If I say “D.O. Arribes“, what comes to mind? Most likely, very little, especially when considering that few Spaniards have even heard of this region. D.O Arribes is one of a handful of new D.O.s in the north central political region of Castilla y Leon, Spain, which has taken on a “quality wine region” status […]
D.O. Arribes: Where the Legendary Tormes and Duero River Meet Read More »
Last week, we had the pleasure of enjoying some quality family time in the small mountainous town of Calonge, located north of Barcelona, southeast of Girona and not a stone’s throw from the sea. Perched on a terraced mountain at approximately 500 feet, our casa rural overlooked the dry bush valley, spotted with pine trees,
D.O. Emporda: A Mecca of Natural Beauty and Legendary Wine Stories Read More »
A friend of ours Raymond Magourty (Raymondo) is working the 2009 harvest in Priorat, Catalunya for Celler Mas Doix, a prestigious wine producer located in the villlage of Poboleda who’s Parker Points have elevated it in popularity. With his background in wine education, and ambition to learn more about the practicalities of wine-making, the winery
Harvesting in the Priorat 2009: Differentiating Grape Varieties Read More »
Spain is a country steeped in wine and wine lore. Wine is important in Spain and as a consequence, many wine consumers have a clear view of Spanish wines. Or rather, they think they do, as this view is almost universally red and more often than not from Rioja. Actually, Spain produces an incredible variety
Chacolí: The Wild Wine of Spain Read More »
Growing up in Florida during the 1970’s and 1980’s I rarely, if ever, saw cheese from an animal other than a cow. Our refrigerator was full of Cheddar, Swiss, and Jack cheeses but nary a cheese from any other animal. I suspect that most people living in the U.S. during that time were experiencing a
A Foreigner’s Guide to Spanish Goat Cheese Read More »
History of Spanish Goat Cheese Traversing the craggy mountaintops and mountainsides of the Iberian terrain, we descend to the lush, green pastures of the mountains and valleys of (predominantly) Northern Spain. Our gaze turns from the agile and energetic goat (cabra) to the more docile and passive cow (vaca). They graze primarily on the stretch
A Foreigner’s Guide to Spanish Cow Cheese Read More »
I woke up this morning with a very odd thought clanking in my brain, “If the Fantastic Five port varietals are so famous, why don’t I have a clue as to how they each contribute to the pot?” I’ll readily admit that I rarely wake up…scratch that, I NEVER have woken up with a question
The Fantastic Five Port Wine Grapes Read More »
When we first decided to commit two months to La Rioja wine, I had a lot of concerns. First, I didn’t know how we were going to cover the subject in such a short amount of time with important events, not La Rioja related thrown into the mix. The answer was simple, it’s impossible. The
What is the flavor of Rioja? Read More »
