all who are new to the world of Spanish/Portuguese these products have become wines, here is what you have been missing: part of the proud heritage La Gitana - that is Iberian cuisine. This is one of a select few of our products to The distance these foods elicit waves of spanish vacation nostalgia in our customers. One sip of this dry white wine is usually travel on the way to our all it takes. Pale straw color, yeasty flor aroma, and table is a testament to the a nutty slightly salty finish transport you to the skill involved in producing seaside village of Sanlucar de Barrameda. $10.99 such unique products. When Dios Baco Amontillado- was the last time a dinner This medium bodied sherry, chilled, is wonderful guest traveled across the before a meal. The nut and caramel flavors are ocean by ship, and then present, though not too heavy. After a meal, served across the country by train at room temperature, the slight sweetness is accentuated and is complimentary to light desserts just to be part of a festive or cheeses $15.99 occasion? When did we last Barbadillo Cuco Oloroso Seco- undertake a long journey by This is a full-bodied sherry that does not rely solely any means, and arrive on sweetness to transmit flavor. The dark golden feeling just as fresh as when color, and medium body are typical of Oloroso we left home? . Aromas of cocoa and caramel compliment High quality carefully flavors of nuts and citrus, and lead to a long dry crafted food products are a finish. $34.99 welcome addition to winter Blanco Nieva Verdejo ’03- meals regardless of national This is one of our best selling white wines from the origin or pedigree. The Rueda D.O. Lightstraw color, citrus aromas, and mineral flavors harmonize to create a refreshing enjoyment of these products wine for drinking with food or by itself. $11.99 is a celebration of regional character. We should appreciate the skill that goes Dorado Alvarinho ’02- into producing, for instance, Spanish wines made from the Albariño grape tend a bottle of wine that is to be floral scented and crisp. In Portugal, Alvarinho crafted to endure years (or (note the spelling change) is the primary grape in decades) of storage before Vinho Verde, and produces many simple wines with light body and flavors of citrus and crushed sea ending up on our dinner shells. Dorado is Portuguese, but is made by a table. Spaniard. This rich, and lively wine has a distinctly We will always celebrate Spanish character, and will compliment any seafood delicious things to eat and meal. $18.99 drink that come from close Finca Antigua Tempranillo’02- to home. This is, after all, Textbook Tempranillo character, matches fresh one of the reasons we light berry fruit with dry tannins and medium appreciate living in this acidity. Food friendly and a super bargain. $7.99 fertile and fortunate part of Dehesa La Granja ‘00- the planet. The Spanish Leaner than most wines from the Toro D.O., this Table presents a unique unfiltered 100% Tempranillo based has layers of dry fruit and supple tannins. Very smooth. opportunity to see and try $19.99 new things, taste new flavors, and experience different cultures, all without having to leave the neighborhood. The glorious food and wine from Spain and Portugal is ours to savor, in the comfort of our own back yard.