Who Is "Spanish Wine Guy"? No, Really!

The passions of Spain’s past, present, and future run through my veins as sure as great juice flows daily from wine casks around the country. My grandfather was born in Sarrià, a small barrio in the northwestern part of Barcelona, in December 1909 during a time when street violence and church burnings strengthened the influence of the anarchists who would rule for decades. Generation upon generation of my ancestors traversed the roads and byways of the Spanish countryside – from Barcelona to Malaga; from Aragon to the Canary Islands. The news of my heritage had a profound effect on me from as early as I can remember; and although I resided in the heavily Spanish-influenced state of Florida during my youth I have always felt that a part of me has always – and continues to – live across the Atlantic in Spain.

As fate would have it, I was fortunate enough to live in Spain during the late 1990’s – being afforded the opportunity to study Spanish in Madrid for roughly five months. From the moment I stepped foot on Spanish soil I felt as if I had never left home.

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Turkey And Tres Picos

Eat; drink; stuff yourself; and then drink some more. This is Thanksgiving Day at my place and at most of yours as well, I'm sure. At my table we eat the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing all with the usual holiday flare, but my wine of choice is by no means traditional. For the past years we have enjoyed the latest release of the Borsao Winery in Campo de Borja - Tres Picos. I was getting a little worried a couple of weeks ago when I realized that I did not have the latest Tres Picos release for my holiday table, but thankfully the 2008 vintage arrived in San Diego just in time to continue my Thanksgiving tradition.

Tres Picos is yet another fantastic wine from the Borsao winery in Campo de Borja (more on this region in a minute). Boasting 100% Garnacha this wine is cherry red in color and exudes aromas of ripe red fruits, minerals, and cracked pepper. On the palate, this spicy wine is balanced with flavors of blackberries, strawberries, vanilla, and plums and a long, smooth finish. The grapes are harvested from 35 to 40 year old vines that sit on uneven terrain at an altitude of 600 to 700 meters (2000 to 2300 feet). The wine pairs wonderfully with turkey because it tends to exhibit many of the characteristics of a Pinot Noir. Incidentally, for those who normally only buy wines by rating here is something for you: The last five vintages (2004-2008) all received 90 or 91 points by Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, and/or Stephen Tanzer.

Campo de Borja

Now a little about the region Campo de Borja (CdB) - the self-proclaimed "Empire of Garnacha." The area is situated in the Northeast of the province of Zaragoza (located in the Northeast corner of Spain) and was granted D.O. status in 1980. The "vine-growing assets" (as their site refers to them) are very rich when it comes to growing Garnacha. The oldest vineyards date back to the year 1145 and more than 2000 hectares (4900 acres) of the 5000 hectares (12,300 acres) are between 30 and 50 years old. The production is not high, helping winemakers to capitalize on the structural and aromatic complexity of the yield.

Approximately 75% of the total grape production is from Garnacha and Tempranillo (Garnacha being more than 62% of total production). Other red varietals appearing in much smaller percentages are Mazuela, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. White wine grapes account for less than 5% of the total (Macabeo, Moscatel, and Chardonnay). The younger red wines, produced with 100% Garnacha as well as blends, tend towards fruity and flowery aromas with a meaty and intense palate and show aspects of modernity. The crianzas, reservas, and grand reservas (after aging in oak and bottle) become balanced, round, and velvety.

The wines of Campo de Borja are certainly worth seeking out. They are generally very reasonably priced (the 2008 Tres Picos averages about $15/bottle) and can be enjoyed young. There is no need to wait another year before you give this a shot. Grill a turkey breast and have a glass (or bottle) of Tres Picos. Enjoy!

Life is short. Drink great wine!

Memories of Vacations Past

Have you ever been on a vacation that was so amazing that you would return in a second? Do you reminisce about what you did? Or what you ate? Or what you saw? Well, Just two months after leaving my food and wine vacation at Catacurian I am feeling those same nostalgic so-called hunger pangs. So I spent some time this weekend doing the proverbial flipping through old photos - this is so much easier with digital! A picture may be worth a thousand words but no amount of words can express the sheer thrill of being at Catacurian in the Priorat region in Spain for those six glorious days. If you are new to Bodega check out my original post on my time at Catacurian.

In honor of my time at Catacurian I decided to make Alicia's Tortilla Española. She always made on thing clear: "The real Tortilla Española consists only of eggs, potatoes, and onions; anything else is just a Tortilla". She has also allowed me to pass the recipe along to you in hopes that you can enjoy it as well. Here it is:

Truita Amb Patatas (Tortilla Española)

(To make a 4 person tortilla, you will need two frying pans, one 12" diameter which is used to fry the ingredients, and the other an 8" diameter to make the actual tortilla. It is highly recommended that you use a non-stick pan, so as not to burn the tortilla.)

Ingredients (4 generous servings):

*4 large potatoes (preferably red) cut into into irregular pieces approximately 3/4" in size

*1 medium onion (white) cut like the potatoes

*3 large eggs

*Salt

*1 cup olive oil (extra virgin, of course)

Preparation:

1. Place the larger frying with some olive oil on medium heat, and when it is hot, add the potatoes and the onions. Fry until they are golden in color. Place them in a colander to drain the oil.

2. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add salt to taste.

3. Put the potatoes and onion into the egg and add more salt, if necessary.

4. Place the smaller frying pan on high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. When it is hot, pour the egg, potato, and onion mixture into the pan a spread evenly using a wooden spoon. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes making sure to separate the mixture from the side of the pan.

5. Lower the heat (medium-low), place a plate the side of the pan upside down over the pan, and with both hands, flip the whole thing over so that the plate is now underneath the pan.

6. Place the empty pan back on the flame and slide the tortilla into the pan.

7. Allow to cook a little while, then repeat the flipping process. Keep flipping the tortilla until it takes on a golden color, and is firm when pushed with the spoon (or finger).

Note: The tortilla may be eaten immediately, however it is much better if allowed to cool down for at least an hour. It is even better the next day (I can attest to this)!

What would I drink with this? Well, I this weekend I drank a wonderful white from Valdeorras - 2007 Gaba do Xil. The somewhat obscure grape Godello is now being planted in the Galician area of Valdeorras by Telmo Rodriguez. A few years ago he bought plots in the mountainous region of Valdeorras and planted this Galician grape variety. The river Xil passes through the region lending its name to this wonderfully refreshing white which exhibits aromas of honey, white flowers, and apple.

All in all, I hope you enjoy this recipe and my stroll back through memory lane. And remember...

Life is short. Drink great wine!

Great Wine In Unexpected Places

I grew up in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Where is that, you ask? Well, it's just north of Edgewater and Oak Hill. No clue? It's south Port Orange and Holly Hill. How about now? OK, you give up? New Smyrna Beach (NSB) is a sleepy little beach town about 15 miles south of Daytona Beach (now you get it, right?!) on the east coast of Florida. Last week I was in Florida for a few days for work and decided to take a couple of extra days and drive down to visit family and friends in NSB.

As is usually the case when I travel I conduct a cursory internet search of wine shops in the area. I always prefer to visit a wine shop with a knowledgeable staff versus stopping into the local grocery store which usually stocks the shelves with the "old standards" - very few, if none, of which are Spanish. So, the hunt was on. I must say that I had very little expectation that I'd be doing anything other than perusing the wine aisle at the closest Publix or Winn-Dixie for something palatable. I could always visit a local restaurant and purchase a bottle of overpriced wine (predominantly Italian or Californian) but, again, I wanted something specific - something Spanish and something good (no, great). Finally, after a few minutes of searching something finally piqued my curiousity: "Wine Warehouse of New Smyrna Beach". A warehouse full of wine in NSB? They must have something Spanish there. So, I printed the directions and carried them with me on my trip.

I was so curious (and admittedly a bit excited) about checking out this wine shop. I arrived at Wine Warehouse (located at 636 East 3rd Avenue on the beachside) about an hour before closing and was quickly greeted by the shop's manager, Cohn Barnes. We had exchanged an email or two a week or so before my arrival so we were vaguely familiar with each other when formally introduced. Cohn looks like he just opened the shop after a few hours of surfing and having just stashed his board in the back room. What a refreshing sight! I was quickly warmed by his friendliness and attentiveness. I decided to take a quick scan of the quaint shop and hit paydirt - the Spanish wine section. As I spent my obligatory review of each and every Spanish wine the shop had to offer I listened as Cohn helped another customer - a Southern California transplant looking for some nice wines for dinner. After some help from Cohn (who is also extremely knowledgeable) she end up with about a case of wine, including a White Burgundy as well as a Cava (sparkling) and Verdejo (white) from Spain.

As I looked through the five shelves of Spanish wine I was immediately impressed by the sheer value of the wines for sale; and I'm not talking the traditional "value" wines that most people expect. Don't get me wrong, there were a number of excellent "value" wines on the shelf, but there were also some tremendous, highly rated Spanish wines that caused me to double-take the prices they were charging. So, I proceeded to choose a couple of inexpensive Toro wines for my stay in NSB. I did, however, vow to return in a couple of days to partake in their weekly free wine tasting (every Friday) and purchase a couple of bottles to take with me on the flight home to San Diego. When I returned on Friday I picked up a bottle of 2003 Mauro (Castilla y León) as well as a 2005 Santbru (Montsant). Both of these wines were advertised as being $10 below retail. Having priced some of the shop's wines in San Diego I will attest that the $10 savings was a conservative estimate.

All in all, I would highly recommend anyone who lives in the area or visits the area to stop by Wine Warehouse on 3rd Avenue in NSB. They know their stuff and have tremendous values in every department. Oh, did I mention that I picked up an incredible half bottle of Perrier-Jouet Champagne (yes, I do on rare occasions drink other than Spanish wine) for a mere $30 (the full bottle retails for more than $125). Stop by and spend some time with Cohn. You'll enjoy yourself and come home with a handful (or carful) of fantastic wines; and if you don't live in the area check out their website and have them ship to you!

Life is short. Drink great wine!