The Muscat grape (known in Spain as Moscatel) is thought to be the oldest cultivated grape variety on the planet. Many different wine grapes are descended from primal Muscat vines cultivated thousands of years ago in the Middle East (or maybe Greece, nobody is really sure). The unique, unchanging aspect that distinguishes Muscat is a rich floral aroma that is present when the fruit is fresh as well as in the wines made from this grape. The distinctive rich honeyed perfume is the scent of freshly crushed grapes at harvest time. Spanish Moscatel  has a long history stretching back thousands of years. The Moscatel variety is grown all across Spain and the wines made from this most ancient of grapes come in a range of styles from sweet to dry or somewhere in between.Traditional Moscatel Dulce is a sweet wine, made in a sherry-like style (fortified) in the south as well as a golden late harvest style in the north and east of Spain. These wines are traditionally served with light desserts at the end of a meal. Less well known are the dry and off-dry table wines made from Moscatel.  These wines retain the rich floral aroma that Moscatel is known for but with less (or none of) the residual sugar that usually pushes Moscatel into the dessert wine category. They can be still, sparkling or lightly spritzy. They retain bright acidity that combines with the floral aromatics to create a wine with weight and substance that is also balanced and food-friendly. The closest comparisons would be the aroma and texture of Viognier offset by the edgy grapefruit and mineral character of Albariño. These wines are pefect accompaniments to a broad range of autumn and winter flavors as well as many traditional holiday foods.

Botani 2008 Botani is a dry Moscatel from the Sierras de Malaga region. Victoria Ordoñez, sister of the famous wine marketer Juan Ordoñez, makes this wine at the small family winery. The floral, concentrated aroma is classic Moscatel, redolent of honeysuckle and orange blossom,  but the palate is crisp and dry with citrus and mineral notes. This pale straw colored wine possesses a finely tuned balance of flavors that express a fresh and unique side of this ancient region. $21.99

Avinyó Vi D’Agulla 2008 Made in the Penedès region of Catalunya, this wine from the makers of Avinyó Cava is composed of Petit Grain Muscat, fermented to dryness and bottled with a bit of residual effervescence. The rich Muscat scent is present here but the sweetness usually associated with this grape is only barely perceived. In its place are flavors of tart grapefruit and background flintiness. This spritzy, low alcohol white wine makes a unique and distinctive apperitivo at the start of a festive gathering. $11.99

Viña Esmeralda 2008 This medium sweet blend of Moscatel and Gewürtztraminer is floral and aromatic with notes of rose petal and lavender. Honeyed melon fruit character is held in check by bright acidity. In Spain this is a traditional wine to serve during during the holidays accompanied by some almond cookies or the anise flavored fried pastries known as rosquillas. $14.99

Gramona Gessamí 2008 In the Catalan language gessamí means jasmine. This is a perfect descriptor for the aroma of this Penedès region blend of Moscatel, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürtztraminer. The rich floral perfume wafts out of the glass at arms length. Put the glass to your lips and take in the crisp citrus and green apple fruit character. The combination of sweet aroma and tart flavor creates a uniquely delicious experience. Pair this wine with raw fish (tuna tartare, sashimi) or any number of marinated vegetable salads (beets & fennel, mushroom & leeks vinaigrette). $17.99

Musva Espumoso Previously this was called Reymos. It comes from a small co-op winery in the village of Cheste near Valencia. It is a sparkling Moscatel that works its magic best at the end of a meal. It is medium sweet, low in alcohol, aggressively bubbly and aromatic. Notes of baking spices (cloves, nutmeg, allspice) make this an excellent wine to serve with an autumn pear tart (or, even better, good ol’ American pumpkin pie). $11.99

Casta Diva Cosecha Miel 2006 At this time of year a little glass of late harvest Moscatel is particularly appealing in the late afternoon or after dinner. The celebrated Casta Diva is a lush, sweet Moscatel from the Alicante region on the Mediterranean coast. This bright gold colored wine is redolent of honey, ginger and tangerines. The rich Sauterne-like complexity of Casta Diva works with everything from fois gras to lemon tart. $32.99 (500 ml)

Rioja Bordon is back! For those of you who missed out on these the first time around (or tried them, loved them and want more) we are happy to report that a new batch of traditionally styled Rioja wines from Bodegas Franco-Española has just arrived and is going fast. The same great pricing continues until the wines are gone. We are thrilled to be able to extend this not-to-be-missed opportunity.

Rioja Bordon Crianza 2005 The 2001 was a staff and customer favorite and hopefully you’ll find the current release just as enticing. A bit richer than the 2001, this is still a classic Rioja Crianza (tart pie cherry fruit with well integrated barrel character) at an outstanding price. $13.99

Rioja Bordon Reserva 2004 The best seller of the Franco-Española wines is this plush reserva from the stellar 2004 vintage. Elegantly expressive and balanced Rioja at a fabulous price. $17.99

Rioja Bordon Gran Reserva 1999 Here it is. A 10-year old wine for an amazing price. Soft and round this is a classic aged Gran Reserva, intended as a vino de contemplación to be served alone or with a few choice tapas (jamón iberico!). A true taste of Spain at a knock out price. $23.99

Baron d’Anglade Reserva 2001 Named after the founder of the Bodega, this is a denser,bolder wine than the regular Reserva. This wine is from the stellar 2001 vintage Notes of dark cherry, allspice and clove, tobacco smoke and vanilla on a round, velvety frame. Regular retail would be $60, but it’s $49.99

Cazuela de Lentejas är riktig rödvinsmat och passar bra en grå november fredag då matfantasin tryter och man bara inte orkar laga något piffigt och nytt…Nu är det något mättande och varmt som gäller.

Jag lagar grytan på Dövestad kryddiga korvar , som jag skrev om igår, men du kan förstås också ta en god, riktigt het chorizo från ett fabrikat du litar på. Jag brukar skiva ner Änglamarks chorizo eller Wurstmasters lammkabanoss.

De här behövs till 4-5 portioner: 4 dl gröna linser (torra), 1 burk hela tomater, 1 stor gul lök, 1 röd paprika, 3 vitlöksklyftor, 3 msk olivolja, 1 lagerblad, 1 tsk salt, 1 tsk hel spiskummin, 2 tsk paprikapulver, 1 krm svartpeppar, 2 potatisar, 200 g kryddig korv

• Gör så här. Skölj linserna noga i flera vatten, blötlägg dem gärna någon timme eller mer om du har tid. Koktiden förkortas då mycket.
• Koka upp linserna i vatten som precis täcker. Koka under lock och späd med mer vatten om det kokar torrt. Beräkna ca 40 minuter om linserna inte är blötlagda annars tar det allt från 15 till 25 minuter. 
• Hetta upp oljan i en stekpanna. Fräs strimlad lök och paprika, skivad vitlök i ett par minuter.
• Tillsätt spadet från tomaterna, kryddorna och häll fräset i linsgrytan när det är ungefär 15-20 kvar på koktiden.
• Skala potatisen och skär i klyftor. Lägg dem, grovt skuren korv och tomaterna i linsgrytan. 
• Sjud tills linserna och potatisen är riktigt mjuka.
• Smaka av med salt och peppar.
• Strö över rejält med haclad persilja och servera med ett gott,  gärna surdegsjäst bröd, citronklyftor att pressa över och en Rioja med mycket smak. 

Andaluz – Basement, 21 Howard Street, Perth – ph: +61 8 9481 0092

For anyone who has not yet been inducted into this little slice of awesome, Andaluz is one of Perth’s newest and most stylish tapas/small bars. Don’t take my word for it – Urbanspoon has a tribe of readers willing to attest to its fabulousness:

I have been an Andaluz regular and voluntary promoter since 22 August. That visit also marked the start of Aroha, Sarah and I documenting quotable quotes from our nights out. I believe the very first quotable quote came from Sarah, who declared, “Ooh! It’s proper smelly delicious cheese!” on receiving our cheese platter. I am borrowing another of Sarah’s quotes when I tell you that Andaluz is my happy place.

For such a hidden-away location, this place is really popular. Bookings are not taken and even if you arrive within an hour of opening time on a Saturday night you still risk missing out on a table.

While not ultra-pricy, Andaluz is not a cheap night out if you want to feel full and tipsy over the course of the evening. I do consider it to be excellent value, however, when you look at what you get for your money.

The ambience. You notice the atmosphere of the place as soon as you step through the door. It’s dimly lit; comfortably so. The dining areas are separate, secluded. Every room has lamps and side-tables. The crockery is mismatched, antique. The look is classic gentlemen’s club style. Dark wood, velvet, leather, flocked fabrics.

I am not merely being poetic when I tell you it is a venue from another time; it truly is. The heritage-listed 21 Howard Street was built during the Perth Gold Boom (1890-1910) and its upper levels have remained active as law chambers for almost its entire life. In spite of the extensive refit, you see seams of the past interwoven with the modern textiles and accents.

photo by Annie

The food. I am super-excited that there is finally a Perth venue you can count on to serve decent food after 10pm. Average cost per plate is around $12, and dishes range from $6 to $29.

The tapas menu is delightfully varied and includes some delicious vegetarian options for those who are not carnivorously inclined. I can personally recommend the almonds and chickpea salad.

I won’t lie: I was disappointed when the tiger prawns with lime butter sauce and the labna slipped quietly off the menu – but I have to say, I have warmed to several dishes from the new menu, such as the lamb cutlets and scallops.

Ok, so the scallops have been around for a while. The image below depicts almost three servings of the delightful flavour bursts: one was pilfered by a hungry friend before I had the chance to whip out my iPhone for a photo.

A few notable stalwarts remain on the new menu, like that lovable cheese platter which is inevitably licked clean:

The drinks. Cocktails are priced from $16, with wines starting at $8 per glass.

The wine list is Italian and Spanish with a smattering of French and Australian selections. I like it. I also like the fact that the bar staff know their cocktails; they make the old faithfuls to perfection.

photo by Gabriel

The service. The Andaluz service is outstanding. I think the thing I love most about this place is the fact that the barstaff remember you and your drink(s) of choice. The waitstaff are all so friendly, efficient and professional – a rare combination in Perth – and they make you feel welcome and special. It’s what a good restaurant should be. This is why you pay to eat out.

Andaluz, I toast you with my expertly mixed Bombay Sapphire martini and the glass of Rioja that will inevitably follow. I sit back and I smile to myself as I scan the roomful of friends in contented conversation. And, as I guide another unaccompanied sliver of oozing Brillat Savarin to my parted lips, I know I am in my happy place.

Hoy la ‘Factoría Juan Palma’ propone banda sonora de Los Darreyes de la Sierra (latinos afincados en California, según se desprende de una intensa búsqueda en la Red) para animar la concentración diaria contra el cierre de La Opinión de Granada. La lluvia ha estropeado un poco el día, pero los ánimos son los mismos que al principio.

Desde el Norte nos llega un mensaje de apoyo del Sindicato de Profesionales de la Información de La Rioja. Nos desean que, dentro de lo malo (el cierre en sí), “la cosa salga lo mejor posible”. Nuestro agradecimiento infinito.

Los compañeros del SPA de Córdoba, reunidos en asamblea hace unos días, manifestaron “su solidaridad y apoyo a todos los trabajadores del sector que están teniendo problemas laborales en la provincia de Córdoba y en el resto de Andalucía, especialmente en La Opinión de Granada, que ha cerrado dejando en la calle a medio centenar de trabajadores”.

la de tonterías que nos enseñaban en el colegio. hasta las cosas más serias en las que se basa un país son unas pamplinas

a ver, ejemplo

pues por ejemplo lo de la ‘reconquista’. los moros llevaban quinientos añastros en la península y lo llaman reconquista. es como si la invadieran ahora ellos y lo llamaran así. la podrían llamar al-andalus de nuevo

ya la llaman al-andalus

¿quienes?

los más simpáticos

pero estarás de acuerdo en que lo de la ‘reconquista’ es una tontería casi a la altura del ‘descubrimiento de América’. vamos, como el descubrimiento de los campos electromagnéticos o el de la electricidad. hablamos de ellos como si no estuvieran en la habitación

bueno, en todos los sitios es más o menos igual, todo el mundo tiene estúpidos mitos fundacionales

ya, pero al final de tanta tontería nos volvemos tontos. o no estudiamos idiomas. en el colegio, en tercero de EGB, yo tenía un profesor que echó a una alumna de clase por hablar de los boy-scouts. ése era el nombre oficial de aquel grupo, pero el profesor estaba convencido de que había que decir ‘excursionistas’ o ‘montañeros’, porque ‘el español es una lengua muy rica y no se tiene que dejar contaminar por el inglés’. le molestaba muchísimo ‘el inglés’ al muy idiota

pasa en todos los laos. nos creíamos que Alemania era tralará y mira lo que pasa si no les hablas en su idioma. que se enfadan. la actitud de tu profesor es la normal

no me toques las bolas, Matilde, que no quiero recordarte quién es aquí ‘la cosmopolita’

si es por discutir, que si no me aburro

¿más Rioja?

bitte

(Dedicado a los amigos que me invitan a espléndidas catas, única forma de probar vinos míticos e inalcanzables. Gracias, muchas gracias Carlos y David)

Durante muchos, muchos años se valoró excesivamente en España la forma tradicional de elaboración, la costumbre secular del agricultor. “Siempre se hizo así”… Y así nos lució el pelo. Especialmente en ciertas zonas, y todavía ocurre en la actualidad, se busca el vino de cosechero, “sin química”, sin ningún tipo de aditiva y, por lo tanto, sin técnica. Y esos vinos, que debían beberse rápidamente, antes de convertirse en intragables, ni podían viajar, (se “revolvían”) ni admitían mejora con su reposo en botella, ni nada de nada.

Menos mal que esas nefastas, casi mejor nefandas costumbres están en proceso de extinción. El gran salto adelante de nuestra viticultura se debe casi en exclusiva a una nueva generación de jóvenes técnicos, de brillantes enólogos, que han aprendido como realizar la selección de uvas, su tratamiento adecuado, las fermentaciones controladas, etc. Hoy vamos a dar un pequeño repaso al Top Five, los cinco más destacados artífices de la revolución vinícola española desde el subjetivo punto de vista del Búho.

Álvaro Palacios, premiado en Stuttgart (Alemania) como mejor joven Winemaker del 2008 por un jurado internacional, que valoró lo que ya sabíamos en España desde hace años, unos vinos llenos de carácter y singularidad que van desde los míticos e inalcanzables Clos Dofí y L’Ermita (en su momento el vino más caro de España) del Priorato hasta los actuales vinos que elabora en el Bierzo, unos sencillos y accesibles, Pétalos del Bierzo y Corullón y otros de más enjundia: San Martín, Las Lamas, La Faraona y Moncerbal. Son experimentos realizados con cepas muy viejas y cantidades ridículas, salvo en los precios, entre 100 y 300 €. Por ejemplo, del más caro, La Faraona, se hacen apenas dos barricas, quinientas y pico botellas. De los otros, algo más, entre mil y dos mil y pico botellas.

Benjamín Romeo, que fue durante 15 años el enólogo de Artadi, artífice de sus éxitos (Grandes Añadas, Pagos Viejos y Viña El Pisón) está ahora en la cima del mundo después de que Robert Parker calificara durante dos años consecutivos a su vino emblemático Contador con 100 puntos. Ya eran pocas y difíciles de encontrar las botellas que elaboraba, unas 1.500, pero ahora es prácticamente imposible, además de haber duplicado su precio. El vino recibe todos los cuidados del mundo, uvas de 80 años, recogida manual por la noche para que esté a baja temperatura, selección de los racimos, etc., así que entre la técnica de Benjamín, estos cuidados y la materia prima no es extraño que se alcancen tal altas cotas de excelencia.

Marcos Eguren es otro de los genios que han llevado los vinos españoles a unas posiciones de privilegio, a codearse con los Master del Universo. Como un Rey Midas de la actualidad todo lo que toca se convierte en oro. ¿Cómo es posible elaborar vinos como Numanthia o Termanthia,  (otro con 100 puntos Parker) en Toro, donde esos maravillosos taninos dulces dejan la boca del catador siempre con ganas de repetir o extrae de la tempranillo peludo esa esencia que es el Señorío de San Vicente. Pero es que además elabora El Puntido y Sierra Cantabria Colección Privada y El Bosque y Amancio y La Nieta. El Búho ha catado todos estos vinos y elegir uno es como decir a que hijo quieres más. Mientras otros dedican todo su esfuerzo a conseguir un vino espléndido, Marcos puede hacer una docena. En fin, también Maradona era capaz de dar vueltas y vueltas al campo sin que la pelota tocase el suelo.

Mariano García es tal vez uno de los grandes, ya no a nivel nacional sino internacional.  Tal vez su caso no tiene mérito. Al fin y al cabo nació en la finca de Vega-Sicilia, ya que su padre trabajaba allí. Después de ser el enólogo de uno de los mejores vinos del mundo durante 30 años decidió volar sólo y como muestra de su trabajo ahí están primero Mauro, Vendimia Seleccionada y Terreus. Luego empezó a extenderse por la geografía nacional, desembarca en Toro y elabora San Román, espléndido vino, compitiendo en la Champion’s League de los vinos de esa D.O. con los Numanthia y Pintia o los Bienvenida El Palo. Luego con sus hijos y César Muñoz logran otro exitazo, Leda Viñas Viejas. Y como Eguren no tiene límite, así que triunfa con Aalto y Aalto PS en la Ribera del Duero de nuevo.

Miguel Angel de Gregorio también se crió en una bodega, ya que su padre se encargaba de los viñedos de Marqués de Murrieta. Ingeniero agrónomo y enólogo, Miguel Angel revolucionó el mundo tradicional del vino en La Rioja, ya que cuestionó la clasificación de los vinos de calidad en crianzas, reservas y grandes reservas. Con toda la razón del mundo expresa que un gran reserva se puede elaborar con un vino impresentable siempre que cumpla los plazos reglamentarios de estancia en barrica y reposo en botella y utilice los tipos de uva autorizados por el Consejo Regulador. Así que empezó a elaborar vinos de gran calidad que no tenían el paraguas de reserva o gran reserva en la contraetiqueta. El Búho había probado en muchas ocasiones Finca Allende, 250.000 botellas anuales de un muy digno vino de crianza y en una cata dirigida por Miguel Angel tuvo la inmensa suerte de catar sus dos espléndidos vinos Calvario y Aurus. Gran expresividad, aromas profundos y una madera de altísima calidad bien ensamblada producen una orgía de los sentidos. Sólo 7.500 botellas del primero y apenas 5.000 o 6.000 del segundo convierten en privilegiados a los que consiguen probar estos vinos.

Estos enólogos y otros muchos que aprendieron con ellos o en las ocho universidades españolas que imparten Enología o en la tradicional Universidad de Burdeos son los que han conseguido que los españoles podamos sentirnos orgullosos de nuestros vinos.

¡Hasta pronto, amigos de la noche y el vino!

Olemme viimepäivinä kuvanneet ViiniTV:een runsaasti haastatteluja. Tulossa on juttua muun muassa Piper-Heidsieckista, Burgundin Doudetista, Prosecon Adamista, Itävallan Nikolaihoffista ja eräistä muista varsin päräyttävistä viinitiloista.

Alla olevan klipin kuvasin kännykälläni; siinä Montecillon viinintekijä, A.K.A. Riojan kuningatar, Maria Martinez Sierra fiilistelee omaa viiniään. Mainio tyyppi.

From Poems of Places, vol. 14, Spain 1 (Boston: Houghton, Osgood and Company, 1877), edited by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

[Italica]

Fabius, if tears prevent thee not, survey
The long dismantled streets, so thronged of old,
The broken marbles, arches in decay,
Proud statues, toppled from their place and rolled
In dust, when Nemesis, the avenger, came,
And buried, in forgetfulness profound,
The owners and their fame.
Thus Troy, I deem, must be,
With many a mouldering mound;
And thou, whose name alone remains to thee,
Rome, of old gods and kings the native ground;
And thou, sage Athens, built by Pallas, whom
Just laws redeemed not from the appointed doom.
The envy of earth’s cities once wert thou, —
A weary solitude and ashes now.
For fate and death respect ye not: they strike
The mighty city and the wise alike.

◊

A Roman city in Spain, Italica was the birthplace of three Roman emperors and the subject of a poem long attributed to Francisco de Rioja; it was actually written by Rodrigo Caro, who lived at about the same time. William Cullen Bryant made his translation while passing through Madrid. Though Rioja’s authorship was already contested — George Ticknor noted the fact in History of Spanish Literature (1849) — Bryant, like Ticknor himself, accepted the traditional attribution. He called his version “The Ruins of Italica — From the Spanish of Rioja,” adding the following note for Thirty Poems (1867):

The poems of the Spanish author, Francisco de Rioja, who lived in the first half of the seventeenth century, are few in number, but much esteemed. His ode on the Ruins of Italica is one of the most admired of these, but in the only collection of his poems which I have seen, it is said that the concluding stanza, in the original copy, was deemed so little worthy of the rest that it was purposely omitted in the publication. Italica was a city founded by the Romans in the South of Spain, the remains of which are still an object of interest.

I don’t know the original work, or any other translation, but Bryant’s version is a respectable poem; in fact, it’s one of the best things he published in later years. Though the subject (ruins) and style (Roman) give the entirety a neoclassical feel. Which must have come easily to Bryant given his own earliest work, which was eighteenth century in style.

Longfellow includes all of Bryant’s translation in Poems of Places, also crediting the original to Rioja, but leaving out the numbers that divide the sections. The excerpt above presents the fourth, penultimate section.

◊

Having reached my tenth installment, I should say a few words, perhaps, about these excerpts. There are 31 volumes of Longfellow’s Poems of Places (list here) and I hope to include one excerpt from each before reappraising my approach, which is more or less haphazard and superficial. Though many of the authors included are familiar — and many of the translators too (as is the case here, with Bryant) — I’m trying to choose poems that require at least a little bit of research, meaning just enough Googling to figure out who the author was, and when the poem was written. The anthologies are without apparatus, and not all names are given in full, so a minimal amount of research is frequently needed. As it happens, I enjoy that sort of easy labor; it’s like doing a Monday crossword puzzle, or jogging around the block.

I also have a broader aim in these excerpts: I’d like to gain a better understanding of what world literature might have meant in the nineteenth century, and what it might have meant to Longfellow in particular. In particular because of Charles C. Calhoun’s claim — based on these anthologies — that Longfellow was the era’s “most ambitious multiculturalist.” He also claims that Longfellow “more or less invented the discipline of comparative literature in American colleges.”

The claim about comp lit seems reasonable to me (see, on this point, Kirstin Silva Gruesz’s Ambassadors of Culture). The multiculturalism …  well, let’s just say it’s overstated. For one thing, the vast majority of Longfellow’s authors are British and American. For another, the individual volumes make no attempt to represent writers from the areas in question. Even the translated poems are likely to be by visitors, or drawn from antiquity. Take the Turkey section: I count only four poems out of thirty in languages native to the empire — “Ottoman,” “Roumanian,” “Servian” — and three more in Greek that date from antiquity; there are six more translated from Italian, French, and German, and seventeen were written in English. Even the Spain volumes, which are richer than most in native sources, give half their space to anglophone authors; the remainder is shared by Spanish poets with Andersen, Brentano, Dante, Heine, Gautier, Lucan, and Uhland, among others. The range of poets is impressive, but what it includes or excludes is not, finally, a matter of concern. If given a choice between adding a city and adding another native poet, Longfellow, I suspect, would add a city.

My general sense, then, is that Longfellow’s imagination of the world is capacious in these books; his imagination of world literature, comparatively small. Or to put this in another way: his interest in geography is broad and methodical; his interest in comparative literature, scattered and accidental.^[1] Which makes him, I think, just as much an imperial poet here as a multicultural one, though both descriptions are hyperbolic. He was curious about the world, and about the world’s poets, and went far in trying to share what he knew about both, much farther than I ever have. So who am I to judge?

Anyhow, I’m not trying to judge, just understand. We’ll see where it leads.

◊

Notes

¹ [Back to text] I’ve not spent any time with Longfellow’s earlier Poets and Poetry of Europe, which tells a very different story. A difference that is well worth considering. Is it simply a matter of Longfellow the professor vs. Longfellow the fireside poet? Or is another change involved as well, say, between the 1840s and 1870s? Poems of Places, in any case, encapsulates a very different idea of world literature than the earlier anthology, and it’s the later project I’m trying to understand right now.

Product Update: Naia Rueda Verdejo, Amarula, and Laphroaig are back in stock.

The only new spirits were the addition of Candian Supreme whisky in a new size, 1 liter, as wel as two sizes (750ml and 1.75L) of Canadian Gold whisky. We did taste the latter, and given the more budget-oriented price point of this Canadian whisky, it does taste pretty good, you might not even want to mix it with anything. Curiously, it is one of a handful of Canadian whiskies distilled in Canada, but bottled in the United States.

Borsao Monte Oton Garnacha

• Ramon Bilbao Rioja Crianza Tempranillo Limited Edition (2006, Wine Spectator Smart Buy, 90 points)
• Borsao “Monte Oton” Garnacha DO Campo de Borja
• Atteca Garnacha Old Vines DO Calatayud
• Catine Tollo Valle d’Oro DOC Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
• Begali Lorenzo DOC Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso
• Husch Vineyards Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley
• Steltzner Claret Napa Valley

Rioja Reserva 2005 Berberana. £10.99-Majestic-buy 2 & save- Lovely w/Chorizo! Bit pricey, but worth it for a

treat.Full of flavour.

@Jordanfleet

Thanks to Catavino  ( Ryan Opaz & Gabriella Opaz ) with their  live blog at www.catavino.net/wine-future-live,

Here are some of the points I like to outline !

David Cunningham from Constellation Europe: “warned against the tendency to obsess over price; the industry should attempt a dialogue with the consumer more about quality than price, which is not easy in times of recession. The wine industry is the well-known drop in per capita wine consumption in the traditional wine-consuming countries. In Spain consumption is down but 72% of consumption is now in the DO’s. This is a challenge but also an opportunity at middle price points.”

Xavier Pagès, Director General Codorniu: “As a group (young or new consumers) they see wine as more sophisticated and have a very skeptical attitude toward the traditional media and have more faith in bloggers. (We at catavino.net wondered if he was aware that as he was saying this, we bloggers were sending his message.) ahahaahhaaaaa !!!!

Richard Halstead CEO of Wine Intelligence ( U.K): ” restaurants are quite simply not doing their job; they are failing to engage wine drinkers as a group and these are the types you want in your restaurants because of their relative buying power. The huge problem is steep prices. There is a trend to eating “well” at home instead of going out. And high wine costs at restaurants clearly influence this trend.”

Tim Hanni M.W.: “Wine experts and sellers should…accept that people react differently to wines and that these different reactions are not a fault of education or culture but are often physiological, a simple matter of the number of buds on the tongue for example. People who hate the smell of sauvignon blanc often have grass allergies. Shoes don’t fit all people, wines don’t either. There are no masters of shoes telling us than a shoe should feel good.

Enjoy…    IVO

I have recently tried two Rioja wines, both from 2006, Monte Real of Bodegas Riojanas and Vallobera by Javier San Pedro. They were both amazing, each in its own distinctive way. To use a Chinese metaphor, Monte Real was the Yang and Vallobera the Yin. And of course both wines come from the very same part of Rioja, following the Tao principle of complementarity of opossing forces.

Monte Real Crianza 2006 is one of the best buys in the region, a serious young wine full of tradition, light and capable of bringing you closer to heaven, very Yang like. Rioja Vallobera is femenine, misterious, seductive, down-to-earth wine, a Yin experience all the way. Two different friends have introduced me to each of these wines and I am looking forward to a single conversation with both of them, very Tao like, different wines but only movements and transformations of form.

Ok, let’s face it: A shiny morning doesn’t mean that our beautiful Vancouver fall is holding on. Mostly days are turning gray, cold and miserable. And it is for that reason that while I decipher my wine notes from the last IVSA, a pot of Osso Bucco -Peruvian version- is simmering on the stove, flooding my kitchen with aromas of beef ribs, porcini mushroom and melting celery. While I seep and write I keep an eye on it, you know, cooking is a serious matter for a wineaddicto like me.

The wine I have in mind for this Peruvian stew  (Estofado) is the Poggio al Lupo IGT Toscana, brought to Vancouver by Liquid Art Fine Wines. This fine, big wine is made by Tenuta Sette Ponti, the very creators of proved success stories, like the delicious Crognolo. The Poggio al Lupo is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante and a dash of Petit Verdot. The latter two are responsible for the deep coloring of this remarkable Tuscan broth and for its reverberate-on-the-palate tannic charge too. Piquant fruit on the nose, aggressive almost to a fault –but stopping just shy of- and with black fruit and herbal flavors that have a hint of bitterness, in the right sense. This makes for a challenging drink and for a great companion to a dish like the one I have on the slow cooker or for Osso Bucco, game or mature cheeses. In the vicinity of 70 dollars, this is a wine to look for. 91 points Wine Spectator 2007, 2008.

Wine Rhapsody treats British Columbians with the Chateau La Moutete, a red blend from Provence. The Rouge Vielles Vignes 2005 is a typical southern blend of Carignan, Grenache Syrah and Mourvedre. Medium bodied and straightforward in its simplicity, it will accompany duck or red meats with alacrity at c. 30 dollars. More impressive, albeit a lot pricier (7o dollars), the Marchesi di Barolo Cannubi 2001 is a big wine from Piedmont. A floral whiff precedes a full, dry, serious body that delivers all the textural –tannic- load of the properly vinified Nebbiolo grape. Braised meats like beef, lamb or game should allow the full appreciation of this biggie.

Stepping down a bit from the previous big Italian, I tasted the Sgubin Schioppettino, courtesy of Burrows, Luongo & Associates. This a red that deserves a lot more of the Vancouverite wine lover’s attention. The varietal is another incarnation of the better known Refosk grape, a local specialty which is adored in Northern Italy and Slovenia (where it is called Teran) but apparently nowhere else. Simple, rustic and tannic, it does have its charm, and having the chance of choosing a wine to have with roasted boar (ok, yes, it was road kill) I would go for this inexpensive food friendly red. 20-23 dollars. Burrows & Luongo also brings Australian wines. They showcased their Serafino line from McLaren Vale. At 26 dollars and 14.5% alcohol, both the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Shiraz represent good value. I enjoyed the Cab Sauv particularly, with its well integrated oak, juicy fruit and fine tannins.

Natalia Samborski from Select Wines walked me through some of their products. The 2008 Little Yering Pinot Noir comes to mind as excellent value. At 14.99 this Pinot from Yarra had a decent level of structure and a solid, savoury finish. The Villa Saletta 2005 Chiave (key) was the surprise novelty at this table and kept us chatting about it for a while. A blend of Cabernet, Sangiovese and Caladoc, this 16 dollar wine is light, simple and carries ticklish tannins, making the perfect complement to lighter fare. The 2004 Faustino V Rioja doesn’t need introductions and once again, impressed with its burly, intoxicating nose and stewed fruit loaded body. One of the best Riojas to be found at this price. My visit to this booth ended with the Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2006. Delivering the typical Mendoza’s Malbec style, this concentrated broth will be serious competition to the likes of Pascual Toso Reserva.

I will continue with the rest of the reds in my next post.

Salud!

“..The largest forum to discuss the current status of the wine industry .”Kevin Zraly

Jancis Robinson OBE, MW – Gary Vaynerchuk – Esteban Cabezas The Wine Academy of Spain- Justin Howard-Sneyd MW – Waitrose – Christopher Cannan; Europvin – Baudouin Havaux; Concours Mondial de Bruxelles – José Peñín – Juan Such Juan Verema.com – Miguel Torres ; President of Bodegas Miguel Torres – Oz Clarke – Pancho Campo MW Founder of The Wine Academy of Spain and first Spanish Master of Wine – Quim Vila Founder and CEO of Vilaviniteca – Robert Joseph & Robert Parker – Ryan Opaz Catavino (YEEEAAAHHH  !! ) – Xavier Pagés Font – Grupo CodorníuGeneral Manager for Grupo Codorníu – Rafael Ansón President of Honor of the International Academy of Gastronomy and President of the Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy.

The Fair and Exhibition Palace of La Rioja, situated at 25 San Millán Street in Logroño, is an emblematic building in Rioja. It has the convenience of the underground car park with 112 spaces, as well as the large public car park above ground. Behind each room, and with the innovation, modernity and capacity at your disposal, you will find a highly skilled team of technical staff.

More infos on: WINEFUTURE

Thanks to :

www.thewineacademy.es

www.winesfromspain.com

www.academiagastronomia.com

Enjoy the talk….I will follow thanks to Catavino …..

IVO

Saludos, este es un post bastante privado en el que comentaré unos hechos acaecidos el domingo pasado en mi ciudad, Burgos; acudí a una manifestación en contra del cierre de una multinacional alemana que aprovechando la crisis decide llevarse la producción al país bávaro , el caso es que tras la manifestación en el populoso barrio de Gamonal, decidimos tomar algo en una de los locales más grandes y concurridos de la zona de la Plaza Santiago (obviare el nombre por respeto, cual Cervantes ), íbamos con una pareja  con niños, y tras pedir un par de raciones de bravas, para acompañar, osado de mi, busque con mis ojos por la barra, los vinos que allí se servían; mi primera búsqueda fue infructuosa ya que vi varios vinos Rioja lejos de mi gusto, pero como soy un osado, le pedí a la rubia  camarera del lugar….un Ribera….tinto para mas señas…..tras unos segundos….quizás meditando mi horrible propuesta…..ella tardo mucho en servirme…..un Rioja Bordón……no quise(pude) hacerla notar su “error”…..pero sin duda haberlo hecho hubiese complicado mas el tema, y decidí irme con mi Rioja Bordón abierto y calentorro, a la mesa…he de decir que el vino me supo a demonios, demonios malos, e incluso ya al beberlo tuve la sensación de que aquella botella se había rellenado de otra cosa distinta a un Rioja…aunque eso no lo podré probar…..lo que si sé es que me fui a casa con una indigestión de pánico entre las bravas y el “vino”, que me tuvo el lunes de baja.

Ya me recupere, y lo que deseaba contar es como en mi ciudad, tan cercana a la Ribera, puedes encontrar aún muchos bares en los que no encontraras un Ribera, y en este caso quiero creer que si era un Rioja lo que bebí ; hay muchas iniciativas para fomentar el consumo entre los burgaleses de vinos de la tierra, pero por unas razones u otras este sigue siendo territorio Rioja, mal que nos pese. Encontrar vinos incluso de Arlanza tampoco es tarea nada fácil.

En una visita hace años ya a la capital maña, mi compadre nos llevo a un restaurante típico maño, con el techo del lugar repleto de pañuelitos; en aquel lugar le pedí al camarero un Ribera, y con todo el buen humor mañico me dijo que allí no servían mariconadas; recuerdo que comimos muy bien con un vino de Somontano que hacia perfecto maridaje con el baturro ambiente del restaurante, pero el comentario jocoso del camarero me hizo mucha gracia, ya que al fin y al cabo los maños también tienen vinos que deber ser probados y gozados.

Nunca he intentado en mis viajes a la Rioja pedir allí un Ribera, realmente no lo veo necesario, ya que allí donde estés has de probar los vinos locales, quizás alguna vez lo intente, y si encuentro restaurante o bar en el que no tengan Ribera, quizás lo anote aquí; pero que en Burgos encuentres lugares de alterne y  tapeo en el que no haya Ribera, si me parece un crimen. He dicho.

R.

I was so excited to finally try the El Coto Rioja last night after my Rueda disappointment on Sunday. Here he is, in all his regal, gold fishnet-wrapped glory (I felt a from-below shot would be more fitting for this bad boy):

I couldn’t get over the beautiful ruby color of the wine:

After drooling over the color alone, I took my first sniff. I noticed immediately the prominent red fruit- cherry, strawberries, raspberries, plus a little funk (which you know I love), and a little earth. Oh yeah, I was into it. Then I took a sip… WHAT?!? Where had all the complexity of the nose gone? Where was the funk? Where was the earth? After building up the Rioja so much in my mind, I was crushed (wine pun not-intended) to discover that though it had a lovely, long finish, something was missing on the palate. It was like finally being set up with that gorgeous guy you’ve been eyeing for months only to discover he has ZERO sense of humor or personality. AWKWARD. Yeah, that’s kind of how this wine tasting was.

Ok, he had some redeeming qualities- I’ll stop using date analogies to describe the wine and give you the actual tasting notes. There was lovely red fruit and stone fruit present, a bit of slate, a bit of anise, and the finish was beautifully long (thanks to the noble, old Tempranillo grapes.) I suppose I was just hoping for a little more roundness, a little more complexity. It was only $10.99 after all, but still… at that price point you should definitely be able to find some delicious, pretty complex wines.

One mistake I made in retrospect was not having this wine with food. I definitely don’t think it’s an easy-drinking wine- it’s so dry it is begging to cut into a NY strip or a ribeye, roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, or even a pizza (yeah, I said it.)

Let’s not give up on Rioja’s, though… there are some AMAZING ones out there. I’ll make it a mission to find one for you all. Does anyone have a go-to Rioja that they are just dying to share? Hook a wino up.

El pasado Jueves 5 de Nov. se realizó una cata-maridaje en el restaurant El Trapío de Celaya, Gto.

Pedro Poncelis presentó el Txacoli ante los asistentes.

NOTE: The following description of events isn’t just BASED on truth…it is completely true…

My first post…oh this is so exciting! Err..umm….uh….I mean…

Over this past summer, I received an invite to a blind wine tasting.

The rules for a blind tasting are as follows:
Basically, you bring a bottle or two, cover up the label, and the person running the tasting disperses the wine among guests. You all taste it without knowing anything about it and then try to identify what type of wine it is, the country of origin, and the region.

So I thought it would be fun to take my wife as kind of a night out thing to have a little fun. On my way from work to the tasting, I grabbed a couple of bottles from the store. Let’s get our wine on!!

So the tasting starts, first wine is dispersed and the immediate feeling of fear and inferiority overtakes us. The manner in which the lingo just rolls off everyone else’s tongue as we’re tasting is just awe inspiring.

They’ve got noses like dogs – “I think I detect a leathery almost burnt leaves aroma with some asiago cheese,” says the girl next to me. My eyes go wide.

They’re all world class travelers to wine countries of the furthest reaches of the universe – Former Soviet Republic of Georgia, Italy (more than once), France, Chile, Argentina, Australia – all mentioned like, “Oh, I do it every month don’t you?” And better yet, the bottles have been brought back and used for this tasting. If a vineyard was discovered on Mars, they’d be there in a heartbeat.

The bottle prices – $55 and up (yes, I said $55). And even a $75 bottle (yes, I said $75). My initial thought? Why on earth would you be bringing bottles like these to a blind tasting for strangers to taste? If it were me, these are reserved for me and spouse and after careful consideration, some extended family.

Anyhow, my next thought was that they were going to pin down our wines in less than 2 seconds. How could their taste buds not identify mass produced wines from a local store after we’ve been tasting high priced wines from places where they seemed to know exact coordinates of the spot on earth where the grapes had been grown? Or at least pretended to know.

But as they tasted, everyone shouted out a different thing. “Oh this is definitely a Cabernet” or “This could be from Argentina.”

There was confusion.

As it mounted, I became increasingly anxious. Could it be that this group of full-on blow-hards couldn’t identify the wines?

The answer came: THEY COULD NOT. Nobody identified the Zinfandel or the Rioja. To add to our happiness, they were very impressed at how good the wine was.

“Wow, how much did these wines cost?” asks a woman from the other end. “They’re very good.” Everyone at the table stared at us – I had no problem shouting my answer across the table: $12.50.

Cue the voice of Billy Crudup:

-1 bottle of Red Zinfandel $12.50
-1 bottle of Spanish Rioja $12.99
-Fee to attend tasting ; $5
-Seeing the look of defeat on the faces of the full-on blow-hards:

PRICELESS!!!!

The cherry on top of this was that the person running the tasting got pissed at everyone for just blurting stuff out and not opening their minds enough! For a second I thought she was going to send them to the principal’s office. It was like Rocky traveling to Russia to beat Ivan Drago and subsequently winning over the crowd (well, maybe we didn’t win them over).

I inconspicuously grabbed my wife’s hand under the table and engaged in a quiet fist pump with her.  We strolled out of the room having won one for the Gippers of the wine world.

The moral of this story is that wine is what you decide it is.

Sure, there are some rough guidelines to follow, and you might become a little bit more knowledgeable after doing enough tasting that you could recognize certain similarities in taste and smell…but in reality, you smell what you smell and you taste what you taste.

So time to get your wine on…your palate is waiting.

Fredag och tre veckors fältarbete är över, detta firas med att öppna upp veckans impulsinköp, 2005 Hiru 3 Racimos från producenten Luis Canas.

Vinet har en tät mörk blåröd färg och doften är komplex med inslag av ekfat, charkvaror, syrliga röda bär och lite vanilj.

Vid en första smutt finns en hel del syra och ganska höga tanniner, det är torrt och har ett elegant och välbalanserat anslag. Vinet känns en liten aning slutet och en aning för ungt (det öppnar dock upp efterhand med lite syre) men under syran och strävheten finns smak av mörka körsbär, lite mineraltoner som blandas med en lätt kryddighet och mörk choklad och mocca, samt lite blåbär eller björnbär. Stilmässigt är detta en modern Rioja som är riktigt trevligt idag och har möjligheten att bli fantastisk. Jämförelsevis kan man ta Roda I 2003 som jag brukar hålla högt och det känns en aning före just nu, det har å andra sidan också ett par år till godo, men med lite lagring är risken/chansen stor att de blir förbisprungna. Hiru har en lång eftersmak, sådär lite efterdynande och milt påminnande snarare än stor och bombastisk. Just nu finns det på reapris på Systembolaget så det är bara att dyka ned i plånboken, jag är sugen på ett par flaskor till för att följa det.

Tydligen inte många som avnjutit detta vin som skrivit om det, undantag finns dock;

Vintage har druckit vinet och gett det ett högt omdöme.

Magnus Reuterdahl

Hiru 3 tas hem av Vinovativa

Ps. Vinnare av matbloggpriset blev Pickipicki -Grattis! Ds.

Sie löst sich langsam von ihm.
„Ich muss dann mal weiter machen. Carlo kommt alleine nicht zurecht“, entschuldigt sie sich.
„Schon klar. Kein Problem. Hast du heute Abend vielleicht Zeit?“, fragt er und hofft, dass er und Britta noch mal ein paar lauschige Stunden zusammen verbringen können.
Sie schüttelt den Kopf.
„Susi will mit mir heute ins Kino gehen.“
„Ach so. Na denn, tschüß.“
„Ja, tschüß und … „
„Ja?“
„Schön, dass du hier warst.“

Er lässt sich durch die Straßen treiben. In den Fußgängerzonen hängt schon die festliche Beleuchtung. Die Geschäfte gehen gut. Überall laufen Menschen mit prall gefüllten Einkaufstüten umher. Er fühlt sich fremd.
Auf dem Rathausplatz ist ein Markt aufgebaut. An einem der Stände holt er sich eine Tasse Glühwein. Mit beiden Händen umfasst er das warme Gefäß und bläst auf die dampfende Flüssigkeit. Wie im Zeitraffer hasten die anderen Besucher an ihm vorüber. Er trinkt eilig.

Gegen halb Vier wird es dämmrig. Trip ist wieder zurück in seinem Viertel. Der Schneefall ist zu einem feinen Nebel aus Sprühregen geworden, den seine Kleidung begierig aufsaugt. Es fröstelt ihn.
Froh zu Hause angekommen zu sein, streift er die klammen Klamotten ab und zieht sich eine Jogginghose und seinen lila Kapuzenpulli an. Die Trockenheit des Stoffs vermittelt ihm kurz ein behagliches Gefühl von behüteter, bürgerlicher Kindheit. Dann klingelt es an der Tür.

Durch den Spion lugt er nach draußen. Optisch verzerrt kann er Carmen erkennen. Neben steht ein Mann mit gut gebräunter Hautfarbe und schwarzen Haaren. Er öffnet den beiden.
Carmen stürzt auf ihn zu und umarmt ihn innig. Ihr Geruch trifft ihn wie ein Schlag. Sofort weiß er wieder, warum er ihr so spontan verfallen konnte.
„Mein Süßer!“, ruft sie und drückt ihn noch fester. Er schaut über ihre Schulter zu dem Fremden, der noch immer auf der Fußmatte vor seiner Wohnung steht und einen ziemlich mürrischen Gesichtsausdruck zeigt.
Endlich macht sich Carmen wieder los.
„Da sind wir“, sagt sie.
„Prima“, sagt Trip. „Kommt doch erst mal rein.“
Er tritt zu Seite und lässt seine Gäste vorbei. Im Wohnzimmer macht er eine Geste zum Sofa. Die beiden lassen sich, nachdem sie ihre Rucksäcke in die Ecke geschmissen und sich ihrer feuchten Jacken entledigt haben, auf die Polster fallen.
„Ah, das tut gut“, meint Carmen. „Wir sind schon so lange auf den Beinen. Das ist übrigens Paolo, von dem ich dir schon erzählt habe.“
Trip nickt dem Mann auf seinem Sofa zu. Der nickt knapp zurück.
„Kann ich euch was zu trinken anbieten? Bier, Wasser, Wein?“
Sie einigen sich auf Wein und Trip geht in die Küche. Mit einer Flasche Rioja und drei Gläsern kommt er zurück.
„Wo kommt ihr denn her?“, will er wissen.
Carmen und der Fremde sehen sich an.
„Aus Sachsen“, antwortet sie. „Paolo wollte die deutsche Weihnachtskultur kennen lernen.“
Ein paar Minuten unterhalten sie sich über Brauchtum und Traditionen, dann ebbt das Gespräch ab und sie halten sich etwas verkrampft an ihren Weingläsern fest, bis Carmen Trip fragt, wie es denn bei ihm läuft.
Spontan und wenn sie allein wären, würde er ihr wohl von Peters erzählen und später dann auch von Britta. So aber berichtet er nur etwas zu ausführlich von seinem Job im Cafe. Paolo gähnt. Trip unterbricht sich.
„Carmen, können wir uns vielleicht irgendwo alleine unterhalten?“

Saludos, tras una conversación en la Vinoteca Vinos Divinos de la ciudad de Burgos, se me propuso publicar un anuncio en este blog para buscar personas interesadas en formar un grupo de cata de vinos aquí;  creo que era algo mas que necesario colaborar con esta idea y que sería una gran manera de poner en común opiniones y sugerencias relativas a este apasionante mundo;  las catas se realizarían, en principio, dos días al mes en el Restaurante In Vino Veritas , en la calle San Lorenzo.  Los interesados podréis escribir a este correo electrónico vinosdivinos@hotmail.com, para que así puedan ponerse en contacto con vosotros.  ANIMATE!!!.

Råkade få med mig en flaska 2005 Hiru 3 Racimos hem från SB häromdagen, någon som testat den?

Magnus Reuterdahl