With the end of 2022 and the arrival of the New Year, many people take the time to take stock of the highlights (and lowlights) of the past year and make resolutions for the year ahead. After reading Eric Asimov’s article on the New York Times on his Most Memorable Wines of 2022 , I became inspired to do something similar and come up with … Continue reading My Most Memorable Wines of 2022
This year’s summer was one of the hottest on record, which for many people represented the perfect excuse to drink refreshing white wines, such as Rieslings from Germany, Chardonnays from Burgundy, Chenin Blancs from the Loire, Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand and Bordeaux, and many others. But when it comes to Spanish wines, what region is the go-to place for the best whites? In previous … Continue reading What region of Spain makes the best White Wines?
If you ask any wine professional or enthusiast about the Spanish region they know most about, 9 out of 10 would probably mention Rioja, historically considered the gold standard of Spanish red wine. The relatively small (66,000 hectares or 160,000 acres) region of Rioja has a long tradition of quality winemaking – which started with the arrival of Bordelais producers fleeing the phylloxera epidemic in … Continue reading Rioja: Four Exciting Trends to look out for
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell – arguably the trio of Spain’s noble red grape varieties which make complex, outstanding, age-worthy wines. However, in the last few years, a fourth variety – the relatively unknown Bobal – has been staking its claim to join this elite group thanks to its increased quality, potential, and overall reputation. Bobal has also slowly become a darling among Spanish sommeliers and professionals, … Continue reading Bobal, Spain’s next great grape variety?
Valencia, Spain’s third largest city after Madrid and Barcelona, is a charming, vibrant place with understated elegance and a more manageable feel and slower pace than its larger cousins, yet it has everything you need in a large city. This is the home of paella – the quintessential Spanish rice dish -, Valencia oranges, and a burgeoning wine industry from nearby Utiel-Requena and Alicante. After … Continue reading My Favorite places to drink wine in Valencia
Madrid is known to have the highest per capita number of bars in Europe and its celebrated nightlife goes back a long time, fueled by the years of “la movida” in the early 80s after the fall of Franco’s dictatorship. Madrid offers the broadest diversity and availability of wines from all over the country and despite its large size – the city is home to … Continue reading My Favorite Places to Drink Wine in Madrid
There are spectacular mountainous landscapes in Cangas, vineyards growing on steep hillsides in deep river valleys, all surrounded by lush greenery among the clouds. In the province of Asturias, this may be one of the least-known wine regions in Spain, but not for long. A land of heroic viticulture The Principality of Asturias is located in North-central Spain. It belongs to an area known as … Continue reading Cangas: An undiscovered gem in Asturias, Spain
Situated on the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula, and isolated from the rest of Europe until joining the EU in 1986, Portugal has clung to its rich landscape of native grape varieties. Unaffected by Chardonnay- and Cabernet-mania that took over the world in the 1980s, these unique flavors represent a point of differentiation and originality in today’s wine world. Portugal boasts an incredible diversity … Continue reading Portuguese Wines: A World of Difference
Garnacha (Grenache) is in the midst of a renaissance in Spain and across the world. A grape variety historically undervalued and unappreciated, it is nowadays the lynchpin of many fashionable projects in Priorat, Gredos, Southern France, and even in its homeland: Aragón. Many of these new producers have been inspired by the concentrated underpriced reds that have long been made from old Garnacha vines in … Continue reading The Wines of Aragón, Spain
Diversity is one of the main strengths of Spanish wine, primarily driven by a wide breadth of native grape varieties – both red and white – which are capturing the attention of wine lovers worldwide These group includes internationally-known grapes like Garnacha (Grenache) and Monastrell (Mourvedre) as well many unique varieties that had been nearly forgotten until recently. In a previous post, I shared a … Continue reading Seven red Spanish grapes worth discovering
Vino Interiano 