(865,1,'2013-01-09 20:51:49','2013-01-09 20:51:49','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1357764709929.8943\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"249\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way. Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form. Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside. It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa. Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla, but it\'s also easy to find a great slice in many bars. Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I\'ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I\'ve tried in Spanish restaurants. Home-made is maybe best here....it\'s easy after a few tries!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe classic tortilla is just eggs, potatoes and onions, with salt for seasoning. Some even make it without onion. In specialized restaurants and especially in northern Spain, you can find find \"extras\" such as chorizo or spinach incorporated in the tortilla. Also so yummy are the \"tortilla especiales\" which seems like a stuffed tortilla, but actually a tortilla de patata topped with a variety of combinations then closed with a \"tortilla francesa\", which is a normal omelette. The toppings can be extravagant....my favorite is probably the \"vegetal\", which is usually tuna, hard boiled egg, lettuce, tomato onion and delicious spanish mayonnaise. Sounds crazy but it is delicious!\r\n\r\nMany purists in Madrid frown upon such wildness and stick to the basic four ingredients. For my home versions, I find the extras are amazing..the one in the picture has spinach and just a bit of bacon. Extras such as bacon and chorizo should be fried and drained of fat prior to incorporation. I even cook the onions separately first...makes it easier not to brown them. Any wet ingredients such as spinach, or roasted red peppers, should be really well drained of liquids.\r\n\r\nI find the extras really add depth of flavor and texture, but hike perfecting technique, sometimes it is better to stick to the plain tortilla.\r\n\r\nThere are tons of recipes for tortillas on the web. Just google tortilla de patata. I only recommend recipes that call for the flipping of the tortilla using a plate. If you have a double frittata pan, seems like it would work well, but I can\'t vouch for that technique. I\'ve seen a few recipes, including on the NY Times where they have you slide it out then flip....not done in Spain. Always just a plate over the pan, flip, then slide it back in. This is the only complicated part of the process, and after a few goes, you\'ll have it down.\r\n\r\nA really fun link here for the Esquire Eat Like a Man section. It has a recipe, an illustration on how to flip, and a great video. I love it! <a title=\"Esquire Spanish Tortilla de Pata\" href=\"http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/tortilla-espanola-recipe-0113?spr_id=1456_6240668\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out!</a>\r\n\r\nThe Esquire recipe above is for a very small tortilla....I usually just about double it. I use about 2 lbs potatoes and 8 eggs....maybe a bit less potatoes if I am using extras.\r\n\r\nMain problems: the three main problems for the American chef are not enough olive oil, not enough eggs, and over-cooking.\r\n\r\nNot enough oil. The Esquire recipe calls for a cup of oil...I double the recipe and I use at least double the oil....2-3 cups to cook the potatoes! Shocking I know! But you are draining it all off and only using a couple of tablespoons to actually cook the tortilla afterwards. Gently frying the potatoes in abundant oil without coloring them is what gives them their creamy texture. Spanish cooks keep that olive oil and reuse it for the tortillas for weeks...each time adds more flavor. I also use it for frying eggs and or potatoes.\r\n\r\nNot enough eggs. For some reason people are shy on eggs too. Lots of eggs...it is an egg dish! Should be a very soupy mix when you mix everything together.\r\n\r\nOver cooking. Two stages of overlooking. First, many brown the onions and potatoes...to be avoided as much as possible by using abundant oil and low heat. Second the tortilla itself should\'ve a bit melting and creamy at the center....when it is overlooked it is dry and like a hockey puck! Many of the ones I try in restaurants here in the US are like this. This takes trial and error with your stove, your pan, the flipping technique etc. You\'ll eventually get it exactly where you like it!\r\n\r\nThen it\'s easy after that.....once you have it down it really is a fast and easy technique for such a wonderful and delicious dish. It\'s an impressive and fun technique to show off to your friends and a great party food that can be made ahead. My next project for a party is a \"tortilla especial vegetal\", one of the stuffed variety!\r\n\r\nAs to wine....the basic tortilla is an easy dish to match, it goes with so many wines. In Spain the classic would be with a glass of Rioja, but I think I would rather have mine with a glass of pink cava! My smokier bacon and Spinach one was perfect with a lighter red such as a Mencía or a Rioja Crianza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Comfort Food: Tortilla de Patata','There is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way. Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form. Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside. It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa. Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla, but it\'s also easy to find a great slice in many bars. Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I\'ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I\'ve tried in Spanish restaurants. Home-made is maybe best here....it\'s easy after a few tries!','publish','open','open','','spanish-comfort-food-tortilla-de-patata','','','2013-01-16 06:33:22','2013-01-16 06:33:22','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=865',0,'post','',0),(866,1,'2013-01-09 21:07:46','2013-01-09 21:07:46','','Tortilla bacon thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','tortilla-bacon-thumbnail','','','2013-01-09 21:07:46','2013-01-09 21:07:46','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Tortilla-bacon-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(867,1,'2013-01-09 20:51:45','2013-01-09 20:51:45','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1357764709929.8943\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"250\" height=\"249\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> There is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way.  Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form.  Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside.  It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa.  Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla,  but it&#39;s also easy to find a great slice in many bars.  Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I&#39;ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I&#39;ve tried in Spanish restaurants.  Home-made is maybe best here....it&#39;s easy after a few tries!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p>The classic tortilla is just eggs, potatoes and onions, with salt for seasoning.  Some even make it without onion.  In specialized restaurants and especially in northern Spain, you can find find \"extras\" such as chorizo or spinach incorporated in the tortilla.  Also so yummy are the \"tortilla especiales\" which seems like a stuffed tortilla, but actually a tortilla de patata topped with a variety of combinations then closed with a \"tortilla francesa\", which is a normal omelette.  The toppings can be extravagant....my favorite is probably the \"vegetal\", which is usually tuna, hard boiled egg, lettuce, tomato onion and delicious spanish mayonnaise.  Sounds crazy but it is delicious!  </p>\n\n<p>Many purists in Madrid frown upon such wildness and stick to the basic four ingredients.  For my home versions, I find the extras are amazing..the one in the picture has spinach and just a bit of bacon.  Extras such as bacon and chorizo should be fried and drained of fat prior to incorporation. I even cook the onions separately first...makes it easier not to brown them.  Any wet ingredients such as spinach, or roasted red peppers, should be really well drained of liquids.</p>\n\n<p>I find the extras really add depth of flavor and texture, but hike perfecting technique, sometimes it is better to stick to the plain tortilla.</p>\n\n<p>There are tons of recipes for tortillas on the web.  Just google tortilla de patata.  I only recommend recipes that call for the flipping of the tortilla using a plate.  If you have a double frittata pan, seems like it would work well, but I can&#39;t vouch for that technique.  I&#39;ve seen a few recipes, including on the NY Times where they have you slide it out then flip....not done in Spain.  Always just a plate over the pan, flip, then slide it back in.  This is the only complicated part of the process, and after a few goes, you&#39;ll have it down.  </p>\n\n<p>A really fun link here for the Esquire Eat Like a Man section.  It has a recipe, an illustration on how to flip, and a great video.  I love it!  <a href=\"http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/tortilla-espanola-recipe-0113?spr_id=1456_6240668\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Esquire Spanish Tortilla de Pata\">Check it out!</a>  </p>\n\n<p>The Esquire recipe above is for a very small tortilla....I usually just about double it.  I use about 2 lbs potatoes and 8 eggs....maybe a bit less potatoes if I am using extras.</p>\n\n<p>Main problems:  the three main problems for the American chef are not enough olive oil, not enough eggs, and over-cooking.  </p>\n\n<p>Not enough oil. The Esquire recipe calls for a cup of oil...I double the recipe and I use at least double the oil....2-3 cups to cook the potatoes!  Shocking I know!  But you are draining it all off and only using a couple of tablespoons to actually cook the tortilla afterwards.  Gently frying the potatoes in abundant oil without coloring them is what gives them their creamy texture.  Spanish cooks keep that olive oil and reuse it for the tortillas for weeks...each time adds more flavor.  I also use it for frying eggs and or potatoes.  </p>\n\n<p>Not enough eggs.  For some reason people are shy on eggs too.  Lots of eggs...it is an egg dish!  Should be a very soupy mix when you mix everything together.</p>\n\n<p>Over cooking.  Two stages of overlooking.  First, many brown the onions and potatoes...to be avoided as much as possible by using abundant oil and low heat.  Second the tortilla itself should&#39;ve a bit melting and creamy at the center....when it is overlooked it is dry and like a hockey puck!  Many of the ones I try in restaurants here in the US are like this.  This takes trial and error with your stove, your pan, the flipping technique etc.  You&#39;ll eventually get it exactly where you like it!  </p>\n\n<p>Then it&#39;s easy after that.....once you have it down it really is a fast and easy technique for such a wonderful and delicious dish.    It&#39;s an impressive and fun technique to show off to your friends and a great party food that can be made ahead.  My next project for a party is a \"tortilla especial vegetal\", one of the stuffed variety!  </p>\n\n<p>As to wine....the basic tortilla is an easy dish to match, it goes with so many wines.  In Spain the classic would be with a glass of Rioja, but I think I would rather have mine with a glass of pink cava!  My smokier bacon and Spinach one was perfect with a lighter red such as a Mencía or a Rioja Crianza.  </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Comfort Food: Tortilla de Patata','There is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way. Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form. Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside. It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa. Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla, but it\'s also easy to find a great slice in many bars. Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I\'ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I\'ve tried in Spanish restaurants. Home-made is maybe best here....it\'s easy after a few tries!','inherit','open','open','','865-revision','','','2013-01-09 20:51:45','2013-01-09 20:51:45','',865,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/09/865-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(868,1,'2013-01-09 21:10:10','2013-01-09 21:10:10','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1357764709929.8943\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"249\" /></a></div>\nThere is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way. Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form. Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside. It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa. Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla, but it\'s also easy to find a great slice in many bars. Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I\'ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I\'ve tried in Spanish restaurants. Home-made is maybe best here....it\'s easy after a few tries!\n\n<!--more-->\n\nThe classic tortilla is just eggs, potatoes and onions, with salt for seasoning. Some even make it without onion. In specialized restaurants and especially in northern Spain, you can find find \"extras\" such as chorizo or spinach incorporated in the tortilla. Also so yummy are the \"tortilla especiales\" which seems like a stuffed tortilla, but actually a tortilla de patata topped with a variety of combinations then closed with a \"tortilla francesa\", which is a normal omelette. The toppings can be extravagant....my favorite is probably the \"vegetal\", which is usually tuna, hard boiled egg, lettuce, tomato onion and delicious spanish mayonnaise. Sounds crazy but it is delicious!\n\nMany purists in Madrid frown upon such wildness and stick to the basic four ingredients. For my home versions, I find the extras are amazing..the one in the picture has spinach and just a bit of bacon. Extras such as bacon and chorizo should be fried and drained of fat prior to incorporation. I even cook the onions separately first...makes it easier not to brown them. Any wet ingredients such as spinach, or roasted red peppers, should be really well drained of liquids.\n\nI find the extras really add depth of flavor and texture, but hike perfecting technique, sometimes it is better to stick to the plain tortilla.\n\nThere are tons of recipes for tortillas on the web. Just google tortilla de patata. I only recommend recipes that call for the flipping of the tortilla using a plate. If you have a double frittata pan, seems like it would work well, but I can\'t vouch for that technique. I\'ve seen a few recipes, including on the NY Times where they have you slide it out then flip....not done in Spain. Always just a plate over the pan, flip, then slide it back in. This is the only complicated part of the process, and after a few goes, you\'ll have it down.\n\nA really fun link here for the Esquire Eat Like a Man section. It has a recipe, an illustration on how to flip, and a great video. I love it! <a title=\"Esquire Spanish Tortilla de Pata\" href=\"http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/tortilla-espanola-recipe-0113?spr_id=1456_6240668\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out!</a>\n\nThe Esquire recipe above is for a very small tortilla....I usually just about double it. I use about 2 lbs potatoes and 8 eggs....maybe a bit less potatoes if I am using extras.\n\nMain problems: the three main problems for the American chef are not enough olive oil, not enough eggs, and over-cooking.\n\nNot enough oil. The Esquire recipe calls for a cup of oil...I double the recipe and I use at least double the oil....2-3 cups to cook the potatoes! Shocking I know! But you are draining it all off and only using a couple of tablespoons to actually cook the tortilla afterwards. Gently frying the potatoes in abundant oil without coloring them is what gives them their creamy texture. Spanish cooks keep that olive oil and reuse it for the tortillas for weeks...each time adds more flavor. I also use it for frying eggs and or potatoes.\n\nNot enough eggs. For some reason people are shy on eggs too. Lots of eggs...it is an egg dish! Should be a very soupy mix when you mix everything together.\n\nOver cooking. Two stages of overlooking. First, many brown the onions and potatoes...to be avoided as much as possible by using abundant oil and low heat. Second the tortilla itself should\'ve a bit melting and creamy at the center....when it is overlooked it is dry and like a hockey puck! Many of the ones I try in restaurants here in the US are like this. This takes trial and error with your stove, your pan, the flipping technique etc. You\'ll eventually get it exactly where you like it!\n\nThen it\'s easy after that.....once you have it down it really is a fast and easy technique for such a wonderful and delicious dish. It\'s an impressive and fun technique to show off to your friends and a great party food that can be made ahead. My next project for a party is a \"tortilla especial vegetal\", one of the stuffed variety!\n\nAs to wine....the basic tortilla is an easy dish to match, it goes with so many wines. In Spain the classic would be with a glass of Rioja, but I think I would rather have mine with a glass of pink cava! My smokier bacon and Spinach one was perfect with a lighter red such as a Mencía or a Rioja Crianza.\n\n&nbsp;','Spanish Comfort Food: Tortilla de Patata','There is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way. Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form. Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside. It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa. Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla, but it\'s also easy to find a great slice in many bars. Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I\'ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I\'ve tried in Spanish restaurants. Home-made is maybe best here....it\'s easy after a few tries!','inherit','open','open','','865-autosave','','','2013-01-09 21:10:10','2013-01-09 21:10:10','',865,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/09/865-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(869,1,'2013-01-15 22:54:33','2013-01-15 22:54:33','','wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-jan-15-2013-1751-jpg','','','2013-01-15 22:54:33','2013-01-15 22:54:33','',870,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(870,1,'2013-01-15 22:54:39','2013-01-15 22:54:39','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228533.8286\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry. The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009. It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228537.5571\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"335\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\">The mercado is <a title=\"Mercado de San Miguel google map\" href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps?q=mercado+de+san+miguel+madrid&amp;cid=0,0,201226786334215094&amp;ei=9AH2ULWlFYeE9QSd34GABA&amp;ved=0CDYQ_BIwAA\" target=\"_blank\">located</a> right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays! Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night. Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.</div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility. It\'s not the true spirit of the market, but it\'s lovely. After that\'s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on. It\'s a lot of tourists and foreigners, but there are also plenty of locals. It\'s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it! It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but ultimately very inviting crowds.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228588.9734\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar. They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle. The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent. The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a routine that works well at peak I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas. Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted. The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive! Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit. This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain! Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand. All worth trying I\'m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228589.6465\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"268\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There\'s the cheese stand, with all sorts of yummy cheeses from all around the world, though I tend to order a sampler platter of just Spanish cheeses. They usually have my most favorite goat\'s cheese, Monte Enebro. The embutido stand is super important as one of my goals when I go back to Spain is to eat as much jamon and lomo iberico as is humanly possible! They can prepare a delicious platter of jamon, lomo, as well as chorizo and salchichon, the other two iberico cured meats.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228580.378\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"312\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great, and maybe unexpected stand, is the cured fish stand....sound weird? I promise the tapas they serve there are quite tasty. All of the tapas here are bits of bread topped with either smoked or canned fushes...spain is famous for its fish conserves. Try anything with smoked cod, anchovies, or conserved tuna...the adventurous are rewarded!</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228540.1846\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A more recent stand I had to add to my favorite was the aptly named \"Meating Point\" by the Carnicerias Raza Nostra. It is a made to order hamburger and hot dog place with 30 varieties of hamburger patties. There are minis too...and some interesting special origen beef as well. Good meat! The buns are good too!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My all time favorite, the one I can never skip, is the Ostras Sorlut. Look for the Sorlut oysters..the stand is close to Pinkleton wine and they only serve oysters. There are some other stands that serve Galician oysters and they are worth trying but the French Sorlut oysters are exquisite. They are served in a minimalist wayy, freshly shucked on flimsy plastic plates, slices of lemon. Sometimes they sell lemon \"pearls\"....fun to try. Nothing better than a very cold glass of Spanish white wine served up with the freshest Sorlut oysters.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was recently up at Union Market, a new eat-in market concept in DC. It has exciting potential, but I\'m still waiting to see someone do it like the Spanish. I know it\'s a tall order....</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','publish','open','open','','madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/','2013-01-16 06:42:20','2013-01-16 06:42:20','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=870',0,'post','',0),(871,1,'2013-01-15 22:54:34','2013-01-15 22:54:34','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358290479509.0947\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p>Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid.  You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that&#39;s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks.    When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway.  A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit.   But you can&#39;t can&#39;t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid&#39;s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p>The mercado is located right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-revision','','','2013-01-15 22:54:34','2013-01-15 22:54:34','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/870-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(872,1,'2013-01-16 00:52:47','2013-01-16 00:52:47','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358291133774.7344\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\"></a></div>\n\n<p>Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid.  You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that&#39;s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks.    When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway.  A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit.   But you can&#39;t can&#39;t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid&#39;s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p>The Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry.  The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009.  It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.</p>\n\n<p>The mercado is located right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays!  Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night.  Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.  </p>\n\n<p>There is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility.  It&#39;s not the true spirit of the market, but it&#39;s lovely.  After that&#39;s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on.  It&#39;s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it!  It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but very inviting crowds.</p>\n\n<p>One of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar.  They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle.  The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent.  The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.</p>\n\n<p>There is a routine that works well at peak  I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas.  Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted.  The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive!  Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!  </p>\n\n<p>There is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit.  This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain!  Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand.  All worth trying I&#39;m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.</p>\n\n<p>There&#39;s the </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-revision-2','','','2013-01-16 00:52:47','2013-01-16 00:52:47','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/870-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(873,1,'2013-01-16 02:56:35','2013-01-16 02:56:35','','wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-nov-2-2012-1647-jpg','','','2013-01-16 02:56:35','2013-01-16 02:56:35','',870,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(874,1,'2013-01-16 02:56:38','2013-01-16 02:56:38','','wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-nov-2-2012-1638-jpg-2','','','2013-01-16 02:56:38','2013-01-16 02:56:38','',870,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(875,1,'2013-01-16 02:56:41','2013-01-16 02:56:41','','wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-nov-2-2012-1645-jpg','','','2013-01-16 02:56:41','2013-01-16 02:56:41','',870,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(876,1,'2013-01-16 02:56:44','2013-01-16 02:56:44','','wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-nov-2-2012-1632-jpg','','','2013-01-16 02:56:44','2013-01-16 02:56:44','',870,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(877,1,'2013-01-16 02:56:46','2013-01-16 02:56:46','','wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-nov-2-2012-1636-jpg','','','2013-01-16 02:56:46','2013-01-16 02:56:46','',870,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(878,1,'2013-01-16 01:28:30','2013-01-16 01:28:30','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358299703785.2021\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\"></a></div>\n\n<p>Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid.  You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that&#39;s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks.    When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway.  A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit.   But you can&#39;t can&#39;t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid&#39;s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p>The Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry.  The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009.  It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.</p>\n\n<p>The mercado is <a href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps?q=mercado+de+san+miguel+madrid&cid=0,0,201226786334215094&ei=9AH2ULWlFYeE9QSd34GABA&ved=0CDYQ_BIwAA\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Mercado de San Miguel google map\">located</a> right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays!   Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night.  Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.  </p>\n\n<p>There is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility.  It&#39;s not the true spirit of the market, but it&#39;s lovely.  After that&#39;s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on.  It&#39;s a lot of tourists and foreigners, but there are also plenty of locals.   It&#39;s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it!  It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but ultimately very inviting crowds.</p>\n\n<p>One of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar.  They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle.  The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent.  The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.</p>\n\n<p>There is a routine that works well at peak  I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas.  Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted.  The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive!  Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!  </p>\n\n<p>There is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit.  This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain!  Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand.  All worth trying I&#39;m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.</p>\n\n<p>There&#39;s the cheese stand, with all sorts of yummy cheeses from all around the world, though I tend to order a sampler platter of just Spanish cheeses.  They usually have my most favorite goat&#39;s cheese, Monte Enebro.  The embutido stand is super important as one of my goals when I go back to Spain is to eat as much jamon and lomo iberico as is humanly possible!  They can prepare a delicious platter of jamon, lomo, as well as chorizo and salchichon, the other two iberico cured meats.  </p>\n\n<p>Another great, and maybe unexpected stand, is the cured fish stand....sound weird?  I promise the tapas they serve there are quite tasty.  All of the tapas here are bits of bread topped with either smoked or canned fushes...spain is famous for its fish conserves.  Try anything with smoked cod or conserved tuna...the adventurous are rewarded.</p>\n\n<p>A more recent stand I had to add to my favorite was the aptly named \"Meating Point\" by the Carnicerias Raza Nostra.  It is a made to order hamburger and hot dog place with 30 varieties of hamburger patties.  There are minis too...and some interesting special origen beef as well.  Good meat!  The buns are good too!</p>\n\n<p>My all time favorite, the one I can never skip, is the Ostras Sorlut.  Look for the Sorlut oysters..the stand is close to Pinkleton wine and they only serve oysters.  There are some other stands that serve Galician oysters and they are worth trying but the French Sorlut oysters are exquisite.  They are served in a minimalist wayy, freshly shucked on flimsy plastic plates, slices of lemon.  Sometimes they sell lemon \"pearls\"....fun to try.  Nothing better than a very cold glass of Spanish white wine served up with the freshest Sorlut oysters.  </p>\n\n<p>I was recently up at Union Market, a new eat-in market concept in DC.  It has exciting potential, but I&#39;m still waiting to see someone do it like the Spanish.  I know it&#39;s a tall order....</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-revision-3','','','2013-01-16 01:28:30','2013-01-16 01:28:30','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/870-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(879,1,'2013-01-16 03:06:00','2013-01-16 03:06:00','','mercado de San Miguel thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','mercado-de-san-miguel-thumbnail','','','2013-01-16 03:06:00','2013-01-16 03:06:00','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mercado-de-San-Miguel-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(880,1,'2013-01-16 02:56:47','2013-01-16 02:56:47','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011953.502\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\"></a></div>\n\n<p>Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid.  You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that&#39;s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks.    When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway.  A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit.   But you can&#39;t can&#39;t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid&#39;s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p>The Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry.  The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009.  It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011935.8088\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"250\" height=\"335\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\">The mercado is <a href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps?q=mercado+de+san+miguel+madrid&cid=0,0,201226786334215094&ei=9AH2ULWlFYeE9QSd34GABA&ved=0CDYQ_BIwAA\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Mercado de San Miguel google map\">located</a> right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays!   Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night.  Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.</div>\n\n<p>There is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility.  It&#39;s not the true spirit of the market, but it&#39;s lovely.  After that&#39;s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on.  It&#39;s a lot of tourists and foreigners, but there are also plenty of locals.   It&#39;s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it!  It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but ultimately very inviting crowds.<br>\n</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011891.387\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p>One of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar.  They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle.  The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent.  The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.</p>\n\n<p>There is a routine that works well at peak  I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas.  Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted.  The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive!  Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!  </p>\n\n<p>There is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit.  This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain!  Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand.  All worth trying I&#39;m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011916.2383\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"250\" height=\"268\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> There&#39;s the cheese stand, with all sorts of yummy cheeses from all around the world, though I tend to order a sampler platter of just Spanish cheeses.  They usually have my most favorite goat&#39;s cheese, Monte Enebro.  The embutido stand is super important as one of my goals when I go back to Spain is to eat as much jamon and lomo iberico as is humanly possible!  They can prepare a delicious platter of jamon, lomo, as well as chorizo and salchichon, the other two iberico cured meats.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011937.6777\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"250\" height=\"312\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> Another great, and maybe unexpected stand, is the cured fish stand....sound weird?  I promise the tapas they serve there are quite tasty.  All of the tapas here are bits of bread topped with either smoked or canned fushes...spain is famous for its fish conserves.  Try anything with smoked cod, anchovies, or conserved tuna...the adventurous are rewarded!</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011926.0293\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> A more recent stand I had to add to my favorite was the aptly named \"Meating Point\" by the Carnicerias Raza Nostra.  It is a made to order hamburger and hot dog place with 30 varieties of hamburger patties.  There are minis too...and some interesting special origen beef as well.  Good meat!  The buns are good too!</p>\n\n<p>My all time favorite, the one I can never skip, is the Ostras Sorlut.  Look for the Sorlut oysters..the stand is close to Pinkleton wine and they only serve oysters.  There are some other stands that serve Galician oysters and they are worth trying but the French Sorlut oysters are exquisite.  They are served in a minimalist wayy, freshly shucked on flimsy plastic plates, slices of lemon.  Sometimes they sell lemon \"pearls\"....fun to try.  Nothing better than a very cold glass of Spanish white wine served up with the freshest Sorlut oysters.</p>\n\n<p>I was recently up at Union Market, a new eat-in market concept in DC.  It has exciting potential, but I&#39;m still waiting to see someone do it like the Spanish.  I know it&#39;s a tall order....</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-revision-4','','','2013-01-16 02:56:47','2013-01-16 02:56:47','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/870-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(881,1,'2013-01-16 06:43:25','2013-01-16 06:43:25','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228533.8286\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry. The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009. It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228537.5571\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"335\" /></a></div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: justify;\">The mercado is <a title=\"Mercado de San Miguel google map\" href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps?q=mercado+de+san+miguel+madrid&amp;cid=0,0,201226786334215094&amp;ei=9AH2ULWlFYeE9QSd34GABA&amp;ved=0CDYQ_BIwAA\" target=\"_blank\">located</a> right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays! Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night. Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.</div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility. It\'s not the true spirit of the market, but it\'s lovely. After that\'s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on. It\'s a lot of tourists and foreigners, but there are also plenty of locals. It\'s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it! It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but ultimately very inviting crowds.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228588.9734\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar. They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle. The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent. The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a routine that works well at peak I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas. Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted. The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive! Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit. This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain! Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand. All worth trying I\'m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228589.6465\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"268\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There\'s the cheese stand, with all sorts of yummy cheeses from all around the world, though I tend to order a sampler platter of just Spanish cheeses. They usually have my most favorite goat\'s cheese, Monte Enebro. The embutido stand is super important as one of my goals when I go back to Spain is to eat as much jamon and lomo iberico as is humanly possible! They can prepare a delicious platter of jamon, lomo, as well as chorizo and salchichon, the other two iberico cured meats.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228580.378\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"312\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great, and maybe unexpected stand, is the cured fish stand....sound weird? I promise the tapas they serve there are quite tasty. All of the tapas here are bits of bread topped with either smoked or canned fushes...spain is famous for its fish conserves. Try anything with smoked cod, anchovies, or conserved tuna...the adventurous are rewarded!</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228540.1846\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A more recent stand I had to add to my favorite was the aptly named \"Meating Point\" by the Carnicerias Raza Nostra. It is a made to order hamburger and hot dog place with 30 varieties of hamburger patties. There are minis too...and some interesting special origen beef as well. Good meat! The buns are good too!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My all time favorite, the one I can never skip, is the Ostras Sorlut. Look for the Sorlut oysters..the stand is close to Pinkleton wine and they only serve oysters. There are some other stands that serve Galician oysters and they are worth trying but the French Sorlut oysters are exquisite. They are served in a minimalist wayy, freshly shucked on flimsy plastic plates, slices of lemon. Sometimes they sell lemon \"pearls\"....fun to try. Nothing better than a very cold glass of Spanish white wine served up with the freshest Sorlut oysters.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was recently up at Union Market, a new eat-in market concept in DC. It has exciting potential, but I\'m still waiting to see someone do it like the Spanish. I know it\'s a tall order....</p>\n&nbsp;','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-autosave','','','2013-01-16 06:43:25','2013-01-16 06:43:25','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/870-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(882,1,'2012-10-15 02:24:47','2012-10-15 02:24:47','<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-508\" title=\"Mary O\'Connor\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1-229x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWelcome to the new Planeta Vino! I\'m Mary O\'Connor and after almost 10 years living in Madrid, Spain, I\'ve returned to the US. It\'s been great to come home but also a big transition after so long!\r\n\r\nPlaneta Vino was originally the website for my wine tasting school and wine events business in Madrid. Now I\'m re-inventing it as a blog primarily on Spanish wine and food, but also about anything wine that grabs me.\r\n\r\nSpanish food is seemingly everywhere in the US and is quite popular at the moment thanks to high profile chefs such as Jose Andres.  Despite this I still find it is pretty hard to find places that walk the line between respecting Spanish traditions and innovating enough to add that something special. Also a lot of what is billed as \"spanish\" is anything but!  I\'m excited to find some of the good places as well as discover the new gems in Madrid and around Spain on my trips back there.\r\n\r\nSpanish wine is less well represented here in the US than Spanish cuisine; it definitely does not get the respect it is due for offering top notch wines at extremely good prices. Ten years of immersing myself in these wines have really instilled me with a missionary zeal to spread the gospel of Spanish wine!\r\n\r\nCheck <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/old-planeta-vino/\">here</a> for more info on of the \"Old Planeta Vino\"\r\n\r\nTo follow me as I share my passion, follow my blog or sign up <a href=\"http://eepurl.com/qrtFH\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to get my monthly newsletters with the latest on Spanish wine and food.','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2012-10-15 02:24:47','2012-10-15 02:24:47','',500,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/15/500-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(883,1,'2012-10-11 04:44:09','2012-10-11 04:44:09','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2012-10-11 04:44:09','2012-10-11 04:44:09','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/11/355-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(884,1,'2013-01-16 04:54:36','2013-01-16 04:54:36','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-01-16 04:54:36','2013-01-16 04:54:36','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/355-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(885,1,'2013-01-16 03:07:35','2013-01-16 03:07:35','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011953.502\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\" /></a></div>\r\nMercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry. The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009. It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011935.8088\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"335\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\">The mercado is <a title=\"Mercado de San Miguel google map\" href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps?q=mercado+de+san+miguel+madrid&amp;cid=0,0,201226786334215094&amp;ei=9AH2ULWlFYeE9QSd34GABA&amp;ved=0CDYQ_BIwAA\" target=\"_blank\">located</a> right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays! Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night. Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.</div>\r\nThere is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility. It\'s not the true spirit of the market, but it\'s lovely. After that\'s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on. It\'s a lot of tourists and foreigners, but there are also plenty of locals. It\'s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it! It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but ultimately very inviting crowds.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011891.387\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a></div>\r\nOne of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar. They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle. The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent. The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.\r\n\r\nThere is a routine that works well at peak I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas. Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted. The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive! Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!\r\n\r\nThere is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit. This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain! Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand. All worth trying I\'m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011916.2383\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"268\" /></a></div>\r\nThere\'s the cheese stand, with all sorts of yummy cheeses from all around the world, though I tend to order a sampler platter of just Spanish cheeses. They usually have my most favorite goat\'s cheese, Monte Enebro. The embutido stand is super important as one of my goals when I go back to Spain is to eat as much jamon and lomo iberico as is humanly possible! They can prepare a delicious platter of jamon, lomo, as well as chorizo and salchichon, the other two iberico cured meats.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011937.6777\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"312\" /></a></div>\r\nAnother great, and maybe unexpected stand, is the cured fish stand....sound weird? I promise the tapas they serve there are quite tasty. All of the tapas here are bits of bread topped with either smoked or canned fushes...spain is famous for its fish conserves. Try anything with smoked cod, anchovies, or conserved tuna...the adventurous are rewarded!\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011926.0293\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" /></a></div>\r\nA more recent stand I had to add to my favorite was the aptly named \"Meating Point\" by the Carnicerias Raza Nostra. It is a made to order hamburger and hot dog place with 30 varieties of hamburger patties. There are minis too...and some interesting special origen beef as well. Good meat! The buns are good too!\r\n\r\nMy all time favorite, the one I can never skip, is the Ostras Sorlut. Look for the Sorlut oysters..the stand is close to Pinkleton wine and they only serve oysters. There are some other stands that serve Galician oysters and they are worth trying but the French Sorlut oysters are exquisite. They are served in a minimalist wayy, freshly shucked on flimsy plastic plates, slices of lemon. Sometimes they sell lemon \"pearls\"....fun to try. Nothing better than a very cold glass of Spanish white wine served up with the freshest Sorlut oysters.\r\n\r\nI was recently up at Union Market, a new eat-in market concept in DC. It has exciting potential, but I\'m still waiting to see someone do it like the Spanish. I know it\'s a tall order....\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-revision-5','','','2013-01-16 03:07:35','2013-01-16 03:07:35','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/870-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(886,1,'2013-01-09 21:09:05','2013-01-09 21:09:05','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1357764709929.8943\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1914.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"249\" /></a></div>\r\nThere is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way. Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form. Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside. It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa. Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla, but it\'s also easy to find a great slice in many bars. Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I\'ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I\'ve tried in Spanish restaurants. Home-made is maybe best here....it\'s easy after a few tries!\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe classic tortilla is just eggs, potatoes and onions, with salt for seasoning. Some even make it without onion. In specialized restaurants and especially in northern Spain, you can find find \"extras\" such as chorizo or spinach incorporated in the tortilla. Also so yummy are the \"tortilla especiales\" which seems like a stuffed tortilla, but actually a tortilla de patata topped with a variety of combinations then closed with a \"tortilla francesa\", which is a normal omelette. The toppings can be extravagant....my favorite is probably the \"vegetal\", which is usually tuna, hard boiled egg, lettuce, tomato onion and delicious spanish mayonnaise. Sounds crazy but it is delicious!\r\n\r\nMany purists in Madrid frown upon such wildness and stick to the basic four ingredients. For my home versions, I find the extras are amazing..the one in the picture has spinach and just a bit of bacon. Extras such as bacon and chorizo should be fried and drained of fat prior to incorporation. I even cook the onions separately first...makes it easier not to brown them. Any wet ingredients such as spinach, or roasted red peppers, should be really well drained of liquids.\r\n\r\nI find the extras really add depth of flavor and texture, but hike perfecting technique, sometimes it is better to stick to the plain tortilla.\r\n\r\nThere are tons of recipes for tortillas on the web. Just google tortilla de patata. I only recommend recipes that call for the flipping of the tortilla using a plate. If you have a double frittata pan, seems like it would work well, but I can\'t vouch for that technique. I\'ve seen a few recipes, including on the NY Times where they have you slide it out then flip....not done in Spain. Always just a plate over the pan, flip, then slide it back in. This is the only complicated part of the process, and after a few goes, you\'ll have it down.\r\n\r\nA really fun link here for the Esquire Eat Like a Man section. It has a recipe, an illustration on how to flip, and a great video. I love it! <a title=\"Esquire Spanish Tortilla de Pata\" href=\"http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/tortilla-espanola-recipe-0113?spr_id=1456_6240668\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out!</a>\r\n\r\nThe Esquire recipe above is for a very small tortilla....I usually just about double it. I use about 2 lbs potatoes and 8 eggs....maybe a bit less potatoes if I am using extras.\r\n\r\nMain problems: the three main problems for the American chef are not enough olive oil, not enough eggs, and over-cooking.\r\n\r\nNot enough oil. The Esquire recipe calls for a cup of oil...I double the recipe and I use at least double the oil....2-3 cups to cook the potatoes! Shocking I know! But you are draining it all off and only using a couple of tablespoons to actually cook the tortilla afterwards. Gently frying the potatoes in abundant oil without coloring them is what gives them their creamy texture. Spanish cooks keep that olive oil and reuse it for the tortillas for weeks...each time adds more flavor. I also use it for frying eggs and or potatoes.\r\n\r\nNot enough eggs. For some reason people are shy on eggs too. Lots of eggs...it is an egg dish! Should be a very soupy mix when you mix everything together.\r\n\r\nOver cooking. Two stages of overlooking. First, many brown the onions and potatoes...to be avoided as much as possible by using abundant oil and low heat. Second the tortilla itself should\'ve a bit melting and creamy at the center....when it is overlooked it is dry and like a hockey puck! Many of the ones I try in restaurants here in the US are like this. This takes trial and error with your stove, your pan, the flipping technique etc. You\'ll eventually get it exactly where you like it!\r\n\r\nThen it\'s easy after that.....once you have it down it really is a fast and easy technique for such a wonderful and delicious dish. It\'s an impressive and fun technique to show off to your friends and a great party food that can be made ahead. My next project for a party is a \"tortilla especial vegetal\", one of the stuffed variety!\r\n\r\nAs to wine....the basic tortilla is an easy dish to match, it goes with so many wines. In Spain the classic would be with a glass of Rioja, but I think I would rather have mine with a glass of pink cava! My smokier bacon and Spinach one was perfect with a lighter red such as a Mencía or a Rioja Crianza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Comfort Food: Tortilla de Patata','There is nothing more comforting than a Spanish tortilla de patata....it takes me back to Spain in a really \"casero\" or home-made way. Eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt....five perfect ingredients in its classic form. Firm on the outside, creamy and melting on the inside. It is one of the main snack foods in Spain, from mid-morning to pre-dinner tapa. Every home cook in Spain has their method, secrets and tweaks to make a great tortilla, but it\'s also easy to find a great slice in many bars. Here in the US, it can be a challenge....I\'ve been mostly disappointed by the ones I\'ve tried in Spanish restaurants. Home-made is maybe best here....it\'s easy after a few tries!','inherit','open','open','','865-revision-2','','','2013-01-09 21:09:05','2013-01-09 21:09:05','',865,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/09/865-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(887,1,'2012-12-28 07:16:59','2012-12-28 07:16:59','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"></div>\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-27-2012-2350.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1356678453597.3389\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-27-2012-2350.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"308\" /></a></div>\r\nThis wine blows all my sometimes unfair stereotypes of thin, unsatisfying Galician Albariño right out of the water. So many years of drinking lots of bad Albariño and the frustration of seeing bad wine being made from a very good grape have led me to be a state of resignation about the wine in general. I have had to accept it is Spain\'s most beloved white grape....but I try to seek out the really special ones and often turn to alternative grapes from the area such as Godello. This wine fell into my lap as a gift from a Spanish visitor. What a lovely gift it turned out to be! Rich, more exotic, and fuller than most, it also offers the best assets of a great Albariño, piercing acidity and wonderful minerality!\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe winemaker, Jose Antonio López, formerly of well-known wineries Lusco and Morgadio, is dedicated to careful site selection, respectful vineyard practices and non-interventionist winemaking.....all these factors shine through in the wine. Many of these are not a given in the area where the yields are some of the highest in Spain and where vineyard practices are not always stellar.\r\n\r\nOne years of lees contact, followed by a year of bottle aging, has given it tremendous roundness, richness, complexity, while preserving the freshness, all a recipe for an Albariño that can age. Most Albariños should be drunk within a couple of years even though the grape has potential for more, this is one of the happy exceptions. This 2009 still has tremendous freshness and youthfulness. Stony and yeasty aromas blend with intense lemon and a surprising touch of tropical pineapple. The mouth is surprisingly full and the lemon finish was very long. Rare for an Albariño and always one of my tests was that it was still pleasant even much warmer. This is an Albariño that can be matched with so much more than the typical shellfish....I had it with my Christmas dinner and it was great with the sweetish city ham and it\'s glaze, the scalloped potatoes and Brussels sprouts!\r\n\r\nBehind the name and label are lovely stories. According to the label, Tricó is the unexpected youngest child born long after his siblings, who has much to learn from their experience and who usually remains at home to care for his aging parents. The pretty label is a drawing done in 1938 by Jose Antonio\'s mother of her childhood 1938. It all makes for a nice wine package.\r\n\r\nThe value is great on this wine....about 14€ in Spain and between 19-23$ here in the US.....a littlepricer than most Albariños I recommend but so worth it!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Wine Review: Tricó Albariño 2009','This wine blows all my sometimes unfair stereotypes of thin, unsatisfying Galician Albariño right out of the water. So many years of drinking lots of bad Albariño and the frustration of seeing bad wine being made from a very good grape have led me to be a state of resignation about the wine in general. I have had to accept it is Spain\'s most beloved white grape....but I try to seek out the really special ones and often turn to alternative grapes from the area such as Godello. This wine fell into my lap as a gift from a Spanish visitor. What a lovely gift it turned out to be! Rich, more exotic, and fuller than most, it also offers the best assets of a great Albariño, piercing acidity and wonderful minerality!','inherit','open','open','','859-revision-3','','','2012-12-28 07:16:59','2012-12-28 07:16:59','',859,'http://planetavino.net/2012/12/28/859-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(888,1,'2013-01-16 06:32:33','2013-01-16 06:32:33','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011953.502\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry. The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009. It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011935.8088\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"335\" /></a></div>\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\">The mercado is <a title=\"Mercado de San Miguel google map\" href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps?q=mercado+de+san+miguel+madrid&amp;cid=0,0,201226786334215094&amp;ei=9AH2ULWlFYeE9QSd34GABA&amp;ved=0CDYQ_BIwAA\" target=\"_blank\">located</a> right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays! Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night. Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.</div>\r\nThere is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility. It\'s not the true spirit of the market, but it\'s lovely. After that\'s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on. It\'s a lot of tourists and foreigners, but there are also plenty of locals. It\'s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it! It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but ultimately very inviting crowds.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011891.387\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a></div>\r\nOne of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar. They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle. The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent. The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.\r\n\r\nThere is a routine that works well at peak I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas. Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted. The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive! Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!\r\n\r\nThere is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit. This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain! Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand. All worth trying I\'m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011916.2383\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"268\" /></a></div>\r\nThere\'s the cheese stand, with all sorts of yummy cheeses from all around the world, though I tend to order a sampler platter of just Spanish cheeses. They usually have my most favorite goat\'s cheese, Monte Enebro. The embutido stand is super important as one of my goals when I go back to Spain is to eat as much jamon and lomo iberico as is humanly possible! They can prepare a delicious platter of jamon, lomo, as well as chorizo and salchichon, the other two iberico cured meats.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011937.6777\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"312\" /></a></div>\r\nAnother great, and maybe unexpected stand, is the cured fish stand....sound weird? I promise the tapas they serve there are quite tasty. All of the tapas here are bits of bread topped with either smoked or canned fushes...spain is famous for its fish conserves. Try anything with smoked cod, anchovies, or conserved tuna...the adventurous are rewarded!\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1358305011926.0293\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" /></a></div>\r\nA more recent stand I had to add to my favorite was the aptly named \"Meating Point\" by the Carnicerias Raza Nostra. It is a made to order hamburger and hot dog place with 30 varieties of hamburger patties. There are minis too...and some interesting special origen beef as well. Good meat! The buns are good too!\r\n\r\nMy all time favorite, the one I can never skip, is the Ostras Sorlut. Look for the Sorlut oysters..the stand is close to Pinkleton wine and they only serve oysters. There are some other stands that serve Galician oysters and they are worth trying but the French Sorlut oysters are exquisite. They are served in a minimalist wayy, freshly shucked on flimsy plastic plates, slices of lemon. Sometimes they sell lemon \"pearls\"....fun to try. Nothing better than a very cold glass of Spanish white wine served up with the freshest Sorlut oysters.\r\n\r\nI was recently up at Union Market, a new eat-in market concept in DC. It has exciting potential, but I\'m still waiting to see someone do it like the Spanish. I know it\'s a tall order....\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-revision-6','','','2013-01-16 06:32:33','2013-01-16 06:32:33','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/870-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(889,1,'2013-01-16 06:34:56','2013-01-16 06:34:56','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"></div>\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-27-2012-2350.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1356678453597.3389\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-27-2012-2350.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"308\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine blows all my sometimes unfair stereotypes of thin, unsatisfying Galician Albariño right out of the water. So many years of drinking lots of bad Albariño and the frustration of seeing bad wine being made from a very good grape have led me to be a state of resignation about the wine in general. I have had to accept it is Spain\'s most beloved white grape....but I try to seek out the really special ones and often turn to alternative grapes from the area such as Godello. This wine fell into my lap as a gift from a Spanish visitor. What a lovely gift it turned out to be! Rich, more exotic, and fuller than most, it also offers the best assets of a great Albariño, piercing acidity and wonderful minerality!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe winemaker, Jose Antonio López, formerly of well-known wineries Lusco and Morgadio, is dedicated to careful site selection, respectful vineyard practices and non-interventionist winemaking.....all these factors shine through in the wine. Many of these are not a given in the area where the yields are some of the highest in Spain and where vineyard practices are not always stellar.\r\n\r\nOne years of lees contact, followed by a year of bottle aging, has given it tremendous roundness, richness, complexity, while preserving the freshness, all a recipe for an Albariño that can age. Most Albariños should be drunk within a couple of years even though the grape has potential for more, this is one of the happy exceptions. This 2009 still has tremendous freshness and youthfulness. Stony and yeasty aromas blend with intense lemon and a surprising touch of tropical pineapple. The mouth is surprisingly full and the lemon finish was very long. Rare for an Albariño and always one of my tests was that it was still pleasant even much warmer. This is an Albariño that can be matched with so much more than the typical shellfish....I had it with my Christmas dinner and it was great with the sweetish city ham and it\'s glaze, the scalloped potatoes and Brussels sprouts!\r\n\r\nBehind the name and label are lovely stories. According to the label, Tricó is the unexpected youngest child born long after his siblings, who has much to learn from their experience and who usually remains at home to care for his aging parents. The pretty label is a drawing done in 1938 by Jose Antonio\'s mother of her childhood 1938. It all makes for a nice wine package.\r\n\r\nThe value is great on this wine....about 14€ in Spain and between 19-23$ here in the US.....a littlepricer than most Albariños I recommend but so worth it!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Wine Review: Tricó Albariño 2009','This wine blows all my sometimes unfair stereotypes of thin, unsatisfying Galician Albariño right out of the water. So many years of drinking lots of bad Albariño and the frustration of seeing bad wine being made from a very good grape have led me to be a state of resignation about the wine in general. I have had to accept it is Spain\'s most beloved white grape....but I try to seek out the really special ones and often turn to alternative grapes from the area such as Godello. This wine fell into my lap as a gift from a Spanish visitor. What a lovely gift it turned out to be! Rich, more exotic, and fuller than most, it also offers the best assets of a great Albariño, piercing acidity and wonderful minerality!','inherit','open','open','','859-revision-4','','','2013-01-16 06:34:56','2013-01-16 06:34:56','',859,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/859-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(890,1,'2013-01-16 06:38:06','2013-01-16 06:38:06','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-15-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228533.8286\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"273\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid.  You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that&#39;s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks.    When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway.  A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit.   But you can&#39;t can&#39;t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid&#39;s original tapas market, San Miguel.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p>The Mercado de San Miguel has always been in my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid wine lovers 2012\">Madrid for wine lovers</a> top picks and it has long deserved its own entry.  The beautiful historic market building from 1916 was renovated and reopened in its current format in May of 2009.  It was an instant success, crowded from the beginning.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1647.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228537.5571\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"250\" height=\"335\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\">The mercado is <a href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps?q=mercado+de+san+miguel+madrid&cid=0,0,201226786334215094&ei=9AH2ULWlFYeE9QSd34GABA&ved=0CDYQ_BIwAA\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Mercado de San Miguel google map\">located</a> right next to the Plaza Mayor and is open all day from ten to midnight on most days and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays!   Really a transformative space, from market, to tapas to drinks spot late at night.  Not many people would buy produce at the high prices on offer, but some produce stands have survived so far by specializing in high-end, gourmet products.</div>\n\n<p>There is a lovely time at the mercado on a weekday morning before the rush starts, when you can sit, have a wine or a coffee and a tapa in relative tranquility.  It&#39;s not the true spirit of the market, but it&#39;s lovely.  After that&#39;s moment....the people start too come and it just seems to get more and more crowded as the day goes on.  It&#39;s a lot of tourists and foreigners, but there are also plenty of locals.   It&#39;s horrible and yet somehow wonderful at the same time....if you just relax and let yourself get sucked in by that jostling, loud crowd, you will love it!  It really is what Spain is all about....loud, slightly pushy, but ultimately very inviting crowds.<br>\n</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228588.9734\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p>One of the main draws for me has always been the great wine on offer at the Pinkleton wine bar.  They have great wines by the glass and a fantastic selection by the bottle.  The staff is knowledgeable and usually speak English and the prices are decent.  The by-the-glass prices may initially seem more expensive, but some of the wines are top crus and the pours are huge compared to a typical Madrid glass.</p>\n\n<p>There is a routine that works well at peak  I usually pick up a bottle of wine at Pinkleton and some glasses, put someone in charge of table hunting and then go with my wine in search of the best tapas.  Table hunting is not for the shy or faint-hearted.  The tables are all grouped in the center and it is a hover and grab system....it can get pretty competitive!  Most people just resign themselves to drinks and the less messy tapas without any support....but there is no better feeling than scoring a table!  </p>\n\n<p>There is a constant rotation of the lesser quality stands...not all formulas have worked, and I always find new things when I visit.  This last item there was a stand serving tapas based on burrata....yes the burrata craze has reached Spain!  Also new was a tortilla de patata stand and a paella stand.  All worth trying I&#39;m sure but I seem to end up always back at my favorites...the same stands that have been there since the beginning.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1645.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228589.6465\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"250\" height=\"268\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> There&#39;s the cheese stand, with all sorts of yummy cheeses from all around the world, though I tend to order a sampler platter of just Spanish cheeses.  They usually have my most favorite goat&#39;s cheese, Monte Enebro.  The embutido stand is super important as one of my goals when I go back to Spain is to eat as much jamon and lomo iberico as is humanly possible!  They can prepare a delicious platter of jamon, lomo, as well as chorizo and salchichon, the other two iberico cured meats.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1632.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228580.378\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"250\" height=\"312\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> Another great, and maybe unexpected stand, is the cured fish stand....sound weird?  I promise the tapas they serve there are quite tasty.  All of the tapas here are bits of bread topped with either smoked or canned fushes...spain is famous for its fish conserves.  Try anything with smoked cod, anchovies, or conserved tuna...the adventurous are rewarded!</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1636.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358318228540.1846\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" height=\"142\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> A more recent stand I had to add to my favorite was the aptly named \"Meating Point\" by the Carnicerias Raza Nostra.  It is a made to order hamburger and hot dog place with 30 varieties of hamburger patties.  There are minis too...and some interesting special origen beef as well.  Good meat!  The buns are good too!</p>\n\n<p>My all time favorite, the one I can never skip, is the Ostras Sorlut.  Look for the Sorlut oysters..the stand is close to Pinkleton wine and they only serve oysters.  There are some other stands that serve Galician oysters and they are worth trying but the French Sorlut oysters are exquisite.  They are served in a minimalist wayy, freshly shucked on flimsy plastic plates, slices of lemon.  Sometimes they sell lemon \"pearls\"....fun to try.  Nothing better than a very cold glass of Spanish white wine served up with the freshest Sorlut oysters.</p>\n\n<p>I was recently up at Union Market, a new eat-in market concept in DC.  It has exciting potential, but I&#39;m still waiting to see someone do it like the Spanish.  I know it&#39;s a tall order....</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Madrid Tapas: Mercado de San Miguel','Mercado de San Miguel is the eat-in market concept taken to its highest level and is not to be missed on any visit to Madrid. You can expect insane crowds at peak hours, but that\'s part of the fun, and it gives you a fun atmosphere in which to wander, edge in for some seating, try some tapas and have a few drinks. When I lived in Madrid, I loved to complain about the crowds like everyone, but I was always there anyway. A few more markets have opened in Madrid with similar concepts and the best of them is the Mercado de San Anton in the Chueca district...it is also worth a visit. But you can\'t can\'t beat the location, atmosphere, food, and wine at Madrid\'s original tapas market, San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','870-revision-7','','','2013-01-16 06:38:06','2013-01-16 06:38:06','',870,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/870-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(891,1,'2012-10-22 06:28:12','2012-10-22 06:28:12','Below you\'ll find a brief overview of Spanish wines, including a general introduction, wine law, and grape varieties.  This is the more detailed info for those who are looking for some background.\r\n\r\nI\'ve also created a great practical guide to drinking Spanish wine, the styles, identifying the Spanish wines you like by grape or region, figuring the best values and where you can find them.  To get this useful guide just sign up for my monthly newsletter here.  In my newsletter, I\'ll give you an update on the latest on Spanish wine and food and some top wine picks.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><strong>My Top Ten of Spanish wine</strong></h2>\r\n<strong>...or a total simplification of Spanish wine!  ....but useful sometimes...</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>Super dynamic wine market\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Getting world recognition</li>\r\n	<li>Lots of change in every corner of the country!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Huge wine producer\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Most vineyards in the world</li>\r\n	<li>3rd in wine production</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Red wine country\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Some of the top red wines in the world</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Whites wines\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Attractive, great value…improving very rapidly</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>In Spain wines ordered by region, not by grape variety\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>70+ designated wine regions or wine appellations (Denominacion de Origen (DO))</li>\r\n	<li>Most important: Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat</li>\r\n	<li>Many rising stars: Jumilla, Toro, Bierzo, La Mancha etc.</li>\r\n	<li>Aging designations on label: crianza, reserva,  gran reserva</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Most important grape variety: Tempranillo\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>More than 600 indigenous grape varieties…but only 20 commercially important today</li>\r\n	<li>More and more international varieties:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay etc.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Spanish people drinking much less but drinking higher quality wine</li>\r\n	<li>Exports very important…40%\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Top customers are:  UK, Germany, U.S.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Tendencies:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Old vines...lots of them</li>\r\n	<li>Single vineyards/terroir wines...both relatively new concepts in Spain</li>\r\n	<li>International grapes and unique indigenous grapes</li>\r\n	<li>Criticism: Blockbuster wines…high alcohol, super extracted, over-oaked</li>\r\n	<li>Criticism: Wines to win points from wine critics (Parker effect), comercial wines</li>\r\n	<li>Less appellation wines</li>\r\n	<li>Less wines in traditional categories such as crianza, reserva and gran reserva</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Conclusion:  Very high quality, consistency and still excellent prices. Some of the best value wines in the world!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><strong>A few more details...</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li> Long history of winemaking (3000 years!)</li>\r\n	<li>Most vineyards of any country in the world (15.5%)\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Third in world wine production after France and Italy (13%)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Just over 50% of wine production is red\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Around 60% of production is table wine, 40% is quality wine</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>More than 600 indigenous grape varieties\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>But just 20 of them account for 80% of wine production</li>\r\n	<li>Tempranillo:  most important red grape in terms of quality and quantity</li>\r\n	<li>International grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon on the rise</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Vineyards in all 17 autonomous regions\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>La Mancha: (the greatest surface area of vines in the world)</li>\r\n	<li>Rioja:  most densely planted in Spain</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Classification system for quality wine based on regional wine appellations\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>There are over 70 Denominación de Origen (DO) spread throughout Spain</li>\r\n	<li>DO: wine appellation with strict rules controlling viticulture and wine production</li>\r\n	<li>DO wines often have indication of oak aging:  crianza, reserva, gran reserva</li>\r\n	<li>Other categories of quality wine: DOCA, VCIG, Vino de Pago</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Lesser classifications are now being used for some top wines\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vino de la Tierra and Vino de Mesa</li>\r\n	<li>Used in areas outside designated DOs</li>\r\n	<li>Also used by some winemakers looking for more flexibility</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Over 40% of Spanish production is exported (increasing)\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Top customers in terms of value:  UK, Germany, USA</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Spain also has amazing cavas, dessert wines, and fortified wines at great values</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><strong>Some opinions (only mine!)</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Change, change and more change!</strong>\r\n\r\nExciting times as change touches every area of Spain\'s wine industry.  New areas are up and coming and showcasing lesser known varietals, while the better known areas such a Rioja and Ribera del Duero are faced  more competition and forced to produce even better wines.  This healthy competition extends itself to styles: ultra modern, blockbuster styles, traditional styles and more restrained terroir styles must all compete for consumer approval.  Hopefully there is room in the market for the finest examples of all the styles as the diversity only benefits the consumer.\r\n\r\n<strong>A red wine country</strong>\r\n\r\nSpain is known for its red wines and makes some of the finest reds in the world.  It also makes tons of great value, easy drinking reds that consistently deliver.  Why so much talk of reds?  Spain\'s climate lends itself towards reds, but there is an equally important cultural reason for the domination of the color red.  For most spaniards wine is <span><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">red </span><span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and only red.  There is a saying in Spain that the best white is a red!  So the focus for a long time was on reds.  This is changing a bit, but most Spaniards have still not been exposed to top notch whites, or even tried a white with some oak aging!</span></span></span>\r\n\r\n<strong>...but don\'t overlook the whites!</strong>\r\n\r\nWinemakers are changing Spain\'s whites with exciting new projects and turning out some remarkable wines, both with and without oak, from some very unique terroir sites.  There are many misses of course,  but the standard is improving all the time.  Meanwhile the simple, un-oaked styles of whites that the Spanish enjoy deserve more respect than they get.  they are consistently fresh, easy to drink, and easy on the pocket.  You just have to know the areas and grape varieties that are more reliable.  For me you can\'t beat the region Rueda with its attractive un-oaked Verdejos for some good everyday value quaffing.  Perhaps that\'s why it the basic bar white in most of Spain!   Albariño, the most beloved of whites to the Spanis, can also be lovely, but is not as consistent, and pricier.\r\n\r\n<strong>Obsessed with Rioja and Ribera?</strong>\r\n\r\nRioja still makes up over 50% of the fine wine market and remains the go-to wine for most Spaniards.  I like to call it \"Riojitis\"...which sounds better in Spanish!   Unfortunately a lot of the basic Rioja served at many bars and restaurants in Spain is pretty awful stuff.  So many faces still light up at the word Rioja...even the bad stuff....\r\n\r\nThere are regional variations, but in Madrid, Ribera de Duero has become the more fashionable alternative to Rioja.  Madrid palates have taken to the more robust and oaky wines from the region just to the north.  These wines are generally much more expensive than many Riojas and have become somewhat of a status symbol in the capital as well.  Ribera del Duero reds can be excellent when not suffering from excessive oak but they are often excessively priced as well.    There are less expensive ones of course but it\'s harder to find a tasty good value Ribera....Rioja is easier in that regard.\r\n\r\nI often find it a shame that there is not a better offering of other regions on wine lists in many parts of Spain, except in wine bars or specialized restaurants.  There are so many excellent wines from regions that offer much better value...and there is something to be said for variety.  In Madrid you are often left with two choices:  Ribera or Rioja!\r\n\r\n<strong>Spaniards don\'t like wine anymore?</strong>\r\n\r\nA worrisome trend to the wine industry is that continue a decades long trend to drinking less wine. Many factors have affected this decline.   Wine has been replaced by other drinks at Spanish meals and when drunk is often reserved for longer family meals on the weekend.  Stricter drunk driving laws has had a great impact on wine consumption in bars and restaurants.  While wine aficionados have multiplied, many segments of society, especially young people have lost touch with wine as part of Spanish culture.  All of these tendecies are difficult ones to address.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile Spanish wine exports have been growing and thriving, reaching over 40% of appellation level wines.  It\'s become a critical market for wineries as the domestic market shrinks.  Despite tough economic times, overall Spanish wine exports have continued to outperform their neighbors.  Spanish wineries need to continue to find effective ways to compete in an increasingly competitive world market.\r\n\r\n<strong>Some beautiful things</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li> The old, old vines:  what a wonderful wealth of lovely old bush vines that abound....a goldmine!  Though blends used to be the norm, winemakers are now highlighting hese special parcels.  Some extraordinary wines come from these vineyards, including some of my favorite Grenaches</li>\r\n	<li>Great grapes:  love that Mencia, that Garnacha, that Godello! But so many more,:  Prieto Picudo, Callet, Bobal, Cariñena etc.etc. Also some fun stuff with the international varieties</li>\r\n	<li>The leaner terroir wine appearing of late:  though I love and appreciate some of those intense fruit bombs, I have an abiding love for a different more austere type of intensity....and we\'re seeing it more and more with interesting projects all over Spain</li>\r\n	<li>Beautiful, cheap wines in Spanish restaurants and bars:  though I amy complain about the selection...you can\'t beat the prices!  Now that I live in the States....I appreciate them all the more!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Some not so beautiful things </strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Still way too many over-oaked wines</li>\r\n	<li>More marketing needed:  Spanish wines still need more exposure.  The government-run organization Wines from Spain tries.....</li>\r\n	<li>New obsession with points by critics...it arrived late in Spain but was inevitable!</li>\r\n	<li>Better enotourism experiences needed in many areas....don\'t want to lose the authenticity, but a little more thoughtfulness and practicality needed</li>\r\n	<li>Not enough recognition for Spanish wines:  the wines deserve more!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Love me some Spanish wine!</strong>\r\n\r\nThere is so much to love about Spanish wines.  Everyone can find the style they like to sip or to go with any food:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>A rich variety of red wine styles for every occasion</li>\r\n	<li>Simple, attractive whites for everyday</li>\r\n	<li>The \"new\" whites, complex, mineral, age-worthy</li>\r\n	<li>Delightfully fruity, yet dry rosados</li>\r\n	<li>Fresh, harmonious sparkling cava</li>\r\n	<li>Complex, fascinating, misunderstood sherry</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<div>All of this variety and much more comes at a super reasonable price that few countries, if any, can match.  A bonus is great consistency that comes with relatively little vintage variation.</div>\r\n<div>What\'s not to love?</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><strong>Spanish Wine Regions</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThere are over 70 designated wine appellations or Denominacion de Origen (DO) in Spain and for more informsation on the primary ones you can check <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-regions/\">here</a>.\r\n\r\nAn easier way to describe Spain\'s wine regions is using the regional approach taken at the Wines from Spain <a href=\"http://www.winesfromspainusa.com/regions\" target=\"_blank\">website</a>.  They divide the country into 8 regions that are somewhat coherent stylistically in terms of wine.  it is a generalization, but it is useful to simplify a complex wine landscape.\r\n\r\nSee the Wines from Spain map below and my brief look at the 8 regions below that.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_610\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"482\"]<a href=\"http://www.winesfromspainusa.com/regions\"><img class=\" wp-image-610  \" title=\"Wines from Spain Regional Map\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Wines-from-Spain-Regional-Map.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"482\" height=\"482\" /></a> Wines From Spain USA Regional Wine Map[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Green Spain</strong>\r\n\r\nCalled so because of the abundant rainfall, Green Spain has traditionally been known for light, aromatic whites, the most famous of which is Albariño.  Albariño continues to be a star, but there are so many other great wines from the area, including standout reds from the Mencía grape and delicious, good value whites from Godello.\r\n\r\nThe most important DOs to look out for are:  Rias Baixas, Bierzo and Valdeorras\r\n\r\nGreen Spain also includes Basque country, whose  unique spritzy wine Chacoli (Txacoli) is improving greatly in quality.  It would be most similar in style to Portugal\'s vinho verde and is fun to try.\r\n\r\n<strong>North Central Spain</strong>\r\n\r\nSome of Spain\'s top reds come from this area, much of which is situated along the Duero River Valley.  The semi-arid conditions and a large differential between day and night temperatures allow for the long, slow ripening of Tempranillo in areas such as Ribera del Duero and Toro.  These reds are intense, with deep fruit and impressive tannic structure, yet they retain good levels of acidity.  Other up and coming DOs in the ares include Cigales, Arribes, Zamora, Tierra de Leon and Arlanza.\r\n\r\nAlso important for red wine is the regional category of wines called Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Leon...some top class wines are made under this category as well as many great value everyday wines.\r\n\r\nWhites play a definite second fiddle in the area with one tremendous exception, that of of Rueda, producing consistently delicious, mostly inexpensive, white wines from the Verdejo grape.  Albariño may be Spaniards favorite white, but Rueda is the workhorse white wine of Spain, served in every bar from coast to coast.  The more basic wines are simple, but very acceptable and the top un-oaked Verdejos can have some complex aromas and minerality paired with a wonderful mouthfeel.....lots of yummy oaked versions too!\r\n\r\n<strong>The Ebro River Valley</strong>\r\n\r\nRioja is the top area in this region, Spain\'s largest fine wine appellation, with an excellent, Atlantic-influenced climate that can produce some very elegant wines.  Reds are heavily based on Tempranillo, though there are some other interesting varieties such as Mazuelo, Graciano and Garnanacha.  Stylistically there is a bit of a challenge at the moment as lighter, elegant traditional styles face off against bolder, bigger modern styles.  The pletora of styles and lack of indication can lead to some confusion amongst consumers.  Rioja , based on Viura (Macabeo), have been improving greatly recently.\r\n\r\nNavarra is Rioja\'s next door neighbor and has long been in it\'s shadow.  It is known within Spain largely for its lovely, cheap rosados.  This is unfortunate because both the reds and whites are deserving of a closer look.  There is an enormous variety in varietals (indigenous and international) and styles, perhaps contributing to image problems.  But the wines are top quality and amazing value.  Favorites include Chardonnays and old vine Grenache.\r\n\r\nAlso grouped in this region are the wines of Aragon, which have been gaining recognition for quality and value of late.  Long known for jug wines, the region first changed its reputation in the area of Somontano with interesting, fresh wines made largely from international varietals.  Since then the DOs of Campo de Borja, Calatayud and Cariñena have gained a reputation for interesting old vine Grenache.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Meseta</strong>\r\n\r\nVery hot and dry, this area is one of the biggest wine regions in the world, producing mostly jug wine.  In the last decades good value quality wine has started to change the area\'s reputation, offering reliable, consistent wines at cheap prices.  Tempranillo is the most important varietal but numorous varieties are represented.  DO La Mancha is the big player but also up and coming are: Manchuela, Ribera del Jucar, Méntrida, Uclés, etc.\r\n\r\nAlso important in the area is the regional category of Vino de la Tierra de Castilla and Vinos de Pago, which are single estate appellations.\r\n\r\nIncluded in the Meseta area is Vinos de Madrid, which used to be quite terrible, but has improved greatly, with some exciting old vine projects.  Unfortunately production is quite limited so prices can be high.\r\n\r\nFinally there is Extremadura, which has a lot of potential...some interesting wines have been produced from the numerous varieties that are are planted.  Great improvements have been made,but much remains to be done.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Mediterranean Coast</strong>\r\n\r\nThis encompasses a huge area and is very varied stylistically.\r\n\r\nCataluña is a huge wine region with 12 DOs alone and huge climatic variations.\r\n\r\nGeneralizing a bit....the coastal wines tend to be lighter, more elegant and international varieties have become very popular in reas such as Penedés.  The inland, or mountain wines, tend to be more intense and concentrated and are often made from indigenous grapes.  Priorat and Montsant have come to represent the mountain wines with their intense, brooding, long-lived wines, while Penedés is the top producer, qualitatively and quantitatively of the coastal areas.\r\n\r\nCatalan are very unique and quality is often quite high, but they can be more expensive than average for Spanish wines.\r\n\r\nAnother very important category in Catalan wines is DO Cava.  Though cava can also be produced in Rioja, Valencia, Extremadura, and Aragon, 90% of it is produced in Cataluña.  Cava is Spain\'s quality sparkling wine category and has traditionally beenmade from three grape varieties, Macabeo, Parllada and Xarel.lo.  Today, some producers are also making it from Champagne grape varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.\r\n\r\nThe second large area of the Mediterranean Coast is the Levante Region, which is one of the warmest areas of Spain and makes wines with a real Mediterranean character.  This area was known solely for jug wines only a couple fo decades ago.  Know there are some really spectacular wines made as well as some nice, inexpensive everyday wines.  Jumilla was the DO that first was recognized for quality wine and Monastrell (Mourvedre) is its quality grape, though there is an enormous variety of grapes, indigenous and international, planted.  Other up and coming DOs include:     Utiel-Reuena, Yecla, Valencia, Bullas and Alicante.\r\n\r\n<strong>Andalucia</strong>\r\n\r\nThe traditional star here is DO Jerez or sherry, a unique fortified wine produced in 15, mostly dry styles.  It is a difficult wine to market and sell today and its currently suffering from an image problem.  Due to this, sherry cost very little for the quality of the wines.\r\n\r\nSherry means something different to everyone.  In Spain, most people stick to the two driest, lightest forms, Fino and Manzanilla.  To many people in the UK and the US sherry is a sweet wine, such as a cream sherry.\r\n\r\nWhile in Andalucia you can still taste the traditional sweet fortified wines that remain popular in many areas, though they are rarely exported.\r\n\r\nMany great table wines are now being made in various higher altitude areas in Malaga and Grenada... despite the heat, the higher altitude allow for some great sites.  Grape varieties are numourous, though international varieties have become very popular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Islands of Spain</strong>\r\n\r\nThe Balearic Islands, especially Mallorca is producing some very interesting wines in the last decades.  Most wines in the area are made merely for the tourist market, but there are a few wineries doing much, much more.  The local grape varieties, such as Callet and Mantonegro,  are very interesting, and can produce remarkably elegant and fresh wines from such a a hot climate.\r\n\r\nThe Canaries also produce wines largely for the tourist hordes, but there are some great exceptions.  The whites from Malvasia, Listan Blanca, and many more, are especially good, but there are some interesting reds coming on from Negramoll, Listan Negra, and others.\r\n<h2><strong>Spanish Grape Varieties</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThere is no doubt that the great red grape, Tempranillo,  is king in Spain....it is by far the most important grape variety in terms of quality wine production and respect.  It sometimes seems people would prefer to drink a bad Tempranillo than order another grape variety! Tempranillo is a wonderful variety and offers a great variety of wines depending on the region and the local variant of the grape.  Though considering by many experts a \"noble\" grape\", some also would perhaps criticize Tempranillo for its lack of a distinct personality that shines trough in any terroir.\r\n\r\nTimes are changing and this is a good thing because Spain has some really interesting indigenous varieties other than Tempranillo. Spain does not have the rich diversity of indigenous varieties that is seen in italy or Portugal.  Many varieties were lost or reduced to non-commercial levels after the phyloxera blight at the end of the 19th century.  Much of the replanting was done with easier varietals and eventually with Tempranillo.  Luckily today there is some interest in reviving some of the local obscure varietals.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile some of the great red varieties to watch out for are:  Garnacha (Grenache), Mencia, Bobal, Monastrell (Mourvedre) etc.\r\n\r\nOutstanding white varieties include: Verdejo, Godello, Albariño, Viura, and Palomino\r\n\r\nYou can also find the all usual international grapes planted in Spain and being made into mediocre to very good wine.\r\n\r\nFor more detail on the major indigenous Spanish varietals see <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-grape-varieties/\">here</a>...\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><strong>Spanish Wine Law</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>EU wine law recognizes two main categories of wine:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Table wine and quality wine</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Spain has two levels of table wine:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vino de mesa:  no region, grapes, or vintage on label</li>\r\n	<li>Vino de la Tierra (VdlT):  equivalent of Vin de Pays in France\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>An officially recognized area but below DO level</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Spain has four levels of quality wine:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG)\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>New category: areas must wait five years to ask for DO</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Denominación de Origen (DO).\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Over 70 exist</li>\r\n	<li>Regulated by a consejo regulador (governing body) with detailed rules</li>\r\n	<li>Guarantees origin not always quality</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Denominción de Origen Calificada (DOCa)\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>DO must wait ten years to attain</li>\r\n	<li>Only Rioja and Priorat so far: stricter rules</li>\r\n	<li>In reality does not guarentee more quality</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Vino de Pago:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Single estates of exceptional quality</li>\r\n	<li>Must comply at least with DOCa rules</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Aging requirements: national DO law...some regions set stricter limits\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Terms generally appear on front labels</li>\r\n	<li>All have a back sticker with category</li>\r\n	<li>Joven or vino de cosecha:  no oak aging (generally should be drunk from latest vintage)</li>\r\n	<li>Roble:  Seen some oak (no legal requirements)</li>\r\n	<li>In reality categories are mainly seen only on reds</li>\r\n	<li>Many wineries are ignoring traditional categories and have only \"cosecha\" sticker for wines with oak aging</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a title=\"Crianza table\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/crianza-charts.JPG\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/crianza-charts.JPG\" alt=\"Crianza table\" width=\"539\" height=\"282\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;',' Spanish Wine In Brief','','inherit','open','open','','338-revision-50','','','2012-10-22 06:28:12','2012-10-22 06:28:12','',338,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/22/338-revision-50/',0,'revision','',0),(892,1,'2013-01-16 04:38:00','2013-01-16 04:38:00','<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-508\" title=\"Mary O\'Connor\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1-229x300.jpg\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWelcome to the new Planeta Vino! I\'m Mary O\'Connor and after almost 10 years living in Madrid, Spain, I\'ve returned to the US for personal, family reasons...\r\n\r\nHard to leave Spain, great to come home!  Crazy hard to leave a Spanish family, friends and my business behind...big transition!\r\n\r\nPlaneta Vino was originally the website for my wine tasting school and wine events business in Madrid. Now I\'m re-inventing it as a blog primarily on Spanish wine and food, but also about anything wine that grabs me.\r\n\r\nSpanish food is seemingly everywhere in the US and is quite popular at the moment thanks to high profile chefs such as Jose Andres.  Despite this I still find it is pretty hard to find places that walk the line between respecting Spanish traditions and innovating enough to add that something special. Also a lot of what is billed as \"spanish\" is anything but!  I\'m excited to find some of the good places as well as discover the new gems in Madrid and around Spain on my trips back there.\r\n\r\nSpanish wine is less well represented here in the US than Spanish cuisine; it definitely does not get the respect it is due for offering top notch wines at extremely good prices. Ten years of immersing myself in these wines have really instilled me with a missionary zeal to spread the gospel of Spanish wine!\r\n\r\nCheck <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/old-planeta-vino/\">here</a> for more info on the \"Old Planeta Vino\"\r\n\r\nTo follow me as I share my passion, follow my blog or sign up <a href=\"http://eepurl.com/qrtFH\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to get my monthly newsletters with the latest on Spanish wine and food.','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2013-01-16 04:38:00','2013-01-16 04:38:00','',500,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/500-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(893,1,'2012-10-10 04:01:47','2012-10-10 04:01:47','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.bartxepetxa.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bar Txepetxa</a>:  So many great tapas places in San Sebastian, but this one stands out for its perfect vinegar cured anchovies or boquerones.  They are totally specialized on one simple ingredient, serving them in a variety of delicious styles.  They will convert you I promise!  Have sidra or Txakoli, the spritzy Basque white wine.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lacucharadesantelmo.com/lacucharademadera.swf\" target=\"_blank\">La Cuchara de Telmo</a>:  The opposite of Txepetxa, this bar serves gourmet Basque cuisine in miniature.  Amazing, complex flavors tempt you in every dish!  Crazy packed with people so it\'s an experience.  Reasonable wines.  Hard to find, but so worth it!  The web site is ridiculous but it has a good map</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Todo Pintxos</a>:  A great website if you are going to San Sebastian.  It\'s a very complete guide to the tapas/pintxos places, with pictures of the tapas,  ratings, routes, maps etc.  There is a decent English version as well.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced. The house wine is a nice local wine and very inexpensive and they always have a great cava by the glass too.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No website of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.chiringuitopepesbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiringuito Pepe\'s Bar</a>:  A beach chiringuito is a must for fire grilled sardines and great paella.  A lot of these places in Marbella are total tourist traps and rip offs.  This one is my favorite:  award winning sardines and good value paella.  Limited wine selection:  I stick to Rueda white wine or Sangria.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.vinissimus.com/es/\" target=\"_blank\">Vinissimus</a>:  My go to site on Spanish wines, though more relevant in Europe.  Though it is a retail site, it is very complete and offers pictures, descriptions, prices, info on the producers etc.  There is a UK version in English.</li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-22','','','2012-10-10 04:01:47','2012-10-10 04:01:47','',17,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/10/17-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(894,1,'2012-10-09 16:33:59','2012-10-09 16:33:59','Coming soon....','References','','inherit','open','open','','458-revision-4','','','2012-10-09 16:33:59','2012-10-09 16:33:59','',458,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/09/458-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(895,1,'2012-10-09 17:42:45','2012-10-09 17:42:45','I\'m excited to share my passion for Spanish and Iberian wines and I am available to organize custom wine tastings or wine and food events.  I am currently based in the Miami area, but am happy to travel whenever possible!  If you are interested in an awesome Spanish wine experience, please contact me at <a href=\"mailto:info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a>\r\n\r\n*Check <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/old-planeta-vino/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for my experience giving wine tastings and organizing events with Planeta Vino and <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/references/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> for feedback from some happy customers.','Tastings','','inherit','open','open','','357-revision-7','','','2012-10-09 17:42:45','2012-10-09 17:42:45','',357,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/09/357-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(896,1,'2012-10-22 04:49:19','2012-10-22 04:49:19','<h2><strong>Primary White Varieties</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Airén</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Most planted white grape in Spain</li>\r\n	<li>La Mancha</li>\r\n	<li>Most planted white grape in the world</li>\r\n	<li>Low quality grape</li>\r\n	<li>With modern techniques can make acceptable wine</li>\r\n	<li>Being replaced</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Albariño</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Important grape in Galicia</li>\r\n	<li>Very beloved to Spaniards</li>\r\n	<li>Many styles: from a more peachy, fruity style to a lean, steely profile</li>\r\n	<li>Generally made to be consumed young</li>\r\n	<li>Some interesting aging experiments being done</li>\r\n	<li>Can be pricy but prices have come down due to crisis</li>\r\n	<li>Quality can be variable if yields are too high and viticultural practices poor</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Godello</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>High quality, aromatic grape native to Galicia</li>\r\n	<li>Decent acidity and often shows mineral notes in good terroir</li>\r\n	<li>Backbone white grape of the Valdeorras and Bierzo DOs</li>\r\n	<li>Quickly gaining popularity</li>\r\n	<li>Experiments with aging and oak are underway</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Macabeo</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Also known as Viura</li>\r\n	<li>Macabeo is cultivated all over northern Spain</li>\r\n	<li>In the DO Cava regions it is combined with Xarel-lo and Parrelada</li>\r\n	<li>It is the dominant white grape in Rioja and Navarra</li>\r\n	<li>Can appear in these regions in an oak-aged style</li>\r\n	<li>Criticized for its neutral characteristics, but with care it can make attractive herbal wines.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Moscatel</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>This grape is the Muscat d\'Alexandrie of the Muscat family</li>\r\n	<li>Used in the Levant, Cataluña, and Andalucia to make sweet dessert wines</li>\r\n	<li>These are generally excellent value wines though generally simple</li>\r\n	<li>Very distinctive grape:  highly aromatic, floral</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Palomino</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>This is the main dry sherry grape</li>\r\n	<li>It does extremely well on the chalky soils near Jerez</li>\r\n	<li>Planted elsewhere produces largely unremarkable table wines.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Parellada</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>One of the primary Cava grapes</li>\r\n	<li>Also used in Cataluña for soft everyday drinking whites.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Pedro Ximenez</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>This is the grape that makes the great sweet wines of Andalucia</li>\r\n	<li>Dried to raisins and then pressed to make a thick, sweet wine</li>\r\n	<li>Ages extremely well</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Verdejo</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Principle variety of Rueda</li>\r\n	<li>With modern wine-making techniques makes a top quality crisp and citric flavoured wine</li>\r\n	<li>Pleasant bitter finish</li>\r\n	<li>These wines are among some of the best value white wines in Spain</li>\r\n	<li>Experiments are underway with barrel fermentation and aging</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Xarel-lo</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>The third of the primary Cava varieties</li>\r\n	<li>Adds weight and alcohol to the blend</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><strong>Red grape varieties</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Bobal</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Highly colored grape found in the Levant</li>\r\n	<li>Gives hearty rosados and reds</li>\r\n	<li>Previously known for being coarse</li>\r\n	<li>Careful modern techniques can make very interesting wines</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Cariñena</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Also called Mazuelo in Rioja</li>\r\n	<li>A robust grape that is an important part of the Rioja blend</li>\r\n	<li>Giving color and body</li>\r\n	<li>Also used in Cataluña, where it is also used as a natural partner to Garnacha</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Garnacha</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Likely the most widely planted red grape in Spain (despite the credit given to Tempranillo)</li>\r\n	<li>High yielding variety that makes a great blending grape</li>\r\n	<li>At low yields and with older vines, it can produce stellar wines</li>\r\n	<li>Oxidizes easily</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Graciano</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>A low-yielding grape that is a high quality part of the Rioja blend</li>\r\n	<li>It is seeing a resurgence in popularity</li>\r\n	<li>It has thick skins that give wines with a lot of tannin</li>\r\n	<li>They can be tough early on but they age extremely well</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Mencía</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>High quality grape that is seeing a surge in popularity</li>\r\n	<li>Many high quality examples are being produced in the Bierzo DO and the Valdeorras DO</li>\r\n	<li>It gives fresh, tannic, racy wines with an elegant profile...the best have mineral notes</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Monastrell (Mourvedre)</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>High yielding variety that produces highly colored, alcoholic wines</li>\r\n	<li>In the right hands it can produce excellent wines</li>\r\n	<li>Its new reputation for quality wines is being led in Jumilla</li>\r\n	<li>It is also used to make some interesting sweet wines.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Prieto Picudo</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Rising in popularity in various parts of Castilla Leon</li>\r\n	<li>The best wines can be quite tannic and acidic with interesting cherry fruit</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Tempranillo</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Spain\'s top native red grape</li>\r\n	<li>It is cultivated throughout Spain and has many names depending on the region:</li>\r\n	<li>Cencibel in southern Spain</li>\r\n	<li>Tinto Fino, Tinto del Pais and Tinta de Toro in Castile Leon</li>\r\n	<li>Ull de Llebre in Cataluña</li>\r\n	<li>It gives high quality wines at all levels</li>\r\n	<li>Many diverse styles…it is sometimes criticized for lacking a dominant varietal character.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Grape Varieties','','inherit','open','open','','573-revision-7','','','2012-10-22 04:49:19','2012-10-22 04:49:19','',573,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/22/573-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(897,1,'2012-10-21 05:33:55','2012-10-21 05:33:55','Spanish Wine\r\n\r\nSpain is one of the top three producers of wine in the world...a wine giant.  Wine has always been integral to Spanish culture. Yet Spain is no doubt going through a wine crisis both economically and culturally.\r\n\r\nSpanish wine has never been better and generally represents great quality for value, yet there is excess production and consumption in Spain itself is on the decline.\r\n\r\nWine is becoming fashionable in Spain, but this has not always been the case.  Though it\'s an integral part of the traditional culture, there has been a tendency until recently to take it for granted.  The norm is to drink what\'s local or what\'s available, the wine you grew up with!  Curiosity about better wines and wines from other areas is a relatively new phenomena.  It\'s an exciting time as many Spaniards are becoming more adventurous about their wine choices.\r\n\r\nThe flip side of this is that there has never been less interest in wine among young people as they turn more to other sources of alcohol.  Though Spaniards are drinking better quality wine, they are drinking less of it every year. Many worry that the idea of wine as an integral part of a Spanish meal is being lost as people turn to soda and other drinks.  Cultural programs are underway to introduce young people to wine as part of Spain cultural and gastronomic heritage.\r\n\r\nThe most well known wine areas, Rioja, Ribera de Duero, and Priorat, continue to offer some of the worlds top wines.  Prices have risen but there are still good values to be found.  Though each region has some common regional character, there is great diversity in wine styles within each region due to factors in terroir, grape variety and especially wine-making.\r\n\r\nA really exciting change in Spanish wine in the last decade or so has been the rise of dozens of new regional stars, often offering tremendous value for money.  So many favorites:  Bierzo, Toro, Montsant, Valdeorras, Rueda, Madrid, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Sierras de Malaga...and many more!  Not to mention the great wines being made outside the appellation category under the lesser Vino de la Tierra category, especially in Castilla Leon and La Mancha.  These well-priced wines can sometimes put appellation wines to shame.\r\n\r\nOne of the most dramatic changes in the last decades has been in the quality of the white wines in Spain.  The introduction of modern technology in the 80\'s and 90\'s converted flabby and often oxidized whites to fresh, attractive ones.  Spaniards are acustomed to fresh, aromativc whites with no oak aging adn this is still what you normally be served.\r\n\r\nWe are currently undergoing the second revolution in Spanish whites as top Spanish winemakers search out the best sites to produce grapes capable of making world class whites, with and without oak.  There have been many missteps and over-oaked, flabby wines can still result...but some quite outstanding whites have also been produced.  some of the most exciting wine projects in Spain right now are showcasing white wines.\r\n\r\nSpain became first became famous for its\' traditional  red Riojas, wines that show Tempranillo at its most elegant.  The best ones offer elegant cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and a smooth, silky mouth with vanilla and tobacco aromas from long aging in older American oak barrels.  These are easy wines to drink, age beautifully and very food friendly.\r\n\r\nThese wines became unfashionable over the years and the new Riojas are very different, as are many of the modern reds from the other regions of Spain.  The new reds are higher in alcohol, bold in fruit and oak, intense wines.  The good ones are very attractive, show well, and suit many modern palates but can be exhausting to drink and are not always very food-friendly.\r\n\r\nThough it looked for a while that the traditional Rioja styles\' led by the Gran Reserva category, would become extinct there has been a new resurgence in popularity among aficionados.\r\n\r\nAnother positive trend in diversity has been as some young enologists towards a different style of wine, a terroir wine, where wine-making is at pains to respect the character in the fruit.  The wines that result are very different than the above wines and vary greatly depending on the region and grape variety.\r\n\r\nWe mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:\r\n\r\nFresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.\r\n\r\nUndervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.\r\n\r\nThough Spain is a hot, arid country it is also the European country with the highest mean altitude after Switzerland.  The potential for wine diversity is enormous....much of that potential remains to be exploited.\r\n\r\nDespite it\'s current troubles, Spain\'s wine exports have performed better than its European neighbors during these crisis years.  If some of the problems facing the industry can be addressed, Spain\'s wine future could be very rosy indeed.\r\n\r\nFor a more detailed look at Spanish wine check the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-in-brief/\">Spanish Wine In Brief</a> section.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpanish Food\r\n\r\nLed by Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, and many others, top level Spanish chefs have finally gained well-deserved recognition for Spanish gastronomy.\r\n\r\nIn the ten years I lived in Spain, the restaurant scene in Madrid changed dramatically, with a dynamic renewal of the best traditional cuisine and some fantastic innovation and fusion.\r\n\r\nMadrid remains one of the best, most inexpensive places to get some great food and wine in Europe, but now there is so much more variety.\r\n\r\nIt still strikes me though, the gap between the public face of Spanish cuisine and the everyday reality in the average Spanish house or even the more basic restaurant.\r\n\r\nDaily Spanish food is based on some pretty basic principles, like many cultures\' food.  But perhaps even more simple than many....take a fresh ingredient and cook it simply, preserving the natural flavor.\r\n\r\nThere are few herbs and even fewer spices.  Garlic, salt and parsley....spend a few years in Spain and you will crave chilies and rosemary and pepper!\r\n\r\nOne of the great Spanish techniques is the plancha, which is a healthy, delicious way to cook things. It allows the Spanish desire to highlight the ingredient with little or no embellishment.\r\n\r\nAnother great mainstay of the home cook is the Plato de cuchara or legume stew.  There are tons of regional variations and they are all delicious...most are variations on a theme of legumes and vegetables with some cut of cured pork for flavoring.\r\n\r\nThe salad in Spain is delicious, simple, flavorful, with not too many additions or variations. Always with a simple dressing of good olive oil, vinegar and salt.\r\n\r\nAll these things and more are delicious...but this is offset by a plainness and lack of variety at times at home and in the more basic restaurant establishments.  There are, of course, wonderful innovation both in some home and everyday restaurants,  But spicy, strong or exotic favors are still not widely appreciated, so it can be limited.  Sauces are viewed suspiciously as a way to hide inferior ingredients and are frowned upon!\r\n\r\nSome regions are known for more complex cuisine than others, Catalonia and Basque country stand out, but at their heart, and in most households, they remain very simple.\r\n\r\nMy mother in law is a fantastic traditional basque cook.  Everything she makes is delicious, but there will never be a new dish or new flavors in in her repertoire.  A lot of repetition in the end.\r\n\r\nMy clients, after a long trip in Spain, often commented, how they loved the tapas/restaurant culture, but found it relatively boring after a while. It was only at the gastronomic \"temples\" did they find the innovation and excitement they craved\r\n\r\nAll this is changing as new gourmet sensibilities rapidly emerge in Spain, and there is so much to savor appreciate and preserve in traditional Spanish cuisine. When you are away from it and saturated with our excessive gastronomic variety, you crave that simple culinary perspective!\r\n\r\nBut it is interesting to realize that the food that Spain is gaining such renown for is not the food that is eaten or liked by most spaniards. You could say that to some extent about every country, but I found the gap much greater in Spain then either in France or in the US.\r\n\r\nFor more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpanish Wine and Food\r\n\r\nThe idea of matching is slowly coming of age in Spain but is not a part of traditional culture and is still largely limited to a few top restaurants, and some new concept eateries and bars.\r\n\r\nThere are still relatively few sommeliers in restaurants and restaurant staff are not generally knowledgeable about wine. The downside is that you are generally on your own and may even be wary of staff recommendations...the upside is that the markup of wine in restaurants in Spain is very reasonable.\r\n\r\nThe basic concept of matching in Spanish culture remains to drink a wine you like with some food you like...and that wine is usually red, preferably Rioja, no matter the food!\r\n\r\nA few exceptions:\r\n\r\nAlbarino , the Galician white wine, is the one exception to the red rule and is frequently chosen to match with shellfish.\r\n\r\nRueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.\r\n\r\nIn the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas\r\n\r\nTimes are changing and gourmet wine aficionados are springing up around Spain, as are restaurants and bars that cater to them.  But it takes a long time to change the basic culture.....\r\n\r\nThe big Spanish reds that have come to dominate the market can be a challenge to match with many everyday foods, but if you scratch the surface, you can find delightful food wines!  From the unoaked whites that still are the norm, through food-friendly sparkling wines and canvas, to the matching star family of wines that is sherry...a wealth of choices!  Even some reds are becoming more food friendly as new trends evolve and older traditional styles get renewed respect.','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-5','','','2012-10-21 05:33:55','2012-10-21 05:33:55','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/21/6-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(898,1,'2013-01-16 18:44:44','2013-01-16 18:44:44','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish Wine</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain is one of the top three producers of wine in the world...a wine giant.  Wine has always been integral to Spanish culture. Yet Spain is no doubt going through a wine crisis both economically and culturally.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish wine has never been better and generally represents great quality for value, yet there is excess production and consumption in Spain itself is on the decline.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wine is becoming fashionable in Spain, but this has not always been the case.  Though it\'s an integral part of the traditional culture, there has been a tendency until recently to take it for granted.  The norm is to drink what\'s local or what\'s available, the wine you grew up with!  Curiosity about better wines and wines from other areas is a relatively new phenomena.  It\'s an exciting time as many Spaniards are becoming more adventurous about their wine choices.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flip side of this is that there has never been less interest in wine among young people as they turn more to other sources of alcohol.  Though Spaniards are drinking better quality wine, they are drinking less of it every year. Many worry that the idea of wine as an integral part of a Spanish meal is being lost as people turn to soda and other drinks.  Cultural programs are underway to introduce young people to wine as part of Spain cultural and gastronomic heritage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most well known wine areas, Rioja, Ribera de Duero, and Priorat, continue to offer some of the worlds top wines.  Prices have risen but there are still good values to be found.  Though each region has some common regional character, there is great diversity in wine styles within each region due to factors in terroir, grape variety and especially wine-making.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A really exciting change in Spanish wine in the last decade or so has been the rise of dozens of new regional stars, often offering tremendous value for money.  So many favorites:  Bierzo, Toro, Montsant, Valdeorras, Rueda, Madrid, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Sierras de Malaga...and many more!  Not to mention the great wines being made outside the appellation category under the lesser Vino de la Tierra category, especially in Castilla Leon and La Mancha.  These well-priced wines can sometimes put appellation wines to shame.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most dramatic changes in the last decades has been in the quality of the white wines in Spain.  The introduction of modern technology in the 80\'s and 90\'s converted flabby and often oxidized whites to fresh, attractive ones.  Spaniards are acustomed to fresh, aromativc whites with no oak aging adn this is still what you normally be served.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We are currently undergoing the second revolution in Spanish whites as top Spanish winemakers search out the best sites to produce grapes capable of making world class whites, with and without oak.  There have been many missteps and over-oaked, flabby wines can still result...but some quite outstanding whites have also been produced.  some of the most exciting wine projects in Spain right now are showcasing white wines.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain became first became famous for its\' traditional  red Riojas, wines that show Tempranillo at its most elegant.  The best ones offer elegant cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and a smooth, silky mouth with vanilla and tobacco aromas from long aging in older American oak barrels.  These are easy wines to drink, age beautifully and very food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines became unfashionable over the years and the new Riojas are very different, as are many of the modern reds from the other regions of Spain.  The new reds are higher in alcohol, bold in fruit and oak, intense wines.  The good ones are very attractive, show well, and suit many modern palates but can be exhausting to drink and are not always very food-friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though it looked for a while that the traditional Rioja styles\' led by the Gran Reserva category, would become extinct there has been a new resurgence in popularity among aficionados.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another positive trend in diversity has been as some young enologists towards a different style of wine, a terroir wine, where wine-making is at pains to respect the character in the fruit.  The wines that result are very different than the above wines and vary greatly depending on the region and grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Undervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though Spain is a hot, arid country it is also the European country with the highest mean altitude after Switzerland.  The potential for wine diversity is enormous....much of that potential remains to be exploited.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite it\'s current troubles, Spain\'s wine exports have performed better than its European neighbors during these crisis years.  If some of the problems facing the industry can be addressed, Spain\'s wine future could be very rosy indeed.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For a more detailed look at Spanish wine check the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-in-brief/\">Spanish Wine In Brief</a> section.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish Food</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Led by Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, and many others, top level Spanish chefs have finally gained well-deserved recognition for Spanish gastronomy.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the ten years I lived in Spain, the restaurant scene in Madrid changed dramatically, with a dynamic renewal of the best traditional cuisine and some fantastic innovation and fusion.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid remains one of the best, most inexpensive places to get some great food and wine in Europe, but now there is so much more variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It still strikes me though, the gap between the public face of Spanish cuisine and the everyday reality in the average Spanish house or even the more basic restaurant.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Daily Spanish food is based on some pretty basic principles, like many cultures\' food.  But perhaps even more simple than many....take a fresh ingredient and cook it simply, preserving the natural flavor.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are few herbs and even fewer spices.  Garlic, salt and parsley....spend a few years in Spain and you will crave chilies and rosemary and pepper!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the great Spanish techniques is the plancha, which is a healthy, delicious way to cook things. It allows the Spanish desire to highlight the ingredient with little or no embellishment.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great mainstay of the home cook is the Plato de cuchara or legume stew.  There are tons of regional variations and they are all delicious...most are variations on a theme of legumes and vegetables with some cut of cured pork for flavoring.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The salad in Spain is delicious, simple, flavorful, with not too many additions or variations. Always with a simple dressing of good olive oil, vinegar and salt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All these things and more are delicious...but this is offset by a plainness and lack of variety at times at home and in the more basic restaurant establishments.  There are, of course, wonderful innovation both in some home and everyday restaurants,  But spicy, strong or exotic favors are still not widely appreciated, so it can be limited.  Sauces are viewed suspiciously as a way to hide inferior ingredients and are frowned upon!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some regions are known for more complex cuisine than others, Catalonia and Basque country stand out, but at their heart, and in most households, they remain very simple.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My mother in law is a fantastic traditional basque cook.  Everything she makes is delicious, but there will never be a new dish or new flavors in in her repertoire.  A lot of repetition in the end.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My clients, after a long trip in Spain, often commented, how they loved the tapas/restaurant culture, but found it relatively boring after a while. It was only at the gastronomic \"temples\" did they find the innovation and excitement they craved</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All this is changing as new gourmet sensibilities rapidly emerge in Spain, and there is so much to savor appreciate and preserve in traditional Spanish cuisine. When you are away from it and saturated with our excessive gastronomic variety, you crave that simple culinary perspective!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it is interesting to realize that the food that Spain is gaining such renown for is not the food that is eaten or liked by most spaniards. You could say that to some extent about every country, but I found the gap much greater in Spain then either in France or in the US.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish Wine and Food</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The idea of matching is slowly coming of age in Spain but is not a part of traditional culture and is still largely limited to a few top restaurants, and some new concept eateries and bars.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still relatively few sommeliers in restaurants and restaurant staff are not generally knowledgeable about wine. The downside is that you are generally on your own and may even be wary of staff recommendations...the upside is that the markup of wine in restaurants in Spain is very reasonable.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic concept of matching in Spanish culture remains to drink a wine you like with some food you like...and that wine is usually red, preferably Rioja, no matter the food!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few exceptions:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Albarino , the Galician white wine, is the one exception to the red rule and is frequently chosen to match with shellfish.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Times are changing and gourmet wine aficionados are springing up around Spain, as are restaurants and bars that cater to them.  But it takes a long time to change the basic culture.....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The big Spanish reds that have come to dominate the market can be a challenge to match with many everyday foods, but if you scratch the surface, you can find delightful food wines!  From the unoaked whites that still are the norm, through food-friendly sparkling wines and canvas, to the matching star family of wines that is sherry...a wealth of choices!  Even some reds are becoming more food friendly as new trends evolve and older traditional styles get renewed respect.</p>','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-6','','','2013-01-16 18:44:44','2013-01-16 18:44:44','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/6-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(899,1,'2013-01-16 18:49:00','2013-01-16 18:49:00','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><h3><strong>Spanish Wine</h3></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain is one of the top three producers of wine in the world...a wine giant.  Wine has always been integral to Spanish culture. Yet Spain is no doubt going through a wine crisis both economically and culturally.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish wine has never been better and generally represents great quality for value, yet there is excess production and consumption in Spain itself is on the decline.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wine is becoming fashionable in Spain, but this has not always been the case.  Though it\'s an integral part of the traditional culture, there has been a tendency until recently to take it for granted.  The norm is to drink what\'s local or what\'s available, the wine you grew up with!  Curiosity about better wines and wines from other areas is a relatively new phenomena.  It\'s an exciting time as many Spaniards are becoming more adventurous about their wine choices.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flip side of this is that there has never been less interest in wine among young people as they turn more to other sources of alcohol.  Though Spaniards are drinking better quality wine, they are drinking less of it every year. Many worry that the idea of wine as an integral part of a Spanish meal is being lost as people turn to soda and other drinks.  Cultural programs are underway to introduce young people to wine as part of Spain cultural and gastronomic heritage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most well known wine areas, Rioja, Ribera de Duero, and Priorat, continue to offer some of the worlds top wines.  Prices have risen but there are still good values to be found.  Though each region has some common regional character, there is great diversity in wine styles within each region due to factors in terroir, grape variety and especially wine-making.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A really exciting change in Spanish wine in the last decade or so has been the rise of dozens of new regional stars, often offering tremendous value for money.  So many favorites:  Bierzo, Toro, Montsant, Valdeorras, Rueda, Madrid, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Sierras de Malaga...and many more!  Not to mention the great wines being made outside the appellation category under the lesser Vino de la Tierra category, especially in Castilla Leon and La Mancha.  These well-priced wines can sometimes put appellation wines to shame.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most dramatic changes in the last decades has been in the quality of the white wines in Spain.  The introduction of modern technology in the 80\'s and 90\'s converted flabby and often oxidized whites to fresh, attractive ones.  Spaniards are acustomed to fresh, aromativc whites with no oak aging adn this is still what you normally be served.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We are currently undergoing the second revolution in Spanish whites as top Spanish winemakers search out the best sites to produce grapes capable of making world class whites, with and without oak.  There have been many missteps and over-oaked, flabby wines can still result...but some quite outstanding whites have also been produced.  some of the most exciting wine projects in Spain right now are showcasing white wines.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain became first became famous for its\' traditional  red Riojas, wines that show Tempranillo at its most elegant.  The best ones offer elegant cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and a smooth, silky mouth with vanilla and tobacco aromas from long aging in older American oak barrels.  These are easy wines to drink, age beautifully and very food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines became unfashionable over the years and the new Riojas are very different, as are many of the modern reds from the other regions of Spain.  The new reds are higher in alcohol, bold in fruit and oak, intense wines.  The good ones are very attractive, show well, and suit many modern palates but can be exhausting to drink and are not always very food-friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though it looked for a while that the traditional Rioja styles\' led by the Gran Reserva category, would become extinct there has been a new resurgence in popularity among aficionados.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another positive trend in diversity has been as some young enologists towards a different style of wine, a terroir wine, where wine-making is at pains to respect the character in the fruit.  The wines that result are very different than the above wines and vary greatly depending on the region and grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Undervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though Spain is a hot, arid country it is also the European country with the highest mean altitude after Switzerland.  The potential for wine diversity is enormous....much of that potential remains to be exploited.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite it\'s current troubles, Spain\'s wine exports have performed better than its European neighbors during these crisis years.  If some of the problems facing the industry can be addressed, Spain\'s wine future could be very rosy indeed.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For a more detailed look at Spanish wine check the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-in-brief/\">Spanish Wine In Brief</a> section.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish Food</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Led by Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, and many others, top level Spanish chefs have finally gained well-deserved recognition for Spanish gastronomy.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the ten years I lived in Spain, the restaurant scene in Madrid changed dramatically, with a dynamic renewal of the best traditional cuisine and some fantastic innovation and fusion.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid remains one of the best, most inexpensive places to get some great food and wine in Europe, but now there is so much more variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It still strikes me though, the gap between the public face of Spanish cuisine and the everyday reality in the average Spanish house or even the more basic restaurant.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Daily Spanish food is based on some pretty basic principles, like many cultures\' food.  But perhaps even more simple than many....take a fresh ingredient and cook it simply, preserving the natural flavor.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are few herbs and even fewer spices.  Garlic, salt and parsley....spend a few years in Spain and you will crave chilies and rosemary and pepper!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the great Spanish techniques is the plancha, which is a healthy, delicious way to cook things. It allows the Spanish desire to highlight the ingredient with little or no embellishment.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great mainstay of the home cook is the Plato de cuchara or legume stew.  There are tons of regional variations and they are all delicious...most are variations on a theme of legumes and vegetables with some cut of cured pork for flavoring.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The salad in Spain is delicious, simple, flavorful, with not too many additions or variations. Always with a simple dressing of good olive oil, vinegar and salt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All these things and more are delicious...but this is offset by a plainness and lack of variety at times at home and in the more basic restaurant establishments.  There are, of course, wonderful innovation both in some home and everyday restaurants,  But spicy, strong or exotic favors are still not widely appreciated, so it can be limited.  Sauces are viewed suspiciously as a way to hide inferior ingredients and are frowned upon!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some regions are known for more complex cuisine than others, Catalonia and Basque country stand out, but at their heart, and in most households, they remain very simple.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My mother in law is a fantastic traditional basque cook.  Everything she makes is delicious, but there will never be a new dish or new flavors in in her repertoire.  A lot of repetition in the end.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My clients, after a long trip in Spain, often commented, how they loved the tapas/restaurant culture, but found it relatively boring after a while. It was only at the gastronomic \"temples\" did they find the innovation and excitement they craved</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All this is changing as new gourmet sensibilities rapidly emerge in Spain, and there is so much to savor appreciate and preserve in traditional Spanish cuisine. When you are away from it and saturated with our excessive gastronomic variety, you crave that simple culinary perspective!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it is interesting to realize that the food that Spain is gaining such renown for is not the food that is eaten or liked by most spaniards. You could say that to some extent about every country, but I found the gap much greater in Spain then either in France or in the US.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish Wine and Food</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The idea of matching is slowly coming of age in Spain but is not a part of traditional culture and is still largely limited to a few top restaurants, and some new concept eateries and bars.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still relatively few sommeliers in restaurants and restaurant staff are not generally knowledgeable about wine. The downside is that you are generally on your own and may even be wary of staff recommendations...the upside is that the markup of wine in restaurants in Spain is very reasonable.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic concept of matching in Spanish culture remains to drink a wine you like with some food you like...and that wine is usually red, preferably Rioja, no matter the food!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few exceptions:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Albarino , the Galician white wine, is the one exception to the red rule and is frequently chosen to match with shellfish.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Times are changing and gourmet wine aficionados are springing up around Spain, as are restaurants and bars that cater to them.  But it takes a long time to change the basic culture.....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The big Spanish reds that have come to dominate the market can be a challenge to match with many everyday foods, but if you scratch the surface, you can find delightful food wines!  From the unoaked whites that still are the norm, through food-friendly sparkling wines and canvas, to the matching star family of wines that is sherry...a wealth of choices!  Even some reds are becoming more food friendly as new trends evolve and older traditional styles get renewed respect.</p>','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-7','','','2013-01-16 18:49:00','2013-01-16 18:49:00','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/6-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(900,1,'2013-01-16 18:50:08','2013-01-16 18:50:08','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><h3><strong>Spanish Wine</h3></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain is one of the top three producers of wine in the world...a wine giant.  Wine has always been integral to Spanish culture. Yet Spain is no doubt going through a wine crisis both economically and culturally.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish wine has never been better and generally represents great quality for value, yet there is excess production and consumption in Spain itself is on the decline.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wine is becoming fashionable in Spain, but this has not always been the case.  Though it\'s an integral part of the traditional culture, there has been a tendency until recently to take it for granted.  The norm is to drink what\'s local or what\'s available, the wine you grew up with!  Curiosity about better wines and wines from other areas is a relatively new phenomena.  It\'s an exciting time as many Spaniards are becoming more adventurous about their wine choices.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flip side of this is that there has never been less interest in wine among young people as they turn more to other sources of alcohol.  Though Spaniards are drinking better quality wine, they are drinking less of it every year. Many worry that the idea of wine as an integral part of a Spanish meal is being lost as people turn to soda and other drinks.  Cultural programs are underway to introduce young people to wine as part of Spain cultural and gastronomic heritage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most well known wine areas, Rioja, Ribera de Duero, and Priorat, continue to offer some of the worlds top wines.  Prices have risen but there are still good values to be found.  Though each region has some common regional character, there is great diversity in wine styles within each region due to factors in terroir, grape variety and especially wine-making.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A really exciting change in Spanish wine in the last decade or so has been the rise of dozens of new regional stars, often offering tremendous value for money.  So many favorites:  Bierzo, Toro, Montsant, Valdeorras, Rueda, Madrid, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Sierras de Malaga...and many more!  Not to mention the great wines being made outside the appellation category under the lesser Vino de la Tierra category, especially in Castilla Leon and La Mancha.  These well-priced wines can sometimes put appellation wines to shame.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most dramatic changes in the last decades has been in the quality of the white wines in Spain.  The introduction of modern technology in the 80\'s and 90\'s converted flabby and often oxidized whites to fresh, attractive ones.  Spaniards are acustomed to fresh, aromativc whites with no oak aging adn this is still what you normally be served.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We are currently undergoing the second revolution in Spanish whites as top Spanish winemakers search out the best sites to produce grapes capable of making world class whites, with and without oak.  There have been many missteps and over-oaked, flabby wines can still result...but some quite outstanding whites have also been produced.  some of the most exciting wine projects in Spain right now are showcasing white wines.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain became first became famous for its\' traditional  red Riojas, wines that show Tempranillo at its most elegant.  The best ones offer elegant cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and a smooth, silky mouth with vanilla and tobacco aromas from long aging in older American oak barrels.  These are easy wines to drink, age beautifully and very food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines became unfashionable over the years and the new Riojas are very different, as are many of the modern reds from the other regions of Spain.  The new reds are higher in alcohol, bold in fruit and oak, intense wines.  The good ones are very attractive, show well, and suit many modern palates but can be exhausting to drink and are not always very food-friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though it looked for a while that the traditional Rioja styles\' led by the Gran Reserva category, would become extinct there has been a new resurgence in popularity among aficionados.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another positive trend in diversity has been as some young enologists towards a different style of wine, a terroir wine, where wine-making is at pains to respect the character in the fruit.  The wines that result are very different than the above wines and vary greatly depending on the region and grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Undervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though Spain is a hot, arid country it is also the European country with the highest mean altitude after Switzerland.  The potential for wine diversity is enormous....much of that potential remains to be exploited.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite it\'s current troubles, Spain\'s wine exports have performed better than its European neighbors during these crisis years.  If some of the problems facing the industry can be addressed, Spain\'s wine future could be very rosy indeed.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For a more detailed look at Spanish wine check the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-in-brief/\">Spanish Wine In Brief</a> section.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><h3><strong>Spanish Food</h3></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Led by Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, and many others, top level Spanish chefs have finally gained well-deserved recognition for Spanish gastronomy.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the ten years I lived in Spain, the restaurant scene in Madrid changed dramatically, with a dynamic renewal of the best traditional cuisine and some fantastic innovation and fusion.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid remains one of the best, most inexpensive places to get some great food and wine in Europe, but now there is so much more variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It still strikes me though, the gap between the public face of Spanish cuisine and the everyday reality in the average Spanish house or even the more basic restaurant.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Daily Spanish food is based on some pretty basic principles, like many cultures\' food.  But perhaps even more simple than many....take a fresh ingredient and cook it simply, preserving the natural flavor.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are few herbs and even fewer spices.  Garlic, salt and parsley....spend a few years in Spain and you will crave chilies and rosemary and pepper!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the great Spanish techniques is the plancha, which is a healthy, delicious way to cook things. It allows the Spanish desire to highlight the ingredient with little or no embellishment.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great mainstay of the home cook is the Plato de cuchara or legume stew.  There are tons of regional variations and they are all delicious...most are variations on a theme of legumes and vegetables with some cut of cured pork for flavoring.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The salad in Spain is delicious, simple, flavorful, with not too many additions or variations. Always with a simple dressing of good olive oil, vinegar and salt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All these things and more are delicious...but this is offset by a plainness and lack of variety at times at home and in the more basic restaurant establishments.  There are, of course, wonderful innovation both in some home and everyday restaurants,  But spicy, strong or exotic favors are still not widely appreciated, so it can be limited.  Sauces are viewed suspiciously as a way to hide inferior ingredients and are frowned upon!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some regions are known for more complex cuisine than others, Catalonia and Basque country stand out, but at their heart, and in most households, they remain very simple.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My mother in law is a fantastic traditional basque cook.  Everything she makes is delicious, but there will never be a new dish or new flavors in in her repertoire.  A lot of repetition in the end.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My clients, after a long trip in Spain, often commented, how they loved the tapas/restaurant culture, but found it relatively boring after a while. It was only at the gastronomic \"temples\" did they find the innovation and excitement they craved</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All this is changing as new gourmet sensibilities rapidly emerge in Spain, and there is so much to savor appreciate and preserve in traditional Spanish cuisine. When you are away from it and saturated with our excessive gastronomic variety, you crave that simple culinary perspective!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it is interesting to realize that the food that Spain is gaining such renown for is not the food that is eaten or liked by most spaniards. You could say that to some extent about every country, but I found the gap much greater in Spain then either in France or in the US.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish Wine and Food</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The idea of matching is slowly coming of age in Spain but is not a part of traditional culture and is still largely limited to a few top restaurants, and some new concept eateries and bars.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still relatively few sommeliers in restaurants and restaurant staff are not generally knowledgeable about wine. The downside is that you are generally on your own and may even be wary of staff recommendations...the upside is that the markup of wine in restaurants in Spain is very reasonable.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic concept of matching in Spanish culture remains to drink a wine you like with some food you like...and that wine is usually red, preferably Rioja, no matter the food!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few exceptions:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Albarino , the Galician white wine, is the one exception to the red rule and is frequently chosen to match with shellfish.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Times are changing and gourmet wine aficionados are springing up around Spain, as are restaurants and bars that cater to them.  But it takes a long time to change the basic culture.....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The big Spanish reds that have come to dominate the market can be a challenge to match with many everyday foods, but if you scratch the surface, you can find delightful food wines!  From the unoaked whites that still are the norm, through food-friendly sparkling wines and canvas, to the matching star family of wines that is sherry...a wealth of choices!  Even some reds are becoming more food friendly as new trends evolve and older traditional styles get renewed respect.</p>','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-8','','','2013-01-16 18:50:08','2013-01-16 18:50:08','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/6-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(901,1,'2013-01-16 18:51:15','2013-01-16 18:51:15','<h3><strong>Spanish Wine</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain is one of the top three producers of wine in the world...a wine giant.  Wine has always been integral to Spanish culture. Yet Spain is no doubt going through a wine crisis both economically and culturally.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish wine has never been better and generally represents great quality for value, yet there is excess production and consumption in Spain itself is on the decline.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wine is becoming fashionable in Spain, but this has not always been the case.  Though it\'s an integral part of the traditional culture, there has been a tendency until recently to take it for granted.  The norm is to drink what\'s local or what\'s available, the wine you grew up with!  Curiosity about better wines and wines from other areas is a relatively new phenomena.  It\'s an exciting time as many Spaniards are becoming more adventurous about their wine choices.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flip side of this is that there has never been less interest in wine among young people as they turn more to other sources of alcohol.  Though Spaniards are drinking better quality wine, they are drinking less of it every year. Many worry that the idea of wine as an integral part of a Spanish meal is being lost as people turn to soda and other drinks.  Cultural programs are underway to introduce young people to wine as part of Spain cultural and gastronomic heritage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most well known wine areas, Rioja, Ribera de Duero, and Priorat, continue to offer some of the worlds top wines.  Prices have risen but there are still good values to be found.  Though each region has some common regional character, there is great diversity in wine styles within each region due to factors in terroir, grape variety and especially wine-making.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A really exciting change in Spanish wine in the last decade or so has been the rise of dozens of new regional stars, often offering tremendous value for money.  So many favorites:  Bierzo, Toro, Montsant, Valdeorras, Rueda, Madrid, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Sierras de Malaga...and many more!  Not to mention the great wines being made outside the appellation category under the lesser Vino de la Tierra category, especially in Castilla Leon and La Mancha.  These well-priced wines can sometimes put appellation wines to shame.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most dramatic changes in the last decades has been in the quality of the white wines in Spain.  The introduction of modern technology in the 80\'s and 90\'s converted flabby and often oxidized whites to fresh, attractive ones.  Spaniards are acustomed to fresh, aromativc whites with no oak aging adn this is still what you normally be served.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We are currently undergoing the second revolution in Spanish whites as top Spanish winemakers search out the best sites to produce grapes capable of making world class whites, with and without oak.  There have been many missteps and over-oaked, flabby wines can still result...but some quite outstanding whites have also been produced.  some of the most exciting wine projects in Spain right now are showcasing white wines.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain became first became famous for its\' traditional  red Riojas, wines that show Tempranillo at its most elegant.  The best ones offer elegant cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and a smooth, silky mouth with vanilla and tobacco aromas from long aging in older American oak barrels.  These are easy wines to drink, age beautifully and very food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines became unfashionable over the years and the new Riojas are very different, as are many of the modern reds from the other regions of Spain.  The new reds are higher in alcohol, bold in fruit and oak, intense wines.  The good ones are very attractive, show well, and suit many modern palates but can be exhausting to drink and are not always very food-friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though it looked for a while that the traditional Rioja styles\' led by the Gran Reserva category, would become extinct there has been a new resurgence in popularity among aficionados.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another positive trend in diversity has been as some young enologists towards a different style of wine, a terroir wine, where wine-making is at pains to respect the character in the fruit.  The wines that result are very different than the above wines and vary greatly depending on the region and grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Undervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though Spain is a hot, arid country it is also the European country with the highest mean altitude after Switzerland.  The potential for wine diversity is enormous....much of that potential remains to be exploited.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite it\'s current troubles, Spain\'s wine exports have performed better than its European neighbors during these crisis years.  If some of the problems facing the industry can be addressed, Spain\'s wine future could be very rosy indeed.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For a more detailed look at Spanish wine check the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-in-brief/\">Spanish Wine In Brief</a> section.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong>Spanish Food</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Led by Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, and many others, top level Spanish chefs have finally gained well-deserved recognition for Spanish gastronomy.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the ten years I lived in Spain, the restaurant scene in Madrid changed dramatically, with a dynamic renewal of the best traditional cuisine and some fantastic innovation and fusion.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid remains one of the best, most inexpensive places to get some great food and wine in Europe, but now there is so much more variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It still strikes me though, the gap between the public face of Spanish cuisine and the everyday reality in the average Spanish house or even the more basic restaurant.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Daily Spanish food is based on some pretty basic principles, like many cultures\' food.  But perhaps even more simple than many....take a fresh ingredient and cook it simply, preserving the natural flavor.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are few herbs and even fewer spices.  Garlic, salt and parsley....spend a few years in Spain and you will crave chilies and rosemary and pepper!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the great Spanish techniques is the plancha, which is a healthy, delicious way to cook things. It allows the Spanish desire to highlight the ingredient with little or no embellishment.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great mainstay of the home cook is the Plato de cuchara or legume stew.  There are tons of regional variations and they are all delicious...most are variations on a theme of legumes and vegetables with some cut of cured pork for flavoring.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The salad in Spain is delicious, simple, flavorful, with not too many additions or variations. Always with a simple dressing of good olive oil, vinegar and salt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All these things and more are delicious...but this is offset by a plainness and lack of variety at times at home and in the more basic restaurant establishments.  There are, of course, wonderful innovation both in some home and everyday restaurants,  But spicy, strong or exotic favors are still not widely appreciated, so it can be limited.  Sauces are viewed suspiciously as a way to hide inferior ingredients and are frowned upon!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some regions are known for more complex cuisine than others, Catalonia and Basque country stand out, but at their heart, and in most households, they remain very simple.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My mother in law is a fantastic traditional basque cook.  Everything she makes is delicious, but there will never be a new dish or new flavors in in her repertoire.  A lot of repetition in the end.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My clients, after a long trip in Spain, often commented, how they loved the tapas/restaurant culture, but found it relatively boring after a while. It was only at the gastronomic \"temples\" did they find the innovation and excitement they craved</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All this is changing as new gourmet sensibilities rapidly emerge in Spain, and there is so much to savor appreciate and preserve in traditional Spanish cuisine. When you are away from it and saturated with our excessive gastronomic variety, you crave that simple culinary perspective!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it is interesting to realize that the food that Spain is gaining such renown for is not the food that is eaten or liked by most spaniards. You could say that to some extent about every country, but I found the gap much greater in Spain then either in France or in the US.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><h3><strong>Spanish Wine and Food</h3></strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The idea of matching is slowly coming of age in Spain but is not a part of traditional culture and is still largely limited to a few top restaurants, and some new concept eateries and bars.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still relatively few sommeliers in restaurants and restaurant staff are not generally knowledgeable about wine. The downside is that you are generally on your own and may even be wary of staff recommendations...the upside is that the markup of wine in restaurants in Spain is very reasonable.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic concept of matching in Spanish culture remains to drink a wine you like with some food you like...and that wine is usually red, preferably Rioja, no matter the food!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few exceptions:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Albarino , the Galician white wine, is the one exception to the red rule and is frequently chosen to match with shellfish.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Times are changing and gourmet wine aficionados are springing up around Spain, as are restaurants and bars that cater to them.  But it takes a long time to change the basic culture.....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The big Spanish reds that have come to dominate the market can be a challenge to match with many everyday foods, but if you scratch the surface, you can find delightful food wines!  From the unoaked whites that still are the norm, through food-friendly sparkling wines and canvas, to the matching star family of wines that is sherry...a wealth of choices!  Even some reds are becoming more food friendly as new trends evolve and older traditional styles get renewed respect.</p>','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-9','','','2013-01-16 18:51:15','2013-01-16 18:51:15','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/6-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(902,1,'2013-01-16 18:52:52','2013-01-16 18:52:52','<h3><strong>Spanish Wine</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain is one of the top three producers of wine in the world...a wine giant.  Wine has always been integral to Spanish culture. Yet Spain is no doubt going through a wine crisis both economically and culturally.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish wine has never been better and generally represents great quality for value, yet there is excess production and consumption in Spain itself is on the decline.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wine is becoming fashionable in Spain, but this has not always been the case.  Though it\'s an integral part of the traditional culture, there has been a tendency until recently to take it for granted.  The norm is to drink what\'s local or what\'s available, the wine you grew up with!  Curiosity about better wines and wines from other areas is a relatively new phenomena.  It\'s an exciting time as many Spaniards are becoming more adventurous about their wine choices.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flip side of this is that there has never been less interest in wine among young people as they turn more to other sources of alcohol.  Though Spaniards are drinking better quality wine, they are drinking less of it every year. Many worry that the idea of wine as an integral part of a Spanish meal is being lost as people turn to soda and other drinks.  Cultural programs are underway to introduce young people to wine as part of Spain cultural and gastronomic heritage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most well known wine areas, Rioja, Ribera de Duero, and Priorat, continue to offer some of the worlds top wines.  Prices have risen but there are still good values to be found.  Though each region has some common regional character, there is great diversity in wine styles within each region due to factors in terroir, grape variety and especially wine-making.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A really exciting change in Spanish wine in the last decade or so has been the rise of dozens of new regional stars, often offering tremendous value for money.  So many favorites:  Bierzo, Toro, Montsant, Valdeorras, Rueda, Madrid, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Sierras de Malaga...and many more!  Not to mention the great wines being made outside the appellation category under the lesser Vino de la Tierra category, especially in Castilla Leon and La Mancha.  These well-priced wines can sometimes put appellation wines to shame.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most dramatic changes in the last decades has been in the quality of the white wines in Spain.  The introduction of modern technology in the 80\'s and 90\'s converted flabby and often oxidized whites to fresh, attractive ones.  Spaniards are acustomed to fresh, aromativc whites with no oak aging adn this is still what you normally be served.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We are currently undergoing the second revolution in Spanish whites as top Spanish winemakers search out the best sites to produce grapes capable of making world class whites, with and without oak.  There have been many missteps and over-oaked, flabby wines can still result...but some quite outstanding whites have also been produced.  some of the most exciting wine projects in Spain right now are showcasing white wines.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain became first became famous for its\' traditional  red Riojas, wines that show Tempranillo at its most elegant.  The best ones offer elegant cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and a smooth, silky mouth with vanilla and tobacco aromas from long aging in older American oak barrels.  These are easy wines to drink, age beautifully and very food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines became unfashionable over the years and the new Riojas are very different, as are many of the modern reds from the other regions of Spain.  The new reds are higher in alcohol, bold in fruit and oak, intense wines.  The good ones are very attractive, show well, and suit many modern palates but can be exhausting to drink and are not always very food-friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though it looked for a while that the traditional Rioja styles\' led by the Gran Reserva category, would become extinct there has been a new resurgence in popularity among aficionados.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another positive trend in diversity has been as some young enologists towards a different style of wine, a terroir wine, where wine-making is at pains to respect the character in the fruit.  The wines that result are very different than the above wines and vary greatly depending on the region and grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Undervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though Spain is a hot, arid country it is also the European country with the highest mean altitude after Switzerland.  The potential for wine diversity is enormous....much of that potential remains to be exploited.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite it\'s current troubles, Spain\'s wine exports have performed better than its European neighbors during these crisis years.  If some of the problems facing the industry can be addressed, Spain\'s wine future could be very rosy indeed.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For a more detailed look at Spanish wine check the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-in-brief/\">Spanish Wine In Brief</a> section.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Spanish Food</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Led by Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, and many others, top level Spanish chefs have finally gained well-deserved recognition for Spanish gastronomy.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the ten years I lived in Spain, the restaurant scene in Madrid changed dramatically, with a dynamic renewal of the best traditional cuisine and some fantastic innovation and fusion.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid remains one of the best, most inexpensive places to get some great food and wine in Europe, but now there is so much more variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It still strikes me though, the gap between the public face of Spanish cuisine and the everyday reality in the average Spanish house or even the more basic restaurant.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Daily Spanish food is based on some pretty basic principles, like many cultures\' food.  But perhaps even more simple than many....take a fresh ingredient and cook it simply, preserving the natural flavor.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are few herbs and even fewer spices.  Garlic, salt and parsley....spend a few years in Spain and you will crave chilies and rosemary and pepper!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the great Spanish techniques is the plancha, which is a healthy, delicious way to cook things. It allows the Spanish desire to highlight the ingredient with little or no embellishment.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great mainstay of the home cook is the Plato de cuchara or legume stew.  There are tons of regional variations and they are all delicious...most are variations on a theme of legumes and vegetables with some cut of cured pork for flavoring.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The salad in Spain is delicious, simple, flavorful, with not too many additions or variations. Always with a simple dressing of good olive oil, vinegar and salt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All these things and more are delicious...but this is offset by a plainness and lack of variety at times at home and in the more basic restaurant establishments.  There are, of course, wonderful innovation both in some home and everyday restaurants,  But spicy, strong or exotic favors are still not widely appreciated, so it can be limited.  Sauces are viewed suspiciously as a way to hide inferior ingredients and are frowned upon!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some regions are known for more complex cuisine than others, Catalonia and Basque country stand out, but at their heart, and in most households, they remain very simple.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My mother in law is a fantastic traditional basque cook.  Everything she makes is delicious, but there will never be a new dish or new flavors in in her repertoire.  A lot of repetition in the end.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My clients, after a long trip in Spain, often commented, how they loved the tapas/restaurant culture, but found it relatively boring after a while. It was only at the gastronomic \"temples\" did they find the innovation and excitement they craved</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All this is changing as new gourmet sensibilities rapidly emerge in Spain, and there is so much to savor appreciate and preserve in traditional Spanish cuisine. When you are away from it and saturated with our excessive gastronomic variety, you crave that simple culinary perspective!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it is interesting to realize that the food that Spain is gaining such renown for is not the food that is eaten or liked by most spaniards. You could say that to some extent about every country, but I found the gap much greater in Spain then either in France or in the US.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><h3><strong>Spanish Wine and Food</h3></strong></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The idea of matching is slowly coming of age in Spain but is not a part of traditional culture and is still largely limited to a few top restaurants, and some new concept eateries and bars.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still relatively few sommeliers in restaurants and restaurant staff are not generally knowledgeable about wine. The downside is that you are generally on your own and may even be wary of staff recommendations...the upside is that the markup of wine in restaurants in Spain is very reasonable.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic concept of matching in Spanish culture remains to drink a wine you like with some food you like...and that wine is usually red, preferably Rioja, no matter the food!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few exceptions:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Albarino , the Galician white wine, is the one exception to the red rule and is frequently chosen to match with shellfish.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Times are changing and gourmet wine aficionados are springing up around Spain, as are restaurants and bars that cater to them.  But it takes a long time to change the basic culture.....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The big Spanish reds that have come to dominate the market can be a challenge to match with many everyday foods, but if you scratch the surface, you can find delightful food wines!  From the unoaked whites that still are the norm, through food-friendly sparkling wines and canvas, to the matching star family of wines that is sherry...a wealth of choices!  Even some reds are becoming more food friendly as new trends evolve and older traditional styles get renewed respect.</p>','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-10','','','2013-01-16 18:52:52','2013-01-16 18:52:52','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/6-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(903,1,'2013-01-16 18:57:40','2013-01-16 18:57:40','<h2><strong>Spanish Wine</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain is one of the top three producers of wine in the world...a wine giant.  Wine has always been integral to Spanish culture. Yet Spain is no doubt going through a wine crisis both economically and culturally.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish wine has never been better and generally represents great quality for value, yet there is excess production and consumption in Spain itself is on the decline.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wine is becoming fashionable in Spain, but this has not always been the case.  Though it\'s an integral part of the traditional culture, there has been a tendency until recently to take it for granted.  The norm is to drink what\'s local or what\'s available, the wine you grew up with!  Curiosity about better wines and wines from other areas is a relatively new phenomena.  It\'s an exciting time as many Spaniards are becoming more adventurous about their wine choices.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flip side of this is that there has never been less interest in wine among young people as they turn more to other sources of alcohol.  Though Spaniards are drinking better quality wine, they are drinking less of it every year. Many worry that the idea of wine as an integral part of a Spanish meal is being lost as people turn to soda and other drinks.  Cultural programs are underway to introduce young people to wine as part of Spain cultural and gastronomic heritage.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most well known wine areas, Rioja, Ribera de Duero, and Priorat, continue to offer some of the worlds top wines.  Prices have risen but there are still good values to be found.  Though each region has some common regional character, there is great diversity in wine styles within each region due to factors in terroir, grape variety and especially wine-making.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A really exciting change in Spanish wine in the last decade or so has been the rise of dozens of new regional stars, often offering tremendous value for money.  So many favorites:  Bierzo, Toro, Montsant, Valdeorras, Rueda, Madrid, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Sierras de Malaga...and many more!  Not to mention the great wines being made outside the appellation category under the lesser Vino de la Tierra category, especially in Castilla Leon and La Mancha.  These well-priced wines can sometimes put appellation wines to shame.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most dramatic changes in the last decades has been in the quality of the white wines in Spain.  The introduction of modern technology in the 80\'s and 90\'s converted flabby and often oxidized whites to fresh, attractive ones.  Spaniards are acustomed to fresh, aromativc whites with no oak aging adn this is still what you normally be served.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We are currently undergoing the second revolution in Spanish whites as top Spanish winemakers search out the best sites to produce grapes capable of making world class whites, with and without oak.  There have been many missteps and over-oaked, flabby wines can still result...but some quite outstanding whites have also been produced.  some of the most exciting wine projects in Spain right now are showcasing white wines.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain became first became famous for its\' traditional  red Riojas, wines that show Tempranillo at its most elegant.  The best ones offer elegant cherry fruit, fresh acidity, and a smooth, silky mouth with vanilla and tobacco aromas from long aging in older American oak barrels.  These are easy wines to drink, age beautifully and very food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines became unfashionable over the years and the new Riojas are very different, as are many of the modern reds from the other regions of Spain.  The new reds are higher in alcohol, bold in fruit and oak, intense wines.  The good ones are very attractive, show well, and suit many modern palates but can be exhausting to drink and are not always very food-friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though it looked for a while that the traditional Rioja styles\' led by the Gran Reserva category, would become extinct there has been a new resurgence in popularity among aficionados.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another positive trend in diversity has been as some young enologists towards a different style of wine, a terroir wine, where wine-making is at pains to respect the character in the fruit.  The wines that result are very different than the above wines and vary greatly depending on the region and grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Undervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though Spain is a hot, arid country it is also the European country with the highest mean altitude after Switzerland.  The potential for wine diversity is enormous....much of that potential remains to be exploited.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite it\'s current troubles, Spain\'s wine exports have performed better than its European neighbors during these crisis years.  If some of the problems facing the industry can be addressed, Spain\'s wine future could be very rosy indeed.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For a more detailed look at Spanish wine check the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-in-brief/\">Spanish Wine In Brief</a> section.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Spanish Food</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Led by Ferran Adria, Jose Andres, and many others, top level Spanish chefs have finally gained well-deserved recognition for Spanish gastronomy.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the ten years I lived in Spain, the restaurant scene in Madrid changed dramatically, with a dynamic renewal of the best traditional cuisine and some fantastic innovation and fusion.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid remains one of the best, most inexpensive places to get some great food and wine in Europe, but now there is so much more variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It still strikes me though, the gap between the public face of Spanish cuisine and the everyday reality in the average Spanish house or even the more basic restaurant.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Daily Spanish food is based on some pretty basic principles, like many cultures\' food.  But perhaps even more simple than many....take a fresh ingredient and cook it simply, preserving the natural flavor.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are few herbs and even fewer spices.  Garlic, salt and parsley....spend a few years in Spain and you will crave chilies and rosemary and pepper!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the great Spanish techniques is the plancha, which is a healthy, delicious way to cook things. It allows the Spanish desire to highlight the ingredient with little or no embellishment.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another great mainstay of the home cook is the Plato de cuchara or legume stew.  There are tons of regional variations and they are all delicious...most are variations on a theme of legumes and vegetables with some cut of cured pork for flavoring.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The salad in Spain is delicious, simple, flavorful, with not too many additions or variations. Always with a simple dressing of good olive oil, vinegar and salt.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All these things and more are delicious...but this is offset by a plainness and lack of variety at times at home and in the more basic restaurant establishments.  There are, of course, wonderful innovation both in some home and everyday restaurants,  But spicy, strong or exotic favors are still not widely appreciated, so it can be limited.  Sauces are viewed suspiciously as a way to hide inferior ingredients and are frowned upon!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some regions are known for more complex cuisine than others, Catalonia and Basque country stand out, but at their heart, and in most households, they remain very simple.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My mother in law is a fantastic traditional basque cook.  Everything she makes is delicious, but there will never be a new dish or new flavors in in her repertoire.  A lot of repetition in the end.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">My clients, after a long trip in Spain, often commented, how they loved the tapas/restaurant culture, but found it relatively boring after a while. It was only at the gastronomic \"temples\" did they find the innovation and excitement they craved</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All this is changing as new gourmet sensibilities rapidly emerge in Spain, and there is so much to savor appreciate and preserve in traditional Spanish cuisine. When you are away from it and saturated with our excessive gastronomic variety, you crave that simple culinary perspective!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it is interesting to realize that the food that Spain is gaining such renown for is not the food that is eaten or liked by most spaniards. You could say that to some extent about every country, but I found the gap much greater in Spain then either in France or in the US.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><h3><strong>Spanish Wine and Food</h3></strong></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The idea of matching is slowly coming of age in Spain but is not a part of traditional culture and is still largely limited to a few top restaurants, and some new concept eateries and bars.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still relatively few sommeliers in restaurants and restaurant staff are not generally knowledgeable about wine. The downside is that you are generally on your own and may even be wary of staff recommendations...the upside is that the markup of wine in restaurants in Spain is very reasonable.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic concept of matching in Spanish culture remains to drink a wine you like with some food you like...and that wine is usually red, preferably Rioja, no matter the food!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few exceptions:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Albarino , the Galician white wine, is the one exception to the red rule and is frequently chosen to match with shellfish.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Times are changing and gourmet wine aficionados are springing up around Spain, as are restaurants and bars that cater to them.  But it takes a long time to change the basic culture.....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The big Spanish reds that have come to dominate the market can be a challenge to match with many everyday foods, but if you scratch the surface, you can find delightful food wines!  From the unoaked whites that still are the norm, through food-friendly sparkling wines and canvas, to the matching star family of wines that is sherry...a wealth of choices!  Even some reds are becoming more food friendly as new trends evolve and older traditional styles get renewed respect.</p>','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-11','','','2013-01-16 18:57:40','2013-01-16 18:57:40','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/6-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(904,1,'2012-10-22 06:47:49','2012-10-22 06:47:49','<h2><strong>Though I\'ve moved to the US, we still represent Winekeeper wine preservation systems in Spain...see below for more information</strong></h2>\r\n<h2><strong>Para información sobre productos Winekeeper en español, pulse <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/wine-keeper/productos-wine-keeper/\">aquí</a></strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Get the most complete home wine preservation system!</h3>\r\nThe best way for the wine aficionado to preserve their fine wines and serve them by the glass. They are the perfect gift for any wine lover.\r\n\r\nPlanetavino is the sole distributor of Winekeeper products in Spain.\r\n\r\nWinekeeper products allow you to keep your wines in a perfect state of preservation for up to a month. We have three different models for your every need!\r\n\r\nTo keep the wines refrigerated, simply use the quick release system to unhook them. The nitrogen pressure is maintained perfectly. Then to serve, merely re-attach the bottle and tap assembly.\r\nCall us at 628 45 63 67 or 91 310 2855 for more information.\r\n\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" align=\"right\" /></a>The Vintner\r\nFirst our most classic model, the Vintner, that allows you to serve three wines at the same time.\r\n\r\n• Ideal for home use.\r\n• Classic design in mahogany hard wood.\r\n• Cylinder and regulator hidden in the interior.\r\n• Rapid disconnection feature allows for refrigeration of wine bottles.\r\n• Optional tap assemblies to conserve multiple wine bottles.\r\n• Price: 325.00 Euro\r\n\r\nThe Noir\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper Noir\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Noir\" align=\"right\" /></a>Our next model, the Petit Noir, has more modern lines, and can also serve three wines.\r\n\r\n• Simple to use.\r\n• Ideal for home use.\r\n• Sleek and compact modern design.\r\n• Cylinder and regulator hidden in the interior.\r\n• Rapid disconnection feature allows for refrigeration of wine bottles.\r\n• Optional tap assemblies to conserve multiple wine bottles\r\n• Price: 340.00 Euro\r\n\r\nThe Keeper\r\nOur most basic model, the Keeper, is a more economical version that can serve one wine at a time.\r\n\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" align=\"right\" /></a>• Simple to use.\r\n• Ideal for home use.\r\n• Each cylinder can store and serve up to 24 wine bottles.\r\n• Rapid disconnection feature allows for refrigeration of wine bottles.\r\n• Optional three-way manifold kit to serve three wine bottles simultaneously.\r\n• Optional tap assemblies to conserve multiple bottles.\r\n• Price: 99.00 Euro\r\n• Optional Three-way Connector: Price 30.00 Euro\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3>Winekeeper Accessories</h3>\r\nReplacement Canisters\r\n\r\nWe also can supply you with the extra canisters you’ll eventually need for your system\r\n\r\n• Canister Price: 19.00 Euro\r\n<h3><a title=\"Winekeeper - Faucet\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wine-keeper/winekeeper-faucet/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-63\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/faucet.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper - Faucet\" /></a> <a title=\"Winekeeper canisters\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper canisters\" /></a></h3>\r\nFaucet Assembly\r\n\r\nWe can also sell you extra faucet assemblies to preserve more wines at a time\r\n\r\n• Faucet Assembly: Price 42.00 Euro','Winekeeper','','inherit','open','open','','308-revision-6','','','2012-10-22 06:47:49','2012-10-22 06:47:49','',308,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/22/308-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(905,1,'2012-12-09 23:48:53','2012-12-09 23:48:53','<h3>¡Winekeeper: Hágase con el sistema domestico de conservación de vino mas completo!</h3>\r\nLa mejor manera de conservar los vinos y servirlos por copas para el sibarita domestico. El regalo perfecto para los amantes del buen vino.\r\n\r\nPlaneta Vino es el importador exclusivo para España de los productos de Winekeeper.\r\n\r\nLos productos de Winekeeper le permiten conservar sus vinos sin perder sus cualidades durante un mínimo de tres semanas.\r\n\r\nExisten tres modelos diferentes que se adaptan a las diferentes necesidades de su día a día.\r\n\r\nPara mantener su vino refrigerado, use el sistema de desconexión rápida para poder desconectar la botella del sistema principal y así guardarla en una cava refrigerada. La presión del nitrógeno se mantiene perfectamente. Para volver a servirse una copa, simplemente conecte de nuevo la botella al sistema principal.\r\n\r\nLlame al 91 310 2855 para mas información.\r\n<h3>The Vintner</h3>\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" align=\"right\" /></a>El primero, nuestro modelo mas clásico, The Vintner, que permite preservar y servir tres botellas al mismo tiempo.  Ideal para uso domestico.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Sencillo de usar.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño clásico en madera de roble.</li>\r\n	<li>Cilindro de nitrógeno y reductor ocultos en su interior.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar las botellas del sistema para mantenerlas refrigeradas.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75 l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples botellas.</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 325,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>The Noir</h3>\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper Noir\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Noir\" align=\"right\" /></a>Nuestro siguiente modelo, The Noir, tiene unas líneas mas modernas y puede también preservar y servir tres botellas al mismo tiempo.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Simple to use.</li>\r\n	<li>Ideal para uso domestico.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño moderno, minimalista.</li>\r\n	<li>Cilindro de nitrógeno y reductor ocultos en su interior.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar las botellas del sistema para mantenerlas refrigeradas.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75 l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 340,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>The Keeper</h3>\r\nEl modelo básico, The Keeper, es una versión mas económica que da servicio a una botella cada vez.\r\nIdeal para uso domestico.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" align=\"right\" /></a>Sencillo de usar.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño clásico en madera de roble.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar la botella del sistema para mantenerla refrigerada.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples botellas.</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 99,00 €</li>\r\n	<li>Opcional: Conector múltiple, precio 30,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Accesorios Winekeeper</h3>\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper faucet\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/faucet1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/faucet1.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper faucet\" /></a>           <a title=\"Winekeeper canisters\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters1.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper canisters\" /></a>\r\n\r\nTambién podemos proveerle de los cilindros de nitrógeno adicionales que eventualmente necesitara para su sistema.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Precio de la bombona: 19,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTambién podemos proporcionarle mas grifos sueltos para preservar varias botellas usando solamente una bombona de nitrógeno gracias al sistema de conexión-desconexión rápida.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Grifo: Precio 42,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>','en Español','','inherit','open','open','','323-revision-8','','','2012-12-09 23:48:53','2012-12-09 23:48:53','',323,'http://planetavino.net/2012/12/09/323-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(906,1,'2013-01-16 20:35:22','2013-01-16 20:35:22','','wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-30-2012-1552-jpg','','','2013-01-16 20:35:22','2013-01-16 20:35:22','',907,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(907,1,'2013-01-16 20:35:25','2013-01-16 20:35:25','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590312.775\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, <a title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\" href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no <a title=\"Madrid\'s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday right now. They have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends. It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590329.157\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s a modern, large, light-filled space. It seems a bit intimidating at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project. Despite this it\'s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it\'s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590301.3662\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"247\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles. Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts. You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ganoush at the middle eastern stand. Also most all the stands offer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a great shop called Salt&amp;Sundry with an eclectic selection of everything you need for elegant decorating and entertaining. I found some cool tonic syrups there I had wanted for gin and tonics.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590296.6313\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" width=\"431\" height=\"289\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Food choices are varied and also eclectic. I didn\'t get a chance to try Buffalo&amp;bergen, but was fascinated but the modern take on the classic soda shop...definite twists with adult drinks and knishes of various types included! Loved the Korean tacos from TaKorean...make sure to ask for extra toppings, especially the kimchi!</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590270.887\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"554\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But my absolute favorite...I ate there twice in 2 days...was Rappahanock Oysters Co....who can resist the freshest oysters in town! They get their oysters right from their own beds in the Chesapeake Bay and they are usually three varieties to choose from daily, from sweet to more briny. Really just pure and delicious....you can convert the faint-hearted with these! Also great the boiled shrimp and the tuna tartare. Sad I didn\'t try an unusual lamb and clam dish...sounded so great. Good drinks list. I had a bracing gin cocktail the first day and a nice Muscadet white wine the second....both excellent with oysters.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590254.0786\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" width=\"356\" height=\"267\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One glaring absence is a good wine place but on the website it says a place called Cordial will be opening soon with local wines and beers. Sounds promising....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One other problem is the metro and neighborhood. The parking is good but then you have the drinking issue. The metro is really close but it\'s a scary walk after dark unless you are in a big group. So as the market concept expands hopefully and its open later hours for an evening crowd, a solution may have to be found. It would be a shame to lose that metro business.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overall a really cool concept and I\'m really rooting for its continued success and expansion.</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Great eat-and-shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','publish','open','open','','great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/','2013-01-25 01:05:54','2013-01-25 01:05:54','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=907',0,'post','',0),(908,1,'2013-01-16 20:35:24','2013-01-16 20:35:24','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358368525782.661\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained.  A great find in DC on my last visit, <a href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station.  It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants.  They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop.  It&#39;s no <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid&#39;s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it!  Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday.  they have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends.  It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s a modern, large, light-filled space.  It seems a bit empty at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project.  Despite this it&#39;s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it&#39;s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles.  Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts.   You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ghannouj at the middle eastern stand.  Also most all the stand soccer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.  </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Great eat and shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-revision','','','2013-01-16 20:35:24','2013-01-16 20:35:24','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/907-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(909,1,'2013-01-16 20:35:58','2013-01-16 20:35:58','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358368525782.661\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained.  A great find in DC on my last visit, <a href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station.  It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants.  They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop.  It&#39;s no <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid&#39;s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it!  Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday.  they have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends.  It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s a modern, large, light-filled space.  It seems a bit empty at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project.  Despite this it&#39;s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it&#39;s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles.  Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts.   You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ghannouj at the middle eastern stand.  Also most all the stand soccer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.  </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Great eat-and-shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-revision-2','','','2013-01-16 20:35:58','2013-01-16 20:35:58','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/907-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(910,1,'2013-01-22 22:55:36','2013-01-22 22:55:36','','wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-29-2012-1606-jpg','','','2013-01-22 22:55:36','2013-01-22 22:55:36','',911,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(911,1,'2013-01-22 22:55:42','2013-01-22 22:55:42','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1359044111594.6143\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have lots more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the \"ibérico\" heritage pigs. He said found the ibérico pigs on an island off the Georgia coast and then bred them with other races.  <span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); \">Bev says their race characteristics are so strong that even with 50% bred out, the pigs still retain a lot of the breed characteristics. He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically desirable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Back story:  these are the Ossabaw Heritage pig race descended directly from iberico pigs and brought to the Ossabaw Islands by the Spanish in the 1500s.  In isolation and feral, the breed had little interaction with humans or domestic pigs, which preserved the race.  They have retained many of the characteristics of their forebearers, and are considered a very valuable, but challenging and therefore endangered heritage breed.  They retain fat differently and more than other races and have an intense flavored, red meat with an unusual texture....sound familiar to ibérico lovers everywhere?  Due to island life they are smaller than the ibérico race...the adults come in at under 200lbs.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1359044111575.479\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  This jamón did have the tyrosine crystal  inclusions typical of Spanish jamón ibérico....these come from a long, slow, quality aging process and are a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate about his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I also picked up some of his some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1359044111593.813\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, a few tyrosine crystals, and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one making jamón with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really lovely!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','publish','open','open','','american-jamon-iberico-love-at-first-bite','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/','2013-01-24 16:15:49','2013-01-24 16:15:49','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=911',0,'post','',0),(912,1,'2013-01-22 23:10:52','2013-01-22 23:10:52','','wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-29-2012-1559-jpg','','','2013-01-22 23:10:52','2013-01-22 23:10:52','',911,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(913,1,'2013-01-22 23:10:54','2013-01-22 23:10:54','','wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-31-2012-1918-jpg','','','2013-01-22 23:10:54','2013-01-22 23:10:54','',911,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(914,1,'2013-01-22 22:55:37','2013-01-22 22:55:37','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358895342857.226\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the heritage pigs.  I need tot all to him some more to get some more scoop but he said he found the ibérico pigs on an island and then bred them with other races.  He says their race characteristics are very strong so that even with 50%, they still retain a lot of the characteristics.  He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically viable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  The ham did however have the crystilline inclusions that usually indicated they are acorn fed....a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this 20 month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate bout his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, crystal inclusions and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision','','','2013-01-22 22:55:37','2013-01-22 22:55:37','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/22/911-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(915,1,'2013-01-22 23:10:55','2013-01-22 23:10:55','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896257370.8396\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the heritage pigs.  I need tot all to him some more to get some more scoop but he said he found the ibérico pigs on an island and then bred them with other races.  He says their race characteristics are very strong so that even with 50%, they still retain a lot of the characteristics.  He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically viable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896257350.6099\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"299\" height=\"180\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  The ham did however have the crystilline inclusions that usually indicated they are acorn fed....a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate bout his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896257402.7007\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"150\" height=\"268\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, crystal inclusions and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one working with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really tasty!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-2','','','2013-01-22 23:10:55','2013-01-22 23:10:55','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/22/911-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(916,1,'2013-01-22 23:12:26','2013-01-22 23:12:26','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342871.0293\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the heritage pigs.  I need tot all to him some more to get some more scoop but he said he found the ibérico pigs on an island and then bred them with other races.  He says their race characteristics are very strong so that even with 50%, they still retain a lot of the characteristics.  He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically viable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342925.4775\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  The ham did however have the crystilline inclusions that usually indicated they are acorn fed....a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate bout his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342947.0195\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, crystal inclusions and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one working with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really tasty!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-3','','','2013-01-22 23:12:26','2013-01-22 23:12:26','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/22/911-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(917,1,'2013-01-22 23:13:07','2013-01-22 23:13:07','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342871.0293\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the heritage pigs.  I need tot all to him some more to get some more scoop but he said he found the ibérico pigs on an island and then bred them with other races.  He says their race characteristics are very strong so that even with 50%, they still retain a lot of the characteristics.  He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically viable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342925.4775\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  The ham did however have the crystilline inclusions that usually indicated they are acorn fed....a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate bout his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342947.0195\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, crystal inclusions and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one working with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really tasty!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-4','','','2013-01-22 23:13:07','2013-01-22 23:13:07','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/22/911-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(918,1,'2013-01-22 23:13:59','2013-01-22 23:13:59','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342871.0293\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the heritage pigs.  I need tot all to him some more to get some more scoop but he said he found the ibérico pigs on an island and then bred them with other races.  He says their race characteristics are very strong so that even with 50%, they still retain a lot of the characteristics.  He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically viable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342925.4775\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  The ham did however have the crystilline inclusions that usually indicated they are acorn fed....a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate bout his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358896342947.0195\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, crystal inclusions and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one working with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really tasty!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-5','','','2013-01-22 23:13:59','2013-01-22 23:13:59','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/22/911-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(919,1,'2013-01-23 00:44:26','2013-01-23 00:44:26','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675698.9983\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the heritage pigs.  I need tot all to him some more to get some more scoop but he said he found the ibérico pigs on an island and then bred them with other races.  He says their race characteristics are very strong so that even with 50%, they still retain a lot of the characteristics.  He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically viable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675692.9453\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  This jamón did have the tyrosine crystal  inclusions typical of Spanish jamón ibérico....these come from a long, slow, quality aging process and are a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate bout his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675712.8135\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, a few tyrosine crystals, and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one working with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really tasty!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-6','','','2013-01-23 00:44:26','2013-01-23 00:44:26','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/911-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(920,1,'2013-01-23 01:14:49','2013-01-23 01:14:49','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675698.9983\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the \"ibérico\" heritage pigs. He said found the ibérico pigs on an island off the Georgia coast and then bred them with other races.  <span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); \">Bev says their race characteristics are so strong that even with 50% bred out, the pigs still retain a lot of the breed characteristics. He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically desirable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Back story:  these are the Ossabaw Heritage pig race descended directly from iberico pigs and brought to the Ossabaw Islands by the Spanish in the 1500s.  In isolation and feral, the breed had little interaction with humans or domestic pigs, which preserved the race.  They have retained many of the characteristics of their forebearers, and are considered a very valuable, but challenging and therefore endangered heritage breed.  They retain fat differently and more than other races and have an intense flavored, red meat with an unusual texture....sound familiar to ibérico lovers everywhere?  Due to island life they are smaller than the ibérico race...the adults come in at under 200lbs.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675692.9453\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  This jamón did have the tyrosine crystal  inclusions typical of Spanish jamón ibérico....these come from a long, slow, quality aging process and are a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate bout his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675712.8135\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, a few tyrosine crystals, and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one making jamón with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really tasty!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-7','','','2013-01-23 01:14:49','2013-01-23 01:14:49','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/911-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(922,1,'2013-01-23 02:01:10','2013-01-23 02:01:10','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675698.9983\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in <a title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\" href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the \"ibérico\" heritage pigs. He said found the ibérico pigs on an island off the Georgia coast and then bred them with other races. <span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);\">Bev says their race characteristics are so strong that even with 50% bred out, the pigs still retain a lot of the breed characteristics. He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically desirable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Back story: these are the Ossabaw Heritage pig race descended directly from iberico pigs and brought to the Ossabaw Islands by the Spanish in the 1500s. In isolation and feral, the breed had little interaction with humans or domestic pigs, which preserved the race. They have retained many of the characteristics of their forebearers, and are considered a very valuable, but challenging and therefore endangered heritage breed. They retain fat differently and more than other races and have an intense flavored, red meat with an unusual texture....sound familiar to ibérico lovers everywhere? Due to island life they are smaller than the ibérico race...the adults come in at under 200lbs.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675692.9453\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don\'t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain. This jamón did have the tyrosine crystal inclusions typical of Spanish jamón ibérico....these come from a long, slow, quality aging process and are a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck. I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style. But I think it is becoming more popular. Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold! Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate about his products. He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts. Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675712.8135\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment. The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano. Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs\' not form the ibérico race. It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico! We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, a few tyrosine crystals, and good fat marbleling. Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue. It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico. Great texture, very good taste, long finish. A very nice jamón!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is really exciting...US ibérico pork! Bev says he is the only one making jamón with this race in the US. I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork. If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really lovely! Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS. The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n&nbsp;','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-autosave','','','2013-01-23 02:01:10','2013-01-23 02:01:10','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/911-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(923,1,'2013-01-23 01:24:10','2013-01-23 01:24:10','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675698.9983\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the \"ibérico\" heritage pigs. He said found the ibérico pigs on an island off the Georgia coast and then bred them with other races.  <span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); \">Bev says their race characteristics are so strong that even with 50% bred out, the pigs still retain a lot of the breed characteristics. He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically desirable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Back story:  these are the Ossabaw Heritage pig race descended directly from iberico pigs and brought to the Ossabaw Islands by the Spanish in the 1500s.  In isolation and feral, the breed had little interaction with humans or domestic pigs, which preserved the race.  They have retained many of the characteristics of their forebearers, and are considered a very valuable, but challenging and therefore endangered heritage breed.  They retain fat differently and more than other races and have an intense flavored, red meat with an unusual texture....sound familiar to ibérico lovers everywhere?  Due to island life they are smaller than the ibérico race...the adults come in at under 200lbs.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675692.9453\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  This jamón did have the tyrosine crystal  inclusions typical of Spanish jamón ibérico....these come from a long, slow, quality aging process and are a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate about his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675712.8135\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, a few tyrosine crystals, and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one making jamón with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really lovely!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-8','','','2013-01-23 01:24:10','2013-01-23 01:24:10','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/911-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(924,1,'2013-01-23 02:01:49','2013-01-23 02:01:49','','Union market 1 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','union-market-1-thumbnail','','','2013-01-23 02:01:49','2013-01-23 02:01:49','',907,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Union-market-1-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(925,1,'2013-01-16 20:37:37','2013-01-16 20:37:37','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358368525782.661\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained.  A great find in DC on my last visit, <a href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station.  It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants.  They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop.  It&#39;s no <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid&#39;s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it!  Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday. They have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends.  It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s a modern, large, light-filled space.  It seems a bit intimidating at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project.  Despite this it&#39;s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it&#39;s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles.  Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts.   You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ghannouj at the middle eastern stand.  Also most all the stand soccer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.  </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Great eat-and-shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-revision-3','','','2013-01-16 20:37:37','2013-01-16 20:37:37','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/907-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(926,1,'2013-01-23 02:02:59','2013-01-23 02:02:59','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358368525782.661\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, <a title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\" href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no <a title=\"Madrid\'s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday. They have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends. It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s a modern, large, light-filled space. It seems a bit intimidating at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project. Despite this it\'s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it\'s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles. Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts. You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ghannouj at the middle eastern stand. Also most all the stand soccer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Great eat-and-shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-revision-4','','','2013-01-23 02:02:59','2013-01-23 02:02:59','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/907-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(927,1,'2013-01-25 01:07:11','2013-01-25 01:07:11','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590312.775\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, <a title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\" href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no <a title=\"Madrid\'s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday right now. They have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends. It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590329.157\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s a modern, large, light-filled space. It seems a bit intimidating at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project. Despite this it\'s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it\'s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590301.3662\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"247\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles. Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts. You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ganoush at the middle eastern stand. Also most all the stands offer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a great shop called Salt&amp;Sundry with an eclectic selection of everything you need for elegant decorating and entertaining. I found some cool tonic syrups there I had wanted for gin and tonics.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590296.6313\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" width=\"431\" height=\"289\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Food choices are varied and also eclectic. I didn\'t get a chance to try Buffalo&amp;bergen, but was fascinated but the modern take on the classic soda shop...definite twists with adult drinks and knishes of various types included! Loved the Korean tacos from TaKorean...make sure to ask for extra toppings, especially the kimchi!</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590270.887\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"554\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But my absolute favorite...I ate there twice in 2 days...was Rappahanock Oysters Co....who can resist the freshest oysters in town! They get their oysters right from their own beds in the Chesapeake Bay and they are usually three varieties to choose from daily, from sweet to more briny. Really just pure and delicious....you can convert the faint-hearted with these! Also great the boiled shrimp and the tuna tartare. Sad I didn\'t try an unusual lamb and clam dish...sounded so great. Good drinks list. I had a bracing gin cocktail the first day and a nice Muscadet white wine the second....both excellent with oysters.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590254.0786\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" width=\"356\" height=\"267\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One glaring absence is a good wine place but on the website it says a place called Cordial will be opening soon with local wines and beers. Sounds promising....</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One other problem is the metro and neighborhood. The parking is good but then you have the drinking issue. The metro is really close but it\'s a scary walk after dark unless you are in a big group. So as the market concept expands hopefully and its open later hours for an evening crowd, a solution may have to be found. It would be a shame to lose that metro business.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overall a really cool concept and I\'m really rooting for its continued success and expansion.</p>\n&nbsp;','Great eat-and-shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-autosave','','','2013-01-25 01:07:11','2013-01-25 01:07:11','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/907-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(928,1,'2013-01-23 02:06:33','2013-01-23 02:06:33','','American jamon2 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','american-jamon2-thumbnail','','','2013-01-23 02:06:33','2013-01-23 02:06:33','',911,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/American-jamon2-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(929,1,'2013-01-23 03:59:35','2013-01-23 03:59:35','','wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-30-2012-1551-jpg','','','2013-01-23 03:59:35','2013-01-23 03:59:35','',907,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(930,1,'2013-01-23 03:59:38','2013-01-23 03:59:38','','wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-30-2012-1554-jpg','','','2013-01-23 03:59:38','2013-01-23 03:59:38','',907,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(931,1,'2013-01-23 03:59:40','2013-01-23 03:59:40','','wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-30-2012-1318-jpg','','','2013-01-23 03:59:40','2013-01-23 03:59:40','',907,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(932,1,'2013-01-23 03:59:42','2013-01-23 03:59:42','','wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-30-2012-1553-jpg','','','2013-01-23 03:59:42','2013-01-23 03:59:42','',907,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(933,1,'2013-01-23 03:59:44','2013-01-23 03:59:44','','wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-dec-29-2012-1647-jpg','','','2013-01-23 03:59:44','2013-01-23 03:59:44','',907,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(934,1,'2013-01-23 02:03:33','2013-01-23 02:03:33','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358368525782.661\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, <a title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\" href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no <a title=\"Madrid\'s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday. They have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends. It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s a modern, large, light-filled space. It seems a bit intimidating at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project. Despite this it\'s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it\'s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles. Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts. You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ghannouj at the middle eastern stand. Also most all the stand soccer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Great shop-and-eat markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-revision-5','','','2013-01-23 02:03:33','2013-01-23 02:03:33','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/907-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(936,1,'2013-01-23 03:59:45','2013-01-23 03:59:45','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590312.775\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained.  A great find in DC on my last visit, <a href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station.  It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants.  They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop.  It&#39;s no <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid&#39;s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it!  Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday. They have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends.  It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590329.157\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s a modern, large, light-filled space.  It seems a bit intimidating at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project.  Despite this it&#39;s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it&#39;s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590301.3662\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" height=\"247\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles.  Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts.   You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ghannouj at the middle eastern stand.  Also most all the stands offer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a great shop called Salt&Sundry with an eclectic selection of everything you need for elegant decorating and entertaining.  I found some cool tonic syrups there I had been wanting for gin and tonics.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590296.6313\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"431\" height=\"289\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Food choices are varied and also eclectic.  I didn&#39;t get a chance to try Buffalo&bergen, but was fascinated but the modern take on the classic soda shop...definite twists with adult drinks and knishes of various types included!  Loved the Korean tacos from TaKorean...make sure to ask for extra toppings, especially the kimchi!  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590270.887\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" height=\"554\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But my absolute favorite...I ate there twice in 2 days...was Rappahanock Oysters Co....who can resist the freshest oysters in town!  They get their oysters right from their own beds in the Chesapeake Bay and they are usually three varieties to choose form daily, from sweet to more briny.  Really just pure and delicious....you can convert the faint-hearted with these!  Also great the boiled shrimp and the tuna tartare.  Sad I didn&#39;t try an unusual lamb and clam dish...sounded so great.  Good drinks list.  I had a bracing gin cocktail the first day and a nice Muscadet white wine the second....both excellent with oysters.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590254.0786\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"356\" height=\"267\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One glaring absence is a good wine place but on a website it&#39;s says a place called Cordial will be opening soon with local wines and beers.  Sounds promising....</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One other problem is the metro and neighborhood.  The parking is good but then you have the drinking issue.  The metro is really close but it&#39;s a scary walk after dark unless you are in a big group.  So as the market concept expands hopefully and its open later hours for an evening crowd, a solution may have to be thought up.  It would be a shame to lose that metro business.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overall a really cool concept and I&#39;m really rooting for it&#39;s continued success and expansion.   </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Great eat-and-shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-revision-6','','','2013-01-23 03:59:45','2013-01-23 03:59:45','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/907-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(938,1,'2013-01-23 02:01:19','2013-01-23 02:01:19','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675698.9983\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in <a title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\" href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have a ton more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the \"ibérico\" heritage pigs. He said found the ibérico pigs on an island off the Georgia coast and then bred them with other races. <span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);\">Bev says their race characteristics are so strong that even with 50% bred out, the pigs still retain a lot of the breed characteristics. He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically desirable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Back story: these are the Ossabaw Heritage pig race descended directly from iberico pigs and brought to the Ossabaw Islands by the Spanish in the 1500s. In isolation and feral, the breed had little interaction with humans or domestic pigs, which preserved the race. They have retained many of the characteristics of their forebearers, and are considered a very valuable, but challenging and therefore endangered heritage breed. They retain fat differently and more than other races and have an intense flavored, red meat with an unusual texture....sound familiar to ibérico lovers everywhere? Due to island life they are smaller than the ibérico race...the adults come in at under 200lbs.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675692.9453\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don\'t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain. This jamón did have the tyrosine crystal inclusions typical of Spanish jamón ibérico....these come from a long, slow, quality aging process and are a promising indicator of quality!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck. I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style. But I think it is becoming more popular. Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold! Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate about his products. He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts. Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1358901675712.8135\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment. The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano. Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs\' not form the ibérico race. It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico! We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, a few tyrosine crystals, and good fat marbleling. Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue. It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico. Great texture, very good taste, long finish. A very nice jamón!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is really exciting...US ibérico pork! Bev says he is the only one making jamón with this race in the US. I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork. If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really lovely! Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS. The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\r\n&nbsp;','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-9','','','2013-01-23 02:01:19','2013-01-23 02:01:19','',911,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/2013/01/23/911-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(939,1,'2013-01-23 20:22:38','2013-01-23 20:22:38','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1606.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358972525502.1519\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"135\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert!  I was in <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/great-eat-and-shop-markets-union-market-in-washington-dc/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union market: Great shop and eat market in Washington DC\">Union market</a> and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually.  It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting!  Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs <a href=\"http://ecofriendly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Eco Friendly Foods:  Humaine, sustainable and delicious meat!\">Eco Friendly Foods</a>, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock.  Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have lots more products but I was really focused on the cured ham from the \"ibérico\" heritage pigs. He said found the ibérico pigs on an island off the Georgia coast and then bred them with other races.  <span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); \">Bev says their race characteristics are so strong that even with 50% bred out, the pigs still retain a lot of the breed characteristics. He explained that crossing them helped eliminate their less economically desirable characteristics: slow-growing and small size.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Back story:  these are the Ossabaw Heritage pig race descended directly from iberico pigs and brought to the Ossabaw Islands by the Spanish in the 1500s.  In isolation and feral, the breed had little interaction with humans or domestic pigs, which preserved the race.  They have retained many of the characteristics of their forebearers, and are considered a very valuable, but challenging and therefore endangered heritage breed.  They retain fat differently and more than other races and have an intense flavored, red meat with an unusual texture....sound familiar to ibérico lovers everywhere?  Due to island life they are smaller than the ibérico race...the adults come in at under 200lbs.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1559.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358972525516.3274\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"372\" height=\"223\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These are free range animals so they feed off the land, including acorns, but they don&#39;t have an acorn exclusive diet as the \"bellota\" category of ibéricos would in Spain.  This jamón did have the tyrosine crystal  inclusions typical of Spanish jamón ibérico....these come from a long, slow, quality aging process and are a promising indicator of quality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also had less cured styles, which more resemble speck.  I guess some people are still not turned on to this intense 20-month cure style.  But I think it is becoming more popular.  Not only those who travel to Spain are exposed to it, but you can try it in all the Spanish restaurants cropping up everywhere.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was sold!  Bev is a great guy, super enthusiastic and full of passionate about his products.   He generously provided me with a package to try....I bought some of his bacon, fresh chorizo sausage, and a super interesting porchetta type roll he said was made from head parts.  Really an amazing selection of meats...and I just focused on the pork...there were many more meats and types of poultry available.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-31-2012-1918.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358972525537.0713\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"185\" height=\"331\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> As I open the thin envelope...I had an initial moment of disappointment.  The smell was good, clean, hammy (!), but it smelled more like jamón serrano.  Jamón serrano is cured Spanish ham from white pigs&#39; not form the ibérico race.  It can be quite delicious but there is no comparison with jamón ibérico!  We had let it come up to room temperature so the cured meat glistened nicely. It had good red color, which is good for ibérico, a few tyrosine crystals, and good fat marbleling.  Then are my fears disappeared as I layed a piece on my tongue.  It had that disntinctive richness, earthiness, silkiness that comes from good ibérico.  Great texture, very good taste, long finish.  A very nice jamón!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> This is really exciting...US ibérico pork!  Bev says he is the only one making jamón with this race in the US.  I think this has great potential, not only for cured meats, but for fresh pork.   If you have never tried fresh ibérico pork...the difference with regular pork is night and day!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of course, ibérico pigs raised in the US will not taste the same as the ones from Spain, that the beauty of origen, but they are still really lovely!  Also just as amazing is to find an operation where the animals are treated humanely, this makes me appreciated the products even more!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">PS.  The bacon and porchetta were amazing too!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','American Jamón Ibérico: love at first bite?','They caught my eye immediately...beautiful pig legs, glistening with fat....that familiar smell...heaven for someone in the ibérico desert! I was in Union market and I saw the whole legs first and then packages of cured ham slices that really resembled Spanish jamón visually. It turned out they were indeed cured 20 months and were from pigs that were American raised but had 50% ibérico race bloodline...so exciting! Bev Eggleston is the man and he runs Eco Friendly Foods, an operation specializing in sustainable and humanely raised livestock. Pretty amazing operation, but the jamón still had to go through my taste test.....','inherit','open','open','','911-revision-10','','','2013-01-23 20:22:38','2013-01-23 20:22:38','',911,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/911-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(940,1,'2013-01-16 18:39:22','2013-01-16 18:39:22','<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-508\" title=\"Mary O\'Connor\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1-229x300.jpg\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Welcome to the new Planeta Vino! I\'m Mary O\'Connor and more than 10 years living in Madrid, Spain, I\'ve returned to the US for personal, family reasons...</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hard to leave Spain, great to come home!  Crazy hard to leave a Spanish family, friends and my business behind...big transition!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Planeta Vino was originally the website for my wine tasting school and wine events business in Madrid. Now I\'m re-inventing it as a blog primarily on Spanish wine and food, but also about anything wine that grabs me.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish food is seemingly everywhere in the US and is quite popular at the moment thanks to high profile chefs such as Jose Andres.  Despite this I still find it is pretty hard to find places that walk the line between respecting Spanish traditions and innovating enough to add that something special. Also a lot of what is billed as \"spanish\" is anything but!  I\'m excited to find some of the good places as well as discover the new gems in Madrid and around Spain on my trips back there.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spanish wine is less well represented here in the US than Spanish cuisine; it definitely does not get the respect it is due for offering top notch wines at extremely good prices. Ten years of immersing myself in these wines have really instilled me with a missionary zeal to spread the gospel of Spanish wine!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Check <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/old-planeta-vino/\">here</a> for more info on the \"Old Planeta Vino\"</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To follow me as I share my passion, follow my blog or sign up <a href=\"http://eepurl.com/qrtFH\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to get my monthly newsletters with the latest on Spanish wine and food.</p>','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2013-01-16 18:39:22','2013-01-16 18:39:22','',500,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/500-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(941,1,'2013-01-24 22:49:50','2013-01-24 22:49:50','','wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-jan-24-2013-1748-jpg','','','2013-01-24 22:49:50','2013-01-24 22:49:50','',942,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(942,1,'2013-01-24 22:49:56','2013-01-25 02:49:56','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1359071320796.348\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"209\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I rated the <a title=\"Louro do Bolo Godello 2007: Great Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2009/04/24/wine-rating-louro-do-bolo-2007/\" target=\"_blank\">2007 vintage</a> of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the hand of Rafael Palacios, a member of a very important Spanish wine dynasty. He has broken from the family mold and gone his own way in the northwestern Galician area of Valdeorras, focusing entirely on Godello and seeking to make a truly great Spanish white. When you meet him, and taste his wines with him, he really transmits such a passion and enthusiasm for the region, his vineyards and the grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo\'s big sister As Sortes has set the benchmark in fine Godello since it first came out in 2004. Many still consider it to be Spain\'s best white wine. In some vintages the As Sortes can be so mineral it\'s like sucking on stones! Only with time in bottle, decanting can the depth and complexity come out.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As Sortes is quite a special wine but is priced for a special occasion at 30 euros in Spain and 40 dollars on up here in the US. A splurge, but well worth it!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo, on the other hand, offers glimpses into greatness, but in a much more approachable and friendly package! It is made from grapes from slightly less older vines than the As Sortes and is fermented and aged in large-format foudres, giving only a subtle oak complexity.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is steely enough to go with seafood, yet has some roundness, smoke, complexity that makes it easy to go with so much more! Try it with some mussels in a robust sauce...it\'s one of my favorites with big cheeses. It\'s a lot of wine for the price and can be found in Spain for 12 euros and in the US from about 16 dollars on up...what a steal!</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish White Wine Review: Louro do Bolo 2011','I rated the 2007 vintage of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!','publish','open','open','','wine-review-louro-do-bolo-2011','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2009/04/24/wine-rating-louro-do-bolo-2007/','2013-05-03 22:48:07','2013-05-04 02:48:07','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=942',0,'post','',2),(943,1,'2013-01-24 22:49:52','2013-01-24 22:49:52','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1359067796469.0474\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"209\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I rated the 2007 of this wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite Spanish whites.  Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad.  I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain&#39;s next great white grape.... but it&#39;s still on the runway!  This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity.  Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the hand of Rafael Palacios, a member of a very important Spanish wine dynasty.  He has broken from the family mold and gone his own way in the northwestern Galician area of Valdeorras, focusing entirely on Godello and seeking to make a truly great Spanish white.  When you meet him, and taste his wines with him, he really transmits such a passion and enthusiasm for the region, his vineyards and the grape variety.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo&#39;s big sister As Sortes has set the benchmark in fine Godello since it first came out in 2004.  Many still consider it to be Spain&#39;s best white wine. In some vintages the As Sortes can be so mineral it&#39;s like sucking on stones!  Only with time in bottle, decanting can the depth and complexity come out.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As Sortes is quite a special wine but is priced for a special occasion at 30 euros in Spain and 40 dollars on up here in the US.  A splurge, but well worth it!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo, on the other hand, offers glimpses into greatness, but in a much more approachable and friendly package!  It is made from grapes from slightly less older vines than the As Sortes and is fermented and aged in large-format foudres, giving only a subtle oak complexity. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is steely enough to go with seafood, yet has some roundness, smoke, complexity that makes it easy to go with so much more!  Try it with some mussels in a robust sauce...it&#39;s one of my favorites with big cheeses.  It&#39;s a lot of wine for the price and can be found in Spain for 12 euros and in the US from about 16 dollars on up...what a steal!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Wine rating: Louro do Bolo 2011','I rated the 2007 of this wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite Spanish whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!','inherit','open','open','','942-revision','','','2013-01-24 22:49:52','2013-01-24 22:49:52','',942,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/942-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(944,1,'2013-01-24 22:51:29','2013-01-24 22:51:29','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1359067796469.0474\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"209\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I rated the 2007 of this wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite Spanish whites.  Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad.  I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain&#39;s next great white grape.... but it&#39;s still on the runway!  This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity.  Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the hand of Rafael Palacios, a member of a very important Spanish wine dynasty.  He has broken from the family mold and gone his own way in the northwestern Galician area of Valdeorras, focusing entirely on Godello and seeking to make a truly great Spanish white.  When you meet him, and taste his wines with him, he really transmits such a passion and enthusiasm for the region, his vineyards and the grape variety.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo&#39;s big sister As Sortes has set the benchmark in fine Godello since it first came out in 2004.  Many still consider it to be Spain&#39;s best white wine. In some vintages the As Sortes can be so mineral it&#39;s like sucking on stones!  Only with time in bottle, decanting can the depth and complexity come out.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As Sortes is quite a special wine but is priced for a special occasion at 30 euros in Spain and 40 dollars on up here in the US.  A splurge, but well worth it!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo, on the other hand, offers glimpses into greatness, but in a much more approachable and friendly package!  It is made from grapes from slightly less older vines than the As Sortes and is fermented and aged in large-format foudres, giving only a subtle oak complexity. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is steely enough to go with seafood, yet has some roundness, smoke, complexity that makes it easy to go with so much more!  Try it with some mussels in a robust sauce...it&#39;s one of my favorites with big cheeses.  It&#39;s a lot of wine for the price and can be found in Spain for 12 euros and in the US from about 16 dollars on up...what a steal!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Wine Review: Louro do Bolo 2011','I rated the 2007 of this wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite Spanish whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!','inherit','open','open','','942-revision-2','','','2013-01-24 22:51:29','2013-01-24 22:51:29','',942,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/942-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(945,1,'2013-01-25 00:49:10','2013-01-25 00:49:10','','Louro do Bolo 2011 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','louro-do-bolo-2011-thumbnail','','','2013-01-25 00:49:10','2013-01-25 00:49:10','',942,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Louro-do-Bolo-2011-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(946,1,'2013-01-30 22:57:04','2013-01-30 22:57:04','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1359071320796.348\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"209\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I rated the <a title=\"Louro do Bolo Godello 2007: Great Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2009/04/24/wine-rating-louro-do-bolo-2007/\" target=\"_blank\">2007 vintage</a> of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the hand of Rafael Palacios, a member of a very important Spanish wine dynasty. He has broken from the family mold and gone his own way in the northwestern Galician area of Valdeorras, focusing entirely on Godello and seeking to make a truly great Spanish white. When you meet him, and taste his wines with him, he really transmits such a passion and enthusiasm for the region, his vineyards and the grape variety.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo\'s big sister As Sortes has set the benchmark in fine Godello since it first came out in 2004. Many still consider it to be Spain\'s best white wine. In some vintages the As Sortes can be so mineral it\'s like sucking on stones! Only with time in bottle, decanting can the depth and complexity come out.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As Sortes is quite a special wine but is priced for a special occasion at 30 euros in Spain and 40 dollars on up here in the US. A splurge, but well worth it!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo, on the other hand, offers glimpses into greatness, but in a much more approachable and friendly package! It is made from grapes from slightly less older vines than the As Sortes and is fermented and aged in large-format foudres, giving only a subtle oak complexity.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is steely enough to go with seafood, yet has some roundness, smoke, complexity that makes it easy to go with so much more! Try it with some mussels in a robust sauce...it\'s one of my favorites with big cheeses. It\'s a lot of wine for the price and can be found in Spain for 12 euros and in the US from about 16 dollars on up...what a steal!</p>\n&nbsp;','Spanish White Wine Review: Louro do Bolo 2011','I rated the 2007 vintage of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!','inherit','open','open','','942-autosave','','','2013-01-30 22:57:04','2013-01-30 22:57:04','',942,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/25/942-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(947,1,'2013-01-24 23:50:14','2013-01-24 23:50:14','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1359071320796.348\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"209\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I rated the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2009/04/24/wine-rating-louro-do-bolo-2007/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Louro do Bolo Godello 2007: Great Spanish wine\">2007 vintage</a> of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites.  Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad.  I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain&#39;s next great white grape.... but it&#39;s still on the runway!  This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity.  Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the hand of Rafael Palacios, a member of a very important Spanish wine dynasty.  He has broken from the family mold and gone his own way in the northwestern Galician area of Valdeorras, focusing entirely on Godello and seeking to make a truly great Spanish white.  When you meet him, and taste his wines with him, he really transmits such a passion and enthusiasm for the region, his vineyards and the grape variety.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo&#39;s big sister As Sortes has set the benchmark in fine Godello since it first came out in 2004.  Many still consider it to be Spain&#39;s best white wine. In some vintages the As Sortes can be so mineral it&#39;s like sucking on stones!  Only with time in bottle, decanting can the depth and complexity come out.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As Sortes is quite a special wine but is priced for a special occasion at 30 euros in Spain and 40 dollars on up here in the US.  A splurge, but well worth it!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo, on the other hand, offers glimpses into greatness, but in a much more approachable and friendly package!  It is made from grapes from slightly less older vines than the As Sortes and is fermented and aged in large-format foudres, giving only a subtle oak complexity. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is steely enough to go with seafood, yet has some roundness, smoke, complexity that makes it easy to go with so much more!  Try it with some mussels in a robust sauce...it&#39;s one of my favorites with big cheeses.  It&#39;s a lot of wine for the price and can be found in Spain for 12 euros and in the US from about 16 dollars on up...what a steal!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Wine Review: Louro do Bolo 2011','I rated the 2007 vintage of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!','inherit','open','open','','942-revision-3','','','2013-01-24 23:50:14','2013-01-24 23:50:14','',942,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/942-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(948,1,'2013-01-23 06:45:30','2013-01-23 06:45:30','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1552.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590312.775\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"275\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained.  A great find in DC on my last visit, <a href=\"http://unionmarketdc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Union Market in Washington DC\">Union market</a>, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station.  It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants.  They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop.  It&#39;s no <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/15/madrid-tapas-mercado-de-san-miguel/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Madrid&#39;s Mercado de San Miguel for tapas and wine\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>, but I loved it!  Already a great place to go and tons of potential!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The market has been open since November of 2012 and is open Thursday through Sunday right now.  They have just expanded the hours in the evening....hopefully they can attract an evening crowd on the weekends.  It was pretty crowded still when I left at 7PM on a recent Saturday.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1551.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590329.157\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" height=\"274\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s a modern, large, light-filled space.  It seems a bit intimidating at first, but a large empty spot where you first enter will soon be filled by a new restaurant project.  Despite this it&#39;s all very inviting once you venture in a bit further...the vendors are all very friendly and super knowledgeable....often it&#39;s the producer or farmer themselves who is attending you.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1554.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590301.3662\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" height=\"247\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are great stands for produce, spice, teas, smoked fish, olive oil, and even pickles.  Butchers and meat farmers are a particular stand out, offering organic and humane meats of all sorts.   You can sample the wonderful hummus and baba ghannouj at the middle eastern stand.  Also most all the stands offer food that can be consumed on the spot at the tables scattered around.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a great shop called Salt&Sundry with an eclectic selection of everything you need for elegant decorating and entertaining.  I found some cool tonic syrups there I had been wanting for gin and tonics.  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1318.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590296.6313\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"431\" height=\"289\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Food choices are varied and also eclectic.  I didn&#39;t get a chance to try Buffalo&bergen, but was fascinated but the modern take on the classic soda shop...definite twists with adult drinks and knishes of various types included!  Loved the Korean tacos from TaKorean...make sure to ask for extra toppings, especially the kimchi!  </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-30-2012-1553.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590270.887\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\" height=\"554\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But my absolute favorite...I ate there twice in 2 days...was Rappahanock Oysters Co....who can resist the freshest oysters in town!  They get their oysters right from their own beds in the Chesapeake Bay and they are usually three varieties to choose form daily, from sweet to more briny.  Really just pure and delicious....you can convert the faint-hearted with these!  Also great the boiled shrimp and the tuna tartare.  Sad I didn&#39;t try an unusual lamb and clam dish...sounded so great.  Good drinks list.  I had a bracing gin cocktail the first day and a nice Muscadet white wine the second....both excellent with oysters.</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Dec-29-2012-1647.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1358913590254.0786\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"356\" height=\"267\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One glaring absence is a good wine place but on a website it&#39;s says a place called Cordial will be opening soon with local wines and beers.  Sounds promising....</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One other problem is the metro and neighborhood.  The parking is good but then you have the drinking issue.  The metro is really close but it&#39;s a scary walk after dark unless you are in a big group.  So as the market concept expands hopefully and its open later hours for an evening crowd, a solution may have to be thought up.  It would be a shame to lose that metro business.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overall a really cool concept and I&#39;m really rooting for it&#39;s continued success and expansion.   </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Great eat-and-shop markets: Union Market in Washington DC','A little off my usual Spanish theme but a subject very near and dear to my heart: markets where you can buy great products and also eat, drink and be entertained. A great find in DC on my last visit, Union market, is a great new project in a transitioning neighborhood behind Union Station. It is still in development, but already offers lots to visitors: quality farmers market produce and food stands, boutique shopping, food truck casual eats, and various types of casual restaurants. They have great parking and are within walking distance from the NOMA-Gaullaudet stop. It\'s no Mercado de San Miguel, but I loved it! Already a great place to go and tons of potential!','inherit','open','open','','907-revision-7','','','2013-01-23 06:45:30','2013-01-23 06:45:30','',907,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/23/907-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(949,1,'2012-12-20 01:05:46','2012-12-20 01:05:46','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-1753.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1355959469660.8525\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-1753.jpg\" width=\"353\" height=\"207\" /></a></div>\r\nCasa Ricardo, in the Moncloa district of Madrid, is one of those old fashioned places, tiled walls, bull-fighting memorabilia, local clientele, that really represents the spirit of Madrid. All the new, fashionable places with their upscale tapas, their fusion cuisine, and their multi-page wine list are re-inventing Madrid\'s culinary scene....but sometimes you have to get back to basics. Luckily for every one of those new-tangled palaces, these are still ten Casa Ricardos...these places are what still gives Madrid that truly Spanish feel. All the traditional comfort foods are there, fried in vast quantities of good olive oil, and your drink options are only beer, red or white.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThey were out of menestra the day we were there, but always get the menestra...one of Spain\'s best dishes, a medley of the freshest sautéed and fried vegetables. So we settled on the ventresca and pimiento salad....simple as are most Spanish salads to let the ingredients shine. You don\'t really get preserved tuna until you\'ve had ventresca...you can just eat it straight out of the can!\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-1821.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1355959469743.7263\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-1821.jpg\" width=\"286\" height=\"213\" /></a></div>\r\nThe wine was the white, Rueda, and perfectly delicious with all of our dishes.\r\n\r\nMissing those vegetables, we ordered the habas con jamon, lovely baby fava beans with chunks of ham for flavor. To satisfy my fried cravings, we ordered the huevos con patatas. There are a million variations of this ultimate Spanish comfort food....always with some type of fried pork. Here it was lovely blood sausage, or morcilla but due my friend\'s allergie, we swapped chistorra, a sausage similar to chorizo. Delicious! Perfect fluffy egg, with crispy edges, slightly greasy, salty potatoes, rich pork....so satisfying!\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-18211.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1355959469759.188\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-18211.jpg\" width=\"288\" height=\"215\" /></a></div>\r\nAll the dishes are shared as is usual in the best Spanish tradition. These are the types of simple foods Spaniards eat at home....it\'s easy to feel at home in a place like Casa Ricardo. You get a real sense of history eating in a pace founded in 1935 and the people are very welcoming. It\'s a little out of the touristic center but in a real Madrid neighborhood and worth the small detour. <a title=\"Casa Ricardo Madrid\" href=\"http://casaricardo.net/\" target=\"_blank\">Web</a>. Closest metro: Quevedo.\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-18212.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1355959469721.1772\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Dec-19-2012-18212.jpg\" width=\"281\" height=\"210\" /></a></div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Casa Ricardo: Spanish Comfort Food in Madrid','Casa Ricardo, in the Moncloa district of Madrid, is one of those old fashioned places, tiled walls, bull-fighting memorabilia, local clientele, that really represents the spirit of Madrid. All the new, fashionable places with their upscale tapas, their fusion cuisine, and their multi-page wine list are re-inventing Madrid\'s culinary scene....but sometimes you have to get back to basics. Luckily for every one of those new-tangled palaces, these are still ten Casa Ricardos...these places are what still gives Madrid that truly Spanish feel. All the traditional comfort foods are there, fried in vast quantities of good olive oil, and your drink options are only beer, red or white.','inherit','open','open','','835-revision-8','','','2012-12-20 01:05:46','2012-12-20 01:05:46','',835,'http://planetavino.net/2012/12/20/835-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(950,1,'2013-01-30 22:54:22','2013-01-30 22:54:22','','wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-jan-30-2013-1748-jpg','','','2013-01-30 22:54:22','2013-01-30 22:54:22','',951,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(951,1,'2013-01-30 22:54:27','2013-01-31 02:54:27','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1359586467891.6829\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"267\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a great value Spanish red wine from the Montsant area of Catalonia. Montsant offers similar wines to neighboring Priorat, which has become known for it\'s bold, intense reds, at a much lower price point. Prefer to review wines I can also find in the US but I have to make a few exceptions and this is one to keep an eye out for. It\'s the house wine of my new favorite restaurant in Madrid, <a title=\"Wine lovers guide to Madrid\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\">Laredo</a>, and it offers intense black fruit, minerality and length but also loads of charm and freshness. Very easy to drink and at 14 euros a bottle it\'s a steal! Can\'t find it yet stateside but here\'s hoping.....</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The wine is produced by Cellers Masroig and is made from old-vine Carignan (Cariñena) and Grenache (Garnacha). It\'s aged for 15 months in French oak barrels followed by another 12 months minimum bottle aging. Though it has 14.5% alcohol, it has great balance and good freshness and shows wears it very well.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery is actually a historic cooperative founded in 1917 and makes several lines, including boxed wine. They also make olive oil. They are all great value!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Étnic Negre 2008 is pretty approachable and easy to drink at this price point...it hints at what the slate soils and the most intense terroirs of Montsant can give you. It has some black olive, some herbal and mineral notes along with it sweet black fruit that gives a little complexity. Round, big mouth, long finish with big, soft tannins. Just enough acidity to balance it all out. Very attractive package.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Red Wine Review: Étnic Negre 2008','This is a great value Spanish red wine from the Montsant area of Catalonia. Montsant offers similar wines to neighboring Priorat, which has become known for it\'s bold, intense reds, at a much lower price point. Prefer to review wines I can also find in the US but I have to make a few exceptions and this is one to keep an eye out for. It\'s the house wine of my new favorite restaurant in Madrid, Laredo, and it offers intense black fruit, minerality and length but also loads of charm and freshness. Very easy to drink and at 14 euros a bottle it\'s a steal! Can\'t find it yet stateside but here\'s hoping.....','publish','open','open','','spanish-red-wine-review-etnic-negre-2008','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/','2013-05-03 22:46:58','2013-05-04 02:46:58','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=951',0,'post','',0),(952,1,'2013-01-25 00:50:58','2013-01-25 00:50:58','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1359071320796.348\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-24-2013-1748.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"209\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I rated the <a title=\"Louro do Bolo Godello 2007: Great Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2009/04/24/wine-rating-louro-do-bolo-2007/\" target=\"_blank\">2007 vintage</a> of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the hand of Rafael Palacios, a member of a very important Spanish wine dynasty. He has broken from the family mold and gone his own way in the northwestern Galician area of Valdeorras, focusing entirely on Godello and seeking to make a truly great Spanish white. When you meet him, and taste his wines with him, he really transmits such a passion and enthusiasm for the region, his vineyards and the grape variety.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo\'s big sister As Sortes has set the benchmark in fine Godello since it first came out in 2004. Many still consider it to be Spain\'s best white wine. In some vintages the As Sortes can be so mineral it\'s like sucking on stones! Only with time in bottle, decanting can the depth and complexity come out.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As Sortes is quite a special wine but is priced for a special occasion at 30 euros in Spain and 40 dollars on up here in the US. A splurge, but well worth it!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Louro do Bolo, on the other hand, offers glimpses into greatness, but in a much more approachable and friendly package! It is made from grapes from slightly less older vines than the As Sortes and is fermented and aged in large-format foudres, giving only a subtle oak complexity.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is steely enough to go with seafood, yet has some roundness, smoke, complexity that makes it easy to go with so much more! Try it with some mussels in a robust sauce...it\'s one of my favorites with big cheeses. It\'s a lot of wine for the price and can be found in Spain for 12 euros and in the US from about 16 dollars on up...what a steal!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Wine Review: Louro do Bolo 2011','I rated the 2007 vintage of this Spanish wine in 2009, and almost 4 years later, this wine remains one of my favorite whites. Godello, the top notch grape behind this delicious wine, has come a long way, but is still under-appreciated in both Spain and abroad. I keep expecting it to take off...more people are talking about it as Pain\'s next great white grape.... but it\'s still on the runway! This wine shows both the complex and friendly sides of Godello: round, lemon, slightly tropical fruit, but with great acidity and just enough oak smoke for some complexity. Amazingly the price remains the same as in 2009!','inherit','open','open','','942-revision-4','','','2013-01-25 00:50:58','2013-01-25 00:50:58','',942,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/25/942-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(953,1,'2013-01-31 05:32:47','2013-01-31 05:32:47','','Etnic 2008 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','etnic-2008-thumbnail','','','2013-01-31 05:32:47','2013-01-31 05:32:47','',951,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Etnic-2008-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(954,1,'2013-01-31 05:37:30','2013-01-31 05:37:30','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1359586467891.6829\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"267\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a great value Spanish red wine from the Montsant area of Catalonia. Montsant offers similar wines to neighboring Priorat, which has become known for it\'s bold, intense reds, at a much lower price point. Prefer to review wines I can also find in the US but I have to make a few exceptions and this is one to keep an eye out for. It\'s the house wine of my new favorite restaurant in Madrid, <a title=\"Wine lovers guide to Madrid\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\">Laredo</a>, and it offers intense black fruit, minerality and length but also loads of charm and freshness. Very easy to drink and at 14 euros a bottle it\'s a steal! Can\'t find it yet stateside but here\'s hoping.....</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The wine is produced by Cellers Masroig and is made from old-vine Carignan (Cariñena) and Grenache (Garnacha). It\'s aged for 15 months in French oak barrels followed by another 12 months minimum bottle aging. Though it has 14.5% alcohol, it has great balance and good freshness and shows wears it very well.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery is actually a historic cooperative founded in 1917 and makes several lines, including boxed wine. They also make olive oil. They are all great value!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Étnic Negre 2008 is pretty approachable and easy to drink at this price point...it hints at what the slate soils and the most intense terroirs of Montsant can give you. It has some black olive, some herbal and mineral notes along with it sweet black fruit that gives a little complexity. Round, big mouth, long finish with big, soft tannins. Just enough acidity to balance it all out. Very attractive package.</p>\n&nbsp;','Spanish Red Wine Review: Étnic Negre 2008','This is a great value Spanish red wine from the Montsant area of Catalonia. Montsant offers similar wines to neighboring Priorat, which has become known for it\'s bold, intense reds, at a much lower price point. Prefer to review wines I can also find in the US but I have to make a few exceptions and this is one to keep an eye out for. It\'s the house wine of my new favorite restaurant in Madrid, Laredo, and it offers intense black fruit, minerality and length but also loads of charm and freshness. Very easy to drink and at 14 euros a bottle it\'s a steal! Can\'t find it yet stateside but here\'s hoping.....','inherit','open','open','','951-autosave','','','2013-01-31 05:37:30','2013-01-31 05:37:30','',951,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/31/951-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(955,1,'2013-01-30 22:54:24','2013-01-30 22:54:24','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wpid-Photo-Jan-30-2013-1748.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1359586467891.6829\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"250\" height=\"267\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a great value Spanish red wine from the Montsant area of Catalonia.  Montsant offers similar wines to neighboring Priorat, which has become known for it&#39;s bold, intense reds, at a much lower price point.  Prefer to review wines I can also find in the US but I have to make a few exceptions and this is one to keep an eye out for.  It&#39;s the house wine of my new favorite restaurant in Madrid, <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Wine lovers guide to Madrid\">Laredo</a>, and it offers intense black fruit, minerality and length but also loads of charm and freshness.  Very easy to drink and at 14 euros a bottle it&#39;s a steal!  Can&#39;t find it yet stateside but here&#39;s hoping.....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> The wine is produced by Cellers Masroig and is made from old-vine Carignan (Cariñena) and Grenache (Garnacha).  It&#39;s aged for 15 months in French oak barrels followed by another 12 months minimum bottle aging.  Though it has 14.5% alcohol, it has great balance and good freshness and shows wears it very well.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery is actually a historic cooperative founded in 1917 and makes several lines, including boxed wine.  They also make olive oil.  They are all great value!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Étnic Negre 2008 is pretty approachable and easy to drink at this price point...it hints at what the slate soils and the most intense terroirs of Montsant can give you.  It has some black olive, some herbal and mineral notes along with it sweet black fruit that gives a little complexity. Round, big mouth, long finish with big, soft tannins. Just enough acidity to balance it all out.  Very attractive package.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Red Wine Review: Étnic Negre 2008','This is a great value Spanish red wine from the Montsant area of Catalonia. Montsant offers similar wines to neighboring Priorat, which has become known for it\'s bold, intense reds, at a much lower price point. Prefer to review wines I can also find in the US but I have to make a few exceptions and this is one to keep an eye out for. It\'s the house wine of my new favorite restaurant in Madrid, Laredo, and it offers intense black fruit, minerality and length but also loads of charm and freshness. Very easy to drink and at 14 euros a bottle it\'s a steal! Can\'t find it yet stateside but here\'s hoping.....','inherit','open','open','','951-revision','','','2013-01-30 22:54:24','2013-01-30 22:54:24','',951,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/951-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(957,1,'2013-01-16 19:12:20','2013-01-16 19:12:20','<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">¡Winekeeper: Hágase con el sistema domestico de conservación de vino mas completo!</h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">La mejor manera de conservar los vinos y servirlos por copas para el sibarita domestico. El regalo perfecto para los amantes del buen vino.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Planeta Vino es el importador exclusivo para España de los productos de Winekeeper.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Los productos de Winekeeper le permiten conservar sus vinos sin perder sus cualidades durante un mínimo de tres semanas.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Existen tres modelos diferentes que se adaptan a las diferentes necesidades de su día a día.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Para mantener su vino refrigerado, use el sistema de desconexión rápida para poder desconectar la botella del sistema principal y así guardarla en una cava refrigerada. La presión del nitrógeno se mantiene perfectamente. Para volver a servirse una copa, simplemente conecte de nuevo la botella al sistema principal.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Llame al 91 310 2855 para mas información.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Vintner</h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.jpg\"><img alt=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></a>El primero, nuestro modelo mas clásico, The Vintner, que permite preservar y servir tres botellas al mismo tiempo.  Ideal para uso domestico.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Sencillo de usar.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño clásico en madera de roble.</li>\r\n	<li>Cilindro de nitrógeno y reductor ocultos en su interior.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar las botellas del sistema para mantenerlas refrigeradas.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75 l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples botellas.</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 325,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Noir</h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Winekeeper Noir\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.jpg\"><img alt=\"Winekeeper Noir\" src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></a>Nuestro siguiente modelo, The Noir, tiene unas líneas mas modernas y puede también preservar y servir tres botellas al mismo tiempo.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Simple to use.</li>\r\n	<li>Ideal para uso domestico.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño moderno, minimalista.</li>\r\n	<li>Cilindro de nitrógeno y reductor ocultos en su interior.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar las botellas del sistema para mantenerlas refrigeradas.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75 l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 340,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Keeper</h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">El modelo básico, The Keeper, es una versión mas económica que da servicio a una botella cada vez.\r\nIdeal para uso domestico.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li><a title=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.jpg\"><img alt=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" align=\"right\" /></a>Sencillo de usar.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño clásico en madera de roble.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar la botella del sistema para mantenerla refrigerada.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples botellas.</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 99,00 €</li>\r\n	<li>Opcional: Conector múltiple, precio 30,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Accesorios Winekeeper</h3>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Winekeeper faucet\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/faucet1.jpg\"><img alt=\"Winekeeper faucet\" src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/faucet1.thumbnail.jpg\" /></a>           <a title=\"Winekeeper canisters\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters1.jpg\"><img alt=\"Winekeeper canisters\" src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters1.thumbnail.jpg\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">También podemos proveerle de los cilindros de nitrógeno adicionales que eventualmente necesitara para su sistema.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Precio de la bombona: 19,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">También podemos proporcionarle mas grifos sueltos para preservar varias botellas usando solamente una bombona de nitrógeno gracias al sistema de conexión-desconexión rápida.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grifo: Precio 42,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>','en Español','','inherit','open','open','','323-revision-9','','','2013-01-16 19:12:20','2013-01-16 19:12:20','',323,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/323-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(958,1,'2013-02-14 21:13:50','2013-02-14 21:13:50','','wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-feb-14-2013-1507-jpg','','','2013-02-14 21:13:50','2013-02-14 21:13:50','',959,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(959,1,'2013-02-14 21:13:55','2013-02-15 01:13:55','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1360876435717.2993\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"261\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Spanish red wine is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain. The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir. Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context. The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff. Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The label is an old pic of mine but the 2011 has the same label. It\'s a typical Priorat blend of Cariñena, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, and has 8 months of aging in barrels and larger format oak. It\'s a lighter wine by Priorat standards, but still full-bodied. Attractive, simple black fruit is supported by a touch of spice and a nice freshness that gives it surprising freshness in an entry-level wine. Like all the wines of the region, it has a very long finish.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alvaro is most famous for the amazing l\'Ermita, for Finca Dofi, and now for his fantastic wines from the Mencía grape in the Bierzo region. He has sought out some of the most interesting terroir in Spain and consistently produces some of its top wines. It\'s nice that he also produce some wines for the little man. The equivalent entry level wine in the Bierzo line is the Pétalos de Bierzos, which has had huge critical acclaim at a small price point. I like it, but it has never been my favorite entry-level Mencía. I do recommend to give it a try though as many are crazy about it!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);\">I always say I would happily drink Priorat every day but my budget rarely covers the 60€ I need for my habit. I love these wines! they have so much personality! I\'m always on the look out for great values in the area. The Camins was one of my \"everyday\" wines while I lived in Spain and I\'m happy to see it readily available at a good price here in the US. </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Red Wine Review: Camins del Priorat 2011','Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Spanish red wine is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain. The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir. Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context. The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff. Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....','publish','open','open','','spanish-red-wine-review-camins-del-priorat-2011','','','2013-05-03 22:46:15','2013-05-04 02:46:15','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=959',0,'post','',2),(960,1,'2013-02-14 21:13:52','2013-02-14 21:13:52','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1360876435717.2993\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" height=\"261\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Camins is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain.  The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir.  Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context.  The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff.  Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The label is an old pic of mine but the 2011 has the same label.  It&#39;s a typical Priorat blend of Cariñena, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, and has 8 months of aging in barrels and larger format oak. It&#39;s a lighter wine by Priorat standards, but still full-bodied.  Attractive, simple black fruit is supported by a touch of spice and a nice freshness that gives it surprising freshness in an entry-level wine.  Like all the wines of the region, it has a very long finish.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alvaro is most famous for the amazing l&#39;Ermita, for Finca Dofi, and now for his fantastic wines from the Mencía grape in the Bierzo region.  He has sought out some of the most interesting terroir in Spain and consistently produces some of its top wines.  It&#39;s nice that he also produce some wines for the little man.  The equivalent entry level wine  in the Bierzo line is the Pétalos de Bierzos, which has had huge critical acclaim at a small price point.  I like it, but it has never been my favorite entry-level Mencía.  I do recommend to give it a try though as many are crazy about it!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); \">I always say I would happily drink Priorat every day but my budget rarely covers the 60€ I need for my habit. I love these wines!  they have so much personality!  I&#39;m always on the look out for great values in the area.  The Camins was one of my \"everyday\" wines while I lived in Spain and I&#39;m happy to see it readily available at a good price here in the US. </span><br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Red Wine Review: Camins del Priorat 2011','Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Camins is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain. The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir. Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context. The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff. Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....','inherit','open','open','','959-revision','','','2013-02-14 21:13:52','2013-02-14 21:13:52','',959,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/959-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(961,1,'2013-02-18 20:07:11','2013-02-18 20:07:11','','Camins del Priorat thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','camins-del-priorat-thumbnail','','','2013-02-18 20:07:11','2013-02-18 20:07:11','',959,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Camins-del-Priorat-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(962,1,'2013-02-18 20:10:25','2013-02-18 20:10:25','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1360876435717.2993\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"261\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Spanish red wine is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain. The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir. Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context. The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff. Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The label is an old pic of mine but the 2011 has the same label. It\'s a typical Priorat blend of Cariñena, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, and has 8 months of aging in barrels and larger format oak. It\'s a lighter wine by Priorat standards, but still full-bodied. Attractive, simple black fruit is supported by a touch of spice and a nice freshness that gives it surprising freshness in an entry-level wine. Like all the wines of the region, it has a very long finish.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alvaro is most famous for the amazing l\'Ermita, for Finca Dofi, and now for his fantastic wines from the Mencía grape in the Bierzo region. He has sought out some of the most interesting terroir in Spain and consistently produces some of its top wines. It\'s nice that he also produce some wines for the little man. The equivalent entry level wine in the Bierzo line is the Pétalos de Bierzos, which has had huge critical acclaim at a small price point. I like it, but it has never been my favorite entry-level Mencía. I do recommend to give it a try though as many are crazy about it!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);\">I always say I would happily drink Priorat every day but my budget rarely covers the 60€ I need for my habit. I love these wines! they have so much personality! I\'m always on the look out for great values in the area. The Camins was one of my \"everyday\" wines while I lived in Spain and I\'m happy to see it readily available at a good price here in the US. </span></p>\n&nbsp;','Spanish Red Wine Review: Camins del Priorat 2011','Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Spanish red wine is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain. The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir. Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context. The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff. Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....','inherit','open','open','','959-autosave','','','2013-02-18 20:10:25','2013-02-18 20:10:25','',959,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/959-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(963,1,'2013-02-14 21:15:13','2013-02-14 21:15:13','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-14-2013-1507.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1360876435717.2993\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" height=\"261\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Spanish red wine is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain.  The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir.  Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context.  The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff.  Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The label is an old pic of mine but the 2011 has the same label.  It&#39;s a typical Priorat blend of Cariñena, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, and has 8 months of aging in barrels and larger format oak. It&#39;s a lighter wine by Priorat standards, but still full-bodied.  Attractive, simple black fruit is supported by a touch of spice and a nice freshness that gives it surprising freshness in an entry-level wine.  Like all the wines of the region, it has a very long finish.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alvaro is most famous for the amazing l&#39;Ermita, for Finca Dofi, and now for his fantastic wines from the Mencía grape in the Bierzo region.  He has sought out some of the most interesting terroir in Spain and consistently produces some of its top wines.  It&#39;s nice that he also produce some wines for the little man.  The equivalent entry level wine  in the Bierzo line is the Pétalos de Bierzos, which has had huge critical acclaim at a small price point.  I like it, but it has never been my favorite entry-level Mencía.  I do recommend to give it a try though as many are crazy about it!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); \">I always say I would happily drink Priorat every day but my budget rarely covers the 60€ I need for my habit. I love these wines!  they have so much personality!  I&#39;m always on the look out for great values in the area.  The Camins was one of my \"everyday\" wines while I lived in Spain and I&#39;m happy to see it readily available at a good price here in the US. </span><br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Red Wine Review: Camins del Priorat 2011','Great intro to pricy Priorat at the hands of the master Alvaro Palacios, this Spanish red wine is easy to drink and easy on the wallet at about 18$ in the US and 15€ in Spain. The Priorat region offers wines full of character, with an intensity, boldness and a savory minerality that reflects the unique terroir. Unfortunately all this comes at a very premium price, especially in a good-value Spanish context. The upside of crisis times is that many top wineries have come out with cheaper wines that can give you some glimpses into this amazing stuff. Also check out neighboring Montsant for some great values....','inherit','open','open','','959-revision-2','','','2013-02-14 21:15:13','2013-02-14 21:15:13','',959,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/959-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(964,1,'2012-12-21 17:40:14','2012-12-21 17:40:14','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8273797370\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1355957838419.2346\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8062/8273797370_9bd969b077_b.jpg\" width=\"203\" height=\"290\" /></a></div>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">This is a much needed update to my 2010 post on good wine places in Madrid. Madrid is still a challenging wine place....getting better, but challenging. Great tapas and easy-drinking quaffable wines to wash them down abound, but if you are visiting and really want to explore some of the better wines it\'s still not easy. For wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend....the top two being Casa Lucas and the Mercado de San Miguel.</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><!--more--></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">1. Casa Lucas at Cava Baja 30, near Plaza Mayor. My favorite wine bar in Madrid. Not only because the wine selection by the glass is excellent and the tapas outstanding, but especially because the service and the welcome is unfailingly warm and inviting. These guys are awesome! My favorite tapas are the Cariñena tosta, the Arroz cremoso, the carpaccio de pulpo and canelonis de curry….really unique and delicious food…but really anything on the menu is amazing. I tend to order wine by the bottle and they always have new and great recommendations…but by the glass is great too. Go early, they open at 8PM, to get a seat if want to order food. (Make sure you don’t confuse them with the famous Casa Lucio across the street…very pricey…definitely not my favorite!) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">2. Taberneros at Calle Santiago 9, near Plaza Mayor: Excellent wines and excellent tapas in a gorgeous setting, though the service is never what it is in Casa Lucas. It has remained one of my favorites over the years…love the cecina, the scallops, the potatoes and eggs with truffles and many more. Great selection of dessert wines by the glass…very hard to come by in Madrid. One of my favorite Spanish dessert wines by the glass, a botrytis Chardonnay, Caligo, is usually available by the glass here.</span>\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1355957838392.0544\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" width=\"383\" height=\"286\" /></span></a></div>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">3. Mercado de San Miguel, also right by Plaza Mayor: Really beautiful renovation of a historic market into a market/tapas place and one of the most popular places in Madrid! One of my long time favorites. It is not perfect, can be overcrowded, and sometimes it can be closed for private events, but Pinkleton, the wine bar in the Mercado has some of the best wines in Madrid. I love to go there with my friends…we usually order by the bottle, but the by-the-glass selection is excellent. These guys know their stuff and can recommend a great bottle of wine for a good price…almost always have an English-speaking staff member. We rarely spend more than 20€ for a great bottle. If you like the bottle you can even buy one at a reduced price to go. Grab a table and go around the market and get a few tapas to go with your wine. The cheese stand is outstanding as is the olive stand. My personal favorites are the Sorlut oysters at the oyster stand and the cheese stand....but there is so much more. Lots of choices at different price ranges. Open till very late. Love it...a really great concept!</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">4. El Corte Ingles Gastronomic Space: El Corte Ingles will be on your radar if you are at all interested in shopping while you are in Madrid, but even if not, stop by for some great food and wine. There are various of these now...the original one I recommended is in El Corte Ingles Goya but there is a much bigger one in El Corte Ingles Castellana. The newest and most convenient to many visitors to Madrid would be in El Corte Ingles Callao, right by Sol in the center. These gourmet areas combine tapas with restaurants for a total Spanish gastronomic experience. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Great selection of wines and gourmet food to sample and you can buy it all to go! The selection avries depending on the store, but there is the oyster and champagne bar, the gourmet hamburger stand, the cheese and jamon vendor....also some decent wines and beers to sample. They even have a corkage concept…you can get a bottle from the wine section and for 3 euros over retail price they will open it for you to enjoy with your tapas. Open 7 days a week…only limitation is that it closes at 10PM or 11PM depending on the day....and it is in a department store! Not too crowded...which you will appreciate after the Mercado de San Miguel! You can do your shopping and then sample great wine afterwards!</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">5. A new favorite is the Cheese Bar from the folks at Poncelet, one of my favorite cheese stores. Beautiful space, amazing selection of artisanal cheese and wines. Not super cheap but worth every penny. Spectacular! Also a bit off the beaten tourist track up on Calle Abascal, 61. Check my detailed <a title=\"Poncelet Cheese Bar Madrid\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/10/14/cheese-heaven-in-madrid/\" target=\"_blank\">review</a>.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">5. Laredo and Taberna Arzàbal: These are off the beaten track a little on the east side of Retiro Park, near Ibiza or Goya metros. Great restaurants, but also great places to stop for nice wines by the glass and fantastic tapas. See my separate review of <a title=\"Taberna Arzábal Madrid\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/04/taberna-arzabal-in-madrid-butter-and-truffle-potatoes/\" target=\"_blank\">Arzàbal</a> or check Laredo\'s <a title=\"Taberna Laredo Madrid\" href=\"http://www.tabernalaredo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a>. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">6. Cava Baja: the best wine street in Madrid. There are lots of great tapas areas but this street has the largest concentration of bars with good wine selections by the glass. El Tempranillo, Orixe, and of course, Casa Lucas, are some good ones, but there are lots! Very centrally located right by Plaza Mayor. The streets around also have some great places. The places are open for lunch, closing around 5ish and then reopen at 8 or 830. </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Wine Lovers Madrid 2012','This is a much needed update to my 2010 post on good wine places in Madrid. Madrid is still a challenging wine place....getting better, but challenging. Great tapas and easy-drinking quaffable wines to wash them down abound, but if you are visiting and really want to explore some of the better wines it\'s still not easy. For wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend....the top two being Casa Lucas and the Mercado de San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','819-revision-19','','','2012-12-21 17:40:14','2012-12-21 17:40:14','',819,'http://planetavino.net/2012/12/21/819-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(965,1,'2013-02-18 22:11:23','2013-02-18 22:11:23','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8273797370\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1355957838419.2346\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8062/8273797370_9bd969b077_b.jpg\" width=\"203\" height=\"290\" /></a></div>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">This is a much-needed update to my 2010 post on good wine bars in Madrid. Madrid is still a challenging wine place....getting better, but challenging. Great tapas and easy-drinking quaffable wines to wash them down abound, but if you are visiting and really want to explore some of the better wines it\'s still not easy. For wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital wine places</span> I would recommend....the top two being Casa Lucas and the Mercado de San Miguel.</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><!--more--></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">1. Casa Lucas at Cava Baja 30, near Plaza Mayor. My favorite wine bar in Madrid. Not only because the wine selection by the glass is excellent and the tapas outstanding, but especially because the service and the welcome is unfailingly warm and inviting. These guys are awesome! My favorite tapas are the Cariñena tosta, the Arroz cremoso, the carpaccio de pulpo and canelonis de curry….really unique and delicious food…but really anything on the menu is amazing. I tend to order wine by the bottle and they always have new and great recommendations…but by the glass is great too. Go early, they open at 8PM, to get a seat if want to order food. (Make sure you don’t confuse them with the famous Casa Lucio across the street…very pricey…definitely not my favorite!) </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">2. Taberneros at Calle Santiago 9, near Plaza Mayor: Excellent wines and excellent tapas in a gorgeous setting, though the service is never what it is in Casa Lucas. It has remained one of my favorites over the years…love the cecina, the scallops, the potatoes and eggs with truffles and many more. Great selection of dessert wines by the glass…very hard to come by in Madrid. One of my favorite Spanish dessert wines by the glass, a botrytis Chardonnay, Caligo, is usually available by the glass here.</span>\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1355957838392.0544\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/wpid-Photo-Nov-2-2012-1638.jpg\" width=\"383\" height=\"286\" /></span></a></div>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">3. Mercado de San Miguel, also right by Plaza Mayor: Really beautiful renovation of a historic market into a market/tapas place and one of the most popular places in Madrid! One of my long time favorites. It is not perfect, can be overcrowded, and sometimes it can be closed for private events, but Pinkleton, the wine bar in the Mercado has some of the best wines in Madrid. I love to go there with my friends…we usually order by the bottle, but the by-the-glass selection is excellent. These guys know their stuff and can recommend a great bottle of wine for a good price…almost always have an English-speaking staff member. We rarely spend more than 20€ for a great bottle. If you like the bottle you can even buy one at a reduced price to go. Grab a table and go around the market and get a few tapas to go with your wine. The cheese stand is outstanding as is the olive stand. My personal favorites are the Sorlut oysters at the oyster stand and the cheese stand....but there is so much more. Lots of choices at different price ranges. Open till very late. Love it...a really great concept!</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">4. El Corte Ingles Gastronomic Space: El Corte Ingles will be on your radar if you are at all interested in shopping while you are in Madrid, but even if not, stop by for some great food and wine. There are various of these now...the original one I recommended is in El Corte Ingles Goya but there is a much bigger one in El Corte Ingles Castellana. The newest and most convenient to many visitors to Madrid would be in El Corte Ingles Callao, right by Sol in the center. These gourmet areas combine tapas with restaurants for a total Spanish gastronomic experience. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">Great selection of wines and gourmet food to sample and you can buy it all to go! The selection avries depending on the store, but there is the oyster and champagne bar, the gourmet hamburger stand, the cheese and jamon vendor....also some decent wines and beers to sample. They even have a corkage concept…you can get a bottle from the wine section and for 3 euros over retail price they will open it for you to enjoy with your tapas. Open 7 days a week…only limitation is that it closes at 10PM or 11PM depending on the day....and it is in a department store! Not too crowded...which you will appreciate after the Mercado de San Miguel! You can do your shopping and then sample great wine afterwards!</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">5. A new favorite is the Cheese Bar from the folks at Poncelet, one of my favorite cheese stores. Beautiful space, amazing selection of artisanal cheese and wines. Not super cheap but worth every penny. Spectacular! Also a bit off the beaten tourist track up on Calle Abascal, 61. Check my detailed <a title=\"Poncelet Cheese Bar Madrid\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/10/14/cheese-heaven-in-madrid/\" target=\"_blank\">review</a>.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">5. Laredo and Taberna Arzàbal: These are off the beaten track a little on the east side of Retiro Park, near Ibiza or Goya metros. Great restaurants, but also great places to stop for nice wines by the glass and fantastic tapas. See my separate review of <a title=\"Taberna Arzábal Madrid\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/04/taberna-arzabal-in-madrid-butter-and-truffle-potatoes/\" target=\"_blank\">Arzàbal</a> or check Laredo\'s <a title=\"Taberna Laredo Madrid\" href=\"http://www.tabernalaredo.com/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a>. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\">6. Cava Baja: the best wine street in Madrid. There are lots of great tapas areas but this street has the largest concentration of bars with good wine selections by the glass. El Tempranillo, Orixe, and of course, Casa Lucas, are some good ones, but there are lots! Very centrally located right by Plaza Mayor. The streets around also have some great places. The places are open for lunch, closing around 5ish and then reopen at 8 or 830. </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Wine Lovers Madrid 2012','This is a much needed update to my 2010 post on good wine places in Madrid. Madrid is still a challenging wine place....getting better, but challenging. Great tapas and easy-drinking quaffable wines to wash them down abound, but if you are visiting and really want to explore some of the better wines it\'s still not easy. For wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend....the top two being Casa Lucas and the Mercado de San Miguel.','inherit','open','open','','819-revision-20','','','2013-02-18 22:11:23','2013-02-18 22:11:23','',819,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/819-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(966,1,'2013-02-18 22:58:47','2013-02-18 22:58:47','','wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-feb-18-2013-1756-jpg','','','2013-02-18 22:58:47','2013-02-18 22:58:47','',967,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(967,1,'2013-02-18 22:58:53','2013-02-19 02:58:53','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1362010979968.4792\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region.  Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices.  The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance.  The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;The Eguren family is more famous for its Rioja wines with such icons as La Nieta, El Bosque and San Vicente, but it&#39;s range of Toro wines have been getting lots of attention lately.  There a four wines.  the baby is Romanico and is a lovely simple wine showcasing that exuberant Toro fruit with just 6 months in French oak for a touch of complexity.  It&#39;s amazing value at 9€ or 15$ in the US.  Next on is the Almirez...read on below for more detail.  Then there is a big step up to the spectacular Victorino...one of my favorite Toro wines.  It&#39;s a bit pricy at 35€ or about 50$ but it is a big, bold, intense beauty!  Despite how big it is...it is not tiring to drink, but slides down so easily.  I served it a ton at my tastings and never found anyone who didn&#39;t love it.   Last up is the Alasbaster, which is priced at a mind-numbing 130€ in Spain.  I just tasted the 2010 in November.  Bold, big, intense, big tannins too...but I&#39;ll take Victorino any day for the price vs complexity difference.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Almirez for me is the best value of the bunch in terms of its quality and price relationship.  It has great Toto fruit...intense, spicy black fruit, a bit sweet, but with fresh acidity. Full-bodied, big, but not tiring....smooth long finish. It&#39;s 100% Tinta de Toro, the local name for Tempranillo, and has a very some very pleasant and moderate oak notes from its 12 months in French oak barrels.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Toro wines are great with the local cuisine of the area, which includes a lot of stews and game meats, and would work with any meats or more robust preparations.   But this wine has such delicious, exuberant fruit that it is also a great wine to sip on its own after a hard day&#39;s work!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Almirez 2010','This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.','publish','open','open','','spanish-wine-review-almirez-2010','','','2013-05-03 22:45:49','2013-05-04 02:45:49','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=967',0,'post','',0),(968,1,'2013-02-18 22:58:49','2013-02-18 22:58:49','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361228333745.216\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p>This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region.  Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices.  The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance.  The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.</p>\n\n<p>The Eguren family is more famous for its Rioja wines with such icons as La Nieta, El Bosque and San Vicente, but it&#39;s range of Toro wines have been getting lots of attention lately.  There a four wines.  the baby is Romanico and is a lovely simple wine showcasing that exuberant Toro fruit with just 6 months in French oak for a touch of complexity.  It&#39;s amazing value at 9€ or 15$ in the US.  Next on is the Almirez...read on below for more detail.  Then there is a big step up to the spectacular Victorino...one of my favorite Toro wines.  It&#39;s a bit pricy at 35€ or about 50$ but it is a big, bold, intense beauty!  Despite how big it is...it is not tiring to drink, but slides down so easily.  I served it a ton at my tastings and never found anyone who didn&#39;t love it.   Last up is the Alasbaster, which is priced at a mind-numbing 130€ in Spain.  I just tasted the 2010 in November.  Bold, big, intense, big tannins too...but I&#39;ll take Victorino any day for the price vs complexity difference.  </p>\n\n<p>The Almirez for me is the best value of the bunch in terms of its quality and price relationship.  It has great Toto fruit...intense, spicy black fruit, a bit sweet, but with fresh acidity.  I&#39;ll bodied, big, but not tiring....smooth long finish.  Just enough oak with its</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Almirez 2010','This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers','inherit','open','open','','967-revision','','','2013-02-18 22:58:49','2013-02-18 22:58:49','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/967-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(969,1,'2013-02-18 23:01:37','2013-02-18 23:01:37','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361228410181.307\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p>This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region.  Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices.  The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance.  The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.</p>\n\n<!--more-->&gt;\n\n<p>The Eguren family is more famous for its Rioja wines with such icons as La Nieta, El Bosque and San Vicente, but it&#39;s range of Toro wines have been getting lots of attention lately.  There a four wines.  the baby is Romanico and is a lovely simple wine showcasing that exuberant Toro fruit with just 6 months in French oak for a touch of complexity.  It&#39;s amazing value at 9€ or 15$ in the US.  Next on is the Almirez...read on below for more detail.  Then there is a big step up to the spectacular Victorino...one of my favorite Toro wines.  It&#39;s a bit pricy at 35€ or about 50$ but it is a big, bold, intense beauty!  Despite how big it is...it is not tiring to drink, but slides down so easily.  I served it a ton at my tastings and never found anyone who didn&#39;t love it.   Last up is the Alasbaster, which is priced at a mind-numbing 130€ in Spain.  I just tasted the 2010 in November.  Bold, big, intense, big tannins too...but I&#39;ll take Victorino any day for the price vs complexity difference.  </p>\n\n<p>The Almirez for me is the best value of the bunch in terms of its quality and price relationship.  It has great Toto fruit...intense, spicy black fruit, a bit sweet, but with fresh acidity.  I&#39;ll bodied, big, but not tiring....smooth long finish.  Just enough oak with its</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Almirez 2010','This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers','inherit','open','open','','967-revision-2','','','2013-02-18 23:01:37','2013-02-18 23:01:37','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/967-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(970,1,'2013-02-18 23:02:04','2013-02-18 23:02:04','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361228410181.307\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" alt=\"\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region.  Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices.  The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance.  The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><!--more--></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;The Eguren family is more famous for its Rioja wines with such icons as La Nieta, El Bosque and San Vicente, but it&#39;s range of Toro wines have been getting lots of attention lately.  There a four wines.  the baby is Romanico and is a lovely simple wine showcasing that exuberant Toro fruit with just 6 months in French oak for a touch of complexity.  It&#39;s amazing value at 9€ or 15$ in the US.  Next on is the Almirez...read on below for more detail.  Then there is a big step up to the spectacular Victorino...one of my favorite Toro wines.  It&#39;s a bit pricy at 35€ or about 50$ but it is a big, bold, intense beauty!  Despite how big it is...it is not tiring to drink, but slides down so easily.  I served it a ton at my tastings and never found anyone who didn&#39;t love it.   Last up is the Alasbaster, which is priced at a mind-numbing 130€ in Spain.  I just tasted the 2010 in November.  Bold, big, intense, big tannins too...but I&#39;ll take Victorino any day for the price vs complexity difference.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Almirez for me is the best value of the bunch in terms of its quality and price relationship.  It has great Toto fruit...intense, spicy black fruit, a bit sweet, but with fresh acidity.  I&#39;ll bodied, big, but not tiring....smooth long finish.  Just enough oak with its</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Almirez 2010','This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers','inherit','open','open','','967-revision-3','','','2013-02-18 23:02:04','2013-02-18 23:02:04','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/967-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(973,1,'2013-02-28 00:23:15','2013-02-28 00:23:15','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1361228590905.676\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Eguren family is more famous for its Rioja wines with such icons as La Nieta, El Bosque and San Vicente, but it\'s range of Toro wines have been getting lots of attention lately. There a four wines. the baby is Romanico and is a lovely simple wine showcasing that exuberant Toro fruit with just 6 months in French oak for a touch of complexity. It\'s amazing value at 9€ or 15$ in the US. Next on is the Almirez...read on below for more detail. Then there is a big step up to the spectacular Victorino...one of my favorite Toro wines. It\'s a bit pricy at 35€ or about 50$ but it is a big, bold, intense beauty! Despite how big it is...it is not tiring to drink, but slides down so easily. I served it a ton at my tastings and never found anyone who didn\'t love it. Last up is the Alasbaster, which is priced at a mind-numbing 130€ in Spain. I just tasted the 2010 in November. Bold, big, intense, big tannins too...but I\'ll take Victorino any day for the price vs complexity difference.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Almirez for me is the best value of the bunch in terms of its quality and price relationship. It has great Toto fruit...intense, spicy black fruit, a bit sweet, but with fresh acidity. Full-bodied, big, but not tiring....smooth long finish. It\'s 100% Tinta de Toro, the local name for Tempranillo, and has a very some very pleasant and moderate oak notes from its 12 months in French oak barrels.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Toro wines are great with the local cuisine of the area, which includes a lot of stews and game meats, and would work with any meats or more robust preparations. But this wine has such delicious, exuberant fruit that it is also a great wine to sip on its own after a hard day\'s work!</p>\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Almirez 2010','This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers','inherit','open','open','','967-autosave','','','2013-02-28 00:23:15','2013-02-28 00:23:15','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/967-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(974,1,'2013-02-18 23:10:07','2013-02-18 23:10:07','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361228590905.676\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region.  Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices.  The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance.  The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;The Eguren family is more famous for its Rioja wines with such icons as La Nieta, El Bosque and San Vicente, but it&#39;s range of Toro wines have been getting lots of attention lately.  There a four wines.  the baby is Romanico and is a lovely simple wine showcasing that exuberant Toro fruit with just 6 months in French oak for a touch of complexity.  It&#39;s amazing value at 9€ or 15$ in the US.  Next on is the Almirez...read on below for more detail.  Then there is a big step up to the spectacular Victorino...one of my favorite Toro wines.  It&#39;s a bit pricy at 35€ or about 50$ but it is a big, bold, intense beauty!  Despite how big it is...it is not tiring to drink, but slides down so easily.  I served it a ton at my tastings and never found anyone who didn&#39;t love it.   Last up is the Alasbaster, which is priced at a mind-numbing 130€ in Spain.  I just tasted the 2010 in November.  Bold, big, intense, big tannins too...but I&#39;ll take Victorino any day for the price vs complexity difference.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Almirez for me is the best value of the bunch in terms of its quality and price relationship.  It has great Toto fruit...intense, spicy black fruit, a bit sweet, but with fresh acidity. Full-bodied, big, but not tiring....smooth long finish. It&#39;s 100% Tinta de Toro, the local name for Tempranillo, and has a very some very pleasant and moderate oak notes from its 12 months in French oak barrels.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Toro wines are great with the local cuisine of the area, which includes a lot of stews and game meats, and would work with any meats or more robust preparations.   But this wine has such delicious, exuberant fruit that it is also a great wine to sip on its own after a hard day&#39;s work!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Almirez 2010','This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers','inherit','open','open','','967-revision-4','','','2013-02-18 23:10:07','2013-02-18 23:10:07','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/967-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(975,1,'2013-02-19 16:59:52','2013-02-19 16:59:52','See my <a title=\"Wine Lovers Madrid 2012\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2012/12/14/wine-lovers-madrid-2012/\">Dec 2012 update</a> to this post with my favorite wine spots and best wine bars in Madrid! I get a ton of requests for wine resources from visitors to Madrid.  We originally offered sign-up classes on Monday nights to address that need partially but unfortunately no longer do.   Madrid is still a town sadly lacking in tasting opportunities and that even has very few good wine bars. For wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend. 1.  The wine store Lavinia at Calle Ortega y Gasset 16.  It a modern, beautiful store, not inexpensive, but with a lovely restaurant and bar upstairs.  You can get a bottle in the store and drink it at store price upstairs.  Also there are autoservice Enomatic wine dispensers to try some really great Spanish wines.  You get a card at the register and charge it with some money and then you can help yourself to some tasting pours of some top wines…lots of fun and unique in Madrid! 2.  Casa Lucas at Cava Baja 30, near Plaza Mayor.  My favorite wine bar in Madrid.  Not only because the wine selection by the glass is excellent and the tapas outstanding, but especially because the service and the welcome is unfailingly warm and inviting.  These guys are awesome!  My favorite tapas are the Cariñena tosta, the Arroz cremoso, the carpaccio de pulpo and canelonis de curry….really unique and delciious food.  I tend to order wine by the bottle and they alwasy ahve new and great recommendations…but by the glass is great too.  Go early, they open at 8PM,  to get a seat if want to order food.  (Make sure you don’t confuse them with the famous Casa Lucio across the street…definetely not my favorite!) 3.  Taberneros at Calle Santiago 9, near Plaza Mayor:  Excellent wines and excellent tapas in a gorgeous setting, though the service is never what it is in Casa Lucas.  It has remained one of my favorites over the years…love the cecina, the scallops, the potatoes and eggs with truffles and many more.  Great selection of dessert wines by the glass…very hard to come by in Madrid. 4.  Mercado de San Miguel:  Newly added to my list.  It is not perfect and sometimes it can be closed for private events, but Pinkleton, the wine bar in the Mercado has some of the best wines in Madrid.  I love to go there with my friends…we usually order by the bottle, but the by-the-glass selection is excellent.  These guys know their stuff and can recommend a great bottle of wine for a good price.  Last time we didn’t spend more than 20€ a bottle.  If you like the bottle you can even buy one at a reduced price to go.  Grab a table and go around the market and get a few tapas to go with your wine.  The cheese stand is outstanding as is the olive stand.  My personal favorites are the Sorlut oysters at the oyster stand.  Lots of choices at different price ranges.  Love it…a great addition to central Madrid!','Wine lovers visiting Madrid: I feel your pain!','','inherit','open','open','','279-autosave','','','2013-02-19 16:59:52','2013-02-19 16:59:52','',279,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/19/279-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(976,1,'2012-10-12 02:52:03','2012-10-12 02:52:03','I get a ton of requests for wine resources from visitors to Madrid.  We originally offered sign-up classes on Monday nights to address that need partially but unfortunately no longer do.   Madrid is still a town sadly lacking in tasting opportunities and that even has very few good wine bars.\n\nFor wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend.\n\n1.  The wine store Lavinia at Calle Ortega y Gasset 16.  It a modern, beautiful store, not inexpensive, but with a lovely restaurant and bar upstairs.  You can get a bottle in the store and drink it at store price upstairs.  Also there are autoservice Enomatic wine dispensers to try some really great Spanish wines.  You get a card at the register and charge it with some money and then you can help yourself to some tasting pours of some top wines…lots of fun and unique in Madrid!\n\n2.  Casa Lucas at Cava Baja 30, near Plaza Mayor.  My favorite wine bar in Madrid.  Not only because the wine selection by the glass is excellent and the tapas outstanding, but especially because the service and the welcome is unfailingly warm and inviting.  These guys are awesome!  My favorite tapas are the Cariñena tosta, the Arroz cremoso, the carpaccio de pulpo and canelonis de curry….really unique and delciious food.  I tend to order wine by the bottle and they alwasy ahve new and great recommendations…but by the glass is great too.  Go early, they open at 8PM,  to get a seat if want to order food.  (Make sure you don’t confuse them with the famous Casa Lucio across the street…definetely not my favorite!)\n\n3.  Taberneros at Calle Santiago 9, near Plaza Mayor:  Excellent wines and excellent tapas in a gorgeous setting, though the service is never what it is in Casa Lucas.  It has remained one of my favorites over the years…love the cecina, the scallops, the potatoes and eggs with truffles and many more.  Great selection of dessert wines by the glass…very hard to come by in Madrid.\n\n4.  Mercado de San Miguel:  Newly added to my list.  It is not perfect and sometimes it can be closed for private events, but Pinkleton, the wine bar in the Mercado has some of the best wines in Madrid.  I love to go there with my friends…we usually order by the bottle, but the by-the-glass selection is excellent.  These guys know their stuff and can recommend a great bottle of wine for a good price.  Last time we didn’t spend more than 20€ a bottle.  If you like the bottle you can even buy one at a reduced price to go.  Grab a table and go around the market and get a few tapas to go with your wine.  The cheese stand is outstanding as is the olive stand.  My personal favorites are the Sorlut oysters at the oyster stand.  Lots of choices at different price ranges.  Love it…a great addition to central Madrid!','Wine lovers visiting Madrid: I feel your pain!','','inherit','open','open','','279-revision-4','','','2012-10-12 02:52:03','2012-10-12 02:52:03','',279,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/12/279-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(977,1,'2013-02-24 22:54:50','2013-02-24 22:54:50','','wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-feb-24-2013-1712-jpg','','','2013-02-24 22:54:50','2013-02-24 22:54:50','',979,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(978,1,'2013-02-24 22:54:52','2013-02-24 22:54:52','','wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-feb-24-2013-1711-jpg','','','2013-02-24 22:54:52','2013-02-24 22:54:52','',979,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(979,1,'2013-02-24 22:54:57','2013-02-24 22:54:57','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1361752965188.8347\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, <a title=\"Splendid Table Interview of Tom Mueller on olive oil\" href=\"http://www.splendidtable.org/story/what-extra-virgin-means-and-who-in-the-olive-oil-industry-abides\" target=\"_blank\">mentioned</a> it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Castillo de Canena website\" href=\"http://www.castillodecanena.com/indexEN.html\" target=\"_blank\">Castillo de Canena</a> is a small family operation based in Jaen, Andalucia, that has been growing steadily as it gets more recognition. The two basic oils are the Reserva Familiar series...one from the Picual olive, the other from the Arbequina cultivar. The Picual is one of the most common olive cultivars in Spain and can make some pretty ordinary stuff, but in the right hands, it makes a lovely oil, with herbal, almond and artichoke notes. The Arbequina olive is most famous in Catalonia, but here at Castillo de Canena, it offers a lovely pungent oil, with green apple, citric and tomato leaf notes.</span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These \"basic\" oils are spectacular and are great for salads, pastas, and as finishing oils...anywhere where the oil is the star. Keep heating to a minimum here. I go through buckets of this when I\'m back in Madrid, savoring every drop!</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1361752965211.3743\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"362\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Castillo de Canena has also been making a \"first day of harvest\" line for seven years, capturing with these special oils the essence of the new harvest. They choose a different celebrity every year to design the image of the product, though the bottle is usually red. This year the star is none other than Alejandro Sanz...his label artwork, an olive tree adorned with words, is a representation of all the work that goes into creating the liquid gold.</p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1921.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" id=\"blogsy-1361752965154.3298\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1921.jpg\" width=\"225\" height=\"287\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both a Picual and Arbequina bottling of this line are also made. These special bottles are about 18€ in Spain and 50$ here! Aaaaack!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most! Olive oil...I will never take you for granted again!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Olive Oil: Castillo de Canena','Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','publish','open','open','','spanish-olive-oil-castillo-de-canena','','','2013-02-25 02:30:51','2013-02-25 02:30:51','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=979',0,'post','',0),(980,1,'2013-02-24 22:54:53','2013-02-24 22:54:53','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361746497950.7498\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil.  Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting.  It&#39;s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites!  I&#39;m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price!  I haven&#39;t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain!  Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back....wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....</p>\n\n<!--more-->&gt;<span style=\"text-align: justify; \">Castillo de Canena is a small family operation based in Jaen, Andalucia, that has been growing steadily as it gets more recognition.  he two basic oils are the reservation familiar series...one from the Picual olive, the other from the Arbequina.  The Picual is one of the most common olive cultivars in Spain and can make some pretty ordinary stuff, but in the right hands, it makes a lovely oil, with herbal, almond and artichoke notes.  The Arbequina olive is most famous in Catalonia, but here it offers a lovely pungent oil, with citric and tomato leaf notes.</span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These \"basic\" oils are spectacular and are great for salads, pastas, and as finishing oils...anywhere where the oil is the star.  Keep heating to a minimum here please.  I go through buckets of this when I&#39;m back in Madrid, savoring every drop! </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361746497957.8013\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"150\" height=\"362\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Castillo de Canena also makes a \"first day of harvest\" line, capturing the essence every year of the new harvest.  They choose a different celebrity every year to design the image of the product, though the bottle is usually red.  This year the star is none other than Alejandro Sanz....here you can find his explanation of the artwork he created for the label (in Spanish.)  Both a Picual and Arbequina bottling of this line are made.   These special bottles are about 18€ in Spain and about 50$ here!  Aaaaack!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most!  Olive oil....I will never take you for granted again!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Untitled','Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back....wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-revision','','','2013-02-24 22:54:53','2013-02-24 22:54:53','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/24/979-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(981,1,'2013-02-24 22:56:00','2013-02-24 22:56:00','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361746497950.7498\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil.  Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting.  It&#39;s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites!  I&#39;m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price!  I haven&#39;t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain!  Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back....wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....</p>\n\n<!--more-->&gt;<span style=\"text-align: justify; \">Castillo de Canena is a small family operation based in Jaen, Andalucia, that has been growing steadily as it gets more recognition.  he two basic oils are the reservation familiar series...one from the Picual olive, the other from the Arbequina.  The Picual is one of the most common olive cultivars in Spain and can make some pretty ordinary stuff, but in the right hands, it makes a lovely oil, with herbal, almond and artichoke notes.  The Arbequina olive is most famous in Catalonia, but here it offers a lovely pungent oil, with citric and tomato leaf notes.</span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These \"basic\" oils are spectacular and are great for salads, pastas, and as finishing oils...anywhere where the oil is the star.  Keep heating to a minimum here please.  I go through buckets of this when I&#39;m back in Madrid, savoring every drop! </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361746497957.8013\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"150\" height=\"362\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Castillo de Canena also makes a \"first day of harvest\" line, capturing the essence every year of the new harvest.  They choose a different celebrity every year to design the image of the product, though the bottle is usually red.  This year the star is none other than Alejandro Sanz....here you can find his explanation of the artwork he created for the label (in Spanish.)  Both a Picual and Arbequina bottling of this line are made.   These special bottles are about 18€ in Spain and about 50$ here!  Aaaaack!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most!  Olive oil....I will never take you for granted again!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Olive Oil: Castillo de Canena','Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back....wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-revision-2','','','2013-02-24 22:56:00','2013-02-24 22:56:00','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/24/979-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(982,1,'2013-02-24 23:16:53','2013-02-24 23:16:53','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.4004\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil.  Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting.  It&#39;s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, <a href=\"http://www.splendidtable.org/story/what-extra-virgin-means-and-who-in-the-olive-oil-industry-abides\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Splendid Table Interview of Tom Mueller on olive oil\">mentioned</a> it as one of his favorites!  I&#39;m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price!  I haven&#39;t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain!  Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....</p>\n\n<!--more-->&gt;<span style=\"text-align: justify; \"><a href=\"http://www.castillodecanena.com/indexEN.html\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Castillo de Canena website\">Castillo de Canena</a> is a small family operation based in Jaen, Andalucia, that has been growing steadily as it gets more recognition. The two basic oils are the Reserva Familiar series...one from the Picual olive, the other from the Arbequina cultivar.  The Picual is one of the most common olive cultivars in Spain and can make some pretty ordinary stuff, but in the right hands, it makes a lovely oil, with herbal, almond and artichoke notes.  The Arbequina olive is most famous in Catalonia, but here in Anadalucia, it offers a lovely pungent oil, with citric and tomato leaf notes.</span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These \"basic\" oils are spectacular and are great for salads, pastas, and as finishing oils...anywhere where the oil is the star.  Keep heating to a minimum here.  I go through buckets of this when I&#39;m back in Madrid, savoring every drop! </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.3765\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"362\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Castillo de Canena has also been making a \"first day of harvest\" line for seven years, capturing with these special oils the essence of the new harvest.  They choose a different celebrity every year to design the image of the product, though the bottle is usually red.  This year the star is none other than Alejandro Sanz...his label artwork is a representation of all the work that goes into creating the liquid gold. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both a Picual and Arbequina bottling of this line are alos made.   These special bottles are about 18€ in Spain and 50$ here!  Aaaaack!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most!  Olive oil...I will never take you for granted again!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Olive Oil: Castillo de Canena','Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-revision-3','','','2013-02-24 23:16:53','2013-02-24 23:16:53','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/24/979-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(983,1,'2013-02-24 23:17:08','2013-02-24 23:17:08','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.4004\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil.  Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting.  It&#39;s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, <a href=\"http://www.splendidtable.org/story/what-extra-virgin-means-and-who-in-the-olive-oil-industry-abides\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Splendid Table Interview of Tom Mueller on olive oil\">mentioned</a> it as one of his favorites!  I&#39;m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price!  I haven&#39;t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain!  Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....</p>\n\n<!--more-->&gt;<span style=\"text-align: justify; \"><a href=\"http://www.castillodecanena.com/indexEN.html\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Castillo de Canena website\">Castillo de Canena</a> is a small family operation based in Jaen, Andalucia, that has been growing steadily as it gets more recognition. The two basic oils are the Reserva Familiar series...one from the Picual olive, the other from the Arbequina cultivar.  The Picual is one of the most common olive cultivars in Spain and can make some pretty ordinary stuff, but in the right hands, it makes a lovely oil, with herbal, almond and artichoke notes.  The Arbequina olive is most famous in Catalonia, but here in Anadalucia, it offers a lovely pungent oil, with citric and tomato leaf notes.</span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These \"basic\" oils are spectacular and are great for salads, pastas, and as finishing oils...anywhere where the oil is the star.  Keep heating to a minimum here.  I go through buckets of this when I&#39;m back in Madrid, savoring every drop! </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.3765\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"362\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Castillo de Canena has also been making a \"first day of harvest\" line for seven years, capturing with these special oils the essence of the new harvest.  They choose a different celebrity every year to design the image of the product, though the bottle is usually red.  This year the star is none other than Alejandro Sanz...his label artwork is a representation of all the work that goes into creating the liquid gold. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both a Picual and Arbequina bottling of this line are also made.   These special bottles are about 18€ in Spain and 50$ here!  Aaaaack!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most!  Olive oil...I will never take you for granted again!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Olive Oil: Castillo de Canena','Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-revision-4','','','2013-02-24 23:17:08','2013-02-24 23:17:08','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/24/979-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(984,1,'2013-02-24 23:17:55','2013-02-24 23:17:55','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.4004\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil.  Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting.  It&#39;s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, <a href=\"http://www.splendidtable.org/story/what-extra-virgin-means-and-who-in-the-olive-oil-industry-abides\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Splendid Table Interview of Tom Mueller on olive oil\">mentioned</a> it as one of his favorites!  I&#39;m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price!  I haven&#39;t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain!  Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....</p>\n\n<!--more-->&gt;<span style=\"text-align: justify; \"><a href=\"http://www.castillodecanena.com/indexEN.html\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Castillo de Canena website\">Castillo de Canena</a> is a small family operation based in Jaen, Andalucia, that has been growing steadily as it gets more recognition. The two basic oils are the Reserva Familiar series...one from the Picual olive, the other from the Arbequina cultivar.  The Picual is one of the most common olive cultivars in Spain and can make some pretty ordinary stuff, but in the right hands, it makes a lovely oil, with herbal, almond and artichoke notes.  The Arbequina olive is most famous in Catalonia, but here in Anadalucia, it offers a lovely pungent oil, with citric and tomato leaf notes.</span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These \"basic\" oils are spectacular and are great for salads, pastas, and as finishing oils...anywhere where the oil is the star.  Keep heating to a minimum here.  I go through buckets of this when I&#39;m back in Madrid, savoring every drop! </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.3765\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"362\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Castillo de Canena has also been making a \"first day of harvest\" line for seven years, capturing with these special oils the essence of the new harvest.  They choose a different celebrity every year to design the image of the product, though the bottle is usually red.  This year the star is none other than Alejandro Sanz...his label artwork, an olive tree with words, is a representation of all the work that goes into creating the liquid gold. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both a Picual and Arbequina bottling of this line are also made.   These special bottles are about 18€ in Spain and 50$ here!  Aaaaack!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most!  Olive oil...I will never take you for granted again!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Olive Oil: Castillo de Canena','Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-revision-5','','','2013-02-24 23:17:55','2013-02-24 23:17:55','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/24/979-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(985,1,'2013-02-25 00:42:42','2013-02-25 00:42:42','','wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1921.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-feb-24-2013-1921-jpg','','','2013-02-25 00:42:42','2013-02-25 00:42:42','',979,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1921.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(986,1,'2013-02-25 00:07:10','2013-02-25 00:07:10','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.4004\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil.  Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting.  It&#39;s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, <a href=\"http://www.splendidtable.org/story/what-extra-virgin-means-and-who-in-the-olive-oil-industry-abides\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Splendid Table Interview of Tom Mueller on olive oil\">mentioned</a> it as one of his favorites!  I&#39;m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price!  I haven&#39;t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain!  Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \"><a href=\"http://www.castillodecanena.com/indexEN.html\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Castillo de Canena website\">Castillo de Canena</a> is a small family operation based in Jaen, Andalucia, that has been growing steadily as it gets more recognition. The two basic oils are the Reserva Familiar series...one from the Picual olive, the other from the Arbequina cultivar.  The Picual is one of the most common olive cultivars in Spain and can make some pretty ordinary stuff, but in the right hands, it makes a lovely oil, with herbal, almond and artichoke notes.  The Arbequina olive is most famous in Catalonia, but here at Castillo de Canena, it offers a lovely pungent oil, with green apple, citric and tomato leaf notes.</span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These \"basic\" oils are spectacular and are great for salads, pastas, and as finishing oils...anywhere where the oil is the star.  Keep heating to a minimum here.  I go through buckets of this when I&#39;m back in Madrid, savoring every drop! </p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1711.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361747268126.3765\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"362\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Castillo de Canena has also been making a \"first day of harvest\" line for seven years, capturing with these special oils the essence of the new harvest.  They choose a different celebrity every year to design the image of the product, though the bottle is usually red.  This year the star is none other than Alejandro Sanz...his label artwork, an olive tree with words, is a representation of all the work that goes into creating the liquid gold. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both a Picual and Arbequina bottling of this line are also made.   These special bottles are about 18€ in Spain and 50$ here!  Aaaaack!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most!  Olive oil...I will never take you for granted again!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Olive Oil: Castillo de Canena','Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, mentioned it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-revision-6','','','2013-02-25 00:07:10','2013-02-25 00:07:10','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/25/979-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(987,1,'2013-02-25 02:29:36','2013-02-25 02:29:36','','canena thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','canena-thumbnail','','','2013-02-25 02:29:36','2013-02-25 02:29:36','',979,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/canena-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),