(988,1,'2013-02-25 00:42:44','2013-02-25 00:42:44','<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-1361752965188.8347\" 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-1361752965211.3743\" 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 adorned with words, is a representation of all the work that goes into creating the liquid gold. </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-24-2013-1921.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1921.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1361752965154.3298\" class=\"aligncenter\" width=\"225\" height=\"287\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\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$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-revision-7','','','2013-02-25 00:42:44','2013-02-25 00:42:44','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/25/979-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(989,1,'2013-02-25 02:31:57','2013-02-25 02:31:57','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1361752965188.8347\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-24-2013-1712.jpg\" width=\"117\" height=\"333\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hands down what I miss the most in the kitchen from Spain is easy access to great Spanish olive oil. Castillo de Canena has been one of my favorites since I first tried it in 2009 in a Ronda olive oil tasting. It\'s satisfying to see it getting so much recognition...last year Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity, <a title=\"Splendid Table Interview of Tom Mueller on olive oil\" href=\"http://www.splendidtable.org/story/what-extra-virgin-means-and-who-in-the-olive-oil-industry-abides\" target=\"_blank\">mentioned</a> it as one of his favorites! I\'m happy to see it is available here in the US and horrified at the price! I haven\'t yet gotten desperate enough to buy the Picual Reserva Familiar at 32$, 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>\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>\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>\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/2013/02/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>\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>\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/2013/02/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>\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<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strange the things you miss the most! Olive oil...I will never take you for granted again!</p>\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$, when it is 10€ in Spain! Aaaaaack! This is why my suitcase is always full of olive oil when I come back...wine markups are much less. Read on for more details on this beautiful line of olive oils....','inherit','open','open','','979-autosave','','','2013-02-25 02:31:57','2013-02-25 02:31:57','',979,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/25/979-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(990,1,'2013-02-25 02:37:10','2013-02-25 02:37:10','','Almirez 2010 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','almirez-2010-thumbnail','','','2013-02-25 02:37:10','2013-02-25 02:37:10','',967,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Almirez-2010-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (991,1,'2013-02-18 23:21:49','2013-02-18 23:21:49','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1361228590905.676\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-18-2013-1756.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a big juicy, bold Spanish red wine from the local variety of Tempranillo in the Toro region. Toro offers wines similar to the uber-trendy Ribera del Duero region but at much more affordable prices. The climate is even more extreme continental so in Toro wines you get even more intense, exuberant fruit, good acidity...big wines, but with good freshness and balance. The Almirez is one of the entry-level wines of an impressive Toro range from the famous Eguren family and offers great value at 15€ in Spain and about 20$ in the US.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\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\'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>\r\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>\r\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>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\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-revision-5','','','2013-02-18 23:21:49','2013-02-18 23:21:49','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/18/967-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(992,1,'2013-02-25 02:38:36','2013-02-25 02:38:36','<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>\r\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>\r\n<!--more-->\r\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\'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>\r\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>\r\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>\r\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-revision-6','','','2013-02-25 02:38:36','2013-02-25 02:38:36','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/25/967-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(993,1,'2013-01-16 04:55:08','2013-01-16 04:55:08','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-01-16 04:55:08','2013-01-16 04:55:08','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/355-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(994,1,'2013-01-16 04:55:08','2013-01-16 04:55:08','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-01-16 04:55:08','2013-01-16 04:55:08','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/355-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(995,1,'2013-02-26 03:09:28','2013-02-26 03:09:28','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:09:28','2013-02-26 03:09:28','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(996,1,'2013-02-26 03:09:38','2013-02-26 03:09:38','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:09:38','2013-02-26 03:09:38','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(997,1,'2013-02-26 03:10:28','2013-02-26 03:10:28','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:10:28','2013-02-26 03:10:28','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(998,1,'2013-02-26 03:16:01','2013-02-26 03:16:01','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:16:01','2013-02-26 03:16:01','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(999,1,'2013-02-26 03:16:57','2013-02-26 03:16:57','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:16:57','2013-02-26 03:16:57','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(1000,1,'2013-02-26 03:18:08','2013-02-26 03:18:08','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:18:08','2013-02-26 03:18:08','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(1001,1,'2013-02-26 03:19:03','2013-02-26 03:19:03','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:19:03','2013-02-26 03:19:03','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(1002,1,'2013-02-26 03:20:34','2013-02-26 03:20:34','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:20:34','2013-02-26 03:20:34','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(1003,1,'2013-02-26 03:21:17','2013-02-26 03:21:17','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:21:17','2013-02-26 03:21:17','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(1004,1,'2013-02-26 03:32:29','2013-02-26 03:32:29','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:32:29','2013-02-26 03:32:29','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(1005,1,'2013-09-24 12:51:39','2013-09-24 16:51:39','The \"Old Planeta Vino\"  was a dynamic wine school and wine events company with a somewhat archaic website!  Now I\'m based in Miami, have a great new website and am relaunching the Planeta Vino events company. The \"Old Planeta Vino was a beautiful  seven years teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable in Madrid!\n<ul>\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\n</ul>\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"[gallery ids=\"525,513,524,520,521,518,515,519,527,522,528,529,530,531\"]','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:51:39','2013-09-24 16:51:39','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1006,1,'2013-02-26 03:39:27','2013-02-26 03:39:27','For over seven years I had my dream job teaching wine classes and organizing wine and food events for every kind of group imaginable!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Corporate groups were the bread and butter of our business and offered challenging opportunities for creating event planning.  Smaller groups loved our team building \"wine games\" while with larger groups we often planned wine and gourmet food tables to allow for a greater interactive experience.</li>\r\n	<li>Wine enthusiasts were some of our best clients.  Dedicated in their passion for wine, they wanted a detailed overview of Spanish wines before heading out to their wine region of choice.</li>\r\n	<li>Gourmet Spain was never far from our events and we frequently included cheese and olive oil tastings in our events.  Gourmet wine matching dinners at top Madrid restaurants were another real favorite with clients.</li>\r\n	<li>Some of my favorite and most challenging courses were for local groups, sometimes stretching over several years, as we delved deep into Spanish wines and then into the rest of Europe and further afield to the new world.</li>\r\n	<li>With some special groups, we led some winery visits to wineries close to Madrid as well as to the better known wine areas of La Mancha, Toro, and Ribera del Duero</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSee below for just a small selection of images from the \"old\" Planeta Vino.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2013-02-26 03:39:27','2013-02-26 03:39:27','',355,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/355-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(1007,1,'2013-01-24 19:53:05','2013-01-24 19:53:05','<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 after 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','','','2013-01-24 19:53:05','2013-01-24 19:53:05','',500,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/500-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1008,1,'2012-10-08 16:47:57','2012-10-08 16:47:57','It\'s been a long crazy year and I find myself living an ocean away from my home of ten years in Madrid. I\'m currently in Miami and looking to settle in the DC area eventually. Culture shock is hitting me hard, but you have to laugh at yourself....and it\'s great to be in the Miami sun for winter!\r\n\r\nI plan to start looking at Spanish wines and food state side and Miami is a great place to start. The word \"Spanish\" seems to be liberally interpreted in the US, nowhere more than here, where Spanish influence is seemingly so important.\r\n\r\nHonestly, I\'ve been feasting on all the things I couldn\'t get so easily in Spain for the first few weeks, but I\'m getting back on track!\r\n\r\nMy second goal is to stay up on what\'s new in wine in Spain and wine places in Madrid. I\'m off for my first trip back in a couple of weeks....so excited to get back!\r\n\r\nA few posts may slip in on cool local food and wine places.....the world does not revolve around Spain!\r\n\r\nStarting a new chapter....nostalgic yet excited!','A whole year later and a world away!','','inherit','open','open','','248-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 16:47:57','2012-10-08 16:47:57','',248,'http://planetavino.net/2012/10/08/248-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1009,1,'2013-02-27 23:44:08','2013-02-27 23:44:08','','wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-feb-27-2013-1836-jpg','','','2013-02-27 23:44:08','2013-02-27 23:44:08','',1010,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1010,1,'2013-02-27 23:44:13','2013-02-28 03:44:13','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.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-27-2013-1836.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1362014366746.1582\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"291\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks!  This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful!  It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable.  A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent.  With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity.  Shaya is one of these wines.  It is made from old vines and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length.  All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodegas Shaya is part of of the <a href=\"http://www.orowines.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Orowine: Spanish wine group\">Orowines</a> group, one of the great Spanish wine groups under the leadership of Jorge Ordoñez.  Unfortunately many changes in recent years have somewhat diminished the stable of top flight wineries that are part of the group, but there are still lots of great ones such as El Nido, Ateca, and Jorge Ordoñez&#39; own line of wines.  The Orowines group is one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines into the US market.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shaya is made from 100% old-vine Verdejo, which is the best quality indigenous grape in the Rueda wine region.  It is made in stainless, with no aging in oak, as are most Rueda wines, in order to preserve the freshness of the fruit...and to suit the Spanish preference for inexpensive, unoaked whites.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2011 has the typical tropical touches of pineapple and slightly green aromas typical of the grape variety but also lovely acidity, a touch of minerality and the long, slightly bitter finish that is also so refreshing characteristic.  Really excellent Rueda in the under 10€ category....I was really happy to see it at such good prices in the US and so widely available.  On the web I saw it around the 10$ mark, but the range is large.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery also makes a barrel fermented and aged wine called Shaya Habis.  It has about 6 months in oak.  It&#39;s very nice....Verdejo can take oak really well...it conserves it&#39;s freshness and personality and the oak adds richness, roundness and even more length.  Very nice, but also markedly more expensive at 23€ and around 25$.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Shaya is more my kind of white for the right price.  For me Rueda wine offers great consistency and good quality at a great price point.   I am always seeking out the best ones to recommend and this is one of them!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Shaya 2011','Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks! This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful! It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable. A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent. With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity. Shaya is one of these wines. It is made from old vines and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length. All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!','publish','open','open','','spanish-wine-review-shaya-2011','','','2013-05-03 22:45:23','2013-05-04 02:45:23','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1010',0,'post','',0),(1012,1,'2013-02-28 00:19:24','2013-02-28 00:19:24','','Shaya thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','shaya-thumbnail','','','2013-02-28 00:19:24','2013-02-28 00:19:24','',1010,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Shaya-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1013,1,'2013-02-27 23:44:10','2013-02-27 23:44:10','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.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-27-2013-1836.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1362008653333.6353\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"291\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks!  This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful!  It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable.  A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent.  With speak care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity.  Shaya is one of these wines.  It is made from old vine and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length.  All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodegas Shaya is part of of the <a href=\"http://www.orowines.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Orowine: Spanish wine group\">Orowines</a> group, one of the great Spanish wine groups under the leadership of Jorge Ordoñez.  Unfortunately many changes in recent years have somewhat diminished the stable of top flight wineries that are part of the group, but there are still lots of great ones such as El Nido, Ateca, and Jorge Ordoñez&#39; own line of wines.  The Orowines group is one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines into the US market.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shaya is made from 100% old-vine Verdejo, which is the best quality indigenous grape in the Rueda wine region.  It is made in stainless, with no aging in oak, as are most Rueda wines, in order to preserve the freshness of the fruit.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2011 has the typical tropical touches of pineapple and slightly green aromas typical of the grape variety but also lovely acidity, a touch of minerality and the long, slightly bitter finish that is also so refreshing characteristic.  Really excellent Rueda in the under 10€ category....I was really happy to see it at such good prices in the US and so widely available.  On the web I saw it around the 10$ mark, but the range is large.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery also makes a barrel fermented and aged wine called Shaya Habis.  It has about 6 months in oak.  It&#39;s very nice....Verdejo can take oak really well...it conserves it&#39;s freshness and personality and the oak adds richness, roundness and even more length.  Very nice, but also markedly more expensive at 23€ and around 25$.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Shaya is more my kind of white for the right price.  For me Rueda wine offers great consistency and good quality at a great price point.   I am always seeking out the best ones to recommend and this is one of them!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Shaya 2011','Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks! This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful! It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable. A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent. With speak care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity. Shaya is one of these wines. It is made from old vine and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length. All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!','inherit','open','open','','1010-revision','','','2013-02-27 23:44:10','2013-02-27 23:44:10','',1010,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/27/1010-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1014,1,'2013-02-26 03:07:19','2013-02-26 03:07:19','<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/2013/02/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>\r\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>\r\n<!--more-->\r\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>\r\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>\r\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>\r\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-revision-7','','','2013-02-26 03:07:19','2013-02-26 03:07:19','',967,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/26/967-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1015,1,'2013-02-28 00:21:05','2013-02-28 00:21:05','<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/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1362008653333.6353\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"291\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks! This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful! It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable. A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent. With speak care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity. Shaya is one of these wines. It is made from old vine and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length. All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodegas Shaya is part of of the <a title=\"Orowine: Spanish wine group\" href=\"http://www.orowines.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Orowines</a> group, one of the great Spanish wine groups under the leadership of Jorge Ordoñez. Unfortunately many changes in recent years have somewhat diminished the stable of top flight wineries that are part of the group, but there are still lots of great ones such as El Nido, Ateca, and Jorge Ordoñez\' own line of wines. The Orowines group is one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines into the US market.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shaya is made from 100% old-vine Verdejo, which is the best quality indigenous grape in the Rueda wine region. It is made in stainless, with no aging in oak, as are most Rueda wines, in order to preserve the freshness of the fruit.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2011 has the typical tropical touches of pineapple and slightly green aromas typical of the grape variety but also lovely acidity, a touch of minerality and the long, slightly bitter finish that is also so refreshing characteristic. Really excellent Rueda in the under 10€ category....I was really happy to see it at such good prices in the US and so widely available. On the web I saw it around the 10$ mark, but the range is large.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery also makes a barrel fermented and aged wine called Shaya Habis. It has about 6 months in oak. It\'s very nice....Verdejo can take oak really well...it conserves it\'s freshness and personality and the oak adds richness, roundness and even more length. Very nice, but also markedly more expensive at 23€ and around 25$.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Shaya is more my kind of white for the right price. For me Rueda wine offers great consistency and good quality at a great price point. I am always seeking out the best ones to recommend and this is one of them!</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Shaya 2011','Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks! This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful! It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable. A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent. With speak care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity. Shaya is one of these wines. It is made from old vine and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length. All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!','inherit','open','open','','1010-revision-2','','','2013-02-28 00:21:05','2013-02-28 00:21:05','',1010,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/28/1010-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1016,1,'2013-02-28 01:19:42','2013-02-28 01:19:42','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.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-27-2013-1836.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1362014366746.1582\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"291\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks!  This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful!  It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable.  A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent.  With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity.  Shaya is one of these wines.  It is made from old vine and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length.  All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodegas Shaya is part of of the <a href=\"http://www.orowines.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Orowine: Spanish wine group\">Orowines</a> group, one of the great Spanish wine groups under the leadership of Jorge Ordoñez.  Unfortunately many changes in recent years have somewhat diminished the stable of top flight wineries that are part of the group, but there are still lots of great ones such as El Nido, Ateca, and Jorge Ordoñez&#39; own line of wines.  The Orowines group is one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines into the US market.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shaya is made from 100% old-vine Verdejo, which is the best quality indigenous grape in the Rueda wine region.  It is made in stainless, with no aging in oak, as are most Rueda wines, in order to preserve the freshness of the fruit.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2011 has the typical tropical touches of pineapple and slightly green aromas typical of the grape variety but also lovely acidity, a touch of minerality and the long, slightly bitter finish that is also so refreshing characteristic.  Really excellent Rueda in the under 10€ category....I was really happy to see it at such good prices in the US and so widely available.  On the web I saw it around the 10$ mark, but the range is large.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery also makes a barrel fermented and aged wine called Shaya Habis.  It has about 6 months in oak.  It&#39;s very nice....Verdejo can take oak really well...it conserves it&#39;s freshness and personality and the oak adds richness, roundness and even more length.  Very nice, but also markedly more expensive at 23€ and around 25$.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Shaya is more my kind of white for the right price.  For me Rueda wine offers great consistency and good quality at a great price point.   I am always seeking out the best ones to recommend and this is one of them!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Shaya 2011','Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks! This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful! It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable. A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent. With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity. Shaya is one of these wines. It is made from old vine and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length. All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!','inherit','open','open','','1010-revision-3','','','2013-02-28 01:19:42','2013-02-28 01:19:42','',1010,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/28/1010-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1017,1,'2013-02-28 01:21:31','2013-02-28 01:21:31','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.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-27-2013-1836.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1362014366746.1582\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"291\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks!  This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful!  It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable.  A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent.  With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity.  Shaya is one of these wines.  It is made from old vines and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length.  All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodegas Shaya is part of of the <a href=\"http://www.orowines.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Orowine: Spanish wine group\">Orowines</a> group, one of the great Spanish wine groups under the leadership of Jorge Ordoñez.  Unfortunately many changes in recent years have somewhat diminished the stable of top flight wineries that are part of the group, but there are still lots of great ones such as El Nido, Ateca, and Jorge Ordoñez&#39; own line of wines.  The Orowines group is one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines into the US market.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shaya is made from 100% old-vine Verdejo, which is the best quality indigenous grape in the Rueda wine region.  It is made in stainless, with no aging in oak, as are most Rueda wines, in order to preserve the freshness of the fruit.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2011 has the typical tropical touches of pineapple and slightly green aromas typical of the grape variety but also lovely acidity, a touch of minerality and the long, slightly bitter finish that is also so refreshing characteristic.  Really excellent Rueda in the under 10€ category....I was really happy to see it at such good prices in the US and so widely available.  On the web I saw it around the 10$ mark, but the range is large.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery also makes a barrel fermented and aged wine called Shaya Habis.  It has about 6 months in oak.  It&#39;s very nice....Verdejo can take oak really well...it conserves it&#39;s freshness and personality and the oak adds richness, roundness and even more length.  Very nice, but also markedly more expensive at 23€ and around 25$.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Shaya is more my kind of white for the right price.  For me Rueda wine offers great consistency and good quality at a great price point.   I am always seeking out the best ones to recommend and this is one of them!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Shaya 2011','Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks! This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful! It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable. A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent. With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity. Shaya is one of these wines. It is made from old vines and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length. All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!','inherit','open','open','','1010-revision-4','','','2013-02-28 01:21:31','2013-02-28 01:21:31','',1010,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/28/1010-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1018,1,'2013-03-11 21:57:18','2013-03-12 01:57:18','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363041090129.2847\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries. I\'ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family. To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there\'s more for me! Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines. All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximenez.</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was inspired to write this by an article about how under-appreciated Riesling is by Jamie Goode on <a title=\"Riesling article on Wine Anorak\" href=\"http://wineanorak.com/riesling_has_its_time_come.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Wine Anorak</a> last week. It rang so true as Riesling is another wine obsession that my friends roll their eyes at.</span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sherry is also a complex problem because there are so many styles and besides being generally unknown, it means different things to different people. For most Spaniards, it is a dry fiesta or aperitivo wine, either the fino or manzanilla styles. These are the primary drink at some of Andalucia\'s famous fiestas, most notably that of Seville, and are always available cold, and usually fresh, throughout southern Spain. But they are largely disregarded outside of Andalucia. To people outside of Spain sherry has always meant sweet, or cream sherries, many of them very average in quality. That has changed a little recently, but the idea of sweet and cheap still dominates outside of wine aficionado circles.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fact is, is that the average wine drinker does not like sherry...it is sadly an acquired taste. I started out serving fino dry sherry in my intro to Spanish wine classes and they were universally hated, except by a few French and Hungarian folk who had been exposed to wines made under a yeast or flor covering in a similar way. The rest of the students left convinced they hated sherry. After a long struggle, I gave up, only serving sherries to more advanced classes and groups who requested it. Wine teachers love putting fino in their intro to Spain class...they love it themselves and it\'s cheap! But it\'s another case of us, the wine experts, trying to cram a complex wine into a simple situation. Sherry deserves and needs more....we want new Spanish wine drinkers turned on, not off to these wonderful wines!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It takes patience and a more advanced setting to explain the wonderful and complex world of sherry. There is so much magic in the flor, the classiciation, the solera aging system, the \"cathedrals\", the wondrous soils; once you understand what is behind that tangy salinity of a manzanilla, it\'s uniqueness, it starts to come alive.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I attented the fantastic sherry educators class run by the Sherry consejo regulador with my then partner in Planeta Vino, Miguel. Miguel loves wine but is a very average Spanish Basque wine drinker who happens to have been exposed to some great wines. He had always disliked sherry and I was hoping this could be the truning point to bring him aorund to share my passion. the course is a dream for wine educators and sherry lovers: a three day total immersion into every aspect of the Jerez, with the added rigor of an exam at the end to keep you a bit focused on learning! Heaven! Every meal was matched with sherry inan eye-opening way, VOS and VORS tastings (old, rare sherries), extended time in the vineyards, lots of time with certified sherry experts to really clarify what is a palo cortado! I was in heaven!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Miguel went through this amazing experience and came out still largely disliked sherries. I came out of the course admiring and loving sherry even more and thinking what a marketing and educational challenge it is.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Fernando de Castilla Pedro Ximenez has a deep amber color and a thick body, coats impressively the sides of the glass. It has a very complex nose of coffee, dried figs, hay and a touch of date and nuts. It enters the mouth surprisingly fresh and sweet at the same time, hay and coffee aromas hit first, then figs, raisins, dates. Coats the mouth like the glass, and the finish lasts at least a minute, with good acidity in the end as well. Sweet but the bitter coffee notes and the acidity an older sherry develops keep it in check...not at all cloying. A very special and complex wine that requires some special explanation. Not cheap for a 500ml bottle at 35€ or 40$, but fantastic value for a 20+ year old wine. Joy! ..they have it in the otherwise very ordinary Madrid airport duty-free wine section, where I always pick up a bottle at discount price.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I just want everyone to love sherry but I know it\'s a lot to ask! The Jerez region of Spain offers such amazing consistently and quality at really amazing value, but it\'s a hard wine to sell. It\'s been great start to see the rising popularity of sherry themed wine bars in some towns or at least more sherries on offer at many wine bars.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the article on Riesling, Jamie Goode says patience, better marketing, and improvements in the quality of the wines are all needed. For sherry, while the same patience and better marketing are definitely needed, also better education of the educators and persistent (if slow) conversion of wine lovers by the converted will eventually bring this great wine area back up on top.</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Sherry: the Spanish wine only a mother could love','Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries. I\'ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family. To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there\'s more for me! Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines. All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximenez.','publish','open','open','','sherry-the-spanish-wine-only-a-mother-could-love','','','2013-05-03 22:54:20','2013-05-04 02:54:20','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1018',0,'post','',1),(1019,1,'2013-03-11 22:31:26','2013-03-11 22:31:26','','wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-mar-11-2013-1717-jpg','','','2013-03-11 22:31:26','2013-03-11 22:31:26','',1018,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1020,1,'2013-03-11 21:57:12','2013-03-11 21:57:12','<p>&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p> Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries.  I&#39;ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family.  To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there&#39;s more for me!   Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines.  All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro  Ximenez.  </p>\n\n<p>I was inspired to write this by an article about how under-appreciated Riesling is by Jamie Goode on Wine Anorak last week. It rang so true as Riesling is another wine obsession that my friends roll their eyes at.  </p>\n\n<p>Sherry is also a complex problem because there are so many styles and besides being generally unknown, it means different things to different people.  For most Spaniards, it is a dry fiesta or aperitivo wine, either the fino or manzanilla styles.  These are the primary drink at some of Andalucia&#39;s famous fiestas, most notably that of Seville, and are always available cold, and usually fresh, throughout southern Spain.  But they are largely disregarded outside of Andalucia.  To people outside of Spain sherry has always meant sweet, or cream sherries, many of them very average in quality.  That has changed a little recently, but the idea of sweet and cheap still dominates outside of wine aficionado circles.  </p>\n\n<p>The fact is, is that the average wine drinker does not like sherry...it is sadly an acquired taste.  I started out serving fino dry sherry in my intro to Spanish wine classes and they were universally hated, except by a few French and Hungarian folk who had been exposed to wines made under a yeast or flor covering in a similar way.  The rest of the students left convinced they hated sherry.  After a long struggle, I gave up, only serving sherries to more advanced classes and groups who requested it.  Wine teachers love putting fino in their intro to Spain class...they love it themselves and it&#39;s cheap!  But it&#39;s another case of us, the wine experts, trying to cram a complex wine into a simple situation.   Sherry deserves and needs more....we want new Spanish wine drinkers turned on, not off to these wonderful wines!</p>\n\n<p>It takes patience and a more advanced setting to explain the wonderful and complex world of sherry. There is so much magic in the flor, the classiciation, the solera aging system, the \"cathedrals\", the wondrous soils; once you understand what is behind that tangy salinity of a manzanilla, it&#39;s uniqueness, it starts to come alive.  </p>\n\n<p>I attented the fantastic sherry educators class run by the Sherry consejo regulador with my then partner in Planeta Vino, Miguel.  Miguel loves wine but is a very average Spanish Basque wine drinker who happens to have been exposed to some great wines.  He had always disliked sherry and I was hoping this could be the truning point to bring him aorund to share my passion.  the course is a dream for wine educators and sherry lovers: a three day total immersion into every aspect of the Jerez, with the added rigor of an exam at the end to keep you a bit focused on learning!  Heaven!  Every meal was matched with sherry inan eye-opening way, VOS and VORS tastings (old, rare sherries), extended time in the vineyards, lots of time with certified sherry experts to really clarify what is a palo cortado!  I was in heaven!  </p>\n\n<p>Miguel went through this amazing experience and came out still largely disliked sherries.  I came out of the course admiring and loving sherry even more and thinking what a marketing and educational challenge it is.  <br>\n</p>\n\n<p>This Pedro Ximenez has a deep amber color and a thick texture, sticking to thesise sof the glass.  It has a very complex nose of coffee, dried figs, hay and a touch of date and nuts.  It enters the mouth surprisingly fresh and sweet at the same time, hay and coffee aromas hit first, then figs, raisins, dates.  Coats the mouth, and the finish last sat least a minute, with good acidity in the end as well. Sweet but the bitter coffee notes and the acidity of older sherry develops keep it in check...not at all cloying.  A very special and complex wine that requires some special explanation in a special setting.  Not cheap for a 500ml bottle at 35€ or 40$, but worth every penny...and they have it in the Barajas, Madrid duty free!</p>\n\n<p>I just want everyone to love sherry but I know it&#39;s a lot to ask!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Sherry: the Spanish wine only a mother could love','Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries. I\'ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family. To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there\'s more for me! Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines. All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximenez.','inherit','open','open','','1018-revision','','','2013-03-11 21:57:12','2013-03-11 21:57:12','',1018,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/11/1018-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1021,1,'2013-03-12 03:01:55','2013-03-12 03:01:55','','FdC PX thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','fdc-px-thumbnail','','','2013-03-12 03:01:55','2013-03-12 03:01:55','',1018,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/FdC-PX-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1022,1,'2013-03-12 03:04:53','2013-03-12 03:04:53','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363041090129.2847\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries. I\'ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family. To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there\'s more for me! Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines. All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximenez.</p>\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was inspired to write this by an article about how under-appreciated Riesling is by Jamie Goode on <a title=\"Riesling article on Wine Anorak\" href=\"http://wineanorak.com/riesling_has_its_time_come.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Wine Anorak</a> last week. It rang so true as Riesling is another wine obsession that my friends roll their eyes at.</span>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sherry is also a complex problem because there are so many styles and besides being generally unknown, it means different things to different people. For most Spaniards, it is a dry fiesta or aperitivo wine, either the fino or manzanilla styles. These are the primary drink at some of Andalucia\'s famous fiestas, most notably that of Seville, and are always available cold, and usually fresh, throughout southern Spain. But they are largely disregarded outside of Andalucia. To people outside of Spain sherry has always meant sweet, or cream sherries, many of them very average in quality. That has changed a little recently, but the idea of sweet and cheap still dominates outside of wine aficionado circles.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fact is, is that the average wine drinker does not like sherry...it is sadly an acquired taste. I started out serving fino dry sherry in my intro to Spanish wine classes and they were universally hated, except by a few French and Hungarian folk who had been exposed to wines made under a yeast or flor covering in a similar way. The rest of the students left convinced they hated sherry. After a long struggle, I gave up, only serving sherries to more advanced classes and groups who requested it. Wine teachers love putting fino in their intro to Spain class...they love it themselves and it\'s cheap! But it\'s another case of us, the wine experts, trying to cram a complex wine into a simple situation. Sherry deserves and needs more....we want new Spanish wine drinkers turned on, not off to these wonderful wines!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It takes patience and a more advanced setting to explain the wonderful and complex world of sherry. There is so much magic in the flor, the classiciation, the solera aging system, the \"cathedrals\", the wondrous soils; once you understand what is behind that tangy salinity of a manzanilla, it\'s uniqueness, it starts to come alive.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I attented the fantastic sherry educators class run by the Sherry consejo regulador with my then partner in Planeta Vino, Miguel. Miguel loves wine but is a very average Spanish Basque wine drinker who happens to have been exposed to some great wines. He had always disliked sherry and I was hoping this could be the truning point to bring him aorund to share my passion. the course is a dream for wine educators and sherry lovers: a three day total immersion into every aspect of the Jerez, with the added rigor of an exam at the end to keep you a bit focused on learning! Heaven! Every meal was matched with sherry inan eye-opening way, VOS and VORS tastings (old, rare sherries), extended time in the vineyards, lots of time with certified sherry experts to really clarify what is a palo cortado! I was in heaven!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Miguel went through this amazing experience and came out still largely disliked sherries. I came out of the course admiring and loving sherry even more and thinking what a marketing and educational challenge it is.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Fernando de Castilla Pedro Ximenez has a deep amber color and a thick body, coats impressively the sides of the glass. It has a very complex nose of coffee, dried figs, hay and a touch of date and nuts. It enters the mouth surprisingly fresh and sweet at the same time, hay and coffee aromas hit first, then figs, raisins, dates. Coats the mouth like the glass, and the finish lasts at least a minute, with good acidity in the end as well. Sweet but the bitter coffee notes and the acidity an older sherry develops keep it in check...not at all cloying. A very special and complex wine that requires some special explanation. Not cheap for a 500ml bottle at 35€ or 40$, but fantastic value for a 20+ year old wine. Joy! ..they have it in the otherwise very ordinary Madrid airport duty-free wine section, where I always pick up a bottle at discount price.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I just want everyone to love sherry but I know it\'s a lot to ask! The Jerez region of Spain offers such amazing consistently and quality at really amazing value, but it\'s a hard wine to sell. It\'s been great start to see the rising popularity of sherry themed wine bars in some towns or at least more sherries on offer at many wine bars.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the article on Riesling, Jamie Goode says patience, better marketing, and improvements in the quality of the wines are all needed. For sherry, while the same patience and better marketing are definitely needed, also better education of the educators and persistent (if slow) conversion of wine lovers by the converted will eventually bring this great wine area back up on top.</p>\n&nbsp;','Sherry: the Spanish wine only a mother could love','Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries. I\'ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family. To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there\'s more for me! Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines. All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximenez.','inherit','open','open','','1018-autosave','','','2013-03-12 03:04:53','2013-03-12 03:04:53','',1018,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/12/1018-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1023,1,'2013-03-11 22:31:27','2013-03-11 22:31:27','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-11-2013-1717.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363041090129.2847\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"267\" alt=\"\"></a></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries.  I&#39;ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family.  To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there&#39;s more for me!   Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines.  All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro  Ximenez.</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">I was inspired to write this by an article about how under-appreciated Riesling is by Jamie Goode on <a href=\"http://wineanorak.com/riesling_has_its_time_come.htm\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Riesling article on Wine Anorak\">Wine Anorak</a> last week. It rang so true as Riesling is another wine obsession that my friends roll their eyes at.</span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sherry is also a complex problem because there are so many styles and besides being generally unknown, it means different things to different people.  For most Spaniards, it is a dry fiesta or aperitivo wine, either the fino or manzanilla styles.  These are the primary drink at some of Andalucia&#39;s famous fiestas, most notably that of Seville, and are always available cold, and usually fresh, throughout southern Spain.  But they are largely disregarded outside of Andalucia.  To people outside of Spain sherry has always meant sweet, or cream sherries, many of them very average in quality.  That has changed a little recently, but the idea of sweet and cheap still dominates outside of wine aficionado circles.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fact is, is that the average wine drinker does not like sherry...it is sadly an acquired taste.  I started out serving fino dry sherry in my intro to Spanish wine classes and they were universally hated, except by a few French and Hungarian folk who had been exposed to wines made under a yeast or flor covering in a similar way.  The rest of the students left convinced they hated sherry.  After a long struggle, I gave up, only serving sherries to more advanced classes and groups who requested it.  Wine teachers love putting fino in their intro to Spain class...they love it themselves and it&#39;s cheap!  But it&#39;s another case of us, the wine experts, trying to cram a complex wine into a simple situation.   Sherry deserves and needs more....we want new Spanish wine drinkers turned on, not off to these wonderful wines!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It takes patience and a more advanced setting to explain the wonderful and complex world of sherry. There is so much magic in the flor, the classiciation, the solera aging system, the \"cathedrals\", the wondrous soils; once you understand what is behind that tangy salinity of a manzanilla, it&#39;s uniqueness, it starts to come alive.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I attented the fantastic sherry educators class run by the Sherry consejo regulador with my then partner in Planeta Vino, Miguel.  Miguel loves wine but is a very average Spanish Basque wine drinker who happens to have been exposed to some great wines.  He had always disliked sherry and I was hoping this could be the truning point to bring him aorund to share my passion.  the course is a dream for wine educators and sherry lovers: a three day total immersion into every aspect of the Jerez, with the added rigor of an exam at the end to keep you a bit focused on learning!  Heaven!  Every meal was matched with sherry inan eye-opening way, VOS and VORS tastings (old, rare sherries), extended time in the vineyards, lots of time with certified sherry experts to really clarify what is a palo cortado!  I was in heaven!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Miguel went through this amazing experience and came out still largely disliked sherries.  I came out of the course admiring and loving sherry even more and thinking what a marketing and educational challenge it is.  <br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Fernando de Castilla Pedro Ximenez has a deep amber color and a thick body, coats impressively the sides of the glass.  It has a very complex nose of coffee, dried figs, hay and a touch of date and nuts.  It enters the mouth surprisingly fresh and sweet at the same time, hay and coffee aromas hit first, then figs, raisins, dates.  Coats the mouth like the glass, and the finish lasts at least a minute, with good acidity in the end as well. Sweet but the bitter coffee notes and the acidity an older sherry develops keep it in check...not at all cloying.  A very special and complex wine that requires some special explanation. Not cheap for a 500ml bottle at 35€ or 40$, but fantastic value for a 20+ year old wine.  Joy! ..they have it in the otherwise very ordinary Madrid airport duty-free wine section, where I always pick up a bottle at discount price.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I just want everyone to love sherry but I know it&#39;s a lot to ask!  The Jerez region of Spain offers such amazing consistently and quality at really amazing value, but it&#39;s a hard wine to sell.  It&#39;s been great start to see the rising popularity of sherry themed wine bars in some towns or at least more sherries on offer at many wine bars.   </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the article on Riesling, Jamie Goode says patience, better marketing, and improvements in the quality of the wines are all needed.  For sherry, while the same patience and better marketing are definitely needed, also better education of the educators and persistent (if slow) conversion of wine lovers by the converted will eventually bring this great wine area back up on top. </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Sherry: the Spanish wine only a mother could love','Talking with wine geek friends, so many of our top Spanish wine experiences, those exquisite wine moments, are from old and rare sherries. I\'ve religiously dragged out my favorite bottles to every social event, served it at every one of my meals, trying to to convert my \"normal\" wine drinking friends and family. To no avail...I end up savoring and admiring it by myself...secretly a little happy because there\'s more for me! Really though, it makes me sad...if I could just help them appreciate these wonderful wines. All these thoughts are running through my head tonight as I sip a real beauty, the Fernando de Castilla Antique Pedro Ximenez.','inherit','open','open','','1018-revision-2','','','2013-03-11 22:31:27','2013-03-11 22:31:27','',1018,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/11/1018-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1024,1,'2013-03-12 03:06:17','2013-03-12 03:06:17','It\'s been a long crazy year and I find myself living an ocean away from my home of ten years in Madrid. I\'m currently in Miami and looking to settle in the DC area eventually. Culture shock is hitting me hard, but you have to laugh at yourself....and it\'s great to be in the Miami sun for winter!\n\nI plan to start looking at Spanish wines and food state side and Miami is a great place to start. The word \"Spanish\" seems to be liberally interpreted in the US, nowhere more than here, where Spanish influence is seemingly so important.\n\nHonestly, I\'ve been feasting on all the things I couldn\'t get so easily in Spain for the first few weeks, but I\'m getting back on track!\n\nMy second goal is to stay up on what\'s new in wine in Spain and wine places in Madrid. I\'m off for my first trip back in a couple of weeks....so excited to get back!\n\nA few posts may slip in on cool local food and wine places.....the world does not revolve around Spain!\n\nStarting a new chapter....nostalgic yet excited!','A whole year later and a world away!','','inherit','open','open','','248-autosave','','','2013-03-12 03:06:17','2013-03-12 03:06:17','',248,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/12/248-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1025,1,'2013-03-18 22:17:19','2013-03-18 22:17:19','','wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-mar-18-2013-1744-jpg','','','2013-03-18 22:17:19','2013-03-18 22:17:19','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1026,1,'2013-03-18 22:17:23','2013-03-18 22:17:23','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\"]<a style=\"clear: left; float: left;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363817054804.2544\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" /></a> Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening <a title=\"Manzanilla Restaurant NYC\" href=\"http://www.manzanillanyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Manzanilla</a> in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at <a title=\"Calima restaurant Marbella Spain\" href=\"http://www.restaurantecalima.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Calima</a> and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at <a title=\"La Moraga Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\" href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a> in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this striking picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things! Can\'t wait to try it!</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side. The setting and service all lived up to the price point. Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn\'t work perfectly together, some were downright odd. One of the most impressive, interesting, and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites. On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia\'s tapas restaurant concept. At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can\'t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious. Check out my <a title=\"Planet Vino on La Moraga\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/fancy-and-fun-spanish-tapas-la-moraga/\" target=\"_self\">review</a> of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! Let me know what you think of any of Garcia\'s places! </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','publish','open','open','','spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/fancy-and-fun-spanish-tapas-la-moraga/','2013-03-22 22:14:39','2013-03-22 22:14:39','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1026',0,'post','',0),(1027,1,'2013-03-18 22:17:21','2013-03-18 22:17:21','[caption id=\"\" width=\"299\" align=\"alignleft\" caption=\"Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site\"]<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left;  \"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363645043725.2314\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia&#39;s Manzanilla\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC.  I&#39;ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes.  Love this great picture from Manzanilla&#39;s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can&#39;t wait to try it!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side.  The setting and service all lived up to the price point.  Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn&#39;t work perfectly together, some were downright odd.  One of the most impressive and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites.   On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia&#39;s tapas restaurant concept.  At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can&#39;t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious.  Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! <br>\n</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision','','','2013-03-18 22:17:21','2013-03-18 22:17:21','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1029,1,'2013-03-18 22:19:25','2013-03-18 22:19:25','[caption id=\"\" width=\"299\" align=\"alignleft\" caption=\"Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site\"]<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left;  \"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363645043725.2314\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia&#39;s Manzanilla\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC.  I&#39;ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes.  Love this great picture from Manzanilla&#39;s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can&#39;t wait to try it!  </p>\n\n<<!--more-->>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side.  The setting and service all lived up to the price point.  Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn&#39;t work perfectly together, some were downright odd.  One of the most impressive and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites.   On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia&#39;s tapas restaurant concept.  At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can&#39;t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious.  Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! <br>\n</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-2','','','2013-03-18 22:19:25','2013-03-18 22:19:25','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1030,1,'2013-03-18 22:21:19','2013-03-18 22:21:19','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\"]<a style=\"clear: left; float: left;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363645043725.2314\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" /></a> Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things! Can\'t wait to try it!</p>\r\n<!--more-->Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side. The setting and service all lived up to the price point. Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn\'t work perfectly together, some were downright odd. One of the most impressive and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites. On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia\'s tapas restaurant concept. At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can\'t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious. Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-3','','','2013-03-18 22:21:19','2013-03-18 22:21:19','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1031,1,'2013-03-18 22:21:52','2013-03-18 22:21:52','[caption id=\"\" width=\"299\" align=\"alignleft\" caption=\"Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site\"]<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left;  \"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363645043725.2314\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia&#39;s Manzanilla\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC.  I&#39;ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes.  Love this great picture from Manzanilla&#39;s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can&#39;t wait to try it!  </p>\n\n<<!--more-->>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side.  The setting and service all lived up to the price point.  Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn&#39;t work perfectly together, some were downright odd.  One of the most impressive and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites.   On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia&#39;s tapas restaurant concept.  At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can&#39;t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious.  Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! <br>\n</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-4','','','2013-03-18 22:21:52','2013-03-18 22:21:52','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1032,1,'2013-03-24 20:55:18','2013-03-24 20:55:18','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\"]<a style=\"clear: left; float: left;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363817054804.2544\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" /></a> Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening <a title=\"Manzanilla Restaurant NYC\" href=\"http://www.manzanillanyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Manzanilla</a> in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at <a title=\"Calima restaurant Marbella Spain\" href=\"http://www.restaurantecalima.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Calima</a> and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at <a title=\"La Moraga Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\" href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a> in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this striking picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things! Can\'t wait to try it!</p>\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side. The setting and service all lived up to the price point. Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn\'t work perfectly together, some were downright odd. One of the most impressive, interesting, and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites. On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia\'s tapas restaurant concept. At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can\'t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious. Check out my <a title=\"Planet Vino on La Moraga\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/fancy-and-fun-spanish-tapas-la-moraga/\" target=\"_self\">review</a> of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! Let me know what you think of any of Garcia\'s places! </span>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-autosave','','','2013-03-24 20:55:18','2013-03-24 20:55:18','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1033,1,'2013-03-18 22:22:13','2013-03-18 22:22:13','[caption id=\"\" width=\"299\" align=\"alignleft\" caption=\"Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site\"]<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left;  \"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363645043725.2314\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia&#39;s Manzanilla\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC.  I&#39;ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes.  Love this great picture from Manzanilla&#39;s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can&#39;t wait to try it!  </p>\n\n<<!--more-->>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side.  The setting and service all lived up to the price point.  Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn&#39;t work perfectly together, some were downright odd.  One of the most impressive and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites.   On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia&#39;s tapas restaurant concept.  At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can&#39;t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious.  Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! <br>\n</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-5','','','2013-03-18 22:22:13','2013-03-18 22:22:13','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1034,1,'2013-03-18 22:22:58','2013-03-18 22:22:58','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\"]<a style=\"clear: left; float: left;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363645043725.2314\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" /></a> Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things! Can\'t wait to try it!</p>\r\n<!--more-->Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side. The setting and service all lived up to the price point. Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn\'t work perfectly together, some were downright odd. One of the most impressive and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites. On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia\'s tapas restaurant concept. At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can\'t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious. Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-6','','','2013-03-18 22:22:58','2013-03-18 22:22:58','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1035,1,'2013-03-18 22:24:00','2013-03-18 22:24:00','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\"]<a style=\"clear: left; float: left;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363645043725.2314\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" /></a> Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things! Can\'t wait to try it!</p>\r\n<!--more-->Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side. The setting and service all lived up to the price point. Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn\'t work perfectly together, some were downright odd. One of the most impressive and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites. On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia\'s tapas restaurant concept. At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can\'t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious. Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-7','','','2013-03-18 22:24:00','2013-03-18 22:24:00','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1036,1,'2013-03-18 22:33:28','2013-03-18 22:33:28','[caption id=\"\" width=\"299\" align=\"alignleft\" caption=\"Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site\"]<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left;  \"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363646003406.424\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia&#39;s Manzanilla\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening <a href=\"http://www.manzanillanyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Manzanilla Restaurant NYC\">Manzanilla</a> in NYC.  I&#39;ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at <a href=\"http://www.restaurantecalima.es/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Calima restaurant Marbella Spain\">Calima</a> and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at <a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Moraga Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\">La Moraga</a> in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes.  Love this great picture from Manzanilla&#39;s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can&#39;t wait to try it!</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side.  The setting and service all lived up to the price point.  Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn&#39;t work perfectly together, some were downright odd.  One of the most impressive, interesting, and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites.   On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia&#39;s tapas restaurant concept.  At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can&#39;t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious.  Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! </span><p> </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-8','','','2013-03-18 22:33:28','2013-03-18 22:33:28','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1037,1,'2013-03-19 03:50:13','2013-03-19 03:50:13','','manzanilla nyc front entrance thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','manzanilla-nyc-front-entrance-thumbnail','','','2013-03-19 03:50:13','2013-03-19 03:50:13','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/manzanilla-nyc-front-entrance-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1038,1,'2013-03-18 22:34:22','2013-03-18 22:34:22','[caption id=\"\" width=\"299\" align=\"alignleft\" caption=\"Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site\"]<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left;  \"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363646003406.424\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia&#39;s Manzanilla\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening <a href=\"http://www.manzanillanyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Manzanilla Restaurant NYC\">Manzanilla</a> in NYC.  I&#39;ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at <a href=\"http://www.restaurantecalima.es/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Calima restaurant Marbella Spain\">Calima</a> and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at <a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Moraga Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\">La Moraga</a> in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes.  Love this striking picture from Manzanilla&#39;s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can&#39;t wait to try it!</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side.  The setting and service all lived up to the price point.  Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn&#39;t work perfectly together, some were downright odd.  One of the most impressive, interesting, and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites.   On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia&#39;s tapas restaurant concept.  At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can&#39;t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious.  Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! </span><p> </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-9','','','2013-03-18 22:34:22','2013-03-18 22:34:22','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/1026-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1039,1,'2013-03-20 21:56:11','2013-03-20 21:56:11','','wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-mar-20-2013-1751-jpg','','','2013-03-20 21:56:11','2013-03-20 21:56:11','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1040,1,'2013-03-20 21:56:16','2013-03-20 21:56:16','<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/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299897.883\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short, but very good wine list!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport. There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me! It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices. Their <a title=\"La Moraga  Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\" href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a> implies that expansion is imminent to some far-flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest! The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami!</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);\">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list. If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all. You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait. </span></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576448086\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299896.5718\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8576448086_83206d0304_z.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"339\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Once seated, the fun starts! The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices. Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types. The menu changes a lot but there are always variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches. One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull\'s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig. Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes). There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops. The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually make an appearance in one delicious form or other.</span></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576455018\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299821.327\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8576455018_72a545f621.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"258\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos. I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular!</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576451356\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299825.7295\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas in La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8576451356_2b72708e32_z.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"369\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anything with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes. The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.) </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic! They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc. The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines. I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price. You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it! They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda. It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!! Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price! </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport! if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia\'s new project, <a title=\"Manzanilla: Dani Garcia\'s new Spanish Restaurant in NYC\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/\" target=\"_self\">Manzanilla</a>. If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','publish','open','open','','fancy-and-fun-spanish-tapas-la-moraga','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/','2013-03-22 22:13:55','2013-03-22 22:13:55','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1040',0,'post','',0),(1041,1,'2013-03-20 21:56:13','2013-03-20 21:56:13','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363816576120.8513\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain&#39;s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point.  Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food.  Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella.  An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share.  Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport.  There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me!  It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices.     Their website implies that expansion is imminent to some far flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest!  The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami! </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); \">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list.  If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all.  You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait.  </span></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); \">Once seated, the fun starts!  The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices.  Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types.  The menu changes a lot but there are always lots of variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches.  One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull&#39;s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig.  Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes).  There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops.  The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually makes an appearance in one delicious form or other. </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos.  I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular!  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anythign with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes.  The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.)  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic!  They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc.  The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines.  I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price.  You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it!  They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda.  It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!!  Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price!  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport!  if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia&#39;s new project, Manzanilla.  If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','inherit','open','open','','1040-revision','','','2013-03-20 21:56:13','2013-03-20 21:56:13','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/1040-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1042,1,'2013-03-19 03:52:12','2013-03-19 03:52:12','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"299\"]<a style=\"clear: left; float: left;\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363646003406.424\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\" /></a> Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening <a title=\"Manzanilla Restaurant NYC\" href=\"http://www.manzanillanyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Manzanilla</a> in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at <a title=\"Calima restaurant Marbella Spain\" href=\"http://www.restaurantecalima.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Calima</a> and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at <a title=\"La Moraga Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\" href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a> in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this striking picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things! Can\'t wait to try it!</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side. The setting and service all lived up to the price point. Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn\'t work perfectly together, some were downright odd. One of the most impressive, interesting, and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites. On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia\'s tapas restaurant concept. At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can\'t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious. Check out my review of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out! </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-10','','','2013-03-19 03:52:12','2013-03-19 03:52:12','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/19/1026-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1043,1,'2013-03-20 22:08:12','2013-03-20 22:08:12','','la Moraga logo thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','la-moraga-logo-thumbnail','','','2013-03-20 22:08:12','2013-03-20 22:08:12','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/la-Moraga-logo-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1044,1,'2013-03-21 00:27:58','2013-03-21 00:27:58','<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/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299897.883\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short, but very good wine list!</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport. There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me! It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices. Their <a title=\"La Moraga  Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\" href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a> implies that expansion is imminent to some far-flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest! The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami!</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);\">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list. If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all. You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait. </span></p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576448086\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299896.5718\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8576448086_83206d0304_z.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"339\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Once seated, the fun starts! The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices. Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types. The menu changes a lot but there are always variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches. One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull\'s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig. Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes). There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops. The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually make an appearance in one delicious form or other.</span></p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576455018\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299821.327\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8576455018_72a545f621.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"258\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos. I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular!</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576451356\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299825.7295\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas in La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8576451356_2b72708e32_z.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"369\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anything with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes. The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.) </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic! They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc. The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines. I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price. You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it! They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda. It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!! Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price! </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport! if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia\'s new project, <a title=\"Manzanilla: Dani Garcia\'s new Spanish Restaurant in NYC\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/\" target=\"_self\">Manzanilla</a>. If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\n&nbsp;','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','inherit','open','open','','1040-autosave','','','2013-03-21 00:27:58','2013-03-21 00:27:58','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/1040-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1045,1,'2013-03-20 22:02:52','2013-03-20 22:02:52','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363816952800.7815\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain&#39;s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point.  Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food.  Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella.  An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share.  Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport.  There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me!  It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices.     Their <a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Moraga  Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\">website</a> implies that expansion is imminent to some far flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest!  The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami! </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); \">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list.  If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all.  You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait.  </span></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); \">Once seated, the fun starts!  The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices.  Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types.  The menu changes a lot but there are always lots of variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches.  One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull&#39;s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig.  Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes).  There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops.  The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually makes an appearance in one delicious form or other. </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos.  I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular!  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anythign with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes.  The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.)  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic!  They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc.  The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines.  I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price.  You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it!  They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda.  It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!!  Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price!  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport!  if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia&#39;s new project, <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Manzanilla: Dani Garcia&#39;s new Spanish Restaurant in NYC\">Manzanilla</a>.  If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','inherit','open','open','','1040-revision-2','','','2013-03-20 22:02:52','2013-03-20 22:02:52','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/1040-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1046,1,'2013-03-20 22:10:22','2013-03-20 22:10:22','<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/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363816952800.7815\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport. There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me! It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices. Their <a title=\"La Moraga  Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\" href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a> implies that expansion is imminent to some far flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest! The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami!</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);\">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list. If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all. You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait. </span></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);\">Once seated, the fun starts! The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices. Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types. The menu changes a lot but there are always lots of variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches. One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull\'s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig. Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes). There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops. The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually makes an appearance in one delicious form or other. </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos. I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular! </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anythign with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes. The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.) </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic! They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc. The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines. I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price. You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it! They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda. It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!! Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price! </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport! if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia\'s new project, <a title=\"Manzanilla: Dani Garcia\'s new Spanish Restaurant in NYC\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/\" target=\"_self\">Manzanilla</a>. If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','inherit','open','open','','1040-revision-3','','','2013-03-20 22:10:22','2013-03-20 22:10:22','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/1040-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1047,1,'2013-03-21 00:20:43','2013-03-21 00:20:43','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825175459.99\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain&#39;s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point.  Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food.  Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella.  An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share.  Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short, but very good wine list!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport.  There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me!  It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices.     Their <a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Moraga  Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\">website</a> implies that expansion is imminent to some far flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest!  The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami! </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); \">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list.  If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all.  You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait.  </span></p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"text-align: center;clear: both; \"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576448086\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8576448086_83206d0304_z.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825175471.8303\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" width=\"300\" height=\"339\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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); \">Once seated, the fun starts!  The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices.  Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types.  The menu changes a lot but there are always lots of variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches.  One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull&#39;s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig.  Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes).  There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops.  The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually makes an appearance in one delicious form or other.</span><br>\n</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"text-align: center;clear: both; \"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576455018\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8576455018_72a545f621.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825175446.478\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" width=\"300\" height=\"258\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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); \">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos.  I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular!</span><br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"text-align: center;clear: both; \"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576451356\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8576451356_2b72708e32_z.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825175460.975\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas in La Moraga Marbella\" width=\"300\" height=\"369\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anything with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes.  The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.)  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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); \">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span><br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic!  They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc.  The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines.  I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price.  You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it!  They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda.  It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!!  Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price!  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport!  if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia&#39;s new project, <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Manzanilla: Dani Garcia&#39;s new Spanish Restaurant in NYC\">Manzanilla</a>.  If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','inherit','open','open','','1040-revision-4','','','2013-03-21 00:20:43','2013-03-21 00:20:43','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/21/1040-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1048,1,'2013-03-21 00:21:45','2013-03-21 00:21:45','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299897.883\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain&#39;s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point.  Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food.  Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella.  An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share.  Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short, but very good wine list!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport.  There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me!  It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices.     Their <a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Moraga  Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\">website</a> implies that expansion is imminent to some far flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest!  The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami! </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); \">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list.  If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all.  You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait.  </span></p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576448086\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8576448086_83206d0304_z.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299896.5718\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" width=\"300\" height=\"339\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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); \">Once seated, the fun starts!  The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices.  Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types.  The menu changes a lot but there are always lots of variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches.  One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull&#39;s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig.  Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes).  There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops.  The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually makes an appearance in one delicious form or other.</span><br>\n</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576455018\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8576455018_72a545f621.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299821.327\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" width=\"300\" height=\"258\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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); \">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos.  I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular!</span><br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576451356\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8576451356_2b72708e32_z.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299825.7295\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas in La Moraga Marbella\" width=\"300\" height=\"369\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anything with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes.  The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.)  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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); \">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span><br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic!  They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc.  The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines.  I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price.  You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it!  They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda.  It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!!  Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price!  </span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport!  if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia&#39;s new project, <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Manzanilla: Dani Garcia&#39;s new Spanish Restaurant in NYC\">Manzanilla</a>.  If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','inherit','open','open','','1040-revision-5','','','2013-03-21 00:21:45','2013-03-21 00:21:45','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/21/1040-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1049,1,'2013-03-21 00:26:51','2013-03-21 00:26:51','<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/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299897.883\" alt=\"La Moraga contemporary Spanish cuisine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-20-2013-1751.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short, but very good wine list!</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upscale chain now well established in Andalucia with four locations, one in Malaga, one in Puerto Banus (Marbella), Granada and one in the Malaga airport. There was a small outpost for about a year in Madrid in the El Corte Ingles Goya Gourmet Experience, where you could frequently find me! It had a simplified wine and food menu but still offered some great choices. Their <a title=\"La Moraga  Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\" href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\">website</a> implies that expansion is imminent to some far-flung places, to Madrid again as well as to Frankfurt and Budapest! The most exciting to me besides a large Madrid location would be Naples, Florida, just a hop, skip and a jump away from Miami!</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);\">No reservations are accepted and the Puerto Banus branch is a total madhouse at eat time...you have to get there early whether at lunch or dinner and put your name on a waiting list. If you wait too late, you may not get a time slot at all. You can squeeze in at the tiny bar, which can be worth it for great, cheap drinks, or get an approximate time and go somewhere else for your wait. </span></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576448086\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299896.5718\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8576448086_83206d0304_z.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"339\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Once seated, the fun starts! The menu can be bewildering, so many categories and so many amazing choices. Luckily most dishes are small tapas and you can share and order lots of types. The menu changes a lot but there are always variations of gazpachos and other cold southern soups and nice small sophisticated sandwiches. One signature dish is the burger bull, a delicious bull\'s tail mini-hamburger, though I think my favorite mini-burger has always been the pig burger made of ibérico pig. Other interpretations of classics include tortilla de patata (Spanish tortilla) and patatas bravas (spicy fried potatoes). There is usually multiple interpretations to choose from of the classic Spansih salad, similar to a potato salad, ensaladilla rusa, here elevated, by adding luxury ingredients, such as smoked salmon or scallops. The typical southern fried seafood and fish usually make an appearance in one delicious form or other.</span></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576455018\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299821.327\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas at La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8365/8576455018_72a545f621.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"258\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">Besides all this wonderful Spanish comfort food, there are lots of more refined choices, amazing fish and seafood dishes, foie dishes, tartares, carpacios, ceviches and crudos. I have amazing memories of a braised octopus dish...pictured below is another longtime favorite....carpaccio of presa ibérica (a cut of ibérico pork)....melt in the mouth spectacular!</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">On visits to Marbella, I always wanted to go a couple of times at least, it was so hard to try of the dishes I wanted to in one visit!</span></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8576451356\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1363825299825.7295\" alt=\"Amazing Spanish tapas in La Moraga Marbella\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8576451356_2b72708e32_z.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"369\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">My favorite dishes have always been the burgers, sandwiches, anything with ibérico pig, anything with fresh and raw seafood and fish, salads, the creative dishes. The least successful dishes, good, but not causing cravings have been the foie dishes, the steak tartare, the fritos (fried foods.) </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The price points are excellent...some ingredients are a bit pricy, but overall great value, especially if you choose with care.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">The wine list is short and fantastic! They always have some great sparkling wine by the glass while you wait....they serve my favorite rosado cava deNit by Raventos i Blanc. The mark ups have always been very reasonable particularly on certain wines. I remember for ages you could get a bottle of Roda Reserva (Rioja) for 25€, which is essentially retail price. You felt like you were cheating when you ordered it! They always have some local Andaluz wines on the list and for the longest time the house wine was a special cuvée made by my friend Bibi García at Cortijo de Los Aguilares up in Ronda. It was labelled especially for La Moraga, cost 12€ a bottle!!!! Light, but firm and full of flavor...a delicious wine at an amazing price! </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><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);\">If you are in the south, check out La Moraga...maybe you are just lucky enough to pass through Malaga airport! if you are in NYC, check out Dani Garcia\'s new project, <a title=\"Manzanilla: Dani Garcia\'s new Spanish Restaurant in NYC\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/18/spain-represents-dani-garcias-manzanilla-in-nyc/\" target=\"_self\">Manzanilla</a>. If you have tried La Moraga....what did you think....love to hear your thoughts!</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Fancy and fun Spanish tapas: La Moraga','One of Spain\'s big food trends in the last five years has been down-scaling as top chefs open simple eateries, restaurants that are more accessible in vibe, cuisine and price point. Some have criticized the trend as an effort to underwrite the money pits that their gastronomy temples usually are, but I love it, because it has meant some super interesting, reasonably-priced food. Dani Garcia was a pioneer here with La Moraga, and unique, starting in the south, in Malaga and Marbella. An exciting and changing menu with slightly fancy but also fun and familiar tapas and plates to share. Really delicious food, very few misses and an inexpensive, short but very good wine list!','inherit','open','open','','1040-revision-6','','','2013-03-21 00:26:51','2013-03-21 00:26:51','',1040,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/21/1040-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1050,1,'2013-03-20 22:04:57','2013-03-20 22:04:57','[caption id=\"\" width=\"299\" align=\"alignleft\" caption=\"Picture from Manzanilla Restaurant Facebook site\"]<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left;  \"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-18-2013-1744.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1363817054804.2544\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"Great Spanish food at Dani Garcia&#39;s Manzanilla\" width=\"299\" height=\"224\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very excited to hear about Dani Garcia opening <a href=\"http://www.manzanillanyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Manzanilla Restaurant NYC\">Manzanilla</a> in NYC.  I&#39;ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at <a href=\"http://www.restaurantecalima.es/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Calima restaurant Marbella Spain\">Calima</a> and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at <a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/wp/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Moraga Contemporary Spanish Cuisine\">La Moraga</a> in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manzanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes.  Love this striking picture from Manzanilla&#39;s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can&#39;t wait to try it!</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">Calima was an exquisite experience, an unending procession of small dishes, each arranged artistically, some prepared table-side.  The setting and service all lived up to the price point.  Some of the creative combinations were amazing, some components were exquisite individually but for me they didn&#39;t work perfectly together, some were downright odd.  One of the most impressive, interesting, and memorable meals I had in Spain, but not necessarily one of my favorites.   On the other hand, I have had many favorite moments at La Moraga, Garcia&#39;s tapas restaurant concept.  At La Moraga the menu is always changing, so I can&#39;t always count on my favorite lobster salad or creative mini-hamburger being there the next time, but I always know I will find something unique and creative yet also comforting and delicious.  Check out my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/fancy-and-fun-spanish-tapas-la-moraga/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Planet Vino on La Moraga\">review</a> of La Moraga...what you should try and not...if you are in the Malaga or Marbella area, you must try it out!  Let me know what you think of any of Garcia&#39;s places!  </span><p> </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spain Represents: Dani Garcia\'s Manzanilla in NYC','Very excited to here about Dani Garcia opening Manzanilla in NYC. I\'ve really enjoyed his high-end tasting menu at Calima and his fun yet fancy tapas many times at La Moraga in Spain. Judging from the menu, Manazanilla seems more along La Moraga lines, with great casual Andalusian-inspired dishes. Love this great picture from Manzanilla\'s Facebook page of the cool front entrance wall with inspiring foods and places from southern Spain....coquinas, espeto, chopitos....my favorite southern things!  Can\'t wait to try it!','inherit','open','open','','1026-revision-11','','','2013-03-20 22:04:57','2013-03-20 22:04:57','',1026,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/20/1026-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1051,1,'2013-03-25 21:52:46','2013-03-25 21:52:46','','wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-mar-25-2013-1749-jpg','','','2013-03-25 21:52:46','2013-03-25 21:52:46','',1052,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1052,1,'2013-03-25 21:52:53','2013-03-25 21:52:53','<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/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514709.726\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"240\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">San Sebastián, blessed with unbelievable natural beauty, great architecture and fabulous food. Add to the this the lively Basque street culture and you are really going to want to go here! Not enough tourists to Spain head north or west to Basque country and they are missing out! There is so much to see and do but today I\'m focusing on San Sebastián tapas, or pintxos as they are called here. This is the ultimate expression of tapas culture: hundreds of tapas bars concentrated in a small area, people spilling into the streets with their bites and drinks....a delight to behold! It can be overwhelming for the uninitiated however, so read on for how to best enjoy yourself....</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are so many great places that you could wander around and just do fine, but if you are really looking for some great places read on! There are two peak pintxo times, the first starting before lunch around noon, and the second starting before dinner, around 8PM. The day time one is packed on the weekends but not so great on the weekdays. I\'ve always preferred the evening session, as you usually stay and make a night of it! </span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most of the bars are standing room only and can be quite full. San Sebastián is know for many bars that display their wares directly on the bar and are self-service. These operate on the honor system. You would help yourself to a tapa or two and order your drink from the staff behind the bar. The sharp staff are usually keeping an eye on what the is being taken by whom! They pintxos may all be the same price or there may be a different color toothpick indicating price....in which case, keep your toothpicks. When you pay you bill, you simply use your fingers or the toothpickss to indicate how many tapas you\'ve had. These types of bars, though. they have many pintxos on the bar, also usually have raciones (larger tapas) or hot tapas that must be ordered, and are often listed on a chalkboard on the wall.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8591752110\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514681.709\" alt=\"Spectacular tapas on display in San Sebastián, Spain\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8236/8591752110_b623f8bd49.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Pintxos and Txakoli wine in San Sebastián[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Not all bars are operate on the honor system, some pintxos displayed on the bar, may have to be finished or heated, so when in doubt observe the other clients or ask.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is typical to stay at one bar just for a few pintxos and one or two rounds of drinks and then move on, in a sort of tapas route. Most bars have a particular specialty and often patrons go from bar to bar just enjoying the specialty of each bar.</p>\r\n<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8590651435\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514630.7747\" alt=\"Tapas in San Sebastián, Spain\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8098/8590651435_4c61500ae6.jpg\" width=\"309\" height=\"231\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some bars do have a few tables and though they may seem empty, they are not alway available, see the staff before you sit down. They are usually reserved for those who want to make a full meal of tapas and stay for a while. This can be a nice option if it raining outside...which it frequently is!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The old part is the easiest part to wander and do a tapas route, with the greatest concentration of tapas bars. This is the area between the port and the Cathedral through the Plaza de la Constitución and ending at the old market building, which is now mostly converted to a shopping center. There are lots of other great areas, especially Gros, across the river by the Kursaal, but this is one of the easiest to start in.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"314\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8591751980\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514687.729\" alt=\"Txakoli wine in San Sebastián Spain\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8591751980_381126fbbf.jpg\" width=\"314\" height=\"257\" /></a> The art of pouring Txakoli[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto; margin-bottom: 1.467em;\"><span style=\"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);\">The drink situation is usually pretty basic in the pintxo bars. Most people have beer, which can be ordered in a few sizes, but most typical with pintxos is a mini size called the zurito in Basque Country. The bigger normal size is called caña. Another typical drink is sidra, or cider, which is a lightly alcoholic, slightly fizzy version….very different than English hard cider. Finally, my favorite is Txakoli, which is the iconic Basque wine…a light, fresh, slightly spritzy wine not dissimilar in style to vinho verde from Portugal. It is often poured from high into low tumblers, as is the sidra, to bring out the fizz.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto; margin-bottom: 1.467em;\"><span style=\"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);\">I\'ve written about how much of the <a style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\" title=\"Counterfeit Txakoli wine in Spanish Basque Country\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2009/02/13/counterfeit-chacoli-in-spanish-basque-country/\" target=\"_self\">Txakoli wine</a> served in the pintxo bars is not actually from the appellation and the quality can vary a lot, but it\'s refreshing, cold and goes really well with the tapas and the moment!</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto; margin-bottom: 1.467em;\"><span style=\"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);\">There is a great website called Todo Pintxos, both in <a style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\" title=\"Todo Pintxos en español\" href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=es\" target=\"_blank\">Spanish</a> and <a style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\" title=\"Todo Pintxos in English\" href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\">English</a>, that has all the best bars, pictures of their top pintxos, contact information, maps etc. It also suggests routes and the top pintxos of the week. It is really is very useful.</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve just read a great article about <a title=\"The Guardian UK suggests experimental tapas places in San Sebastian, Spain\" href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2013/mar/14/san-sebastian-best-tapas-pintxo-bars\" target=\"_blank\">experimental tapas in San Sebastián</a> from The Guardian newspaper, suggesting places where you can get some tapas that are a little more sophisticated and cutting edge. Their suggestions all sound great and I\'ve added them to my list to try next time I\'m up in Donostia. Two I particular stand out. One is Borda Berri, which was opened by a former owner of <a title=\"Cuchara de San Telmo tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\" href=\"http://www.lacucharadesantelmo.com/lacucharademadera.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Cuchara de San Telmo</a>, one of my all time favorite pintxo places, and already very sophisticated indeed. The other is <a title=\"A Fuego Negro tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\" href=\"http://www.afuegonegro.com/\" target=\"_blank\">A Fuego Negro</a>, which has been on my go-to list for a while, as I\'ve enjoyed their unique food at sister location, Kulto al Plato, in Madrid for some time. Unfortunately a bad location and unrelenting months of bad economic times did Kulto in and they recently closed.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The favorites: I always say I\'m going to try new ones and I do but these are the ones I always go bad to for sure so far. Few of these bars have websites but the link I provide is to Todo Pintxo page where you can find a map. All the bars below are in the Parte Viejo or old part.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">1. <a title=\"Bar Txepetxa: amazing tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\" href=\"http://www.bartxepetxa.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bar Txepetxa</a>: If there is one pintxo I dream of, it is the Anchoa Jardinera...the perfect fresh, salty, crunchy, silky bite. I love it. This place specializes in vinegar cured anchovies, called boquerones in most of Spain, prepared in different ways on toast. Some are simple, some quite exotic, all are unique and delicious...but my favorite remains the Jardinera! Txepetxa has been around for decades, has won many awards and is always packed! Txakoli is the perfect beverage to wash down these boquerón pintxos, though apparently part of their secret is curing the anchovies in cider!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"La Cuchara de San Telmo: awesome tapas in San Sebastian Spain\" href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bares.php?id_bar=90&amp;do=vista_bar\" target=\"_blank\">La Cuchara de San Telmo</a>: A tiny, tiny place with a long list of innovative tapas and decent wines (a rarity here!). This place is always packed like sardines, so it\'s a challenge, but well worth the effort. If the weather is good, you can snag your food and eat outside. These are miniature plates, each a delightful and sometimes quite complex bite...or two. There is usually some lovely variation of seared foie, and an arroz cremoso, a Spanish take on risotto, often with a local cheese, such as Idiazabal. There can be costillas (ribs), beef cheeks, squid...all seared and braised to perfection. This is a place to be adventurous...because you\'ll love it! The wine list is usually short but solid, Rioja mostly, but nice.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Bar Ganbara: yummy tapas in Sana Sebastian Spain\" href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bares.php?id_bar=36&amp;do=vista_bar\" target=\"_blank\">Bar Ganbara</a>: This is one of my favorite honor-system places. There is a wonderful selection of pintxos displayed on the bar when you enter. My favorites are the mini-baguettes and croissants stuffed with jamón ibérico....they make they in fresh batches, so they are often still warm...heaven! When it\'s the season, the bar specializes in wild mushrooms so you can order a ración of whatever is on offer and all year they have a version of the Basque specialty, txangurro (crab), in mini-tart form, which is scrumptious!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Egosari: Great tapas in San Sebastian Spain\" href=\"http://www.egosari.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Egosari</a>: This places specialize in brochettes or skewers. They are all displayed on the bar. There are all also other nice tapas, but these are really unique and delicious. There are many variations, many are a mix of seafood, veggies and pork. You pick out the ones you want and they send them downstairs for grilling. It takes a while so you can try another pintxo and round of drinks while waiting. This is one of the few bars with tables and they have a more extensive menu available, so if you want to make a full meal of it, consult the staff.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are so many options but these four are always on my list! There is no doubt that San Sebastián is tapas and pintxo heaven! What are your favorite pintxo bars in the city?</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','The best of San Sebastián tapas and pintxos','San Sebastián, blessed with unbelievable natural beauty, great architecture and fabulous food. Add to the this the lively Basque street culture and you are really going to want to go here! Not enough tourists to Spain head north or west to Basque country and they are missing out! There is so much to see and do but today I\'m focusing on San Sebastián tapas, or pintxos as they are called here. This is the ultimate expression of tapas culture: hundreds of tapas bars concentrated in a small area, people spilling into the streets with their bites and drinks....a delight to behold! It can be overwhelming for the uninitiated however, so read on for how to best enjoy yourself....','publish','open','open','','the-best-of-san-sebastian-tapas-and-pintxos','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2009/02/13/counterfeit-chacoli-in-spanish-basque-country/','2013-04-01 21:48:11','2013-04-01 21:48:11','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1052',0,'post','',3),(1053,1,'2013-03-25 21:52:48','2013-03-25 21:52:48','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1364248373176.0125\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\" height=\"240\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">San Sebastián, blessed with unbelievable natural beauty, great architecture and fabulous food.  Add to the this the lively Basque street culture and you are really going to want to go here! Not enough tourists to Spain head north or west to Basque country and they are missing out!  There is so much to see and do but today I&#39;m focusing on San Sebastián tapas, or pintxos as they are called here.  This is the ultimate expression of tapas culture: hundreds of tapas bars concentrated in a small area, people spilling into the streets with their bites and drinks....a delight to behold!  It can be overwhelming for the uninitiated however, so read on for how to best enjoy yourself....</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">There are so many great places that you could wander around and just do fine, but if you are really looking for some great places read on!  There are two peak pintxo times, the first starting before lunch around noon, and the second starting before dinner, around 8PM.  The day time one is packed on the weekends but not so great on the weekdays.  I&#39;ve always preferred the evening session, as you usually stay and make a night of it! </span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most of the bars are standing room only and can be quite full.  San Sebastián is know for many bars that display their wares directly on the bar and are self-service.  These operate on the honor system.  You would help yourself to a tapa or two and order your drink from the staff behind the bar.  The sharp staff are usually keeping an eye on what the is being taken by whom!  They pintxos may all be the same price or there may be a different color toothpick indicating price....in which case, keep your toothpicks.  When you pay you bill, you simply use your fingers or the toothpickss to indicate how many tapas you&#39;ve had.  These types of bars, though. they have many pintxos on the bar, also usually have raciones (larger tapas) or hot tapas that must be ordered, and are often listed on a chalkboard on the wall.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Not all bars are operate on the honor system, some pintxos displayed on the bar, may have to be finished or heated, so when in doubt observe the other clients or ask.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is typical to stay at one bar just for a few pintxos and one or two rounds of drinks and then move on, in a sort of tapas route.  Most bars have a particular specialty and often patrons go from bar to bar just enjoying the specialty of each bar.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some bars do have a few tables and though they may seem empty, they are not alway available, see the staff before you sit down.  They are usually reserved for those who want to make a full meal of tapas and stay for a while.  This can be a nice option if it raining outside...which it frequently is!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The old part is the easiest part to wander and do a tapas route, with the greatest concentration of tapas bars. This is the area between the port and the Cathedral through the Plaza de la Constitución and ending at the old market building, which is now mostly converted to a shopping center.  There are lots of other great areas,  especially Gros, across the river by the Kursaal, but this is one of the easiest to start in.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The drink situation is usually pretty basic in the pintxo bars.  Most people have beer, which can be ordered in a few sizes, but most typical with pintxos is a mini size called the zurito in Basque Country.  The bigger normal size is called caña.  Another typical drink is sidra, or cider, which is a lightly alcoholic, slightly fizzy version....very different than English hard cider.  Finally, my favorite is Txakoli, which is the iconic Basque wine...a light, fresh, slightly spritzy wine not dissimilar in style to vinho verde from Portugal.  It is often poured from high into low tumblers, as is the sidra, to bring out the fizz.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#39;ve written about how much of the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2009/02/13/counterfeit-chacoli-in-spanish-basque-country/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Counterfeit Txakoli wine in Spanish Basque Country\">Txakoli wine</a> served in the pintxo bars is not actually from the appellation and the quality can vary a lot, but it&#39;s refreshing, cold and goes really well with the tapas and the moment!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a great website called Todo Pintxos, both in <a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=es\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Todo Pintxos en español\">Spanish</a> and <a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Todo Pintxos in English\">English</a>, that has all the best bars, pictures of their top pintxos, contact information, maps etc.  It also suggests routes and the top pintxos of the week.  It is really is very useful. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#39;ve just read a great article about <a href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2013/mar/14/san-sebastian-best-tapas-pintxo-bars\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"The Guardian UK suggests experimental tapas places in San Sebastian, Spain\">experimental tapas in San Sebastián</a> from The Guardian newspaper, suggesting places where you can get some tapas that are a little more sophisticated and cutting edge.  Their suggestions all sound great and I&#39;ve added them to my list to try next time I&#39;m up in Donostia.  Two I particular stand out.  One is Borda Berri, which was opened by a former owner of <a href=\"http://www.lacucharadesantelmo.com/lacucharademadera.swf\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Cuchara de San Telmo tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\">Cuchara de San Telmo</a>, one of my all time favorite pintxo places, and already very sophisticated indeed.  The other is <a href=\"http://www.afuegonegro.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"A Fuego Negro tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\">A Fuego Negro</a>, which has been on my go-to list for a while, as I&#39;ve enjoyed their unique food at sister location, Kulto al Plato, in Madrid for some time.  Unfortunately a bad location and unrelenting months of bad economic times did Kulto in and they recently closed.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> The favorites:  I always say I&#39;m going to try new ones and I do but these are the ones I always go bad to for sure so far.  Few of these bars have websites but the link I provide is to Todo Pintxo page where you can find a map.  All the bars below are in the Parte Viejo or old part.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">1. <a href=\"http://www.bartxepetxa.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bar Txepetxa: amazing tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\">Bar Txepetxa</a>:  If there is one pintxo I dream of, it is the Anchoa Jardinera...the perfect fresh, salty, crunchy, silky bite.  I love it.  This place specializes in vinegar cured anchovies, called boquerones in most of Spain, prepared in different ways on toast.  Some are simple, some quite exotic, all are unique and delicious...but my favorite remains the Jardinera!  Txepetxa has been around for decades, has won many awards and is always packed!  Txakoli is the perfect beverage to wash down these boquerón pintxos, though apparently part of their secret is curing the anchovies in cider!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bares.php?id_bar=90&do=vista_bar\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Cuchara de San Telmo: awesome tapas in San Sebastian Spain\">La Cuchara de San Telmo</a>:  A tiny, tiny place with a long list of innovative tapas and decent wines (a rarity here!). This place is always packed like sardines, so it&#39;s a challenge, but well worth the effort.  If the weather is good, you can snag your food and eat outside.  These are miniature plates, each a delightful and sometimes quite complex bite...or two.  There is usually some lovely variation of seared foie, and an arroz cremoso, a Spanish take on risotto, often with a local cheese, such as Idiazabal.  There can be costillas (ribs), beef cheeks, squid...all seared and braised to perfection.  This is a place to be adventurous...because you&#39;ll love it!  The wine list is usually short but solid, Rioja mostly, but nice.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bares.php?id_bar=36&do=vista_bar\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bar Ganbara: yummy tapas in Sana Sebastian Spain\">Bar Ganbara</a>:  This is one of my favorite honor-system places.  There is a wonderful selection of pintxos displayed on the bar when you enter.  My favorites are the mini-baguettes and croissants stuffed with jamón ibérico....they make they in fresh batches, so they are often still warm...heaven! When it&#39;s the season,  the bar specializes in wild mushrooms so you can order a ración of whatever is on offer and all year they have a version of the Basque specialty, txangurro (crab), in mini-tart form, which is scrumptious! </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.egosari.es/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Egosari: Great tapas in San Sebastian Spain\">Egosari</a>: This places specialize in brochettes or skewers.  They are all displayed on the bar.  There are all also other nice tapas, but these are really unique and delicious.  There are many variations, many are a mix of seafood, veggies and pork.  You pick out the ones you want and they send them downstairs for grilling.  It takes a while so you can try another pintxo and round of drinks while waiting. This is one of the few bars with tables and they have a more extensive menu available, so if you want to make a full meal of it, consult the staff.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are so many options but these four are always on my list!  There is no doubt that San Sebastián is tapas and pintxo heaven!  What are your favorite pintxo bars in the city?</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','The best of San Sebastián tapas and pintxos','San Sebastián, blessed with unbelievable natural beauty, great architecture and fabulous food. Add to the this the lively Basque street culture and you are really going to want to go here! Not enough tourists to Spain head north or west to Basque country and they are missing out! There is so much to see and do but today I\'m focusing on San Sebastián tapas, or pintxos as they are called here. This is the ultimate expression of tapas culture: hundreds of tapas bars concentrated in a small area, people spilling into the streets with their bites and drinks....a delight to behold! It can be overwhelming for the uninitiated however, so read on for how to best enjoy yourself....','inherit','open','open','','1052-revision','','','2013-03-25 21:52:48','2013-03-25 21:52:48','',1052,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/25/1052-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1054,1,'2013-04-01 21:40:06','2013-04-01 21:40:06','','wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-mar-14-2013-2118-jpg','','','2013-04-01 21:40:06','2013-04-01 21:40:06','',1055,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1055,1,'2013-04-01 21:40:11','2013-04-01 21:40:11','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1364852411909.7854\" alt=\"Don Simón Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I entered my Whole Foods store and this is what I saw! This huge display of Don Simón wines takes up the whole entrance area. Don Simón represents the worst side of Spanish wine with bad sangria and wine in cardboard boxes. Whole Foods has always had a small, but decent, if over-priced, selection of Spanish wines. How did these two wine worlds collide? There is no clue on the Whole Foods website. If the wine costs four dollars in Whole Foods....imagine its quality level! I am down, down, down about this...high profile, ultra-generic, low-quality wine does nothing good for the image of Spanish wine in the US. I will, in an attempt at fairness, try one of these wines....but it\'s not going to be pretty!</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Don Simón wine touches down in Whole Foods!','I entered my Whole Foods store and this is what I saw! This huge display of Don Simón wines takes up the whole entrance area. Don Simón represents the worst side of Spanish wine with bad sangria and wine in cardboard boxes. Whole Foods has always had a small, but decent, if over-priced, selection of Spanish wines. How did these two wine worlds collide? There is no clue on the Whole Foods website. If the wine costs four dollars in Whole Foods....imagine its quality level! I am down, down, down about this...high profile, ultra-generic, low-quality wine does nothing good for the image of Spanish wine in the US. I will, in an attempt at fairness, try one of these wines....but it\'s not going to be pretty!','publish','open','open','','don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods','','','2013-04-01 21:50:07','2013-04-01 21:50:07','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1055',0,'post','',0),(1057,1,'2013-04-01 21:46:35','2013-04-01 21:46:35','','Txepetxa anchoas thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','txepetxa-anchoas-thumbnail','','','2013-04-01 21:46:35','2013-04-01 21:46:35','',1052,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Txepetxa-anchoas-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1058,1,'2013-03-26 06:19:53','2013-03-26 06:19:53','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/wpid-Photo-Mar-25-2013-1749.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514709.726\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"240\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">San Sebastián, blessed with unbelievable natural beauty, great architecture and fabulous food.  Add to the this the lively Basque street culture and you are really going to want to go here! Not enough tourists to Spain head north or west to Basque country and they are missing out!  There is so much to see and do but today I&#39;m focusing on San Sebastián tapas, or pintxos as they are called here.  This is the ultimate expression of tapas culture: hundreds of tapas bars concentrated in a small area, people spilling into the streets with their bites and drinks....a delight to behold!  It can be overwhelming for the uninitiated however, so read on for how to best enjoy yourself....</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">There are so many great places that you could wander around and just do fine, but if you are really looking for some great places read on!  There are two peak pintxo times, the first starting before lunch around noon, and the second starting before dinner, around 8PM.  The day time one is packed on the weekends but not so great on the weekdays.  I&#39;ve always preferred the evening session, as you usually stay and make a night of it! </span><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most of the bars are standing room only and can be quite full.  San Sebastián is know for many bars that display their wares directly on the bar and are self-service.  These operate on the honor system.  You would help yourself to a tapa or two and order your drink from the staff behind the bar.  The sharp staff are usually keeping an eye on what the is being taken by whom!  They pintxos may all be the same price or there may be a different color toothpick indicating price....in which case, keep your toothpicks.  When you pay you bill, you simply use your fingers or the toothpickss to indicate how many tapas you&#39;ve had.  These types of bars, though. they have many pintxos on the bar, also usually have raciones (larger tapas) or hot tapas that must be ordered, and are often listed on a chalkboard on the wall.  </p>\n\n[caption id=\"\" width=\"300\" align=\"alignnone\" caption=\"Pintxos and Txakoli wine in San Sebastián \"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8591752110\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8236/8591752110_b623f8bd49.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514681.709\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Spectacular tapas on display in San Sebastián, Spain\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Not all bars are operate on the honor system, some pintxos displayed on the bar, may have to be finished or heated, so when in doubt observe the other clients or ask.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is typical to stay at one bar just for a few pintxos and one or two rounds of drinks and then move on, in a sort of tapas route.  Most bars have a particular specialty and often patrons go from bar to bar just enjoying the specialty of each bar.</p>\n\n[caption id=\"\" width=\"309\" align=\"alignnone\" caption=\"Honor-system pintxos in San Sebastián \"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8590651435\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8098/8590651435_4c61500ae6.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514630.7747\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Tapas in San Sebastián, Spain\" width=\"309\" height=\"231\"></a><span style=\"text-align: justify; \"> </span>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some bars do have a few tables and though they may seem empty, they are not alway available, see the staff before you sit down.  They are usually reserved for those who want to make a full meal of tapas and stay for a while.  This can be a nice option if it raining outside...which it frequently is!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The old part is the easiest part to wander and do a tapas route, with the greatest concentration of tapas bars. This is the area between the port and the Cathedral through the Plaza de la Constitución and ending at the old market building, which is now mostly converted to a shopping center.  There are lots of other great areas,  especially Gros, across the river by the Kursaal, but this is one of the easiest to start in.  </p>\n\n[caption id=\"\" width=\"314\" align=\"alignnone\" caption=\"The art of pouring Txakoli\"]<a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8591751980\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8591751980_381126fbbf.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1364278514687.729\" class=\"alignnone\" alt=\"Txakoli wine in San Sebastián Spain\" width=\"314\" height=\"257\"></a>[/caption]\n\n<p style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto; margin-bottom: 1.467em; \"><span style=\"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);\">The drink situation is usually pretty basic in the pintxo bars. Most people have beer, which can be ordered in a few sizes, but most typical with pintxos is a mini size called the zurito in Basque Country. The bigger normal size is called caña. Another typical drink is sidra, or cider, which is a lightly alcoholic, slightly fizzy version….very different than English hard cider. Finally, my favorite is Txakoli, which is the iconic Basque wine…a light, fresh, slightly spritzy wine not dissimilar in style to vinho verde from Portugal. It is often poured from high into low tumblers, as is the sidra, to bring out the fizz.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto; margin-bottom: 1.467em; \"><span style=\"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);\">I&#39;ve written about how much of the <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2009/02/13/counterfeit-chacoli-in-spanish-basque-country/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Counterfeit Txakoli wine in Spanish Basque Country\" style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px; \">Txakoli wine</a> served in the pintxo bars is not actually from the appellation and the quality can vary a lot, but it&#39;s refreshing, cold and goes really well with the tapas and the moment!</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: -webkit-auto; margin-bottom: 1.467em; \"><span style=\"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);\">There is a great website called Todo Pintxos, both in <a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=es\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Todo Pintxos en español\" style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px; \">Spanish</a> and <a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Todo Pintxos in English\" style=\"padding: 0px; margin: 0px; \">English</a>, that has all the best bars, pictures of their top pintxos, contact information, maps etc. It also suggests routes and the top pintxos of the week. It is really is very useful.</span></p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#39;ve just read a great article about <a href=\"http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2013/mar/14/san-sebastian-best-tapas-pintxo-bars\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"The Guardian UK suggests experimental tapas places in San Sebastian, Spain\">experimental tapas in San Sebastián</a> from The Guardian newspaper, suggesting places where you can get some tapas that are a little more sophisticated and cutting edge.  Their suggestions all sound great and I&#39;ve added them to my list to try next time I&#39;m up in Donostia.  Two I particular stand out.  One is Borda Berri, which was opened by a former owner of <a href=\"http://www.lacucharadesantelmo.com/lacucharademadera.swf\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Cuchara de San Telmo tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\">Cuchara de San Telmo</a>, one of my all time favorite pintxo places, and already very sophisticated indeed.  The other is <a href=\"http://www.afuegonegro.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"A Fuego Negro tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\">A Fuego Negro</a>, which has been on my go-to list for a while, as I&#39;ve enjoyed their unique food at sister location, Kulto al Plato, in Madrid for some time.  Unfortunately a bad location and unrelenting months of bad economic times did Kulto in and they recently closed.<br>\n</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> The favorites:  I always say I&#39;m going to try new ones and I do but these are the ones I always go bad to for sure so far.  Few of these bars have websites but the link I provide is to Todo Pintxo page where you can find a map.  All the bars below are in the Parte Viejo or old part.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">1. <a href=\"http://www.bartxepetxa.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bar Txepetxa: amazing tapas bar in San Sebastian Spain\">Bar Txepetxa</a>:  If there is one pintxo I dream of, it is the Anchoa Jardinera...the perfect fresh, salty, crunchy, silky bite.  I love it.  This place specializes in vinegar cured anchovies, called boquerones in most of Spain, prepared in different ways on toast.  Some are simple, some quite exotic, all are unique and delicious...but my favorite remains the Jardinera!  Txepetxa has been around for decades, has won many awards and is always packed!  Txakoli is the perfect beverage to wash down these boquerón pintxos, though apparently part of their secret is curing the anchovies in cider!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bares.php?id_bar=90&do=vista_bar\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"La Cuchara de San Telmo: awesome tapas in San Sebastian Spain\">La Cuchara de San Telmo</a>:  A tiny, tiny place with a long list of innovative tapas and decent wines (a rarity here!). This place is always packed like sardines, so it&#39;s a challenge, but well worth the effort.  If the weather is good, you can snag your food and eat outside.  These are miniature plates, each a delightful and sometimes quite complex bite...or two.  There is usually some lovely variation of seared foie, and an arroz cremoso, a Spanish take on risotto, often with a local cheese, such as Idiazabal.  There can be costillas (ribs), beef cheeks, squid...all seared and braised to perfection.  This is a place to be adventurous...because you&#39;ll love it!  The wine list is usually short but solid, Rioja mostly, but nice.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/bares/bares.php?id_bar=36&do=vista_bar\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bar Ganbara: yummy tapas in Sana Sebastian Spain\">Bar Ganbara</a>:  This is one of my favorite honor-system places.  There is a wonderful selection of pintxos displayed on the bar when you enter.  My favorites are the mini-baguettes and croissants stuffed with jamón ibérico....they make they in fresh batches, so they are often still warm...heaven! When it&#39;s the season,  the bar specializes in wild mushrooms so you can order a ración of whatever is on offer and all year they have a version of the Basque specialty, txangurro (crab), in mini-tart form, which is scrumptious! </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.egosari.es/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Egosari: Great tapas in San Sebastian Spain\">Egosari</a>: This places specialize in brochettes or skewers.  They are all displayed on the bar.  There are all also other nice tapas, but these are really unique and delicious.  There are many variations, many are a mix of seafood, veggies and pork.  You pick out the ones you want and they send them downstairs for grilling.  It takes a while so you can try another pintxo and round of drinks while waiting. This is one of the few bars with tables and they have a more extensive menu available, so if you want to make a full meal of it, consult the staff.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are so many options but these four are always on my list!  There is no doubt that San Sebastián is tapas and pintxo heaven!  What are your favorite pintxo bars in the city?</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','The best of San Sebastián tapas and pintxos','San Sebastián, blessed with unbelievable natural beauty, great architecture and fabulous food. Add to the this the lively Basque street culture and you are really going to want to go here! Not enough tourists to Spain head north or west to Basque country and they are missing out! There is so much to see and do but today I\'m focusing on San Sebastián tapas, or pintxos as they are called here. This is the ultimate expression of tapas culture: hundreds of tapas bars concentrated in a small area, people spilling into the streets with their bites and drinks....a delight to behold! It can be overwhelming for the uninitiated however, so read on for how to best enjoy yourself....','inherit','open','open','','1052-revision-2','','','2013-03-26 06:19:53','2013-03-26 06:19:53','',1052,'http://planetavino.net/2013/03/26/1052-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1059,1,'2013-04-01 21:49:02','2013-04-01 21:49:02','','Don Simon Whole Foods thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','don-simon-whole-foods-thumbnail','','','2013-04-01 21:49:02','2013-04-01 21:49:02','',1055,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Don-Simon-Whole-Foods-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1060,1,'2013-04-01 21:40:08','2013-04-01 21:40:08','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1364852411909.7854\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" alt=\"Don Simón Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I entered my Whole Foods store and this is what I saw!  This huge display of Don Simón wines takes up the whole entrance area.  Don Simón represents the worst side of Spanish wine with bad sangria and wine in cardboard boxes.  Whole Foods has always had a small, but decent, if over-priced, selection of Spanish wines.  How did these two wine worlds collide? There is no clue on the Whole Foods website.  If the wine costs four dollars in Whole Foods....imagine its quality level!  I am down, down, down about this...high profile, ultra-generic, low-quality wine does nothing good for the image of Spanish wine in the US.  I will, in an attempt at fairness, try one of these wines....but it&#39;s not going to be pretty!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Don Simón wine touches down in Whole Foods!','I entered my Whole Foods store and this is what I saw! This huge display of Don Simón wines takes up the whole entrance area. Don Simón represents the worst side of Spanish wine with bad sangria and wine in cardboard boxes. Whole Foods has always had a small, but decent, if over-priced, selection of Spanish wines. How did these two wine worlds collide? There is no clue on the Whole Foods website. If the wine costs four dollars in Whole Foods....imagine its quality level! I am down, down, down about this...high profile, ultra-generic, low-quality wine does nothing good for the image of Spanish wine in the US. I will, in an attempt at fairness, try one of these wines....but it\'s not going to be pretty!','inherit','open','open','','1055-revision','','','2013-04-01 21:40:08','2013-04-01 21:40:08','',1055,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/1055-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1061,1,'2013-04-01 21:51:16','2013-04-01 21:51:16','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1364852411909.7854\" alt=\"Don Simón Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Mar-14-2013-2118.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I entered my Whole Foods store and this is what I saw! This huge display of Don Simón wines takes up the whole entrance area. Don Simón represents the worst side of Spanish wine with bad sangria and wine in cardboard boxes. Whole Foods has always had a small, but decent, if over-priced, selection of Spanish wines. How did these two wine worlds collide? There is no clue on the Whole Foods website. If the wine costs four dollars in Whole Foods....imagine its quality level! I am down, down, down about this...high profile, ultra-generic, low-quality wine does nothing good for the image of Spanish wine in the US. I will, in an attempt at fairness, try one of these wines....but it\'s not going to be pretty!</p>\n&nbsp;','Don Simón wine touches down in Whole Foods!','I entered my Whole Foods store and this is what I saw! This huge display of Don Simón wines takes up the whole entrance area. Don Simón represents the worst side of Spanish wine with bad sangria and wine in cardboard boxes. Whole Foods has always had a small, but decent, if over-priced, selection of Spanish wines. How did these two wine worlds collide? There is no clue on the Whole Foods website. If the wine costs four dollars in Whole Foods....imagine its quality level! I am down, down, down about this...high profile, ultra-generic, low-quality wine does nothing good for the image of Spanish wine in the US. I will, in an attempt at fairness, try one of these wines....but it\'s not going to be pretty!','inherit','open','open','','1055-autosave','','','2013-04-01 21:51:16','2013-04-01 21:51:16','',1055,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/1055-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1062,1,'2013-04-03 21:56:23','2013-04-03 21:56:23','','wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-apr-3-2013-1754-jpg','','','2013-04-03 21:56:23','2013-04-03 21:56:23','',1063,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1063,1,'2013-04-03 21:56:28','2013-04-04 01:56:28','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365026188207.6282\" alt=\"Ferrer Bobet Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"220\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring <a title=\"Etnic Montsant Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/spanish-red-wine-review-etnic-negre-2008/\" target=\"_self\">Montsant</a>. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Ferrer Bobet: Spanish winery in Priorat\" href=\"http://www.ferrerbobet.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ferrer Bobet</a> is an amazing winery to visit and really represents the perfect intersection of total dedication to the the unique land of Priorat and cutting edge, yet minimalist wine-making techniques. They currently offer two wines, the Vinyes Velles, and also the Selecció Especial, which is from specially selected parcels. The Selecció is really impressive in its concentration and has a more typical Priorat price tag at about 60€ in Spain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ferrer Bobet is the joint passion project of Sergio Ferrer and Raul Bobet. They have been dedicated to using and preserving old vine sites of Carignan and Grenache in the Porrera sub-zone of Priorat and will soon also have available somewhat larger quantities of a variety of vines they planted themselves when they started the winery in 2002. Sergio Ferrer also owns the amazing <a title=\"Monvinic:Spanish wine bar in Barcelona\" href=\"http://www.monvinic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Monvinic</a> wine bar and restaurant in Barcelona and Raul Bobet is making wine at <a title=\"Castell d\'Encus: Spanish winery\" href=\"http://encus.weebly.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Castell d\'Encus</a> at 1000m in western Catalunya...a project that arose as an answer to global warming issues in Spanish winemaking.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was fortunate enough to taste the Vinyes Velles 2009 and 2010 together and both can be found on the market easily at the moment. It was fascinating it see the different in the vintages. Both wines are 65% Cariñena, 34% Garnacha, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and have 15 months aging in in French oak. The 2009 really showed its Priorat intensity...huge black fruit, big tannins, long, brooding. The perfect balance of oak as usual. A most typical Priorat profile, but all cleaned up in the Ferrer Bobet style.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2010, was totally different...aromatic, floral, fresher acidity on the palate. Also intense and long but so elegant. This was my baby! This was Priorat in the 90s. Reminds me of the guys going for a lighter style like Terroir al Limit. I totally dig this style! So food friendly, but also so fun to drink on it\'s own.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So if you are ready for a step up from basic Priorat such as <a title=\"Camins de Priorat Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/spanish-red-wine-review-camins-del-priorat-2011/\" target=\"_self\">Camins de Priorat</a>, look for Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles for a great premium Priorat wine experience at a very decent price.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried this wine? What did you think? Is there another Priorat you love?</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Ferrer Bobet Vinyes 2010','I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring Montsant. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.','publish','open','open','','spanish-wine-review-ferrer-bobet-vinyes-2010','','http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/spanish-red-wine-review-etnic-negre-2008/\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/spanish-red-wine-review-camins-del-priorat-2011/','2013-05-03 22:31:50','2013-05-04 02:31:50','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1063',0,'post','',0),(1064,1,'2013-04-03 21:56:24','2013-04-03 21:56:24','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365026188207.6282\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"220\" alt=\"Ferrer Bobet Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack.  Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price.  I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/spanish-red-wine-review-etnic-negre-2008/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Etnic Montsant Spanish wine\">Montsant</a>.  But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US.  I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.ferrerbobet.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Ferrer Bobet: Spanish winery in Priorat\">Ferrer Bobet</a> is an amazing winery to visit and really represents the perfect intersection of total dedication to the the unique land of Priorat and cutting edge, yet minimalist wine-making techniques.  They currently offer two wines, the Vinyes Velles, and also the Selecció Especial, which is from specially selected parcels.  The Selecció is really impressive in its concentration and has a more typical Priorat price tag at about 60€ in Spain.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ferrer Bobet is the joint passion project of Sergio Ferrer and Raul Bobet.  They have been dedicated to using and preserving old vine sites of Carignan and Grenache in the Porrera sub-zone of Priorat and will soon also have available somewhat larger quantities of a variety of vines they planted themselves when they started the winery in 2002.  Sergio Ferrer also owns the amazing <a href=\"http://www.monvinic.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Monvinic:Spanish wine bar in Barcelona\">Monvinic</a> wine bar and restaurant in Barcelona and Raul Bobet is making wine at <a href=\"http://encus.weebly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Castell d&#39;Encus: Spanish winery\">Castell d&#39;Encus</a> at 1000m in western Catalunya...a project that arose as an answer to global warming issues in Spanish winemaking.    </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was fortunate enough to taste the Vinyes Velles 2009 and 2010 together and both can be found on the market easily at the moment.  It was fascinating it see the different in the vintages.  The 2009 really showed it&#39;s Priorat intensity...huge black fruit, big tannins, long, brooding.  The perfect balance of oak as usual.  A most typical Priroat profile, but all cleaned up in the Ferrer Bobet style.   </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2010 was totally different...aromatic, floral, fresher acidity on the palate.  Also intense and long but so elegant.  This was my baby!  This was Priorat in the 90s.  Reminds me of the guys going for a lighter style like Terroir al Limit.  I totally dig this style!  So food friendly, but also so fun to drink on it&#39;s own.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So if you are ready for a step up from basic Priorat such as <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/spanish-red-wine-review-camins-del-priorat-2011/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Camins de Priorat Spanish wine\">Camins de Priorat</a>, look for Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles for a great premium Priorat wine experience at a very decent price.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried this wine?  What did you think?  Is there another Priorat you love?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Ferrer Bobet Vinyes 2010','I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring Montsant. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.','inherit','open','open','','1063-revision','','','2013-04-03 21:56:24','2013-04-03 21:56:24','',1063,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/03/1063-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1065,1,'2013-04-03 22:17:38','2013-04-03 22:17:38','','Ferrer Bobet Vinyes 2010 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','ferrer-bobet-vinyes-2010-thumbnail','','','2013-04-03 22:17:38','2013-04-03 22:17:38','',1063,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Ferrer-Bobet-Vinyes-2010-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1066,1,'2013-04-03 22:04:40','2013-04-03 22:04:40','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365026188207.6282\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"220\" alt=\"Ferrer Bobet Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack.  Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price.  I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/spanish-red-wine-review-etnic-negre-2008/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Etnic Montsant Spanish wine\">Montsant</a>.  But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US.  I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://www.ferrerbobet.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Ferrer Bobet: Spanish winery in Priorat\">Ferrer Bobet</a> is an amazing winery to visit and really represents the perfect intersection of total dedication to the the unique land of Priorat and cutting edge, yet minimalist wine-making techniques.  They currently offer two wines, the Vinyes Velles, and also the Selecció Especial, which is from specially selected parcels.  The Selecció is really impressive in its concentration and has a more typical Priorat price tag at about 60€ in Spain.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ferrer Bobet is the joint passion project of Sergio Ferrer and Raul Bobet.  They have been dedicated to using and preserving old vine sites of Carignan and Grenache in the Porrera sub-zone of Priorat and will soon also have available somewhat larger quantities of a variety of vines they planted themselves when they started the winery in 2002.  Sergio Ferrer also owns the amazing <a href=\"http://www.monvinic.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Monvinic:Spanish wine bar in Barcelona\">Monvinic</a> wine bar and restaurant in Barcelona and Raul Bobet is making wine at <a href=\"http://encus.weebly.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Castell d&#39;Encus: Spanish winery\">Castell d&#39;Encus</a> at 1000m in western Catalunya...a project that arose as an answer to global warming issues in Spanish winemaking.    </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was fortunate enough to taste the Vinyes Velles 2009 and 2010 together and both can be found on the market easily at the moment.  It was fascinating it see the different in the vintages.  Both wines are 65% Cariñena, 34% Garnacha, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and have 15 months aging in in French oak.  The 2009 really showed its Priorat intensity...huge black fruit, big tannins, long, brooding.  The perfect balance of oak as usual.  A most typical Priorat profile, but all cleaned up in the Ferrer Bobet style.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2010,  was totally different...aromatic, floral, fresher acidity on the palate.  Also intense and long but so elegant.  This was my baby!  This was Priorat in the 90s.  Reminds me of the guys going for a lighter style like Terroir al Limit.  I totally dig this style!  So food friendly, but also so fun to drink on it&#39;s own.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So if you are ready for a step up from basic Priorat such as <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/spanish-red-wine-review-camins-del-priorat-2011/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Camins de Priorat Spanish wine\">Camins de Priorat</a>, look for Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles for a great premium Priorat wine experience at a very decent price.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried this wine?  What did you think?  Is there another Priorat you love?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Ferrer Bobet Vinyes 2010','I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring Montsant. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.','inherit','open','open','','1063-revision-2','','','2013-04-03 22:04:40','2013-04-03 22:04:40','',1063,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/03/1063-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1067,1,'2013-04-05 21:48:49','2013-04-05 21:48:49','','wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-apr-5-2013-1656-jpg','','','2013-04-05 21:48:49','2013-04-05 21:48:49','',1068,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1068,1,'2013-04-05 21:48:53','2013-04-05 21:48:53','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365289951684.937\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"Don Simón Tempranillo: Spanish wine\" width=\"220\" height=\"205\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So I got the wine and I&#39;m drinking it now!  I&#39;m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars.  In my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Don Simón Spanish Wine touches down in Whole Foods\">previous post</a> on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria.  After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains.  The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way.  I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions.  This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it&#39;s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are there varietals in the line on offer, a Shiraz/Syrah, a Chardonnay, and the Tempranillo. According to the back labels, these are from the category Vino de la Tierra, a category below Appellation level, but which does offer some geographic origin guarantees.  in this case the origin is the largest wine region in the world, the huge central Spanish plain of La Mancha.  There is a lot of very bad and ordinary wine produced in this vast region, and huge wine surpluses annually, but there is also a lot of very good wine produced, both in a number of appellations and in the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla category.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Tempranillo has very little distinct varietal character.  It is fairly clean in the nose, some dusty cherry fruit, a little green pepper, which can be typical of the La Mancha heat.  The mouth is tart, light but sweet cherry fruit. A very soft mouth and very short.  The acid and mouth feels totally out of balance.  It&#39;s most drinkable in the first minutes but starts to fall part rapidly.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Technology has meant that even in this incredibly hot, dry climate, very cheap, drinkable wines are being made and shipped to all parts of Spain and now the world, including my local Whole Foods!  I was shocked on numerous trips to Basque Country to find that the wine served with the menu del día, or lunch menu, was no longer a basic Rioja, but was a generic La Mancha wine.  Now they have followed me to Miami!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are the least interesting part of the Spanish wine story.  La Mancha remains a huge problem....so much supply, so little demand... and the problem will have to be addressed. The really interesting wines from the area are wonderful, but they are just a small minority.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, we don&#39;t need the generic stuff to degrade either the image of La Mancha or of Spanish wine, especially outside of Spain. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> I think it&#39;s great that Whole Foods offers more good value wines but maybe they should stick to around the 10$ price point?  What do you think?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Don Simón wines in Whole Foods Part 2','So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my previous post on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.','publish','open','open','','don-simon-wines-in-whole-foods-part-2','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/','2013-04-06 23:18:04','2013-04-06 23:18:04','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1068',0,'post','',2),(1069,1,'2013-04-03 22:19:05','2013-04-03 22:19:05','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365026188207.6282\" alt=\"Ferrer Bobet Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"220\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring <a title=\"Etnic Montsant Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/spanish-red-wine-review-etnic-negre-2008/\" target=\"_self\">Montsant</a>. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Ferrer Bobet: Spanish winery in Priorat\" href=\"http://www.ferrerbobet.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ferrer Bobet</a> is an amazing winery to visit and really represents the perfect intersection of total dedication to the the unique land of Priorat and cutting edge, yet minimalist wine-making techniques. They currently offer two wines, the Vinyes Velles, and also the Selecció Especial, which is from specially selected parcels. The Selecció is really impressive in its concentration and has a more typical Priorat price tag at about 60€ in Spain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ferrer Bobet is the joint passion project of Sergio Ferrer and Raul Bobet. They have been dedicated to using and preserving old vine sites of Carignan and Grenache in the Porrera sub-zone of Priorat and will soon also have available somewhat larger quantities of a variety of vines they planted themselves when they started the winery in 2002. Sergio Ferrer also owns the amazing <a title=\"Monvinic:Spanish wine bar in Barcelona\" href=\"http://www.monvinic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Monvinic</a> wine bar and restaurant in Barcelona and Raul Bobet is making wine at <a title=\"Castell d\'Encus: Spanish winery\" href=\"http://encus.weebly.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Castell d\'Encus</a> at 1000m in western Catalunya...a project that arose as an answer to global warming issues in Spanish winemaking.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was fortunate enough to taste the Vinyes Velles 2009 and 2010 together and both can be found on the market easily at the moment. It was fascinating it see the different in the vintages. Both wines are 65% Cariñena, 34% Garnacha, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and have 15 months aging in in French oak. The 2009 really showed its Priorat intensity...huge black fruit, big tannins, long, brooding. The perfect balance of oak as usual. A most typical Priorat profile, but all cleaned up in the Ferrer Bobet style.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2010, was totally different...aromatic, floral, fresher acidity on the palate. Also intense and long but so elegant. This was my baby! This was Priorat in the 90s. Reminds me of the guys going for a lighter style like Terroir al Limit. I totally dig this style! So food friendly, but also so fun to drink on it\'s own.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So if you are ready for a step up from basic Priorat such as <a title=\"Camins de Priorat Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/spanish-red-wine-review-camins-del-priorat-2011/\" target=\"_self\">Camins de Priorat</a>, look for Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles for a great premium Priorat wine experience at a very decent price.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried this wine? What did you think? Is there another Priorat you love?</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Ferrer Bobet Vinyes 2010','I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring Montsant. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.','inherit','open','open','','1063-revision-3','','','2013-04-03 22:19:05','2013-04-03 22:19:05','',1063,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/03/1063-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1070,1,'2013-04-05 21:51:32','2013-04-05 21:51:32','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365026188207.6282\" alt=\"Ferrer Bobet Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-3-2013-1754.jpg\" width=\"200\" height=\"220\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring <a title=\"Etnic Montsant Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/spanish-red-wine-review-etnic-negre-2008/\" target=\"_self\">Montsant</a>. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Ferrer Bobet: Spanish winery in Priorat\" href=\"http://www.ferrerbobet.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Ferrer Bobet</a> is an amazing winery to visit and really represents the perfect intersection of total dedication to the the unique land of Priorat and cutting edge, yet minimalist wine-making techniques. They currently offer two wines, the Vinyes Velles, and also the Selecció Especial, which is from specially selected parcels. The Selecció is really impressive in its concentration and has a more typical Priorat price tag at about 60€ in Spain.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ferrer Bobet is the joint passion project of Sergio Ferrer and Raul Bobet. They have been dedicated to using and preserving old vine sites of Carignan and Grenache in the Porrera sub-zone of Priorat and will soon also have available somewhat larger quantities of a variety of vines they planted themselves when they started the winery in 2002. Sergio Ferrer also owns the amazing <a title=\"Monvinic:Spanish wine bar in Barcelona\" href=\"http://www.monvinic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Monvinic</a> wine bar and restaurant in Barcelona and Raul Bobet is making wine at <a title=\"Castell d\'Encus: Spanish winery\" href=\"http://encus.weebly.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Castell d\'Encus</a> at 1000m in western Catalunya...a project that arose as an answer to global warming issues in Spanish winemaking.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I was fortunate enough to taste the Vinyes Velles 2009 and 2010 together and both can be found on the market easily at the moment. It was fascinating it see the different in the vintages. Both wines are 65% Cariñena, 34% Garnacha, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and have 15 months aging in in French oak. The 2009 really showed its Priorat intensity...huge black fruit, big tannins, long, brooding. The perfect balance of oak as usual. A most typical Priorat profile, but all cleaned up in the Ferrer Bobet style.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2010, was totally different...aromatic, floral, fresher acidity on the palate. Also intense and long but so elegant. This was my baby! This was Priorat in the 90s. Reminds me of the guys going for a lighter style like Terroir al Limit. I totally dig this style! So food friendly, but also so fun to drink on it\'s own.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So if you are ready for a step up from basic Priorat such as <a title=\"Camins de Priorat Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/02/14/spanish-red-wine-review-camins-del-priorat-2011/\" target=\"_self\">Camins de Priorat</a>, look for Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles for a great premium Priorat wine experience at a very decent price.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried this wine? What did you think? Is there another Priorat you love?</p>\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Ferrer Bobet Vinyes 2010','I love Ferrer Bobet wines because they totally embrace the terroir that has made the Priorat region famous but also have a slight modern and clean edge that makes them stand out from the pack. Priorat offers us such amazing wines, so full of intensity, earthiness, and personality, but often at a big price. I often other Spanish wines at substitutes for the budget conscious consumer, such as those from neighboring Montsant. But the Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles is really good value for a top flight Priorat, only about 30€ in Spain, under 50$ here in the US. I would recommend this wine to anyone who loves a California Cab in that price range.','inherit','open','open','','1063-autosave','','','2013-04-05 21:51:32','2013-04-05 21:51:32','',1063,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/05/1063-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1071,1,'2013-04-05 23:04:19','2013-04-05 23:04:19','','Don Simon Tempranillo thumbail','','inherit','open','open','','don-simon-tempranillo-thumbail','','','2013-04-05 23:04:19','2013-04-05 23:04:19','',1068,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Don-Simon-Tempranillo-thumbail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1072,1,'2013-04-06 23:16:43','2013-04-06 23:16:43','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365289951684.937\" alt=\"Don Simón Tempranillo: Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"205\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my <a title=\"Don Simón Spanish Wine touches down in Whole Foods\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/\" target=\"_self\">previous post</a> on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are there varietals in the line on offer, a Shiraz/Syrah, a Chardonnay, and the Tempranillo. According to the back labels, these are from the category Vino de la Tierra, a category below Appellation level, but which does offer some geographic origin guarantees. in this case the origin is the largest wine region in the world, the huge central Spanish plain of La Mancha. There is a lot of very bad and ordinary wine produced in this vast region, and huge wine surpluses annually, but there is also a lot of very good wine produced, both in a number of appellations and in the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla category.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Tempranillo has very little distinct varietal character. It is fairly clean in the nose, some dusty cherry fruit, a little green pepper, which can be typical of the La Mancha heat. The mouth is tart, light but sweet cherry fruit. A very soft mouth and very short. The acid and mouth feels totally out of balance. It\'s most drinkable in the first minutes but starts to fall part rapidly.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Technology has meant that even in this incredibly hot, dry climate, very cheap, drinkable wines are being made and shipped to all parts of Spain and now the world, including my local Whole Foods! I was shocked on numerous trips to Basque Country to find that the wine served with the menu del día, or lunch menu, was no longer a basic Rioja, but was a generic La Mancha wine. Now they have followed me to Miami!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are the least interesting part of the Spanish wine story. La Mancha remains a huge problem....so much supply, so little demand... and the problem will have to be addressed. The really interesting wines from the area are wonderful, but they are just a small minority.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, we don\'t need the generic stuff to degrade either the image of La Mancha or of Spanish wine, especially outside of Spain.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I think it\'s great that Whole Foods offers more good value wines but maybe they should stick to around the 10$ price point? What do you think?</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\n&nbsp;','Don Simón wines in Whole Foods Part 2','So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my previous post on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.','inherit','open','open','','1068-autosave','','','2013-04-06 23:16:43','2013-04-06 23:16:43','',1068,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/05/1068-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1073,1,'2013-04-05 21:48:51','2013-04-05 21:48:51','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365198533840.3384\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\" height=\"205\" alt=\"Don Simón Tempranillo: Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So I got the wine and I&#39;m drinking it now!  I&#39;m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars.  In my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Don Simón wine lands in Whole Foods\">previous post</a> on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria.  After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains.  The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way.  I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions.  This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it&#39;s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are there varietals in the line on offer, a Shiraz/Syrah, a Chardonnay, and the Tempranillo. According to the back labels, these are from the category Vino de la Tierra, a category below Appellation level, but which does offer some geographic origin guarantees.  in this case the origin is the largest wine region in the world, the huge central Spanish plain of La Mancha.  There is a lot of very bad and ordinary wine produced in this vast region, and huge wine surpluses annually, but there is also a lot of very good wine produced, both in a number of appellations and in the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla category.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Tempranillo has very little distinct varietal character.  It is fairly clean in the nose, some dusty cherry fruit, a little green pepper, which can be typical of the La Mancha heat.  The mouth is tart, light but sweet cherry fruit. A very soft mouth and very short.  The acid and mouth feels totally out of balance.  It&#39;s most drinkable in the first minutes but starts to fall part rapidly.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Technology has meant that even in this incredibly hot, dry climate, very cheap, drinkable wines are being made and shipped to all parts of Spain and now the world, including my local Whole Foods!  I was shocked on numerous trips to Basque Country to find that the wine served with the menu del día, or lunch menu, was no longer a basic Rioja, but was a generic La Mancha wine.  Now they have followed me to Miami!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are the least interesting part of the Spanish wine story.  La Mancha remains a huge problem....so much supply, so little demand... and the problem will have to be addressed. The really interesting wines from the area are wonderful, but they are just a small minority.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, we don&#39;t need the generic stuff to degrade either the image of La Mancha or of Spanish wine, especially outside of Spain. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> I think it&#39;s great that Whole Foods offers more good value wines but maybe they should stick to around the 10$ price point?  What do you think?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Don Simón wines in Whole Foods Part 2','So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my previous post on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.','inherit','open','open','','1068-revision','','','2013-04-05 21:48:51','2013-04-05 21:48:51','',1068,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/05/1068-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1077,1,'2013-04-06 03:49:13','2013-04-06 03:49:13','','Slide 1','','publish','open','open','','slide-1','','','2013-04-06 03:49:13','2013-04-06 03:49:13','',1076,'http://planetavino.net/sd2_custom_slide/slide-1/',1,'sd2_custom_slide','',0),(1080,1,'2013-04-06 04:20:12','2013-04-06 04:20:12','','Slide 1','','publish','open','open','','slide-1-2','','','2013-04-06 04:20:12','2013-04-06 04:20:12','',1079,'http://planetavino.net/sd2_custom_slide/slide-1-2/',1,'sd2_custom_slide','',0),(1082,1,'2013-04-06 21:53:46','2013-04-06 21:53:46','','wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-apr-6-2013-1704-jpg','','','2013-04-06 21:53:46','2013-04-06 21:53:46','',1083,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1083,1,'2013-04-06 21:53:51','2013-04-07 01:53:51','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365285231765.984\" alt=\"Goliardo Espadeiro Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"280\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a grape variety you have probably never tried! Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers. This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\" The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception. This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic. Perhaps not what you\'d expect from Spanish wine, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds, produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When I say recent commercial trends, I mean the big, bold reds that have become the mainstay of Spanish reds, even in Rioja, which was once known for a lighter, more delicate expression of Tempranillo.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodega Forjas del Salnés is a family-run winery and it\'s winemaker Rodrigo Méndez has paired up with wine superstar enologist Raúl Pérez to make the wines. Pérez has becomes famous for making tiny amounts of incredible Mencía and Godello wine in his home area of Bierzo as well as doing a lot of consulting work with small wineries around northwestern Spain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Leirana Albariño is excellent and excellent value at about 12€, and the other specialty whites are quite unique.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it\'s the reds that have me hypnotized. Who knew that these red varietals of the northwest had such potential. There are quite a few great producers out there making just spectacular wines. They are so original, so unlike anything else in Spain. So refresh to drink alone and so food friendly. Low in alcohol, they are also great in summer.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They can be a shock to some consumers, especially the Spanish themselves...they are often lacking that sweet approachability and easiness that has endeared so many to the Spanish mainstream wines. They can have a bit of a hard mineral edge...but if you let them open up a little to bring out the elegant fruit aromas and serve them with food...you can win. People over quite quickly!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Espadeiro, which has 12 months aging in used oak barrels, has lovely cherry and cranberry fruit with nice smoky minerality and some nice balsamic notes. It was a it closed at first and really gained in intensity in the glass. The fruit in mouth was more round than expected though kept in check by a bracing acidity and minerality. Very long finish with smooth tannins. Such big contrasts but they all seemed to work together.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I had the wine with some amazing croquetas of various types at the Mercado de San Antón in Madrid. I usually recommend a white or cava with croquetas but this red was perfect with them...the creaminess was such a perfect contrast to the wine and the red was light enough to support the food, not overwhelmed it.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are not inexpensive due to small production...in Spain this wine retails for about 25-30€. What\'s amazing is that I consumed in with the croquetas at the bar also for 30€! Spain restaurant wine pricing we love you! Here in the US, I see the Espadeiro retail at 60 dollars or so...ouch! The other Tintos del Mar are around that price as well. They are so unique and different that if you have the pennies, it is well worth the money.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Goliardo Espadeiro 2009','This is a grape variety you have probably never tried!  Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers.  This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\"  The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception.  This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic.  Perhaps not what you\'d expect from Spanish wine, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.','publish','open','open','','spanish-wine-review-goliardo-espadeiro-2009','','','2013-05-03 22:21:37','2013-05-04 02:21:37','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1083',0,'post','',0),(1084,1,'2013-04-06 21:53:48','2013-04-06 21:53:48','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365285231765.984\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\" height=\"280\" alt=\"Goliardo Espadeiro Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a grape variety you have probably never tried!  Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers.  This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\"  The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception.  This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic.  Perhaps not what you&#39;d expect from Spain, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When I say recent commercial trends, I mean the big, bold reds that have become the mainstay of Spanish reds, even in Rioja, which was once known for a lighter, more delicate expression of Tempranillo.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodega Forjas del Salnés is a family-run winery and it&#39;s winemaker Rodrigo Méndez has paired up with wine superstar enologist Raúl Pérez to make the wines.  Pérez has becomes famous for making tiny amounts of incredible Mencía and Godello wine in his home area of Bierzo as well doing a lot of consulting work with small wineries around northwestern Spain.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Leirana Albariño is excellent and excellent value at about 12€, and the other specialty whites are quite unique.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it&#39;s the reds that have me hypnotized. Who knew that these red varietals of the northwest had such potential.  There are quite a few great producers out there making just spectacular wines.  They are so original, so unlike anything else in Spain.  So refresh to drink alone and so food friendly.  Low in alcohol, they are also great in summer.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They can be shock to some consumers, especially the Spanish themselves...they are often lacking that sweet approachability and easiness that has endeared so many to the Spanish mainstream wines.  They can have a a bit of a hard mineral edge...but if you let them open up a little to bring out the elegant fruit aromas and serve them with food...you can win. People over quite quickly!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Espadeiro, which has 12 months aging in used oak barrels, has lovely cherry and cranberry fruit with nice smoky minerality and some nice balsamic notes. It was a it closed at first and really gained in intensity in the glass.  The fruit in mouth was more round than expected though kept in check by a bracing acidity and minerality.  Very long finish with smooth tannins.  Such big contrasts but they all seemed to work together.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I had the wine with some amazing croquetas of various types at the Mercado de San Antón in Madrid.  I usually recommend a white or cava with croquetas but this red was perfect with them...the creaminess was such a perfect contrast to the wine and the red was light enough to support the food, not overwhelmed it.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are not inexpensive due to small production...in Spain this wine retails for about 25-30€.  What&#39;s amazing is that I consumed in with the croquetas at the bar also for 30€!  Spain restaurant wine pricing we love you!  Here in the US, I see the Espadeiro retail at 60 dollars or so...ouch!  The other Tintos del Mar are around that price as well.  They are so unique and different that if you have the pennies, it is well worth the money.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Goliardo Espadeiro 2009','This is a grape variety you have probably never tried!  Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers.  This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\"  The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception.  This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic.  Perhaps not what you\'d expect from Spain, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.','inherit','open','open','','1083-revision','','','2013-04-06 21:53:48','2013-04-06 21:53:48','',1083,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/06/1083-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1085,1,'2013-04-06 22:24:47','2013-04-06 22:24:47','','Goliardo Espadeiro 2009 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','golliardo-espadeiro-2009-thumbnail','','','2013-04-06 22:24:47','2013-04-06 22:24:47','',1083,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Golliardo-Espadeiro-2009-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1086,1,'2013-04-06 22:29:10','2013-04-06 22:29:10','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365285231765.984\" alt=\"Goliardo Espadeiro Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"280\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a grape variety you have probably never tried! Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers. This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\" The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception. This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic. Perhaps not what you\'d expect from Spanish wine, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds, produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When I say recent commercial trends, I mean the big, bold reds that have become the mainstay of Spanish reds, even in Rioja, which was once known for a lighter, more delicate expression of Tempranillo.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodega Forjas del Salnés is a family-run winery and it\'s winemaker Rodrigo Méndez has paired up with wine superstar enologist Raúl Pérez to make the wines. Pérez has becomes famous for making tiny amounts of incredible Mencía and Godello wine in his home area of Bierzo as well as doing a lot of consulting work with small wineries around northwestern Spain.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Leirana Albariño is excellent and excellent value at about 12€, and the other specialty whites are quite unique.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it\'s the reds that have me hypnotized. Who knew that these red varietals of the northwest had such potential. There are quite a few great producers out there making just spectacular wines. They are so original, so unlike anything else in Spain. So refresh to drink alone and so food friendly. Low in alcohol, they are also great in summer.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They can be a shock to some consumers, especially the Spanish themselves...they are often lacking that sweet approachability and easiness that has endeared so many to the Spanish mainstream wines. They can have a bit of a hard mineral edge...but if you let them open up a little to bring out the elegant fruit aromas and serve them with food...you can win. People over quite quickly!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Espadeiro, which has 12 months aging in used oak barrels, has lovely cherry and cranberry fruit with nice smoky minerality and some nice balsamic notes. It was a it closed at first and really gained in intensity in the glass. The fruit in mouth was more round than expected though kept in check by a bracing acidity and minerality. Very long finish with smooth tannins. Such big contrasts but they all seemed to work together.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I had the wine with some amazing croquetas of various types at the Mercado de San Antón in Madrid. I usually recommend a white or cava with croquetas but this red was perfect with them...the creaminess was such a perfect contrast to the wine and the red was light enough to support the food, not overwhelmed it.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are not inexpensive due to small production...in Spain this wine retails for about 25-30€. What\'s amazing is that I consumed in with the croquetas at the bar also for 30€! Spain restaurant wine pricing we love you! Here in the US, I see the Espadeiro retail at 60 dollars or so...ouch! The other Tintos del Mar are around that price as well. They are so unique and different that if you have the pennies, it is well worth the money.</p>\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Goliardo Espadeiro 2009','This is a grape variety you have probably never tried!  Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers.  This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\"  The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception.  This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic.  Perhaps not what you\'d expect from Spanish wine, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.','inherit','open','open','','1083-autosave','','','2013-04-06 22:29:10','2013-04-06 22:29:10','',1083,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/06/1083-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1087,1,'2013-04-06 22:08:37','2013-04-06 22:08:37','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-6-2013-1704.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365285231765.984\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\" height=\"280\" alt=\"Goliardo Espadeiro Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a grape variety you have probably never tried!  Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers.  This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\"  The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception.  This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic.  Perhaps not what you&#39;d expect from Spanish wine, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When I say recent commercial trends, I mean the big, bold reds that have become the mainstay of Spanish reds, even in Rioja, which was once known for a lighter, more delicate expression of Tempranillo.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodega Forjas del Salnés is a family-run winery and it&#39;s winemaker Rodrigo Méndez has paired up with wine superstar enologist Raúl Pérez to make the wines.  Pérez has becomes famous for making tiny amounts of incredible Mencía and Godello wine in his home area of Bierzo as well doing a lot of consulting work with small wineries around northwestern Spain.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Leirana Albariño is excellent and excellent value at about 12€, and the other specialty whites are quite unique.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it&#39;s the reds that have me hypnotized. Who knew that these red varietals of the northwest had such potential.  There are quite a few great producers out there making just spectacular wines.  They are so original, so unlike anything else in Spain.  So refresh to drink alone and so food friendly.  Low in alcohol, they are also great in summer.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">They can be shock to some consumers, especially the Spanish themselves...they are often lacking that sweet approachability and easiness that has endeared so many to the Spanish mainstream wines.  They can have a a bit of a hard mineral edge...but if you let them open up a little to bring out the elegant fruit aromas and serve them with food...you can win. People over quite quickly!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Espadeiro, which has 12 months aging in used oak barrels, has lovely cherry and cranberry fruit with nice smoky minerality and some nice balsamic notes. It was a it closed at first and really gained in intensity in the glass.  The fruit in mouth was more round than expected though kept in check by a bracing acidity and minerality.  Very long finish with smooth tannins.  Such big contrasts but they all seemed to work together.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I had the wine with some amazing croquetas of various types at the Mercado de San Antón in Madrid.  I usually recommend a white or cava with croquetas but this red was perfect with them...the creaminess was such a perfect contrast to the wine and the red was light enough to support the food, not overwhelmed it.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are not inexpensive due to small production...in Spain this wine retails for about 25-30€.  What&#39;s amazing is that I consumed in with the croquetas at the bar also for 30€!  Spain restaurant wine pricing we love you!  Here in the US, I see the Espadeiro retail at 60 dollars or so...ouch!  The other Tintos del Mar are around that price as well.  They are so unique and different that if you have the pennies, it is well worth the money.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Goliardo Espadeiro 2009','This is a grape variety you have probably never tried!  Espadeiro, an almost extinct Galician varietal being revived slightly by a few dedicated producers.  This area of Galicia, Rias Baixas, is most known for its white wines from the Albariño grape, but Bodegas Forjas del Salnés is gaining most fame for its intense, nervy reds from local varieties under the appealing moniker of \"Tintos del Mar\" or \"Reds from the Sea.\"  The whole line is very impressive and the Espadeiro is no exception.  This is a cool-climate red, lighter in alcohol, high in acidity, earthy , yet at the same time very aromatic.  Perhaps not what you\'d expect from Spanish wine, but these wines are part of a new wave of lighter, terroir-driven reds produced by young enologists determined to break free from the recent commercial trends.','inherit','open','open','','1083-revision-2','','','2013-04-06 22:08:37','2013-04-06 22:08:37','',1083,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/06/1083-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1088,1,'2013-04-05 23:07:10','2013-04-05 23:07:10','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365198533840.3384\" alt=\"Don Simón Tempranillo: Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"205\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my <a title=\"Don Simón wine lands in Whole Foods\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/\" target=\"_self\">previous post</a> on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are there varietals in the line on offer, a Shiraz/Syrah, a Chardonnay, and the Tempranillo. According to the back labels, these are from the category Vino de la Tierra, a category below Appellation level, but which does offer some geographic origin guarantees. in this case the origin is the largest wine region in the world, the huge central Spanish plain of La Mancha. There is a lot of very bad and ordinary wine produced in this vast region, and huge wine surpluses annually, but there is also a lot of very good wine produced, both in a number of appellations and in the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla category.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Tempranillo has very little distinct varietal character. It is fairly clean in the nose, some dusty cherry fruit, a little green pepper, which can be typical of the La Mancha heat. The mouth is tart, light but sweet cherry fruit. A very soft mouth and very short. The acid and mouth feels totally out of balance. It\'s most drinkable in the first minutes but starts to fall part rapidly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Technology has meant that even in this incredibly hot, dry climate, very cheap, drinkable wines are being made and shipped to all parts of Spain and now the world, including my local Whole Foods! I was shocked on numerous trips to Basque Country to find that the wine served with the menu del día, or lunch menu, was no longer a basic Rioja, but was a generic La Mancha wine. Now they have followed me to Miami!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are the least interesting part of the Spanish wine story. La Mancha remains a huge problem....so much supply, so little demand... and the problem will have to be addressed. The really interesting wines from the area are wonderful, but they are just a small minority.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, we don\'t need the generic stuff to degrade either the image of La Mancha or of Spanish wine, especially outside of Spain.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I think it\'s great that Whole Foods offers more good value wines but maybe they should stick to around the 10$ price point? What do you think?</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Don Simón wines in Whole Foods Part 2','So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my previous post on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.','inherit','open','open','','1068-revision-2','','','2013-04-05 23:07:10','2013-04-05 23:07:10','',1068,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/05/1068-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1089,1,'2013-04-06 23:13:35','2013-04-06 23:13:35','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365289951684.937\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"Don Simón Tempranillo: Spanish wine\" width=\"220\" height=\"205\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So I got the wine and I&#39;m drinking it now!  I&#39;m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars.  In my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Don Simón Spanish Wine touches down in Whole Foods\">previous post</a> on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria.  After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains.  The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way.  I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions.  This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it&#39;s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are there varietals in the line on offer, a Shiraz/Syrah, a Chardonnay, and the Tempranillo. According to the back labels, these are from the category Vino de la Tierra, a category below Appellation level, but which does offer some geographic origin guarantees.  in this case the origin is the largest wine region in the world, the huge central Spanish plain of La Mancha.  There is a lot of very bad and ordinary wine produced in this vast region, and huge wine surpluses annually, but there is also a lot of very good wine produced, both in a number of appellations and in the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla category.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Tempranillo has very little distinct varietal character.  It is fairly clean in the nose, some dusty cherry fruit, a little green pepper, which can be typical of the La Mancha heat.  The mouth is tart, light but sweet cherry fruit. A very soft mouth and very short.  The acid and mouth feels totally out of balance.  It&#39;s most drinkable in the first minutes but starts to fall part rapidly.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Technology has meant that even in this incredibly hot, dry climate, very cheap, drinkable wines are being made and shipped to all parts of Spain and now the world, including my local Whole Foods!  I was shocked on numerous trips to Basque Country to find that the wine served with the menu del día, or lunch menu, was no longer a basic Rioja, but was a generic La Mancha wine.  Now they have followed me to Miami!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are the least interesting part of the Spanish wine story.  La Mancha remains a huge problem....so much supply, so little demand... and the problem will have to be addressed. The really interesting wines from the area are wonderful, but they are just a small minority.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, we don&#39;t need the generic stuff to degrade either the image of La Mancha or of Spanish wine, especially outside of Spain. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> I think it&#39;s great that Whole Foods offers more good value wines but maybe they should stick to around the 10$ price point?  What do you think?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Don Simón wines in Whole Foods Part 2','So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my previous post on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.','inherit','open','open','','1068-revision-3','','','2013-04-06 23:13:35','2013-04-06 23:13:35','',1068,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/06/1068-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1090,1,'2013-04-06 23:14:25','2013-04-06 23:14:25','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-5-2013-1656.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365289951684.937\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"Don Simón Tempranillo: Spanish wine\" width=\"220\" height=\"205\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So I got the wine and I&#39;m drinking it now!  I&#39;m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars.  In my <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/01/don-simon-wine-touches-down-in-whole-foods/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Don Simón Spanish Wine touches down in Whole Foods\">previous post</a> on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria.  After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains.  The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way.  I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions.  This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it&#39;s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are there varietals in the line on offer, a Shiraz/Syrah, a Chardonnay, and the Tempranillo. According to the back labels, these are from the category Vino de la Tierra, a category below Appellation level, but which does offer some geographic origin guarantees.  in this case the origin is the largest wine region in the world, the huge central Spanish plain of La Mancha.  There is a lot of very bad and ordinary wine produced in this vast region, and huge wine surpluses annually, but there is also a lot of very good wine produced, both in a number of appellations and in the Vino de la Tierra de Castilla category.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Tempranillo has very little distinct varietal character.  It is fairly clean in the nose, some dusty cherry fruit, a little green pepper, which can be typical of the La Mancha heat.  The mouth is tart, light but sweet cherry fruit. A very soft mouth and very short.  The acid and mouth feels totally out of balance.  It&#39;s most drinkable in the first minutes but starts to fall part rapidly.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Technology has meant that even in this incredibly hot, dry climate, very cheap, drinkable wines are being made and shipped to all parts of Spain and now the world, including my local Whole Foods!  I was shocked on numerous trips to Basque Country to find that the wine served with the menu del día, or lunch menu, was no longer a basic Rioja, but was a generic La Mancha wine.  Now they have followed me to Miami!  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are the least interesting part of the Spanish wine story.  La Mancha remains a huge problem....so much supply, so little demand... and the problem will have to be addressed. The really interesting wines from the area are wonderful, but they are just a small minority.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, we don&#39;t need the generic stuff to degrade either the image of La Mancha or of Spanish wine, especially outside of Spain. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> I think it&#39;s great that Whole Foods offers more good value wines but maybe they should stick to around the 10$ price point?  What do you think?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Don Simón wines in Whole Foods Part 2','So I got the wine and I\'m drinking it now! I\'m referring to a Spanish wine from the Tempranillo grape by the producer Don Simón, bought in Whole Foods for four dollars. In my previous post on the matter I expressed concern that Whole Foods was selling such cheap wine from Spain, and from a producer known for boxed sangria. After tasting the Tempranillo, my concern remains. The wine is not totally undrinkable, but neither can I recommend it in any way. I feel there are decent wines in the 5-10$ range and tons of interesting ones in the 10-15$ range but under 5 is really tough...and these wines are not the exceptions. This wine only damages the Spanish cause and it\'s current high visibility in Whole Foods makes me sad.','inherit','open','open','','1068-revision-4','','','2013-04-06 23:14:25','2013-04-06 23:14:25','',1068,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/06/1068-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1091,1,'2013-04-09 20:15:08','2013-04-09 20:15:08','','wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-apr-9-2013-1550-jpg','','','2013-04-09 20:15:08','2013-04-09 20:15:08','',1092,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1092,1,'2013-04-09 20:15:11','2013-04-10 00:15:11','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365538677593.5464\" alt=\"Avanthia Godello Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"251\" /></a></div>\r\nCan\'t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It\'s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!\r\n\r\n<!--more-->This Godello is from Valdeorras, a wine area Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is actually in eastern Galicia, right on the border with The Castilian region of Bierzo. The area is known only for two grapes, Godello for whites and the excellent Mencía for reds. Bodegas Avanthia makes a very good Mencía that is very hard to find because of small production.\r\n\r\nGodello is a grape that has wonderful potential, but can be ruined by being planted on middling or indifferent titles and cultivated at high yields. You can find a lot of these very bland Godellos locally if you visit the region or neighboring wine region, Bierzo. But the real strength of Spain\'s northwest, is that there are a lot of really great sites, with poor and interesting soils, on slopes, often at altitudes, that can really make the local varieties shine.\r\n\r\nThis wine is from such parcels, terraced vineyards from 1350-1650 ft in altitude with mostly chalk and granite soils and planted in 1975. The wine in fermented in large format French oak barrels (500-600l) and subsequent aged in the similar barrels for about 7 months.\r\n\r\nSo besides the good acidity and minerality than shines in the wine, you also get some nice lees and spice aromas. The friendly and attractive side of Godello still shows through, floral and fruit, such as melon, stone fruit and in this vintage, plenty of citric notes. Godello usually gives a medium full mouth on its own and with oak often a full body,but in this vintage it\'s a little leaner than usual. But still round, long and very satisfying!\r\n\r\nI love the simple, fresh, entry-level styles of Godello that are such amazing value, such as Valdesil\'s basic Godello. Then we can a step up to crisp, mineral complexity at an everyday price with <a title=\"Louro do Bolo Godello: Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/wine-review-louro-do-bolo-2011/\" target=\"_self\">Rafael Palacios\' Louro do Bolo</a>. With this Avanthia, and with especially with Rafael\'s As Sortes, we are seeing the top end of what Godello can produce when you pair great terroir and respectful vineyard and winery practices! It makes for exciting Spanish wine at all price points!\r\n\r\nGodello is still not common in the US. Have you tried it? What did you think?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Avanthia Godello 2011','Can\'t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It\'s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!','publish','open','open','','spanish-wine-review-avanthia-godello-2011','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/wine-review-louro-do-bolo-2011/','2013-05-03 22:14:26','2013-05-04 02:14:26','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1092',0,'post','',0),(1093,1,'2013-04-09 20:15:10','2013-04-09 20:15:10','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365538511925.0693\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\" height=\"251\" alt=\"Avanthia Godello Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p> Can&#39;t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It&#39;s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!</p>\n\n<!--more-->This Godello is from Valdeorras, a wine area Galicia in northwestern Spain.  It is actually in eastern Galicia, right on the border with The Castilian region of Bierzo.  The area is known only for two grapes, Godello for whites and the excellent Mencía for reds.  Bodegas Avanthia makes a very good Mencía that is very hard to find because of small production.\n\n<p> Godello is a grape that has wonderful potential, but can be ruined by being planted on middling or indifferent titles and cultivated at high yields. You can find a lot of these very bland Godellos locally if you visit the region or neighboring wine region, Bierzo. But the real strength of Spain&#39;s northwest, is that there are a lot of really great sites, with poor and interesting soils, on slopes, often at altitudes, that can really make the local varieties shine.</p>\n\n<p> This wine is from such parcels, terraced vineyards from 1350-1650 ft in altitude with mostly chalk and granite soils and planted in 1975.  The wine in fermented in large format French oak barrels (500-600l) and subsequent aged in the similar barrels for about 7 months.  </p>\n\n<p>So besides the good acidity and minerality than shines in the wine, you also get some nice lees and spice aromas.  The friendly and attractive side of Godello still shows through, floral and fruit, such as melon, stone fruit and in this vintage, plenty of citric notes.  Godello usually gives a medium full mouth on its own and with oak often a full body,but in this vintage it&#39;s a little leaner than usual.  But still round, long and very satisfying! </p>\n\n<p>I love the simple, fresh, entry-level styles of Godello that are such amazing value, such as Valdesil&#39;s basic Godello.  Then we can a step up to crisp, mineral complexity at an everyday price with Rafael Palacios&#39; Louro do Bolo.  With this Avanthia, and with especially with Rafael&#39;s As Sortes, we are seeing the top end of what Godello can produce when you pair great terroir and respectful vineyard and winery practices!  It makes for exciting Spanish wine at all price points! </p>\n\n<p>Godello is still not common in the US.  Have you tried it?  What did you think?  </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Avanthia Godello 2011','Can\'t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It\'s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!','inherit','open','open','','1092-revision','','','2013-04-09 20:15:10','2013-04-09 20:15:10','',1092,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/09/1092-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1094,1,'2013-04-17 04:57:55','2013-04-17 04:57:55','','wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-apr-16-2013-2323-jpg','','','2013-04-17 04:57:55','2013-04-17 04:57:55','',1095,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1095,1,'2013-04-17 04:57:57','2013-04-17 08:57:57','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1366174830341.0662\" alt=\"Zestos Garnacha 2011: Spanish wine from Madrid\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"291\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later! The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid. This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality. Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent! To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day! This Zestos is amazing value, it\'s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grenache in the San Martin area has a floral quality and this wine has that whiff of floral mixed with lovely dark cherry fruit....such an attractive nose. Then in the mouth, quite intense, red fruit, a hint of mineral. The tannins are fairly soft and the acidity is quite fresh. Despite 14% alcohol, the wine is quite balanced, though the alcohol stands out a touch on the finish. A fairly simple, but really delightful, fun wine.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The wine is made in cement and stainless only and really showcases the pure Madrid Grenache fruit. Spanish wines without oak aging are called \"joven\", meaning young, and many jovenes are bitter, thin and lacking fruit. Another typical joven profile is to show intense fruit that have distinct, unpleasant, over-ripe aromas, often matched by a high alcohol content. This joven strikes a perfect balance and shows how an un-oaked wine can really reflect a place and offer quality at a great price point.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a great everyday wine..it would be a great house wine in any bar or restaurant. This is so much better than the thin, tinny Riojas they serve by the glass in so many Spanish bars. It is very food friendly...good acidity, low tannins, bright fruit makes a perfect red for everyday meals. It is even up to the tough wine challenge of tomato sauces and spiced food. I had it with an arancini (rice ball) and spicy arrabbiata sauce....it worked well.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zestos is imported by Ole Imports and they have a great <a title=\"Ole Imports page for Spanish wine Zestos 2011\" href=\"http://www.oleimports.com/wine/Zestos-old-vine-Garnacha\" target=\"_blank\">page</a> with lots of detail on the wine. Ole has a very eclectic and interesting Spanish wine portfolio including the fantastic wines of the great Raúl Peréz.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid is offering some really unique Grenache wines, very different than other Spanish Grenache, a bit lighter, more aromatic, more mineral. Zestos is an entry-level look at these great wines....and just an all round fantastic wine value!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried any Spanish Grenache, from Madrid or any other region? Love to hear what you thought. Check out Zestos at Costco for 7$!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011','Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later! The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid. This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality. Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent! To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day! This Zestos is amazing value, it\'s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.','publish','open','open','','spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011','','','2013-05-03 22:44:37','2013-05-04 02:44:37','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1095',0,'post','',0),(1096,1,'2013-04-17 04:57:57','2013-04-17 04:57:57','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1366174677285.336\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" height=\"291\" alt=\"Zestos Garnacha 2011: Spanish wine from Madrid\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later!  The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid.  This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality.  Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent!  To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day!  This Zestos is amazing value, it&#39;s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grenache in the San Martin area has a floral quality and this wine has that whiff of floral mixed with lovely dark cherry fruit....such an attractive nose.  Then in the mouth, quite intense, red fruit, a hint of mineral.  The tannins are fairly soft and the acidity is quite fresh. Despite 14% alcohol, the wine is quite balanced, though the alcohol stands out a touch on the finish.  A fairly simple, but really delightful, fun wine.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The wine is made in cement and stainless only and really showcases the pure Madrid Grenache fruit.  Spanish wines without oak aging are called \"joven\", meaning young, and many jovenes are bitter, thin and lacking fruit.  Another typical joven profile is to show intense fruit that have distinct, unpleasant, over-ripe aromas, often matched by a high alcohol content. This joven strikes a perfect balance and shows how an un-oaked wine can really reflect a place and offer quality at a great price point.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a great everyday wine..it would be a great house wine in any bar or restaurant.   This is so much better than the thin, tinny Riojas they serve by the glass in so many Spanish bars.  It is very food friendly...good acidity, low tannins, bright fruit makes a perfect red for everyday meals.  It is even up to the tough wine challenge of tomato sauces and spiced food.  I had it with an arancini (rice ball) and spicy arrabbiata sauce....it worked well.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zestos is imported by Ole Imports and they have a great page with lots of detail on the wine.  Ole has a very eclectic and interesting Spanish wine portfolio including the fantastic wines of the great Raúl Peréz.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid is offering some really unique Grenache wines, very different than other Spanish Grenache, a bit lighter, more aromatic, more mineral.  Zestos is an entry-level look at these great wines....and just an all round fantastic wine value!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried any Spanish Grenache, from Madrid or any other region? Love to hear what you thought.  Check out Zestos at Costco for 7$!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011','Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later! The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid. This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality. Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent! To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day! This Zestos is amazing value, it\'s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.','inherit','open','open','','1095-revision','','','2013-04-17 04:57:57','2013-04-17 04:57:57','',1095,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/1095-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1098,1,'2013-04-17 05:07:30','2013-04-17 05:07:30','','Zestos 2011 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','zestos-2011-thumbnail','','','2013-04-17 05:07:30','2013-04-17 05:07:30','',1095,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Zestos-2011-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1099,1,'2013-04-17 05:00:42','2013-04-17 05:00:42','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1366174830341.0662\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\" height=\"291\" alt=\"Zestos Garnacha 2011: Spanish wine from Madrid\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later!  The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid.  This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality.  Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent!  To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day!  This Zestos is amazing value, it&#39;s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grenache in the San Martin area has a floral quality and this wine has that whiff of floral mixed with lovely dark cherry fruit....such an attractive nose.  Then in the mouth, quite intense, red fruit, a hint of mineral.  The tannins are fairly soft and the acidity is quite fresh. Despite 14% alcohol, the wine is quite balanced, though the alcohol stands out a touch on the finish.  A fairly simple, but really delightful, fun wine.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The wine is made in cement and stainless only and really showcases the pure Madrid Grenache fruit.  Spanish wines without oak aging are called \"joven\", meaning young, and many jovenes are bitter, thin and lacking fruit.  Another typical joven profile is to show intense fruit that have distinct, unpleasant, over-ripe aromas, often matched by a high alcohol content. This joven strikes a perfect balance and shows how an un-oaked wine can really reflect a place and offer quality at a great price point.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a great everyday wine..it would be a great house wine in any bar or restaurant.   This is so much better than the thin, tinny Riojas they serve by the glass in so many Spanish bars.  It is very food friendly...good acidity, low tannins, bright fruit makes a perfect red for everyday meals.  It is even up to the tough wine challenge of tomato sauces and spiced food.  I had it with an arancini (rice ball) and spicy arrabbiata sauce....it worked well.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zestos is imported by Ole Imports and they have a great <a href=\"http://www.oleimports.com/wine/Zestos-old-vine-Garnacha\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Ole Imports page for Spanish wine Zestos 2011\">page</a> with lots of detail on the wine.  Ole has a very eclectic and interesting Spanish wine portfolio including the fantastic wines of the great Raúl Peréz.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid is offering some really unique Grenache wines, very different than other Spanish Grenache, a bit lighter, more aromatic, more mineral.  Zestos is an entry-level look at these great wines....and just an all round fantastic wine value!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried any Spanish Grenache, from Madrid or any other region? Love to hear what you thought.  Check out Zestos at Costco for 7$!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011','Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later! The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid. This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality. Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent! To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day! This Zestos is amazing value, it\'s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.','inherit','open','open','','1095-revision-2','','','2013-04-17 05:00:42','2013-04-17 05:00:42','',1095,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/1095-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1100,1,'2013-04-17 05:09:53','2013-04-17 05:09:53','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1366174830341.0662\" alt=\"Zestos Garnacha 2011: Spanish wine from Madrid\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-16-2013-2323.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"291\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later! The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid. This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality. Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent! To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day! This Zestos is amazing value, it\'s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grenache in the San Martin area has a floral quality and this wine has that whiff of floral mixed with lovely dark cherry fruit....such an attractive nose. Then in the mouth, quite intense, red fruit, a hint of mineral. The tannins are fairly soft and the acidity is quite fresh. Despite 14% alcohol, the wine is quite balanced, though the alcohol stands out a touch on the finish. A fairly simple, but really delightful, fun wine.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The wine is made in cement and stainless only and really showcases the pure Madrid Grenache fruit. Spanish wines without oak aging are called \"joven\", meaning young, and many jovenes are bitter, thin and lacking fruit. Another typical joven profile is to show intense fruit that have distinct, unpleasant, over-ripe aromas, often matched by a high alcohol content. This joven strikes a perfect balance and shows how an un-oaked wine can really reflect a place and offer quality at a great price point.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a great everyday wine..it would be a great house wine in any bar or restaurant. This is so much better than the thin, tinny Riojas they serve by the glass in so many Spanish bars. It is very food friendly...good acidity, low tannins, bright fruit makes a perfect red for everyday meals. It is even up to the tough wine challenge of tomato sauces and spiced food. I had it with an arancini (rice ball) and spicy arrabbiata sauce....it worked well.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zestos is imported by Ole Imports and they have a great <a title=\"Ole Imports page for Spanish wine Zestos 2011\" href=\"http://www.oleimports.com/wine/Zestos-old-vine-Garnacha\" target=\"_blank\">page</a> with lots of detail on the wine. Ole has a very eclectic and interesting Spanish wine portfolio including the fantastic wines of the great Raúl Peréz.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid is offering some really unique Grenache wines, very different than other Spanish Grenache, a bit lighter, more aromatic, more mineral. Zestos is an entry-level look at these great wines....and just an all round fantastic wine value!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you tried any Spanish Grenache, from Madrid or any other region? Love to hear what you thought. Check out Zestos at Costco for 7$!</p>\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011','Exciting Spanish wine day in Costco today...but more on that later! The one I had to open first was the Zestos Garnacha 2011 from the Madrid wine region, called Vinos de Madrid. This is an area often overlooked, even in Spain and there are some really exciting wines, wines with some really unique personality. Also Madrid is like home to me, so I always like to see it represent! To find a good Madrid wine in Costco, and at the ridiculously affordable price of 7 dollars, really made my day! This Zestos is amazing value, it\'s such an attractive wine, and it gives a great glimpse of what Madrid producers are doing with their fantastic old vine Grenache vineyards.','inherit','open','open','','1095-autosave','','','2013-04-17 05:09:53','2013-04-17 05:09:53','',1095,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/1095-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1101,1,'2013-04-17 05:32:10','2013-04-17 05:32:10','','Avanthia 2011 thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','avanthia-2011-thumbnail','','','2013-04-17 05:32:10','2013-04-17 05:32:10','',1092,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Avanthia-2011-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1102,1,'2013-04-17 05:34:55','2013-04-17 05:34:55','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1365538677593.5464\" alt=\"Avanthia Godello Spanish wine\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"251\" /></a></div>\nCan\'t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It\'s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!\n\n<!--more-->This Godello is from Valdeorras, a wine area Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is actually in eastern Galicia, right on the border with The Castilian region of Bierzo. The area is known only for two grapes, Godello for whites and the excellent Mencía for reds. Bodegas Avanthia makes a very good Mencía that is very hard to find because of small production.\n\nGodello is a grape that has wonderful potential, but can be ruined by being planted on middling or indifferent titles and cultivated at high yields. You can find a lot of these very bland Godellos locally if you visit the region or neighboring wine region, Bierzo. But the real strength of Spain\'s northwest, is that there are a lot of really great sites, with poor and interesting soils, on slopes, often at altitudes, that can really make the local varieties shine.\n\nThis wine is from such parcels, terraced vineyards from 1350-1650 ft in altitude with mostly chalk and granite soils and planted in 1975. The wine in fermented in large format French oak barrels (500-600l) and subsequent aged in the similar barrels for about 7 months.\n\nSo besides the good acidity and minerality than shines in the wine, you also get some nice lees and spice aromas. The friendly and attractive side of Godello still shows through, floral and fruit, such as melon, stone fruit and in this vintage, plenty of citric notes. Godello usually gives a medium full mouth on its own and with oak often a full body,but in this vintage it\'s a little leaner than usual. But still round, long and very satisfying!\n\nI love the simple, fresh, entry-level styles of Godello that are such amazing value, such as Valdesil\'s basic Godello. Then we can a step up to crisp, mineral complexity at an everyday price with <a title=\"Louro do Bolo Godello: Spanish wine\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/wine-review-louro-do-bolo-2011/\" target=\"_self\">Rafael Palacios\' Louro do Bolo</a>. With this Avanthia, and with especially with Rafael\'s As Sortes, we are seeing the top end of what Godello can produce when you pair great terroir and respectful vineyard and winery practices! It makes for exciting Spanish wine at all price points!\n\nGodello is still not common in the US. Have you tried it? What did you think?\n\n&nbsp;','Spanish Wine Review: Avanthia Godello 2011','Can\'t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It\'s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!','inherit','open','open','','1092-autosave','','','2013-04-17 05:34:55','2013-04-17 05:34:55','',1092,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/1092-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1103,1,'2013-04-09 20:18:26','2013-04-09 20:18:26','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-9-2013-1550.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1365538677593.5464\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"220\" height=\"251\" alt=\"Avanthia Godello Spanish wine\"></a></div>\n\n<p> Can&#39;t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It&#39;s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!</p>\n\n<p><!--more-->This Godello is from Valdeorras, a wine area Galicia in northwestern Spain.  It is actually in eastern Galicia, right on the border with The Castilian region of Bierzo.  The area is known only for two grapes, Godello for whites and the excellent Mencía for reds.  Bodegas Avanthia makes a very good Mencía that is very hard to find because of small production.</p>\n\n<p> Godello is a grape that has wonderful potential, but can be ruined by being planted on middling or indifferent titles and cultivated at high yields. You can find a lot of these very bland Godellos locally if you visit the region or neighboring wine region, Bierzo. But the real strength of Spain&#39;s northwest, is that there are a lot of really great sites, with poor and interesting soils, on slopes, often at altitudes, that can really make the local varieties shine.</p>\n\n<p> This wine is from such parcels, terraced vineyards from 1350-1650 ft in altitude with mostly chalk and granite soils and planted in 1975.  The wine in fermented in large format French oak barrels (500-600l) and subsequent aged in the similar barrels for about 7 months.  </p>\n\n<p>So besides the good acidity and minerality than shines in the wine, you also get some nice lees and spice aromas.  The friendly and attractive side of Godello still shows through, floral and fruit, such as melon, stone fruit and in this vintage, plenty of citric notes.  Godello usually gives a medium full mouth on its own and with oak often a full body,but in this vintage it&#39;s a little leaner than usual.  But still round, long and very satisfying! </p>\n\n<p>I love the simple, fresh, entry-level styles of Godello that are such amazing value, such as Valdesil&#39;s basic Godello.  Then we can a step up to crisp, mineral complexity at an everyday price with <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/01/24/wine-review-louro-do-bolo-2011/\" target=\"_self\" title=\"Louro do Bolo Godello: Spanish wine\">Rafael Palacios&#39; Louro do Bolo</a>.  With this Avanthia, and with especially with Rafael&#39;s As Sortes, we are seeing the top end of what Godello can produce when you pair great terroir and respectful vineyard and winery practices!  It makes for exciting Spanish wine at all price points! </p>\n\n<p>Godello is still not common in the US.  Have you tried it?  What did you think?  </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Avanthia Godello 2011','Can\'t go too long without rating a wine from my favorite Spanish white grape Godello! The Avanthia is a longtime favorite from the Jorge Ordoñez wine group, one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines in the US. It\'s a little pricier than my normal recommendations but it also has a corresponding level of richness and complexity. The 2011, a leaner year, is a great example of how Godello can be such a mineral, fresh, intense grape. I really love this grape and this wine in this vintage! The nice thing about Jorge Ordoñez wines, which I hated when I lived in Spain, is that you can often get them cheaper in the US than in Spain! This wine costs about 23€ in Spain, and I see it around 25$ here in the US...awesome!','inherit','open','open','','1092-revision-2','','','2013-04-09 20:18:26','2013-04-09 20:18:26','',1092,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/09/1092-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1104,1,'2013-04-18 21:54:48','2013-04-18 21:54:48','','wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-apr-18-2013-1704-jpg','','','2013-04-18 21:54:48','2013-04-18 21:54:48','',1105,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1105,1,'2013-04-18 21:54:52','2013-04-18 21:54:52','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1366322092574.0154\" alt=\"Spanish wine in Costco\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed. I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me. Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings, but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn\'t have a large budget. Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that\'s too much to expect from a big box operation. But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines. Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest! For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles...</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish picks were in the inexpensive range, under 15$, quite a few were even under 10$! The typical Spanish picks included the ubiquitous Marqués de Cáceres and Marqués de Riscal, some typical Riojas, but not my favorites, but they also had one of my favorite ultra modern Riojas, la Montesa by Palacios Remondo for 13$.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish wines seemed to be highly rated wines and were clearly marked on the signage with the various critics points and even in some cases had special capsules with the Parker points marked right on them! Wow!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The oddest Spanish wine I saw was from Valdepeñas, one of my least favorite sub-areas of the enormous La Mancha plain in central Spain. Valdepeñas has been famous for decades for making inexpensive, classic wine in the traditional categories, especially Reserva and Gran Reserva. I often find these wines thin, metallic, lacking fruit, and short. You can get Gran Reservas from the region for 6€ or less, which is quite a shock, when these wines in other areas can be quite expensive. So in Costco, they have this Gran Reserva 2002 from Valdepeñas for about 10$....I\'m a bit dubious.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lots of original and fun wines, a couple of Monastrells from southeastern Spain, various Garnachas, a wine from the Montsant area of Cataluña. The most original and the one I had to open first, was a great value Garnacha wine called <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a> from Vinos de Madrid, the Madrid wine region. Exciting to see this little-known, but high-quality area showcased with a delicious everyday wine for 7$!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far I\'ve only opened and rated the <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a>, but I will be doing a lot of Costco Spanish wine ratings in the days to come...you can\'t beat the value of the current selection. It was a happy Costco day for me!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do you buy wine in Costco...do you find they have the wine you are looking for?</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Exciting Spanish wine hunting in Costco!','I\'ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed.  I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me.  Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings,  but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn\'t have a large budget.  Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that\'s too much to expect from a big box operation.  But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines.  Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest!  For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles.....','publish','open','open','','exciting-spanish-wine-hunting-in-costco','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/','2013-04-18 22:04:32','2013-04-18 22:04:32','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1105',0,'post','',0),(1106,1,'2013-04-18 22:00:39','2013-04-18 22:00:39','','Costco Spanish wine thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','costco-spanish-wine-thumbnail','','','2013-04-18 22:00:39','2013-04-18 22:00:39','',1105,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Costco-Spanish-wine-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1107,1,'2013-04-18 21:54:50','2013-04-18 21:54:50','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1366322092574.0154\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" alt=\"Spanish wine in Costco\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#39;ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed.  I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me.  Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings,  but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn&#39;t have a large budget.  Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that&#39;s too much to expect from a big box operation.  But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines.  Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest!  For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles...</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish picks were in the inexpensive range, under 15$, quite a few were even under 10$!  The typical Spanish picks included the ubiquitous Marques de Caceres and Marques de Riscal, some typical Riojas, but not my favorites, but they also had one of my favorite ultra modern Riojas, la Montesa by Palacios Remondo for 13$.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish wines seemed to be highly rated wines and were clearly marked on the signage with the various   critics points and even in some cases had special capsules with the Parker points marked right on them!  Wow!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The oddest Spanish wine I saw was from Valdepeñas, one of my least favorite sub-areas of the enormous La Mancha plain in central Spain.  Valdepeñas has been famous for decades for making inexpensive, classic wine in the traditional categories, especially Reserva and Gran Reserva.  I often find these wines thin, metallic, lacking fruit, and short.  You can get Gran Reservas from the region for 6€ or less, which is quite a shock, when these wines in other areas can be quite expensive.  So in Costco, they have this Gran Reserva 2002 from Valdepeñas for about 10$....I&#39;m a bit dubious.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lots of original and fun wines, a couple of  Monastrells from southeastern Spain, various Garnachas, a wine from the Montsant area of Cataluña.  The most original and the one I had to open first, was a great value Garnacha wine called Zestos from Vinos de Madrid, the Madrid wine region.  Exciting to see this little-known, but high-quality area showcased with a delicious everyday wine for 7$! </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far I&#39;ve only opened and rated the Zestos, but I will be doing a lot of Costco Spanish wine ratings in the days to come...you can&#39;t beat the value of the current selection.  It was a happy Costco day for me!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do you buy wine in Costco...do you find they have the wine you are looking for?</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Exciting Spanish wine hunting in Costco!','I\'ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed.  I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me.  Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings,  but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn\'t have a large budget.  Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that\'s too much to expect from a big box operation.  But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines.  Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest!  For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles.....','inherit','open','open','','1105-revision','','','2013-04-18 21:54:50','2013-04-18 21:54:50','',1105,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/18/1105-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1108,1,'2013-04-18 22:05:39','2013-04-18 22:05:39','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1366322092574.0154\" alt=\"Spanish wine in Costco\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed. I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me. Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings, but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn\'t have a large budget. Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that\'s too much to expect from a big box operation. But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines. Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest! For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles...</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish picks were in the inexpensive range, under 15$, quite a few were even under 10$! The typical Spanish picks included the ubiquitous Marqués de Cáceres and Marqués de Riscal, some typical Riojas, but not my favorites, but they also had one of my favorite ultra modern Riojas, la Montesa by Palacios Remondo for 13$.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish wines seemed to be highly rated wines and were clearly marked on the signage with the various critics points and even in some cases had special capsules with the Parker points marked right on them! Wow!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The oddest Spanish wine I saw was from Valdepeñas, one of my least favorite sub-areas of the enormous La Mancha plain in central Spain. Valdepeñas has been famous for decades for making inexpensive, classic wine in the traditional categories, especially Reserva and Gran Reserva. I often find these wines thin, metallic, lacking fruit, and short. You can get Gran Reservas from the region for 6€ or less, which is quite a shock, when these wines in other areas can be quite expensive. So in Costco, they have this Gran Reserva 2002 from Valdepeñas for about 10$....I\'m a bit dubious.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lots of original and fun wines, a couple of Monastrells from southeastern Spain, various Garnachas, a wine from the Montsant area of Cataluña. The most original and the one I had to open first, was a great value Garnacha wine called <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a> from Vinos de Madrid, the Madrid wine region. Exciting to see this little-known, but high-quality area showcased with a delicious everyday wine for 7$!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far I\'ve only opened and rated the <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a>, but I will be doing a lot of Costco Spanish wine ratings in the days to come...you can\'t beat the value of the current selection. It was a happy Costco day for me!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do you buy wine in Costco...do you find they have the wine you are looking for?</p>\n&nbsp;','Exciting Spanish wine hunting in Costco!','I\'ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed.  I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me.  Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings,  but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn\'t have a large budget.  Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that\'s too much to expect from a big box operation.  But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines.  Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest!  For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles.....','inherit','open','open','','1105-autosave','','','2013-04-18 22:05:39','2013-04-18 22:05:39','',1105,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/18/1105-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1109,1,'2013-04-18 22:01:46','2013-04-18 22:01:46','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1366322092574.0154\" alt=\"Spanish wine in Costco\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-18-2013-1704.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed. I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me. Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings, but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn\'t have a large budget. Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that\'s too much to expect from a big box operation. But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines. Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest! For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles...</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish picks were in the inexpensive range, under 15$, quite a few were even under 10$! The typical Spanish picks included the ubiquitous Marques de Caceres and Marques de Riscal, some typical Riojas, but not my favorites, but they also had one of my favorite ultra modern Riojas, la Montesa by Palacios Remondo for 13$.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">All the Spanish wines seemed to be highly rated wines and were clearly marked on the signage with the various critics points and even in some cases had special capsules with the Parker points marked right on them! Wow!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The oddest Spanish wine I saw was from Valdepeñas, one of my least favorite sub-areas of the enormous La Mancha plain in central Spain. Valdepeñas has been famous for decades for making inexpensive, classic wine in the traditional categories, especially Reserva and Gran Reserva. I often find these wines thin, metallic, lacking fruit, and short. You can get Gran Reservas from the region for 6€ or less, which is quite a shock, when these wines in other areas can be quite expensive. So in Costco, they have this Gran Reserva 2002 from Valdepeñas for about 10$....I\'m a bit dubious.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lots of original and fun wines, a couple of Monastrells from southeastern Spain, various Garnachas, a wine from the Montsant area of Cataluña. The most original and the one I had to open first, was a great value Garnacha wine called Zestos from Vinos de Madrid, the Madrid wine region. Exciting to see this little-known, but high-quality area showcased with a delicious everyday wine for 7$!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far I\'ve only opened and rated the Zestos, but I will be doing a lot of Costco Spanish wine ratings in the days to come...you can\'t beat the value of the current selection. It was a happy Costco day for me!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do you buy wine in Costco...do you find they have the wine you are looking for?</p>\r\n&nbsp;','Exciting Spanish wine hunting in Costco!','I\'ve only been checking out Costco wine for a few months, but so far I was not so impressed.  I know they are the biggest vendors in the world and are also the biggest vendors of Bordeaux first growths in the US, but their selections seems awkward to me.  Lots of bulkish, mainstream quaffers and some top flight CA and French bottlings,  but not much in the middle, not much for the discerning wine drinker who doesn\'t have a large budget.  Not much either, for the adventurous wine drinker...but I know that\'s too much to expect from a big box operation.  But yesterday, it was like I entered a different store...tons of mid-range, interesting wines.  Also at least 12 different Spanish wines....some typical picks, some awesome picks, some a little strange, but overall a Spanish wine fest!  For the first time I had to force myself to stop picking out bottles.....','inherit','open','open','','1105-revision-2','','','2013-04-18 22:01:46','2013-04-18 22:01:46','',1105,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/18/1105-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1110,1,'2013-04-21 21:59:10','2013-04-22 01:59:10','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1366582012236.5598\" alt=\"Spanish wine from Madrid: Vinos de Madrid\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"155\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After finding <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a>, a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I\'m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid. It\'s not well known, even in Spain, though it\'s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike. Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation. One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value. One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos. If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....</p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Vinos de Madrid appellation is small, only about 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) planted to vines. The three sub-zones are Arganda, Navalcarnero, and San Martín. They have very different altitudes, soils and climates, thus producing very different wines. The primary red grapes are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache), while the best quality white planted in quantity is Albillo.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda is in the southwest and is the largest (over 50% of production), hottest, and most arid. Navalcarnero is a meseta flat area between the city of Madrid and the mountainous area, the sierra, to the west and northwest of Madrid. It is the smallest and has a bit more rainfall. St Martin, is to the west further, is actually quite hilly and has even more climatic from the Sierra with a much higher rainfall. St Martín represents 30% of total production.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is lots of good and great wine from the Arganda area, in fact it was this area that took off first and really brought an initial change to the reputation of the region. Wineries such as Tagonius and El Regajal were producing fantastic wines 10 years ago and charging premium prices for them. There are also lots of great value, easy-drinking wines from the likes of Vinos Jeromín, which has a huge range.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda, though is very similar in climate to La Mancha, and the wines read like La Mancha wines at all price points. Navalcarnero wines are somewhat like Méntrida wines, the La Mancha Appellation right next to it. They both have excellent potential and represent Madrid well as a southern meseta appellation.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is St Martín that stands out as a little different. It is a hilly area in the foothills of the Sierra, borders up against the Ávila region, has a climate influenced both in rainfall and temperature by the mountain chain to its north. It is also an area blessed with, like so many Spanish regions, with amazing old vine vineyards. In this case, they are mostly Garnacha and Albillo. St Martín has really turned into a mecca in recent years for young wine makers interested in making something special from some unique sites. The fact that it is less than an hour from downtown Madrid is a huge plus!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Garnacha in Spain is usually pretty big, sexy and voluptuous. There is a ton of it around here in the US, mostly from the region of Aragon, specifically the wine regions of Calatayud, Cariñena, Campo de Borja. These wines are big, bold, fruity, yet soft and plush at the same time. Spicy, sweet, and a real crowd pleaser! Though they often have alcohol contents of 14-15.5%, they have a freshness that belies that and makes then very drinkable. There freshness and low tannin makes them surprisingly food friendly.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over in Navarra and in Cataluña you can get a leaner, more mineral Garnacha, though you can still find the big sexy ones too. In Priorat, they are usually part of a blend.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Madrid, it\'s all different. This is the Garnacha that could stymie the blind tasting panel. It\'s floral, fragrant, sometimes earthy, Pinot noir-like in the nose. In the mouth, it sometimes has a bit more of the Grenache sweet fruit, but with a leanness and acidity that can be shocking at times. But there is still those lovely floral aromas. The tannins are often surprising for a Grenache. Very reminiscent of southern Rhine Grenache. The alcohol contents can be 14%, but are often lower and read even lower.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are so fresh, balanced, aromatic, sometimes with a distinct earthiness....they come in all levels of price point and complexity. All very unique for Madrid and for Spanish wines from these hotter meseta areas. They are really exciting wines with so much personality!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Albillo whites too, are super original...some are super mineral, others are almost \"fat\" and mouth-filling. My two favorite wineries have a totally different style of basic Albillo.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are a lot of fantastic wineries, but my two favorites are without a doubt <a title=\"Bernabeleva: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\" href=\"http://www.bernabeleva.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bernabeleva</a> and <a title=\"Bodegas Marañones: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\" href=\"http://www.bodegamaranones.com/es/index2.html\" target=\"_blank\">Bodega Marañones</a>. They both make a range of wines, from a delicious entry-level wine as an easy price, to spectacular single vineyard wines. All of them are amazing value....</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you ever tried a wine from Madrid? If so, what\'s your favorite?</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you live in the US and frequent Costco, try the <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a>...amazing value and gives you a nice idea of the potential idea of these wines!</p>','Undiscovered Spanish wines: Vinos de Madrid','After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I\'m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It\'s not well known, even in Spain, though it\'s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....','publish','open','open','','undiscovered-spanish-wines-vinos-de-madrid','','\nhttp://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/','2013-05-03 22:21:22','2013-05-04 02:21:22','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1110',0,'post','',2),(1111,1,'2013-04-21 22:06:49','2013-04-21 22:06:49','','wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-apr-21-2013-1605-jpg','','','2013-04-21 22:06:49','2013-04-21 22:06:49','',1110,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1112,1,'2013-04-21 21:59:06','2013-04-21 21:59:06','<p> After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I&#39;m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It&#39;s not well known, even in Spain, though it&#39;s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....</p>\n\n<p>The Vinos de Madrid appellation is small, only about 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) planted to vines.   The three sub-zones are Arganda, Navalcarnero, and San Martín.  They have very different altitudes, soils and climates, thus producing very different wines.  The primary red grapes are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache), while the best quality white planted in quantity is Albillo.   </p>\n\n<p>Arganda is in the the southwest and is the largest (over 50% of production), hottest, and most arid.  Navalcarnero is a a meseta flat area between the city of Madrid and the mountainous area, the sierra, to the west and northwest of Madrid.  It is the smallest and has a bit more rainfall.  St Martin, is to the west further, is actually quite hilly and has even more climatic from the Sierra with a much higher rainfall.  St Martín represents 30% of total production.  </p>\n\n<p>There is lots of good and great wine from the Arganda area, in fact it was this area that took off first and really brought an initial change to the reputation of the region.  Wineries such as Tagonius and El Regajal were producing fantastic wines 10 years ago and charging premium prices for them.  There are also lots of great value, easy-drinking wines from the likes of Vinos Jeromín, which has a huge range.  </p>\n\n<p>Arganda, though is very similar in climate to La Mancha, and the wines read like La Mancha wines at all price points.  Navalcarnero wines are somewhat like Méntrida wines, the La Mancha Appellation right next to it.  They both have excellent potential and represent Madrid well as a southern meseta appellation.</p>\n\n<p>It is St Martín that stands out as a little different. It is a hilly area in the foothills of the Sierra, borders up against the Ávila region, has a climate influenced both in rainfall and temperature by the mountain chain to its north.  It is also an area blessed with, like so many Spanish regions, with amazing old vine vineyards. In this case, they are mostly Garnacha and Albillo.  St Martín has really turned into a mecca in recent years for young winemakers interested in making something special from some unique sites.  The fact that it is less than an hour from downtown Madrid is a huge plus!</p>\n\n<p>The Garnacha in Spain is usually pretty big, sexy and voluptuous.  There is a ton of it around here in the US, mostly from the region of Aragon, specifically the wine regions of Calatayud, Cariñena, Campo de Borja.  These wines are big, bold, fruity, yet soft and plush at the same time.  Spicy, sweet, and a real crowd pleaser! Though they often have alcohol contents of 14-15.5%, they have a freshness that belies that and makes then very drinkable.  There freshness and low tannin makes them surprisingly food friendly.</p>\n\n<p>Over in Navarra and in Cataluña you can get a leaner, more mineral Garnacha, though you can still find the big sexy ones too.  In Priorat, they are usually part of a blend.</p>\n\n<p>In Madrid, it&#39;s all different.  This is the Garnacha that could stymie the blind tasting panel.  It&#39;s floral, fragrant,  sometimes earthy, Pinot noir-like in the nose. In the mouth, it sometimes has a bit more of the Grenache sweet fruit, but with a leanness and acidity that can be shocking at times.  But there is still those lovely floral aromas.  The tannins are often surprising for a Grenache.  Very reminiscent of southern Rhine Grenache.  The alcohol contents can be 14, but are often lower and read even lower.  </p>\n\n<p>These wines are so fresh, balanced, aromatic,  sometimes with a distinct earthiness....they come in all levels of price point and complexity.  All very unique for Madrid and for Spanish wines from these hotter meseta areas.  They are really exciting wines with so much personality!</p>\n\n<p>The Albillo whites too are super original...some are super mineral, others are almost \"fat\" and mouth-filling.  My two favorite wineries have a totally different style of basic Albillo.</p>\n\n<p>There are a lot of fantastic wineries, but my two favorites are without a doubt Bernabeleva and Bodega Marnañones.  They both make a range of wines, from a delicious entry-level wine as an easy price, to spectacular single vineyard wines.</p>','Undiscovered Spanish wines: Vinos de Madrid','After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I\'m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It\'s not well known, even in Spain, though it\'s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....','inherit','open','open','','1110-revision','','','2013-04-21 21:59:06','2013-04-21 21:59:06','',1110,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/21/1110-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1113,1,'2013-04-21 22:06:51','2013-04-21 22:06:51','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1366582012236.5598\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"155\" alt=\"Spanish wine from Madrid: Vinos de Madrid\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I&#39;m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It&#39;s not well known, even in Spain, though it&#39;s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Vinos de Madrid appellation is small, only about 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) planted to vines.   The three sub-zones are Arganda, Navalcarnero, and San Martín.  They have very different altitudes, soils and climates, thus producing very different wines.  The primary red grapes are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache), while the best quality white planted in quantity is Albillo.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda is in the the southwest and is the largest (over 50% of production), hottest, and most arid.  Navalcarnero is a a meseta flat area between the city of Madrid and the mountainous area, the sierra, to the west and northwest of Madrid.  It is the smallest and has a bit more rainfall.  St Martin, is to the west further, is actually quite hilly and has even more climatic from the Sierra with a much higher rainfall.  St Martín represents 30% of total production.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is lots of good and great wine from the Arganda area, in fact it was this area that took off first and really brought an initial change to the reputation of the region.  Wineries such as Tagonius and El Regajal were producing fantastic wines 10 years ago and charging premium prices for them.  There are also lots of great value, easy-drinking wines from the likes of Vinos Jeromín, which has a huge range.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda, though is very similar in climate to La Mancha, and the wines read like La Mancha wines at all price points.  Navalcarnero wines are somewhat like Méntrida wines, the La Mancha Appellation right next to it.  They both have excellent potential and represent Madrid well as a southern meseta appellation.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is St Martín that stands out as a little different. It is a hilly area in the foothills of the Sierra, borders up against the Ávila region, has a climate influenced both in rainfall and temperature by the mountain chain to its north.  It is also an area blessed with, like so many Spanish regions, with amazing old vine vineyards. In this case, they are mostly Garnacha and Albillo.  St Martín has really turned into a mecca in recent years for young winemakers interested in making something special from some unique sites.  The fact that it is less than an hour from downtown Madrid is a huge plus!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Garnacha in Spain is usually pretty big, sexy and voluptuous.  There is a ton of it around here in the US, mostly from the region of Aragon, specifically the wine regions of Calatayud, Cariñena, Campo de Borja.  These wines are big, bold, fruity, yet soft and plush at the same time.  Spicy, sweet, and a real crowd pleaser! Though they often have alcohol contents of 14-15.5%, they have a freshness that belies that and makes then very drinkable.  There freshness and low tannin makes them surprisingly food friendly.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over in Navarra and in Cataluña you can get a leaner, more mineral Garnacha, though you can still find the big sexy ones too.  In Priorat, they are usually part of a blend.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Madrid, it&#39;s all different.  This is the Garnacha that could stymie the blind tasting panel.  It&#39;s floral, fragrant,  sometimes earthy, Pinot noir-like in the nose. In the mouth, it sometimes has a bit more of the Grenache sweet fruit, but with a leanness and acidity that can be shocking at times.  But there is still those lovely floral aromas.  The tannins are often surprising for a Grenache.  Very reminiscent of southern Rhine Grenache.  The alcohol contents can be 14, but are often lower and read even lower.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are so fresh, balanced, aromatic,  sometimes with a distinct earthiness....they come in all levels of price point and complexity.  All very unique for Madrid and for Spanish wines from these hotter meseta areas.  They are really exciting wines with so much personality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Albillo whites too are super original...some are super mineral, others are almost \"fat\" and mouth-filling.  My two favorite wineries have a totally different style of basic Albillo.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are a lot of fantastic wineries, but my two favorites are without a doubt <a href=\"http://www.bernabeleva.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bernabeleva: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\">Bernabeleva</a> and <a href=\"http://www.bodegamaranones.com/es/index2.html\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bodegas Marañones: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\">Bodega Marañones</a>.  They both make a range of wines, from a delicious entry-level wine as an easy price, to spectacular single vineyard wines.  All of them are amazing value....</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you ever tried a wine from Madrid?  If so, what&#39;s your favorite?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you live in the US and frequent Costco, try the Zestos...amazing value and gives you a nice idea of the potential idea of these wines!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Undiscovered Spanish wines: Vinos de Madrid','After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I\'m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It\'s not well known, even in Spain, though it\'s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....','inherit','open','open','','1110-revision-2','','','2013-04-21 22:06:51','2013-04-21 22:06:51','',1110,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/21/1110-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1114,1,'2013-04-21 22:14:12','2013-04-21 22:14:12','','Madrid Grenache wine thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','madrid-grenache-wine-thumbnail','','','2013-04-21 22:14:12','2013-04-21 22:14:12','',1110,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Madrid-Grenache-wine-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1115,1,'2013-04-21 22:19:00','2013-04-21 22:19:00','<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/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1366582012236.5598\" alt=\"Spanish wine from Madrid: Vinos de Madrid\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"155\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After finding <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a>, a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I\'m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid. It\'s not well known, even in Spain, though it\'s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike. Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation. One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value. One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos. If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....</p>\n<!--more-->\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Vinos de Madrid appellation is small, only about 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) planted to vines. The three sub-zones are Arganda, Navalcarnero, and San Martín. They have very different altitudes, soils and climates, thus producing very different wines. The primary red grapes are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache), while the best quality white planted in quantity is Albillo.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda is in the southwest and is the largest (over 50% of production), hottest, and most arid. Navalcarnero is a meseta flat area between the city of Madrid and the mountainous area, the sierra, to the west and northwest of Madrid. It is the smallest and has a bit more rainfall. St Martin, is to the west further, is actually quite hilly and has even more climatic from the Sierra with a much higher rainfall. St Martín represents 30% of total production.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is lots of good and great wine from the Arganda area, in fact it was this area that took off first and really brought an initial change to the reputation of the region. Wineries such as Tagonius and El Regajal were producing fantastic wines 10 years ago and charging premium prices for them. There are also lots of great value, easy-drinking wines from the likes of Vinos Jeromín, which has a huge range.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda, though is very similar in climate to La Mancha, and the wines read like La Mancha wines at all price points. Navalcarnero wines are somewhat like Méntrida wines, the La Mancha Appellation right next to it. They both have excellent potential and represent Madrid well as a southern meseta appellation.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is St Martín that stands out as a little different. It is a hilly area in the foothills of the Sierra, borders up against the Ávila region, has a climate influenced both in rainfall and temperature by the mountain chain to its north. It is also an area blessed with, like so many Spanish regions, with amazing old vine vineyards. In this case, they are mostly Garnacha and Albillo. St Martín has really turned into a mecca in recent years for young wine makers interested in making something special from some unique sites. The fact that it is less than an hour from downtown Madrid is a huge plus!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Garnacha in Spain is usually pretty big, sexy and voluptuous. There is a ton of it around here in the US, mostly from the region of Aragon, specifically the wine regions of Calatayud, Cariñena, Campo de Borja. These wines are big, bold, fruity, yet soft and plush at the same time. Spicy, sweet, and a real crowd pleaser! Though they often have alcohol contents of 14-15.5%, they have a freshness that belies that and makes then very drinkable. There freshness and low tannin makes them surprisingly food friendly.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over in Navarra and in Cataluña you can get a leaner, more mineral Garnacha, though you can still find the big sexy ones too. In Priorat, they are usually part of a blend.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Madrid, it\'s all different. This is the Garnacha that could stymie the blind tasting panel. It\'s floral, fragrant, sometimes earthy, Pinot noir-like in the nose. In the mouth, it sometimes has a bit more of the Grenache sweet fruit, but with a leanness and acidity that can be shocking at times. But there is still those lovely floral aromas. The tannins are often surprising for a Grenache. Very reminiscent of southern Rhine Grenache. The alcohol contents can be 14%, but are often lower and read even lower.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are so fresh, balanced, aromatic, sometimes with a distinct earthiness....they come in all levels of price point and complexity. All very unique for Madrid and for Spanish wines from these hotter meseta areas. They are really exciting wines with so much personality!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Albillo whites too, are super original...some are super mineral, others are almost \"fat\" and mouth-filling. My two favorite wineries have a totally different style of basic Albillo.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are a lot of fantastic wineries, but my two favorites are without a doubt <a title=\"Bernabeleva: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\" href=\"http://www.bernabeleva.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bernabeleva</a> and <a title=\"Bodegas Marañones: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\" href=\"http://www.bodegamaranones.com/es/index2.html\" target=\"_blank\">Bodega Marañones</a>. They both make a range of wines, from a delicious entry-level wine as an easy price, to spectacular single vineyard wines. All of them are amazing value....</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you ever tried a wine from Madrid? If so, what\'s your favorite?</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you live in the US and frequent Costco, try the <a title=\"Spanish Wine Review: Zestos Garnacha 2011\" href=\"http://planetavino.net/2013/04/17/spanish-wine-review-zestos-garnacha-2011/\">Zestos</a>...amazing value and gives you a nice idea of the potential idea of these wines!</p>','Undiscovered Spanish wines: Vinos de Madrid','After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I\'m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It\'s not well known, even in Spain, though it\'s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....','inherit','open','open','','1110-autosave','','','2013-04-21 22:19:00','2013-04-21 22:19:00','',1110,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/21/1110-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1116,1,'2013-04-21 22:08:25','2013-04-21 22:08:25','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/wpid-Photo-Apr-21-2013-1605.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1366582012236.5598\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"155\" alt=\"Spanish wine from Madrid: Vinos de Madrid\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I&#39;m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It&#39;s not well known, even in Spain, though it&#39;s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Vinos de Madrid appellation is small, only about 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) planted to vines.   The three sub-zones are Arganda, Navalcarnero, and San Martín.  They have very different altitudes, soils and climates, thus producing very different wines.  The primary red grapes are Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache), while the best quality white planted in quantity is Albillo.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda is in the the southwest and is the largest (over 50% of production), hottest, and most arid.  Navalcarnero is a a meseta flat area between the city of Madrid and the mountainous area, the sierra, to the west and northwest of Madrid.  It is the smallest and has a bit more rainfall.  St Martin, is to the west further, is actually quite hilly and has even more climatic from the Sierra with a much higher rainfall.  St Martín represents 30% of total production.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is lots of good and great wine from the Arganda area, in fact it was this area that took off first and really brought an initial change to the reputation of the region.  Wineries such as Tagonius and El Regajal were producing fantastic wines 10 years ago and charging premium prices for them.  There are also lots of great value, easy-drinking wines from the likes of Vinos Jeromín, which has a huge range.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arganda, though is very similar in climate to La Mancha, and the wines read like La Mancha wines at all price points.  Navalcarnero wines are somewhat like Méntrida wines, the La Mancha Appellation right next to it.  They both have excellent potential and represent Madrid well as a southern meseta appellation.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is St Martín that stands out as a little different. It is a hilly area in the foothills of the Sierra, borders up against the Ávila region, has a climate influenced both in rainfall and temperature by the mountain chain to its north.  It is also an area blessed with, like so many Spanish regions, with amazing old vine vineyards. In this case, they are mostly Garnacha and Albillo.  St Martín has really turned into a mecca in recent years for young winemakers interested in making something special from some unique sites.  The fact that it is less than an hour from downtown Madrid is a huge plus!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Garnacha in Spain is usually pretty big, sexy and voluptuous.  There is a ton of it around here in the US, mostly from the region of Aragon, specifically the wine regions of Calatayud, Cariñena, Campo de Borja.  These wines are big, bold, fruity, yet soft and plush at the same time.  Spicy, sweet, and a real crowd pleaser! Though they often have alcohol contents of 14-15.5%, they have a freshness that belies that and makes then very drinkable.  There freshness and low tannin makes them surprisingly food friendly.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over in Navarra and in Cataluña you can get a leaner, more mineral Garnacha, though you can still find the big sexy ones too.  In Priorat, they are usually part of a blend.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Madrid, it&#39;s all different.  This is the Garnacha that could stymie the blind tasting panel.  It&#39;s floral, fragrant,  sometimes earthy, Pinot noir-like in the nose. In the mouth, it sometimes has a bit more of the Grenache sweet fruit, but with a leanness and acidity that can be shocking at times.  But there is still those lovely floral aromas.  The tannins are often surprising for a Grenache.  Very reminiscent of southern Rhine Grenache.  The alcohol contents can be 14, but are often lower and read even lower.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These wines are so fresh, balanced, aromatic,  sometimes with a distinct earthiness....they come in all levels of price point and complexity.  All very unique for Madrid and for Spanish wines from these hotter meseta areas.  They are really exciting wines with so much personality!</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Albillo whites too, are super original...some are super mineral, others are almost \"fat\" and mouth-filling.  My two favorite wineries have a totally different style of basic Albillo.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are a lot of fantastic wineries, but my two favorites are without a doubt <a href=\"http://www.bernabeleva.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bernabeleva: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\">Bernabeleva</a> and <a href=\"http://www.bodegamaranones.com/es/index2.html\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Bodegas Marañones: Spanish wine from Vinos de Madrid\">Bodega Marañones</a>.  They both make a range of wines, from a delicious entry-level wine as an easy price, to spectacular single vineyard wines.  All of them are amazing value....</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Have you ever tried a wine from Madrid?  If so, what&#39;s your favorite?  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you live in the US and frequent Costco, try the Zestos...amazing value and gives you a nice idea of the potential idea of these wines!</p>','Undiscovered Spanish wines: Vinos de Madrid','After finding Zestos,  a great everyday value wine from the Madrid region of Spain, in Costco, I\'m inspired to talk a little more about the Madrid wine region, Vinos de Madrid.  It\'s not well known, even in Spain, though it\'s gaining in reputation among wine professionals and aficionados alike.  Formerly known for plonk that was served in Madrid bars, the area has fought hard to change that reputation.  One of the drawbacks is that production of top wines is small and prices are not always low, though the wines are still good value.  One sub-area in particular, San Martín de Valdeiglesias has been making an impressive reputation for itself with totally original old-vine Grenache and unique white Albillos.  If you want something with personality and totally different than most Spanish wine, check out these wines....','inherit','open','open','','1110-revision-3','','','2013-04-21 22:08:25','2013-04-21 22:08:25','',1110,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/21/1110-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1121,1,'2013-04-30 20:06:35','2013-04-30 20:06:35','','Slide 1','','publish','open','open','','slide-1-3','','','2013-04-30 20:06:35','2013-04-30 20:06:35','',1120,'http://planetavino.net/sd2_custom_slide/slide-1-3/',1,'sd2_custom_slide','',0),(1123,1,'2013-04-30 21:42:14','2013-05-01 01:42:14','<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@N06/8696135705\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1367358017957.3953\" alt=\"Spanish wine from the Rioja region\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8696135705_e42ee714f6.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"208\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s been a while since I\'ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely. Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price. The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny. The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja. There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style. La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alvaro Palacios was born into a wine family in Rioja but made his name making very different wines in the Catalan region of Priorat. His L\'Ermita, a Garnacha blend, is one of Spain\'s most iconic and expensive wines. He then expanded into Bierzo and soon gained fame for his intense and unique wine based on the local Mencía grape. He returned to his roots after his father died and took over the family winery, Herencia Remondo. He changed the more traditional line of his father a great deal, while still preserving that Rioja feel that is missing from some of the uber-modern wines. He was able to work with a very familiar grape, Garnacha, in the Rioja Baja area of Rioja.</span>\r\n<div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">La Montesa by Bodegas Herencia Remondo is composed of 65% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo and aged 12 months in French and American oak, 20% in new oak. The vineyard is in the part of Rioja where rainfall is very scarce, but the rocky soils in the La Montesa vineyard retain water quite well.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sweet fruit and smoothness are the dominant impressions. Cherry, licorice and a touch of orange peel in the nose. Oh so smooth and ready to drink in the mouth...cherry and plum, a bit of spice. Medium in weight with smooth tannins and good length. The only negative is a slight hotness in the mouth from the alcohol...this is handled when the wine is taken with food. Maybe also lacking a touch of freshness for my liking...but it is a 2009, a very hot year with significant hydric stress. The vintage was saved by some late season rainfall, extending the ripening seasoning, making ultimately for a good year in Rioja, but not the freshest year. But all-round very pleasant drinking, very good with food, as are so many Riojas.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve been tasting quite a few 2009 Riojas in various styles lately and many seem to have this hot alcoholic edge....more experimentation to come! I have to say I\'ve loved La Montesa even more in other vintages.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the Rioja Baja sub-zone of Rioja, one of three areas and the largest. Rioja Baja often suffers from a negative image compared to it\'s neighbors, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. This is partially because it a hotter area where the vines are subjected to a hotter and drier climate and also because Garnacha dominates in the vineyards instead of Tempranillo.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s true that Garnacha is the grape behind a lot of bad quality Rioja but I am passionate about this grape variety, especially in Spain, and it could make a lot better wine in Rioja if given more respect. Tempranillo gets all the respect and there is also a lot of bad Rioja made with that grape! Luckily there has been a trend in Rioja to include more of the other traditional varieties in top wines, including Garnacha, but also Graciano and Mazuelo.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s lovely to see wine-great Alvaro Palacios respecting Garnacha and it\'s place in Rioja here.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With this weight and smoothness in a Rioja wine, all sorts of food matches are possible....pasta, pizza, all sorts of everyday food. It\'s great value at 13$ in Costco.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What do you think of Rioja wines? Have you noticed the style differences?</p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Spanish Wine Review: La Montesa 2009','It\'s been a while since I\'ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely.  Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price.  The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny.  The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja.  There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style.  La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.','publish','open','open','','spanish-wine-review-la-montesa-2009','','','2013-05-03 22:44:23','2013-05-04 02:44:23','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1123',0,'post','',2),(1124,1,'2013-04-30 21:51:22','2013-04-30 21:51:22','','La Montesa 2009 Rioja thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','la-montesa-2009-rioja-thumbnail','','','2013-04-30 21:51:22','2013-04-30 21:51:22','',1123,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/La-Montesa-2009-Rioja-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1125,1,'2013-04-30 21:42:09','2013-04-30 21:42:09','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8696135705\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8696135705_e42ee714f6.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1367358017957.3953\" class=\"alignleft\" alt=\"Spanish wine from the Rioja region\" width=\"220\" height=\"208\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s been a while since I&#39;ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely.  Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price.  The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny.  The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja.  There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style.  La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">Alvaro Palacios was born into a wine family in Rioja but made his name making very different wines in the Catalan region of Priorat.  His L&#39;Ermita, a Garnacha blend, is one of Spain&#39;s most iconic and expensive wines.  He then expanded into Bierzo and soon gained fame for his intense and unique wine  based on the local Mencía grape. He returned to his roots after his father died and took over the family winery, Herencia Remondo.  He changed the more traditional line of his father a great deal, while still preserving that Rioja feel that is missing from some of the uber-modern wines.  He was able to work with a very familiar grape, Garnacha, in the Rioja Baja area of Rioja.</span><div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br>\n</div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">La Montesa by Bodegas Herencia Remondo is composed of 65% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo and aged 12 months in French and American oak, 20% in new oak.  The vineyard is in the part of Rioja where rainfall is very scarce, but the rocky soils in the La Montesa vineyard retain water quite well.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sweet fruit and smoothness are the dominant impressions. Cherry, licorice and a touch of orange peel in the nose. Oh so smooth and ready to drink in the mouth...cherry and plum, a bit of spice. Medium in weight with smooth tannins and good length. The only negative is a slight hotness in the mouth from the alcohol...this is handled when the wine is taken with food. Maybe also lacking a touch of freshness for my liking...but it is a 2009, a very hot year with significant hydric stress. The vintage was saved by some late season rainfall, extending the ripening seasoning, making ultimately for a good year in Rioja, but not the freshest year. But all-round very pleasant drinking, very good with food, as are so many Riojas.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I&#39;ve been tasting quite a few 2009 Riojas in various styles lately and many seem to have this hot alcoholic edge....more experimentation to come!  I have to say I&#39;ve loved La Montesa even more in other vintages. </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the Rioja Baja sub-zone of Rioja, one of three areas and the largest.  Rioja Baja often suffers from a negative image compared to it&#39;s neighbors, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa.  This is partially because it a hotter area where the vines are subjected to a hotter and drier climate and also because Garnacha dominates in the vineyards instead of Tempranillo.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s true that Garnacha is the grape behind a lot of bad quality Rioja but I am passionate about this grape variety, especially in Spain, and it could make a lot better wine in Rioja if given more respect.  Tempranillo gets all the respect and there is also a lot of bad Rioja made with that grape!  Luckily there has been a trend in Rioja to include more of the other traditional varieties in top wines, including Garnacha, but also Graciano and Mazuelo.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It&#39;s lovely to see wine-great Alvaro Palacios respecting Garnacha and it&#39;s place in Rioja here.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With this weight and smoothness in a Rioja wine, all sorts of food matches are possible....pasta, pizza, all sorts of everyday food.  It&#39;s great value at 13$ in Costco.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What do you think of Rioja wines?  Have you noticed the style differences?</p>\n\n</div>','Spanish Wine Review: La Montesa 2009','It\'s been a while since I\'ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely.  Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price.  The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny.  The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja.  There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style.  La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.','inherit','open','open','','1123-revision','','','2013-04-30 21:42:09','2013-04-30 21:42:09','',1123,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/30/1123-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1126,1,'2013-04-30 21:52:03','2013-04-30 21:52:03','<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@N06/8696135705\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1367358017957.3953\" alt=\"Spanish wine from the Rioja region\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8696135705_e42ee714f6.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"208\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s been a while since I\'ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely. Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price. The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny. The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja. There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style. La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alvaro Palacios was born into a wine family in Rioja but made his name making very different wines in the Catalan region of Priorat. His L\'Ermita, a Garnacha blend, is one of Spain\'s most iconic and expensive wines. He then expanded into Bierzo and soon gained fame for his intense and unique wine based on the local Mencía grape. He returned to his roots after his father died and took over the family winery, Herencia Remondo. He changed the more traditional line of his father a great deal, while still preserving that Rioja feel that is missing from some of the uber-modern wines. He was able to work with a very familiar grape, Garnacha, in the Rioja Baja area of Rioja.</span>\r\n<div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">La Montesa by Bodegas Herencia Remondo is composed of 65% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo and aged 12 months in French and American oak, 20% in new oak. The vineyard is in the part of Rioja where rainfall is very scarce, but the rocky soils in the La Montesa vineyard retain water quite well.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sweet fruit and smoothness are the dominant impressions. Cherry, licorice and a touch of orange peel in the nose. Oh so smooth and ready to drink in the mouth...cherry and plum, a bit of spice. Medium in weight with smooth tannins and good length. The only negative is a slight hotness in the mouth from the alcohol...this is handled when the wine is taken with food. Maybe also lacking a touch of freshness for my liking...but it is a 2009, a very hot year with significant hydric stress. The vintage was saved by some late season rainfall, extending the ripening seasoning, making ultimately for a good year in Rioja, but not the freshest year. But all-round very pleasant drinking, very good with food, as are so many Riojas.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve been tasting quite a few 2009 Riojas in various styles lately and many seem to have this hot alcoholic edge....more experimentation to come! I have to say I\'ve loved La Montesa even more in other vintages.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the Rioja Baja sub-zone of Rioja, one of three areas and the largest. Rioja Baja often suffers from a negative image compared to it\'s neighbors, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. This is partially because it a hotter area where the vines are subjected to a hotter and drier climate and also because Garnacha dominates in the vineyards instead of Tempranillo.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s true that Garnacha is the grape behind a lot of bad quality Rioja but I am passionate about this grape variety, especially in Spain, and it could make a lot better wine in Rioja if given more respect. Tempranillo gets all the respect and there is also a lot of bad Rioja made with that grape! Luckily there has been a trend in Rioja to include more of the other traditional varieties in top wines, including Garnacha, but also Graciano and Mazuelo.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s lovely to see wine-great Alvaro Palacios respecting Garnacha and it\'s place in Rioja here.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With this weight and smoothness in a Rioja wine, all sorts of food matches are possible....pasta, pizza, all sorts of everyday food. It\'s great value at 13$ in Costco.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What do you think of Rioja wines? Have you noticed the style differences?</p>\r\n\r\n</div>','Spanish Wine Review: La Montesa 2009','It\'s been a while since I\'ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely.  Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price.  The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny.  The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja.  There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style.  La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.','inherit','open','open','','1123-revision-2','','','2013-04-30 21:52:03','2013-04-30 21:52:03','',1123,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/30/1123-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1127,1,'2013-05-02 01:39:46','2013-05-02 01:39:46','<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@N06/8696135705\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1367358017957.3953\" alt=\"Spanish wine from the Rioja region\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8402/8696135705_e42ee714f6.jpg\" width=\"220\" height=\"208\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s been a while since I\'ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely. Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price. The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny. The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja. There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style. La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.</p>\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alvaro Palacios was born into a wine family in Rioja but made his name making very different wines in the Catalan region of Priorat. His L\'Ermita, a Garnacha blend, is one of Spain\'s most iconic and expensive wines. He then expanded into Bierzo and soon gained fame for his intense and unique wine based on the local Mencía grape. He returned to his roots after his father died and took over the family winery, Herencia Remondo. He changed the more traditional line of his father a great deal, while still preserving that Rioja feel that is missing from some of the uber-modern wines. He was able to work with a very familiar grape, Garnacha, in the Rioja Baja area of Rioja.</span>\n<div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">La Montesa by Bodegas Herencia Remondo is composed of 65% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo and aged 12 months in French and American oak, 20% in new oak. The vineyard is in the part of Rioja where rainfall is very scarce, but the rocky soils in the La Montesa vineyard retain water quite well.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sweet fruit and smoothness are the dominant impressions. Cherry, licorice and a touch of orange peel in the nose. Oh so smooth and ready to drink in the mouth...cherry and plum, a bit of spice. Medium in weight with smooth tannins and good length. The only negative is a slight hotness in the mouth from the alcohol...this is handled when the wine is taken with food. Maybe also lacking a touch of freshness for my liking...but it is a 2009, a very hot year with significant hydric stress. The vintage was saved by some late season rainfall, extending the ripening seasoning, making ultimately for a good year in Rioja, but not the freshest year. But all-round very pleasant drinking, very good with food, as are so many Riojas.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve been tasting quite a few 2009 Riojas in various styles lately and many seem to have this hot alcoholic edge....more experimentation to come! I have to say I\'ve loved La Montesa even more in other vintages.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This wine is from the Rioja Baja sub-zone of Rioja, one of three areas and the largest. Rioja Baja often suffers from a negative image compared to it\'s neighbors, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. This is partially because it a hotter area where the vines are subjected to a hotter and drier climate and also because Garnacha dominates in the vineyards instead of Tempranillo.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s true that Garnacha is the grape behind a lot of bad quality Rioja but I am passionate about this grape variety, especially in Spain, and it could make a lot better wine in Rioja if given more respect. Tempranillo gets all the respect and there is also a lot of bad Rioja made with that grape! Luckily there has been a trend in Rioja to include more of the other traditional varieties in top wines, including Garnacha, but also Graciano and Mazuelo.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s lovely to see wine-great Alvaro Palacios respecting Garnacha and it\'s place in Rioja here.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">With this weight and smoothness in a Rioja wine, all sorts of food matches are possible....pasta, pizza, all sorts of everyday food. It\'s great value at 13$ in Costco.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What do you think of Rioja wines? Have you noticed the style differences?</p>\n\n</div>','Spanish Wine Review: La Montesa 2009','It\'s been a while since I\'ve had a mellow, perfectly drinkable Rioja and this La Montesa fit the bill nicely.  Rioja is still the king of Spanish wine but there are so many faces and styles to the region that it can be really confusing to find a nice bottle at a good price.  The traditional Rioja styles remain popular amongst wine geeks but the good ones cost a pretty penny.  The bold, modern style comes at all price points, but they are not always as mellow and ready to drink...something to cherish in Rioja.  There are lots somewhere in between, embracing both tradition and the modern...the hybrid is maybe the most user-friendly style.  La Montesa, from one of the modern masters of Spanish wine, Alvaro Palacios, is one of these and makes for good drinking at a great price in the 2009 vintage.','inherit','open','open','','1123-autosave','','','2013-05-02 01:39:46','2013-05-02 01:39:46','',1123,'http://planetavino.net/2013/04/30/1123-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1128,1,'2013-05-02 00:53:34','2013-05-02 04:53:34','','wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-may-2-2013-005-jpg','','','2013-05-02 00:53:34','2013-05-02 04:53:34','',1129,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1129,1,'2013-05-02 00:53:37','2013-05-02 04:53:37','<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/2013/05/wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1367470417866.7334\" alt=\"Zarcillos de Oro: Spanish wine competition\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg\" width=\"252\" height=\"190\" /></a></div>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Zarcillos de Oro 2013 will be held in Valladolid, Spain from 21-24 May. This biannual international wine competition was first held in 1991 and the last edition included 3,000 entries from 23 countries. It was originally organized by the regional government at a very crucial time for the wines of Castilla Leon, when both the system and wines were undergoing tremendous changes. The idea was to incentivize the production of the highest quality wine while introducing to a wider audience the wines of the area. Added to those initial national goals over the years has been the equally important goal of the competition as an international fine wine encounter.</p>\r\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Competition is facilitating international sample entry with local receiving agents. The receiving agent in the US is the </span><a style=\"text-align: justify;\" title=\"Ramondin USA\" href=\"http://www.ramondin.es/en/grupo_ramondin.php?id_grupo=2\" target=\"_blank\">Ramondin Company</a><span style=\"text-align: justify;\"> in Napa Valley. The cut-off date for entries is 8 May. Inscription fees are a very reasonable 100€ for the first sample. All the information for entering samples is available at the English-language version of the </span><a style=\"text-align: justify;\" title=\"Zarcillos de Oro wine competion\" href=\"http://www.premioszarcillo.com/opencms/opencms/introduccion/index.html?__setlocale=en\" target=\"_blank\">Zarcillos</a><span style=\"text-align: justify;\"> website. Or you can contact them for more information.</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Wine news: Zarcillos 2013 Wine Competition','The Zarcillos de Oro 2013 will be held in Valladolid, Spain from 21-24 May.  This biannual international wine competition was first held in 1991 and the last edition included 3,000 entries from 23 countries. It was originally organized by the regional government at a very crucial time for the wines of Castilla Leon, when both the system and wines were undergoing tremendous changes. The idea was to incentivize the production of the highest quality wine while introducing to a wider audience the wines of the area. Added to those initial national goals over the years has been the equally important goal of the competition as an international fine wine encounter.','publish','open','open','','wine-news-zarcillos-2013-wine-competition','','','2013-05-02 00:59:21','2013-05-02 04:59:21','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1129',0,'post','',0),(1130,1,'2013-05-02 00:58:11','2013-05-02 04:58:11','','Zarcillo de Oro competition thumbnail','','inherit','open','open','','zarcillo-de-oro-competition-thumbnail','','','2013-05-02 00:58:11','2013-05-02 04:58:11','',1129,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Zarcillo-de-Oro-competition-thumbnail.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1131,1,'2013-05-02 00:53:35','2013-05-02 04:53:35','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1367470417866.7334\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"252\" height=\"190\" alt=\"Zarcillos de Oro: Spanish wine competition\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Zarcillos de Oro 2013 will be held in Valladolid, Spain from 21-24 May.  This biannual international wine competition was first held in 1991 and the last edition included 3,000 entries from 23 countries.  It was originally organized by the regional government at a very crucial time for the wines of Castilla Leon, when both the system and wines were undergoing tremendous changes.  The idea was to incentivize the production of the highest quality wine while introducing to a wider audience the wines of the area.  Added to those initial national goals over the years has been the equally important goal of the competition as an international fine wine encounter.</p>\n\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify; \">The Competition is facilitating international sample entry with local receiving agents.  The receiving agent in the US is the </span><a href=\"http://www.ramondin.es/en/grupo_ramondin.php?id_grupo=2\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Ramondin USA\" style=\"text-align: justify; \">Ramondin Company</a><span style=\"text-align: justify; \"> in Napa Valley.   The cut-off date for entries is 8 May.  Inscription fees are a very reasonable 100€ for the first sample.  All the information for entering samples is available at the English-language version of the </span><a href=\"http://www.premioszarcillo.com/opencms/opencms/introduccion/index.html?__setlocale=en\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Zarcillos de Oro wine competion\" style=\"text-align: justify; \">Zarcillos</a><span style=\"text-align: justify; \"> website.  Or you can contact them for more information.</span><p> </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Wine news: Zarcillos 2013 Wine Competition','The Zarcillos de Oro 2013 will be held in Valladolid, Spain from 21-24 May.  This biannual international wine competition was first held in 1991 and the last edition included 3,000 entries from 23 countries. It was originally organized by the regional government at a very crucial time for the wines of Castilla Leon, when both the system and wines were undergoing tremendous changes. The idea was to incentivize the production of the highest quality wine while introducing to a wider audience the wines of the area. Added to those initial national goals over the years has been the equally important goal of the competition as an international fine wine encounter.','inherit','open','open','','1129-revision','','','2013-05-02 00:53:35','2013-05-02 04:53:35','',1129,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/02/1129-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1132,1,'2013-05-02 01:00:28','2013-05-02 05:00:28','<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/2013/05/wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft\" id=\"blogsy-1367470417866.7334\" alt=\"Zarcillos de Oro: Spanish wine competition\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wpid-Photo-May-2-2013-005.jpg\" width=\"252\" height=\"190\" /></a></div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Zarcillos de Oro 2013 will be held in Valladolid, Spain from 21-24 May. This biannual international wine competition was first held in 1991 and the last edition included 3,000 entries from 23 countries. It was originally organized by the regional government at a very crucial time for the wines of Castilla Leon, when both the system and wines were undergoing tremendous changes. The idea was to incentivize the production of the highest quality wine while introducing to a wider audience the wines of the area. Added to those initial national goals over the years has been the equally important goal of the competition as an international fine wine encounter.</p>\n<!--more--><span style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Competition is facilitating international sample entry with local receiving agents. The receiving agent in the US is the </span><a style=\"text-align: justify;\" title=\"Ramondin USA\" href=\"http://www.ramondin.es/en/grupo_ramondin.php?id_grupo=2\" target=\"_blank\">Ramondin Company</a><span style=\"text-align: justify;\"> in Napa Valley. The cut-off date for entries is 8 May. Inscription fees are a very reasonable 100€ for the first sample. All the information for entering samples is available at the English-language version of the </span><a style=\"text-align: justify;\" title=\"Zarcillos de Oro wine competion\" href=\"http://www.premioszarcillo.com/opencms/opencms/introduccion/index.html?__setlocale=en\" target=\"_blank\">Zarcillos</a><span style=\"text-align: justify;\"> website. Or you can contact them for more information.</span>\n\n&nbsp;','Wine news: Zarcillos 2013 Wine Competition','The Zarcillos de Oro 2013 will be held in Valladolid, Spain from 21-24 May.  This biannual international wine competition was first held in 1991 and the last edition included 3,000 entries from 23 countries. It was originally organized by the regional government at a very crucial time for the wines of Castilla Leon, when both the system and wines were undergoing tremendous changes. The idea was to incentivize the production of the highest quality wine while introducing to a wider audience the wines of the area. Added to those initial national goals over the years has been the equally important goal of the competition as an international fine wine encounter.','inherit','open','open','','1129-autosave','','','2013-05-02 01:00:28','2013-05-02 05:00:28','',1129,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/02/1129-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1133,1,'2013-05-02 13:50:41','2013-05-02 17:50:41','<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">We will soon be launching Planeta Vino Wine Events: Singular, custom wine events to make every occasion memorable and stress free!</h2>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stay tuned for more information....</h2>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, please feel to contact me at <a href=\"mailto:info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a></h2>','Wine Events','','publish','open','closed','','wine-events','','','2013-05-03 23:38:29','2013-05-04 03:38:29','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?page_id=1133',0,'page','',0),(1134,1,'2013-05-02 13:50:01','2013-05-02 17:50:01','<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">We will soon be launching Planeta Vino Wine Events:  Singular, custom wine events to make every occasion memorable and stress free!</h2><br>\n\n','Wine Events','','inherit','open','open','','1133-revision-v1','','','2013-05-02 13:50:01','2013-05-02 17:50:01','',1133,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/02/1133-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1135,1,'2013-01-16 18:58:38','2013-01-16 18:58:38','<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<h2><strong>Spanish Food</strong></h2>\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<h2><strong>Spanish Wine and Food</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\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-12','','','2013-01-16 18:58:38','2013-01-16 18:58:38','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/6-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(1136,1,'2013-05-02 13:52:43','2013-05-02 17:52:43',' ','','','publish','open','open','','1136','','','2013-05-03 22:53:39','2013-05-04 02:53:39','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1136',2,'nav_menu_item','',0),(1137,1,'2013-05-02 13:52:06','2013-05-02 17:52:06','<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<h2><strong>Spanish Food</strong></h2>\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<h2><strong>Spanish Wine and Food</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\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 more','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-13','','','2013-05-02 13:52:06','2013-05-02 17:52:06','',6,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/02/6-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(1138,1,'2013-05-03 21:42:15','2013-05-04 01:42:15','<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">We will soon be launching Planeta Vino Wine Events: Singular, custom wine events to make every occasion memorable and stress free!</h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stay tuned for more information....</h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, please feel to contact me at <a href=\"mailto:info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a></h2>','Wine Events','','inherit','open','open','','1133-autosave-v1','','','2013-05-03 21:42:15','2013-05-04 01:42:15','',1133,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/03/1133-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1139,1,'2013-05-02 13:50:41','2013-05-02 17:50:41','<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">We will soon be launching Planeta Vino Wine Events:  Singular, custom wine events to make every occasion memorable and stress free!</h2><br>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stay tuned for more information....</h2>\r\n','Wine Events','','inherit','open','open','','1133-revision-v1','','','2013-05-02 13:50:41','2013-05-02 17:50:41','',1133,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/02/1133-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1140,1,'2013-05-03 21:37:39','2013-05-04 01:37:39','<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">We will soon be launching Planeta Vino Wine Events:  Singular, custom wine events to make every occasion memorable and stress free!</h2><br>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stay tuned for more information....</h2><br>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\'>Meanwhile, please feel to contact me at <a href=\"mailto:info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a></h2>','Wine Events','','inherit','open','open','','1133-revision-v1','','','2013-05-03 21:37:39','2013-05-04 01:37:39','',1133,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/03/1133-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1141,1,'2013-05-03 21:40:33','2013-05-04 01:40:33','<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">We will soon be launching Planeta Vino Wine Events: Singular, custom wine events to make every occasion memorable and stress free!</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stay tuned for more information....</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, please feel to contact me at <a href=\"mailto:info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a></h2>','Wine Events','','inherit','open','open','','1133-revision-v1','','','2013-05-03 21:40:33','2013-05-04 01:40:33','',1133,'http://planetavino.net/2013/05/03/1133-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1142,1,'2013-01-16 18:43:48','2013-01-16 18:43:48','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">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></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">*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.</p>','Tastings','','inherit','open','open','','357-revision-8','','','2013-01-16 18:43:48','2013-01-16 18:43:48','',357,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/357-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1143,1,'2013-05-03 21:58:08','2013-05-04 01:58:08',' ','','','publish','open','open','','1143','','','2013-05-03 22:53:40','2013-05-04 02:53:40','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1143',12,'nav_menu_item','',0),(1144,1,'2009-05-18 19:09:25','2009-05-18 17:09:25','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/gramona-imperial-2004.jpg\" title=\"Cava from Spain:  Gramona Brut Imperial 2004\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/gramona-imperial-2004.jpg\" alt=\"Cava from Spain:  Gramona Brut Imperial 2004\" /></a>A lot of cava is aggressively bubbly and quite bitter but this cava shows Spain can give France a run for its money in sparkling wine.  Cava is the Spanish sparkling wine made in the champenoise method in Cataluña and some other regions in Spain.  The traditional grapes are Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo, but increasingly Chardonnay is being used in the blend.   Unfortunately many Spaniards and foreigners are only exposed to the cheapest of cavas, the under 8€ crowd from big producers.  Few of these are any good and most are frankly, quite bad.  Cava is a good value, if very different alternative to champagne, but I don’t understand how anyone thinks it should be that cheap.  The great cavas are between 12 and 25 euros…above 25 euros I find small producer champagnes better for the money….few of the really high end cavas really impress me either.  My favorite cava producers are medium or smaller outfits, my all time favorites are any cavas from Gramona, Raventos I Blanc and Sumarroca.  One of the frustrations of living in Madrid is that many smaller Catalan producers don’t have good distribution here…internal Spanish political tensions affecting the wine market.  Just today, I had one of my top picks…this is the cava I drink the most….it’s a top quality wine, good value and readily available in Madrid.  The Gramona Brut Imperial is a steal at about 15€. It‘s a wonderful, mellow, wine-like cava, where apply fruit mixes with leesy, toasted aromas.  The mouth is round, fresh and the carbonic is terrific, super integrated and not at all aggressive.  The finish is very persistent with a very slight, pleasant bitterness.  This wine is a great example of the quality Gramona offers…this Penedés-based company also makes great still wines, dry and sweet.  Read on for more information on the Gramona Brut Imperial. \n\nWine:  Brut Imperial Gran Reserva Brut 2004\nWinery:  Bodegas Gramona\nDenominación de Origen (DO): DO Cava (Penedés, Cataluña)\nAlc: 12%\nGrape varieties: 50% Macabeo, 40% Xarel.lo, 10% Chardonnay\nAging:  champenoise or traditional method used, 36-48 months aging before disgorgement\nPrice:  about 15€ retail in Madrid\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Pale golden color, very fine bubbles, medium vigor\nNose:  Very vinous nose, apple, lees, a bit of toast.  Attractive, almost sweet.\nMouth:  Medium intensity, round, smooth.  Wonderful carbonic, very subtle, well-integrated.  Very wine-like in mouth...fullish, fruity.  Apple, lemon, honey, toast...nice acidity, but not tart.  The finish is very long, apple and toast.   There is a final, slight bitterness that is quite refreshing.\n \nConclusion: This cava is in every way a wine, a versatile wine that can be drunk with many meals.  It is mellow yet interesting and offers a great balance between the freshness and fruit a young cava offers and the mellow, complex aromas that long aging bring.  I have yet to meet a client that hasn’t liked it....even some who don’t appreciate sparkling wines.  Great value wine.   ','Wine rating: Gramona Brut Imperial Gran Reserva 2004','','inherit','open','open','','271-revision','','','2009-05-18 19:09:25','2009-05-18 17:09:25','',271,'http://planetavino.net/2009/05/18/271-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1145,1,'2008-01-06 13:29:58','2008-01-06 11:29:58','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/cava-mirgin-alta-alella.jpg\" title=\"Cava Mirgin Alta Alella\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/cava-mirgin-alta-alella.jpg\" title=\"Cava Mirgin 2004 Alta Alella\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/cava-mirgin-alta-alella.jpg\" title=\"Cava Mirgin Alta Alella 2004\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/cava-mirgin-alta-alella.jpg\" title=\"Cava Mirgin 2004\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/cava-mirgin-alta-alella.jpg\" alt=\"Cava Mirgin 2004\" /></a>Cava is the bubbly of Spain…more specifically it is sparkling wine made by the traditional method within Spain.  So, yes, all cava is theoretically Spanish, just as all champagne is theoretically from Champagne.  I don\'t know of many new world sparkling wine producers that are taking the cava name, so cava has less of a problem with definitions.  Cava, unlike champagne, is not made in a specific region of Spain, but rather in five different regions…though in practice 95% of all cava is made in Cataluña, its birth place. \n\nWhen I say traditional method, read champenoise method, a term that has been banned within the European Union.  The champenoise method means that sugar and yeast are added to a still base wine in a bottle and a second fermentation occurs in that same bottle that makes the wine sparkling.  This is the same bottle that eventually reaches the consumer. \nThis is the method by which the top sparkling wines of the world are made. There are other methods such as the tank method, in which the second fermentation occurs in bulk in a tank, that are used for less expensive sparkling wines.  \n\nThe traditional grapes varieties are Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel.lo, though the use of Chardonnay is on the rise. The minimum aging period for cava is nine months.\n\nCava is not champagne and never will be…the wines are made from different grapes in different terroirs.  However the growing quality of cava is undeniable.  In my personal drinking experience, the top champagnes are unmatchable, but in lesser price ranges, many times cava offers much better quality for value.  A good example are some of the excellent cavas in the 10-20 euro range that I would much rather drink than almost all of the basic cuvees of the large champagne houses (which all cost 30-40 euros here in Spain). \n\nSome of my favourite cava producers are:  Gramona, Raventos i Blanc, Agustí Torelló, Sumarocca, Parés Baltá, and Albet i Noya\n\nA word on rosé cavas:  do not expect the same quality as the white cavas.  They are often quite coarse and lack elegance.  They have never been a major focus and are a tiny part of the production.  There are some better ones coming out, but I have yet to be very impressed.  The main grape here is Monastrell, with Pinot Noir being used more and more. \n\nI recently had a head to head tasting of two cavas of very different price ranges…and the cheaper cava came out on top.  Be wary of some of the more expensive cavas…they too can be as over priced as some champagnes!\n\n1. Cava:  Imperial 2003\nBodega: Gramona\nWine Region:  DO Cava (Penedés, Cataluña)\nGrape varieties:  50% Macabeo, 40% Xarel.lo, 10% Chardonnay\nCategory:  Gran Reserva Brut\nAging: aged 36-48 months over lees\nAlcohol: 11.5%\nResidual sugar: 3-10 g/l\nPrice:  12-14 euros\nTasting notes: Small, consistent bubble.  Leesy, toasty and red apple aromas dominate nose.  Quite a round mouth, with lovely integrated CO2, smoky notes and elegant acidity….quite vinous.  Not the most complex sparkling wine, but very balanced and quite elegant.  Great value\n \n2.  Cava:  Mirgin 2004\nBodega: Alta Alella\nWine Region:  DO Cava (Penedés, Cataluña)\nGrape Varieties:  Chardonnay with a small percentage of traditional grapes\nCategory:  Brut Nature (Organic)\nAging: 20% of base wine barrel fermented, 26 months aging over lees\nAlcohol: 12%\nResidual sugar: 1.5 g/l\nPrice:  28-30 euros\nTasting notes:  Small, weak bubbles.  Honey, spice and toast on nose, but there is something strange, plastic or chemical that persists.  Can\'t get beyond that on the nose.  The mouth is excellent though, toasty, elegant.  Finer, more elegant bubble than Gramona…smoother finish.  BUT, the plastic note in the nose is very off-putting and makes the wine defective.  Not a cava I\'d repeat in this vintage.','Holiday Wine Series:  Cava','','inherit','open','open','','141-revision','','','2008-01-06 13:29:58','2008-01-06 11:29:58','',141,'http://planetavino.net/2008/01/06/141-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1146,1,'2013-05-03 22:04:11','2013-05-04 02:04:11',' ','','','publish','open','open','','1146','','','2013-05-03 22:53:40','2013-05-04 02:53:40','',0,'http://planetavino.net/?p=1146',13,'nav_menu_item','',0),(1147,1,'2013-02-28 01:23:58','2013-02-28 01:23:58','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/wpid-Photo-Feb-27-2013-1836.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-27-2013-1836.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1362014366746.1582\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\" height=\"291\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks!  This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful!  It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable.  A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent.  With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity.  Shaya is one of these wines.  It is made from old vines and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length.  All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!</p>\n\n<!--more--><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bodegas Shaya is part of of the <a href=\"http://www.orowines.com/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Orowine: Spanish wine group\">Orowines</a> group, one of the great Spanish wine groups under the leadership of Jorge Ordoñez.  Unfortunately many changes in recent years have somewhat diminished the stable of top flight wineries that are part of the group, but there are still lots of great ones such as El Nido, Ateca, and Jorge Ordoñez&#39; own line of wines.  The Orowines group is one of the biggest importers of Spanish wines into the US market.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shaya is made from 100% old-vine Verdejo, which is the best quality indigenous grape in the Rueda wine region.  It is made in stainless, with no aging in oak, as are most Rueda wines, in order to preserve the freshness of the fruit...and to suit the Spanish preference for inexpensive, unoaked whites.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2011 has the typical tropical touches of pineapple and slightly green aromas typical of the grape variety but also lovely acidity, a touch of minerality and the long, slightly bitter finish that is also so refreshing characteristic.  Really excellent Rueda in the under 10€ category....I was really happy to see it at such good prices in the US and so widely available.  On the web I saw it around the 10$ mark, but the range is large.</p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winery also makes a barrel fermented and aged wine called Shaya Habis.  It has about 6 months in oak.  It&#39;s very nice....Verdejo can take oak really well...it conserves it&#39;s freshness and personality and the oak adds richness, roundness and even more length.  Very nice, but also markedly more expensive at 23€ and around 25$.  </p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The basic Shaya is more my kind of white for the right price.  For me Rueda wine offers great consistency and good quality at a great price point.   I am always seeking out the best ones to recommend and this is one of them!</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Spanish Wine Review: Shaya 2011','Rueda white wine is the standard house white throughout much of Spain and for this we give thanks! This Spanish wine saved me from wine hell so many times over the years in Madrid and I will be eternally grateful! It is often maligned by wine aficionados as simple, tiring and lacking distinct personality, but for an under 10 price point, expectations should be reasonable. A cheap Rueda may be simple, but it is also pleasant and pretty consistent. With care, you can even find some that offer a little complexity. Shaya is one of these wines. It is made from old vines and has the typical cut grass and tropical fruit aromas of the Verdejo grape along with some great freshness and length. All for 9€ in Spain and about 10$ here in the US!','inherit','open','open','','1010-revision-5','','','2013-02-28 01:23:58','2013-02-28 01:23:58','',1010,'http://planetavino.net/2013/02/28/1010-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1148,1,'2013-01-30 22:55:57','2013-01-30 22:55:57','<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/2013/01/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!','inherit','open','open','','942-revision-5','','','2013-01-30 22:55:57','2013-01-30 22:55:57','',942,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/30/942-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1149,1,'2013-01-16 06:40:13','2013-01-16 06:40:13','<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-5','','','2013-01-16 06:40:13','2013-01-16 06:40:13','',859,'http://planetavino.net/2013/01/16/859-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1150,1,'2009-04-24 22:54:43','2009-04-24 20:54:43','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/louro-do-bolo-2007.jpg\" title=\"Spanish white wine Louro do Bolo from the Godello grape\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/louro-do-bolo-2007.jpg\" alt=\"Spanish white wine Louro do Bolo from the Godello grape\" /></a>One Spanish white grape I’ve written quite a bit about is Godello, a high quality grape from Galicia in northwestern Spain.  My all-time favorite Godello is As Sortes by Rafael Palacios, a wine I’ve rated and written about a couple of times.  Rafael Palacios is very passionate about Godello and determined to make world class wines out of the grape…something he’s already done.  Today’s wine is As Sortes little sister, Louro do Bolo, a delicious Godello that is much more approachable and also half the price!  I love the As Sortes, but it is so intense steely, and complex that it is not the friendliest wine before it gets some air.  The Louro do Bolo is much more round and aromatic from the beginning, albeit less complex.  It offers aromas of lees, pineapple and lemon in the nose, as well as a bit of smokiness and oak spice.  In the mouth it has all those aromas as well as really fresh acidity.  It’s a really great example of Godello at a really friendly price:  12€.  Read on for more details on Lour do Bolo 2007.\n\nWine:  Louro do Bolo 2007\nWinery:  Rafael Palacios\nDenominación de Origen (DO): Valdeorras\nAlc: 13.5%\nGrape varieties: 100% Godello\nOak regime:  fermented and aged in large format foudres\nPrice:  12€ retail in Madrid\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Pale straw color\nNose:  Quite a complex nose:  aromas of oak spice, lees, pineapple and lemon.  There is also a bit of smoke and flint. \nMouth:  Sharply focused mouth...great acidity.  The smoky, mineral and fruit aromas all translate form the nose.  The oak is a bit more noticeable on the mouth, but it is very well integrated. \n\nConclusion: Another great example of Godello, though much more complex than the basic un-oaked ones.    It is a near perfect blend of complexity and intensity with easy fruit and oak notes. ','Wine rating: Louro do Bolo 2007','','inherit','open','open','','263-revision','','','2009-04-24 22:54:43','2009-04-24 20:54:43','',263,'http://planetavino.net/2009/04/24/263-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1151,1,'2009-04-22 22:49:27','2009-04-22 20:49:27','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/groc-2007.jpg\" title=\"Spanish wine Groc 2007 from the Rueda region\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/groc-2007.jpg\" alt=\"Spanish wine Groc 2007 from the Rueda region\" /></a>One wine region I rave about but never write about is Rueda.  The region is a mainstay in my tastings because I think they are some of the most consistent and best value white wines in the world.  You can get a reliable bottle for between 5 and 8€ retail.  These are unoaked, fresh whites made either from Verdejo or Sauvignon Blanc.  Verdejo is the local variety that has a similar Sauvignon grassiness but with more tropical fruit and some refreshing bitterness in the finish.  Though still not common, oaked versions of Verdejo are coming on….Verdejo handles oak beautifully.   A few of my favorite wineries are José Pariente, Naia, Belondrade y Lurton, and Aura.  It is because of Rueda that cheap white wine is more reliable than cheap red wine in Spain.  It is available by the glass in bars throughout Spain and is usually much better than the corresponding house red….usually a thin Rioja.  When in doubt as to the wines on offer in Spain…order Rueda…you’ll almost always get some at least decent.  The wine today is Groc…what an unfortunate name; the label is very cute and somewhat unusual in the Spanish world of plain Jane wine labels.   The wine is the entry level wine of the winery Ossian, known for its top flight oaked Verdejo…one of the top whites in Spain.  It is made from low-yield old vines.  I really loved this wine, much more austere and focused than many Ruedas…many un-oaked Ruedas have intense grassy and pineapple aromas…sometimes a bit excessive.  It was quite a refreshing alternative, though perhaps it lacks the easy, soft attractiveness these wines typically offer.  Read on for details about the Groc 2007\n\nWine:  Groc 2007\nWinery:  Ossian\nDenominación de Origen (DO): Vine de la Tierra de Castilla León (Rueda)\nAlc: 13%\nGrape varieties: 100% old-vine Verdejo\nOak regime:  no oak\nPrice:  8€ retail in Madrid\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Pale straw color\nNose:  Much less intense nose than a typical Rueda.  A bit grassy, citrus fruits, fennel. \nMouth:  More intense in the mouth, though quite austere...super fresh acidity, lemon, fennel, some grassiness.  Not the longest finish but very attractive vertical mouth, finishing with a bit of typical bitterness\n\nConclusion: Not the easiest Rueda, a bit intense and austere...none of the sweet tropical fruit that dominates most Ruedas.    I love it!  Such a refreshing change...the one note tropical fruit version can be a bit tiring at times. \n ','Wine rating: Groc 2007','','inherit','open','open','','261-revision','','','2009-04-22 22:49:27','2009-04-22 20:49:27','',261,'http://planetavino.net/2009/04/22/261-revision/',0,'revision','',0),