What Wine Do I Pair With Eel?

No, seriously! I recently had the opportunity to try a dish that I have been dying to sink my teeth into – angulas (baby eels). Believe it or not, angulas are one of the most sought after delicacies in northern Spain. They are no thicker than a strand of spaghetti and have a wonderfully oceanic flavor. Do not mistake that for “fishy.”  That they are not! Here is the story of the angula (courtesy of Tienda.com):

“Every fall fishermen harvest these tiny baby freshwater eels from the rivers of northern Spain. These incredible eels live for seven years upstream then make a journey of 4000 miles across the Atlantic ocean where they deposit their eggs in the Saragossa sea. Three years later the baby eels return to the rivers of Spain to begin the cycle again. And, of course, to provide the delightful, unusual and delicious delicacy to the tables of Spain.”

The classic preparation is in a cazuela (a terra cotta dish) in a little olive oil where garlic has been lightly browned and dried red pepper distinctly flavors the oil with a little “kick!” So, now you are really asking, “What did you pair with your crazy eel dish?” Well, as many of my friends and readers have already garnered about myself, I am addicted to the wines of the region of Cataluña, especially the Priorat and Montsant. My wine of choice for the angulas was none other than a white, yes, white Priorat. The 2007 Les Brugueres is produced by La Conreria de Scala Dei (incidentally, the winery where I participated in a grape harvest last Fall) and was a tremendous pair to the delicate and lightly textured angulas. This wine is 100% Garnacha Blanca and displayed a tremendous floral bouquet on the nose with similar notes on the palate along with some minerality. Honestly, I do not think I could have chosen a better wine for this dish. Is it worth seeking out this wine? Yes. Is it worth seeking out the angulas? Absolutely! Try something new and enjoy yourself! ¡Buen Provecho!

Life is short. Drink Spanish wine!

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