(383,1,'2009-02-03 02:04:58','2009-02-03 00:04:58','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/robert-parkers-100pt-spanish-wines.jpg\" title=\"Robert Parker’s Top five Spanish wines\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/robert-parkers-100pt-spanish-wines.jpg\" alt=\"Robert Parker’s Top five Spanish wines\" /></a>When I arrived in Spain over 6 years ago, Robert Parker and his team were just starting to pay attention to the wines in a big way.  Since then I have seen awareness of him take off in the wine sector…frequently these days, winery professionals talk about the ratings they’ve received from the Wine Advocate.  I often ask my groups of wine tasters if they’ve heard of Robert Parker, and though many of the foreigners have, very few of the Spanish groups have. The concept of wine ratings still hasn’t really filtered down to the typical Spanish wine consumer…he or she still rely on the recommendations of family, friends, or their local wine merchant.  There are quite a few wine guides and magazines in Spain that rate wines, but ratings are a tool that is just starting to be used as a marketing tool by wineries, distributors and wine merchants. \n\nI was researching some wine prices online and discovered an interesting Parker phenomenon that showed how quickly things are changing…Robert Parker is becoming a more mainstream presence here in Spain.  Vinissimus.com is a website that delivers wines throughout Spain and I discovered a fascinating new offer on their website. For only 5,395€ (!) you can buy the first five Spanish wines that Parker rated 100 points.  On the 2007 list, for the first time five Spanish wines were all rated 100 points….a very impressive feat, but especially so because only one Spanish wine had been rated 100 points previously. \n\nIt is still too early days to have much of the controversy that Parker inevitably brings…but no doubt it will arrive here too.  Certainly the styles of wine in Spain are changing dramatically and an intense dialogue about it is underway....they just haven\'t started blaming Parker for it yet!   \n\nThese are the top five wines in Spain according to Robert Parker:  \n\n1. Pingus 2004:  One of Spain’s most famous Tempranillo’s from the hand of Peter Sisseck.  Wine region Ribera del Duero.  Spain’s most expensive wine….between 600 and 1400 euros depending on vintage and availability.\n2. Clos Erasmus 2004: From the tiny boutique region of Priorat…a wine that is rarely seen in Spain as most of it is exported.  Super intense liqueur fruit and mineral, it is made from Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.  The 2004 is selling for around 450€ here in Spain, but other vintages can be had for 200€.\n3. Viña El Pison 2004:  Elegant old-vine Tempranillo from the classic region Rioja.  Artadi was one of the wineries that paved the way to modern Rioja styles.  Around 150€ retail.\n4. Contador 2004:  The Contador was the only Spanish wine to have received 100 points from Parker previously…the 2003 vintage also was rated 100 pts.  Benjamin Romeo is one of the most innovative wine-makers in Rioja, stressing terroir above all else. Prices can range from 350 to 500 euros depending on the vintage.\n5. Termanthia 2004:  One of the top wines from Toro, an emerging region where a local variant of Tempranillo, Tinta de Toro, makes powerful, concentrated wines.  The Eguren family helped lead the way to modern styles in the region.  This is the bargain wine of the group, ranging between 100 and 180€, though I remember a few years ago it was only about 50€!','Spain\'s Top Five Wines or The Parkerization of Spain','','inherit','open','open','','191-revision','','','2009-02-03 02:04:58','2009-02-03 00:04:58','',191,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/191-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(384,1,'2012-10-01 05:17:53','2012-10-01 05:17:53','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/robert-parkers-100pt-spanish-wines.jpg\" title=\"Robert Parker’s Top five Spanish wines\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/robert-parkers-100pt-spanish-wines.jpg\" alt=\"Robert Parker’s Top five Spanish wines\" /></a>When I arrived in Spain over 6 years ago, Robert Parker and his team were just starting to pay attention to the wines in a big way.  Since then I have seen awareness of him take off in the wine sector…frequently these days, winery professionals talk about the ratings they’ve received from the Wine Advocate.  I often ask my groups of wine tasters if they’ve heard of Robert Parker, and though many of the foreigners have, very few of the Spanish groups have. The concept of wine ratings still hasn’t really filtered down to the typical Spanish wine consumer…he or she still rely on the recommendations of family, friends, or their local wine merchant.  There are quite a few wine guides and magazines in Spain that rate wines, but ratings are a tool that is just starting to be used as a marketing tool by wineries, distributors and wine merchants. \n\nI was researching some wine prices online and discovered an interesting Parker phenomenon that showed how quickly things are changing…Robert Parker is becoming a more mainstream presence here in Spain.  Vinissimus.com is a website that delivers wines throughout Spain and I discovered a fascinating new offer on their website. For only 5,395€ (!) you can buy the first five Spanish wines that Parker rated 100 points.  On the 2007 list, for the first time five Spanish wines were all rated 100 points….a very impressive feat, but especially so because only one Spanish wine had been rated 100 points previously. \n\nIt is still too early days to have much of the controversy that Parker inevitably brings…but no doubt it will arrive here too.  Certainly the styles of wine in Spain are changing dramatically and an intense dialogue about it is underway....they just haven\'t started blaming Parker for it yet!   \n\nThese are the top five wines in Spain according to Robert Parker:  \n\n1. Pingus 2004:  One of Spain’s most famous Tempranillo’s from the hand of Peter Sisseck.  Wine region Ribera del Duero.  Spain’s most expensive wine….between 600 and 1400 euros depending on vintage and availability.\n2. Clos Erasmus 2004: From the tiny boutique region of Priorat…a wine that is rarely seen in Spain as most of it is exported.  Super intense liqueur fruit and mineral, it is made from Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.  The 2004 is selling for around 450€ here in Spain, but other vintages can be had for 200€.\n3. Viña El Pison 2004:  Elegant old-vine Tempranillo from the classic region Rioja.  Artadi was one of the wineries that paved the way to modern Rioja styles.  Around 150€ retail.\n4. Contador 2004:  The Contador was the only Spanish wine to have received 100 points from Parker previously…the 2003 vintage also was rated 100 pts.  Benjamin Romeo is one of the most innovative wine-makers in Rioja, stressing terroir above all else. Prices can range from 350 to 500 euros depending on the vintage.\n5. Termanthia 2004:  One of the top wines from Toro, an emerging region where a local variant of Tempranillo, Tinta de Toro, makes powerful, concentrated wines.  The Eguren family helped lead the way to modern styles in the region.  This is the bargain wine of the group, ranging between 100 and 180€, though I remember a few years ago it was only about 50€!','Spain\'s Top Five Wines or The Parkerization of Spain','','inherit','open','open','','191-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:17:53','2012-10-01 05:17:53','',191,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/191-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(385,1,'2009-02-05 02:13:56','2009-02-05 00:13:56','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/erebo-2007-godello.jpg\" title=\"Spanish white wine:  Erebo 2007 Godello\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/erebo-2007-godello.jpg\" alt=\"Spanish white wine:  Erebo 2007 Godello\" /></a>I’m all about Godello…it is a great value alternative to the many under-performing Albariños that abound in Spain.  It is the other fine white grape from Galicia.  It is grown throughout Galicia and parts of Leon.  It is a semi-aromatic grape, usually offering intense fruit (apricot, melon, lime, pear), floral, and mineral notes…it has an attractive fullness and silkiness in the mouth, with generally moderate acidity by Galician standards. Most of them are unoaked, but there are also some great wines with aging over lees or in oak barrels. The wine below is another great, moderately priced Godello that I’ve been drinking lately.\n\nYou can read about some other great Godello wines in previous blog posts of mine:\n<a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/2007/12/28/holiday-wine-series-godello/\">http://www.planetavino.net/2007/12/28/holiday-wine-series-godello/</a>\n<a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/2007/12/09/wine-rating-as-sortes-2005/\">http://www.planetavino.net/2007/12/09/wine-rating-as-sortes-2005/</a>\n\nWine:  Erebo 2007\nWinery:  Bodegas Carballal\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Valdeorras\nAlc: 13%\nGrape varieties: 100% Godello\nOak regime:  no oak\nPrice:  7-8€ retail in Madrid\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Pale straw with green tints\nNose:  Lemon, green herbs aromas in the nose....gives the impression of freshness.   Quite intense though simple.\nMouth:  Very intense, attractive nose.  Very fresh acidity...lemon/lime aromas with mineral notes.  Quite round and full in the mouth for such an aromatic wine.\nFood:  Is great with both shellfish and more full flavoured fish,,,the round texture of Godello can hold up to more intense foods.  One of my favourite dishes:  grilled squid with garlic and olive oil would be awesome with this wine. \n\nConclusion:  I love Godello and I love what great value it is.  It’s also a grape that some of Spain’s top winemakers are taking an interest in and there is lots of even greater wines to come! ','Wine Rating:  Erebo 2007','','inherit','open','open','','195-revision','','','2009-02-05 02:13:56','2009-02-05 00:13:56','',195,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/195-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(386,1,'2009-01-29 01:57:32','2009-01-28 23:57:32','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/finca-la-milana-2005.jpg\" title=\"Finca La Milana 2005\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/finca-la-milana-2005.jpg\" alt=\"Finca La Milana 2005\" /></a>This wine was the best of a few Spanish Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines we tried recently.  I liked it so much I bought a case for home use.  Many Spanish Cabernets have green fruit and/or over-ripe fruit…sometimes it has both at the same time!  It’s a challenge in some of the hotter areas to achieve tannic ripeness before the fruit aromas become over-ripe. \n\nCatalan wines are generally pricier compared to other Spanish regions, but this is quite good value at 16-18€.  This is also an organic wine, something that is still not super common here in Spain. In fact organic wines are rather looked down upon amongst Spanish consumers and some wineries don’t even mention anywhere on the bottle that they are organic.  If they make a separate label for the export market, the word organic will appear prominently.  Albet i Noya is one of the biggest organic wineries in Spain and makes over 20 types of cavas and wines.\n\nWine:  Finca La Milana 2005\nWinery:  Bodega Albet i Noya\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Penedés\nAlc: 14%\nGrape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Caladoc, Tempranillo\nOak regime:  aged 13 months in new French\nPrice:  around 16-18€ retail in Madrid (19€ in Lavinia)\nNote:  Caladoc is a grape that is a cross between Malbec and Grenache that is most popular in southern France, especially Languedoc\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Medium intense ruby\nNose:  Very ripe, sweet black cherry, plum, vanilla, cloves, a bit smoky...very appealing.  Medium intensity...with some air...really opens up.  \nMouth:  Smoky red cherry and a touch a cranberry, black pepper, a tiny whiff of green pepper.  Smoky, vanilla oak is very present but doesn’t dominate the fruit.  More expressive fruit with some aeration.  Long, quite tannic finish, but some nice fruit lasts with the smooth tannins. \nFood:  Really terrible today with my falafel and tahini sauce!  It was much better with our Christmas lamb!   \n\nConclusion:  Leaner mouth than you would expect from the nose, but this is quite typical of Penedés reds.  I often find them quite French in style, French in a very ripe year of course!  They have leaner fruit than many Spanish regions and a more firm structure...also the acidity can verge on tart to many Spanish palates.  I love them as they are invigorating and interesting to drink.  This is a wine that is great to drink now but will still improve a bit in bottle...it really opens up and smoothes out with some air. ','Wine Rating:  Finca La Milana 2005','','inherit','open','open','','189-revision','','','2009-01-29 01:57:32','2009-01-28 23:57:32','',189,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/189-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(387,1,'2009-01-27 02:32:23','2009-01-27 00:32:23','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/abellars-2004.jpg\" title=\"Abellars 2004 wine from Priorat\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/abellars-2004.jpg\" alt=\"Abellars 2004 wine from Priorat\" /></a>Always looking for a good value Priorat…some of my most favorite wines but very, very pricy.  At Bodega Santa Cecilia one day I noticed a Priorat priced around 15€ and decided to try.  Love it and decided to put it into some of my wine tastings with some clients.  I set about doing some research on the wine and come to find that it has just been rated above 90 by Parker….too funny…here I was thinking I had uncovered a hidden gem!\n\nWine:  Abellars 2004 (Finca Mas de l’Abella)\nWinery:  Celelrs Noguerales\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Priorat\nAlc: 14.5%\nGrape variety: 50% Garnacha, 25% Cariñena, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah\nOak regime:  aged 12 months in French and Eastern European oak (First and second year barrels only)\nPrice:  around 15€ retail in Madrid (Bodega Santa Cecilia)\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Deep, opaque purple-red\nNose:  Intense sweet black fruit, liqueur blackberry, coffee, smoky, cloves...quite complex.    \nMouth:  Huge mouth!  Very intense black liqueur fruit, smoke, and spice...fruit lasts through a very long finish.  Big tannins, but very smooth and ripe.  Good acidity to balance all that bigness!   Big wine but very easy to drink...not tiring.\nFood:  This would do well with some roast lamb, or a big bean dish such as fabada.   \n\nConclusion:  Good complexity and lovely black liqueur fruit so typical of Priorat....all for a tiny price...15€.  Very distinct personality that is present in the best Priorats.  One of the reasons I love them so much is that strong personality that reflects a sense of place or terroir.  No mistaking them for anything but what they are.  As I am in a Garnacha frame of mind, I want to also point out that this is another great Garnacha-based wine!','Wine Rating:  Abellars 2004','','inherit','open','open','','185-revision','','','2009-01-27 02:32:23','2009-01-27 00:32:23','',185,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/185-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(388,1,'2009-01-28 02:31:44','2009-01-28 00:31:44','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/three-albarinos.jpg\" title=\"Three Great Albariños\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/three-albarinos.jpg\" alt=\"Three Great Albariños\" /></a>I am quite down on Albariño lately.  It’s a grape I fell in love with over 8 years ago before I came to Spain.  One of my first wine trips when I came to live here was to Rias Baixas in Galicia, the homeland of Albariño.\n\nBut since then I have lost my passion for the grape…not that I don’t think it has tremendous potential, but rather that it rarely reaches that potential.  In general, the Albariños I’ve been trying over the past few years have left unmoved.  Albariño has a tremendously good reputation here in Spain…it is the one white wine that most Spaniards would recognize as premium.  For a Spanish white wine, it also has premium prices….between 10-20€ for unoaked versions.  Living in Spain I’ve come to expect a lot for a wine in this price range…and Albariño rarely delivers.  Many of them lack concentration and can be thin, weedy, acidic, and very short on the finish.  Many also have strong cider or apple notes that become aggressive when the wine heats up a bit.  Most of these Albariños must be served super cold to taste good. \n\nThe excuse for the high prices is that Albariño is a difficult grape to grow...it can ripen unevenly…and that the rainy climate in Galicia is also challenging.  Very true, yet the permitted yields in Galicia are the highest in Spain.   The truth is that the yields are too high and that the necessary work in the vineyard is not being done.  A prestigious winery in Bierzo had recently acquired an existing winery in Rias Baixas when we visited and their technical director confessed to me that condition of the vineyards were the worst he had seen in his professional life.  He said they would have to spend a few years cleaning things up before they could improve the wine. \n\nThe terroir is excellent and the grape has tremendous potential but there is a lot of work to be done.  There has been more focus on oak experiments and bottle aging the wine before release than improving the vineyards. \n\nFollowing are my review of three Albariños I find to be above the norm…all are very different types of wines.  Two of them, from the Viña Nora winery, have been rated by Peñin, Spain’s top wine critic, among the best.\n\n1. Viña Nora 2007:  One of my favorites, this has more aromatic intensity than many Albariños.  A nice citric, floral and apple nose…in the mouth, very fresh acidity, but good apple and lemon aromas.  Nice medium length finish.  This is the most typical style of Albariño, but well done.  Very good value for Albariño at 10€. \n\n2. Nora de Neve 2006:  The oak Albariño from the same winery, Viña Nora.  I’m not a huge fan of oaked Albariño…the oak does little for the floral aromas of the grape variety.  But if you don’t focus too much on varietal elements, this is a great mouthful of wine. Smoky, citric nose, very attractive. The mouth is more impressive:  round, silky, very full, apple and lemon aromas and great acidity.  Super long attractive finish with smoky oak notes.  The oak is extremely well integrated, which often it is not in oaked Albariños.  Lovely wine, but not what I’m looking for in an Albariño necessarily.  Also pricy at over 20€. \n\n3.  Gran Bazán Ambar 2007:  This is my favorite Albariño of the moment…I bought a case of it for the Xmas season.  This is the winery’s top un-oaked wine and they only use free run juice.  They also leave it aging in stainless a few more months before release.  The care really shows in the wine.  The nose is quite mineral, also with peach and anis notes.  The body is much fuller than most un-oaked Albariños, very vinous, fresh acidity, citrus and melon aromas.  Attractive, intense mouth and quite long finish.  This wine is particularly good value for between 10 and 12€.  Funnily enough this is one of the Albariños I used to love in DC before I moved here…I’ve come full circle 7 years on. ','Three very good Albariños amongst an ordinary bunch','','inherit','open','open','','187-revision','','','2009-01-28 02:31:44','2009-01-28 00:31:44','',187,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/187-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(389,1,'2009-01-26 01:37:28','2009-01-25 23:37:28','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/santa-cruz-de-artaza-2005.jpg\" title=\"Santa Cruz de Artazu 2005 wine\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/santa-cruz-de-artaza-2005.jpg\" alt=\"Santa Cruz de Artazu 2005 wine\" /></a>The wines that have given some of the most hedonistic drinking pleasure lately have been Garnachas from northern Spain.  Not just any old Garnachas but old vine Garnachas that retain the grape’s softness and approachability, but that also offer a unique concentration of intense fruit and fresh acidity.  They are wines that offer sufficient complexity for the wine lover yet also are so easy to drink that they are the perfect reds to convert novice wine drinkers with!\n\nMany of the best old-vine Garnacha’s are coming out of Aragon from such appleations as Campo de Borja and Calatayud, but there are also a few great ones from other areas.  Most of them are still great value though there are now a few very pricy ones such as Alto Moncayo and Aquilón.  \n\nToday I want to talk about a Garnacha from Navarra which was the most impressive red wine we drank over the Christmas holidays. \n\nWine:  Santa Cruz de Artazu 2005\nWinery:  Bodegas Artazu\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Navarra\nAlc: 14.5%\nGrape variety: 100% old vine Garnacha, 60 yr old vines\nOak regime:  aged 12 months in French oak\nPrice:  around 17€ retail in Madrid (Bodega Santa Cecilia)\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Medium ruby\nNose:  Very intense sweet cherry and vanilla nose...candy-like almost like gummi bears.  Very attractive though not very complex.    \nMouth:  Much more complex mouth.  Very intense red fruit as well as vanilla and spice oak notes.  Good acidity is the perfect foil for the sweet fruit.  Extremely long finish, with soft, very ripe tannins and lingering fruit.   Great balance even with 14.5%. Very impressive!\nFood:  We had the wine with a roast chicken, with onions and garlic...really great match.  Also had squid in ink sauce and surprisingly the earth, saline squid ink was a nice match as well. \n\nConclusion:  Just a wonderful wine to drink...so attractive, still very youthful for a 2005.  The rest of the holidays we kept comparing the wines we drank and this wine continued to come out on top.   Very good value at 17€.','Wine Rating:  Santa Cruz de Artazu 2005','','inherit','open','open','','183-revision','','','2009-01-26 01:37:28','2009-01-25 23:37:28','',183,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/183-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(390,1,'2009-01-25 02:39:26','2009-01-25 00:39:26','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/an-2-2005.jpg\" title=\"AN2 2005 wine\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/an-2-2005-small.jpg\" title=\"AN2 2005 wine\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/an-2-2005-small.jpg\" alt=\"AN2 2005 wine\" /></a>Most of the wines made in Mallorca are geared towards the thirsty tourist hordes and do not aspire to excellence.  However there are a few wineries making some really outstanding wines.  One of the pioneers on the island was the winery Anima Negra, which has been making some of Spain’s top wines since the mid-90s.  Anima Negra has always been faithful to the island indigenous varieties of Callet, Fogoneu, and Mantonegro, though they sometimes blend in small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.  They have a top wine that they only make in the best years called Anima Negre Son Negre, retail over 100€.  Their flagship wine, the one that built their reputation is simply called Anima Negra and retails for about 30€.  They are both fantastic wines, though pricy. \n\nToday I want to introduce you to AN2, Anima Negra’s second wine, an original and tasty wine that gives a good introduction to the potential of Mallorcan wines.\n\nWine:  AN2 2005\nWinery:  Anima Negra\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Vino de la Tierra Islas Baleares\nAlc: 13.5%\nGrape variety: 65% Callet, 20% Mantonegro/Fogoneu, 15% Syrah\nOak regime:  aged 12 months in French (70%) and American oak\nPrice:  around 12€ retail in Madrid\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Pretty medium ruby...pale for a Spanish red\nNose:  Cherry yogurt nose with some unusual mineral notes...quite intriguing and original.  \nMouth:  Very fresh acidy, almost lean by Spanish standards...lovely earthy, mineral, savoury notes...cherry, raspberry and vanilla fruit with medium tannins.  Medium length...attractive finish.    Good balance  \nFood:  This would be good with everyday food...rice dishes, mushroom and egg dishes...earthiness and acidity makes it a good match. \n\nConclusion:  Such an original wine....not the cookie-cutter Tempranillo that dominates in Spain.  Not too heavy on the alcohol front and very fresh in terms of acidity....which makes it easy to drink!  The original aromas are the mineral ones.  Not a mainstream Spanish wine but really lovely...a great intro wine for Anima Negra at a good price. ','Wine Rating: AN2 2005','','inherit','open','open','','180-revision','','','2009-01-25 02:39:26','2009-01-25 00:39:26','',180,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/180-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(391,1,'2009-01-24 23:33:05','2009-01-24 21:33:05','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/novellum-2005.jpg\" title=\"Novellum Crianza 2005\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/novellum-2005.jpg\" alt=\"Novellum Crianza 2005\" /></a>Toro is a wine region that 10 years ago was just starting to change its wines, making more elegant modern styles.  Now it has gained a new reputation and though there is still a lot of room for improvement, its top wines are some of the most respected in the wine community.  Within Spain, Toro still hasn’t shaken off its somewhat rustic reputation for big “bull’s blood” style wines, though when I give Toro wines to my Spanish wine tasting groups, they are generally pleasantly surprised.  Among wine aficionados and in the export market Toro already enjoys a very good reputation.  Unfortunately this has led to some pretty high prices for the top wines.  Some of my favourites have increased in price by at least half in only a few years...I remember when Termanthia was only 50€....now it starts at 120€!  Amongst my favourites....still reasonably priced at less than 35€:  Numanthia, San Roman, Quinta de Quietud, Gran Elias Moro, and Pintia (at 25€ this is still a great bargain!) \n\nToro is a beautiful little town to visit, though sadly my favourite restaurant, Restaurante Lera, closed last year.  A nice winery to visit in the downtown area is Bodegas Rejadorada, which maintains an ancient cellar and tasting room for visitors.  The modern winery is elsewhere, but it’s a fun, short visit...you can see a film explaining the history or Toro wines, see the old lagares, and taste wines and buy regional products in the tasting room. \n\nThe wine of Rejadorada offer great value.  They represent modern Toro wines well...intense yet elegant black fruit with nicely balanced oak.  I love the Reserva wine, but at 20€, it’s for special occasions.  \n\nToday I want to introduce their crianza wine, Novellum, which at about 10€ is a great value wine.  \n\nWine:  Novellum 2005\nWinery:  Rejadorada\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Toro\nAlc: 14.5%\nGrape variety: 100% Tinta de Toro (a very distinctive variant of Tempranillo)\nOak regime:  aged 12 months in French, American and Rumanian oak\nPrice:  10-12€ (Bodega Santa Cecilia)\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Intense opaque purple red\nNose:  Blackberry liqueur fruit, blueberry pie, with oak spices and vanilla.  A touch of earthy/leafy notes.  \nMouth:  Huge mouth, but good balanced...lots of everything!  Big black fruit, spicy oak, huge, ripe tannins.  Very silky texture and a very long, though quite tannic  finish.    \nFood:  Great with any big, earthy, meaty food....Toro wines are awesome with the hearty food of the region, which can include a lot of game.\n\nConclusion:  Love this wine...it’ not for the faint of heart, but though it’s big....the equilibrium between the elements is impressive.  It’s a crowd pleaser and often my groups prefer it to some more expensive wines in a wine tasting.  Great value! ','Wine Rating:  Novellum 2005','','inherit','open','open','','178-revision','','','2009-01-24 23:33:05','2009-01-24 21:33:05','',178,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/178-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(392,1,'2009-01-22 00:20:55','2009-01-21 22:20:55','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/cantos-de-valpiedra.jpg\" title=\"Cantos de Valpiedra Wine\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/cantos-de-valpiedra.jpg\" alt=\"Cantos de Valpiedra Wine\" /></a>It’s often a challenge to find a great wine from Rioja at a great price.  One of my favourite producers is Finca Valpiedra, a winery that has only ever offered a single reserva wine.  Finca Valpiedra is a great reserva that is a hybrid between modern and traditional styles, a style that can appeal to every wine aficionado!  It has a slightly longish oak aging time, 18-22 months, but largely in new French oak.  The fruit has all the bright exuberance of a modern Rioja yet has the silky texture and elegance of a more traditional reserva.  Love the current 2004 vintage, but at around 20€, it’s not for everyday drinking.\n\nStarting with the 2005 vintage, the Martinez Bujanda Family is offering a second wine, Cantos de Valpiedra.  This gives them more flexibility in blending their wine and will enable them to make the Reserva even better!\n\nWine:  Cantos de Valpiedra\nWinery:  Finca Valpiedra\nVintage: 2005\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Rioja\nAlc: 13.5%\nGrape variety: 100% Tempranillo\nOak regime:  aged 12 months in French and American oak\nPrice:  about 8€ around Madrid (Bodega Santa Cecilia)\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Medium intensity ruby\nNose:  Fresh, sweet cherry fruit.  A touch of vanilla, but mainly attractive, medium intensity fruit\nMouth:  Fresh cherry fruit with touches of vanilla oak...good acidity, silky texture and soft, attractive tannins.  Despite the sweet fruit, a very elegant balance in the mouth. \nFood:  What I love about most Riojas, is that they have a bright acidity that allows them to pair with a lot of food.  They also tend to be less alcoholic and more elegant than many Spanish wines, which makes them perfect for everyday food. \n\nConclusion:  This is an attractive, appealing Rioja at a great price.  The balance between the oak, fruit, acidity and ripe tannins give a totally smooth mouthfeel.  It’s only its first vintage, but Cantos de Valpiedra has become my new standard in the under 10€ Rioja crowd. Too bad it’s a small production wine...could be hard to find in restaurants.  ','Wine Rating:  Cantos de Valpiedra 2005','','inherit','open','open','','177-revision','','','2009-01-22 00:20:55','2009-01-21 22:20:55','',177,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/177-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(393,1,'2009-01-14 01:30:56','2009-01-13 23:30:56','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/descalzos-viejos-winery.jpg\" title=\"The Descalzos Viejos winery\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/descalzos-viejos-winery.jpg\" alt=\"The Descalzos Viejos winery\" /></a>The second winery we visited is Descalzos Viejos, a traditional moniker literally meaning “old unshoed ones”, which was a common name for certain orders of monks.  The winery is housed in the church and grounds of the old monastery. The site was completely abandoned when 2 architects from Ronda acquired it and restored it.  The nave of the 500 year old chapel is a unique and charming setting for the winery’s fermentation room! \n\nThe vineyards were planted in 2000 over 16 hectares and the grape varieties include: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Garnacha, and a little bit of Chardonnay.  They are also working with an experimental patch of Graciano, a grape originally from Rioja that is showing excellent potential in other parts of Spain.  The winery <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/descalzos-viejos-view.jpg\" title=\"tasting wine at Descalzos Viejos\"></a>does not intend to exceed production levels of 30,000 bottles per year.\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/descalzos-viejos-church.jpg\" title=\"Nave of church at Descalzos Viejos\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/descalzos-viejos-church.jpg\" alt=\"Nave of church at Descalzos Viejos\" /></a>The enologist is another young and dynamic face in the Ronda wine scene, Vicente Inat, who is originally from Alicante, in the Levante.  His philosophy definitely shows influence from the hot climates of Alicante, where wines are often big, powerful, with dark liqueur fruit. Vicente is the first to admit that his wines are not made in the most commercial style.  The norm in Spain is still soft, approachable wines in the traditional Rioja style.  In fact his wines are much more new world in style and will suit foreign palates much more….big, extracted, dark fruit, great new oak and huge tannins.  These wines need some time in bottle and then some aeration.  In fact I, as the only foreigner, was the one who most appreciated his red wines amongst our group.\n\nHe is really passionate about these wines….Vicente said that the special climate of his vineyards, very hot during the day and chilly at night, gives them their intense structure and uniqueness.  He makes two reds, one which is more approachable and fruity and the DV+, which I really loved…intense black fruit, big structure, French oak, big mature tannins.  A really impressive wine that impacts the mouth in every corner.   <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/descalzos-viejos-view.jpg\" title=\"tasting wine at Descalzos Viejos\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/descalzos-viejos-view.jpg\" alt=\"tasting wine at Descalzos Viejos\" /></a>Also very interesting was his Chardonnay, a big, full-bodied wine, with tropical fruit, with some toasty oak and critically…fresh acidity to provide some balance.  Not for every palate, but a really interesting hot-weather Chard.\n\nAny visit to the winery must include a tour of the old monastery gardens with their Moorish influences….beautiful…old fountains and pools, fruit trees, and a spectacular view off the cliff over the Ronda landscape.  It’s a really special experience to taste wines with the winemaker in this unique setting!\n\nQuite hard to find, these wines can be bought online in Spain for between 10 and 20 euros. ','Wineries in Ronda: Descalzos Viejos','','inherit','open','open','','169-revision','','','2009-01-14 01:30:56','2009-01-13 23:30:56','',169,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/169-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(394,1,'2009-01-12 16:38:37','2009-01-12 14:38:37','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/aguilares-bodega.jpg\" title=\"Cortijo Los Aguilares Winery\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/aguilares-bodega.jpg\" alt=\"Cortijo Los Aguilares Winery\" /></a>One very impressive winery in Ronda is Cortijo Los Aguilares, the personal retirement project of a Basque businessman, José Antonio Itarte.  The estate is a huge finca and the vineyards only cover some 19 hectares of the total 800 available…wine here is made on a very artisanal basis…after extensive soil analysis only the best parcels were planted with vines!  Also on the estate are free-range Iberian black pigs…we saw them running through the oak trees from a distance.  The winery itself has two buildings, both of which were restored respecting the original architecture of the Cortijo; the elegant main house is mostly a vacation home for the family but also houses the administrative offices and a beautiful tasting space.  The winemaking area is housed in a much more functional building with a shallow lake on the roof to help with cooling the barrel room.  The young enologist, Bibi García, is very dynamic and she is striving to make a very different style wine than is typical in the area.  She gained experience working in Rioja, Priorat and Chile.  The owner is greatly influenced by the wines of Burgundy and Bibi is trying to create elegant, aromatic wines that seem to defy the sometimes extreme heat of the region.  These wines do in fact have an earthy complexity reminiscent of Burgundy and are surprisingly light in alcohol. \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/aguilares-vineyards-1.jpg\" title=\"Cortijo Los Aguilares vineyards\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/aguilares-vineyards-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cortijo Los Aguilares vineyards\" /></a>The vineyards are still quite young, having been planted in 2000, and the grapes varieties are: Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The yields are extremely low; the enologist told us that the yields for the Pinot Noir are only 300 grams of grape per vine!  Though the winery is not organic or biodynamic, the owners believe in respecting the environment to the utmost…there is no use of herbicides or pesticides.\n\nThe winery uses no pumps and all the winemaking is gravity-based.  Fermentation is done in stainless steel after the grapes pass through a selection table.  The barrel room has 160 barrels between 1 and 3 years old, all of it French oak.  The winery only has a total capacity for 10,000 bottles production per year. \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/aguilares-products.jpg\" title=\"Cortijo Los Aguilares wines\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/aguilares-products.jpg\" alt=\"Cortijo Los Aguilares wines\" /></a>There are four wines:\n1.  The rosé is a coupage of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Tempranillo and is very interesting, fresh, good acidity, quite complex fruit for a Spanish rosado.  Quite pricy at over 10€ though.\n2. The Young or “joven” red wine is a blend of Merlot and Temprnaillo with short fermentation times to preserve the varietal fruit.  A nice fruity wine, but nothing to blow me away.\n3. Pinot Noir 2005:  this 100% Pinot Noir is one of the most interesting I have tasted in Spain (admittedly not a lot of competition!)  Very aromatic, earthy, floral, strawberry fruit.  Good tannins but a little short on aromas in the finish.  It has only 9 months in French oak as Bibi wants to preserve the Pinot Noir aromas, and the oak serves only as a nice framework for the wine.   Very impressive….quite interesting aromatic complexity….I’m sure this wine will continue to improve.\n4. Pago El Espino 2005:  This is the reserva wine, a coupage of 40% Tempranillo, 25% Merlot, 20% Pinot Noir y 15% Petit Verdot, with 16 months in French oak.  Very impressive wine…lots of oak, but really balanced, floral and vanilla aromas, sweet cherry fruit.  The tannins and length are impressive…the wine goes on and on.  Very elegant and complex wine. Loved this wine!\n\nThe elegant and aromatic, floral nature of the wines is very impressive, especially given that they are made in Ronda.  This is a winery with a huge amount of potential.  The wines can be bought online in Spain or in Lavinia in Madrid.  Prices range from 10 to 25 euros. ','Wineries in Ronda: Cortijo Los Aguilares','','inherit','open','open','','165-revision','','','2009-01-12 16:38:37','2009-01-12 14:38:37','',165,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/165-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(395,1,'2009-01-09 01:15:16','2009-01-08 23:15:16','\n<p align=\"left\"><a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/ronda-view.jpg\" title=\"Ronda Winery view\"></a><a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/ronda-view.jpg\" title=\"Ronda Winery view\"></a><a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/ronda-view-vineyards.jpg\" title=\"Vineyards in Ronda\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/ronda-view-1.jpg\" title=\"Beautiful Ronda view on winery trip\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/ronda-view-1.jpg\" alt=\"Beautiful Ronda view on winery trip\" /></a>There’s lots of talk about some of Spain’s up and coming wine regions….Bierzo, La Mancha, Toro, Jumilla are all the new buzz words.  But really they are old news…all of them have a long track record and good name recognition within Spain and outside Spain.  Now there are a new group of regions appearing on the scene, regions that are super dynamic and are producing some exciting wines.  These are wine areas that most Spanish people will not recognize as areas producing fine wines.  Some of these new areas are overcoming bad reputations for mass produced bulk wine, such as Calatayud, Campo de Borja, and Manchuela.  Others are artisanal areas that have no real wine reputation as of yet.  These include such areas as Granada, Arribes del Duero, Léon and Malaga. </p>\nMy area of focus today is located in Malaga, an area historically only known for fortified wines, but is now seeing an increasin<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/ronda-view-vineyards-1.jpg\" title=\"Ronda Vineyard view\"></a>g focus on still wines. The wine appellation is Sierras de Malaga, which, in contrast to DO Malaga, is only for still, unfortified wines.  The sub-zone is Ronda, a beautiful area in the mountains north of Marbella.  The area is solidly on the tourist track and is famous for its history, bullfighting, and dramatic geography.   The one hour drive up from Marbella is along a twisting windy road that offers spectaculars views of the ocean and mountains.\n\nI had visited Ronda many times but this was the first time I had really focused on the wines.  I went expecting to find interesting wines but few excellent ones…I was truly surprised and came away with a new level of respect.  Not only were the wines better than I expected but the wine projects were some of the most unique I have encountered in Spain.  We were received by some of the most dynamic young winemakers in Spain, enologists that are very bold in their approach to wine and who have ambition, drive and passion.  We were privileged to taste their wines with them.\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/ronda-view-vineyards-1.jpg\" title=\"Ronda Vineyard view\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/ronda-view-vineyards-1.jpg\" alt=\"Ronda Vineyard view\" /></a>One of the factors that also surprised me was the microclimate.  I had doubted that Ronda would provide a suitable climate for the most excellent wines; after all it is in southern Spain, where the weather can be very hot and humid during the summer months…hardly ideal for making fine wine.  However, Ronda’s vineyards avoid the worst of the summer weather through altitude….the average altitude is about 600 meters (almost 2000 ft.)  There is a lot of sun and heat during the day, but the temperatures drop at night.  The coastal influence also means that there are higher levels of rainfall than in many parts of Spain. \n\nThe grapes used here are multiple to include typical Spanish grapes such as Tempranillo.  But more common are French grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir.  Reds are the wines that offer the most quality.  I tasted some interesting whites but was not super impressed.  There are also some good rosés.  Winemaking and viticultural techniques are modern but on a small scale.  The wineries are almost all artesanal projects created with a lot of care.\n\nIt\'s hard to define the wine style as each of the wineries have chosen a different path.  Some value the power and intensity that comes so easily in the hot climate of Spain, other try to create elegant wines that showcase the varietal fruit. \n\nWe visited three very different wineries…all of them very impressive.  See follow on blogs for information on Cortijo Los Aguilares, Bodegas Los Bujeos and Descalzos Viejos.','Ronda:  New Frontiers in Spanish Wine','','inherit','open','open','','159-revision','','','2009-01-09 01:15:16','2009-01-08 23:15:16','',159,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/159-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(396,1,'2008-03-04 14:04:22','2008-03-04 12:04:22','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/rioja-san-vicente-2003-2004.jpg\" title=\"Rioja San Vicnet ein 2 vintages\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/rioja-san-vicente-2003-2004.jpg\" alt=\"Rioja San Vicnet ein 2 vintages\" /></a>Rioja Vino de Autor in Two Vintages:  San Vicente 2003 and 2004\n\nVintage Variation in Spain is not as extreme as it is in more northern climates, but it obviously still has a very real impact.  I was fortunate to try one of my favourite Vinos de Autor in two very different vintages. \n\nSan Vicente was one of the original Vinos de Autor in Rioja, leading the way to the modern starting in 1991.  This was the first vine de terruño or terroir…a single vineyard wine made from the “ideal” vineyard as envisioned by the winemakers, the Eguren family.  As such it has become an icon and remaisn so today, despite the multiple vinos de autor that have proliferated recently.\n\nWhat I most like about it is its very accessible price, 35 euros, in a time when 60-100 euros is more the norm for these top Rioja wines. \n\nWe were fortunate enough to find this icon in two different vintages at a Bilbao restaurant, Serrantes.  The price was quite unbelievable: 34€ in a restaurant!  Was it a mistake?  I didn’t want to ask….\n\nSan Vicente 2003: \nThe color is medium garnet with palish edges.\nModerately intense nose, with cherry fruit and major smoky and toasty notes….definitely showing some evolution. The mouth is very smooth…the fruit is not as pretty as in the nose…over-ripe nose, a little rusty.  Nice structure, ok acidity, smooth tannins and moderately long finish.  A nice wine, but not impressive.\n\nSan Vicente 2004:\nDeep ruby with purple notes…much more intense than the 2003.\nThe nose opens up with air to be quite intense, with black cherry, vanilla, and anis notes…very youthful.  The mouth is fuller-bodied, with lively acidity and serious tannins.  The complex fruit takes time to come out…black fruit and spice.  Longer than the 2003, with intense tannins that could benefit from some bottle aging. \n\nConclusions:  These wines were dramatically different.  The difference in age seemed much more than the one year vintage contrast. \nThe 2003 really suffered in this comparison, though the 2004, recently released, could use a little more time in bottle. The 2003 tasted quite tired…especially after the 2004.  The 2003 is easier to drink right now…but it also tastes a little faded and tired.  Can’t wait to try the 2004 again in a few months.\n\nI’ve expressed some concerns about the 2003 vintage throughout Spain and this tasting really confirmed it.  Due to the excessive heat of the vintage….the 2003s are initially attractive, with sweet, easy fruit and smooth tannins…but I’ve already found many of them tired and they seem to be evolving far too rapidly.  Certainly, there are few of the 2003s I’d lay down for any length of time. \n\nThe 2004s, which was a much more balanced vintage, are intense and more complex, but can often be quite closed….often they need more time or air to be as drinkable.  Eventually the fruit that comes out is much fresher and attractive.','Rioja Vino de Autor in Two Vintages:  San Vicente 2003 and 2004','','inherit','open','open','','154-revision','','','2008-03-04 14:04:22','2008-03-04 12:04:22','',154,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/154-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(397,1,'2012-10-01 05:23:07','2012-10-01 05:23:07','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/rioja-san-vicente-2003-2004.jpg\" title=\"Rioja San Vicnet ein 2 vintages\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/rioja-san-vicente-2003-2004.jpg\" alt=\"Rioja San Vicnet ein 2 vintages\" /></a>Rioja Vino de Autor in Two Vintages:  San Vicente 2003 and 2004\n\nVintage Variation in Spain is not as extreme as it is in more northern climates, but it obviously still has a very real impact.  I was fortunate to try one of my favourite Vinos de Autor in two very different vintages. \n\nSan Vicente was one of the original Vinos de Autor in Rioja, leading the way to the modern starting in 1991.  This was the first vine de terruño or terroir…a single vineyard wine made from the “ideal” vineyard as envisioned by the winemakers, the Eguren family.  As such it has become an icon and remaisn so today, despite the multiple vinos de autor that have proliferated recently.\n\nWhat I most like about it is its very accessible price, 35 euros, in a time when 60-100 euros is more the norm for these top Rioja wines. \n\nWe were fortunate enough to find this icon in two different vintages at a Bilbao restaurant, Serrantes.  The price was quite unbelievable: 34€ in a restaurant!  Was it a mistake?  I didn’t want to ask….\n\nSan Vicente 2003: \nThe color is medium garnet with palish edges.\nModerately intense nose, with cherry fruit and major smoky and toasty notes….definitely showing some evolution. The mouth is very smooth…the fruit is not as pretty as in the nose…over-ripe nose, a little rusty.  Nice structure, ok acidity, smooth tannins and moderately long finish.  A nice wine, but not impressive.\n\nSan Vicente 2004:\nDeep ruby with purple notes…much more intense than the 2003.\nThe nose opens up with air to be quite intense, with black cherry, vanilla, and anis notes…very youthful.  The mouth is fuller-bodied, with lively acidity and serious tannins.  The complex fruit takes time to come out…black fruit and spice.  Longer than the 2003, with intense tannins that could benefit from some bottle aging. \n\nConclusions:  These wines were dramatically different.  The difference in age seemed much more than the one year vintage contrast. \nThe 2003 really suffered in this comparison, though the 2004, recently released, could use a little more time in bottle. The 2003 tasted quite tired…especially after the 2004.  The 2003 is easier to drink right now…but it also tastes a little faded and tired.  Can’t wait to try the 2004 again in a few months.\n\nI’ve expressed some concerns about the 2003 vintage throughout Spain and this tasting really confirmed it.  Due to the excessive heat of the vintage….the 2003s are initially attractive, with sweet, easy fruit and smooth tannins…but I’ve already found many of them tired and they seem to be evolving far too rapidly.  Certainly, there are few of the 2003s I’d lay down for any length of time. \n\nThe 2004s, which was a much more balanced vintage, are intense and more complex, but can often be quite closed….often they need more time or air to be as drinkable.  Eventually the fruit that comes out is much fresher and attractive.','Rioja Vino de Autor in Two Vintages:  San Vicente 2003 and 2004','','inherit','open','open','','154-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:23:07','2012-10-01 05:23:07','',154,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/154-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(398,1,'2008-03-01 02:11:17','2008-03-01 00:11:17','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/rioja-gran-and-uber-reservas.jpg\" title=\"Gran Reserva Rioja Alta Sierra Cantabria Coleccion Privada\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/rioja-gran-and-uber-reservas.jpg\" alt=\"Gran Reserva Rioja Alta Sierra Cantabria Coleccion Privada\" /></a>The Gran Reserva is almost exclusively a classic style in Rioja….most of these wines have over 30 months in oak, many as much as 48 months!   National wine law in Spain has changed…the minimum oak aging for a gran reserva is 18 months, though the total time before release remains 5 years.  But many of the regional authorities have left the minimum oak aging period at 24 months.  In any case the typical aging periods far exceed the minimum. \n\nSo for our modern.classic comparision I decided to pair the Gran Reserva with what I’ll call a super-reserva.  This is an ultra modern wine that is a step above the normal reserva.  In this case our reserva is not officially a reserva...though it has 18 months of oak it only has a cosecha or joven sticker on the back.\n\nI think Rioja Gran Reserva’s are very, unique interesting wines, but they can cause a lot of confusion for the foreign wine consumer.  Gran Reservas are quite expensive and one could order them in a restaurant thinking you are getting a sort of Grand Cru equivalent….the top wine from the region.  When the wine arrives and has that soft oaky mouth with complex but faded fruit…it can be quite a disappointment.  I’ve had some clients tell me they thought the wine they ordered was defective!  From their perspective the top Vinos de Autor fit their expectations of bang for the buck much better. A Vino de Autor is the name for a wine personally crafted by the wine-maker to fit his strict criteria…in reality these “authored wines” are the top wines of many wineries and are made in an ultra-modern style.\n\nFrom my perspective, I have tasted few Gran Reservas I would buy for personal use…the less expensive ones are woody, bitter, and hollow…the expensive ones are quite impressive, but I prefer an intense, fresh and complex fruit for my 30-55 euros. \n\nMy classic gran reserva:\nGran Reserva 904 1995 by Bodegas La Rioja Alta (around 30€)\nOutstanding, excellent nose….earthy, sweet spice, figs. Very reminiscent of certain sherries.  An attractive mouth, silky texture with complex raisin and spice notes.  The finish though is quite short, woody and bitter. \nRating: 17 points\n\nMy modern super-reserva:\nColeccion Privada 2005 by Bodegas Sierra Cantabria (around 30€)\nAttractive, candied plum and candy-like nose at first…with air intense spicy, vanilla oak notes come out.  In the mouth, sweet red fruit, spice….smooth, yet with a bracing structure and fresh acidity…very elegant.  Very mouth-filling and long with medium levels of very ripe tannins.  Better with aeration. \nRating: 17 points\n\nConclusions:\nI would call this a draw….though I would much rather have the Sierra Cantabria with my meal…we could easily polish off a bottle or two!  The Gran Reserva really impressed me, especially on the nose…but suffers from a serious shortfall when it comes to the finish.  There is also something disconcerting about its dried fruit elements.  The Sierra Cantabria is super attractive and easy to drink, but lacks a certain complexity that would raise its rating.  Both of them are pricy at 30 euros. \n\nRatings (20 point system):  10-13 poor, 13-15 fair, 15-17 good, 18-19 excellent, 20 exceptional','Rioja Wine Styles Part 3:  The Gran Reserva vs a Super-Reserva ','','inherit','open','open','','152-revision','','','2008-03-01 02:11:17','2008-03-01 00:11:17','',152,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/152-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(399,1,'2008-02-28 23:48:42','2008-02-28 21:48:42','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/rioja-reservas-arlanza-propiedad.jpg\" title=\"Rioja Reservas Viña Arlanza Propiedad\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/rioja-reservas-arlanza-propiedad.jpg\" alt=\"Rioja Reservas Viña Arlanza Propiedad\" /></a>Now we move on to the Reservas, both in the 18 euro price range.  Once again I picked a true classic bodega, La Rioja Alta and a fully modern one; Palacios Remondo. \n\nAt the crianza level there is usually enough fruit in both classic and modern to satisfy the majority of palates, but at the reserva level the disparity in styles becomes more acute. \n\nThe primary reason is the disparity in oak aging grows wider.  The modern reservas will generally have between 12 and 18 months of oak, while the classics will have at least 24, but many times much more.  I this case our modern has only 12 months and our classic has 36 months!   \nThirty six months in oak does not leave the fresh fruit taste most wine consumers today are accustomed to.\n\nIn fact our modern reserva is not a reserva at all! Though it has enough oak to be a reserva, it was released before the minimum period of bottle aging was attained…thus is merely has the “cosecha” label on the back.  A reserva must have 3 years in the winery (12 months minimum in oak) before release.  Many wineries are opting out of the traditional reserva system.  It is being done for several reasons:  it transmits a more modern image for the winery, gives more freedom to the wine-maker…it is also economically beneficial to release wines earlier.\n\nIts dismays me that the issue of style in Rioja is not in the forefront of wine forums within Spain…never was this more obvious than in the introduction to the Rioja chapter in the Peñin Wine Guide 2007.  José Peñin is Spain’s most recognizable wine critic and he releases a very useful annual guide to Spanish wines. \n\nIn the intro, not a single mention of the various styles comes up, yet he criticises the wineries that opt out of the reserva aging system…he says that it confuses consumers!  I could agree, but I think that not knowing whether your 18 euro reserva wine has 18 or 36 months of oak aging is much more confusing for the consumer!  Whether the label says reserva or not could be confusing but is certainly less so.\n\nMy classic reserva:\nViña Arlanza 2000 by Bodegas La Rioja Alta\nPleasant, attractive spice and dried fruit nose….lots of vanilla and cedar…quite complex.   Mouth very disappointing...acidic, volatile, dry woody notes…little of the dried fruit that was in the nose.  Very short finish.\nRating: 12 points\n\nMy modern reserva:\nPropiedad 2005 by Bodega Palacios Remondo\nSpicy new oak black fruit, plums and blackberry on the nose.  Quite complex and very appealing.  Big mouth, full and structured, good fruit but new oak and tannins have the upper hand.  The fruit comes back in the longish finish, but tannins need polishing. \nRating: 15 points\n\nConclusions:\nThe modern was clearly the winner here.  Propiedad is not my favourite Rioja….serious tannin extraction here….I like mine to be more charming.  But it is a serious and complex wine…and has some nice fresh black fruit.  Though the nose of the Arlanza was both attractive and complex, the mouth was a total let down.  The shortness in mouth is a characteristic I find in many classic Riojas.  Though the nose had a nutty, dried fruit nose, this is not the kind of fruit I find attractive in not-fortified red wines.  But even if you like that kind of fruit, there was not enough of it in the mouth to give harmony.\n\nRatings (20 point system):  10-13 poor, 13-15 fair, 15-17 good, 18-19 excellent, 20 exceptional','Rioja Wine Styles Part 2:  The Reservas','','inherit','open','open','','150-revision','','','2008-02-28 23:48:42','2008-02-28 21:48:42','',150,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/150-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(400,1,'2008-02-28 01:32:24','2008-02-27 23:32:24','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/rioja-crianzas-alberdi-montesa.jpg\" title=\"Rioja Crianzas Alberdi and La Montesa\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/rioja-crianzas-alberdi-montesa.jpg\" alt=\"Rioja Crianzas Alberdi and La Montesa\" /></a>The next pair of wines in my Rioja class was two crianzas, one in a classic style and one in a modern style, both in the 10-12 euro range. \n\nThe Rioja style issue is a favourite theme for me to bring out in my tastings.  Many typical wine-drinkers are unaware of the stylistic differences that lie hidden in Rioja.  These comparisons of different Rioja style are some of the most revelatory tastings I hold…some clients are astonished at the difference.\n\nThese huge differences that are rarely reflected on the label cause real dilemmas for the consumer when buying or ordering Rioja.  All the styles have their validity...there are good and bad wines in each style….but often the consumer gets a wine they did not expect. \n\nThis is a subject that remains in the background in discussions on Spanish wine here in Spain.  Foreign authors almost always address it, but it is not given the press it is due within Spain.  This is a great disservice to the general wine-drinking public. \n\nI think amongst Spanish wine trade it is assumed that pointing out the differences will hasten the demise of the traditional styles.  I have found that most clients, including Spaniards, prefer the modern styles when tasted head to head with the traditional styles….but I admit it is a tough comparison…an elegant, soft wine will often lose out face to face with an extracted, modern style.  Besides some Spaniards who prefer the traditional style, I often find that quite a few British clients prefer it as well…perhaps because they were weaned on the stuff.\n\nHow would I sum up the difference between these two styles? \n\nThere are many more than two styles as many wines are somewhere on the spectrum between the two….and few of the classic wines are as classic as they once were.  See below for a generalization of the two basic styles.\n\nClassic Rioja is aged for much longer in oak and then in bottle before release.  The oak is often American and older. Oak notes (older, oxidative ones) usually dominate the fruit, both in the nose and the mouth.  The mouth is usually soft, with good acidity and very smooth tannins.  The fruit can be very pretty, but is often faded by the long oak aging.  Classic styles are usually released when they are ready to consume, though they often do not improve further. \n\nModern Rioja is aged for shorter periods in newer oak, often a blend of American and French and sometimes 100% French.  The fruit aromas are quite intense though new oak notes are also evident in both the nose and the mouth.  The mouth is more intense, with intense fruit and more robust tannins.  The acidity, though sufficient, is usually less than in the classic styles and the alcohol level is usually higher.  Modern Rioja’s are often released much more rapidly to the market and frequently need further polish time in bottle.\n\nMy classic crianza:\nViña Alberdi 2000 by Bodegas La Rioja Alta\nAttractive violet and strawberry nose with oaky sweetness…very clean but mellow, medium intensity.  Mouth more disappointing...though there is some nice fruit, tobacco, and soft oaky notes, the aromas fade quickly and leave a rusty metallic finish.  Tannins are soft, but the overall impression is extreme shortness.\nRating: 14 points*\n\nMy modern crianza:\nLa Montesa 2004 by Bodega Palacios Remondo\nIntense, attractive nose of fresh plum, black cherry and spice.  Not complex, but very compelling.  The mouth was a little disappointing, nice fruit up front but a little hollow on the mid-palate.  The tannins are very intense and a little rough, though the finish is quite long.  Needs a little time in bottle…should improve.\nRating: 15 points*\n\nConclusions:\nBoth wines were quite nice but fairly simple in their separate styles.  The Alberdi’s main defects were the short metallic finish and the pale fruit, while the Montesa was a little hollow and tannic.  I must confess that my palate found the Montesa slightly better…but I know I am biased towards the moderns.  The stylistic differences I describe above hold true in these wines, but less so than at the reserva level. The Alberdi has only 24 months in oak (versus 12 months for the Montesa), so it still retains quite a lot of fruit.\n\n*Ratings (20 point system):  10-13 poor, 13-15 fair, 15-17 good, 18-19 excellent, 20 exceptional','Rioja Wine Styles Part 1:  The Crianzas','','inherit','open','open','','148-revision','','','2008-02-28 01:32:24','2008-02-27 23:32:24','',148,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/148-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(401,1,'2008-02-26 17:42:24','2008-02-26 15:42:24','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/rioja-paternina-1955.jpg\" title=\"Paternina Rioja 1955 reserva\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/rioja-paternina-1955.jpg\" alt=\"Paternina Rioja 1955 reserva\" /></a>I’ve been doing a course with a great group…looking more in depth at Spanish red wines.  Our first week was Rioja and we made some interesting discoveries.  It was a great opportunity to further explore the fascinating topic of classic and modern Rioja styles.\n\nThe most unique and fascinating wine was probably the 1955 Paternina Reserva…a wine that had no information on the label at all.  I had done some research and found some recent tasting notes on the 1955 from a vertical Paternina tasting.  The most fascinating piece of information I could discover was that in the early 50’s the Paternina wines had a metallic taste to them that was caused by the use of copper pipes in the winery.  These were changed out in 1956!\n\nAnother interesting comment I came across in my research was an original explication for why older Rioja’s can age such a long time.  Forgive me for not attributing it…but I can’t remember where I saw it.  The idea was that classic Rioja enters into a sort of mummified state, a state of suspension…while it does not improve, neither does it decline.  I had read about the concept, but never heard it called mummified…I like that term! \n\nWe removed the saturated but whole cork and poured immediately.  No decanting…which turned out to be a good call based on the wine’s development in the glass. \n\nThe color was very pretty….amber rim with a pale brick red core…and not as brown as I had expected.\n\nThe nose was very clean and surprisingly attractive….strawberry and violets…not intense but solid enough.  Very youthful…I would have never guessed its age by the nose.  The nose faded over the next 30 minutes, but still retained fruit notes.\n\nThe mouth showed it aged much more, but honestly, it was not so different form some of the classic Rioja’s I taste form the mid 90’s.  It was more of a style issue rather than an age issue.\nMore tertiary notes turned up in the mouth, tobacco and leather, but the delicate strawberry fruit of the nose was much fainter.  It was a fairly attractive mouth that was marred by two major defects:  that slight metallic edge (copper pipes?) and a very short finish…the finish was dominated by the metallic flavour. \n\nConclusion:  Surprisingly youthful and attractive…but quite simple and short.  It faded out and lost the floral/fruit element, but was still drinkable 2 hours later.  The term mummified seems to suit these wines perfectly…the wine is eerily similar to classic Rioja’s I’m drinking these days from the 90’s.   Age has not destroyed the wine, but nor has it improved it. ','A mummified Rioja from 1955','','inherit','open','open','','146-revision','','','2008-02-26 17:42:24','2008-02-26 15:42:24','',146,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/146-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(402,1,'2007-12-12 14:48:00','2007-12-12 12:48:00','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/1980-vintage-ports-small.jpg\" title=\"Vintage ports Noval Grahams\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/1980-vintage-ports-small.jpg\" alt=\"Vintage ports Noval Grahams\" /></a>Yes, wine storage conditions matter even for port!  Following is a very sad story of how critical this issue is. \n\nRecently we got a chance to try two 1980 vintage ports together that had been stored in very different conditions.  The difference between the two wines was a revelation to me!\n\nWe had been given a wonderful vintage port for our wedding and had been saving it (in our wine cellar) for a few months.   The Quinta do Noval Nacional 1980 had been bought at a local store, as tore that is known for excellent prices but not necessarily the best storage conditions. \n\nOn a trip to Oporto, I was given a Grahams 1980 Vintage Port by the winery.  The wine had been kept at the winery in pristine conditions since it had been produced.\n\nGiven the stellar reputation of both wines, I was unsure which to serve first, but opted to put the Nacional second.\n\nAs we were pouring, I knew the order would have to change…the color of the Nacional was much paler, with tawny notes, while the Grahams still had a deep ruby, purple color. \n\nThe nose confirmed it:\nNacional:  Lovely cherry, floral nose, delicate with some volatile acidity.  Medium intensity.  Simple, but very attractive and appealing.\nGrahams:  Spicy, intense nose, with curry and chocolate, and lots of blackberry and blueberry fruit.  Not as attractive as the Nacional initially, but more impressive.\n\nFinally we tasted the wines:\nNacional:  Elegant, but light, raisiny notes, cherry fruit.  Long finish, with hay notes.  With air more cherry fruit comes out…but the impression remains of fading softness.\nGrahams:  Intense mouth, with layers if chocolate, leather, cedar and black fruit.  The alcohol stands out a little.  Very long, sweet, fruity finish.  Remarkably youthful.\n\nTo conclude:\nNacional:  In some ways more drinkable, elegant and soft, but very evolved and on the decline already…showing signs of oxidation.\nGrahams:  never will be as elegant as the Nacional…still a bit of a brute, but fantastic complexity in the mouth…definitely much more life to come for it. \n\nBoth wines were excellent, but the Nacional was definitely too far along in it\'s life span for a 1980….and was quite a let down after my huge expectations.   Though 1980 is not considered quite on a par with other top vintages, the tasting notes I have read from others on this vintage shows this Nacional was definitely mistreated during its long storage.  The wine store our friends bought it from is known for high turn-over and excellent prices on recent vintage, but I am always wary of buying older vintages there.  Their storage area is not always maintained at the proper temperature and the store front has often been without proper air conditioning during the hot Madrid summer months. \n\nThough port may be more robust than some wines, it too is vulnerable to heat!    So if your are buying older vintages for your Christmas drinking....source them carefully!\n  ','Wine Storage Conditions Really Matter...or two contrasting 1980 vintage ports','','inherit','open','open','','126-revision','','','2007-12-12 14:48:00','2007-12-12 12:48:00','',126,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/126-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(403,1,'2007-12-07 17:20:10','2007-12-07 15:20:10','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites1.jpg\" title=\"The New Spansh white wines\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites1.jpg\" title=\"The New Spansh white wines\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites1.jpg\" title=\"The New Spansh white wines\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites1.jpg\" title=\"The New Spansh white wines\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites1.jpg\" title=\"The New Spansh white wines\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites1.jpg\" title=\"The New Spanish white wines\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites-small.jpg\" title=\"The new Spanish white wines\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-new-spanish-whites-small.jpg\" alt=\"The new Spanish white wines\" /></a>In my classes, I always stress the huge gap that exists between Spanish red wines and white wines. For several years, I\'ve been able to use a fun example to illustrate that point.  The most expensive red wine in Spain is Pingus from Ribera del Duero, which has a theoretical price of 600 euros, but in reality is seems to be much higher. Until recently. the most expensive still white wine in Spain was Chivite Coleccion 125 Barrel-fermented Chardonnay from Navarra at only about 50 euros!   I would venture to say no other country had such a disparity between the colors!\n\nTimes are changing and my example has been ruined!\nLast year, Bodegas Enate from Somontano, released small quantities of a barrel fermented Chardonnay called UNO at the astronomical price of 290€!  I\'m not sure how it\'s selling here in Spain, but I spoke to a wine merchant friend in Germany and he sold his whole small allotment!  I\'ve only tasted the wine once…when it was first released….I was not impressed and it seemed to me to be a ridiculous price for such a wine, but I remain open to changing my mind.  It is receiving high ratings amongst some critics, but I\'m not sure how much of that is just hype. \nNefarious market forces are at work here in Spain!\n\nThe above is a negative example of the changing face of whites, but luckily there are many good ones.\n\nSpanish whites have typically offered fresh, clean, enjoyable wines at great prices.  Over the past few years, we\'ve seen many attempts to make more complex, age-worthy whites.  There\'s been some really interesting oaked whites coming out of Rueda, Galicia, Navarra, and Cataluña especially.  Unfortunately there have also been a lot of over-oaked whites with all the freshness and fruit killed off.  The 2003 vintage was a particularly bad one for many whites I had enjoyed previously.  Over-oaking seems to be a universal problem when the pendulum swings towards making more complex whites…hopefully we will see the pendulum swing back to a more subtle oak influence.\n\nIt is challenging to make a complex, balanced white in Spain\'s climate…the regions mentioned above have learned to exploit their climate and terroir to the max…this in combination with the right choice of grape.  The Verdejo and Godello grapes in particular seem to have tremendous potential that is slowly being developed.  No doubt the Albariño grape has the same potential, but I have been greatly under whelmed by the offerings in the last couple of years.  There is also exciting potential in foreign grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and many more.\n\nMy next post will rate one of the top new whites in Spain.  This wine represents a profound change in style and substance, unlike the Uno, which only represents a profound change in price! \nThe wine is As Sortes and is made in Galicia by Rafel Palacios of the Palacios wine dynasty.  It is without a doubt the most complex Spanish white I have tasted.   It is also a difficult wine, one that can be hard for drinkers of casual whites to appreciate.  But at only 25 euros a bottle, even the doubters can give the incredible value As Sortes a try!\nThe As Sortes is pictured above with Belondrade y Lurton 2005, one of the early pioneers in Spanish whites.  Unfortunately since the over-ripe 2003 version, I have found these wines over-oaked and a little heavy….tiring to drink.\n\nLuckily, despite some changes, Spain will remain the best country in the world for inexpensive, high quality un-oaked whites….is there anything better than a crisp, citric and herbal Verdejo from Rueda for 5€ a bottle?','The Changing Face of Spanish White Wine','','inherit','open','open','','115-revision','','','2007-12-07 17:20:10','2007-12-07 15:20:10','',115,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/115-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(404,1,'2007-11-06 16:45:35','2007-11-06 14:45:35','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/le-petit-bistro.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant:  Le Petit Bistrot\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/le-petit-bistro.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Restaurant:  Le Petit Bistrot\" /></a>Love Spanish food, but often it\'s really nice to branch out a little.  French food is always a good option, but it\'s hard in Madrid to find authentic bistrot food…and impossible at a good price. \n\nA great French bistrot experience <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\"></a>can be found at Le Petit Bistrot. \nTwo locations: \nCalle Ponzano, 60\nPlaza Matute, 5\n<a href=\"http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/\">http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/</a>\n\nThe menu is classic bistrot…check out the web site for a complete list.  The food is seasonal though so the menu varies.  We started with some escargot in garlic sauce, some fired brie croquettes and a baked goat cheese salad.  All were excellent.  I hadn\'t had escargots is ages…everything tastes so good int hat garlic butter sauce!   The salad was really memorable…a great mix of greens, some jamon bits, a huge slice of baked goat\'s cheese…all topped with the typical French vinaigrette that I love.\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\" /></a>The main courses were equally well done:  Duck magret with boletus mushrooms, a classic and delicious steak tartare, a smoky sweet duck confit, and perfectly seared fresh foie with caramelized apple.  These are some tricky dishes, but all of them were really well executed. \nThe desserts were maybe the best of all:  a lovely tarte tatin, a spiced hot chocolate soup with ice cream and the piece de resistance…one of those chocolate bouchon cakes…firm on the outside…meltingly chocolately on the inside!  These are the type of elaborate desserts that you have to order at the beginning of the meal to give them time to prepare them!\n\nThe wine list is so interesting…a wide selection of little known French producers at very reasonable prices.  We enjoyed an outstanding AOC Jasnières (Chenin Blanc from the Loire) from the producer Kharaktêr, followed by a very good Côte du Rhône Villages (Rochegude) from Vinumentis. \n\nThe service was excellent, really attentive, by an all-French staff.  The décor is very intimate, smoky bistrot-style. \nReally my only complaint the whole night was the bread…very mediocre…should be easy to fix!\n\nBest of all is the price:  for all this we paid only 35 euros per person!  In Madrid it is hard to beat that for this quality and complexity of food.  The best deal is to come at lunch and get the 3 course menu del dia for about 18 euros.  Even the more pricy items are available on the menu del dia for a supplement.\n\nI shall return whenever I am craving delicious French comfort food!','Great French food, good prices, at Le Petit Bistrot','','inherit','open','open','','108-revision','','','2007-11-06 16:45:35','2007-11-06 14:45:35','',108,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/108-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(405,1,'2007-08-16 22:45:00','2007-08-16 20:45:00','<p align=\"left\">Ribera de Duero is one of the most well known wine regions in Spain and it is a cinch to visit from Madrid…only 2 hours due north.\nWe go quite frequently and have taken a few groups there. We often base our visits on what is called the \"Golden Mile\", which is centered around Sardon del Duero. This area is know for some of the top wineries in Spain: Pingus and Vega Sicila being the most famous. One winery in the Golden Mile is our top recommendation to visit: Abadia Retuerta. Fantastic wines and a beautiful, detailed winery visit to one of the most high tech wineries in Spain. Also included in the visit, and equally impressive, is the ancient abbey on the grounds. Unlike many wineries, visits are welcomed and the reception is both warm and professional. If you are in the area…give them a call and stop by.\n\nThis last trip, we decided to go off our beaten track a little and discover the area near Pedrosa del Duero. We visited two wineries whose\nInes I have long loved, but have never visited. The day turned out to be a study in contrast….the two visits were at the opposite end of the spectrum, showing the two extremes, bad and good, of what you find here in Spain. It just goes to show that you don\'t know what kind of reception you will get in Spanish wine country….but it is always an adventure!\n<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVeXHerwXI/AAAAAAAAAJY/_Zj9iWmkp3s/s1600-h/PAgo+de+Capellanes+barrel+room.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVeXHerwXI/AAAAAAAAAJY/_Zj9iWmkp3s/s200/PAgo+de+Capellanes+barrel+room.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nFirst the bad: Pago de Capellanes. I was very excited to visit this winery as they consistently produce some of my favourite Ribera del Duero wines. I taste them year after year, and the wines never disappoint. They particularly represent excellent value from a wine region that has become very pricey. I consistently include them in my wine tastings.\nFirst the good things: a very professional and friendly staff member gave us brief, but sufficient tour of the premises. The winery is a work in progress, the enotourism part of the project, including a tasting room, has yet to be built. The most impressive area is the barrel room.\nThe unforgivable thing: no tasting….of any wine! After the brief tour, the staff member bid us farewell. Though this has happened to me several times in Spain, I was still stunned and disappointed! It doesn\'t matter that I have tried all their wines….there is no substitute for tasting in situ with a person involved in making the wine.\nSpain is honestly the only country where this has happened to me. It leaves me baffled that many wineries don\'t realize the importance of tasting, whatever the situation.\nSome wineries, this one I imagine, feel they have to have an elegant space to conduct a tasting….if only they could see the dingy, downright dirty places in the Rhone valley, where I have tasted some of the most sublime wines!\nI think the fundamental problem is staff training, that many staff members who receive you do not realize the fundamental role of tasting the wines. Whenever I have been received by the enologist or owner, tasting happens. This is the sad state of enotourism in Spain!\nThe shock is even greater because we always go as wine professionals, pre-arranged visits in which tasting is even more de rigueur! Let me tell how mad I would be if I came all the way from the US and didn\'t get to taste a single wine!\nAnother bad thing: no credit cards accepted! Too bad, because the prices at the winery were way better than in Madrid…\n\nToo bad…I will still drink their outstanding wines, but this is a winery I would not recommend to visit.\n<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVev3erwZI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5gTXByZjowY/s1600-h/Lopez+Cristobal+vineyard.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVev3erwZI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5gTXByZjowY/s200/Lopez+Cristobal+vineyard.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nOur second experience was of the day was completely different…we visited family-run winery Lopez Cristobal…they make about half the quantity of wine that Pago de Capellanes does. We were received by the son of the founder, Galo Lopez, who is involved in every aspect of the project, but who is particularly involved in the wine-making side of the house. Galo was charming and it was wonderful to tour the facilities with someone who is so knowledgeable. The winery is quite ambitious and has recently purchased the adjoining flour factory. The first expansion will be to built a new wine-making space inside one of the huge flour storage warehouses. Also inherited are some lovely industrial buildings that will enable the winery to expand further and get even more involved in enotourism in the future.\nGalo and the team at the winery know how to receive visits and understand what the visitor is looking for: friendly reception, expert tour, and a reasonable introduction to the wines through tasting. <a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVekXerwYI/AAAAAAAAAJg/PVmVeC9erd0/s1600-h/Lopez+Cristobal+tasting+room.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVekXerwYI/AAAAAAAAAJg/PVmVeC9erd0/s200/Lopez+Cristobal+tasting+room.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nWe tasted through two wines with Galo, he wanted to open more, but I picked the two that most interested me. I was not as familiar with Lopez Cristobal\'s wines, having tasted them only twice before, but I was very impressed with them: great fruit, fine oak and fresh acidity. It is that fresh acidity and the lower alcohol levels that make these wines more elegant that some fo the Ribera monster reds of late. These wines are very pleasant on their own, but match food even better. The value is tremendous for Ribera…at the winery the crianza is 9 euros, incredibly reasonable for a Ribera Crianza of this calibre.\nThere are just five wines: A Joven Roble with 3 months oak, the Crianza with 12 months, a Reserva with 16 months.\nThis is the basic range…then there are the two premium wines that also represent great value around 25 euros. These wines are deliberately mad ein very different styels and represent two different trends in Ribera del Duero:\n1. Bagus: a specific old-vine vineyard wine or \"vino de pago\" made only in the best years. The focus in this wine is the fruit, reflecting the terroir. This is a very complex, yet approachable wine, where the oak is the supporting player.\n2. Lopez Cristobal Seleccion: this is a coupage of the best grapes of the year. Here, the \"crianza\" is an equal partner to the fruit…only the finest new French oak is used. This creates a wine in the more \"international\" Ribera style….a style that is the most trendy right now.\nIt was wonderful to taste the wines in a charming wine tasting room with such an expert and we lingered a long time over the wines and the wonderful jamon and lomo put out for us. We were at the winery at least 3 hours…Galo was so generous with his time.\nI can tell you that his wines are good enough on their own, but in that exceptional setting, they were sublime!\n\nThe difference in the visit made all the difference: I highly recommend visits to Lopez Cristobal and the combination of great visit and fine wines have won yet another loyal fan in me.\nThese two visits represent the two sides of Spain perfectly. Hidden gems that need to be rooted out and reward you many fold. The ugly side is the dramatic improvements that must be made in customer service in all areas of the wine trade here in Spain. I like to focus on the positive….','Ribera del Duero Wine Country: the good, the bad and the ugly','','inherit','open','open','','55-revision','','','2007-08-16 22:45:00','2007-08-16 20:45:00','',55,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/55-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(406,1,'2007-06-25 01:12:00','2007-06-24 23:12:00','<img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rn78dBLBVlI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/3bswZsthZdA/s200/Rioja+Reservas.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" />This is a subject that I can\'t avoid….Rioja and its various styles…I love it! I\'ve had a few comments saying that I\'ve been unfair to classic Rioja and perhaps I have. Some have said that long barrel aging does not kill fruit flavors, but enhances them…this I have to disagree with. Classic Riojas are not fruit-driven wines…they have many characteristics that make them attractive but the fruit is often oxidized and faded. The bottom line for me is that I appreciate all the various styles that Rioja has to offer today, but I think it is a disservice to the consumer that you have no idea of what style you might get…especially at the reserva level….maybe style should be indicated on the label. I think having so many styles that are not indicated on the label is also a disservice to Rioja as well…it\'s hard to project a coherent wine image.\n\nI digress! This tasting was very interesting---it was labeled Classic vs modern Rioja, and it was for a group of 15 Spanish folks. We discussed Rioja characteristics and then tasted five wines blind. The first set was two crianzas, one that was modern in style and one that was classic. The Luis Crianza Crianza was a simple, fruit forward wine (12 months in oak)…the Campillo Crianza was a much more wood driven wine (20 months in older oak), with an attractive but delicate cherry fruit. Overall the Campillo was more complex, a little more expensive, but the Luis Cañas won the group over for being an attractive, easy drinking red.\n\nThe three reservas were a lot more divergent in their styles. But it was also a trickier exercise with three wine served blind. I picked a modern style wine, a classic style wine and what I call hybrid Rioja…a wine that tries to take the best of both. The wines were very characteristic of their styles, going from the classic with low alcohol, high acidity, oak driven through the hybrid to the modern with high alcohol, lower acidity, fruit driven.\n1. Campillo Reserva 1999: 75% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, 10% others (Cabernet Sauvignon) – 25 months in French oak - 13% - Classic Rioja\nVisual: very fresh color…not showing age much\nNose: Medium intensity. A little funky animal shows first, the older oak notes: toast, smoky. Little fruit on nose\nMouth: Smooth and elegant with wonderful, fresh acidity. Great balance of structural elements…except there is little fruit. A bit of delicate dried cranberry, which seems a contradiction, but the high acidity gives the fruit a pleasant tartness. Smooth light tannins, but the delicate fruit fades fast leaving a woody finish.\n2. Finca Valpiedra Reserva 2001: 90% Tempranillo, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Mazuelo y Graciano - 20 months in new oak, 80% French, 20% American - 13.5% - Hybrid Rioja\nVisual: medium intensity ruby\nNose: Medium intensity. Cherry fruit hits you first, with lots of attractive oak…a hint of leathery, animal notes as well. Quite complex…crianza (wood aging dominates nose).\nMouth: A burst of intense cherry fruit is followed by more oak complexity. Great length, very smooth tannins, but fruit lingers. Very fresh acidity. Fruit at its peak now. Opposite to the nose: fruit dominates the mouth.\n3. Roda Reserva 2003: 85% Tempranillo, 11% Graciano, 4% Garnacha - 16 months in new French oak - 14%\nVisual: palest of three wines, youthful color\nNose: at first the most closed nose…a few milky malolactic notes. Later the nose opens up to liqueur cherry notes, chocolate and great French oak notes…needs a lot of air!\nMouth: Though the nose was closed at first…the mouth was intense from the beginning! Spicy fruit explosion! Clove, black cherry, black berry, hints of yogurt, some chocolate. Full bodied, with good acidity (the least acidic of the wines). Very long finish with big smooth tannins and lots of fruit...tannins finally shut it down…they could use some more time in bottle.\n\nThe group had a hard time distinguishing between the styles blind…strangely foreign groups tend to do better at this exercise. The group voted for the wine they preferred before the unveiling:\nCampillo: 1 vote\nFinca Valpiedra: 5 votes\nRoda: 9 votes\n\nThe Roda is bound to outmuscle the competition in such a blind tasting, but the results are very interesting nonetheless. There was a big gap between the Finca Valpiedra and the Campillo. The one gentleman who preferred the Campillo was the oldest person at the tasting and said the following:\n\"The wine (Campillo) is what I look for in Rioja…if I want a big, powerful red I go for Ribera del Duero.\" In my mind he represents an older generation of wine-drinkers in Spain. As we can see from the results the Spanish palate is changing a lot!\nFor my tastes, the Finca Valpiedra is the wine I would have picked in the moment….the Roda needs more time.\nI\'ve done this exercise with quite a few Spanish and foreign groups, and the result is always the same.\nThe Finca Valpedra for me represents the perfect balance between the two schools. It has that elegant, smooth style that so typifies Rioja, lifted by great acidity…yet it also has that fresh fruit intensity that appeals to the international palate. Some would say that Finca Valpiedra is a well-made classic Rioja! I would disagree….\nSome may criticise the Roda for not being Rioja-enough, but it is an awesome wine anyway! What does Rioja mean today anyway?\nHonestly the Campillo is a style that I recognize as a well made, elegant wine, but this international palate of mine just doesn\'t appreciate it….I\'m afraid to say I would be joined by many a wine drinker in this. Though it is always enrichening to have multiple styles, we also need to ask….what future does classic Rioja have in a world of modern palates?','Tasting: Three Rioja Reservas','','inherit','open','open','','54-revision','','','2007-06-25 01:12:00','2007-06-24 23:12:00','',54,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/54-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(407,1,'2012-10-01 05:28:31','2012-10-01 05:28:31','<p align=\"left\">Ribera de Duero is one of the most well known wine regions in Spain and it is a cinch to visit from Madrid…only 2 hours due north.\nWe go quite frequently and have taken a few groups there. We often base our visits on what is called the \"Golden Mile\", which is centered around Sardon del Duero. This area is know for some of the top wineries in Spain: Pingus and Vega Sicila being the most famous. One winery in the Golden Mile is our top recommendation to visit: Abadia Retuerta. Fantastic wines and a beautiful, detailed winery visit to one of the most high tech wineries in Spain. Also included in the visit, and equally impressive, is the ancient abbey on the grounds. Unlike many wineries, visits are welcomed and the reception is both warm and professional. If you are in the area…give them a call and stop by.\n\nThis last trip, we decided to go off our beaten track a little and discover the area near Pedrosa del Duero. We visited two wineries whose\nInes I have long loved, but have never visited. The day turned out to be a study in contrast….the two visits were at the opposite end of the spectrum, showing the two extremes, bad and good, of what you find here in Spain. It just goes to show that you don\'t know what kind of reception you will get in Spanish wine country….but it is always an adventure!\n<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVeXHerwXI/AAAAAAAAAJY/_Zj9iWmkp3s/s1600-h/PAgo+de+Capellanes+barrel+room.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVeXHerwXI/AAAAAAAAAJY/_Zj9iWmkp3s/s200/PAgo+de+Capellanes+barrel+room.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nFirst the bad: Pago de Capellanes. I was very excited to visit this winery as they consistently produce some of my favourite Ribera del Duero wines. I taste them year after year, and the wines never disappoint. They particularly represent excellent value from a wine region that has become very pricey. I consistently include them in my wine tastings.\nFirst the good things: a very professional and friendly staff member gave us brief, but sufficient tour of the premises. The winery is a work in progress, the enotourism part of the project, including a tasting room, has yet to be built. The most impressive area is the barrel room.\nThe unforgivable thing: no tasting….of any wine! After the brief tour, the staff member bid us farewell. Though this has happened to me several times in Spain, I was still stunned and disappointed! It doesn\'t matter that I have tried all their wines….there is no substitute for tasting in situ with a person involved in making the wine.\nSpain is honestly the only country where this has happened to me. It leaves me baffled that many wineries don\'t realize the importance of tasting, whatever the situation.\nSome wineries, this one I imagine, feel they have to have an elegant space to conduct a tasting….if only they could see the dingy, downright dirty places in the Rhone valley, where I have tasted some of the most sublime wines!\nI think the fundamental problem is staff training, that many staff members who receive you do not realize the fundamental role of tasting the wines. Whenever I have been received by the enologist or owner, tasting happens. This is the sad state of enotourism in Spain!\nThe shock is even greater because we always go as wine professionals, pre-arranged visits in which tasting is even more de rigueur! Let me tell how mad I would be if I came all the way from the US and didn\'t get to taste a single wine!\nAnother bad thing: no credit cards accepted! Too bad, because the prices at the winery were way better than in Madrid…\n\nToo bad…I will still drink their outstanding wines, but this is a winery I would not recommend to visit.\n<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVev3erwZI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5gTXByZjowY/s1600-h/Lopez+Cristobal+vineyard.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVev3erwZI/AAAAAAAAAJo/5gTXByZjowY/s200/Lopez+Cristobal+vineyard.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nOur second experience was of the day was completely different…we visited family-run winery Lopez Cristobal…they make about half the quantity of wine that Pago de Capellanes does. We were received by the son of the founder, Galo Lopez, who is involved in every aspect of the project, but who is particularly involved in the wine-making side of the house. Galo was charming and it was wonderful to tour the facilities with someone who is so knowledgeable. The winery is quite ambitious and has recently purchased the adjoining flour factory. The first expansion will be to built a new wine-making space inside one of the huge flour storage warehouses. Also inherited are some lovely industrial buildings that will enable the winery to expand further and get even more involved in enotourism in the future.\nGalo and the team at the winery know how to receive visits and understand what the visitor is looking for: friendly reception, expert tour, and a reasonable introduction to the wines through tasting. <a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVekXerwYI/AAAAAAAAAJg/PVmVeC9erd0/s1600-h/Lopez+Cristobal+tasting+room.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RsVekXerwYI/AAAAAAAAAJg/PVmVeC9erd0/s200/Lopez+Cristobal+tasting+room.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nWe tasted through two wines with Galo, he wanted to open more, but I picked the two that most interested me. I was not as familiar with Lopez Cristobal\'s wines, having tasted them only twice before, but I was very impressed with them: great fruit, fine oak and fresh acidity. It is that fresh acidity and the lower alcohol levels that make these wines more elegant that some fo the Ribera monster reds of late. These wines are very pleasant on their own, but match food even better. The value is tremendous for Ribera…at the winery the crianza is 9 euros, incredibly reasonable for a Ribera Crianza of this calibre.\nThere are just five wines: A Joven Roble with 3 months oak, the Crianza with 12 months, a Reserva with 16 months.\nThis is the basic range…then there are the two premium wines that also represent great value around 25 euros. These wines are deliberately mad ein very different styels and represent two different trends in Ribera del Duero:\n1. Bagus: a specific old-vine vineyard wine or \"vino de pago\" made only in the best years. The focus in this wine is the fruit, reflecting the terroir. This is a very complex, yet approachable wine, where the oak is the supporting player.\n2. Lopez Cristobal Seleccion: this is a coupage of the best grapes of the year. Here, the \"crianza\" is an equal partner to the fruit…only the finest new French oak is used. This creates a wine in the more \"international\" Ribera style….a style that is the most trendy right now.\nIt was wonderful to taste the wines in a charming wine tasting room with such an expert and we lingered a long time over the wines and the wonderful jamon and lomo put out for us. We were at the winery at least 3 hours…Galo was so generous with his time.\nI can tell you that his wines are good enough on their own, but in that exceptional setting, they were sublime!\n\nThe difference in the visit made all the difference: I highly recommend visits to Lopez Cristobal and the combination of great visit and fine wines have won yet another loyal fan in me.\nThese two visits represent the two sides of Spain perfectly. Hidden gems that need to be rooted out and reward you many fold. The ugly side is the dramatic improvements that must be made in customer service in all areas of the wine trade here in Spain. I like to focus on the positive….','Ribera del Duero Wine Country: the good, the bad and the ugly','','inherit','open','open','','55-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:28:31','2012-10-01 05:28:31','',55,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/55-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(408,1,'2007-05-12 13:40:00','2007-05-12 11:40:00','<img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RkWo4Ru7OBI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/wnLLE79CtKE/s200/Vinegar-+Anima+Aurea+PX.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" />I\'ve been very remiss in posting…we\'ve been crazy busy with tastings. But I\'m determined to get back into it!\n\nThere is a huge variety of wine vinegars available now….choosing a vinegar is just as complicated as choosing an olive oil. Besides the usual line-up of aged balsamic vinegars and herb-infused wine vinegars, my new favourite is one I discovered recently at a wine store. This is a company that is known for its excellent olive oil...and it\'s latest release is an unusual and delicious wine vinegar. It\'s not just a regular wine vinegar it also has sweet Pedro Ximenez dessert wine and some fresh grape must. It is certainly the most unique vinegar I have tried.\n\nAnima Aurea\nPX vinegar\n16€\n<a href=\"http://www.animaaurea.com/\">http://www.animaaurea.com/</a>\n\nMade from old sherry wine vinegar, PX wine and grape must\n\nAcetic sweet smell. Touches tongue sweet, continues wine-like, doesn\'t hit like vinegar until end, sharp and raisiny finish. It\'s so complex, bitter.sweet, I could practically drink it alone!\n\nIt\'s like a fusion product: partially vinegar, partially dessert wine!\n\nDoesn\'t work so well with normal salad...it\'s almost too delicate to stand up to olive oil. It\'s gets lost in the mix. You could almost use it alone on an avocado or shrimp salad, or on any delicate salad…without oil.\nIt\'s also great for cooking…I used it to make a reduction to go on duck breast and it was amazing!','A Unique Wine Vinegar','','inherit','open','open','','48-revision','','','2007-05-12 13:40:00','2007-05-12 11:40:00','',48,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/48-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(409,1,'2007-04-03 02:12:00','2007-04-03 00:12:00','Terroir: Does it Apply to Everything?<br /><br />The growing number of appellations for every type of agricultural product in Europe would suggest so. There are appellations for salt, olive oil, cheese, beef and wine, amongst others.<br /><br />I decided to do a small experiment in the influence of origin on ducks.<br /><br />When we are in France, usually in the St Jean de Luz area, I love to go to Carrefour. There is Carrefour in Spain but obviously the products are quite different…sometimes to a surprising extent. This time I picked up some local duck breasts recommended by the butcher.<br /><br />Sunday, I decided to make duck breasts for lunch. I defrosted one Spanish duck breast and one French duck breast to do a comparison. This is their story….<br /><a href=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGdpciMXdI/AAAAAAAAAHI/ecnuFT3J7ck/s1600-h/duck+series+1.JPG\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGdpciMXdI/AAAAAAAAAHI/ecnuFT3J7ck/s200/duck+series+1.JPG\" border=\"0\" /></a><br />Act 1: Raw<br />The French duck breast is bigger, thicker, with a much thick layer of fat under the skin. The meat is red and bright, with a fleshy texture and the fat is wobbly and soft, with a pale pick tinge. The Spanish breast is neater looking, better trimmed. Its meat is a paler red, almost bluish and is very firm. The fat is pale white, thin under the skin and quite hard.<br /><br />Act 2: In the pan <a href=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGdZciMXcI/AAAAAAAAAHA/lfKhK7nDaoo/s1600-h/duck+series+2.JPG\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGdZciMXcI/AAAAAAAAAHA/lfKhK7nDaoo/s200/duck+series+2.JPG\" border=\"0\" /></a><br />Both go I skin side down, with only some salt and pepper. The French breast immediately starts to release fat and lots of it! The Spanish duck takes and while and does so sparingly. The Spanish duck does not have enough fat to last the entire cooking process, the skin looks a little tough by the end. Both shrink considerably, but the French duck breast does so more in proportion<br /><br />Act 3: The sauce<br />For the sauce I start by caramelizing onions in butter, with a touch of honey and lots of salt. When they are meltingly soft, I add some insanely good wine vinegar, Anima Aurea, which is both tart and sweet. I also add some crème de cassis liqueur for a good kick. After I remove the duck breast from its pan, I add the sauce to so it can soak up some duck flavour and duck fat. The sauce is the perfect blend of savory and sweet for the duck. So many duck sauces are insipidly sweet. <a href=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGdNciMXbI/AAAAAAAAAG4/ozkXEheJSv4/s1600-h/duck+series+3.JPG\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGdNciMXbI/AAAAAAAAAG4/ozkXEheJSv4/s200/duck+series+3.JPG\" border=\"0\" /></a><br /><br />Act 4: On the plate<br />I try both duck breasts without the sauce. The French breast is easier to cut and is rarer, despite equal cooking times. The thicker layer of fat protected it longer. It is very tender, meaty, with a strong gamey flavour. The fat is perfect…a small layer remains under the crispy skin, a blend between smooth and crunchy<br />The Spanish breast is slightly harder to cut. It is tender enough though, with nice texture. The meat is milky and smooth, delicate in flavour. The fat and skin do not play much of a role, having been mostly melted away during cooking.<br /><br />Act 5: With the wine <a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGc_MiMXaI/AAAAAAAAAGw/ebivCc64gL0/s1600-h/Argentina+Norton+Malbec+Reserve+2003.JPG\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGc_MiMXaI/AAAAAAAAAGw/ebivCc64gL0/s200/Argentina+Norton+Malbec+Reserve+2003.JPG\" border=\"0\" /></a><br />The wine is from Argentina: Bodegas Norton Malbec Reserve 2003. It is a nice wine, with a fresh nose and a surprisingly liqueur-fruit mouth. Fruit dominates, the oak plays a secondary role, mostly vanilla tones. Tannins very present but smooth.<br />Better match with duck alone (without sauce), and a better match with the more delicate flavors of the Spanish duck. Perhaps a bigger wine for the French duck? Overall not bad though...even with the sauce.<br /><br />Act 6: Bottom line<br />I liked the French duck better: I like strong, gamey meat. But I totally see how the Spanish duck is more in line with the Spanish palate, which prefers a milder meat. The two breasts were very different…there are many factors that likely contributed, but we could probably sum it up as terroir!','Tale of Two Duck Breasts','','inherit','open','open','','47-revision','','','2007-04-03 02:12:00','2007-04-03 00:12:00','',47,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/47-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(410,1,'2007-04-03 01:23:00','2007-04-02 23:23:00','<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGSE8iMXZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/rbgGrU7jEXI/s1600-h/taberneros1.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGSE8iMXZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/rbgGrU7jEXI/s200/taberneros1.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>Calle Santiago, 9\nHours: from 1300-1600 and 2030 to 0000, closed on Mondays\nTel: 91 542 2160\n\nIf Casa Lucas is my most favorite wine bar in Madrid (see my previous article), Taberneros is definitely in my top three.\nI hadn\'t been there in a while so I was happy to return there a couple fo weeks ago. We don\'t get there enough….it\'s located close to Plaza Mayor, but on the opposite side of the Cava Baja area, where we most often go.\nThe first nice thing you notice about Taberneros is its size, which is much larger than most wine bars. They don\'t take reservations, but as long as you arrive by 9PM, you should be fine.\nThe food is very good, as is the wonderful wine list. The by-the-glass wine program is excellent, though we almost always end up getting bottles.\nWe had a typical sampling the other night:\n1. Salmorejo: a thick type of gazpacho with garlic. Very nice version…good consistency and rich tomato flavour…it had an appealing touch of sweetness.\n2. Scallops: Scallops are expensive and hard to come by in Spain L! Taberneros offers a very nice dish, finely diced vegetables, sautéed until very soft…topped with slices of barely cooked scallop with a smooth béchamel sauce. Light on scallops, but intense flavors.\n3. Cecina: This is cured beef…a super elegant version of beef jerky. The cured beef is sliced paper thin, arranged on platter, sprinkled with sea salt and topped with top notch olive oil. Wonderful combination! Cecina is often horrible, tough, dry…really like beef jerky, so this is a treat.\n4. Grilled venison loin with berry sauce and pumpkin. Very nice preparation, though deer is not one of my favourite meats.\n5. Rice with clams and crawfish: a soupy rice with tiny clams and chuks of crayfish. Very nice but very subtle.\n6. Fried eggs with Galician potatoes and truffle. This was my favourite of the main courses. Gourmet comfort food. The Galician potatoes have a slightly firmed consistency and paired beautifully with the runny, farm-fresh eggs. The chunks of truffle, some great olive oil and sea salt brought it all together. Outstanding…\n\nI always try new wines in Taberneros…they know their wines and can easily recommend something.\nThe first wine we had was a favourite from DO Cigales, a little known Denominacion near Ribera del Duero…north west of Madrid. The wine was Traslanzas 2001. The winemaker, Ana Martin, is one of my favorites, a \"driving winemaker\" who makes wines around Spain. Translanzas is one of the top wines in a region that is still up and coming. It is made from old-vine Tempranillo and comes across initially as closed in the nose. Later plums and black cherry shoes through. Intense mouth, huge structure…big tannins. Needs lots of air, but rewards you.\n<a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGR0MiMXYI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Jcxo1KbVJEE/s1600-h/Penedes+Pares+Balta+Hisenda+Miret+2005.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGR0MiMXYI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Jcxo1KbVJEE/s200/Penedes+Pares+Balta+Hisenda+Miret+2005.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nThe new wine that night was a really original Garnache (Grenache) from the winery Parés Baltá in DO Penedés, Catalunya. It was called Hisenda Miret 2005. Very fresh nose…almost put me off at first. Intense cranberry, cherry and anis. Lean and fresh mouth, with bracing acidity and tight cherry fruit. Really long finish with smooth tannins. Didn\'t show its alcohol level of 14.5% at all! Really original!\nReally original…I\'m liking more and more of those Penedés reds!','Places: Taberneros Wine Bar','','inherit','open','open','','46-revision','','','2007-04-03 01:23:00','2007-04-02 23:23:00','',46,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/46-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(411,1,'2007-03-25 13:17:00','2007-03-25 11:17:00','<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZdEJyhnpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/BfLM8_6JWWI/s1600-h/Extebarri+front+with+church.jpg\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZdEJyhnpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/BfLM8_6JWWI/s200/Extebarri+front+with+church.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></a>Address: <div>Axpe, Vizcaya<br />Basque Country (near Bilbao)<br />Tel: 91 365 0804<br /><br />Etxebarri is hot at the moment! It seems to be everywhere I look. It has been featured all over Spanish press recently as it\'s owner/cook Bittor Arginzoniz has been voted one of the top chefs in Spain this year. It has also made its way into international press, featuring in both Food and Wine magazine and most recently Time magazine.<br /><br />I had no idea this restaurant was going to become so high profile when we picked it early in 2006 as the reception site for our September 2006 wedding. I just knew I didn\'t want my wedding in a hotel setting, but rather in a more authentic Basque setting. I also wanted outstanding food and wine. We found all those things at Etxebarri.<br /><br />The restaurant had been since the early 90s and ahs been a local favourite for some time, but it is only recently that Bittor has been recognized for his innovative cooking techniques with the grill. The grill is the heart of the restaurant…it is specially designed to allow for perfect grilling control. Bittor grills everything…and I mean everything! He even invented special grill instruments to allow him to grill tiny things such as caviar or elvers (baby eels)!<br /><br />The setting is magical, nestled in Axpe valley amongst the Basque hills. The location<a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZc1pyhnoI/AAAAAAAAAGM/LjXqzLzKl_0/s1600-h/Etxebarri+view+from+terrace.jpg\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZc1pyhnoI/AAAAAAAAAGM/LjXqzLzKl_0/s200/Etxebarri+view+from+terrace.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></a> seems completely remote, yet it is only a 20 minute drive from Bilbao. The restaurant is beautiful, a traditional 300 yr old Basque caserio converted into an elegant restaurant where modern and traditional elements fuse perfectly. The décor is elegant and simple, yet warm and inviting. Most importantly the basic stemware is Reidel!! The new line of stemless glassware \"O\" is used for water glasses (much better than for wine!) The service is outstanding, efficiently managed by a team of highly professional ladies who have worked at the restaurant for years.<br /><br />The overall experience is top notch, but the real top reason to make the trip is the incredible food!<br /><br />Recently we returned again to Etxebarri and were again blown away by the cuisine. One new dish we tried this time was grilled oysters: a delicate and exquisite version fo this dish. The ouster are shucked and removed form the shells. All membranes are removed so just the perfect core remains. The oyster juice is reserved in a spray bottle and is used to keep the oysters moist as they grill for just a couple of minutes each side. Tender seaweed is also grilled until it gets a smoky quality and the oysters are presented on a bed of these. Totally simple, but at the same time shockingly original. The delicate, briny flavour of the just cooked oysters blends perfectly with the smoky grilled notes. The contrast in textures between the melt-in-your-mouth oyster and the seaweed is also surprising.<br /><br />This is just a small example of the type of elaborate, yet simple cuisine at Etxebarri. For those of you not tempted by what I describe above…there are also some of the best grilled steaks in all of Spain!<br /><br />The menu changes frequently, especially the starters. The main courses are always based on simply grilled fish and steaks. Other outstanding dishes we\'ve tried there include:<br />Grilled monkfish (actually any grilled fish)<br />Lobster salad (tender lobster over bitter greens and tomato marinated in orange vinaigrette)<br />Txangurro (crab done Basque style, with brandy and cream)<br />Home-made chorizo (really home-made and really excellent)<br />Grilled herring fillets with zucchini (perfect to convert those who think they don\'t like herrings!)<br />Anchovies with fire-roasted peppers (another dish so good that it can convert anchovy-haters!)<br /><a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZckJyhnnI/AAAAAAAAAGE/5mq50KOzaHA/s1600-h/Etxebarri+inside.jpg\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZckJyhnnI/AAAAAAAAAGE/5mq50KOzaHA/s200/Etxebarri+inside.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></a><br />The wine-list is short, but well-selected. With our last meal we had Roda II, the second wine from the Rioja winery Roda. A very modern Rioja: big cherry fruit, lively acidity and excellent French oak. Really nice with our perfectly grilled steaks!<br /><br />The desserts are excellent and elaborate, but my favourite is one of the most simple: A wonderful sweet cheese ice cream made for the local Idiazabal cheese, served in a puddle of perfect sweet-tart wild berry coulis. Outstanding!</div>','Places: Etxebarri Restaurant--Innovative Grilling in Basque Country','','inherit','open','open','','45-revision','','','2007-03-25 13:17:00','2007-03-25 11:17:00','',45,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/45-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(412,1,'2007-03-17 14:22:00','2007-03-17 12:22:00','<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfve14tp4EI/AAAAAAAAAF8/32QhH26hojs/s1600-h/Bierzo+Tares+Cepas+Viejas.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfve14tp4EI/AAAAAAAAAF8/32QhH26hojs/s200/Bierzo+Tares+Cepas+Viejas.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>Confusing title perhaps, but I want to give tasting notes on one of my favourite Bierzo wines in very different vintages and also describe how that same wine is being altered for export to the US.\n\nBierzo is producing many outstanding red wines from the excellent indigenous grape Mencía. The region is very hot…producers from all over Spain are buying vineyards there. The top end wines are winning recognition from national and international wine critics. The prices, though still reasonable, are rising quickly. There are still a few great bargains…one of them is Cepas Viejas from the winery Dominio de Tares.\n\nI have a soft spot for this wine...it was one of the wines at our wedding last September. The wine in the wedding was the 2003…now the 2004 is on the market.\n\nCepas Viejas is 100% Mencía and is aged about 9 months in American and French oak. It costs about 10€ here in Spain. 2003 was a very hot year…quite difficult in many parts of Spain. 2004 was generally a better year, dry but with less heat.\n\nWe only have a few bottles of the 2003 left and I like to put it in tastings against the 2004. The other day, the 2003 won again…it seems to be in its perfect moment for drinking now. It is at its peak and will not improve significantly, but it is holding on very well. The 2004 is still a brute, powerful and intense, but with some rough edges. I have already seen it improve in bottle since its release in fall 2006, but it still has a ways to go. The 2003 vintage made a lot of smooth, fruity, easily approachable wines, but many are not aging well. The Cepas Viejas 2003 is following that pathway, extremely pleasurable now, but definitely with a shorter lifespan than the 2004. The 2003 was far more approachable 8 months after release than the 2004 is today.\n\nCepas Viejas 2003: Vanilla cherry yogurt nose. Smooth mouth with cherry-vanilla, a hint of celery, clove. Tannins provide just a touch of grip but are very rounded. Very long fruit finish, like a cherry pie. Not a sharp edge. Still holding up well after 2 hours in glass.\n\nCepas Viejas 2004: milky, closed nose. Mineral with some cherry notes as it opens. Intense mouth, impressive structure, with very present tannins that are good quality, but need some polishing. Fresh cherry fruit in mouth. All angles still, but has lots of potential. With some time in glass…opened a lot.\n\nThe winery, Dominio de Tares, was one of the trendsetters in Bierzo, and has received acclaim form many international critics. Some of their other wines include:\nEntry level wine with a few months of oak: Baltos (5€)\nReserva level wine: Bembimbre (20€)\nAlta Expresion or Designer wine: P3 (45€)\n\nAll are very good. <a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfvel4tp4DI/AAAAAAAAAF0/U0_SfCGciuU/s1600-h/Bierzo+Tares+Exaltos.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfvel4tp4DI/AAAAAAAAAF0/U0_SfCGciuU/s200/Bierzo+Tares+Exaltos.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\n\nThe Cepas Viejas has been exported for some time to the US, but since 2003, the winery has done a separate label for the export wine….see the picture to the right! What a difference!\nEven the name is changed: Exaltos instead of Cepas Viejas! Since 2004 the wine inside the Exaltos is actually different. Many wineries in Spain are now tweaking their export wines to better suit American palates. The Exaltos has 9 months in 100% French oak while the Cepas Viejas has 9 months in a mixture of American and French oak. Studies have shown that, ironically, the American palate much prefers the flavour French oak!!! If only those \"Freedom Fry\" people knew that!\n\nWhen I get my hands on the 2004 Exaltos…I\'ll contrast it with the 2004 Cepas Viejas!\n\nSo remember when you taste some of those great Spanish wines arriving on American shores, you may be getting a different wine than what we are tasting here!','Two Vintages of Bierzo or...tailoring wines for export','','inherit','open','open','','44-revision','','','2007-03-17 14:22:00','2007-03-17 12:22:00','',44,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/44-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(413,1,'2007-03-01 16:26:00','2007-03-01 14:26:00','I\'ve been tasting so many great wines...it\'s been hard to keep up! Today I wanted to talk a little about some unconventional Spanish wines that fall into 2 categories: Vino de la Tierra and Vino de Mesa. In theory these two categories are not quality wines and should be inexpensive, lower quality wines….but in reality, there are some very premium wines being made under both categories!\n\n1. Vino de la Tierra is a very hot category today in Spain. By EU law it is not considered a \"quality wine\". It actually falls under the Tabel wine category along with the lower sub-category \"Vino de mesa\". Vinos de la Tierra (VdT) are subject a to fewer rules and regulations than Denominacion de Origen (DO) wines. They cannot put the aging categories of Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva on their labels, but they can put the vintage on the label (unlike table wine). There are 41 areas that are designated Vino de la Tierra. Two of the hottest are VdT Castilla Leon and VdT Castilla (La Mancha), but there are many great wines coming out of other areas as well.\nSome wineries make this category because their vineyards are not within a designated DO area, others are making it because they don\'t want to deal with the DO bureaucracy and want more freedom in making their wines.\n<a href=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RebjKqdC86I/AAAAAAAAAFk/9Ke1lokBUs8/s1600-h/VdT+Iles+Baleares+Son+Bordils+Negre+2003.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RebjKqdC86I/AAAAAAAAAFk/9Ke1lokBUs8/s200/VdT+Iles+Baleares+Son+Bordils+Negre+2003.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nExamples of very well known and excellent VdT wines are: Mauro, Leda, and Abadia Retuerta, all from Castilla Leon. Recently I had an excellent one that was VdT Iles Baleares. It\'s called Son Bordils Negre and is made of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Manto Negro, Callet, Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Syrah! It was a 2003, had 12 months in French, American, and Hungarian oak and costs only 12 euros. It was one of the favourites of my class that evening…beating out some blockbuster wines. The only wine that scored higher that night was the Santa Cruz de Artazu 2004 from Navarra (100% Garnacha…awesome!)\nThe Son Bordils Negre was a lean elegant wine with cherry, mineral (wet stones), and anis. The nose was closed at first, but kept getting better over 3 hours. In the mouth is was medium bodied, elegant, with refreshing cherry fruit and great acidity. It had some smoky oak notes and a long finish, with a refreshing bitterness. Tannins were very present, but smooth. A very original wine from the islands!\n\n2. Most recently my biggest wine surprises have been in the lower category of Vino de Mesa. I was so focused on Vdt, that I had neglect the hot wines cropping up here! These wines have very few rules, but also some serious limitations…for instance you cannot put the vintage on the label. Wineries, therefore, have to get creative about it…one winery puts it on the top of the cork and puts no capsule on…another puts a simple 02 on the label….\nI\'ll mention three different wines: <a href=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rebi9qdC85I/AAAAAAAAAFc/rNu_4HxS934/s1600-h/VdM+Madrid+Montazo+02.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rebi9qdC85I/AAAAAAAAAFc/rNu_4HxS934/s200/VdM+Madrid+Montazo+02.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\n<ul>\n	<li>A Vino de Mesa from Murcia from Bodegas Lavia. Lavia is made from Monastrell and Syrah and is aged 6 months in new French oak…10€. Very mediterranena..high alcohol, with plum and anis. In mouth a very candy-like fruit…red licorice? Very full-bodied and a little hot, smooth with a nice finish. Nothing to blow you away…but very nice. 10€</li>\n	<li>A Vino de Mesa from Penedés (Cataluña) from Heretat Mont Rubí. Durona (2003 on the cork) is made from Sumoll, Garnacha, Cariñena, Shiraz, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has to be a Vino de Mesa because of the inclusion of Sumoll, an indigenous variety that\'s not allowed under DO. Powerful, yet elegant…with bright cherry fruit. Very persistent in mouth…this wine was very easy to drink and kept getting better with aeration. 15€</li>\n	<li>A Vino de Mesa from Madrid! This one was recommended by the excellent folks at Casa Lucas…you can check out the review I did on this fantastic wine bar. This was called Montazo and is made of the Garnacha grape by one of the wine gurus of Spain: Telmo Rodriguez. It had a pale color and a very mineral nose: graphite. Very complex, but closed initially. Later it became floral with plum and anis. Great acid in the mouth…I usually don\'t mention refreshing with many Madrid wines! The mineral mouth lingered a really long time. Unique and original, thoroughly challenging, yet original! 15€</li>\n</ul>\nBottom line: Check out some of these new wines in these lesser categories...this is the cutting edge of Spanish wines!','Exciting Spanish wine in unconventional categories','','inherit','open','open','','43-revision','','','2007-03-01 16:26:00','2007-03-01 14:26:00','',43,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/43-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(414,1,'2007-02-19 00:51:00','2007-02-18 22:51:00','This is a matching I had to do for El Mundo newspaper here in Spain.  They picked 5 champagnes and five chocolates and had me match them.  Four of the pairs matched up naturally, the final one was a bit trickier, mainly due to trouble matching any of the chocolates with the Piper Heidsieck.  Following is the rite up I did for them…with a few modifications!<br /><br />Matching chocolate and champagne has often been considered a classic.  In my experience, this is a generalization and, in fact, matching champagne and chocolate can be a real challenge!  This tasting was a fascinating experience, opening my eyes to new matches I hadn\'t considered and confirmed some of the excellent matches I expected. Each champagne and each chocolate brought an exciting depth of flavors to the table. <br /><br />Some basic conclusions:  simple chocolates and simpler champagnes are easier to match, and they match well together.  Rose champagnes, very fruity and vinous, are easier to match with most food, chocolate included.   White chocolate is easier to match than others, especially dark, bitter chocolate.   In general, matching is quite complicated…the easiest thing is to drink a champagne you love and eat a chocolate you love!<br /><br />Pair #1<br /><br />Champagne:  Ruinart Brut Rosé<br />Chocolate:  Serenity Milk Chocolate with bitter orange, lime blossom and rice crisps<br /><br />Two very complex products that match each other perfectly! The champagne\'s strawberry and toast notes, and great acidity matches wonderfully with the complex, orange and herbal flavors in the chocolate.  The vinous roundness and full bodied mouth of the champagne pairs wonderfully with the crunchy texture of the puffed rice crunch in the chocolate.  Generally loved this chcocolate!<br /><br />Pair #2<br /><br />Champagne:  Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque brut 1998<br />Chocolate:  Crujiente blanco y coco<br /><br />This is a match made in champagne and chocolate heaven!  The toasty coconut and smooth, milky white chocolate flavors pair perfectly with this complex and subtle champagne, where toasty crianza notes dominate.   The fresh citric fruit of the champagne also helps tame the very sweet nature and crunch of the white chocolate.<br /><br />Pair #3<br /><br />Champagne:  Billecart Salmon Rosé<br />Chocolate:  Cacao Sampaka Dark Chocolate 70%<br /><br />Dark chocolate can be a challenge to match as it is so bitter and intense, but this complex rosé champagne is up to the task!  The pleasantly bitter cocoa notes match wonderfully with the acidity and raspberry notes in the wine.  Both the chocolate and champagne have subtle smoky notes that complement each other beautifully. <br /><br />Pair #4<br /><br />Champagne:  Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge<br />Chocolate:  White Chocolate Fondu<br /><br />The most pure and simple flavors often match really well!   The candied lemon fruit and great acidity of the champagne contrast yet compliment perfectly the very sweet, smooth and creamy flavour and texture of the white chocolate fondu.  A strawberry or other fruit dipped in the chocolate fondu would enhance this match even more!<br /><br />Pair #5<br /><br />Champagne:  Piper Heidsieck Brut<br />Chocolate:  Lindt Milk Chocolate<br /><br />This one match was my least favourite, though it wasn\'t bad...my least favorite chocolate too!  The sweet, milky and caramel notes of the milk chocolate match with the baked and fresh apple notes in the champagne:  like a candied apple!  The chocolate is very sweet and the good acidity in the champagne contrasts nicely.','Wine and Food Matching: Chocolate and Champagne','','inherit','open','open','','40-revision','','','2007-02-19 00:51:00','2007-02-18 22:51:00','',40,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/40-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(415,1,'2007-01-28 22:31:00','2007-01-28 20:31:00','<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rb0K4aF6DqI/AAAAAAAAADA/IOUyBRjuj6Y/s1600-h/Wine+and+cheese+matching.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rb0K4aF6DqI/AAAAAAAAADA/IOUyBRjuj6Y/s320/Wine+and+cheese+matching.JPG\" style=\"display:block;cursor:hand;text-align:center;margin:0 auto 10px;\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rb0KfaF6DpI/AAAAAAAAACw/Y7EvU7UQ-ug/s1600-h/Wine+and+cheese+matching.JPG\"></a>Another great tasting to give this weekend: Matching wine and cheese. A classic, but a difficult classic as they can actually be quite challenging to match! I picked five wines from different categories and five very different cheeses. The wines were as follows:1. DO Cava - Bodega Raventos i Blanc - Elisabet Raventos - Reserva - Brut - 2000 - 60% Xarel.lo, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Monastrell - 4 years aging on lees, 6,5g/l residual sugar - 12% - 18 euros\n\nOne of my favorite cavas! Very champagne like: elegant toasty fruit and very subtle, fine bubbles. Has some chardonnay which is very trendy in many cavas right now, but also has some Monastrell (Mourvedre), which is very unusual.\nThis cave is very wine-like, very versatile to match and great value.\n\n2. DO Cava - Bodegas Cordoniú - Cava Rosado Brut - NV - 100% Pinot Noir - 24 months of aging on lees, 6-8g/l residual sugar - 12% - 10 euros\n\nRosé cava is so versatile with food! This a simple, but very bright cava, with nice strawberry fruit and some little toasty lees notes. For drinking I much prefer the complexity and elegance of the Raventos, but for the cheese matching I have to give it by a league to the Cordoniu! It matched so well with so many of the cheeses.\n\n3. DO Rueda - Bodegas Aura - Aura - 2005 - 100% Verdejo - no oak - 13.5% - 5 euros\n\nThis is a great example of what Rueda has to offer: Lemon and gooseberry fruit with great acidity and a refreshingly slight bitterness on the long finish. All that for 5€! I really think Verdejo is a fantastic grape, whether in this un-oaked version or in some of the fantastic oaked version that are becoming all the rage. A high quality, low-priced Rueda is available in every bar in Spain: I love that! This wine was the easiest of the match of the five wines: it went really well with four of the five cheeses.\n\n4. DO Bierzo - Bedegas Dominio de Tares - Cepas Viejas - 2004 - 100% Mencía (a wonderful local grape) - 9 months in French and American oak - 13.5% - 10 euros\n\nThis is one of my favorite Spanish wines at this price range…we put the 2003 version in our wedding! The 2004 is even better than the 2003, but last night I was a little disappointed. It seemed overly oaky when matched up with the cheeses….hopefully it was just a phase. Didn\'t realy match well with any cheeses, other than the goats cheese! Mencía is a fantastic grape and some great wines are coming out of Bierzo.\n\n5. DO Malaga Transañejo - Bodegas Lopez Hermanos - Don Juan Pedro Ximenez - NV - 100% Pedro Ximenez - at least 30 years aging in barrel, 300g/l residual sugar - 17% - 18 euros (375 ml)\n\nI appreciate intellectually the great Pedro Ximenez (PX) wines of Spain, but I actually don\'t like them that much. They are often too syrupy and cloying for me. Give me a dry 30 year old Oloroso instead any day! But this PX from Malaga is very nice, with a bracing streak of acidity to balance what is still a whoppingly sweet wine. Very nice coffee, fig, and raisin nose. Obviously was fantastic with our blue cheese, but wasn\'t too bad with some of the other stronger cheeses. In fact, here in Spain, I\'ve discovered that Amontillado sherry matches extremely well with aged Manchego cheese.\n\nFor the cheeses I picked a varied international selection…most of the customers were Spanish, and I wanted them to try some new cheeses for them. Spain has wonderful cheeses, around 100, but cheese is not part of the culture here as it is in France. Cheese (almost always Manchego or a similar cheese) is served as an appetizer, usually over-shadowed by the fantastic cured ham products. Some high end restaurants are offering artesanal cheese plates, but most Spanish people are not even familiar with the rich variety of artesanal Spanish cheese, let alone international ones.\n\n1. France: Coulommiers - Ile de France (Paris) - no AOC - raw cows milk - 4-6 week curing period\n\nNice substitute for Brie de Meaux, which was not available. Virtually identical to Brie, with a wonderful creamy, mushroomy texture and flavor. Customers really appreciated it, though some found it too strong...preferering the snatized supermarket Brie. Matched really well with the rosé Cava and the white Verdejo.\n\n2. France: St Maure - Touraine (Loire Valley) - AOC cheese - raw goats milk with ash rind - 2-8 week curing period\n\nBlew everyone\'s socks off…it was the majority\'s favorite cheese of the night! Spanish goat cheese is best in Catalonia, but it can\'t compete with the Loire goat cheeses. Sharp, acidic goats milk contrasted perfectly with the ultra-creamy texture. It also was the most easily matched cheese, matching weel with almost all the wines.\n\n3. Spain: Idiazabal - Basque Country - DO cheese - raw, smoked sheeps milk - minumum 3 months aging\n\nI wanted to put a smoked cheese and Idiazabal is one of the best. A nice smoke, not excessive, balances with the buttery, nutty flavors of the cheese. Very difficult to match…the best match was the white Verdejo, but it wasn\'t ideal.\n\n4. Switzerland: Sbrinz - various cantons in central Switzerland - AOC cheese - raw cows milk - minimum aging 16 months, but usually 24 to 30 months\n\nA lovely mellow nutty cheese, that resembles Parmesan, but is less strong in flavor. Quite challenging to match, the rosé cava is the only one that did it for me.\n5. Spain: Valdeon - Castilla y Leon (Picos de Europa) - raw mixed milk (cow and gota) - minimum aging of 3 months in caves\n\nI love this blue cheese, an artesanal, very small production blue cheese from northern Spain. It so mellow and complex, earthy, creamy, with only slightly sharp blue notes. It is the perfect blue to convert people to blue, yet also complex enough for cheese lovers. Ideal with the PX wine, not bad with the red and the white too.\n\nConclusions:\n\nWe had a surprising consensus on many of the matches. A lot of the traditional matching rules went out the window. The most matching wines were: the white Verdejo, the rosé cava, and the white cava, in that order. Many people focus on red with cheeses, but in tasting after tasting, I\'ve found aromatic whites and rosés of all types to be the winners. Older cured cheeses are the hardest cheeses to match by far.','Wine and Food Matching: Cheese','','inherit','open','open','','36-revision','','','2007-01-28 22:31:00','2007-01-28 20:31:00','',36,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/36-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(416,1,'2007-01-25 20:24:00','2007-01-25 18:24:00','<img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RbkFIqF6DmI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Jl7M1OCi12U/s320/Casa+Lucas+1.JPG\" style=\"display:block;cursor:hand;text-align:center;margin:0 auto 10px;\" />\n\n<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RbkEJaF6DlI/AAAAAAAAACA/VMCCsP0h8sQ/s1600-h/Casa+Lucas+1.JPG\"></a>Calle Cava Baja, 30 (near Plaza Mayor)\nTel: 91 365 0804Though there are many great tapas bars in Madrid, there are a few that stand out. This wine bar is one of our favorites. It not only offers a very high quality wine list, but they also offer some amazing tapas. These are not your average tapas: some of them are quite unique.\nThere 12-14 wines by the glass on a chalkboard, and different wines are rotated in a on a regular basis. If your party is larger, the bottle wine list is quite outstanding. The staff is knowledgeable and can recommend wines with some confidence. Some of the staff speak English, but whoever you get, they are relaxed, friendly, and very helpful. These are the type of guys who remember you after a few visits!\nThe place is tiny…just a few tables and standing room...and it gets packed! If you want to sit and more comfortably try some of the tapas…go early! Early here means between 8 and 930 PM. They are open for lunch except Wednesdays, but I don\'t know how the crowd is...probably less.\nAs all tapas places in Spain…if you take one of the few tables, they expect you to order tapas, not just drinks.\n\nWe were in Casa Lucas with some friends last night. We had a couple of our usual tapas and an exciting new one.\n\nThe Cariñena tosta:\n\nOne of the regular tapas we always recommend is called Cariñena. It is toasted crusty bread topped with caramelized onions and a slice of grilled pork loin. Sea salt tops it off…so simple yet the flavors are perfect together.\nThis is a tapa you can find in other places…but Casa Lucas makes one of the best!\nThe pork in Spain is outstanding…very different than most of what we eat in the US. Try both the fresh and cured varieties. One breed of pig, the black footed Iberican pig, offers the best cured hams, as well as fresh pork cuts that are the other red meat! They have the same color as beef and are best cook either rare, or at least pink in the middle: yes pink pork!\n\nArroz cremoso con boletus, foie y huevo (Creamy rice with egg and foie):\n\nI have yet to taste anything quite like this any where else!\nThe Boletus infused creamy rice is topped with a slide of fresh pan-seared foie and a soft-poached egg. They are topped by a drizzle of basil oil and a red fruit coulis. To serve you cut up the foie and the egg in little bits and mix it into the rice thoroughly. The combination of flavors is stunning!\nSometimes when we bring new people there, they are initially put off by the foie and egg, but when they taste it…instant converts!\nBoletus is a type of wild mushroom that is one of the most expensive and coveted in Spain. It is almost always served alone, apart form other mushrooms, done in a very simple preparation. The flavors are very intense, earthy and smoky...love it!\n\nCarpaccio de pulpo con revolconas y bacon\n(Octopus carpaccio with mashed potatoes and bacon):\n\nThis was anew one for us…a seasonal offering on the chalkboard…I hope it stays for a while!\nThis is creamy mashed potatoes with loads of smoky Spanish paprika topped with ultra-thin slices of tender octopus. Over the top, olive oil and fried bacon bits. The combination of flavors, smoky bacon, paprika, with the great texture of the chunky mashed potatoes, was tremendous. The octopus was a subtle, succulent high note.\nThis original dish is a modern take on a very traditional Spanish dish from Galicia. Pulpo a Feira is sliced boiled potatoes with octopus slices topped with paprika, olive oil and sea salt. Octopus was something I ate with moderation before coming here, but Spanish octopus is so melt-in-your mouth that I eat it whenever I can get my hands on it!\n\nWine:\nThe wine we had with all this was a Vallegarcia Syrah 2003. It is a Vino de La Tierra de Castilla wine…in other words: La Mancha. Syrah in Spain is just picking up and I have yet to be impressed. Most of them are quite alcoholic with a simple Mediterranean fruit. This was no exception! Good length, but too simple for such a big wine…big was all that came across!','Places: Casa Lucas Wine Bar','','inherit','open','open','','34-revision','','','2007-01-25 20:24:00','2007-01-25 18:24:00','',34,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/34-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(417,1,'2007-01-24 01:48:00','2007-01-23 23:48:00','I gave an interesting tasting on Saturday contrasting crianza and reserva wines. It ended up being a tasting less about the primary theme and more about Spanish wine palates today. The 16 clients were overwhelmingly Spanish, though there was one British girl.<br /><br />Spanish wine rules 101: Crianza wines must be aged 24 months before they are released, six of which must be in oak. Reserva wines must be held 36 months, 12 of which must be in oak. These are minimums…often the oak portion is much more significant…some Denominations require more.<br /><br />I served five wines blind in two sets. The first set was three Riojas: two from a winery making classic Riojas, a 2003 Crianza and a 2001 Reserva. The third wine was a Finca Valpiedra 2001 Reserva.<br /><br />The results of the first set were very interesting: Two of the wines were more evolved in color and nose, showing notes of older wood and very subtle fruit. These were the ones the class guessed as both reservas…they guessed the more fruit driven wine to be the crianza. In fact it was the wine that had a more youthful color and a fruitier nose and palate that was the Finca Valpiedra Reserva 2001. It also turns out it was the Finca Valpiedra that almost the entire class preferred.<br />Yet if you had asked most of those people before the tasting, they would have sworn Muga was one of their favourite wines. I find many Spanish people are brought up on these traditional style wines and frequently choose them as their top wines. Yet if you offer them a traditional Rioja blind side by side with a more modern Rioja, very often they will choose the modern one.<br />When I say modern and traditional Rioja…what do I mean? Traditional Rioja is characterised by longer aging in older barrels, often American oak. They are elegant, structure-driven wines that often have a slight oxidized character. Their fruit tends to be lean and elegant, but not very present, having been greatly altered by long oak aging.<br />Of course, even the most traditional Riojas are modern by standards of old, with shorter aging times, newer oak, and more French oak. But I still find there is a distinctive different between the two styles.<br />The modern Riojas have shorter aging times in newer oak, often in French oak or a mixture of French and American. They are fruit driven wines, fruit support by a very present oak structure, especially at the reserve level. Though the fruit dominates, they still retain the elegance and balanced acidity that Rioja wines have always offered.<br />I would not even characterize Finca Valpiedra as a \"modern\" Rioja…it is sort of a hybrid. But the fruit was so much more present than in either of the Mugas, that it definitely showed its modern stripes in this tasting.<br /><br />The second set of wines was from Ribera del Duero: Pago de Capellanes Crianza 2004 and Pago de Capellanes Reserva 2002. There was a distinctive difference between the two wines: the Reserva offered much more complexity and a lot of very fine wood, while the Crianza offered a simpler bright fruit on a more subtle oak background. Both were bigger wines than any of the Rioja, offering more intensity but less elegance.<br />The verdict was clear in this set…a big majority preferred the Reserva.<br /><br />Most tasters preferred the reserva styles to the crianza ones in both flights, despite a large difference in price….but the more interesting result follows….<br /><br />The overall winner of the tasting, by a big majority, was the Ribera Reserva….the only other wine of the five that received votes was the Ribera Crianza. Does this mean that the Spanish palate is moving away from the lean, elegant styles of Rioja to the more fruity, oaky (new)…let\'s say it…international styles than Ribera often represents?<br /><br />This was only a tiny exercise. I must say that these are not typical Spanish wine consumers...they shop at the international market where I held the tasting...this alone separates them from the more traditional Spanish consumer. Could this type of consumer eventually unseat the monopoly Rioja has held for so long over the Spanish winescape? Check back for more observations…','Crianza vs Reserva: The state of the Spanish palate today!','','inherit','open','open','','33-revision','','','2007-01-24 01:48:00','2007-01-23 23:48:00','',33,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/33-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(418,1,'2010-03-10 19:15:27','2010-03-10 17:15:27','I get a ton of requests for wine resources from visitors to Madrid.  We originally offered sign-up classes on Monday nights to address that need partially but unfortunately no longer do.   Madrid is still a town sadly lacking in tasting opportunities and that even has very few good wine bars.\n\nFor wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend.\n\n1.  The wine store Lavinia at Calle Ortega y Gasset 16.  It a modern, beautiful store, not inexpensive, but with a lovely restaurant and bar upstairs.  You can get a bottle in the store and drink it at store price upstairs.  Also there are autoservice Enomatic wine dispensers to try some really great Spanish wines.  You get a card at the register and charge it with some money and then you can help yourself to some tasting pours of some top wines…lots of fun and unique in Madrid!\n\n2.  Casa Lucas at Cava Baja 30, near Plaza Mayor.  My favorite wine bar in Madrid.  Not only because the wine selection by the glass is excellent and the tapas outstanding, but especially because the service and the welcome is unfailingly warm and inviting.  These guys are awesome!  My favorite tapas are the Cariñena tosta, the Arroz cremoso, the carpaccio de pulpo and canelonis de curry….really unique and delciious food.  I tend to order wine by the bottle and they alwasy ahve new and great recommendations…but by the glass is great too.  Go early, they open at 8PM,  to get a seat if want to order food.  (Make sure you don’t confuse them with the famous Casa Lucio across the street…definetely not my favorite!)\n\n3.  Taberneros at Calle Santiago 9, near Plaza Mayor:  Excellent wines and excellent tapas in a gorgeous setting, though the service is never what it is in Casa Lucas.  It has remained one of my favorites over the years…love the cecina, the scallops, the potatoes and eggs with truffles and many more.  Great selection of dessert wines by the glass…very hard to come by in Madrid.\n\n4.  Mercado de San Miguel:  Newly added to my list.  It is not perfect and sometimes it can be closed for private events, but Pinkleton, the wine bar in the Mercado has some of the best wines in Madrid.  I love to go there with my friends…we usually order by the bottle, but the by-the-glass selection is excellent.  These guys know their stuff and can recommend a great bottle of wine for a good price.  Last time we didn’t spend more than 20€ a bottle.  If you like the bottle you can even buy one at a reduced price to go.  Grab a table and go around the market and get a few tapas to go with your wine.  The cheese stand is outstanding as is the olive stand.  My personal favorites are the Sorlut oysters at the oyster stand.  Lots of choices at different price ranges.  Love it…a great addition to central Madrid!','Wine lovers visiting Madrid: I feel your pain!','','inherit','open','open','','279-revision','','','2010-03-10 19:15:27','2010-03-10 17:15:27','',279,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/279-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(419,1,'2012-10-01 05:42:14','2012-10-01 05:42:14','I get a ton of requests for wine resources from visitors to Madrid.  We originally offered sign-up classes on Monday nights to address that need partially but unfortunately no longer do.   Madrid is still a town sadly lacking in tasting opportunities and that even has very few good wine bars.\n\nFor wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend.\n\n1.  The wine store Lavinia at Calle Ortega y Gasset 16.  It a modern, beautiful store, not inexpensive, but with a lovely restaurant and bar upstairs.  You can get a bottle in the store and drink it at store price upstairs.  Also there are autoservice Enomatic wine dispensers to try some really great Spanish wines.  You get a card at the register and charge it with some money and then you can help yourself to some tasting pours of some top wines…lots of fun and unique in Madrid!\n\n2.  Casa Lucas at Cava Baja 30, near Plaza Mayor.  My favorite wine bar in Madrid.  Not only because the wine selection by the glass is excellent and the tapas outstanding, but especially because the service and the welcome is unfailingly warm and inviting.  These guys are awesome!  My favorite tapas are the Cariñena tosta, the Arroz cremoso, the carpaccio de pulpo and canelonis de curry….really unique and delciious food.  I tend to order wine by the bottle and they alwasy ahve new and great recommendations…but by the glass is great too.  Go early, they open at 8PM,  to get a seat if want to order food.  (Make sure you don’t confuse them with the famous Casa Lucio across the street…definetely not my favorite!)\n\n3.  Taberneros at Calle Santiago 9, near Plaza Mayor:  Excellent wines and excellent tapas in a gorgeous setting, though the service is never what it is in Casa Lucas.  It has remained one of my favorites over the years…love the cecina, the scallops, the potatoes and eggs with truffles and many more.  Great selection of dessert wines by the glass…very hard to come by in Madrid.\n\n4.  Mercado de San Miguel:  Newly added to my list.  It is not perfect and sometimes it can be closed for private events, but Pinkleton, the wine bar in the Mercado has some of the best wines in Madrid.  I love to go there with my friends…we usually order by the bottle, but the by-the-glass selection is excellent.  These guys know their stuff and can recommend a great bottle of wine for a good price.  Last time we didn’t spend more than 20€ a bottle.  If you like the bottle you can even buy one at a reduced price to go.  Grab a table and go around the market and get a few tapas to go with your wine.  The cheese stand is outstanding as is the olive stand.  My personal favorites are the Sorlut oysters at the oyster stand.  Lots of choices at different price ranges.  Love it…a great addition to central Madrid!','Wine lovers visiting Madrid: I feel your pain!','','inherit','open','open','','279-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:42:14','2012-10-01 05:42:14','',279,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/279-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(420,1,'2012-10-05 20:24:43','2012-10-05 20:24:43','','wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1624.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-oct-5-2012-1624-jpg','','','2012-10-05 20:24:43','2012-10-05 20:24:43','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1624.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(421,1,'2012-10-05 20:28:14','2012-10-05 20:28:14','','wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','wpid-photo-oct-5-2012-1618-jpg','','','2012-10-05 20:28:14','2012-10-05 20:28:14','',422,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(422,1,'2012-10-05 20:28:19','2012-10-06 00:28:19','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1349468899595.4314\" class=\"alignright\" width=\"244\" height=\"232\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> The retail mark ups on Spanish wines here in the US are so puzzling, some are so reasonable and others outrageous.  Walking around a Total Wine store here in Florida yesterday, I was happy to see an old favorite at a very decent 13$ price point.  LAN Crianza was always my safety wine in Spain.  I could count on it to be on most mediocre restaurant wine lists....it could even be found in most cheap Asian restaurants.  It was always a crowd pleaser and you could order plenty of bottles without wincing at the price.  It&#39;s a fairly simple wine, but offers lots of bright cherry fruit, freshness and just a touch of vanilla oak.  Attractive and light enough to be food friendly in a way Tempranillos from Rioja can often do.    Really great value. Nice to see an old friend hasn&#39;t been priced out of its quality category.</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p><div style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\" id=\"blogsy_footer\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','LAN Crianza: Bright and Fruity Rioja at a Good Price','The retail mark ups on Spanish wines here in the US are so puzzling, some are so reasonable and others outrageous.  Walking around a Total Wine store here in Florida yesterday, I was happy to see an old favorite at a very decent 13$ price point.','publish','open','open','','lan-crianza-bright-and-fruity-rioja-at-a-good-price','','','2013-05-03 22:49:15','2013-05-04 02:49:15','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=422',0,'post','',0),(423,1,'2012-10-05 20:28:15','2012-10-05 20:28:15','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','422-revision','','','2012-10-05 20:28:15','2012-10-05 20:28:15','',422,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/422-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(424,1,'2012-10-05 20:28:15','2012-10-05 20:28:15','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1349468899595.4314\" class=\"alignright\" width=\"244\" height=\"232\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> The retail mark ups on Spanish wines here in the US are so puzzling, some are so reasonable and others outrageous.  Walking around a Total Wine store here in Florida yesterday, I was happy to see an old favorite at a very decent 13$ price point.  LAN Crianza was always my safety wine in Spain.  I could count on it to be on most mediocre restaurant wine lists....it could even be found in most cheap Asian restaurants.  It was always a crowd pleaser and you could order plenty of bottles without wincing at the price.  It&#39;s a fairly simple wine, but offers lots of bright cherry fruit, freshness and just a touch of vanilla oak.  Attractive and light enough to be food friendly in a way Tempranillos from Rioja can often do.    Really great value. Nice to see an old friend hasn&#39;t been priced out of its quality category.</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p><div style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\" id=\"blogsy_footer\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','LAN Crianza: Bright and Fruity Rioja at a Good Price','The retail mark ups on Spanish wines here in the US are so puzzling, some are so reasonable and others outrageous.  Walking around a Total Wine store here in Florida yesterday, I was happy to see an old favorite at a very decent 13$ price point.','inherit','open','open','','422-revision-2','','','2012-10-05 20:28:15','2012-10-05 20:28:15','',422,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/422-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(426,1,'2012-01-20 02:39:28','2012-01-20 02:39:28','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-revision','','','2012-01-20 02:39:28','2012-01-20 02:39:28','',248,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/248-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(427,1,'2012-10-08 16:47:28','2012-10-08 16:47:28','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-2','','','2012-10-08 16:47:28','2012-10-08 16:47:28','',248,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/248-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(428,1,'2009-05-06 01:24:09','2009-05-05 23:24:09','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/finca-terrerazo-2005.jpg\" title=\"Finca Terrerazo is a Spanish wine from the Utiel region\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/finca-terrerazo-2005.jpg\" alt=\"Finca Terrerazo is a Spanish wine from the Utiel region\" /></a>This is a top notch red from the southeastern Utiel region of Spain.  I recently rated this winery’s bargain wine <a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/2009/03/14/wine-rating-mestizaje-20062007/\" title=\"Spanish wine Mestizaje\">Mestizaje</a> and more recently tasted the Finca Terrerazo wine, which is their intermediate wine at about 25€.  The winery also has a top cru called Quincha Corral.    As I mentioned in the previous article, these wines are released under a Vino de la Tierra Category, in theory table wine, and are based upon the local grape Bobal.  Bobal is a mediocre grape when over cropped, but can make some unique, top quality wines with a lot of care.  The Ficna Terrerazo 2005 is a Bobal blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo.  Very complex nose, with tobacco, menthol and black fruit.  The mouth has all those elements plus surprisingly fresh acidity and big, smooth tannins.  I tasted the wine a day later and it was even better…smoother and more in balance.  It has a whopping 19 months in new French oak, but the intensity of the wine allows for it.  Shows what Bobal can do…this is a good value wine, considered the complexity it gives you.  Read on for more details on Finca Terrerazo 2005.\n\nWine:  Finca Terrerazo 2005\nWinery:  Bodegas Mustiguillo\nDenominación de Origen (DO):Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo\nAlc: 14.5%\nGrape varieties: 60% Bobal, 20% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon\nOak regime:  19 months in new French oak, malo in barrel\nPrice:  22-25€ retail in Madrid\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Opaque purple ruby color\nNose:  Very complex nose, with sweet black fruit, tobacco and touches of menthol.  At first a little closed...needed air to open the fruit.  The next day the nose had a much bigger fruit element.\nMouth:  Big intense mouth, though aromatically it needs air to open up.   Lots of tobacco and menthol, red fruit...quite acidic.  Big, full body, long tannic finish.  Tannins are very smooth. Really complex and impressive.  A day later, the Cabernet was more evident with touches of green pepper, but the fruit was much bigger and sweeter.  Better mouth balance the second day. \n\nConclusion: Complex, intense, lots of personality.  Really interesting wine that is also very drinkable.  Though a bit pricy, it is worth every penny. ','Wine rating: Finca Terrerazo 2005','','inherit','open','open','','269-revision','','','2009-05-06 01:24:09','2009-05-05 23:24:09','',269,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/269-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(429,1,'2012-10-08 16:48:29','2012-10-08 16:48:29','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/finca-terrerazo-2005.jpg\" title=\"Finca Terrerazo is a Spanish wine from the Utiel region\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/finca-terrerazo-2005.jpg\" alt=\"Finca Terrerazo is a Spanish wine from the Utiel region\" /></a>This is a top notch red from the southeastern Utiel region of Spain.  I recently rated this winery’s bargain wine <a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/2009/03/14/wine-rating-mestizaje-20062007/\" title=\"Spanish wine Mestizaje\">Mestizaje</a> and more recently tasted the Finca Terrerazo wine, which is their intermediate wine at about 25€.  The winery also has a top cru called Quincha Corral.    As I mentioned in the previous article, these wines are released under a Vino de la Tierra Category, in theory table wine, and are based upon the local grape Bobal.  Bobal is a mediocre grape when over cropped, but can make some unique, top quality wines with a lot of care.  The Ficna Terrerazo 2005 is a Bobal blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo.  Very complex nose, with tobacco, menthol and black fruit.  The mouth has all those elements plus surprisingly fresh acidity and big, smooth tannins.  I tasted the wine a day later and it was even better…smoother and more in balance.  It has a whopping 19 months in new French oak, but the intensity of the wine allows for it.  Shows what Bobal can do…this is a good value wine, considered the complexity it gives you.  Read on for more details on Finca Terrerazo 2005.\n\nWine:  Finca Terrerazo 2005\nWinery:  Bodegas Mustiguillo\nDenominación de Origen (DO):Vino de la Tierra El Terrerazo\nAlc: 14.5%\nGrape varieties: 60% Bobal, 20% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon\nOak regime:  19 months in new French oak, malo in barrel\nPrice:  22-25€ retail in Madrid\n\nTasting notes\nVisual:  Opaque purple ruby color\nNose:  Very complex nose, with sweet black fruit, tobacco and touches of menthol.  At first a little closed...needed air to open the fruit.  The next day the nose had a much bigger fruit element.\nMouth:  Big intense mouth, though aromatically it needs air to open up.   Lots of tobacco and menthol, red fruit...quite acidic.  Big, full body, long tannic finish.  Tannins are very smooth. Really complex and impressive.  A day later, the Cabernet was more evident with touches of green pepper, but the fruit was much bigger and sweeter.  Better mouth balance the second day. \n\nConclusion: Complex, intense, lots of personality.  Really interesting wine that is also very drinkable.  Though a bit pricy, it is worth every penny. ','Wine rating: Finca Terrerazo 2005','','inherit','open','open','','269-revision-2','','','2012-10-08 16:48:29','2012-10-08 16:48:29','',269,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/269-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(430,1,'2012-10-08 16:46:31','2012-10-08 16:46:31','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wpid-Photo-Oct-5-2012-1618.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1349468899595.4314\" class=\"alignright\" width=\"244\" height=\"232\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p> The retail mark ups on Spanish wines here in the US are so puzzling, some are so reasonable and others outrageous.  Walking around a Total Wine store here in Florida yesterday, I was happy to see an old favorite at a very decent 13$ price point.  LAN Crianza was always my safety wine in Spain.  I could count on it to be on most mediocre restaurant wine lists....it could even be found in most cheap Asian restaurants.  It was always a crowd pleaser and you could order plenty of bottles without wincing at the price.  It&#39;s a fairly simple wine, but offers lots of bright cherry fruit, freshness and just a touch of vanilla oak.  Attractive and light enough to be food friendly in a way Tempranillos from Rioja can often do.    Really great value. Nice to see an old friend hasn&#39;t been priced out of its quality category.</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p><div style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\" id=\"blogsy_footer\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','LAN Crianza: Bright and Fruity Rioja at a Good Price','The retail mark ups on Spanish wines here in the US are so puzzling, some are so reasonable and others outrageous.  Walking around a Total Wine store here in Florida yesterday, I was happy to see an old favorite at a very decent 13$ price point.','inherit','open','open','','422-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 16:46:31','2012-10-08 16:46:31','',422,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/422-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(431,1,'2012-10-01 05:06:00','2012-10-01 05:06:00','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/el-timonel-grilled-calamar.jpg\" title=\"El Timonel grilled calamar in Marbella\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/el-timonel-grilled-calamar.jpg\" alt=\"El Timonel grilled calamar in Marbella\" /></a>I took a week off blogging for a vacation in Marbella, located in Malaga Province in southern Spain.  It’s always a great break to go to the coast, one of the few places I can really relax.  I always feel like it’s a spa week as I go to the gym, walk a lot and eat really healthy.  We eat nothing but fish and seafood when we’re down there, either grilled or fried…so fresh and delicious.  The food in southern Spain tends to be simpler than <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/el-timonel-coqinas.jpg\" title=\"Coquinas at El Timonel\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/el-timonel-coqinas.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Coquinas at El Timonel\" /></a>elsewhere and can be repetitive, but it is really perfect for a few days.  We ate simple food at simple place….the one exception being Calima Restaurant, which I will write up separately. Food highlights typical down there are coquinas, tiny clam-like shellfish, chopitos, baby fried squid, grilled large shrimp, and grilled sardines.  There are also wonderful salads, especially a typical roasted pepper salad and a tomato-garlic salad.  Our favorite restaurant for fish and shellfish in Marbella is El Timonel….great value and delicious food….their grilled calamar with a garlic olive oil is one of my favorites.  The wine scene in southern Spain is pretty dismal. Read on for more on the terrible wine choices available and my review of the most popular white wine in Spain:  Barbadillo.\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/barbadillo.jpg\" title=\"Barbadillo white wine\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/barbadillo.jpg\" alt=\"Barbadillo white wine\" /></a> Only top restaurants in southern Spain have a decent wine list…the rest stick to a few basic wines that you find everywhere.  The typical whites are Barbadillo and a couple of Torres wines:  Viña Sol or Viña Esmeralda.  The typical reds are usually pretty poor Rioja.  When you’re lucky you find a Rueda white on the wine list and you stick with it….I overload on Rueda down there!  It had been years since I tried Barbadillo and I always speak badly of it, so I gave it a go again to bring myself up to date.  Terrible!  I think it’s worse than I remember.  It’s scary to think that this is the white wine that is most sold in Spain!  It is produced by the Barbadillo bodega from Jerez, which makes some great sherries.  It has become the wine that most represents southern Spain besides Fino Sherry.  It’s made from the Palomino grape and typically comes in a dry version, though a semi-sweet version is available.  People seem to love it but I don’t understand it…the wine is painfully neutral with an almost beery tang and slight spritz.  Barbadillo used to be inexpensive, but now it costs the same as the Rueda on most restaurant wine lists.  Almost any Rueda is far superior. \n ','Marbella:  Strong on Fish and Relaxation, Weak on Wine','','inherit','open','open','','255-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:06:00','2012-10-01 05:06:00','',255,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/255-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(432,1,'2009-03-23 15:36:07','2009-03-23 13:36:07','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-menu.jpg\" title=\"The Aris Bar for wine and tapas in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-menu.jpg\" alt=\"The Aris Bar for wine and tapas in Madrid\" /></a>El Chaflan is one of the most famous restaurants in Madrid and in a real sign of the times they have opened a tapas bar called the Aris Bar to make their expensive “alta cocina” more accessible to the rest of us.  We checked it out this weekend and despite some problems, had a very good experience.  On the good side the food and wines are excellent, on the downside is the décor and ambiance, which resembles an upscale fast food restaurant like the Fast Good chain.  El Chaflan is located in a hotel and when we entered, we saw what resembles a modernistic hotel breakfast room.  We asked the waiter where the tapas bar was and to our surprise he said: “Here!”  Sadly, there is no actual bar, it is just a plain room with modern plastic furniture.  Despite our dismay, we proceeded.  The service was indifferent at first though eventually the waiter <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Steak tartare tapa at Aris Bar Madrid\"></a>warmed up to us.  The menu is divided into two pages…traditional tapas and special El Chaflan modern tapas.  We stuck to the modern tapas and ordered several…they are very small and meant for one, but we preferred to order many and split them anyway.  All of them were delicious without exception.  In the finger sandwiches we tried three types:  Torta del Casar cheese with truffle oil, sobresada with lemon jam, <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Steak tartare tapa at Aris Bar Madrid\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-steak-tartare.jpg\" alt=\"Steak tartare tapa at Aris Bar Madrid\" /></a>and smoked eel with mascarpone….seriously unusual but wonderful combinations!  Amongst the pinchos we tried the anchoa and boquerone toast, which is commonly called matrimonio, matching the salt cured anchoa with the vinegar cured boquerone.  This was a creative twist on that with tomato and pesto…really lovely.  We had a tiny plate of steak tartar served with a sweet/savory ice cream…a delicious contrast of savory, spicy, cold, and sweet.  The tuna tartare with avocado is a modern classic…here they add some fish roe and some crunchy fried bits that add lovely texture.  The octopus ceviche was tender, oniony and tart with a lovely sweet and creamy mousse of maracuyá fruit on <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-anchoa-boqueron.jpg\" title=\"Anchovy tapa at Aris Bar in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-anchoa-boqueron.jpg\" alt=\"Anchovy tapa at Aris Bar in Madrid\" /></a>top….spectacular!  The wine list is short but interesting…I had a decent Alsatian Pinot Blanc by the glass….almost impossible to find in Madrid.  The wines by the glass are expensive but the pours are generous and there are many Champagnes by the glass as well.  The prices by the bottled are not bad at all. The location is a bit isolated so you should plan to come and stay, but the food and wine definitely make up for the bland décor and lack of atmosphere…come with a  group of friends and you can make your own!  I’m be returning to try some cocktails, more tapas and also to try the 15€ prix fixe lunch menu that is offered during the week. Check out the El Chaflan <a href=\"http://www.elchaflan.com/aris_bar/aris_bar.html\" title=\"The Aris Bar in Madrid\">Aris Bar website</a> for more info.','Madrid Wine Places:  El Chaflan Aris Bar','','inherit','open','open','','243-revision','','','2009-03-23 15:36:07','2009-03-23 13:36:07','',243,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/243-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(433,1,'2012-10-01 05:11:39','2012-10-01 05:11:39','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/restaurant-memento-brunch.jpg\" title=\"Wonderful brunch food at Memento Restaurant in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/restaurant-memento-brunch.jpg\" alt=\"Wonderful brunch food at Memento Restaurant in Madrid\" /></a>Memento Restaurant is not strictly a wine place, but it is one of my favorite restaurants and it does have a nice, well-selected wine list.  Memento Restaurant is owned and run by Karen Bell, an experienced young American chef who was looking for a change of scene when she moved to Spain five years ago.  When she arrived in Madrid she saw that missing from the restaurant scene was a great California/Spanish fusion place.  She opened Memento three years ago and has been building up quite a local following.  Her cuisine is inventive yet satisfying, a great blend of some unusual ingredients with some really comforting classics.  Her sauces and use of herbs is genius…and when you live in Spain long enough you crave sauces and herbs!   If you are a mussel lover make sure you order them…it’s one of her signature dishes and are some of the best I ever eaten.  She offers a high- end menu del día (prix fixe) lunch which is great value at 18.50€.  Her latest creative addition is a great jazz brunch every Sunday between noon and 4PM.  She offers brunch classics served with a creative twist:  Potato latkes with smoked salmon and mixed greens or crab cakes with poached eggs and a spicy hollandaise sauce.  A group of us went yesterday and we loved it!  You can enjoy your brunch with cocktails such as a Bellini or a Bloody Mary or just stick to the brunch classic, a Mimosa.  It’s hard to find a great brunch place in Madrid and Memento really hit the spot…I’m already craving those crab cakes again!  Check out their regular menu and contact info at:  <a href=\"http://www.restaurantememento.com/\">http://www.restaurantememento.com/</a>.','Madrid Wine Places:  Restaurante Memento','','inherit','open','open','','220-revision-3','','','2012-10-01 05:11:39','2012-10-01 05:11:39','',220,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/220-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(434,1,'2012-10-01 05:12:29','2012-10-01 05:12:29','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro-tapas.jpg\" title=\"Tapas at Estado Puro tapas and wine bar in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro-tapas.jpg\" alt=\"Tapas at Estado Puro tapas and wine bar in Madrid\" /></a>I’m on a tapas roll!  Yesterday we tried another newish tapas and wine bar called Estado Puro, located right across the Paseo del Prado from the Prado Museum.  A very stylish locale, it offers the innovative and elaborate tapas of famous Madrid chef Paco Roncero.  He’s the chef at the top rated Casino de Madrid.  The tapas are modern interpretations of classic Spanish dishes and the menu is filled with interesting choices.  The tapas are very creatively presented and arrive on slate board plates.  We tried four different tapas and results were mixed:  the tempura asparagus and the “meat bombs” were delicious while the deconstructed tortilla and the presa iberica with chimichurri were just ok.   There are lots more things on the menu I would like to try though, such as the mini hamburger plate, the fried egg with baby squid and the boletus carpaccio with pine nuts.   The tapas are a bit pricy…they range from 6 to 12€, but are smallish, so this is a place to come and try only a few at a time then move on to one of the more traditional places in nearby Huertas.  The wine list by the glass offers 6 reds, 3 whites and a couple of rosés….a good variation, though none of the wines were spectacular.  In the whites my favorite is a nice Godello called Montenovo, the best red was Artazurri,   a joven red from Navarra.  The wines are all priced at 2.50€ a glass, which is a bit steep for this level of wine….but the pours are really generous.  To sum it up:  Estado Puro is a fashionable new alternative on the tapas trail…the location is amazing and they also have a really nice outdoors terraza seating area with spectacular views.  I’m not completely sold on the food, but I’ll definitely be returning to try some more.  Another plus is that it offers its full menu all day from 11AM to 1AM, a rarity still here in Madrid.  Read on for more details on the food and wines at Estado Puro. \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro.jpg\" title=\"Estado Puro wine and tapas bar in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro.jpg\" alt=\"Estado Puro wine and tapas bar in Madrid\" /></a>The decor is modern yet cozy, with images of peinetas, decorative Spanish hair combs, covering the walls.  I also love the presentation of the food….slate plates with some really unique touches…the tempura asparagus comes in a cute french fry paper bag that is actually porcelain.  \nOur first tapa was asparagus tempura with romesco sauce.  The asparagus tempura was very good, though a bit heavy on the coating…the combination with rich romesco sauce was great…though I would ideally add a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through all the rich flavors.  Our next taps was the meat bombs…not a very good name for what amounts to a meat croquette…definitely not an explosion of meat….but really delicious, especially with the spicy tomato sauce it came with.  Next up the deconstructed modern interpretation of the Spanish tortilla…onion, potato, egg, all the ingredients in a tortilla…served separately in a foamy concoction.  Just ok…the potato foam was a bit starchy, and it needed more onion flavor…..didn’t like the texture either.  Finally we had the presa iberica with chimichurri.  Presa is a very fatty cut of the Iberian pig that is delicious, but must be served very rare or it can be very tough.  Our piece was ok, but lacking in flavor…the chimichurri was nice, but not enough to pull up the dish. \n\nThe by the glass wine list is good but I hope they change it sometimes….I will be returning to see soon.  I wasn’t impressed with the Semele Crianza from Ribera, which is their top red wine by the glass.  I much preferred the Artazuri joven from one of my favorite bodegas, Santa Cruz de Artazu.  See my rating of their top notch Garnacha:  <a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/2009/01/26/wine-rating-santa-cruz-de-artazu-2005/\">http://www.planetavino.net/2009/01/26/wine-rating-santa-cruz-de-artazu-2005/</a>.  The joven wine was simple, but attractive and for 5€ retail a bottle…really great!  Besides the reds there were three interesting whites from Rueda, Valdeorras and Somontano and two good dry rosés from Navarra. \n\nThough  I have some reservations about Estado Puro, overall I really liked the experience….I’ll post an update once I try the place again.  If you want to check out their heavily flash website, you can at:  <a href=\"http://tapasenestadopuro.com/#Inicio\">http://tapasenestadopuro.com/#Inicio</a>.  It’s a pain to navigate but it has nice pictures of all the tapas, as well as good practical info and a map. ','Madrid Wine Places:  Estado Puro','','inherit','open','open','','215-revision-4','','','2012-10-01 05:12:29','2012-10-01 05:12:29','',215,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/215-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(435,1,'2012-10-01 05:14:59','2012-10-01 05:14:59','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-wine-bar.jpg\" title=\"Kulto al Plato wine bar chalkboard menu and wine list\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-madrid-wine-bar.jpg\" title=\"Madrid wine bar Kulto al Plato chalkboard menu and wine list\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-madrid-wine-bar.jpg\" alt=\"Madrid wine bar Kulto al Plato chalkboard menu and wine list\" /></a>I’m always on the lookout for great wine and tapas places in Madrid.  Unfortunately they are few and far between, though the situation is slowly improving.  One impressive new place is called Kulto al Plato, located near the Argüelles metro in Moncloa.  It’s a great combination of a cool modern décor, delicious modern Basque pintxos and an interesting wine list.  The food is really unique, really showing casing the modern techniques that are coming out of Basque Country and the wine list is short but really diverse and original….a real change from the boring wine lists that are typical here in Madrid.  The prices are good…about 3.50€ for most tapas…modern interpretations in miniature of Spain’s most famous dishes.  Despite the modern feel, I love that the back wall is huge chalk board with the menu and wine list written on it…it gives the place a really warm feel.  The service is very good, very quick and friendly…the food arrives very quickly as well.  This wine bar has a really different vibe than most…it really draws its style from the streets of old town San Sebastian, where its sister establishment, A Fuego Negro, is located.  It’s definitely high on my list for a return visit…there is lot more to try on their creative tapas menu!\n\nDavid, one of the owners, was there and we had a long chat….he’s an interesting Basque guy who loves living in Madrid and he has a real passion for his food.  At first when I told him I was going to write about him on my blog, he was a bit negative, saying he got frustrated with short blog entries that can’t possibly convey all the passion and hard work that goes on behind the scenes.  He also feels that many bloggers are just out to ambush places, taking an unforgiving attitude and looking to criticize every last detail.  I can see his perspective, though I tried to reassure him that most of us try to be even-handed!\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-aceitunas.jpg\" title=\"Tapa of olives with vermouth\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-aceitunas.jpg\" alt=\"Tapa of olives with vermouth\" /></a>Now some food and wine in detail.  For the free tapa they served us some wonderful olives that came with a dropper filled with vermouth…you baste the olives in the vermouth before eating them…a really unique and delicious combination…loved it!\n\nOur first glasses of wine were a Pago del Vicario 50-50 2005, a nice La Mancha blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon with 12 months in oak…big, plush fruit, toasty oak.  Then we had a Tagonius Roble 2006, a Tempranillo blend from Madrid with about 7 months in oak.  The fruit was a little vegetal with olive notes…just ok.  The most food friendly wine of the night was the Melquior Crianza 2004 from Rioja.  A lean, elegant Rioja with fresh red fruit, just enough oak and great acidity….really easy to drink!\n\nBack to the food….our first tapa was a cool modern arrangement of crab, avocado mousse and licorice ice cream…you take a bit of each in the spoonful…the licorice ice cream goes surprisingly well with the avocado and crab…contrasting yet complimentary textures, flavors and temperatures! \n\nNext up a crunchy risotto with idiazabal cheese and thinly sliced squid.  Delicious concept though I found the rice a touch salty…I will try it again next time. \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-vaso.jpg\" title=\"Tapa of Tigreton de Mejillon\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-vaso.jpg\" alt=\"Tapa of Tigreton de Mejillon\" /></a>My favorite dish of the night was a vaso de Tigreton de Mejillon, a spectacular combination of mussels, tomato sauce, red and green peppers topped  with a delicious béchamel foam and crunchy crumbs of pork rinds (yes pork rinds!)  It is served in a glass and with your spoon you try and get a bit of each element…a really amazing combination of flavors! \n\nAlso delicious was the modern take on a Spanish classic…patatas al ajillo….freshly cooked potatoes drizzles with garlic olive oil and served with sea lettuce and tempura seaweed.  The sea lettuce is soft in texture and adds some salinity and the tempura seaweed is crunchy with just of hint of the ocean at the end…loved the combination with warm potatoes…really didn’t expect to.\n\nReally unique adventurous cuisine matched with exciting wines from all over Spain…there are bound to be small faults, like the salty rice, but it definitely left me wanting more!\n\nThe only other weak spot is the number of wines by the glass, high quality, but only a few.  It’s a reality we endure here …unfortunately wine is only secondary to food for most customers, and it is still hard to have an extensive by-the-glass program here in Madrid.  The wine preservation/dispenser concept is just starting to take hold here…most wine bars would never consider investing in one.  \n\nThe website doesn’t have much but it does have a good access map and a nice video from Spanish showing some of the pintxos:  <a href=\"http://www.kultoalplato.com/index.html\">http://www.kultoalplato.com/index.html</a>','Madrid Wine Places:  Kulto al Plato','','inherit','open','open','','202-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:14:59','2012-10-01 05:14:59','',202,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/202-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(436,1,'2009-01-16 17:56:15','2009-01-16 15:56:15','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/bujeos-front-entrance.jpg\" title=\"Bodegas Los Bujeos and El Juncal Hotel Entrance\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/bujeos-front-entrance.jpg\" alt=\"Bodegas Los Bujeos and El Juncal Hotel Entrance\" /></a>Our final winery visit during our day in Ronda was to Bodega Los Bujeos, a small winery that is integrated into the beautiful rural hotel, El Juncal, just outside the town of Ronda.  El Juncal belongs to the same family that owns one of the most famous restaurants in Ronda:  Tragabuches.  The project was conceived as a dual project from the being:  a luxury rural hotel that offers a serene escape from the stresses of modern life and a small, artesanal winery that could produce some top notch wines. Lola Jimenez, the owner, was totally honest with us when she admitted that the hotel part was conceived in order to help finance the winery part…we all know how long it takes to make a profit form a winery!  Whatever the original intention, the result is spectacular…escapist luxury accommodations amongst the beauty of the vineyards! \n\nEl Juncal is a beautiful blend of modern design and conveniences built into the traditional framework of an 18th century traditional cortijo manor.  The winery is tiny and is simply one of the wings of the building.  While we were there, finishing touches were being put on a beautiful tasting room that overlooks the winery and serves as a beautiful transition space between the hotel and the winery.  El Juncal and Bodega Los Bujeos offer a total enotourism escape.  You can check out more info on the hotel at:  <a href=\"http://www.eljuncal.com/index.htm\">http://www.eljuncal.com/index.htm</a>\n\nBut let’s get to the nitty gritty…the wines!  There are only 9 hectares of vines, divided between Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Garnacha.  The winemaker is a young Chilean enologist, Rodrigo Nieme, who worked 10 years previously in Chile at Bodegas Santa Rita.  He is very passionate about his goals and honest about the fact that he has a long way to go before he makes his ideal wine.  He believes that some of his varieties will ultimately shine in the Ronda climate while others will fall by the wayside. \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/bujeos-pasos-largos.jpg\" title=\"Bodega Los Bujeos wine Pasos Largos\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/bujeos-pasos-largos.jpg\" alt=\"Bodega Los Bujeos wine Pasos Largos\" /></a>A nice personal side to the story is that Rodrigo’s girlfriend is the enologist Bibi García from Cortijo Los Aguilares…they met working in Chile and he followed her back to Spain!\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/bujeos-pasos-largos.jpg\" title=\"Bodega Los Bujeos wine Pasos Largos\"></a>The wines here are intense and structured….they can withstand lots of bottle age and decantation.  We tasted two wines:\n\n1. Apasos 2004:  This is the softer, more commercial wine, though still quite firm.  Offers a lot of black fruit complexity at a great value 11 euro price. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 5% Cabenet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. 12 months in 95% French oak, 5% American oak. \n\n2. Pasos Largos 2005:  60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 15% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.  12 months in 100% French oak.  100% hand-picked grapes.  This is a more intense, complex, mineral wine, with loads of black fruit and vanilla aromas.  The tannins on the 2005 were a little too intense, though ripe, and the wine could use a little more time in the bottle to soften the finish a touch.  About 20-25 euros retail in Madrid…both of these wines are available at Bodega Santa Cecilia. ','Wineries in Ronda: Bodegas Los Bujeos ','','inherit','open','open','','173-revision','','','2009-01-16 17:56:15','2009-01-16 15:56:15','',173,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/173-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(437,1,'2007-12-22 16:16:57','2007-12-22 14:16:57','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a>\n<p align=\"left\"><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sherry-lustau-east-india-solera.jpg\" title=\"Lustau old sweet oloroso\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sherry-lustau-east-india-solera.jpg\" alt=\"Lustau old sweet oloroso\" /></a>Another group of unique and hedonistic holiday wines are dessert wines…they are a perfect ending to a long meal and often can match well with certain holiday dishes, such as foie or cheese.  Dessert wines are under-appreciated and often misunderstood…even by wine lovers.  The dessert wines I serve to my classes often cause surprise…many clients have never tried high quality sweet wines and they are often astonished by what they taste. There are so many types…but today I would like to recommend three:</p>\nGramona Vi de Gel Gewurztraminer (15€): a light and aromatic semi-sweet wine from Cataluña that is perfect with any type of foie: paté, mi-cuit or seared fresh.  This is an \"ice wine\", but instead of leaving the grapes on the vine until frozen, the freezing is done artificially.  The results, though not as complex as a real ice wine, are very elegant and fresh.   \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"></a>Tokaji Aszú: A Hungarian dessert wine and one of the finest sweet wines in the world.  This dessert wine is elaborated with grapes infected with noble rot or botrytis…same as the famous Sauternes wines of Bordeaux. The strong points of these <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" alt=\"Oremus Tokaji\" /></a>wines are complex flavours and an ideal balance between acidity and residual sugar.  Sweet, yet refreshing…never cloying.  The level of sweetness is indicated by the number of puttonyos indicated on the label.  3 puttonyos, which is widely available, is semi-sweet, and is best served as an aperitif wine or with savory dishes such as foie…4 puttonyos can go either way.  For a full dessert wine experience, stick with 5 or 6 puttonyos….complex and sweet wines with one of the longest finishes in the wine world.  The most common brands available in Spain are Oremus (which is owned by Vega Sicilia), Disnoko, and Royal Tokaji (18-60€ price range depending on the puttonyos).\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a>Old Sweet Oloroso Sherries:  A very misunderstood category of sherries.  These are similar to cream sherries, but generally are much higher quality.  Think of a wonderful old dry oloroso with it\'s nutty complexity and imagine adding a touch of raisiny Pedro Ximenez wine….the combination is spectacular.  The acidity and complexity of the oloroso combine perfectly with the grapy sweetness of the PX.  Unfortunately in Spain, most people focus on the varietal wine PX, which can be exquisite, but is almost undrinkable due to its syrupy, cloying nature.  The sweet olorosos are just as complex, but much more drinkable….lower sugar levels and some acidity ensure a wonderful balance in the mouth.  At the moment a re-discovered favourite that offers great value is the Lustau East India Solera (15€).  Another favourite is the Matusalem of Gonzalez Byass (30€)…more expensive but also more complex.    These wines are also wonderful because their oxidized nature permits you to keep the bottle open for several weeks, enjoying the wine one glass at a time!\n\nThese are just three examples of some great Christmas stickies….be adventurous and you\'ll be amazed at some of the treasures you\'ll discover! Though Spain does not have the richest of dessert wine traditions, there are many interesting sweet wines out there to try!','My 2007 Holiday Wines Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','132-revision','','','2007-12-22 16:16:57','2007-12-22 14:16:57','',132,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/132-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(438,1,'2012-10-01 05:27:07','2012-10-01 05:27:07','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/1980-vintage-ports-small.jpg\" title=\"Vintage ports Noval Grahams\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/1980-vintage-ports-small.jpg\" alt=\"Vintage ports Noval Grahams\" /></a>Yes, wine storage conditions matter even for port!  Following is a very sad story of how critical this issue is. \n\nRecently we got a chance to try two 1980 vintage ports together that had been stored in very different conditions.  The difference between the two wines was a revelation to me!\n\nWe had been given a wonderful vintage port for our wedding and had been saving it (in our wine cellar) for a few months.   The Quinta do Noval Nacional 1980 had been bought at a local store, as tore that is known for excellent prices but not necessarily the best storage conditions. \n\nOn a trip to Oporto, I was given a Grahams 1980 Vintage Port by the winery.  The wine had been kept at the winery in pristine conditions since it had been produced.\n\nGiven the stellar reputation of both wines, I was unsure which to serve first, but opted to put the Nacional second.\n\nAs we were pouring, I knew the order would have to change…the color of the Nacional was much paler, with tawny notes, while the Grahams still had a deep ruby, purple color. \n\nThe nose confirmed it:\nNacional:  Lovely cherry, floral nose, delicate with some volatile acidity.  Medium intensity.  Simple, but very attractive and appealing.\nGrahams:  Spicy, intense nose, with curry and chocolate, and lots of blackberry and blueberry fruit.  Not as attractive as the Nacional initially, but more impressive.\n\nFinally we tasted the wines:\nNacional:  Elegant, but light, raisiny notes, cherry fruit.  Long finish, with hay notes.  With air more cherry fruit comes out…but the impression remains of fading softness.\nGrahams:  Intense mouth, with layers if chocolate, leather, cedar and black fruit.  The alcohol stands out a little.  Very long, sweet, fruity finish.  Remarkably youthful.\n\nTo conclude:\nNacional:  In some ways more drinkable, elegant and soft, but very evolved and on the decline already…showing signs of oxidation.\nGrahams:  never will be as elegant as the Nacional…still a bit of a brute, but fantastic complexity in the mouth…definitely much more life to come for it. \n\nBoth wines were excellent, but the Nacional was definitely too far along in it\'s life span for a 1980….and was quite a let down after my huge expectations.   Though 1980 is not considered quite on a par with other top vintages, the tasting notes I have read from others on this vintage shows this Nacional was definitely mistreated during its long storage.  The wine store our friends bought it from is known for high turn-over and excellent prices on recent vintage, but I am always wary of buying older vintages there.  Their storage area is not always maintained at the proper temperature and the store front has often been without proper air conditioning during the hot Madrid summer months. \n\nThough port may be more robust than some wines, it too is vulnerable to heat!    So if your are buying older vintages for your Christmas drinking....source them carefully!\n  ','Wine Storage Conditions Really Matter...or two contrasting 1980 vintage ports','','inherit','open','open','','126-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:27:07','2012-10-01 05:27:07','',126,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/126-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(439,1,'2012-10-01 05:28:12','2012-10-01 05:28:12','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/le-petit-bistro.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant:  Le Petit Bistrot\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/le-petit-bistro.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Restaurant:  Le Petit Bistrot\" /></a>Love Spanish food, but often it\'s really nice to branch out a little.  French food is always a good option, but it\'s hard in Madrid to find authentic bistrot food…and impossible at a good price. \n\nA great French bistrot experience <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\"></a>can be found at Le Petit Bistrot. \nTwo locations: \nCalle Ponzano, 60\nPlaza Matute, 5\n<a href=\"http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/\">http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/</a>\n\nThe menu is classic bistrot…check out the web site for a complete list.  The food is seasonal though so the menu varies.  We started with some escargot in garlic sauce, some fired brie croquettes and a baked goat cheese salad.  All were excellent.  I hadn\'t had escargots is ages…everything tastes so good int hat garlic butter sauce!   The salad was really memorable…a great mix of greens, some jamon bits, a huge slice of baked goat\'s cheese…all topped with the typical French vinaigrette that I love.\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\" /></a>The main courses were equally well done:  Duck magret with boletus mushrooms, a classic and delicious steak tartare, a smoky sweet duck confit, and perfectly seared fresh foie with caramelized apple.  These are some tricky dishes, but all of them were really well executed. \nThe desserts were maybe the best of all:  a lovely tarte tatin, a spiced hot chocolate soup with ice cream and the piece de resistance…one of those chocolate bouchon cakes…firm on the outside…meltingly chocolately on the inside!  These are the type of elaborate desserts that you have to order at the beginning of the meal to give them time to prepare them!\n\nThe wine list is so interesting…a wide selection of little known French producers at very reasonable prices.  We enjoyed an outstanding AOC Jasnières (Chenin Blanc from the Loire) from the producer Kharaktêr, followed by a very good Côte du Rhône Villages (Rochegude) from Vinumentis. \n\nThe service was excellent, really attentive, by an all-French staff.  The décor is very intimate, smoky bistrot-style. \nReally my only complaint the whole night was the bread…very mediocre…should be easy to fix!\n\nBest of all is the price:  for all this we paid only 35 euros per person!  In Madrid it is hard to beat that for this quality and complexity of food.  The best deal is to come at lunch and get the 3 course menu del dia for about 18 euros.  Even the more pricy items are available on the menu del dia for a supplement.\n\nI shall return whenever I am craving delicious French comfort food!','Great French food, good prices, at Le Petit Bistrot','','inherit','open','open','','108-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:28:12','2012-10-01 05:28:12','',108,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/108-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(440,1,'2007-06-17 12:56:00','2007-06-17 12:56:00','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/wine-fountain-irache.jpg\" title=\"Irache Wine Fountain\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/quaderna-via-scenery.jpg\" title=\"Cuaderna Via scenery\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/quaderna-via-scenery.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Cuaderna Via scenery\" /></a>Though we often go to Basque country, I had never been to nearby Navarra, and I really wanted to visit wine country there. At an enotourism conference in Madrid, Miguel and I met the dynamic Director of Enotourism for the new winery project, Pago de Larrainzar. Marian San Martin not only encouraged us to visit the winery, located near Estella in Navarra, but also agreed to set up a visit to other wineries in the area. Just a week later, we were heading over the vertiginous mountain roads that separate Basque country from Navarra.Navarra is making some really high quality, exciting, and experimental wines, but has been unable, so far, to project a cohesive image…both in terms of wine styles and a wine region to visit. It also labours under the burden of being right next door to big brother, Rioja, which still dominates the Spanish wine scene. Rioja is the prime destination for wine visitors to the area, and not enough make the extra effort to visit the remarkable wine region just up the road. Though once seen as producing wines similar to Rioja, Navarra is, little by little creating its own wine identity!\n\nOur trip was centered around the lovely town of Estella, a quaint town of 13,000, right on the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrimage route. Such a small town, yet it has 13 beautiful churches! Estella is mid-distance between Pamplona and Logroño, about an hour drive from either. Marian took us on a wonderful walking tour around the town, which was bustlin<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/quaderna-via-txoko.jpg\" title=\"Cuaderna Via Txoko\"></a>g…locals and pilgrims shared the busy streets.\nNext we headed to the Irache Monastery, which is close to Pago de Larrainzar. There is a project afoot to turn this wonderful old monastery into a Parador! When this happens, this will be a real asset to the wineies in the region.\nImmediately next to the monastery is the winery, Bodegas Irache, which is known for its good value, easy-drinking wines. It is most famous, however, for its wine fountain, which offers free wine to the passing pilgrims...yes, free wine! They had to put a camera to prevent people coming with gallon jugs and filling them! The wine is a young basic red, but very drinkable, though I suspect the pilgrims more appreciate the neighboring water fountain!\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/wine-fountain-irache.jpg\" title=\"Irache Wine Fountain\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/wine-fountain-irache.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Irache Wine Fountain\" /></a> On to Pago de Larrainzaga, an ambitious new winery created by the Canalejo-Larrainzar family. See my separate article on this ambitious, state of the art wine project!\nAfter a wonderful lunch, graciously offered to us at Pago de Larrainzar, Marian took us to a couple of other local wineries in the area.\nThe first was Castillo de Monjardin, which is especially known for its cool weather Chardonnays. The winery is traditional in its lay out and has an excellent restaurant on the premises, making for a complete enotourism experience!\nWe were given a knowledgeable tour in English, followed by a tasting of a couple of wines. The un-oaked Chardonnay was particularly impressive…quite full bodied, with intense fruit…a lot of quality for 5 euros! They make an excellent range of Chardonnays…un-oak, aged over lees, and oak….all very reasonably priced.\nOur final visit was to one of the largest organic wine producers in Spain...this is not saying a lot…it\'s actually a very small winery, almost 500,000 liters capacity. Organic has not taken off here in Spain yet. Quaderna Via is also one of the most impressive enotourism projects I\'ve seen in Spain!\nThe winery is run by a dynamic pair of brothers, who are impressively professional and ambitious. We were guided by the wine-making brother, Raúl, who showed us some of the wineries more unique aspects. Several things struck me….their goal is to produce, inexpensive, high quality wines and to sell most of them through export and directly from the winery. They already received over 5000 visits a year…very impressive in this part of the country! They offer a complete visit: the visit starts in their multi-media organic viticulture display that, step-by-step, describes what goes into making an organic wine. Then, an in depth visit of the compact winery. Finally a wonderful tasting in the huge, rustic upstairs tasting area that doubles as a Basque-style Txoko, or informal dining hall. A group can plan for a wonderful local meal right in the winery if they want to make a full day of it!\nQuaderna Via is also the only winery in Spain to offer a hot-air balloon ride over the vineyards. Their tractor operator was sent to balloonist school and now operates the winery\'s balloon!\nThe wines are wonderful, juicy wines, made from both local and imported varieties. The value is outstanding! The range runs from a basic joven wine, through crianza, to an excellent reserve wine. The most interesting wine for the wine aficionado is the Quaderna Via Especial, a red coupage of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is barrel-fermented in 300 liter barrels, then subsequently aged in the same barrels. It is unique!\nThe day we were there, a group of Swedes were spending the whole day, including dinner…they had driven all the way from Sweden by bus!  <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/quaderna-via-txoko.jpg\" title=\"Cuaderna Via Txoko\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/quaderna-via-txoko.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Cuaderna Via Txoko\" /></a>\n\nQuaderna Via\'s double focus has really worked for them…they export most of their production and sell the rest directly at the winery to the hundreds of tourists that come through their doors!\n\nI was very impressed with the area, these wineries are really forging ahead, creating great quality wines at all price points. Most importantly, they are really focused on enotourism…they are way ahead in their attitude in this area. They understand that wineries in the area must band together to create an attractive viticultural destination for the growing number of tourists visiting Spain to discover its gastronomy and wines!','Places: Navarra Wine Country','','inherit','open','open','','52-revision','','','2007-06-17 12:56:00','2007-06-17 12:56:00','',52,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/52-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(441,1,'2012-10-01 05:33:22','2012-10-01 05:33:22','<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGSE8iMXZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/rbgGrU7jEXI/s1600-h/taberneros1.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGSE8iMXZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/rbgGrU7jEXI/s200/taberneros1.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>Calle Santiago, 9\nHours: from 1300-1600 and 2030 to 0000, closed on Mondays\nTel: 91 542 2160\n\nIf Casa Lucas is my most favorite wine bar in Madrid (see my previous article), Taberneros is definitely in my top three.\nI hadn\'t been there in a while so I was happy to return there a couple fo weeks ago. We don\'t get there enough….it\'s located close to Plaza Mayor, but on the opposite side of the Cava Baja area, where we most often go.\nThe first nice thing you notice about Taberneros is its size, which is much larger than most wine bars. They don\'t take reservations, but as long as you arrive by 9PM, you should be fine.\nThe food is very good, as is the wonderful wine list. The by-the-glass wine program is excellent, though we almost always end up getting bottles.\nWe had a typical sampling the other night:\n1. Salmorejo: a thick type of gazpacho with garlic. Very nice version…good consistency and rich tomato flavour…it had an appealing touch of sweetness.\n2. Scallops: Scallops are expensive and hard to come by in Spain L! Taberneros offers a very nice dish, finely diced vegetables, sautéed until very soft…topped with slices of barely cooked scallop with a smooth béchamel sauce. Light on scallops, but intense flavors.\n3. Cecina: This is cured beef…a super elegant version of beef jerky. The cured beef is sliced paper thin, arranged on platter, sprinkled with sea salt and topped with top notch olive oil. Wonderful combination! Cecina is often horrible, tough, dry…really like beef jerky, so this is a treat.\n4. Grilled venison loin with berry sauce and pumpkin. Very nice preparation, though deer is not one of my favourite meats.\n5. Rice with clams and crawfish: a soupy rice with tiny clams and chuks of crayfish. Very nice but very subtle.\n6. Fried eggs with Galician potatoes and truffle. This was my favourite of the main courses. Gourmet comfort food. The Galician potatoes have a slightly firmed consistency and paired beautifully with the runny, farm-fresh eggs. The chunks of truffle, some great olive oil and sea salt brought it all together. Outstanding…\n\nI always try new wines in Taberneros…they know their wines and can easily recommend something.\nThe first wine we had was a favourite from DO Cigales, a little known Denominacion near Ribera del Duero…north west of Madrid. The wine was Traslanzas 2001. The winemaker, Ana Martin, is one of my favorites, a \"driving winemaker\" who makes wines around Spain. Translanzas is one of the top wines in a region that is still up and coming. It is made from old-vine Tempranillo and comes across initially as closed in the nose. Later plums and black cherry shoes through. Intense mouth, huge structure…big tannins. Needs lots of air, but rewards you.\n<a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGR0MiMXYI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Jcxo1KbVJEE/s1600-h/Penedes+Pares+Balta+Hisenda+Miret+2005.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGR0MiMXYI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Jcxo1KbVJEE/s200/Penedes+Pares+Balta+Hisenda+Miret+2005.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nThe new wine that night was a really original Garnache (Grenache) from the winery Parés Baltá in DO Penedés, Catalunya. It was called Hisenda Miret 2005. Very fresh nose…almost put me off at first. Intense cranberry, cherry and anis. Lean and fresh mouth, with bracing acidity and tight cherry fruit. Really long finish with smooth tannins. Didn\'t show its alcohol level of 14.5% at all! Really original!\nReally original…I\'m liking more and more of those Penedés reds!','Places: Taberneros Wine Bar','','inherit','open','open','','46-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:33:22','2012-10-01 05:33:22','',46,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/46-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(442,1,'2012-10-01 05:33:41','2012-10-01 05:33:41','<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZdEJyhnpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/BfLM8_6JWWI/s1600-h/Extebarri+front+with+church.jpg\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZdEJyhnpI/AAAAAAAAAGU/BfLM8_6JWWI/s200/Extebarri+front+with+church.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></a>Address: <div>Axpe, Vizcaya<br />Basque Country (near Bilbao)<br />Tel: 91 365 0804<br /><br />Etxebarri is hot at the moment! It seems to be everywhere I look. It has been featured all over Spanish press recently as it\'s owner/cook Bittor Arginzoniz has been voted one of the top chefs in Spain this year. It has also made its way into international press, featuring in both Food and Wine magazine and most recently Time magazine.<br /><br />I had no idea this restaurant was going to become so high profile when we picked it early in 2006 as the reception site for our September 2006 wedding. I just knew I didn\'t want my wedding in a hotel setting, but rather in a more authentic Basque setting. I also wanted outstanding food and wine. We found all those things at Etxebarri.<br /><br />The restaurant had been since the early 90s and ahs been a local favourite for some time, but it is only recently that Bittor has been recognized for his innovative cooking techniques with the grill. The grill is the heart of the restaurant…it is specially designed to allow for perfect grilling control. Bittor grills everything…and I mean everything! He even invented special grill instruments to allow him to grill tiny things such as caviar or elvers (baby eels)!<br /><br />The setting is magical, nestled in Axpe valley amongst the Basque hills. The location<a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZc1pyhnoI/AAAAAAAAAGM/LjXqzLzKl_0/s1600-h/Etxebarri+view+from+terrace.jpg\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZc1pyhnoI/AAAAAAAAAGM/LjXqzLzKl_0/s200/Etxebarri+view+from+terrace.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></a> seems completely remote, yet it is only a 20 minute drive from Bilbao. The restaurant is beautiful, a traditional 300 yr old Basque caserio converted into an elegant restaurant where modern and traditional elements fuse perfectly. The décor is elegant and simple, yet warm and inviting. Most importantly the basic stemware is Reidel!! The new line of stemless glassware \"O\" is used for water glasses (much better than for wine!) The service is outstanding, efficiently managed by a team of highly professional ladies who have worked at the restaurant for years.<br /><br />The overall experience is top notch, but the real top reason to make the trip is the incredible food!<br /><br />Recently we returned again to Etxebarri and were again blown away by the cuisine. One new dish we tried this time was grilled oysters: a delicate and exquisite version fo this dish. The ouster are shucked and removed form the shells. All membranes are removed so just the perfect core remains. The oyster juice is reserved in a spray bottle and is used to keep the oysters moist as they grill for just a couple of minutes each side. Tender seaweed is also grilled until it gets a smoky quality and the oysters are presented on a bed of these. Totally simple, but at the same time shockingly original. The delicate, briny flavour of the just cooked oysters blends perfectly with the smoky grilled notes. The contrast in textures between the melt-in-your-mouth oyster and the seaweed is also surprising.<br /><br />This is just a small example of the type of elaborate, yet simple cuisine at Etxebarri. For those of you not tempted by what I describe above…there are also some of the best grilled steaks in all of Spain!<br /><br />The menu changes frequently, especially the starters. The main courses are always based on simply grilled fish and steaks. Other outstanding dishes we\'ve tried there include:<br />Grilled monkfish (actually any grilled fish)<br />Lobster salad (tender lobster over bitter greens and tomato marinated in orange vinaigrette)<br />Txangurro (crab done Basque style, with brandy and cream)<br />Home-made chorizo (really home-made and really excellent)<br />Grilled herring fillets with zucchini (perfect to convert those who think they don\'t like herrings!)<br />Anchovies with fire-roasted peppers (another dish so good that it can convert anchovy-haters!)<br /><a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZckJyhnnI/AAAAAAAAAGE/5mq50KOzaHA/s1600-h/Etxebarri+inside.jpg\"><img style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RgZckJyhnnI/AAAAAAAAAGE/5mq50KOzaHA/s200/Etxebarri+inside.jpg\" border=\"0\" /></a><br />The wine-list is short, but well-selected. With our last meal we had Roda II, the second wine from the Rioja winery Roda. A very modern Rioja: big cherry fruit, lively acidity and excellent French oak. Really nice with our perfectly grilled steaks!<br /><br />The desserts are excellent and elaborate, but my favourite is one of the most simple: A wonderful sweet cheese ice cream made for the local Idiazabal cheese, served in a puddle of perfect sweet-tart wild berry coulis. Outstanding!</div>','Places: Etxebarri Restaurant--Innovative Grilling in Basque Country','','inherit','open','open','','45-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:33:41','2012-10-01 05:33:41','',45,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/45-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(443,1,'2012-10-01 05:34:03','2012-10-01 05:34:03','<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfve14tp4EI/AAAAAAAAAF8/32QhH26hojs/s1600-h/Bierzo+Tares+Cepas+Viejas.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfve14tp4EI/AAAAAAAAAF8/32QhH26hojs/s200/Bierzo+Tares+Cepas+Viejas.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>Confusing title perhaps, but I want to give tasting notes on one of my favourite Bierzo wines in very different vintages and also describe how that same wine is being altered for export to the US.\n\nBierzo is producing many outstanding red wines from the excellent indigenous grape Mencía. The region is very hot…producers from all over Spain are buying vineyards there. The top end wines are winning recognition from national and international wine critics. The prices, though still reasonable, are rising quickly. There are still a few great bargains…one of them is Cepas Viejas from the winery Dominio de Tares.\n\nI have a soft spot for this wine...it was one of the wines at our wedding last September. The wine in the wedding was the 2003…now the 2004 is on the market.\n\nCepas Viejas is 100% Mencía and is aged about 9 months in American and French oak. It costs about 10€ here in Spain. 2003 was a very hot year…quite difficult in many parts of Spain. 2004 was generally a better year, dry but with less heat.\n\nWe only have a few bottles of the 2003 left and I like to put it in tastings against the 2004. The other day, the 2003 won again…it seems to be in its perfect moment for drinking now. It is at its peak and will not improve significantly, but it is holding on very well. The 2004 is still a brute, powerful and intense, but with some rough edges. I have already seen it improve in bottle since its release in fall 2006, but it still has a ways to go. The 2003 vintage made a lot of smooth, fruity, easily approachable wines, but many are not aging well. The Cepas Viejas 2003 is following that pathway, extremely pleasurable now, but definitely with a shorter lifespan than the 2004. The 2003 was far more approachable 8 months after release than the 2004 is today.\n\nCepas Viejas 2003: Vanilla cherry yogurt nose. Smooth mouth with cherry-vanilla, a hint of celery, clove. Tannins provide just a touch of grip but are very rounded. Very long fruit finish, like a cherry pie. Not a sharp edge. Still holding up well after 2 hours in glass.\n\nCepas Viejas 2004: milky, closed nose. Mineral with some cherry notes as it opens. Intense mouth, impressive structure, with very present tannins that are good quality, but need some polishing. Fresh cherry fruit in mouth. All angles still, but has lots of potential. With some time in glass…opened a lot.\n\nThe winery, Dominio de Tares, was one of the trendsetters in Bierzo, and has received acclaim form many international critics. Some of their other wines include:\nEntry level wine with a few months of oak: Baltos (5€)\nReserva level wine: Bembimbre (20€)\nAlta Expresion or Designer wine: P3 (45€)\n\nAll are very good. <a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfvel4tp4DI/AAAAAAAAAF0/U0_SfCGciuU/s1600-h/Bierzo+Tares+Exaltos.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rfvel4tp4DI/AAAAAAAAAF0/U0_SfCGciuU/s200/Bierzo+Tares+Exaltos.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\n\nThe Cepas Viejas has been exported for some time to the US, but since 2003, the winery has done a separate label for the export wine….see the picture to the right! What a difference!\nEven the name is changed: Exaltos instead of Cepas Viejas! Since 2004 the wine inside the Exaltos is actually different. Many wineries in Spain are now tweaking their export wines to better suit American palates. The Exaltos has 9 months in 100% French oak while the Cepas Viejas has 9 months in a mixture of American and French oak. Studies have shown that, ironically, the American palate much prefers the flavour French oak!!! If only those \"Freedom Fry\" people knew that!\n\nWhen I get my hands on the 2004 Exaltos…I\'ll contrast it with the 2004 Cepas Viejas!\n\nSo remember when you taste some of those great Spanish wines arriving on American shores, you may be getting a different wine than what we are tasting here!','Two Vintages of Bierzo or...tailoring wines for export','','inherit','open','open','','44-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:34:03','2012-10-01 05:34:03','',44,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/44-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(444,1,'2007-02-20 01:36:00','2007-02-19 23:36:00','<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rdo1MCUiJtI/AAAAAAAAAEU/yQWpvjEFSb8/s1600-h/Portugal+Esporao+Reserva+2002.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rdo1MCUiJtI/AAAAAAAAAEU/yQWpvjEFSb8/s200/Portugal+Esporao+Reserva+2002.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>We recently returned to La Cumbre, a great tavern in Pozuelo, that has all sorts of traditional food. My favourite thing there are the torreznos, which is freshly fried pork rinds. Calling them pork rinds is not doing them justice. They are juicy, thick bits of pork skin, with bits of sea salt…crunchy, moist, salty, and greasy all at once. Who knew something so disgusting in theory good be so sublime in your mouth!\n\nThey have a nice wine list in La Cumbre and we had a coupe of great bottles. A wonderful Ribera del Duero that we have often: Emilio Moro. Also the great wine that follows: Esporao Reserva.\n\nWe visited the winery a few years ago…it\'s not far off the freeway between Madrid and Lisbon…soon after you pass the border into Portugal. It\'s a hot region, both in weather and in terms of wines. Some of Portugal\'s most expensive red table wines are made here. The area took off 10 years ago, leading the way in Portugal\'s wine revolution. Since then, rivals have sprung up throughout Portugal, but Alentejo still makes some great wine. They can be pricy and hard to find in Spain, but this wine is inexpensive and very easy to find in Spain!\n\nWine: Esporaõ Reserva Tinto 2002\nWinery: Herdade do Esporaõ\nAppellation: DOC Alentejo Reguengos\nAlc: 14%\nGrape variety: 30% Trincadeira, 40% Aragones, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon\nOak regime: 1 year in American oak followed by 1 year bottle aging\nPrice: 13€\n\nTasting notes:\nVisual: Fairly pale garnet color…showing quite a bit of evolution for a 2002\nNose: At first a little closed but then tons of sweet blueberry and vanilla. Fairly simple, but so appealing!\nMouth: So smooth with tons of sweet blueberry and vanilla…good acidity. Perhaps a little mono-dimensional, but very attractive. Soft tannins…finish is super long, with the blueberry dominating it.\nFood: This wine goes great with all sorts of food. It stands up to many things, but is so smooth that it dominates none. We had eggs with asparagus and shrimp, peppers stuffed with fish and shrimp, grilled vegetables etc.\n\nConclusion: If I think about this wine too much, I realize that it is not a very serious wine. But this is not a wine to be thought about. It offers a purely hedonistic experience….sexy and smooth…so seductive. It is great on its own or with lots of foods. Even the label is appealing...the artwork changes every year! Not for aging…perfect now…though it will maintain for a while. A couple more recent vintages are already on the market.','Wine Rating: Portugal Esporao Reserva 2002','','inherit','open','open','','41-revision','','','2007-02-20 01:36:00','2007-02-19 23:36:00','',41,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/41-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(445,1,'2012-10-01 05:38:55','2012-10-01 05:38:55','This is a matching I had to do for El Mundo newspaper here in Spain.  They picked 5 champagnes and five chocolates and had me match them.  Four of the pairs matched up naturally, the final one was a bit trickier, mainly due to trouble matching any of the chocolates with the Piper Heidsieck.  Following is the rite up I did for them…with a few modifications!<br /><br />Matching chocolate and champagne has often been considered a classic.  In my experience, this is a generalization and, in fact, matching champagne and chocolate can be a real challenge!  This tasting was a fascinating experience, opening my eyes to new matches I hadn\'t considered and confirmed some of the excellent matches I expected. Each champagne and each chocolate brought an exciting depth of flavors to the table. <br /><br />Some basic conclusions:  simple chocolates and simpler champagnes are easier to match, and they match well together.  Rose champagnes, very fruity and vinous, are easier to match with most food, chocolate included.   White chocolate is easier to match than others, especially dark, bitter chocolate.   In general, matching is quite complicated…the easiest thing is to drink a champagne you love and eat a chocolate you love!<br /><br />Pair #1<br /><br />Champagne:  Ruinart Brut Rosé<br />Chocolate:  Serenity Milk Chocolate with bitter orange, lime blossom and rice crisps<br /><br />Two very complex products that match each other perfectly! The champagne\'s strawberry and toast notes, and great acidity matches wonderfully with the complex, orange and herbal flavors in the chocolate.  The vinous roundness and full bodied mouth of the champagne pairs wonderfully with the crunchy texture of the puffed rice crunch in the chocolate.  Generally loved this chcocolate!<br /><br />Pair #2<br /><br />Champagne:  Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque brut 1998<br />Chocolate:  Crujiente blanco y coco<br /><br />This is a match made in champagne and chocolate heaven!  The toasty coconut and smooth, milky white chocolate flavors pair perfectly with this complex and subtle champagne, where toasty crianza notes dominate.   The fresh citric fruit of the champagne also helps tame the very sweet nature and crunch of the white chocolate.<br /><br />Pair #3<br /><br />Champagne:  Billecart Salmon Rosé<br />Chocolate:  Cacao Sampaka Dark Chocolate 70%<br /><br />Dark chocolate can be a challenge to match as it is so bitter and intense, but this complex rosé champagne is up to the task!  The pleasantly bitter cocoa notes match wonderfully with the acidity and raspberry notes in the wine.  Both the chocolate and champagne have subtle smoky notes that complement each other beautifully. <br /><br />Pair #4<br /><br />Champagne:  Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge<br />Chocolate:  White Chocolate Fondu<br /><br />The most pure and simple flavors often match really well!   The candied lemon fruit and great acidity of the champagne contrast yet compliment perfectly the very sweet, smooth and creamy flavour and texture of the white chocolate fondu.  A strawberry or other fruit dipped in the chocolate fondu would enhance this match even more!<br /><br />Pair #5<br /><br />Champagne:  Piper Heidsieck Brut<br />Chocolate:  Lindt Milk Chocolate<br /><br />This one match was my least favourite, though it wasn\'t bad...my least favorite chocolate too!  The sweet, milky and caramel notes of the milk chocolate match with the baked and fresh apple notes in the champagne:  like a candied apple!  The chocolate is very sweet and the good acidity in the champagne contrasts nicely.','Wine and Food Matching: Chocolate and Champagne','','inherit','open','open','','40-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:38:55','2012-10-01 05:38:55','',40,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/40-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(446,1,'2007-02-09 01:13:00','2007-02-08 23:13:00','<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RcuxHiUiJsI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Sz7Y7s9FLs8/s1600-h/France+Clape+Renaissance+2003.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RcuxHiUiJsI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Sz7Y7s9FLs8/s200/France+Clape+Renaissance+2003.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>I have a great new tasting group: all of them are studying for the WSET Diploma or Master of Wine exams. Technically I am not…I have finished the WSET, but I don\'t plan on trying for the Master of Wine for a couple more years. It\'s so great to find a group that knows so much and who wants to do some serious tasting!\n\nSyrah is such a great grape: native to France, a very important grape in Australia, and a growing in popularity in numerous other countries. Twenty years ago it was very unfashionable, but now it is all the rage. Generally Syrah makes very dark, peppery, spicy, and tannic red wines. They are also known for smoky and floral qualities. Depending on provenance and quality, there are huge exceptions to this rule. It needs warm sites, but too warm and it loses some of its aromatic qualities. France makes a wide range: from mono-varietal wines in the marginal northern Rhone to very warm sites in Languedoc, where Syrah is multiplying rapidly as a top quality blending grape. Australia, second in acreage after France, makes an even wider range, including some very nice port-style wines and some great red sparkling wines!\n\nWe tried 11 different Syrahs blind from around the world...a huge challenge in Madrid where the selection of foreign wines is tiny. I also tried to get a wide range of styles and quality levels.\n\nOverall, I was very disappointed with the top end French wines, blown away by our one Australian top-end wine and very pleasantly surprised by the Argentinean and Spanish Syrahs. The one Californian wine was nice, but forgettable and the South African was distinctly South African, with bretty, animal notes that I often see in Pinotages. The cheapest wines, whether from Australia or France, were pretty simple, but drinkable. We saw a lot of the typical qualities of Syrah in these wines, but the tasting also confirmed that provenance and style can greatly alter the grape variety.\n\nBelow the best and the major disappointments:\n\nFrance\n\nJean Luc Colombo - Saint Joseph Les Lauves - 2001 - 25€ (Spain)\nComments: Really disappointing…apple, pepper, smoke, but really thin and extremely evolved in appearance and flavors. Most of the tasters thought it was much older.\n\nDomaine Clusel Roche - Cote Rotie - 2000 - 100% Syrah - 32€ (Spain)\nComments: Much more complex than the St Joseph, with tobacco, smoke, carnations, but still disappointing, quite vegetal and light bodied, very evolved already.\n\nAuguste Clape - Renaissance - 2003 - 33€ (Spain)\nComments: Better here, but very atypical in mouth, especially for a Cornas. Nice nose of cranberry, raspberry, and molasses. Huge, fruit bomb mouth, big tannins, fruit, good acid…very new world mouth. Confused tasting group.\n\nAustralia\n<a href=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rcuw9SUiJrI/AAAAAAAAAD4/xpI6oBwdcI0/s1600-h/Australia+Langhi+Shiraz+2000.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rcuw9SUiJrI/AAAAAAAAAD4/xpI6oBwdcI0/s200/Australia+Langhi+Shiraz+2000.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nMount Langi Ghiran (in the Grampians area of Victoria) - Langi Shiraz - 2000 - 34€ (Spain)\nComments: This was the winner by a mile! Stunning wine…I was blown away…it\'s been so long since I had top level Aussie Shiraz! Eucalyptus, smoke, anis, spice, and cherry nose. Great mouth: tobacco, fresh acids, super long finish, nice tannins. Very youthful. I tasted is many hours later and it kept getting better!\n\nArgentina\n\nBodegas Salentein - Syrah - 2003 - 16€ (Spain)\nComments: Really nice fruit…liqueur plum and anise, with spice, high alcohol. Fairly simple mouth, but very pleasant, smooth…very drinkable.\n\nSpain\n\nViñas del Vero (Somontano) - Las Coronas Syrah - 2004 - 12,50€ (Spain)\nComments: Very nice….I am not always a fan of Spanish Syrah! Very new world, with gobs of fruit, vanilla, spice, oak. In the mouth, the oak perhaps dominated a little, but nice, very long.','Tasting: Syrah around the world','','inherit','open','open','','39-revision','','','2007-02-09 01:13:00','2007-02-08 23:13:00','',39,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/39-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(447,1,'2012-10-01 05:40:33','2012-10-01 05:40:33','<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rb0K4aF6DqI/AAAAAAAAADA/IOUyBRjuj6Y/s1600-h/Wine+and+cheese+matching.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rb0K4aF6DqI/AAAAAAAAADA/IOUyBRjuj6Y/s320/Wine+and+cheese+matching.JPG\" style=\"display:block;cursor:hand;text-align:center;margin:0 auto 10px;\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Rb0KfaF6DpI/AAAAAAAAACw/Y7EvU7UQ-ug/s1600-h/Wine+and+cheese+matching.JPG\"></a>Another great tasting to give this weekend: Matching wine and cheese. A classic, but a difficult classic as they can actually be quite challenging to match! I picked five wines from different categories and five very different cheeses. The wines were as follows:1. DO Cava - Bodega Raventos i Blanc - Elisabet Raventos - Reserva - Brut - 2000 - 60% Xarel.lo, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Monastrell - 4 years aging on lees, 6,5g/l residual sugar - 12% - 18 euros\n\nOne of my favorite cavas! Very champagne like: elegant toasty fruit and very subtle, fine bubbles. Has some chardonnay which is very trendy in many cavas right now, but also has some Monastrell (Mourvedre), which is very unusual.\nThis cave is very wine-like, very versatile to match and great value.\n\n2. DO Cava - Bodegas Cordoniú - Cava Rosado Brut - NV - 100% Pinot Noir - 24 months of aging on lees, 6-8g/l residual sugar - 12% - 10 euros\n\nRosé cava is so versatile with food! This a simple, but very bright cava, with nice strawberry fruit and some little toasty lees notes. For drinking I much prefer the complexity and elegance of the Raventos, but for the cheese matching I have to give it by a league to the Cordoniu! It matched so well with so many of the cheeses.\n\n3. DO Rueda - Bodegas Aura - Aura - 2005 - 100% Verdejo - no oak - 13.5% - 5 euros\n\nThis is a great example of what Rueda has to offer: Lemon and gooseberry fruit with great acidity and a refreshingly slight bitterness on the long finish. All that for 5€! I really think Verdejo is a fantastic grape, whether in this un-oaked version or in some of the fantastic oaked version that are becoming all the rage. A high quality, low-priced Rueda is available in every bar in Spain: I love that! This wine was the easiest of the match of the five wines: it went really well with four of the five cheeses.\n\n4. DO Bierzo - Bedegas Dominio de Tares - Cepas Viejas - 2004 - 100% Mencía (a wonderful local grape) - 9 months in French and American oak - 13.5% - 10 euros\n\nThis is one of my favorite Spanish wines at this price range…we put the 2003 version in our wedding! The 2004 is even better than the 2003, but last night I was a little disappointed. It seemed overly oaky when matched up with the cheeses….hopefully it was just a phase. Didn\'t realy match well with any cheeses, other than the goats cheese! Mencía is a fantastic grape and some great wines are coming out of Bierzo.\n\n5. DO Malaga Transañejo - Bodegas Lopez Hermanos - Don Juan Pedro Ximenez - NV - 100% Pedro Ximenez - at least 30 years aging in barrel, 300g/l residual sugar - 17% - 18 euros (375 ml)\n\nI appreciate intellectually the great Pedro Ximenez (PX) wines of Spain, but I actually don\'t like them that much. They are often too syrupy and cloying for me. Give me a dry 30 year old Oloroso instead any day! But this PX from Malaga is very nice, with a bracing streak of acidity to balance what is still a whoppingly sweet wine. Very nice coffee, fig, and raisin nose. Obviously was fantastic with our blue cheese, but wasn\'t too bad with some of the other stronger cheeses. In fact, here in Spain, I\'ve discovered that Amontillado sherry matches extremely well with aged Manchego cheese.\n\nFor the cheeses I picked a varied international selection…most of the customers were Spanish, and I wanted them to try some new cheeses for them. Spain has wonderful cheeses, around 100, but cheese is not part of the culture here as it is in France. Cheese (almost always Manchego or a similar cheese) is served as an appetizer, usually over-shadowed by the fantastic cured ham products. Some high end restaurants are offering artesanal cheese plates, but most Spanish people are not even familiar with the rich variety of artesanal Spanish cheese, let alone international ones.\n\n1. France: Coulommiers - Ile de France (Paris) - no AOC - raw cows milk - 4-6 week curing period\n\nNice substitute for Brie de Meaux, which was not available. Virtually identical to Brie, with a wonderful creamy, mushroomy texture and flavor. Customers really appreciated it, though some found it too strong...preferering the snatized supermarket Brie. Matched really well with the rosé Cava and the white Verdejo.\n\n2. France: St Maure - Touraine (Loire Valley) - AOC cheese - raw goats milk with ash rind - 2-8 week curing period\n\nBlew everyone\'s socks off…it was the majority\'s favorite cheese of the night! Spanish goat cheese is best in Catalonia, but it can\'t compete with the Loire goat cheeses. Sharp, acidic goats milk contrasted perfectly with the ultra-creamy texture. It also was the most easily matched cheese, matching weel with almost all the wines.\n\n3. Spain: Idiazabal - Basque Country - DO cheese - raw, smoked sheeps milk - minumum 3 months aging\n\nI wanted to put a smoked cheese and Idiazabal is one of the best. A nice smoke, not excessive, balances with the buttery, nutty flavors of the cheese. Very difficult to match…the best match was the white Verdejo, but it wasn\'t ideal.\n\n4. Switzerland: Sbrinz - various cantons in central Switzerland - AOC cheese - raw cows milk - minimum aging 16 months, but usually 24 to 30 months\n\nA lovely mellow nutty cheese, that resembles Parmesan, but is less strong in flavor. Quite challenging to match, the rosé cava is the only one that did it for me.\n5. Spain: Valdeon - Castilla y Leon (Picos de Europa) - raw mixed milk (cow and gota) - minimum aging of 3 months in caves\n\nI love this blue cheese, an artesanal, very small production blue cheese from northern Spain. It so mellow and complex, earthy, creamy, with only slightly sharp blue notes. It is the perfect blue to convert people to blue, yet also complex enough for cheese lovers. Ideal with the PX wine, not bad with the red and the white too.\n\nConclusions:\n\nWe had a surprising consensus on many of the matches. A lot of the traditional matching rules went out the window. The most matching wines were: the white Verdejo, the rosé cava, and the white cava, in that order. Many people focus on red with cheeses, but in tasting after tasting, I\'ve found aromatic whites and rosés of all types to be the winners. Older cured cheeses are the hardest cheeses to match by far.','Wine and Food Matching: Cheese','','inherit','open','open','','36-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:40:33','2012-10-01 05:40:33','',36,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/36-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(448,1,'2012-10-01 05:40:55','2012-10-01 05:40:55','<img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RbkFIqF6DmI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Jl7M1OCi12U/s320/Casa+Lucas+1.JPG\" style=\"display:block;cursor:hand;text-align:center;margin:0 auto 10px;\" />\n\n<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RbkEJaF6DlI/AAAAAAAAACA/VMCCsP0h8sQ/s1600-h/Casa+Lucas+1.JPG\"></a>Calle Cava Baja, 30 (near Plaza Mayor)\nTel: 91 365 0804Though there are many great tapas bars in Madrid, there are a few that stand out. This wine bar is one of our favorites. It not only offers a very high quality wine list, but they also offer some amazing tapas. These are not your average tapas: some of them are quite unique.\nThere 12-14 wines by the glass on a chalkboard, and different wines are rotated in a on a regular basis. If your party is larger, the bottle wine list is quite outstanding. The staff is knowledgeable and can recommend wines with some confidence. Some of the staff speak English, but whoever you get, they are relaxed, friendly, and very helpful. These are the type of guys who remember you after a few visits!\nThe place is tiny…just a few tables and standing room...and it gets packed! If you want to sit and more comfortably try some of the tapas…go early! Early here means between 8 and 930 PM. They are open for lunch except Wednesdays, but I don\'t know how the crowd is...probably less.\nAs all tapas places in Spain…if you take one of the few tables, they expect you to order tapas, not just drinks.\n\nWe were in Casa Lucas with some friends last night. We had a couple of our usual tapas and an exciting new one.\n\nThe Cariñena tosta:\n\nOne of the regular tapas we always recommend is called Cariñena. It is toasted crusty bread topped with caramelized onions and a slice of grilled pork loin. Sea salt tops it off…so simple yet the flavors are perfect together.\nThis is a tapa you can find in other places…but Casa Lucas makes one of the best!\nThe pork in Spain is outstanding…very different than most of what we eat in the US. Try both the fresh and cured varieties. One breed of pig, the black footed Iberican pig, offers the best cured hams, as well as fresh pork cuts that are the other red meat! They have the same color as beef and are best cook either rare, or at least pink in the middle: yes pink pork!\n\nArroz cremoso con boletus, foie y huevo (Creamy rice with egg and foie):\n\nI have yet to taste anything quite like this any where else!\nThe Boletus infused creamy rice is topped with a slide of fresh pan-seared foie and a soft-poached egg. They are topped by a drizzle of basil oil and a red fruit coulis. To serve you cut up the foie and the egg in little bits and mix it into the rice thoroughly. The combination of flavors is stunning!\nSometimes when we bring new people there, they are initially put off by the foie and egg, but when they taste it…instant converts!\nBoletus is a type of wild mushroom that is one of the most expensive and coveted in Spain. It is almost always served alone, apart form other mushrooms, done in a very simple preparation. The flavors are very intense, earthy and smoky...love it!\n\nCarpaccio de pulpo con revolconas y bacon\n(Octopus carpaccio with mashed potatoes and bacon):\n\nThis was anew one for us…a seasonal offering on the chalkboard…I hope it stays for a while!\nThis is creamy mashed potatoes with loads of smoky Spanish paprika topped with ultra-thin slices of tender octopus. Over the top, olive oil and fried bacon bits. The combination of flavors, smoky bacon, paprika, with the great texture of the chunky mashed potatoes, was tremendous. The octopus was a subtle, succulent high note.\nThis original dish is a modern take on a very traditional Spanish dish from Galicia. Pulpo a Feira is sliced boiled potatoes with octopus slices topped with paprika, olive oil and sea salt. Octopus was something I ate with moderation before coming here, but Spanish octopus is so melt-in-your mouth that I eat it whenever I can get my hands on it!\n\nWine:\nThe wine we had with all this was a Vallegarcia Syrah 2003. It is a Vino de La Tierra de Castilla wine…in other words: La Mancha. Syrah in Spain is just picking up and I have yet to be impressed. Most of them are quite alcoholic with a simple Mediterranean fruit. This was no exception! Good length, but too simple for such a big wine…big was all that came across!','Places: Casa Lucas Wine Bar','','inherit','open','open','','34-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:40:55','2012-10-01 05:40:55','',34,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/34-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(449,1,'2007-01-19 01:02:00','2007-01-18 23:02:00','<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Ra_9ZqF6DjI/AAAAAAAAABs/f7vasgAoaqY/s1600-h/Australia+Yellow+Tail+CS+2004.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Ra_9ZqF6DjI/AAAAAAAAABs/f7vasgAoaqY/s200/Australia+Yellow+Tail+CS+2004.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a> An exciting week: I attended a very interesting tasting and presentation at Madrid Fusion on Biodynamic wines. 50 biodynamic wineries from around Europe attended and presented their wines. Nicolas Joly, one of the most passionate proponents of biodynamics, presented his ideas on the matter. It was a fascinating presentation and very timely as the concept is really growing here in Spain. The tasting was fascinating…some really interesting wines, some surprising dispointments too! I hope to post a full report this weekend!\n\nIn the meantime…at the office we ordered pizza delivered and I need to pick a cheap and cheerful to go with it. There are tons of cheap and cheerful in Spain, but whenever possible I like to try a foreign wine…so few chances arise!\n\nMany of you in the US and Australia will groan at a tasting note of the ubiquitous Yellowtail, but for me, here, in the total absence of non-Spanish wines...even Yellowtail is exciting!\n\nWine: Yellowtail Cabernet Sauvignon 2003\nWinery: Casella Wines\nAppellation: South Eastern Australia\nAlc: 13.5%\nGrape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon\nOak regime: ????\nPrice: Around 9 euros in Spain\n\nTasting notes:\nVisual: Nice youthful color\nNose: Intense fruit nose…red berries with a little spice…very jammy. Comes off a little hot despite 13.5% on label. Simple but attractive and very clean. Small touches of oak but the fruit is by far the most dominant feature.\nMouth: Smooth, juicy and simple. Loads of fruit with ridiculously soft tannins…is this Cabernet Sauvignon? Not hot in mouth. Nice jammy fruit lingers for a medium finish.\nFood: Excellent with the barbecued chicken pizza.\n\nRetaste: No retaste…we had it all…wouldn\'t have benefited from air!\n\nConclusion: Very good pizza wine! Easy to drink…very simple, but tasty. I can see why it\'s had massive popular success. Could do well in Spain eventually, but 9€ is considered expensive here!','Wine Rating: Australia Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon 2004','','inherit','open','open','','32-revision','','','2007-01-19 01:02:00','2007-01-18 23:02:00','',32,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/32-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(450,1,'2007-01-16 23:42:00','2007-01-16 21:42:00','<a href=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Ra1I2KF6DiI/AAAAAAAAABg/3oTFN5msjUE/s1600-h/Madeira+H%26H+Sercial.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Ra1I2KF6DiI/AAAAAAAAABg/3oTFN5msjUE/s200/Madeira+H%26H+Sercial.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>Madeira is a wonderful wine that is often misunderstood, certainly it is little known here in Spain. Whenever I am in Portugal, I try and stock up as it is very difficult to get much here. Recently, I was fortunate enough to taste a series of Madeiras from Henriques &amp; Henriques, one of the top Madeira producers. We tried 3 wines, all 10 yr old single varietal Madeira. The four noble varieties of Madeira are (from sweetest to driest): Malmsey, Bual, Verdelho, Sercial. Wine from the noble varieties must be aged at least 5 years and will indicate the age and grape variety on the label. As with all EU wines, 85% of the contents must be from the designated grape variety in order to put it on the label.\n\nThe noble varieties tend to be grown at different altitudes on the island, altitudes that are most suitable for the style of wine they make. For instance, Sercial, which is the driest style, is grown in the highest altitude vineyards.\n\nMany of the blended Madeiras, especially the less expensive are made from a number of lesser varieties that now dominate the vineyards, especially the most planted variety: Tinta Negra Mole.\n\nMadeiras are cooked wines and after being fortified, most are heated for several months in estufas that gently heat the wine. The best wines are left to age slowly in oak barrels on the roof, being naturally heated by the sun. This natural method is a much slower, more natural process that gives fresher, more elegant wines. Due to the oxidative nature of the wines and the heating process, these wines are virtually indestructible. Very old bottles can be bought without fear. The oldest wine I\'ve ever had was an 1865 Madeira…and it was fantastic!! They also stay very fresh for a long time once opened, which makes them an ideal bottle to have open for a pre-dinner or after dinner sip.\n\nMadeira wines are known for a tangy acidity that makes even the sweetest ones refreshing. They are also known for their caramel and orange peel notes that come from the aging process. Estufa-heated wines often have stronger notes of caramel than the naturally heated ones.\n\nI took a bottle of the Sercial home with me after our horizontal tasting and tasted it in detail. My detailed notes on the Sercial are followed by more brief notes on the Verdelho and Bual.\n\nWine: 10 yr old Sercial\nWinery: Henriques &amp; Henriques\nAppellation: Madeira, Portugal\nAlc: 20%\nGrape variety: Sercial\nOak regime: 10 years aging in oak\nPrice: Around 25 euros in Portugal\n\nTasting notes:\nVisual: Pale amber\nNose: Very intense nose…some volatile acidity, but overall very complex and attractive, with brown sugar, almond, marzipan, and orange peel.\nMouth: Off-dry, very smooth, bracing acidity…these are the first impressions. Very complex, orange peeel with a slight caramel…very tangy. Lingers endlessly in the mouth, with a slight, pleasant bitterness cleaning up the mouth.\nFood: This is certainly not a dessert wine…more of an aperitif wine with Spanish jamon and other tapas.\n\nConclusion: This Madeira is outstanding...complex, yet refreshing. I tasted this with an expert on Spanish sherries and he said the nose was similar to many Spanish fortified wines, but that the bracing acidity in the mouth set it apart. My favorite of the series! Rating: 9/10!\n\n10 yr old Verdelho: Next level up from Sercial in terms of sweetness. Medium amber color. Nuts and orange peel, rubber, and a touch of raisin. Very complex, long mouth…a touch more bitter at the finish than the Sercial. Rating: 8/10\n\n10 yr old Bual: Sweetest of this tasting…only the Malmsey Madeiras are sweeter. Not very sweet overall…I would still not pair this with many desserts. Medium-dark amber color. Raisin notes dominate the nose, also notes of hazelnut and candied orange peel, caramel and coffee notes. All these notes were reflected in a complex, long mouth. Rating: 8.5/10','Madeira Series: Henriques & Henriques Sercial Verdelho, Bual','','inherit','open','open','','31-revision','','','2007-01-16 23:42:00','2007-01-16 21:42:00','',31,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/31-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(451,1,'2007-01-14 00:19:00','2007-01-13 22:19:00','<a href=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Ralds6F6DfI/AAAAAAAAAA0/c5Ot-xpMnQk/s1600-h/Sherry+Matusalem.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp0.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/Ralds6F6DfI/AAAAAAAAAA0/c5Ot-xpMnQk/s200/Sherry+Matusalem.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>My husband\'s family loves a good dessert wine…so we break one out as often as possible. Often they are not Spanish ones, as the Spanish dessert wine scene can be limiting, but today we had one of our favourite sweet sherries. Pedro Ximenez (PX) is the typical sweet sherry that you see over here. PX is the sweetening grape made after drying the grapes in the sun. The monovarietal wine is thick, syrupy and intensely sweet, especially after long aging. It can be quirt nice but many of them are very cloying. One sip suffices…or it can be used over vanilla ice cream.\n\nI prefer the sweet old Olorosos myself. Dry aged Oloroso is blended with PX to make these wonderful wines. I like them because the nutty, refreshing bitterness of the Oloroso is a perfect counterbalance to the raisiny sweet PX.\n\n<img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp1.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RaldTKF6DeI/AAAAAAAAAAs/5nBtlN8F5PA/s200/VORS.jpg\" style=\"display:block;cursor:hand;text-align:center;margin:0 auto 10px;\" />\nA fairly new category of wines under the Denominacion de Origen (DO) is VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum), which guarantees the wine is over 30 years old. VOS (Vinum Optimum Signatum) guarantees at least 20 years old. These are generally extremely high quality wines!\n\nA quick note on sherry value: sherry remains one of the best value wines in the world. The quality of the wines, from the youngest, freshest Manzanilla to the oldest, most comlex Oloroso, is consistently very high and the prices are amazingly low! This is not so good for the sherry industry but great for us the consumer.Wine: Matusalem NV\nWinery: Gonzalez Byass\nDenominacion de Origen (DO): Jerez\nAlc: 20.5%\nGrape variety: Palomino and Pedro Ximenez\nOak regime: aged for 30 years in oak\nPrice: Around 30 euros in Spain\n\nTasting notes:\nVisual: Dark amber/brown\nNose: High intensity. Raisins and prunes dominate with notes of honey, cinnamon, nuts. Very alcoholic nose.\nMouth: Sweet and bitter mouth…very complex. Enters sweet, with prunes and raisin fruit, but the finish dries out into a very pleasant and refreshing bitterness. Alcohol less sharp in mouth. Extremely long finish.\nFood: Better on it own or with blue cheese, or other cheeses. Not sweet enough for most desserts.\n\nRetaste: 8 hours on… exposed to oxygen…nose more mellow…less alcohol….prunes and almonds. Mouth is almost exactly the same.\n\nConclusion: Amazing, complex wine! This wine is a wonderful combination of sweet and bitter…not cloying at all. Great value fro such a high quality sweet wine! Points: 9/10!','Wine Rating: Sherry - Matusalem','','inherit','open','open','','28-revision','','','2007-01-14 00:19:00','2007-01-13 22:19:00','',28,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/28-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(452,1,'2012-10-08 16:57:25','2012-10-08 16:57:25','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a>\n<p align=\"left\"><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sherry-lustau-east-india-solera.jpg\" title=\"Lustau old sweet oloroso\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sherry-lustau-east-india-solera.jpg\" alt=\"Lustau old sweet oloroso\" /></a>Another group of unique and hedonistic holiday wines are dessert wines…they are a perfect ending to a long meal and often can match well with certain holiday dishes, such as foie or cheese.  Dessert wines are under-appreciated and often misunderstood…even by wine lovers.  The dessert wines I serve to my classes often cause surprise…many clients have never tried high quality sweet wines and they are often astonished by what they taste. There are so many types…but today I would like to recommend three:</p>\nGramona Vi de Gel Gewurztraminer (15€): a light and aromatic semi-sweet wine from Cataluña that is perfect with any type of foie: paté, mi-cuit or seared fresh.  This is an \"ice wine\", but instead of leaving the grapes on the vine until frozen, the freezing is done artificially.  The results, though not as complex as a real ice wine, are very elegant and fresh.   \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"></a>Tokaji Aszú: A Hungarian dessert wine and one of the finest sweet wines in the world.  This dessert wine is elaborated with grapes infected with noble rot or botrytis…same as the famous Sauternes wines of Bordeaux. The strong points of these <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" alt=\"Oremus Tokaji\" /></a>wines are complex flavours and an ideal balance between acidity and residual sugar.  Sweet, yet refreshing…never cloying.  The level of sweetness is indicated by the number of puttonyos indicated on the label.  3 puttonyos, which is widely available, is semi-sweet, and is best served as an aperitif wine or with savory dishes such as foie…4 puttonyos can go either way.  For a full dessert wine experience, stick with 5 or 6 puttonyos….complex and sweet wines with one of the longest finishes in the wine world.  The most common brands available in Spain are Oremus (which is owned by Vega Sicilia), Disnoko, and Royal Tokaji (18-60€ price range depending on the puttonyos).\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a>Old Sweet Oloroso Sherries:  A very misunderstood category of sherries.  These are similar to cream sherries, but generally are much higher quality.  Think of a wonderful old dry oloroso with it\'s nutty complexity and imagine adding a touch of raisiny Pedro Ximenez wine….the combination is spectacular.  The acidity and complexity of the oloroso combine perfectly with the grapy sweetness of the PX.  Unfortunately in Spain, most people focus on the varietal wine PX, which can be exquisite, but is almost undrinkable due to its syrupy, cloying nature.  The sweet olorosos are just as complex, but much more drinkable….lower sugar levels and some acidity ensure a wonderful balance in the mouth.  At the moment a re-discovered favourite that offers great value is the Lustau East India Solera (15€).  Another favourite is the Matusalem of Gonzalez Byass (30€)…more expensive but also more complex.    These wines are also wonderful because their oxidized nature permits you to keep the bottle open for several weeks, enjoying the wine one glass at a time!\n\nThese are just three examples of some great Christmas stickies….be adventurous and you\'ll be amazed at some of the treasures you\'ll discover! Though Spain does not have the richest of dessert wine traditions, there are many interesting sweet wines out there to try!','My 2007 Holiday Wines Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','132-revision-2','','','2012-10-08 16:57:25','2012-10-08 16:57:25','',132,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/132-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(453,1,'2007-12-19 00:28:19','2007-12-18 22:28:19','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/cava-elisabet-raventos-2002.jpg\" title=\"cava-elisabet-raventos-2002.JPG\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/cava-on-ice1.jpg\" title=\"Cava chilling on ice\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/cava-on-ice1.jpg\" alt=\"Cava chilling on ice\" /></a>The holiday season, with its lengthy and varied meals, is the perfect moment to try many different styles of wines.  Holiday meals also offer a challenge with regards to wine matching:  it\'s tricky to find a wine to match so many flavours. \n\nDuring the holiday season, I\'m going to rate the wines I\'m choosing for my clients and my family.   The holidays here in Spain are like a marathon, the festivities don\'t end on New Years…we have a whole other round of big meals for the Epiphany holiday on 6 January!  The flavors for the holiday meals are different here, but just as challenging….fish and lamb are common, though you can find turkey as well.  Shellfish, cured meats, and foie all play important roles.  \n\nThere are two categories of wines that lend themselves especially well to the holiday season, both in the US and in Spain:  sparkling wines and dessert wines.  I\'ll be focusing on these two categories a lot…but they\'ll be plenty of holiday reds well!\n\nBelow I\'m briefly recommending some of my favorites…look out for full tasting notes and more holiday wines!\n\nSparkling wines….I think it is a shame that many people see these as wines to toast with.  They are actually some of the most versatile wines when it comes to matching, and there is nothing I like better than to drink a great sparkler throughout a holiday meal! \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/cava-elisabet-raventos-2002.jpg\" title=\"cava-elisabet-raventos-2002.JPG\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/cava-elisabet-raventos-2002.jpg\" alt=\"cava-elisabet-raventos-2002.JPG\" /></a>Medium priced cavas (around 10-20 euros) are high quality wines that are just as much wines as sparkling.  They offer complex aromas from careful and long aging as well as an elegant and well integrated bubble.  They have little in common with the lesser cavas offered at reception and parties for toasts!  These cheaper cavass (8 euros or less) offer simpler, sappier flavors with a very agressive bubble (more similar to Coca.cola!) Two high quality cavas I recommend that are very good value are the Gramona Brut Imperial Gran Reserva 2003 (14€) and the Raventos i Blanc Cuvée Elisabet Raventos Gran Reserva 2002 (16€).    \n\nCava is one of the worlds best value, quality sparkling wines but sometimes you just have to have champagne!   But I often despair at the prices charged by the large producers for their basic brut champagnes….champagnes that are often mediocre at best.  Here in Madrid most of the large houses offer their wines at 30-40 euros!  I much prefer to stick to some of the smaller producers, which can be tricky to find here.  Some that are great value and easy to find are the champagnes of Pierre Gimmonet…they are all sold at Lavinia for 22-26 euros, and are fantastic!  Though I usually prefer champagnes made from black grapes, these Blanc de Blancs have become some of my favorites!\n\nNext up:  Spanish dessert wines for the holidays….','My 2007 Holiday Wines Part 1','','inherit','open','open','','131-revision','','','2007-12-19 00:28:19','2007-12-18 22:28:19','',131,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/131-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(454,1,'2012-10-08 16:57:54','2012-10-08 16:57:54','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/1980-vintage-ports-small.jpg\" title=\"Vintage ports Noval Grahams\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/1980-vintage-ports-small.jpg\" alt=\"Vintage ports Noval Grahams\" /></a>Yes, wine storage conditions matter even for port!  Following is a very sad story of how critical this issue is. \n\nRecently we got a chance to try two 1980 vintage ports together that had been stored in very different conditions.  The difference between the two wines was a revelation to me!\n\nWe had been given a wonderful vintage port for our wedding and had been saving it (in our wine cellar) for a few months.   The Quinta do Noval Nacional 1980 had been bought at a local store, as tore that is known for excellent prices but not necessarily the best storage conditions. \n\nOn a trip to Oporto, I was given a Grahams 1980 Vintage Port by the winery.  The wine had been kept at the winery in pristine conditions since it had been produced.\n\nGiven the stellar reputation of both wines, I was unsure which to serve first, but opted to put the Nacional second.\n\nAs we were pouring, I knew the order would have to change…the color of the Nacional was much paler, with tawny notes, while the Grahams still had a deep ruby, purple color. \n\nThe nose confirmed it:\nNacional:  Lovely cherry, floral nose, delicate with some volatile acidity.  Medium intensity.  Simple, but very attractive and appealing.\nGrahams:  Spicy, intense nose, with curry and chocolate, and lots of blackberry and blueberry fruit.  Not as attractive as the Nacional initially, but more impressive.\n\nFinally we tasted the wines:\nNacional:  Elegant, but light, raisiny notes, cherry fruit.  Long finish, with hay notes.  With air more cherry fruit comes out…but the impression remains of fading softness.\nGrahams:  Intense mouth, with layers if chocolate, leather, cedar and black fruit.  The alcohol stands out a little.  Very long, sweet, fruity finish.  Remarkably youthful.\n\nTo conclude:\nNacional:  In some ways more drinkable, elegant and soft, but very evolved and on the decline already…showing signs of oxidation.\nGrahams:  never will be as elegant as the Nacional…still a bit of a brute, but fantastic complexity in the mouth…definitely much more life to come for it. \n\nBoth wines were excellent, but the Nacional was definitely too far along in it\'s life span for a 1980….and was quite a let down after my huge expectations.   Though 1980 is not considered quite on a par with other top vintages, the tasting notes I have read from others on this vintage shows this Nacional was definitely mistreated during its long storage.  The wine store our friends bought it from is known for high turn-over and excellent prices on recent vintage, but I am always wary of buying older vintages there.  Their storage area is not always maintained at the proper temperature and the store front has often been without proper air conditioning during the hot Madrid summer months. \n\nThough port may be more robust than some wines, it too is vulnerable to heat!    So if your are buying older vintages for your Christmas drinking....source them carefully!\n  ','Wine Storage Conditions Really Matter...or two contrasting 1980 vintage ports','','inherit','open','open','','126-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 16:57:54','2012-10-08 16:57:54','',126,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/126-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(455,1,'2012-10-08 16:51:39','2012-10-08 16:51:39','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-menu.jpg\" title=\"The Aris Bar for wine and tapas in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-menu.jpg\" alt=\"The Aris Bar for wine and tapas in Madrid\" /></a>El Chaflan is one of the most famous restaurants in Madrid and in a real sign of the times they have opened a tapas bar called the Aris Bar to make their expensive “alta cocina” more accessible to the rest of us.  We checked it out this weekend and despite some problems, had a very good experience.  On the good side the food and wines are excellent, on the downside is the décor and ambiance, which resembles an upscale fast food restaurant like the Fast Good chain.  El Chaflan is located in a hotel and when we entered, we saw what resembles a modernistic hotel breakfast room.  We asked the waiter where the tapas bar was and to our surprise he said: “Here!”  Sadly, there is no actual bar, it is just a plain room with modern plastic furniture.  Despite our dismay, we proceeded.  The service was indifferent at first though eventually the waiter <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Steak tartare tapa at Aris Bar Madrid\"></a>warmed up to us.  The menu is divided into two pages…traditional tapas and special El Chaflan modern tapas.  We stuck to the modern tapas and ordered several…they are very small and meant for one, but we preferred to order many and split them anyway.  All of them were delicious without exception.  In the finger sandwiches we tried three types:  Torta del Casar cheese with truffle oil, sobresada with lemon jam, <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Steak tartare tapa at Aris Bar Madrid\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-steak-tartare.jpg\" alt=\"Steak tartare tapa at Aris Bar Madrid\" /></a>and smoked eel with mascarpone….seriously unusual but wonderful combinations!  Amongst the pinchos we tried the anchoa and boquerone toast, which is commonly called matrimonio, matching the salt cured anchoa with the vinegar cured boquerone.  This was a creative twist on that with tomato and pesto…really lovely.  We had a tiny plate of steak tartar served with a sweet/savory ice cream…a delicious contrast of savory, spicy, cold, and sweet.  The tuna tartare with avocado is a modern classic…here they add some fish roe and some crunchy fried bits that add lovely texture.  The octopus ceviche was tender, oniony and tart with a lovely sweet and creamy mousse of maracuyá fruit on <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-anchoa-boqueron.jpg\" title=\"Anchovy tapa at Aris Bar in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/aris-bar-anchoa-boqueron.jpg\" alt=\"Anchovy tapa at Aris Bar in Madrid\" /></a>top….spectacular!  The wine list is short but interesting…I had a decent Alsatian Pinot Blanc by the glass….almost impossible to find in Madrid.  The wines by the glass are expensive but the pours are generous and there are many Champagnes by the glass as well.  The prices by the bottled are not bad at all. The location is a bit isolated so you should plan to come and stay, but the food and wine definitely make up for the bland décor and lack of atmosphere…come with a  group of friends and you can make your own!  I’m be returning to try some cocktails, more tapas and also to try the 15€ prix fixe lunch menu that is offered during the week. Check out the El Chaflan <a href=\"http://www.elchaflan.com/aris_bar/aris_bar.html\" title=\"The Aris Bar in Madrid\">Aris Bar website</a> for more info.','Madrid Wine Places:  El Chaflan Aris Bar','','inherit','open','open','','243-revision-2','','','2012-10-08 16:51:39','2012-10-08 16:51:39','',243,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/243-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(456,1,'2012-10-08 17:06:04','2012-10-08 17:06:04','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a>\n<p align=\"left\"><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sherry-lustau-east-india-solera.jpg\" title=\"Lustau old sweet oloroso\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sherry-lustau-east-india-solera.jpg\" alt=\"Lustau old sweet oloroso\" /></a>Another group of unique and hedonistic holiday wines are dessert wines…they are a perfect ending to a long meal and often can match well with certain holiday dishes, such as foie or cheese.  Dessert wines are under-appreciated and often misunderstood…even by wine lovers.  The dessert wines I serve to my classes often cause surprise…many clients have never tried high quality sweet wines and they are often astonished by what they taste. There are so many types…but today I would like to recommend three:</p>\nGramona Vi de Gel Gewurztraminer (15€): a light and aromatic semi-sweet wine from Cataluña that is perfect with any type of foie: paté, mi-cuit or seared fresh.  This is an \"ice wine\", but instead of leaving the grapes on the vine until frozen, the freezing is done artificially.  The results, though not as complex as a real ice wine, are very elegant and fresh.   \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"></a>Tokaji Aszú: A Hungarian dessert wine and one of the finest sweet wines in the world.  This dessert wine is elaborated with grapes infected with noble rot or botrytis…same as the famous Sauternes wines of Bordeaux. The strong points of these <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Oremus Tokaji\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" alt=\"Oremus Tokaji\" /></a>wines are complex flavours and an ideal balance between acidity and residual sugar.  Sweet, yet refreshing…never cloying.  The level of sweetness is indicated by the number of puttonyos indicated on the label.  3 puttonyos, which is widely available, is semi-sweet, and is best served as an aperitif wine or with savory dishes such as foie…4 puttonyos can go either way.  For a full dessert wine experience, stick with 5 or 6 puttonyos….complex and sweet wines with one of the longest finishes in the wine world.  The most common brands available in Spain are Oremus (which is owned by Vega Sicilia), Disnoko, and Royal Tokaji (18-60€ price range depending on the puttonyos).\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/oremus-6-puttonyos.jpg\" title=\"Tokaji Oremus 6 puttonyos\"></a>Old Sweet Oloroso Sherries:  A very misunderstood category of sherries.  These are similar to cream sherries, but generally are much higher quality.  Think of a wonderful old dry oloroso with it\'s nutty complexity and imagine adding a touch of raisiny Pedro Ximenez wine….the combination is spectacular.  The acidity and complexity of the oloroso combine perfectly with the grapy sweetness of the PX.  Unfortunately in Spain, most people focus on the varietal wine PX, which can be exquisite, but is almost undrinkable due to its syrupy, cloying nature.  The sweet olorosos are just as complex, but much more drinkable….lower sugar levels and some acidity ensure a wonderful balance in the mouth.  At the moment a re-discovered favourite that offers great value is the Lustau East India Solera (15€).  Another favourite is the Matusalem of Gonzalez Byass (30€)…more expensive but also more complex.    These wines are also wonderful because their oxidized nature permits you to keep the bottle open for several weeks, enjoying the wine one glass at a time!\n\nThese are just three examples of some great Christmas stickies….be adventurous and you\'ll be amazed at some of the treasures you\'ll discover! Though Spain does not have the richest of dessert wine traditions, there are many interesting sweet wines out there to try!','My 2007 Holiday Wines Part 2','','inherit','open','open','','132-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 17:06:04','2012-10-08 17:06:04','',132,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/132-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(457,1,'2012-10-01 04:50:19','2012-10-01 04:50:19','','Availability','','inherit','open','open','','357-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 04:50:19','2012-10-01 04:50:19','',357,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/357-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(458,1,'2012-10-09 16:24:36','2012-10-09 16:24:36','Coming soon....','Testimonials','','publish','closed','open','','testimonials','','','2013-01-16 18:41:57','2013-01-16 18:41:57','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?page_id=458',0,'page','',0),(459,1,'2012-10-09 16:24:18','2012-10-09 16:24:18','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','458-revision','','','2012-10-09 16:24:18','2012-10-09 16:24:18','',458,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/458-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(461,1,'2012-10-09 16:27:21','2012-10-09 16:27:21',' ','','','publish','open','open','','461','','','2013-05-03 22:53:40','2013-05-04 02:53:40','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=461',21,'nav_menu_item','',0),(462,1,'2012-10-09 16:24:36','2012-10-09 16:24:36','','References','','inherit','open','open','','458-revision-2','','','2012-10-09 16:24:36','2012-10-09 16:24:36','',458,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/458-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(463,1,'2012-10-09 16:33:25','2012-10-09 16:33:25','Coming soon....','References','','inherit','open','open','','458-revision-3','','','2012-10-09 16:33:25','2012-10-09 16:33:25','',458,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/458-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(464,1,'2013-01-17 21:51:35','2013-01-17 21:51:35','Coming soon....','Testimonials','','inherit','open','open','','458-autosave','','','2013-01-17 21:51:35','2013-01-17 21:51:35','',458,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/458-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(465,1,'2013-05-03 21:34:33','2013-05-04 01:34:33','<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>\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-autosave','','','2013-05-03 21:34:33','2013-05-04 01:34:33','',357,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/357-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(466,1,'2012-10-09 16:23:50','2012-10-09 16:23:50','','Tastings','','inherit','open','open','','357-revision-3','','','2012-10-09 16:23:50','2012-10-09 16:23:50','',357,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/357-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(467,1,'2012-10-09 16:44:50','2012-10-09 16:44:50','I\'m excited to continue 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=\"mail to: info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Tastings','','inherit','open','open','','357-revision-4','','','2012-10-09 16:44:50','2012-10-09 16:44:50','',357,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/357-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(468,1,'2012-10-09 16:47:03','2012-10-09 16:47:03','I\'m excited to continue to share my passion for Spanish and Iberian wines and I am available to organize custom wine tastings or wine and food events.  I am currently based in the Miami area, but am happy to travel whenever possible!  If you are interested in an awesome Spanish wine experience, please contact me at <a href=\"mailto:info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Tastings','','inherit','open','open','','357-revision-5','','','2012-10-09 16:47:03','2012-10-09 16:47:03','',357,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/357-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(469,1,'2012-10-09 17:38:05','2012-10-09 17:38:05','I\'m excited to share my passion for Spanish and Iberian wines and I am available to organize custom wine tastings or wine and food events.  I am currently based in the Miami area, but am happy to travel whenever possible!  If you are interested in an awesome Spanish wine experience, please contact me at <a href=\"mailto:info@planetavino.net\">info@planetavino.net</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Tastings','','inherit','open','open','','357-revision-6','','','2012-10-09 17:38:05','2012-10-09 17:38:05','',357,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/357-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(470,1,'2012-08-07 20:40:03','2012-08-07 20:40:03','<h3>¡Hágase con el sistema domestico de conservación de vino mas completo!</h3>\r\nLa mejor manera de conservar los vinos y servirlos por copas para el sibarita domestico. El regalo perfecto para los amantes del buen vino.\r\n\r\nPlaneta Vino es el importador exclusivo para España de los productos de Winekeeper.\r\n\r\nLos productos de Winekeeper le permiten conservar sus vinos sin perder sus cualidades durante un mínimo de tres semanas.\r\n\r\nExisten tres modelos diferentes que se adaptan a las diferentes necesidades de su día a día.\r\n\r\nPara mantener su vino refrigerado, use el sistema de desconexión rápida para poder desconectar la botella del sistema principal y así guardarla en una cava refrigerada. La presión del nitrógeno se mantiene perfectamente. Para volver a servirse una copa, simplemente conecte de nuevo la botella al sistema principal.\r\n\r\nLlame al 91 310 2855 para mas información.\r\n<h3>The Vintner</h3>\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/vintner-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Vintner\" align=\"right\" /></a>El primero, nuestro modelo mas clásico, The Vintner, que permite preservar y servir tres botellas al mismo tiempo.  Ideal para uso domestico.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Sencillo de usar.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño clásico en madera de roble.</li>\r\n	<li>Cilindro de nitrógeno y reductor ocultos en su interior.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar las botellas del sistema para mantenerlas refrigeradas.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75 l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples botellas.</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 325,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>The Noir</h3>\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper Noir\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/petit-noir-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Noir\" align=\"right\" /></a>Nuestro siguiente modelo, The Noir, tiene unas líneas mas modernas y puede también preservar y servir tres botellas al mismo tiempo.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Simple to use.</li>\r\n	<li>Ideal para uso domestico.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño moderno, minimalista.</li>\r\n	<li>Cilindro de nitrógeno y reductor ocultos en su interior.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar las botellas del sistema para mantenerlas refrigeradas.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75 l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 340,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>The Keeper</h3>\r\nEl modelo básico, The Keeper, es una versión mas económica que da servicio a una botella cada vez.\r\nIdeal para uso domestico.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a title=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/keeper-pro.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper Keeper\" align=\"right\" /></a>Sencillo de usar.</li>\r\n	<li>Diseño clásico en madera de roble.</li>\r\n	<li>Sistema de desconexión rápida que permite desconectar la botella del sistema para mantenerla refrigerada.</li>\r\n	<li>El cilindro de nitrógeno es valido para preservar aproximadamente 24 botellas de 0,75l.</li>\r\n	<li>Grifos opcionales para preservar múltiples botellas.</li>\r\n	<li>Precio: 99,00 €</li>\r\n	<li>Opcional: Conector múltiple, precio 30,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Accesorios Winekeeper</h3>\r\n<a title=\"Winekeeper faucet\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/faucet1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/faucet1.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper faucet\" /></a>           <a title=\"Winekeeper canisters\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters1.jpg\"><img src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/canisters1.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Winekeeper canisters\" /></a>\r\n\r\nTambién podemos proveerle de los cilindros de nitrógeno adicionales que eventualmente necesitara para su sistema.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Precio de la bombona: 16,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTambién podemos proporcionarle mas grifos sueltos para preservar varias botellas usando solamente una bombona de nitrógeno gracias al sistema de conexión-desconexión rápida.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Grifo: Precio 40,00 €</li>\r\n</ul>','en Español','','inherit','open','open','','323-revision-4','','','2012-08-07 20:40:03','2012-08-07 20:40:03','',323,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/323-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(471,1,'2012-10-10 04:02:50','2012-10-10 04:02:50','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\n<ul>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\n<ul>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\n<ul>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.bartxepetxa.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bar Txepetxa</a>:  So many great tapas places in San Sebastian, but this one stands out for its perfect vinegar cured anchovies or boquerones.  They are totally specialized on one simple ingredient, serving them in a variety of delicious styles.  They will convert you I promise!  Have sidra or Txakoli, the spritzy Basque white wine.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lacucharadesantelmo.com/lacucharademadera.swf\" target=\"_blank\">La Cuchara de Telmo</a>:  The opposite of Txepetxa, this bar serves gourmet Basque cuisine in miniature.  Amazing, complex flavors tempt you in every dish!  Crazy packed with people so it\'s an experience.  Reasonable wines.  Hard to find, but so worth it!  The web site is ridiculous but it has a good map</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Todo Pintxos</a>:  A great website if you are going to San Sebastian.  It\'s a very complete guide to the tapas/pintxos places, with pictures of the tapas,  ratings, routes, maps etc.  There is a decent English version as well.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced. The house wine is a nice local wine and very inexpensive and they always have a great cava by the glass too.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No website of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.chiringuitopepesbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiringuito Pepe\'s Bar</a>:  A beach chiringuito is a must for fire grilled sardines and great paella.  A lot of these places in Marbella are total tourist traps and rip offs.  This one is my favorite:  award winning sardines and good value paella.  Limited wine selection:  I stick to Rueda white wine or Sangria.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\n<ul>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.vinissimus.com/es/\" target=\"_blank\">Vinissimus</a>:  My go to site on Spanish wines, though more relevant in Europe.  Though it is a retail site, it is very complete and offers pictures, descriptions, prices, info on the producers etc.  There is a UK version in English.</li>\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-autosave','','','2012-10-10 04:02:50','2012-10-10 04:02:50','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(472,1,'2012-07-25 21:11:20','2012-07-25 21:11:20','Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Etiam dignissim vestibulum nibh et consectetur. Praesent feugiat posuere hendrerit. Maecenas in justo purus. Mauris vestibulum nibh eu purus posuere porta. Sed rhoncus dapibus congue. Donec in felis ut leo facilisis facilisis. Integer at lorem sodales lacus hendrerit ultrices sit amet eget sem. Duis non urna mi, non mollis nibh. Suspendisse gravida velit vitae tortor porta eu pulvinar libero fringilla. Mauris fringilla magna eu sem lacinia eleifend. Suspendisse arcu arcu, semper a elementum non, semper vehicula purus. Nunc blandit bibendum laoreet. Donec auctor aliquam purus, at imperdiet elit imperdiet id.\r\n\r\nPellentesque luctus aliquet urna. Nunc dolor tortor, ullamcorper et sagittis in, ultricies sit amet quam. Nulla eu purus non enim tincidunt faucibus vitae eu dolor. Nulla mauris dolor, dignissim quis venenatis fringilla, volutpat quis justo. Nunc ac nibh erat, id ornare erat. Nullam ipsum diam, porttitor in scelerisque et, faucibus sit amet tortor. Maecenas metus ligula, vestibulum non auctor sed, dignissim ut nunc. Donec sed urna at erat lobortis faucibus id sit amet est. Aliquam feugiat fringilla convallis. Nunc odio est, molestie eu pharetra id, blandit nec nisl. Sed vel egestas eros. Cras sit amet dui eu elit convallis congue. Sed rutrum, lorem id eleifend dapibus, metus orci rutrum nibh, id rhoncus dolor eros at dui. Maecenas condimentum eros eu massa sollicitudin suscipit. Mauris hendrerit, elit ut tincidunt hendrerit, turpis dolor posuere tellus, vitae iaculis nibh dolor ut justo.\r\n\r\nMaecenas arcu enim, suscipit eget sagittis nec, congue ut nisi. Nulla facilisi. Nunc sed sagittis velit. Sed lorem enim, ultrices id facilisis eget, vehicula vel elit. Ut nec nunc vel urna vulputate laoreet. Duis non libero a sapien vulputate blandit id eu nibh. Fusce nisi dolor, porta non pretium sed, congue eget nulla. Vivamus vitae lorem mauris. Aliquam in pellentesque arcu. Nulla facilisi. Nullam eget metus sit amet nisi dapibus euismod. Nunc sit amet lectus justo, in convallis sapien. Nullam tincidunt odio sit amet erat congue nec fermentum orci tincidunt. In faucibus, mauris nec aliquet cursus, lorem magna consequat est, sagittis gravida velit sapien nec purus. Nulla urna elit, commodo vel pharetra ac, hendrerit ut quam. Fusce mauris orci, porta tempus vulputate sed, suscipit at sapien.\r\n\r\nPraesent fermentum, arcu eget accumsan interdum, leo est iaculis nunc, et sodales nisi libero in leo. Fusce rutrum risus sit amet nulla bibendum porta. Phasellus lobortis justo et libero ultricies nec mollis tellus pharetra. Ut at arcu quis erat malesuada varius. Vestibulum convallis ligula non ligula accumsan quis placerat metus fringilla. Nunc luctus, erat eu tristique varius, metus libero convallis diam, sollicitudin bibendum metus erat sit amet neque. Nam tincidunt turpis non felis viverra fermentum.\r\n\r\nProin non lorem nulla, id luctus diam. Pellentesque at laoreet massa. Etiam non mauris condimentum nisl tristique vehicula in non nunc. Sed a elit lorem. Nullam luctus imperdiet purus, ac sagittis dui pharetra tincidunt. Etiam vel neque risus, quis dignissim lorem. Nunc vehicula lectus id massa consectetur vehicula. Praesent auctor libero nec leo pellentesque sit amet aliquam massa sagittis. Nunc nec sem est, sed pretium justo. Duis facilisis rutrum justo, sit amet varius velit venenatis in. Mauris et nulla in lacus fermentum ornare.','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision','','','2012-07-25 21:11:20','2012-07-25 21:11:20','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(473,1,'2012-10-09 18:34:36','2012-10-09 18:34:36','Here are some of my favorite sites:\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-2','','','2012-10-09 18:34:36','2012-10-09 18:34:36','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(474,1,'2012-10-09 18:40:00','2012-10-09 18:40:00','Here are some of my favorite sites:\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>La Tienda:</li>\r\n	<li>La Boqueria:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-3','','','2012-10-09 18:40:00','2012-10-09 18:40:00','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(475,1,'2012-10-09 18:56:12','2012-10-09 18:56:12','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamon iberico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li>La Boqueria:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-4','','','2012-10-09 18:56:12','2012-10-09 18:56:12','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(476,1,'2012-10-09 19:28:11','2012-10-09 19:28:11','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamon iberico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of iberico jamon products.  this international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li>La Boqueria:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-5','','','2012-10-09 19:28:11','2012-10-09 19:28:11','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(477,1,'2012-10-09 19:34:19','2012-10-09 19:34:19','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and some other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li>La Boqueria:</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-6','','','2012-10-09 19:34:19','2012-10-09 19:34:19','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(478,1,'2012-10-09 21:43:51','2012-10-09 21:43:51','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-7','','','2012-10-09 21:43:51','2012-10-09 21:43:51','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(479,1,'2012-10-10 01:59:47','2012-10-10 01:59:47','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n	<li>Harina</li>\r\n	<li>Dry Bar</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Etxebarri</li>\r\n	<li>La Moraga</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2></h2>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-8','','','2012-10-10 01:59:47','2012-10-10 01:59:47','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(480,1,'2012-10-10 02:03:43','2012-10-10 02:03:43','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n	<li>Harina</li>\r\n	<li>Dry Bar</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Etxebarri</li>\r\n	<li>La Moraga</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2></h2>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-9','','','2012-10-10 02:03:43','2012-10-10 02:03:43','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(481,1,'2012-10-10 02:21:56','2012-10-10 02:21:56','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n	<li>Harina</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Etxebarri</li>\r\n	<li>La Moraga</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-10','','','2012-10-10 02:21:56','2012-10-10 02:21:56','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(482,1,'2012-10-10 02:27:56','2012-10-10 02:27:56','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li>Mercado de San Miguel</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Etxebarri</li>\r\n	<li>La Moraga</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-11','','','2012-10-10 02:27:56','2012-10-10 02:27:56','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(483,1,'2012-10-10 02:33:18','2012-10-10 02:33:18','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Casa Lucas</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Etxebarri</li>\r\n	<li>La Moraga</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-12','','','2012-10-10 02:33:18','2012-10-10 02:33:18','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(484,1,'2012-10-10 02:52:56','2012-10-10 02:52:56','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Etxebarri</li>\r\n	<li>La Moraga</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-13','','','2012-10-10 02:52:56','2012-10-10 02:52:56','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(485,1,'2012-10-10 03:13:23','2012-10-10 03:13:23','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li>La Moraga</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-14','','','2012-10-10 03:13:23','2012-10-10 03:13:23','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(486,1,'2012-10-10 03:21:45','2012-10-10 03:21:45','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food, the short but well selected wine list is well priced.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li>El Timonel</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-15','','','2012-10-10 03:21:45','2012-10-10 03:21:45','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(487,1,'2012-10-10 03:32:56','2012-10-10 03:32:56','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No web site of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-16','','','2012-10-10 03:32:56','2012-10-10 03:32:56','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(488,1,'2012-10-10 03:38:37','2012-10-10 03:38:37','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No web site of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.chiringuitopepesbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiringuito Pepe\'s Bar</a>:  A beach chiringuito is a must for fire grilled sardines and great paella.  A lot of these place sin Marbella are total tourist ta=raps and rip offs.  This one is my favorite:  award winning sardines and good value paella.  Limited wine selection:  I stick to Rueda white wine or Sangria.</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de San Telmo</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-17','','','2012-10-10 03:38:37','2012-10-10 03:38:37','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(489,1,'2012-10-10 03:40:07','2012-10-10 03:40:07','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa:</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de Telmo:</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No web site of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.chiringuitopepesbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiringuito Pepe\'s Bar</a>:  A beach chiringuito is a must for fire grilled sardines and great paella.  A lot of these places in Marbella are total tourist traps and rip offs.  This one is my favorite:  award winning sardines and good value paella.  Limited wine selection:  I stick to Rueda white wine or Sangria.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-18','','','2012-10-10 03:40:07','2012-10-10 03:40:07','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(490,1,'2012-10-10 03:42:33','2012-10-10 03:42:33','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li>Txepetxa:</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de Telmo:</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced. The house wine is a nice local wine and very inexpensive and they always have a great cava by the glass too.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No website of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.chiringuitopepesbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiringuito Pepe\'s Bar</a>:  A beach chiringuito is a must for fire grilled sardines and great paella.  A lot of these places in Marbella are total tourist traps and rip offs.  This one is my favorite:  award winning sardines and good value paella.  Limited wine selection:  I stick to Rueda white wine or Sangria.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-19','','','2012-10-10 03:42:33','2012-10-10 03:42:33','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(491,1,'2012-10-10 03:48:11','2012-10-10 03:48:11','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.bartxepetxa.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bar Txepetxa</a>:  So many great tapas places in San Sebastian, but this one stands out for its perfect vinegar cured anchovies or boquerones.  They are totally specialized, serving them in a variety of delicious styles.  They will convert you I promise!  Have sidra or Txakoli, the spritzy Basque white wine.</li>\r\n	<li>La Cuchara de Telmo:</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced. The house wine is a nice local wine and very inexpensive and they always have a great cava by the glass too.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No website of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.chiringuitopepesbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiringuito Pepe\'s Bar</a>:  A beach chiringuito is a must for fire grilled sardines and great paella.  A lot of these places in Marbella are total tourist traps and rip offs.  This one is my favorite:  award winning sardines and good value paella.  Limited wine selection:  I stick to Rueda white wine or Sangria.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-20','','','2012-10-10 03:48:11','2012-10-10 03:48:11','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(492,1,'2012-10-10 03:58:22','2012-10-10 03:58:22','Here are some of my favorite sites about food, wine and Spain.  For my favorite wine and food blogs, please see my blogroll on the sidebar.\r\n<h2>Spain in the US</h2>\r\nLuckily getting Spanish food in the US is getting easier and easier.  Whole foods now has a great selection of Spanish cheeses and olive oils as well as pimentón and other staples.  But sometimes you need a specialist and I list a couple below.  I\'m also adding my favorite Spanish restaurants as I discover them!\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.tienda.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Tienda</a>: A great online store to find all the ingredients and supplies you need for Spanish cooking.  Jamón ibérico, fresh padron peppers, as well as critical pantry supplies such as pimenton, bonito, and sherry vinegar are all available.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.markys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Marky\'s</a>:  A good selection of Spanish products at very good prices and an amazing selection of ibérico jamón products.  This international food emporium also has a bewildering selection of food from all over the world....it\'s impressive!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a>: This restaurant group has two locations in NYC and one in DC.  I\'ve only been to the one in DC but I can highly recommend it for great Spanish food and wine, both for tapas at the bar and for a more extensive meal.  Named after the famous Barcelona market.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.barcelonetarestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Barceloneta</a>:  Catalan Bistro is how this restaurant in South Beach describes itself. A partnership between a Spanish team and the Pubbelly group has created a gorgeous space with great Spanish/Catalan small plates and dishes.  The cocktails and wines are also not to be missed.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Madrid Places</h2>\r\nSome of my most favorite places in Madrid, mostly food and wine of course....but sometimes a few other nice places\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.casalucas.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Casa Lucas</a>:  My favorite tapas bar in Madrid, on one of the best tapas streets, Cava Baja.  Every single thing here is good.  Great selection of wines by the glass, great staff.  Tiny and often crowded, but worth it to wait for a table.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Mercado de San Miguel</a>:  Often overcrowded but still a wonderful place to have a drink and a bite near Plaza de España.  The selection is huge and if you pick and chose a bit,  the quality is top notch.  Great people watching...you can also go at off-peak times and have a quiet moment too.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://harinamadrid.com/harina.swf\" target=\"_blank\">Harina</a>:  Beautiful bakery/cafe right outside the Retiro Park in Puerta de Alcala.  A very scenic place to have a nice sandwich, salad, pastry, or just buy some great bread.  The English version of the website is not very impressive but the place is wonderful.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.gran-melia-fenix.com/en/dry-cosmopolitan.html\" target=\"_blank\">Dry Cosmopolitan Bar</a>:  A really elegant place to have a great cocktail.  Centrally located in the Gran Melia Fenix hotel next to Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza de Colon. Impeccable service, delicious drinks, great terrace in good weather. Not cheap, but worth every penny!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.ponceletcheesebar.es/\" target=\"_blank\">Poncelet Cheese Bar</a>:  Cheese heaven!  Madrid\'s best cheese shop now has a restaurant where they serve a cheese base menu and offer set and custom cheese platters from hundreds of cheeses from around the world.  Ideal place to sample Spain\'s best and rarest cheeses.  A great wine selection to match.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Spain Places</h2>\r\nSome of my favorites from my travels around Spain.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.asadoretxebarri.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Asador Etxebarri</a>:  This restaurant is on various top lists for Chef Bittor\'s innovative grilling techniques, but to me it is just the lovely place I got married with amazing Basque food and unmatchable views of the Basque countryside.  It\'s all still the same you just have to reserve a little in advance!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.bartxepetxa.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bar Txepetxa</a>:  So many great tapas places in San Sebastian, but this one stands out for its perfect vinegar cured anchovies or boquerones.  They are totally specialized on one simple ingredient, serving them in a variety of delicious styles.  They will convert you I promise!  Have sidra or Txakoli, the spritzy Basque white wine.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lacucharadesantelmo.com/lacucharademadera.swf\" target=\"_blank\">La Cuchara de Telmo</a>:  The opposite of Txepetxa, this bar serves gourmet Basque cuisine in miniature.  Amazing, complex flavors tempt you in every dish!  Crazy packed with people so it\'s an experience.  Reasonable wines.  Hard to find, but so worth it!  The web site is ridiculous but it has a good map</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.todopintxos.com/home/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Todo Pintxos</a>:  A great website if you are going to San Sebastian.  It\'s a very complete guide to the tapas/pintxos places, with pictures of the tapas,  ratings, routes, maps etc.  There is a decent English version as well.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.lamoraga.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Moraga</a>:  Chef Dani Garcia opened this chain of casual restaurants in southern Spain to showcase upscale, fresh delicious tapas.  Delicious, innovative food...the short but well selected wine list is well priced. The house wine is a nice local wine and very inexpensive and they always have a great cava by the glass too.  A must when I\'m in the south!</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"https://plus.google.com/115847857149336099435/about?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\">El Timonel</a>:  A real Marbella gem...where the locals go for fresh seafood and fish.  The staff are wonderful and authentic. Everything is really fresh, simply prepared and delicious. No wine list to speak of....I only drink Rueda...a crisp white.  I often go here every day while visiting!  No website of course so the link takes you to Google where you can at least get the map/info.  No reservations.</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.chiringuitopepesbar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Chiringuito Pepe\'s Bar</a>:  A beach chiringuito is a must for fire grilled sardines and great paella.  A lot of these places in Marbella are total tourist traps and rip offs.  This one is my favorite:  award winning sardines and good value paella.  Limited wine selection:  I stick to Rueda white wine or Sangria.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2>Wine Sites</h2>\r\nA few web sites I use regularly to get info on wines.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Vinissimus</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n</ul>','Links','','inherit','open','open','','17-revision-21','','','2012-10-10 03:58:22','2012-10-10 03:58:22','',17,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/17-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(500,1,'2012-10-10 05:28:06','2012-10-10 09:28:06','<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\'m currently based in Miami Florida...</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I feel like have one foot here in the US and one foot still back in Madrid!</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 it\'s primarily a blog on Spanish wine and food, great places to go in Spain and other Iberian type subjects.  It\'s also home to the new Planeta VIno, wine events here in Miami, in Spain and wherever you might need 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 handy guide to Spanish wines...and my updates on the best Spanish wines picks.</p>','My Story','','publish','open','closed','','about','','','2013-09-23 13:15:28','2013-09-23 17:15:28','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?page_id=500',0,'page','',0),(501,1,'2012-10-10 05:27:58','2012-10-10 05:27:58','','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2012-10-10 05:27:58','2012-10-10 05:27:58','',500,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/500-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(502,1,'2012-10-10 05:29:35','2012-10-10 05:29:35',' ','','','publish','open','open','','502','','','2013-05-03 22:53:40','2013-05-04 02:53:40','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=502',19,'nav_menu_item','',0),(505,1,'2012-10-10 05:28:06','2012-10-10 05:28:06','','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2012-10-10 05:28:06','2012-10-10 05:28:06','',500,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/500-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(506,1,'2012-10-10 23:54:59','2012-10-10 23:54:59','Welcome to the new Planeta Vino! I\'m Mary O\'Connor and after almost 10 years living in Madrid, Spain, I\'ve returned to the US. It\'s been great to come home but also a big transition after so long!\r\n\r\nPlaneta Vino was originally the website for my wine tasting school and wine events business in Madrid. Now I\'m re-inventing it as a blog primarily on Spanish wine and food, but with much more on wine.\r\n\r\nSpanish food is seemingly everywhere and seems to be 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 top quality Spanish food that has not strayed too far from the original concept.\r\n\r\nSpanish wine is less well represented here in the US; it definitely does not get the respect it is due for offering top notch wines at extremely good prices. Ten years of immersing myself in these wines have really instilled me with a missionary zeal to spread the gospel of Spanish wine!\r\n\r\nCheck <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/old-planeta-vino/\">here</a> for more info on of the \"Old Planeta Vino\"\r\n\r\nTo follow me as I share my passion, follow my blog or sign up <a href=\"http://eepurl.com/qrtFH\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to get my monthly newsletters with the latest on Spanish wine and food.','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2012-10-10 23:54:59','2012-10-10 23:54:59','',500,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/500-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(507,1,'2012-10-11 00:10:43','2012-10-11 00:10:43','Mary O\'Connor of Planeta Vino','Mary O\'Connor','','inherit','open','open','','mary-about','','','2012-10-11 00:10:43','2012-10-11 00:10:43','',500,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(508,1,'2012-10-11 00:12:42','2012-10-11 00:12:42','Mary O\'Connor of Planeta Vino','Mary O\'Connor','','inherit','open','open','','mary-about-2','','','2012-10-11 00:12:42','2012-10-11 00:12:42','',500,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(509,1,'2012-10-10 23:56:30','2012-10-10 23:56:30','Welcome to the new Planeta Vino!\r\n\r\nI\'m Mary O\'Connor and after almost 10 years living in Madrid, Spain, I\'ve returned to the US. It\'s been great to come home but also a big transition after so long!\r\n\r\nPlaneta Vino was originally the website for my wine tasting school and wine events business in Madrid. Now I\'m re-inventing it as a blog primarily on Spanish wine and food, but with much more on wine.\r\n\r\nSpanish food is seemingly everywhere and seems to be 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 top quality Spanish food that has not strayed too far from the original concept.\r\n\r\nSpanish wine is less well represented here in the US; it definitely does not get the respect it is due for offering top notch wines at extremely good prices. Ten years of immersing myself in these wines have really instilled me with a missionary zeal to spread the gospel of Spanish wine!\r\n\r\nCheck <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/old-planeta-vino/\">here</a> for more info on of the \"Old Planeta Vino\"\r\n\r\nTo follow me as I share my passion, follow my blog or sign up <a href=\"http://eepurl.com/qrtFH\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to get my monthly newsletters with the latest on Spanish wine and food.','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2012-10-10 23:56:30','2012-10-10 23:56:30','',500,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/500-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(510,1,'2012-10-11 03:03:52','2012-10-11 03:03:52','','Old Planeta Vino web','','inherit','open','open','','old-planeta-vino-2','','','2012-10-11 03:03:52','2012-10-11 03:03:52','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Old-Planeta-Vino.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(511,1,'2012-10-11 03:04:53','2012-10-11 03:04:53','','Old Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','old-planeta-vino-3','','','2012-10-11 03:04:53','2012-10-11 03:04:53','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Old-Planeta-Vino1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(512,1,'2012-10-11 03:05:06','2012-10-11 03:05:06','','Monte Esquinza classroom','','inherit','open','open','','classroom-2','','','2012-10-11 03:05:06','2012-10-11 03:05:06','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/classroom-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(513,1,'2012-10-11 03:07:24','2012-10-11 03:07:24','','Monte Esquinza wine glasses','Ready for a tasting!','inherit','open','open','','classroom-wine-glasses','','','2012-10-11 03:07:24','2012-10-11 03:07:24','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/classroom-wine-glasses.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(514,1,'2012-10-01 04:52:36','2012-10-01 04:52:36','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2012-10-01 04:52:36','2012-10-01 04:52:36','',355,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/355-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(515,1,'2012-10-11 03:10:00','2012-10-11 03:10:00','','corporate wine tasting','Exploring Spanish wine','inherit','open','open','','_mg_7506-92','','','2012-10-11 03:10:00','2012-10-11 03:10:00','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/MG_7506-92.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(516,1,'2012-10-11 03:08:24','2012-10-11 03:08:24','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2012-10-11 03:08:24','2012-10-11 03:08:24','',355,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/355-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(517,1,'2012-10-11 03:11:30','2012-10-11 03:11:30','','Monte Esquinza classroom','','inherit','open','open','','classroom-2-2','','','2012-10-11 03:11:30','2012-10-11 03:11:30','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/classroom-21.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(518,1,'2012-10-11 03:14:23','2012-10-11 03:14:23','','wine tasting with clients','Wine lovers!','inherit','open','open','','wine-tasting-with-clients','','','2012-10-11 03:14:23','2012-10-11 03:14:23','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wine-tasting-with-clients.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(519,1,'2012-10-11 03:15:25','2012-10-11 03:15:25','','corporate tasting Palace Hotel','Palace Hotel','inherit','open','open','','corporate-tasting-4','','','2012-10-11 03:15:25','2012-10-11 03:15:25','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/corporate-tasting-4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(520,1,'2012-10-11 03:16:38','2012-10-11 03:16:38','','Santo Mauro corporate tasting','Corporate team building','inherit','open','open','','img_3343','','','2012-10-11 03:16:38','2012-10-11 03:16:38','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_3343.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(521,1,'2012-10-11 03:17:21','2012-10-11 03:17:21','','Lagasca classroom ','Course for locals','inherit','open','open','','home-page-foto-mod2','','','2012-10-11 03:17:21','2012-10-11 03:17:21','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Home-page-foto-mod2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(522,1,'2012-10-11 03:19:43','2012-10-11 03:19:43','','wine and cheese tasting','Wine and cheese matching','inherit','open','open','','petit-alcala-torre-hotel-4','','','2012-10-11 03:19:43','2012-10-11 03:19:43','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PETIT-ALCALA-TORRE-HOTEL-4.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(523,1,'2012-10-11 03:21:06','2012-10-11 03:21:06','','Monte Esquinza classroom','','inherit','open','open','','classroom-2-3','','','2012-10-11 03:21:06','2012-10-11 03:21:06','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/classroom-22.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(524,1,'2012-10-11 03:21:52','2012-10-11 03:21:52','','Monte Esquinza classroom','Our beautiful tasting room','inherit','open','open','','classroom-2-4','','','2012-10-11 03:21:52','2012-10-11 03:21:52','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/classroom-23.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(525,1,'2012-10-11 03:24:02','2012-10-11 03:24:02','','Old Planeta Vino','Our old web','inherit','open','open','','old-planeta-vino-4','','','2012-10-11 03:24:02','2012-10-11 03:24:02','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Old-Planeta-Vino2.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(526,1,'2012-10-11 03:10:44','2012-10-11 03:10:44','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2012-10-11 03:10:44','2012-10-11 03:10:44','',355,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/355-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(527,1,'2012-10-11 03:50:07','2012-10-11 03:50:07','','Cafe de Oriente ','Subterranean wine tasting','inherit','open','open','','img_5118','','','2012-10-11 03:50:07','2012-10-11 03:50:07','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_5118.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(528,1,'2012-10-11 03:52:17','2012-10-11 03:52:17','','clients wine and cheese','Ready for wine country!','inherit','open','open','','img_5267','','','2012-10-11 03:52:17','2012-10-11 03:52:17','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_5267.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(529,1,'2012-10-11 03:54:06','2012-10-11 03:54:06','','tapas and wine mercado de San Miguel','Enjoying Spanish wine with tapas','inherit','open','open','','img_5272','','','2012-10-11 03:54:06','2012-10-11 03:54:06','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_5272.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(530,1,'2012-10-11 03:55:09','2012-10-11 03:55:09','','Pharmaceutical Fair wine tables','Wine tables at corporate event','inherit','open','open','','pharmaceutical-fair','','','2012-10-11 03:55:09','2012-10-11 03:55:09','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Pharmaceutical-Fair.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(531,1,'2012-10-11 03:57:01','2012-10-11 03:57:01','','WSET class Portugal','WSET','inherit','open','open','','wset-1','','','2012-10-11 03:57:01','2012-10-11 03:57:01','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/WSET-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(532,1,'2012-10-11 03:38:55','2012-10-11 03:38:55','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2012-10-11 03:38:55','2012-10-11 03:38:55','',355,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/355-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(533,1,'2012-10-11 03:58:29','2012-10-11 03:58:29','','The \"Old\" Planeta Vino','','inherit','open','open','','355-revision-v1','','','2012-10-11 03:58:29','2012-10-11 03:58:29','',355,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/355-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(539,1,'2012-10-12 02:33:07','2012-10-12 06:33:07','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8078657937\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8327/8078657937_e169b3dc14_n.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1354334044815.1406\" class=\"alignright\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"270\"></a></div>\n\n<p><br>\nThe striking label on Matsu \"el Recio\" draws you in, the man&#39;s face fascinates in its stark realism. The taste of the wine brings you back again and again. This wine is from biodynamic producer Matsu in the Toro region of Spain. This is the middle wine of the range, a sort of crianza, with 14 months in oak, and my favorite. It offers the intense black fruit and structure typical of Toro with just enough oak. There is a great balance that makes it quite easy to drink. It&#39;s a fantastic value at about 12 euros! </p>\n\n<!--more--><p>It&#39;s part of a range of realistic labels that represent both the style of the wine in terms of maturity and complexity and a different generation that devotes his life to the vineyard. The younger man, el Picaro, is for the joven or \"young\" wine, with the least oak. The grandfather figure, el Viejo, is for the reserva style wine with 16 months oak. All of them are made with Tinta de Toro, the local version of Tempranillo, are very reasonably priced in their category, and make beautiful gift wines.</p>\n\n<p>Here is a link to a cool video about the wines on <a title=\"Matsu video\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgUAG18a6Ig&list=UUZSs2KpIjtU8tgJWzqvehZQ&index=2&feature=plcp\" target=\"_blank\">you tube</a>.<br>\n</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Tasty and Beautiful Toro Wine','The striking label on Matsu \"el Recio\" draws you in, the man\'s face fascinates in its stark realism. The taste of the wine brings you back again and again.  This wine is from biodynamic producer Matsu in the Toro region of Spain. This is the middle wine of the range, a sort of crianza, with 14 months in oak, and my favorite. It offers the intense black fruit and structure typical of Toro with just enough oak. There is a great balance that makes it quite easy to drink. It\'s a fantastic value at about 12 euros!','publish','open','open','','tasty-and-beautiful-toro-wine-2','','','2013-05-03 22:33:34','2013-05-04 02:33:34','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=539',0,'post','',0),(540,1,'2012-10-12 02:33:01','2012-10-12 02:33:01','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','539-revision','','','2012-10-12 02:33:01','2012-10-12 02:33:01','',539,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/539-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(541,1,'2012-12-01 03:51:51','2012-12-01 03:51:51','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8078657937\" target=\"_blank\"><img id=\"blogsy-1350009087448.088\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8327/8078657937_e169b3dc14_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"270\" /></a></div>\nThe striking label on Matsu \"el Recio\" draws you in, the man\'s face fascinates in its stark realism. The taste of the wine brings you back again and again. This wine is from biodynamic producer Matsu in the Toro region of Spain. This is the middle wine of the range, a sort of crianza, with 14 months in oak, and my favorite. It offers the intense black fruit and structure typical of Toro with just enough oak. There is a great balance that makes it quite easy to drink. It\'s a fantastic value at about 12 euros!\n\nIt\'s part of a range of realistic labels that represent both the style of the wine in terms of maturity and complexity and a different generation that devotes his life to the vineyard. The younger man, el Picaro, is for the joven or \"young\" wine, with the least oak. The grandfather figure, el Viejo, is for the reserva style wine with 16 months oak. All of them are made with Tinta de Toro, the local version of Tempranillo, are very reasonably priced in their category, and make beautiful gift wines.\n\nHere is a link to a cool video about the wines on <a title=\"Matsu video\" href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgUAG18a6Ig&amp;list=UUZSs2KpIjtU8tgJWzqvehZQ&amp;index=2&amp;feature=plcp\" target=\"_blank\">you tube</a>.\n\n&nbsp;\n<div id=\"blogsy_footer\" style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','Tasty and Beautiful Toro Wine','The striking label on Matsu \"el Recio\" draws you in, the man\'s face fascinates in its stark realism. The taste of the wine brings you back again and again.','inherit','open','open','','539-autosave','','','2012-12-01 03:51:51','2012-12-01 03:51:51','',539,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/539-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(545,1,'2012-10-12 02:51:09','2012-10-12 02:51:09',' ','','','publish','open','open','','545','','','2013-05-03 22:53:39','2013-05-04 02:53:39','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=545',9,'nav_menu_item','',0),(546,1,'2012-10-12 02:51:09','2012-10-12 02:51:09',' ','','','publish','open','open','','546','','','2013-05-03 22:53:39','2013-05-04 02:53:39','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=546',8,'nav_menu_item','',0),(547,1,'2012-10-01 05:42:30','2012-10-01 05:42:30','I get a ton of requests for wine resources from visitors to Madrid.  We originally offered sign-up classes on Monday nights to address that need partially but unfortunately no longer do.   Madrid is still a town sadly lacking in tasting opportunities and that even has very few good wine bars.\n\nFor wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend.\n\n1.  The wine store Lavinia at Calle Ortega y Gasset 16.  It a modern, beautiful store, not inexpensive, but with a lovely restaurant and bar upstairs.  You can get a bottle in the store and drink it at store price upstairs.  Also there are autoservice Enomatic wine dispensers to try some really great Spanish wines.  You get a card at the register and charge it with some money and then you can help yourself to some tasting pours of some top wines…lots of fun and unique in Madrid!\n\n2.  Casa Lucas at Cava Baja 30, near Plaza Mayor.  My favorite wine bar in Madrid.  Not only because the wine selection by the glass is excellent and the tapas outstanding, but especially because the service and the welcome is unfailingly warm and inviting.  These guys are awesome!  My favorite tapas are the Cariñena tosta, the Arroz cremoso, the carpaccio de pulpo and canelonis de curry….really unique and delciious food.  I tend to order wine by the bottle and they alwasy ahve new and great recommendations…but by the glass is great too.  Go early, they open at 8PM,  to get a seat if want to order food.  (Make sure you don’t confuse them with the famous Casa Lucio across the street…definetely not my favorite!)\n\n3.  Taberneros at Calle Santiago 9, near Plaza Mayor:  Excellent wines and excellent tapas in a gorgeous setting, though the service is never what it is in Casa Lucas.  It has remained one of my favorites over the years…love the cecina, the scallops, the potatoes and eggs with truffles and many more.  Great selection of dessert wines by the glass…very hard to come by in Madrid.\n\n4.  Mercado de San Miguel:  Newly added to my list.  It is not perfect and sometimes it can be closed for private events, but Pinkleton, the wine bar in the Mercado has some of the best wines in Madrid.  I love to go there with my friends…we usually order by the bottle, but the by-the-glass selection is excellent.  These guys know their stuff and can recommend a great bottle of wine for a good price.  Last time we didn’t spend more than 20€ a bottle.  If you like the bottle you can even buy one at a reduced price to go.  Grab a table and go around the market and get a few tapas to go with your wine.  The cheese stand is outstanding as is the olive stand.  My personal favorites are the Sorlut oysters at the oyster stand.  Lots of choices at different price ranges.  Love it…a great addition to central Madrid!','Wine lovers visiting Madrid: I feel your pain!','','inherit','open','open','','279-revision-3','','','2012-10-01 05:42:30','2012-10-01 05:42:30','',279,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/279-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(548,1,'2012-10-01 05:07:58','2012-10-01 05:07:58','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/caligo2005.jpg\" title=\"Spanish botrytis dessert wine Caligo\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/taberneros-wine-bar.jpg\" title=\"Dessert wines at Madrid wine bar Taberneros\"><img align=\"left\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/taberneros-wine-bar.jpg\" alt=\"Dessert wines at Madrid wine bar Taberneros\" /></a>Taberneros is wine bar I used to visit often, but it somehow dropped off my tapas route.  Plaza Mayor in central Madrid…they have no website (!), but are on <a href=\"http://maps.google.es/maps?hl=es&amp;um=1&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;q=Taberneros+Madrid&amp;fb=1&amp;split=1&amp;gl=es&amp;cid=0,0,7240007643933850530&amp;ei=TR7BSY_MMIiKjAfg2_gy&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=local_result&amp;resnum=1&amp;ct=imagehttp://\" title=\"Taberneros wine bar location\">google</a> maps.   We visited the other day with some friends and I was pleased to see that the basics were still in place:  great food and good wine.  Part of the reason I had stopped going there was because I felt the quality of the service and food had dropped off a little…the food impressed me anew but the service was still pretty indifferent.  Taberneros is worth a visit though because it offers unique tapas and wine.  It fits in style-wise in between the multitudinous traditional places and the “modern-elaborate” tapas places that have become trendy.  <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/caligo2005.jpg\" title=\"Spanish botrytis dessert wine Caligo\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/caligo2005.jpg\" alt=\"Spanish botrytis dessert wine Caligo\" /></a>Taberneros puts sophisticated touches to classic Spanish cuisine but without losing that comforting comfort food taste.   We tried the cecina with olive oil and it was as good as ever:  tender cured beef presented as carpaccio with top quality olive oil, lemons, and sea salt.  Most cecina is tough and dry…this is perfect!  We had the creamy scallop gratin, soft tender vegetables topped with slices of scallop and béchamel…served on the shell.  Next up was the fried eggs and potato with shaved black truffle….a cholesterol fest, but so delicious.  The wine list is very complete, a bit pricy, but with some interesting inexpensive alternatives.  There is a smattering of foreign wines, but Spain is the focus.  The by-the-glass list is good and the best surprise is that there are 6 types of dessert wine by the glass.  The highlight of the night was my first taste of the botrytis wine Caligo.  The wine is from coastal vineyards close to Barcelona and is not included in any wine appellation.  This first vintage, 2005, is made from 100% Chardonnay, but there are plans to include Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño in future vintages. Botrytis is a rarity in Spain due to the climate and this is the first Spanish dessert wine with botrytis I have ever tasted.  Their <a href=\"http://www.dgviticultors.com/\" title=\"Winery that makes Caligo dessert wine\">website</a> shows the unique mists in their vineyards that allow the noble rot to flourish.  Fascinating wine which I will revisit soon.  To sum it all up….Taberneros is a great stop on the upscale Madrid tapas route!','Madrid Wine Places:  Taberneros','','inherit','open','open','','238-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 05:07:58','2012-10-01 05:07:58','',238,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/238-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(549,1,'2012-10-08 16:53:43','2012-10-08 16:53:43','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro-tapas.jpg\" title=\"Tapas at Estado Puro tapas and wine bar in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro-tapas.jpg\" alt=\"Tapas at Estado Puro tapas and wine bar in Madrid\" /></a>I’m on a tapas roll!  Yesterday we tried another newish tapas and wine bar called Estado Puro, located right across the Paseo del Prado from the Prado Museum.  A very stylish locale, it offers the innovative and elaborate tapas of famous Madrid chef Paco Roncero.  He’s the chef at the top rated Casino de Madrid.  The tapas are modern interpretations of classic Spanish dishes and the menu is filled with interesting choices.  The tapas are very creatively presented and arrive on slate board plates.  We tried four different tapas and results were mixed:  the tempura asparagus and the “meat bombs” were delicious while the deconstructed tortilla and the presa iberica with chimichurri were just ok.   There are lots more things on the menu I would like to try though, such as the mini hamburger plate, the fried egg with baby squid and the boletus carpaccio with pine nuts.   The tapas are a bit pricy…they range from 6 to 12€, but are smallish, so this is a place to come and try only a few at a time then move on to one of the more traditional places in nearby Huertas.  The wine list by the glass offers 6 reds, 3 whites and a couple of rosés….a good variation, though none of the wines were spectacular.  In the whites my favorite is a nice Godello called Montenovo, the best red was Artazurri,   a joven red from Navarra.  The wines are all priced at 2.50€ a glass, which is a bit steep for this level of wine….but the pours are really generous.  To sum it up:  Estado Puro is a fashionable new alternative on the tapas trail…the location is amazing and they also have a really nice outdoors terraza seating area with spectacular views.  I’m not completely sold on the food, but I’ll definitely be returning to try some more.  Another plus is that it offers its full menu all day from 11AM to 1AM, a rarity still here in Madrid.  Read on for more details on the food and wines at Estado Puro. \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro.jpg\" title=\"Estado Puro wine and tapas bar in Madrid\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/estado-puro.jpg\" alt=\"Estado Puro wine and tapas bar in Madrid\" /></a>The decor is modern yet cozy, with images of peinetas, decorative Spanish hair combs, covering the walls.  I also love the presentation of the food….slate plates with some really unique touches…the tempura asparagus comes in a cute french fry paper bag that is actually porcelain.  \nOur first tapa was asparagus tempura with romesco sauce.  The asparagus tempura was very good, though a bit heavy on the coating…the combination with rich romesco sauce was great…though I would ideally add a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through all the rich flavors.  Our next taps was the meat bombs…not a very good name for what amounts to a meat croquette…definitely not an explosion of meat….but really delicious, especially with the spicy tomato sauce it came with.  Next up the deconstructed modern interpretation of the Spanish tortilla…onion, potato, egg, all the ingredients in a tortilla…served separately in a foamy concoction.  Just ok…the potato foam was a bit starchy, and it needed more onion flavor…..didn’t like the texture either.  Finally we had the presa iberica with chimichurri.  Presa is a very fatty cut of the Iberian pig that is delicious, but must be served very rare or it can be very tough.  Our piece was ok, but lacking in flavor…the chimichurri was nice, but not enough to pull up the dish. \n\nThe by the glass wine list is good but I hope they change it sometimes….I will be returning to see soon.  I wasn’t impressed with the Semele Crianza from Ribera, which is their top red wine by the glass.  I much preferred the Artazuri joven from one of my favorite bodegas, Santa Cruz de Artazu.  See my rating of their top notch Garnacha:  <a href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/2009/01/26/wine-rating-santa-cruz-de-artazu-2005/\">http://www.planetavino.net/2009/01/26/wine-rating-santa-cruz-de-artazu-2005/</a>.  The joven wine was simple, but attractive and for 5€ retail a bottle…really great!  Besides the reds there were three interesting whites from Rueda, Valdeorras and Somontano and two good dry rosés from Navarra. \n\nThough  I have some reservations about Estado Puro, overall I really liked the experience….I’ll post an update once I try the place again.  If you want to check out their heavily flash website, you can at:  <a href=\"http://tapasenestadopuro.com/#Inicio\">http://tapasenestadopuro.com/#Inicio</a>.  It’s a pain to navigate but it has nice pictures of all the tapas, as well as good practical info and a map. ','Madrid Wine Places:  Estado Puro','','inherit','open','open','','215-revision-5','','','2012-10-08 16:53:43','2012-10-08 16:53:43','',215,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/215-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(550,1,'2012-10-08 16:54:45','2012-10-08 16:54:45','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-wine-bar.jpg\" title=\"Kulto al Plato wine bar chalkboard menu and wine list\"></a><a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-madrid-wine-bar.jpg\" title=\"Madrid wine bar Kulto al Plato chalkboard menu and wine list\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-madrid-wine-bar.jpg\" alt=\"Madrid wine bar Kulto al Plato chalkboard menu and wine list\" /></a>I’m always on the lookout for great wine and tapas places in Madrid.  Unfortunately they are few and far between, though the situation is slowly improving.  One impressive new place is called Kulto al Plato, located near the Argüelles metro in Moncloa.  It’s a great combination of a cool modern décor, delicious modern Basque pintxos and an interesting wine list.  The food is really unique, really showing casing the modern techniques that are coming out of Basque Country and the wine list is short but really diverse and original….a real change from the boring wine lists that are typical here in Madrid.  The prices are good…about 3.50€ for most tapas…modern interpretations in miniature of Spain’s most famous dishes.  Despite the modern feel, I love that the back wall is huge chalk board with the menu and wine list written on it…it gives the place a really warm feel.  The service is very good, very quick and friendly…the food arrives very quickly as well.  This wine bar has a really different vibe than most…it really draws its style from the streets of old town San Sebastian, where its sister establishment, A Fuego Negro, is located.  It’s definitely high on my list for a return visit…there is lot more to try on their creative tapas menu!\n\nDavid, one of the owners, was there and we had a long chat….he’s an interesting Basque guy who loves living in Madrid and he has a real passion for his food.  At first when I told him I was going to write about him on my blog, he was a bit negative, saying he got frustrated with short blog entries that can’t possibly convey all the passion and hard work that goes on behind the scenes.  He also feels that many bloggers are just out to ambush places, taking an unforgiving attitude and looking to criticize every last detail.  I can see his perspective, though I tried to reassure him that most of us try to be even-handed!\n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-aceitunas.jpg\" title=\"Tapa of olives with vermouth\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-aceitunas.jpg\" alt=\"Tapa of olives with vermouth\" /></a>Now some food and wine in detail.  For the free tapa they served us some wonderful olives that came with a dropper filled with vermouth…you baste the olives in the vermouth before eating them…a really unique and delicious combination…loved it!\n\nOur first glasses of wine were a Pago del Vicario 50-50 2005, a nice La Mancha blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon with 12 months in oak…big, plush fruit, toasty oak.  Then we had a Tagonius Roble 2006, a Tempranillo blend from Madrid with about 7 months in oak.  The fruit was a little vegetal with olive notes…just ok.  The most food friendly wine of the night was the Melquior Crianza 2004 from Rioja.  A lean, elegant Rioja with fresh red fruit, just enough oak and great acidity….really easy to drink!\n\nBack to the food….our first tapa was a cool modern arrangement of crab, avocado mousse and licorice ice cream…you take a bit of each in the spoonful…the licorice ice cream goes surprisingly well with the avocado and crab…contrasting yet complimentary textures, flavors and temperatures! \n\nNext up a crunchy risotto with idiazabal cheese and thinly sliced squid.  Delicious concept though I found the rice a touch salty…I will try it again next time. \n\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-vaso.jpg\" title=\"Tapa of Tigreton de Mejillon\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/kulto-al-plato-vaso.jpg\" alt=\"Tapa of Tigreton de Mejillon\" /></a>My favorite dish of the night was a vaso de Tigreton de Mejillon, a spectacular combination of mussels, tomato sauce, red and green peppers topped  with a delicious béchamel foam and crunchy crumbs of pork rinds (yes pork rinds!)  It is served in a glass and with your spoon you try and get a bit of each element…a really amazing combination of flavors! \n\nAlso delicious was the modern take on a Spanish classic…patatas al ajillo….freshly cooked potatoes drizzles with garlic olive oil and served with sea lettuce and tempura seaweed.  The sea lettuce is soft in texture and adds some salinity and the tempura seaweed is crunchy with just of hint of the ocean at the end…loved the combination with warm potatoes…really didn’t expect to.\n\nReally unique adventurous cuisine matched with exciting wines from all over Spain…there are bound to be small faults, like the salty rice, but it definitely left me wanting more!\n\nThe only other weak spot is the number of wines by the glass, high quality, but only a few.  It’s a reality we endure here …unfortunately wine is only secondary to food for most customers, and it is still hard to have an extensive by-the-glass program here in Madrid.  The wine preservation/dispenser concept is just starting to take hold here…most wine bars would never consider investing in one.  \n\nThe website doesn’t have much but it does have a good access map and a nice video from Spanish showing some of the pintxos:  <a href=\"http://www.kultoalplato.com/index.html\">http://www.kultoalplato.com/index.html</a>','Madrid Wine Places:  Kulto al Plato','','inherit','open','open','','202-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 16:54:45','2012-10-08 16:54:45','',202,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/202-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(551,1,'2012-10-08 16:58:18','2012-10-08 16:58:18','<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/le-petit-bistro.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant:  Le Petit Bistrot\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/le-petit-bistro.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Restaurant:  Le Petit Bistrot\" /></a>Love Spanish food, but often it\'s really nice to branch out a little.  French food is always a good option, but it\'s hard in Madrid to find authentic bistrot food…and impossible at a good price. \n\nA great French bistrot experience <a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\"></a>can be found at Le Petit Bistrot. \nTwo locations: \nCalle Ponzano, 60\nPlaza Matute, 5\n<a href=\"http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/\">http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/</a>\n\nThe menu is classic bistrot…check out the web site for a complete list.  The food is seasonal though so the menu varies.  We started with some escargot in garlic sauce, some fired brie croquettes and a baked goat cheese salad.  All were excellent.  I hadn\'t had escargots is ages…everything tastes so good int hat garlic butter sauce!   The salad was really memorable…a great mix of greens, some jamon bits, a huge slice of baked goat\'s cheese…all topped with the typical French vinaigrette that I love.\n<a href=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.jpg\" title=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\"><img align=\"right\" src=\"http://myplanetavino.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/bistrot-steak-tartare.thumbnail.JPG\" alt=\"Restaurant: Le Petit Bistrot steak tartare\" /></a>The main courses were equally well done:  Duck magret with boletus mushrooms, a classic and delicious steak tartare, a smoky sweet duck confit, and perfectly seared fresh foie with caramelized apple.  These are some tricky dishes, but all of them were really well executed. \nThe desserts were maybe the best of all:  a lovely tarte tatin, a spiced hot chocolate soup with ice cream and the piece de resistance…one of those chocolate bouchon cakes…firm on the outside…meltingly chocolately on the inside!  These are the type of elaborate desserts that you have to order at the beginning of the meal to give them time to prepare them!\n\nThe wine list is so interesting…a wide selection of little known French producers at very reasonable prices.  We enjoyed an outstanding AOC Jasnières (Chenin Blanc from the Loire) from the producer Kharaktêr, followed by a very good Côte du Rhône Villages (Rochegude) from Vinumentis. \n\nThe service was excellent, really attentive, by an all-French staff.  The décor is very intimate, smoky bistrot-style. \nReally my only complaint the whole night was the bread…very mediocre…should be easy to fix!\n\nBest of all is the price:  for all this we paid only 35 euros per person!  In Madrid it is hard to beat that for this quality and complexity of food.  The best deal is to come at lunch and get the 3 course menu del dia for about 18 euros.  Even the more pricy items are available on the menu del dia for a supplement.\n\nI shall return whenever I am craving delicious French comfort food!','Great French food, good prices, at Le Petit Bistrot','','inherit','open','open','','108-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 16:58:18','2012-10-08 16:58:18','',108,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/108-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(552,1,'2012-10-08 16:59:28','2012-10-08 16:59:28','<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGSE8iMXZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/rbgGrU7jEXI/s1600-h/taberneros1.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGSE8iMXZI/AAAAAAAAAGo/rbgGrU7jEXI/s200/taberneros1.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>Calle Santiago, 9\nHours: from 1300-1600 and 2030 to 0000, closed on Mondays\nTel: 91 542 2160\n\nIf Casa Lucas is my most favorite wine bar in Madrid (see my previous article), Taberneros is definitely in my top three.\nI hadn\'t been there in a while so I was happy to return there a couple fo weeks ago. We don\'t get there enough….it\'s located close to Plaza Mayor, but on the opposite side of the Cava Baja area, where we most often go.\nThe first nice thing you notice about Taberneros is its size, which is much larger than most wine bars. They don\'t take reservations, but as long as you arrive by 9PM, you should be fine.\nThe food is very good, as is the wonderful wine list. The by-the-glass wine program is excellent, though we almost always end up getting bottles.\nWe had a typical sampling the other night:\n1. Salmorejo: a thick type of gazpacho with garlic. Very nice version…good consistency and rich tomato flavour…it had an appealing touch of sweetness.\n2. Scallops: Scallops are expensive and hard to come by in Spain L! Taberneros offers a very nice dish, finely diced vegetables, sautéed until very soft…topped with slices of barely cooked scallop with a smooth béchamel sauce. Light on scallops, but intense flavors.\n3. Cecina: This is cured beef…a super elegant version of beef jerky. The cured beef is sliced paper thin, arranged on platter, sprinkled with sea salt and topped with top notch olive oil. Wonderful combination! Cecina is often horrible, tough, dry…really like beef jerky, so this is a treat.\n4. Grilled venison loin with berry sauce and pumpkin. Very nice preparation, though deer is not one of my favourite meats.\n5. Rice with clams and crawfish: a soupy rice with tiny clams and chuks of crayfish. Very nice but very subtle.\n6. Fried eggs with Galician potatoes and truffle. This was my favourite of the main courses. Gourmet comfort food. The Galician potatoes have a slightly firmed consistency and paired beautifully with the runny, farm-fresh eggs. The chunks of truffle, some great olive oil and sea salt brought it all together. Outstanding…\n\nI always try new wines in Taberneros…they know their wines and can easily recommend something.\nThe first wine we had was a favourite from DO Cigales, a little known Denominacion near Ribera del Duero…north west of Madrid. The wine was Traslanzas 2001. The winemaker, Ana Martin, is one of my favorites, a \"driving winemaker\" who makes wines around Spain. Translanzas is one of the top wines in a region that is still up and coming. It is made from old-vine Tempranillo and comes across initially as closed in the nose. Later plums and black cherry shoes through. Intense mouth, huge structure…big tannins. Needs lots of air, but rewards you.\n<a href=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGR0MiMXYI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Jcxo1KbVJEE/s1600-h/Penedes+Pares+Balta+Hisenda+Miret+2005.JPG\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RhGR0MiMXYI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Jcxo1KbVJEE/s200/Penedes+Pares+Balta+Hisenda+Miret+2005.JPG\" style=\"float:right;cursor:hand;margin:0 0 10px 10px;\" /></a>\nThe new wine that night was a really original Garnache (Grenache) from the winery Parés Baltá in DO Penedés, Catalunya. It was called Hisenda Miret 2005. Very fresh nose…almost put me off at first. Intense cranberry, cherry and anis. Lean and fresh mouth, with bracing acidity and tight cherry fruit. Really long finish with smooth tannins. Didn\'t show its alcohol level of 14.5% at all! Really original!\nReally original…I\'m liking more and more of those Penedés reds!','Places: Taberneros Wine Bar','','inherit','open','open','','46-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 16:59:28','2012-10-08 16:59:28','',46,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/46-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(553,1,'2012-10-08 17:02:00','2012-10-08 17:02:00','<img border=\"0\" src=\"http://bp3.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RbkFIqF6DmI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Jl7M1OCi12U/s320/Casa+Lucas+1.JPG\" style=\"display:block;cursor:hand;text-align:center;margin:0 auto 10px;\" />\n\n<a href=\"http://bp2.blogger.com/_N6XlKRvqM98/RbkEJaF6DlI/AAAAAAAAACA/VMCCsP0h8sQ/s1600-h/Casa+Lucas+1.JPG\"></a>Calle Cava Baja, 30 (near Plaza Mayor)\nTel: 91 365 0804Though there are many great tapas bars in Madrid, there are a few that stand out. This wine bar is one of our favorites. It not only offers a very high quality wine list, but they also offer some amazing tapas. These are not your average tapas: some of them are quite unique.\nThere 12-14 wines by the glass on a chalkboard, and different wines are rotated in a on a regular basis. If your party is larger, the bottle wine list is quite outstanding. The staff is knowledgeable and can recommend wines with some confidence. Some of the staff speak English, but whoever you get, they are relaxed, friendly, and very helpful. These are the type of guys who remember you after a few visits!\nThe place is tiny…just a few tables and standing room...and it gets packed! If you want to sit and more comfortably try some of the tapas…go early! Early here means between 8 and 930 PM. They are open for lunch except Wednesdays, but I don\'t know how the crowd is...probably less.\nAs all tapas places in Spain…if you take one of the few tables, they expect you to order tapas, not just drinks.\n\nWe were in Casa Lucas with some friends last night. We had a couple of our usual tapas and an exciting new one.\n\nThe Cariñena tosta:\n\nOne of the regular tapas we always recommend is called Cariñena. It is toasted crusty bread topped with caramelized onions and a slice of grilled pork loin. Sea salt tops it off…so simple yet the flavors are perfect together.\nThis is a tapa you can find in other places…but Casa Lucas makes one of the best!\nThe pork in Spain is outstanding…very different than most of what we eat in the US. Try both the fresh and cured varieties. One breed of pig, the black footed Iberican pig, offers the best cured hams, as well as fresh pork cuts that are the other red meat! They have the same color as beef and are best cook either rare, or at least pink in the middle: yes pink pork!\n\nArroz cremoso con boletus, foie y huevo (Creamy rice with egg and foie):\n\nI have yet to taste anything quite like this any where else!\nThe Boletus infused creamy rice is topped with a slide of fresh pan-seared foie and a soft-poached egg. They are topped by a drizzle of basil oil and a red fruit coulis. To serve you cut up the foie and the egg in little bits and mix it into the rice thoroughly. The combination of flavors is stunning!\nSometimes when we bring new people there, they are initially put off by the foie and egg, but when they taste it…instant converts!\nBoletus is a type of wild mushroom that is one of the most expensive and coveted in Spain. It is almost always served alone, apart form other mushrooms, done in a very simple preparation. The flavors are very intense, earthy and smoky...love it!\n\nCarpaccio de pulpo con revolconas y bacon\n(Octopus carpaccio with mashed potatoes and bacon):\n\nThis was anew one for us…a seasonal offering on the chalkboard…I hope it stays for a while!\nThis is creamy mashed potatoes with loads of smoky Spanish paprika topped with ultra-thin slices of tender octopus. Over the top, olive oil and fried bacon bits. The combination of flavors, smoky bacon, paprika, with the great texture of the chunky mashed potatoes, was tremendous. The octopus was a subtle, succulent high note.\nThis original dish is a modern take on a very traditional Spanish dish from Galicia. Pulpo a Feira is sliced boiled potatoes with octopus slices topped with paprika, olive oil and sea salt. Octopus was something I ate with moderation before coming here, but Spanish octopus is so melt-in-your mouth that I eat it whenever I can get my hands on it!\n\nWine:\nThe wine we had with all this was a Vallegarcia Syrah 2003. It is a Vino de La Tierra de Castilla wine…in other words: La Mancha. Syrah in Spain is just picking up and I have yet to be impressed. Most of them are quite alcoholic with a simple Mediterranean fruit. This was no exception! Good length, but too simple for such a big wine…big was all that came across!','Places: Casa Lucas Wine Bar','','inherit','open','open','','34-revision-3','','','2012-10-08 17:02:00','2012-10-08 17:02:00','',34,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/34-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(554,1,'2012-10-12 21:40:29','2012-10-12 21:40:29','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/7708725254\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7708725254_348e1636ef_n.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1354333423600.5286\" class=\"alignright\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<p><br>\nThe branch of <a title=\"La Boqueria\" href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a> in Washington DC opens into the bar area and the open prep kitchen where you can see them preparing the delicious little bites of tapas at a frenzied pace. It transports you to Spain right away, with a whole leg of iberico jamon, a great selection of Spanish cheese and olives, and tortilla de patata, all displayed beautifully. Pan con tomate or tomato bread, cheap, delicious and filling, flies out of the tapas kitchen. Splurge and top that pan con tomate with some jamon and you are in heaven! </p>\n\n<!--more--><p>Happy hour is a great time to sit in the bar area...there is a special food menu and it included some delicious deals last time: creamy croquetas and an outstanding sandwich of butifarra, a Catalan sausage. The sangria of the day was easy to drink!</p>\n\n<p>Besides the regular menu, they have a menu of rotating specials, which often has the matrimonio, one of my favorites. This is a tapa on bread with a sort of escalivada (meltingly soft stewed vegetables,) topped with the matrimonio or \"marriage\" of two types of anchovies, the dark, salt-cured ones, and the white vinegar-cured ones, often called boquerones. Spectacular! Even people who paled at the word anchovies loved it!<br>\n</p>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8080696717\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8329/8080696717_51a1281fe5_c.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1354333423551.3386\" class=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" alt=\"\"></a></div>\n\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\">So many great dishes...also stood out for me the gambas al ajillo, shrimp cooked in garlic olive oil, and the txipirones, or baby squid seared a la plancha. Perhaps the weakest dish so far for me has been the black paella dish, which was just good, but a little dry (the seafood) and overdone (the rice).</div>\n\n<p><br>\nThe wine list is more than acceptable, all Spanish, with some good choices, though the list as a whole didn&#39;t excite me. Besides the sangria we have mostly stuck to whites, Rueda, and a really excellent Godello from the region of Valdeorras, Viña Godeval. The mark ups are hefty but that&#39;s almost everywhere in the US...it still just takes my breath away!</p>\n\n<p>Overall I really like la Boqueria....it gives you an authentic taste of Spain. They don&#39;t try and fancy up some of the classic tapas dishes; they innovate in all the right places but don&#39;t mess with the basics. A good example are the pimientos de padron, small Galician peppers fried in olive oil and just served with a dusting of sea salt....perfect!<br>\n</p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p>','Satisfy some Spanish cravings in La Boqueria DC','The branch of La Boqueria in Washington DC opens into the bar area and the open prep kitchen where you can see them preparing the delicious little bites of tapas at a frenzied pace. It transports you to Spain right away, with a whole leg of iberico jamon, a great selection of Spanish cheese and olives, and tortilla de patata, all displayed beautifully.  Pan con tomate or tomato bread, cheap, delicious and filling, flies out of the tapas kitchen. Splurge and top that pan con tomate with some jamon and you are in heaven!','publish','open','open','','satisfy-some-spanish-cravings-in-la-boqueria-dc','','','2012-12-01 03:45:15','2012-12-01 03:45:15','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=554',0,'post','',0),(555,1,'2012-10-12 21:40:28','2012-10-12 21:40:28','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','554-revision','','','2012-10-12 21:40:28','2012-10-12 21:40:28','',554,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/554-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(556,1,'2012-12-01 03:40:38','2012-12-01 03:40:38','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/7708725254\" target=\"_blank\"><img id=\"blogsy-1350077921321.7795\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8292/7708725254_348e1636ef_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a></div>\nThe branch of <a title=\"La Boqueria\" href=\"http://www.boquerianyc.com/\" target=\"_blank\">La Boqueria</a> in Washington DC opens into the bar area and the open prep kitchen where you can see them preparing the delicious little bites of tapas at a frenzied pace. It transports you to Spain right away, with a whole leg of iberico jamon, a great selection of Spanish cheese and olives, and tortilla de patata, all displayed beautifully. Pan con tomate or tomato bread, cheap, delicious and filling, flies out of the tapas kitchen. Splurge and top that pan con tomate with some jamon and you are in heaven! <!--more-->\n\nHappy hour is a great time to sit in the bar area...there is a special food menu and it included some delicious deals last time: creamy croquetas and an outstanding sandwich of butifarra, a Catalan sausage. The sangria of the day was easy to drink!\n\nBesides the regular menu, they have a menu of rotating specials, which often has the matrimonio, one of my favorites. This is a tapa on bread with a sort of escalivada (meltingly soft stewed vegetables,) topped with the matrimonio or \"marriage\" of two types of anchovies, the dark, salt-cured ones, and the white vinegar-cured ones, often called boquerones. Spectacular! Even people who paled at the word anchovies loved it!\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/8080696717\" target=\"_blank\"><img id=\"blogsy-1350077921318.6455\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8329/8080696717_51a1281fe5_c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"400\" /></a></div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: none;\">So many great dishes...also stood out for me the gambas al ajillo, shrimp cooked in garlic olive oil, and the txipirones, or baby squid seared a la plancha. Perhaps the weakest dish so far for me has been the black paella dish, which was just good, but a little dry (the seafood) and overdone (the rice).</div>\nThe wine list is more than acceptable, all Spanish, with some good choices, though the list as a whole didn\'t excite me. Besides the sangria we have mostly stuck to whites, Rueda, and a really excellent Godello from the region of Valdeorras, Viña Godeval. The mark ups are hefty but that\'s almost everywhere in the US...it still just takes my breath away!\n\nOverall I really like la Boqueria....it gives you an authentic taste of Spain. They don\'t try and fancy up some of the classic tapas dishes; they innovate in all the right places but don\'t mess with the basics. A good example are the pimientos de padron, small Galician peppers fried in olive oil and just served with a dusting of sea salt....perfect!\n\n&nbsp;\n<div id=\"blogsy_footer\" style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','Satisfy some Spanish cravings in La Boqueria DC','The branch of La Boqueria in Washington DC opens into the bar area and the open prep kitchen where you can see them preparing the delicious little bites of tapas at a frenzied pace. It transports you to Spain right away, with a whole leg of iberico jamon, a great selection of Spanish cheese and olives, and tortilla de patata, all displayed beautifully.','inherit','open','open','','554-autosave','','','2012-12-01 03:40:38','2012-12-01 03:40:38','',554,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/554-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(558,1,'2012-10-12 22:31:57','2012-10-12 22:31:57','','My SlideDeck','','publish','closed','closed','','my-slidedeck','','','2013-07-21 14:58:14','2013-07-21 18:58:14','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?post_type=slidedeck2&#038;p=558',0,'slidedeck2','',0),(563,1,'2012-10-14 02:09:05','2012-10-14 02:09:05','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/7714378642\" target=\"_blank\"><img id=\"blogsy-1350180242590.2825\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7714378642_36b4685272_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"268\" /></a></div>\r\nGreat cheese is not so easy to find in Spain. There often isn\'t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly. That doesn\'t mean that there isn\'t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve. Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet\'s Cheese Bar. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nIt\'s a far more elegant establishment than the name would suggest, though there is a sort of bar space up front, and there is an actual \"cheese bar\" way in the back, where you can watch the staff preparing the cheese plates. The service is very very good and in line with the fairly high prices for Madrid.\r\n\r\nThere is a regular menu, with all sort of dishes based on cheese, starters, soups, salads, tartars, pastas, as well as main courses. It also includes a fun selection of fondues and raclettes. We tried quite a few of the starters and they were all quite good....in fact, it was hard to resist ordering too much, as we were really there for the cheese plates.\r\n\r\nThe impressive selection of cheese, all aged in special rooms on site, is well over a hundred, and hails from all over Europe. There are thematic cheese plates, but you can also customize yours.....the menu lists all the cheeses, with all the relevant details, provenance, aging, type of milk, strength, necessary to help you choose. It\'s heaven....and oh so hard to choose! In the pictures you can see the all-Spanish plate I assembled, with some of my favorites such as Monte Enebro and Valdeon.\r\n\r\nThe wine list is lovely, heavy on whites, sparkling, fortified and sweet wines, perfect for cheese matching. We had the Louro do Bolo Godello from Valdeorras....really fresh acidity, stone fruit, a touch of oak smoke, mouth-filling....perfect with most of our cheeses. The wine list varies in price, can be high, but the wines they offer by the glass, are also well priced by the bottle.\r\n\r\nLove this place! If you love cheese and want to taste the best Spanish cheeses with some great wine in a top notch place, there is nowhere better than Cheese Bar in Madrid.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div id=\"blogsy_footer\" style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','Cheese heaven in Madrid','Great cheese is not so easy to find in Spain.  There often isn\'t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly.  That doesn\'t mean that there isn\'t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve.  Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet\'s Cheese Bar.','publish','open','open','','cheese-heaven-in-madrid','','','2012-12-01 03:31:46','2012-12-01 03:31:46','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?p=563',0,'post','',0),(564,1,'2012-10-14 02:09:00','2012-10-14 02:09:00','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','563-revision','','','2012-10-14 02:09:00','2012-10-14 02:09:00','',563,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/563-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(565,1,'2012-12-01 03:31:23','2012-12-01 03:31:23','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/7714378642\" target=\"_blank\"><img id=\"blogsy-1350180242590.2825\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7714378642_36b4685272_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"268\" /></a></div>\nGreat cheese is not so easy to find in Spain. There often isn\'t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly. That doesn\'t mean that there isn\'t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve. Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet\'s Cheese Bar. <!--more-->\n\nIt\'s a far more elegant establishment than the name would suggest, though there is a sort of bar space up front, and there is an actual \"cheese bar\" way in the back, where you can watch the staff preparing the cheese plates. The service is very very good and in line with the fairly high prices for Madrid.\n\nThere is a regular menu, with all sort of dishes based on cheese, starters, soups, salads, tartars, pastas, as well as main courses. It also includes a fun selection of fondues and raclettes. We tried quite a few of the starters and they were all quite good....in fact, it was hard to resist ordering too much, as we were really there for the cheese plates.\n\nThe impressive selection of cheese, all aged in special rooms on site, is well over a hundred, and hails from all over Europe. There are thematic cheese plates, but you can also customize yours.....the menu lists all the cheeses, with all the relevant details, provenance, aging, type of milk, strength, necessary to help you choose. It\'s heaven....and oh so hard to choose! In the pictures you can see the all-Spanish plate I assembled, with some of my favorites such as Monte Enebro and Valdeon.\n\nThe wine list is lovely, heavy on whites, sparkling, fortified and sweet wines, perfect for cheese matching. We had the Louro do Bolo Godello from Valdeorras....really fresh acidity, stone fruit, a touch of oak smoke, mouth-filling....perfect with most of our cheeses. The wine list varies in price, can be high, but the wines they offer by the glass, are also well priced by the bottle.\n\nLove this place! If you love cheese and want to taste the best Spanish cheeses with some great wine in a top notch place, there is nowhere better than Cheese Bar in Madrid.\n\n&nbsp;\n<div id=\"blogsy_footer\" style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','Cheese heaven in Madrid','Great cheese is not so easy to find in Spain.  There often isn\'t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly.  That doesn\'t mean that there isn\'t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve.  Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet\'s Cheese Bar.','inherit','open','open','','563-autosave','','','2012-12-01 03:31:23','2012-12-01 03:31:23','',563,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/563-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(566,1,'2012-10-11 00:13:32','2012-10-11 00:13:32','<a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-508\" title=\"Mary O\'Connor\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Mary-about1-229x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"229\" height=\"300\" /></a>Welcome to the new Planeta Vino!\r\n\r\nI\'m Mary O\'Connor and after almost 10 years living in Madrid, Spain, I\'ve returned to the US. It\'s been great to come home but also a big transition after so long!\r\n\r\nPlaneta Vino was originally the website for my wine tasting school and wine events business in Madrid. Now I\'m re-inventing it as a blog primarily on Spanish wine and food, but with much more on wine.\r\n\r\nSpanish food is seemingly everywhere and seems to be 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 top quality Spanish food that has not strayed too far from the original concept.\r\n\r\nSpanish wine is less well represented here in the US; it definitely does not get the respect it is due for offering top notch wines at extremely good prices. Ten years of immersing myself in these wines have really instilled me with a missionary zeal to spread the gospel of Spanish wine!\r\n\r\nCheck <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/old-planeta-vino/\">here</a> for more info on of the \"Old Planeta Vino\"\r\n\r\nTo follow me as I share my passion, follow my blog or sign up <a href=\"http://eepurl.com/qrtFH\" target=\"_blank\">here</a> to get my monthly newsletters with the latest on Spanish wine and food.','About','','inherit','open','open','','500-revision-v1','','','2012-10-11 00:13:32','2012-10-11 00:13:32','',500,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/500-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(567,1,'2012-10-14 02:09:00','2012-10-14 02:09:00','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/7714378642\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img src=\"http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7714378642_36b4685272_n.jpg\" id=\"blogsy-1350180242590.2825\" class=\"alignright\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"268\"></a></div>\n\n<p> Great cheese is not so easy to find in Spain.  There often isn&#39;t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly.  That doesn&#39;t mean that there isn&#39;t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve.  Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet&#39;s Cheese Bar.</p>\n\n<p>It&#39;s a far more elegant establishment than the name would suggest, though there is a sort of bar space up front, and there is an actual \"cheese bar\" way in the back, where you can watch the staff preparing the cheese plates.  The service is very very good and in line with the fairly high prices for Madrid.  </p>\n\n<p>There is a regular menu, with all sort of dishes based on cheese, starters, soups, salads, tartars, pastas, as well as main courses.  It also includes a fun selection of fondues and raclettes.  We tried quite a few of the starters and they were all quite good....in fact, it was hard to resist ordering too much, as we were really there for the cheese plates.  </p>\n\n<p>The impressive selection of cheese, all aged in special rooms on site, is well over a hundred, and hails from all over Europe.  There are thematic cheese plates, but you can also customize yours.....the menu lists all the cheeses, with all the relevant details, provenance, aging, type of milk, strength, necessary to help you choose.  It&#39;s heaven....and oh so hard to choose!  In the pictures you can see the all-Spanish plate I assembled, with some of my favorites such as Monte Enebro and Valdeon.</p>\n\n<p>The wine list is lovely, heavy on whites, sparkling, fortified and sweet wines, perfect for cheese matching. We had the Louro do Bolo Godello from Valdeorras....really fresh acidity, stone fruit, a touch of oak smoke, mouth-filling....perfect with most of our cheeses.  The wine list varies in price, can be high, but the wines they offer by the glass, are also well priced by the bottle.  </p>\n\n<p>Love this place!  If you love cheese and want to taste the best Spanish cheeses with some great wine in a top notch place, there is nowhere better than Cheese Bar in Madrid.  </p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;</p><div style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\" id=\"blogsy_footer\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','Cheese heaven in Madrid','Great cheese is not so easy to find in Spain.  There often isn\'t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly.  That doesn\'t mean that there isn\'t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve.  Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet\'s Cheese Bar.','inherit','open','open','','563-revision-2','','','2012-10-14 02:09:00','2012-10-14 02:09:00','',563,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/563-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(569,1,'2012-10-18 02:31:54','2012-10-18 02:31:54','<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: right;\"><a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/84220010@N06/7714378642\" target=\"_blank\"><img id=\"blogsy-1350180242590.2825\" class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7714378642_36b4685272_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"360\" height=\"268\" /></a></div>\r\nGreat cheese is not so easy to find in Spain. There often isn\'t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly. That doesn\'t mean that there isn\'t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve. Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet\'s Cheese Bar.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a far more elegant establishment than the name would suggest, though there is a sort of bar space up front, and there is an actual \"cheese bar\" way in the back, where you can watch the staff preparing the cheese plates. The service is very very good and in line with the fairly high prices for Madrid.\r\n\r\nThere is a regular menu, with all sort of dishes based on cheese, starters, soups, salads, tartars, pastas, as well as main courses. It also includes a fun selection of fondues and raclettes. We tried quite a few of the starters and they were all quite good....in fact, it was hard to resist ordering too much, as we were really there for the cheese plates.\r\n\r\nThe impressive selection of cheese, all aged in special rooms on site, is well over a hundred, and hails from all over Europe. There are thematic cheese plates, but you can also customize yours.....the menu lists all the cheeses, with all the relevant details, provenance, aging, type of milk, strength, necessary to help you choose. It\'s heaven....and oh so hard to choose! In the pictures you can see the all-Spanish plate I assembled, with some of my favorites such as Monte Enebro and Valdeon.\r\n\r\nThe wine list is lovely, heavy on whites, sparkling, fortified and sweet wines, perfect for cheese matching. We had the Louro do Bolo Godello from Valdeorras....really fresh acidity, stone fruit, a touch of oak smoke, mouth-filling....perfect with most of our cheeses. The wine list varies in price, can be high, but the wines they offer by the glass, are also well priced by the bottle.\r\n\r\nLove this place! If you love cheese and want to taste the best Spanish cheeses with some great wine in a top notch place, there is nowhere better than Cheese Bar in Madrid.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div id=\"blogsy_footer\" style=\"text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;\"><a href=\"http://blogsyapp.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img style=\"vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;\" src=\"http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png\" alt=\"Posted with Blogsy\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>','Cheese heaven in Madrid','Great cheese is not so easy to find in Spain.  There often isn\'t much variety, only variations on Manchego, and even the quality of the Manchego can vary greatly.  That doesn\'t mean that there isn\'t spectacular cheese being produced out there, just that the great cheeses of Spain are not appreciated as much as they deserve.  Artesanal cheese stores such as Poncelet have long offered these great cheeses but now diners can now enjoy the first cheese specialty restaurant in Madrid: Poncelet\'s Cheese Bar.','inherit','open','open','','563-revision-3','','','2012-10-18 02:31:54','2012-10-18 02:31:54','',563,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/563-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(571,1,'2013-05-03 20:45:48','2013-05-04 00:45:48','<h2><strong>Spanish Wine</strong></h2>\n&nbsp;\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">We mustn\'t forget some of the other great Spanish wines categories:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fresh, fruity, dry, cheap rosé wines and delightful cava,the good value sparkling wine alternative.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Undervalued, complex, surprising sherries, that come in 12 different styles and are wonderfully food friendly.</p>\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>\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>\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>\n&nbsp;\n<h2><strong>Spanish Food</strong></h2>\n&nbsp;\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\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>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more on Spanish food, stay tuned to my blog!</p>\n&nbsp;\n<h2><strong>Spanish Wine and Food</strong></h2>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\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>\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>\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>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few exceptions:</p>\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>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rueda, another popular white, is frequently ordered with tapas, before a meal.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the south, there is some appreciation of dry sherry as an aperitif wine with tapas</p>\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>\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-autosave','','','2013-05-03 20:45:48','2013-05-04 00:45:48','',6,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/6-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(572,1,'2012-10-01 04:36:59','2012-10-01 04:36:59','Learn about Spanish wine','Spanish Wine and Food','','inherit','open','open','','6-revision-3','','','2012-10-01 04:36:59','2012-10-01 04:36:59','',6,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/6-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(573,1,'2012-10-20 23:57:52','2012-10-20 23:57:52','<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Primary White Varieties</strong></h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Airén</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Most planted white grape in Spain</li>\r\n	<li>La Mancha</li>\r\n	<li>Most planted white grape in the world</li>\r\n	<li>Low quality grape</li>\r\n	<li>With modern techniques can make acceptable wine</li>\r\n	<li>Being replaced</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Albariño</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Important grape in Galicia</li>\r\n	<li>Very beloved to Spaniards</li>\r\n	<li>Many styles: from a more peachy, fruity style to a lean, steely profile</li>\r\n	<li>Generally made to be consumed young</li>\r\n	<li>Some interesting aging experiments being done</li>\r\n	<li>Can be pricy but prices have come down due to crisis</li>\r\n	<li>Quality can be variable if yields are too high and viticultural practices poor</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Godello</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>High quality, aromatic grape native to Galicia</li>\r\n	<li>Decent acidity and often shows mineral notes in good terroir</li>\r\n	<li>Backbone white grape of the Valdeorras and Bierzo DOs</li>\r\n	<li>Quickly gaining popularity</li>\r\n	<li>Experiments with aging and oak are underway</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Macabeo</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Also known as Viura</li>\r\n	<li>Macabeo is cultivated all over northern Spain</li>\r\n	<li>In the DO Cava regions it is combined with Xarel-lo and Parrelada</li>\r\n	<li>It is the dominant white grape in Rioja and Navarra</li>\r\n	<li>Can appear in these regions in an oak-aged style</li>\r\n	<li>Criticized for its neutral characteristics, but with care it can make attractive herbal wines.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Moscatel</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>This grape is the Muscat d\'Alexandrie of the Muscat family</li>\r\n	<li>Used in the Levant, Cataluña, and Andalucia to make sweet dessert wines</li>\r\n	<li>These are generally excellent value wines though generally simple</li>\r\n	<li>Very distinctive grape:  highly aromatic, floral</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Palomino</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>This is the main dry sherry grape</li>\r\n	<li>It does extremely well on the chalky soils near Jerez</li>\r\n	<li>Planted elsewhere produces largely unremarkable table wines.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Parellada</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>One of the primary Cava grapes</li>\r\n	<li>Also used in Cataluña for soft everyday drinking whites.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Pedro Ximenez</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>This is the grape that makes the great sweet wines of Andalucia</li>\r\n	<li>Dried to raisins and then pressed to make a thick, sweet wine</li>\r\n	<li>Ages extremely well</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Verdejo</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Principle variety of Rueda</li>\r\n	<li>With modern wine-making techniques makes a top quality crisp and citric flavoured wine</li>\r\n	<li>Pleasant bitter finish</li>\r\n	<li>These wines are among some of the best value white wines in Spain</li>\r\n	<li>Experiments are underway with barrel fermentation and aging</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Xarel-lo</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>The third of the primary Cava varieties</li>\r\n	<li>Adds weight and alcohol to the blend</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Red grape varieties</strong></h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Bobal</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Highly colored grape found in the Levant</li>\r\n	<li>Gives hearty rosados and reds</li>\r\n	<li>Previously known for being coarse</li>\r\n	<li>Careful modern techniques can make very interesting wines</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Cariñena</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Also called Mazuelo in Rioja</li>\r\n	<li>A robust grape that is an important part of the Rioja blend</li>\r\n	<li>Giving color and body</li>\r\n	<li>Also used in Cataluña, where it is also used as a natural partner to Garnacha</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Garnacha</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Likely the most widely planted red grape in Spain (despite the credit given to Tempranillo)</li>\r\n	<li>High yielding variety that makes a great blending grape</li>\r\n	<li>At low yields and with older vines, it can produce stellar wines</li>\r\n	<li>Oxidizes easily</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Graciano</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>A low-yielding grape that is a high quality part of the Rioja blend</li>\r\n	<li>It is seeing a resurgence in popularity</li>\r\n	<li>It has thick skins that give wines with a lot of tannin</li>\r\n	<li>They can be tough early on but they age extremely well</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Mencía</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>High quality grape that is seeing a surge in popularity</li>\r\n	<li>Many high quality examples are being produced in the Bierzo DO and the Valdeorras DO</li>\r\n	<li>It gives fresh, tannic, racy wines with an elegant profile...the best have mineral notes</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Monastrell (Mourvedre)</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>High yielding variety that produces highly colored, alcoholic wines</li>\r\n	<li>In the right hands it can produce excellent wines</li>\r\n	<li>Its new reputation for quality wines is being led in Jumilla</li>\r\n	<li>It is also used to make some interesting sweet wines.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Prieto Picudo</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Rising in popularity in various parts of Castilla Leon</li>\r\n	<li>The best wines can be quite tannic and acidic with interesting cherry fruit</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Tempranillo</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n	<li>Spain\'s top native red grape</li>\r\n	<li>It is cultivated throughout Spain and has many names depending on the region:</li>\r\n	<li>Cencibel in southern Spain</li>\r\n	<li>Tinto Fino, Tinto del Pais and Tinta de Toro in Castile Leon</li>\r\n	<li>Ull de Llebre in Cataluña</li>\r\n	<li>It gives high quality wines at all levels</li>\r\n	<li>Many diverse styles…it is sometimes criticized for lacking a dominant varietal character.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"></p>','Spanish Grape Varieties','','publish','open','open','','spanish-grape-varieties','','','2013-01-16 18:44:20','2013-01-16 18:44:20','',0,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/?page_id=573',0,'page','',0),(574,1,'2013-02-26 03:36:44','2013-02-26 03:36:44','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Below you\'ll find a brief overview of Spanish wines, including a general introduction, wine law, and grape varieties.  This is the more detailed info for those who are looking for some background.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I\'ve also created a great practical guide to drinking Spanish wine, the styles, identifying the Spanish wines you like by grape or region, figuring the best values and where you can find them.  To get this useful guide just sign up for my monthly newsletter here.  In my newsletter, I\'ll give you an update on the latest on Spanish wine and food and some top wine picks.</p>\n\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>My Top Ten of Spanish wine</strong></h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>...or a total simplification of Spanish wine!  ....but useful sometimes...</strong></p>\n\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n	<li>Super dynamic wine market\n<ul>\n	<li>Getting world recognition</li>\n	<li>Lots of change in every corner of the country!</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Huge wine producer\n<ul>\n	<li>Most vineyards in the world</li>\n	<li>3rd in wine production</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Red wine country\n<ul>\n	<li>Some of the top red wines in the world</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Whites wines\n<ul>\n	<li>Attractive, great value…improving very rapidly</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>In Spain wines ordered by region, not by grape variety\n<ul>\n	<li>70+ designated wine regions or wine appellations (Denominacion de Origen (DO))</li>\n	<li>Most important: Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat</li>\n	<li>Many rising stars: Jumilla, Toro, Bierzo, La Mancha etc.</li>\n	<li>Aging designations on label: crianza, reserva,  gran reserva</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Most important grape variety: Tempranillo\n<ul>\n	<li>More than 600 indigenous grape varieties…but only 20 commercially important today</li>\n	<li>More and more international varieties:  Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay etc.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Spanish people drinking much less but drinking higher quality wine</li>\n	<li>Exports very important…40%\n<ul>\n	<li>Top customers are:  UK, Germany, U.S.</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Tendencies:\n<ul>\n	<li>Old vines...lots of them</li>\n	<li>Single vineyards/terroir wines...both relatively new concepts in Spain</li>\n	<li>International grapes and unique indigenous grapes</li>\n	<li>Criticism: Blockbuster wines…high alcohol, super extracted, over-oaked</li>\n	<li>Criticism: Wines to win points from wine critics (Parker effect), comercial wines</li>\n	<li>Less appellation wines</li>\n	<li>Less wines in traditional categories such as crianza, reserva and gran reserva</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Conclusion:  Very high quality, consistency and still excellent prices. Some of the best value wines in the world!</li>\n</ol>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>A few more details...</strong></h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n	<li> Long history of winemaking (3000 years!)</li>\n	<li>Most vineyards of any country in the world (15.5%)\n<ul>\n	<li>Third in world wine production after France and Italy (13%)</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Just over 50% of wine production is red\n<ul>\n	<li>Around 60% of production is table wine, 40% is quality wine</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>More than 600 indigenous grape varieties\n<ul>\n	<li>But just 20 of them account for 80% of wine production</li>\n	<li>Tempranillo:  most important red grape in terms of quality and quantity</li>\n	<li>International grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon on the rise</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Vineyards in all 17 autonomous regions\n<ul>\n	<li>La Mancha: (the greatest surface area of vines in the world)</li>\n	<li>Rioja:  most densely planted in Spain</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Classification system for quality wine based on regional wine appellations\n<ul>\n	<li>There are over 70 Denominación de Origen (DO) spread throughout Spain</li>\n	<li>DO: wine appellation with strict rules controlling viticulture and wine production</li>\n	<li>DO wines often have indication of oak aging:  crianza, reserva, gran reserva</li>\n	<li>Other categories of quality wine: DOCA, VCIG, Vino de Pago</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Lesser classifications are now being used for some top wines\n<ul>\n	<li>Vino de la Tierra and Vino de Mesa</li>\n	<li>Used in areas outside designated DOs</li>\n	<li>Also used by some winemakers looking for more flexibility</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Over 40% of Spanish production is exported (increasing)\n<ul>\n	<li>Top customers in terms of value:  UK, Germany, USA</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Spain also has amazing cavas, dessert wines, and fortified wines at great values</li>\n</ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Some opinions (only mine!)</strong></h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Change, change and more change!</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Exciting times as change touches every area of Spain\'s wine industry.  New areas are up and coming and showcasing lesser known varietals, while the better known areas such a Rioja and Ribera del Duero are faced  more competition and forced to produce even better wines.  This healthy competition extends itself to styles: ultra modern, blockbuster styles, traditional styles and more restrained terroir styles must all compete for consumer approval.  Hopefully there is room in the market for the finest examples of all the styles as the diversity only benefits the consumer.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>A red wine country</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spain is known for its red wines and makes some of the finest reds in the world.  It also makes tons of great value, easy drinking reds that consistently deliver.  Why so much talk of reds?  Spain\'s climate lends itself towards reds, but there is an equally important cultural reason for the domination of the color red.  For most spaniards wine is <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">red </span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and only red.  There is a saying in Spain that the best white is a red!  So the focus for a long time was on reds.  This is changing a bit, but most Spaniards have still not been exposed to top notch whites, or even tried a white with some oak aging!</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>...but don\'t overlook the whites!</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Winemakers are changing Spain\'s whites with exciting new projects and turning out some remarkable wines, both with and without oak, from some very unique terroir sites.  There are many misses of course,  but the standard is improving all the time.  Meanwhile the simple, un-oaked styles of whites that the Spanish enjoy deserve more respect than they get.  they are consistently fresh, easy to drink, and easy on the pocket.  You just have to know the areas and grape varieties that are more reliable.  For me you can\'t beat the region Rueda with its attractive un-oaked Verdejos for some good everyday value quaffing.  Perhaps that\'s why it the basic bar white in most of Spain!   Albariño, the most beloved of whites to the Spanis, can also be lovely, but is not as consistent, and pricier.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Obsessed with Rioja and Ribera?</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rioja still makes up over 50% of the fine wine market and remains the go-to wine for most Spaniards.  I like to call it \"Riojitis\"...which sounds better in Spanish!   Unfortunately a lot of the basic Rioja served at many bars and restaurants in Spain is pretty awful stuff.  So many faces still light up at the word Rioja...even the bad stuff....</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are regional variations, but in Madrid, Ribera de Duero has become the more fashionable alternative to Rioja.  Madrid palates have taken to the more robust and oaky wines from the region just to the north.  These wines are generally much more expensive than many Riojas and have become somewhat of a status symbol in the capital as well.  Ribera del Duero reds can be excellent when not suffering from excessive oak but they are often excessively priced as well.    There are less expensive ones of course but it\'s harder to find a tasty good value Ribera....Rioja is easier in that regard.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I often find it a shame that there is not a better offering of other regions on wine lists in many parts of Spain, except in wine bars or specialized restaurants.  There are so many excellent wines from regions that offer much better value...and there is something to be said for variety.  In Madrid you are often left with two choices:  Ribera or Rioja!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Spaniards don\'t like wine anymore?</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A worrisome trend to the wine industry is that continue a decades long trend to drinking less wine. Many factors have affected this decline.   Wine has been replaced by other drinks at Spanish meals and when drunk is often reserved for longer family meals on the weekend.  Stricter drunk driving laws has had a great impact on wine consumption in bars and restaurants.  While wine aficionados have multiplied, many segments of society, especially young people have lost touch with wine as part of Spanish culture.  All of these tendecies are difficult ones to address.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile Spanish wine exports have been growing and thriving, reaching over 40% of appellation level wines.  It\'s become a critical market for wineries as the domestic market shrinks.  Despite tough economic times, overall Spanish wine exports have continued to outperform their neighbors.  Spanish wineries need to continue to find effective ways to compete in an increasingly competitive world market.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Some beautiful things</strong></p>\n\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n	<li> The old, old vines:  what a wonderful wealth of lovely old bush vines that abound....a goldmine!  Though blends used to be the norm, winemakers are now highlighting hese special parcels.  Some extraordinary wines come from these vineyards, including some of my favorite Grenaches</li>\n	<li>Great grapes:  love that Mencia, that Garnacha, that Godello! But so many more,:  Prieto Picudo, Callet, Bobal, Cariñena etc.etc. Also some fun stuff with the international varieties</li>\n	<li>The leaner terroir wine appearing of late:  though I love and appreciate some of those intense fruit bombs, I have an abiding love for a different more austere type of intensity....and we\'re seeing it more and more with interesting projects all over Spain</li>\n	<li>Beautiful, cheap wines in Spanish restaurants and bars:  though I amy complain about the selection...you can\'t beat the prices!  Now that I live in the States....I appreciate them all the more!</li>\n</ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Some not so beautiful things </strong></p>\n\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n	<li>Still way too many over-oaked wines</li>\n	<li>More marketing needed:  Spanish wines still need more exposure.  The government-run organization Wines from Spain tries.....</li>\n	<li>New obsession with points by critics...it arrived late in Spain but was inevitable!</li>\n	<li>Better enotourism experiences needed in many areas....don\'t want to lose the authenticity, but a little more thoughtfulness and practicality needed</li>\n	<li>Not enough recognition for Spanish wines:  the wines deserve more!</li>\n</ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Love me some Spanish wine!</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is so much to love about Spanish wines.  Everyone can find the style they like to sip or to go with any food:</p>\n\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n	<li>A rich variety of red wine styles for every occasion</li>\n	<li>Simple, attractive whites for everyday</li>\n	<li>The \"new\" whites, complex, mineral, age-worthy</li>\n	<li>Delightfully fruity, yet dry rosados</li>\n	<li>Fresh, harmonious sparkling cava</li>\n	<li>Complex, fascinating, misunderstood sherry</li>\n</ul>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All of this variety and much more comes at a super reasonable price that few countries, if any, can match.  A bonus is great consistency that comes with relatively little vintage variation.</div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">What\'s not to love?</div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Spanish Wine Regions</strong></h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are over 70 designated wine appellations or Denominacion de Origen (DO) in Spain and for more informsation on the primary ones you can check <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-wine-regions/\">here</a>.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">An easier way to describe Spain\'s wine regions is using the regional approach taken at the Wines from Spain <a href=\"http://www.winesfromspainusa.com/regions\" target=\"_blank\">website</a>.  They divide the country into 8 regions that are somewhat coherent stylistically in terms of wine.  it is a generalization, but it is useful to simplify a complex wine landscape.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">See the Wines from Spain map below and my brief look at the 8 regions below that.</p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_610\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"482\"]<a href=\"http://www.winesfromspainusa.com/regions\"><img class=\" wp-image-610  \" title=\"Wines from Spain Regional Map\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Wines-from-Spain-Regional-Map.png\" width=\"482\" height=\"482\" /></a> Wines From Spain USA Regional Wine Map[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Green Spain</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Called so because of the abundant rainfall, Green Spain has traditionally been known for light, aromatic whites, the most famous of which is Albariño.  Albariño continues to be a star, but there are so many other great wines from the area, including standout reds from the Mencía grape and delicious, good value whites from Godello.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most important DOs to look out for are:  Rias Baixas, Bierzo and Valdeorras</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Green Spain also includes Basque country, whose  unique spritzy wine Chacoli (Txacoli) is improving greatly in quality.  It would be most similar in style to Portugal\'s vinho verde and is fun to try.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>North Central Spain</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some of Spain\'s top reds come from this area, much of which is situated along the Duero River Valley.  The semi-arid conditions and a large differential between day and night temperatures allow for the long, slow ripening of Tempranillo in areas such as Ribera del Duero and Toro.  These reds are intense, with deep fruit and impressive tannic structure, yet they retain good levels of acidity.  Other up and coming DOs in the ares include Cigales, Arribes, Zamora, Tierra de Leon and Arlanza.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also important for red wine is the regional category of wines called Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Leon...some top class wines are made under this category as well as many great value everyday wines.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whites play a definite second fiddle in the area with one tremendous exception, that of of Rueda, producing consistently delicious, mostly inexpensive, white wines from the Verdejo grape.  Albariño may be Spaniards favorite white, but Rueda is the workhorse white wine of Spain, served in every bar from coast to coast.  The more basic wines are simple, but very acceptable and the top un-oaked Verdejos can have some complex aromas and minerality paired with a wonderful mouthfeel.....lots of yummy oaked versions too!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Ebro River Valley</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rioja is the top area in this region, Spain\'s largest fine wine appellation, with an excellent, Atlantic-influenced climate that can produce some very elegant wines.  Reds are heavily based on Tempranillo, though there are some other interesting varieties such as Mazuelo, Graciano and Garnanacha.  Stylistically there is a bit of a challenge at the moment as lighter, elegant traditional styles face off against bolder, bigger modern styles.  The pletora of styles and lack of indication can lead to some confusion amongst consumers.  Rioja , based on Viura (Macabeo), have been improving greatly recently.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Navarra is Rioja\'s next door neighbor and has long been in it\'s shadow.  It is known within Spain largely for its lovely, cheap rosados.  This is unfortunate because both the reds and whites are deserving of a closer look.  There is an enormous variety in varietals (indigenous and international) and styles, perhaps contributing to image problems.  But the wines are top quality and amazing value.  Favorites include Chardonnays and old vine Grenache.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also grouped in this region are the wines of Aragon, which have been gaining recognition for quality and value of late.  Long known for jug wines, the region first changed its reputation in the area of Somontano with interesting, fresh wines made largely from international varietals.  Since then the DOs of Campo de Borja, Calatayud and Cariñena have gained a reputation for interesting old vine Grenache.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Meseta</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Very hot and dry, this area is one of the biggest wine regions in the world, producing mostly jug wine.  In the last decades good value quality wine has started to change the area\'s reputation, offering reliable, consistent wines at cheap prices.  Tempranillo is the most important varietal but numorous varieties are represented.  DO La Mancha is the big player but also up and coming are: Manchuela, Ribera del Jucar, Méntrida, Uclés, etc.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also important in the area is the regional category of Vino de la Tierra de Castilla and Vinos de Pago, which are single estate appellations.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Included in the Meseta area is Vinos de Madrid, which used to be quite terrible, but has improved greatly, with some exciting old vine projects.  Unfortunately production is quite limited so prices can be high.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Finally there is Extremadura, which has a lot of potential...some interesting wines have been produced from the numerous varieties that are are planted.  Great improvements have been made,but much remains to be done.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Mediterranean Coast</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This encompasses a huge area and is very varied stylistically.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cataluña is a huge wine region with 12 DOs alone and huge climatic variations.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Generalizing a bit....the coastal wines tend to be lighter, more elegant and international varieties have become very popular in reas such as Penedés.  The inland, or mountain wines, tend to be more intense and concentrated and are often made from indigenous grapes.  Priorat and Montsant have come to represent the mountain wines with their intense, brooding, long-lived wines, while Penedés is the top producer, qualitatively and quantitatively of the coastal areas.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Catalan are very unique and quality is often quite high, but they can be more expensive than average for Spanish wines.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another very important category in Catalan wines is DO Cava.  Though cava can also be produced in Rioja, Valencia, Extremadura, and Aragon, 90% of it is produced in Cataluña.  Cava is Spain\'s quality sparkling wine category and has traditionally beenmade from three grape varieties, Macabeo, Parllada and Xarel.lo.  Today, some producers are also making it from Champagne grape varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The second large area of the Mediterranean Coast is the Levante Region, which is one of the warmest areas of Spain and makes wines with a real Mediterranean character.  This area was known solely for jug wines only a couple fo decades ago.  Know there are some really spectacular wines made as well as some nice, inexpensive everyday wines.  Jumilla was the DO that first was recognized for quality wine and Monastrell (Mourvedre) is its quality grape, though there is an enormous variety of grapes, indigenous and international, planted.  Other up and coming DOs include:     Utiel-Reuena, Yecla, Valencia, Bullas and Alicante.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Andalucia</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The traditional star here is DO Jerez or sherry, a unique fortified wine produced in 15, mostly dry styles.  It is a difficult wine to market and sell today and its currently suffering from an image problem.  Due to this, sherry cost very little for the quality of the wines.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sherry means something different to everyone.  In Spain, most people stick to the two driest, lightest forms, Fino and Manzanilla.  To many people in the UK and the US sherry is a sweet wine, such as a cream sherry.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">While in Andalucia you can still taste the traditional sweet fortified wines that remain popular in many areas, though they are rarely exported.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many great table wines are now being made in various higher altitude areas in Malaga and Grenada... despite the heat, the higher altitude allow for some great sites.  Grape varieties are numourous, though international varieties have become very popular.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Islands of Spain</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Balearic Islands, especially Mallorca is producing some very interesting wines in the last decades.  Most wines in the area are made merely for the tourist market, but there are a few wineries doing much, much more.  The local grape varieties, such as Callet and Mantonegro,  are very interesting, and can produce remarkably elegant and fresh wines from such a a hot climate.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Canaries also produce wines largely for the tourist hordes, but there are some great exceptions.  The whites from Malvasia, Listan Blanca, and many more, are especially good, but there are some interesting reds coming on from Negramoll, Listan Negra, and others.</p>\n\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Spanish Grape Varieties</strong></h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is no doubt that the great red grape, Tempranillo,  is king in Spain....it is by far the most important grape variety in terms of quality wine production and respect.  It sometimes seems people would prefer to drink a bad Tempranillo than order another grape variety! Tempranillo is a wonderful variety and offers a great variety of wines depending on the region and the local variant of the grape.  Though considering by many experts a \"noble\" grape\", some also would perhaps criticize Tempranillo for its lack of a distinct personality that shines trough in any terroir.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Times are changing and this is a good thing because Spain has some really interesting indigenous varieties other than Tempranillo. Spain does not have the rich diversity of indigenous varieties that is seen in italy or Portugal.  Many varieties were lost or reduced to non-commercial levels after the phyloxera blight at the end of the 19th century.  Much of the replanting was done with easier varietals and eventually with Tempranillo.  Luckily today there is some interest in reviving some of the local obscure varietals.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile some of the great red varieties to watch out for are:  Garnacha (Grenache), Mencia, Bobal, Monastrell (Mourvedre) etc.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Outstanding white varieties include: Verdejo, Godello, Albariño, Viura, and Palomino</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You can also find the all usual international grapes planted in Spain and being made into mediocre to very good wine.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For more detail on the major indigenous Spanish varietals see <a href=\"http://planetavino.net/newsite/spanish-grape-varieties/\">here</a>...</p>\n\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Spanish Wine Law</strong></h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n	<li>EU wine law recognizes two main categories of wine:\n<ul>\n	<li>Table wine and quality wine</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Spain has two levels of table wine:\n<ul>\n	<li>Vino de mesa:  no region, grapes, or vintage on label</li>\n	<li>Vino de la Tierra (VdlT):  equivalent of Vin de Pays in France\n<ul>\n	<li>An officially recognized area but below DO level</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Spain has four levels of quality wine:\n<ul>\n	<li>Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (VCIG)\n<ul>\n	<li>New category: areas must wait five years to ask for DO</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Denominación de Origen (DO).\n<ul>\n	<li>Over 70 exist</li>\n	<li>Regulated by a consejo regulador (governing body) with detailed rules</li>\n	<li>Guarantees origin not always quality</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Denominción de Origen Calificada (DOCa)\n<ul>\n	<li>DO must wait ten years to attain</li>\n	<li>Only Rioja and Priorat so far: stricter rules</li>\n	<li>In reality does not guarentee more quality</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Vino de Pago:\n<ul>\n	<li>Single estates of exceptional quality</li>\n	<li>Must comply at least with DOCa rules</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Aging requirements: national DO law...some regions set stricter limits\n<ul>\n	<li>Terms generally appear on front labels</li>\n	<li>All have a back sticker with category</li>\n	<li>Joven or vino de cosecha:  no oak aging (generally should be drunk from latest vintage)</li>\n	<li>Roble:  Seen some oak (no legal requirements)</li>\n	<li>In reality categories are mainly seen only on reds</li>\n	<li>Many wineries are ignoring traditional categories and have only \"cosecha\" sticker for wines with oak aging</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a title=\"Crianza table\" href=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/crianza-charts.JPG\"><img alt=\"Crianza table\" src=\"http://www.planetavino.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/crianza-charts.JPG\" width=\"539\" height=\"282\" /></a></p>',' Spanish Wine In Brief','','inherit','open','open','','338-autosave','','','2013-02-26 03:36:44','2013-02-26 03:36:44','',338,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/338-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(575,1,'2012-10-20 23:52:47','2012-10-20 23:52:47','','Spanish Grape Varieties','','inherit','open','open','','573-revision','','','2012-10-20 23:52:47','2012-10-20 23:52:47','',573,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/573-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(576,1,'2012-10-22 04:48:55','2012-10-22 04:48:55','<h2><strong>Primary White Varieties</strong></h2>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Airén</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Most planted white grape in Spain</li>\n	<li>La Mancha</li>\n	<li>Most planted white grape in the world</li>\n	<li>Low quality grape</li>\n	<li>With modern techniques can make acceptable wine</li>\n	<li>Being replaced</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Albariño</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Important grape in Galicia</li>\n	<li>Very beloved to Spaniards</li>\n	<li>Many styles: from a more peachy, fruity style to a lean, steely profile</li>\n	<li>Generally made to be consumed young</li>\n	<li>Some interesting aging experiments being done</li>\n	<li>Can be pricy but prices have come down due to crisis</li>\n	<li>Quality can be variable if yields are too high and viticultural practices poor</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Godello</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>High quality, aromatic grape native to Galicia</li>\n	<li>Decent acidity and often shows mineral notes in good terroir</li>\n	<li>Backbone white grape of the Valdeorras and Bierzo DOs</li>\n	<li>Quickly gaining popularity</li>\n	<li>Experiments with aging and oak are underway</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Macabeo</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Also known as Viura</li>\n	<li>Macabeo is cultivated all over northern Spain</li>\n	<li>In the DO Cava regions it is combined with Xarel-lo and Parrelada</li>\n	<li>It is the dominant white grape in Rioja and Navarra</li>\n	<li>Can appear in these regions in an oak-aged style</li>\n	<li>Criticized for its neutral characteristics, but with care it can make attractive herbal wines.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Moscatel</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>This grape is the Muscat d\'Alexandrie of the Muscat family</li>\n	<li>Used in the Levant, Cataluña, and Andalucia to make sweet dessert wines</li>\n	<li>These are generally excellent value wines though generally simple</li>\n	<li>Very distinctive grape:  highly aromatic, floral</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Palomino</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>This is the main dry sherry grape</li>\n	<li>It does extremely well on the chalky soils near Jerez</li>\n	<li>Planted elsewhere produces largely unremarkable table wines.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Parellada</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>One of the primary Cava grapes</li>\n	<li>Also used in Cataluña for soft everyday drinking whites.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Pedro Ximenez</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>This is the grape that makes the great sweet wines of Andalucia</li>\n	<li>Dried to raisins and then pressed to make a thick, sweet wine</li>\n	<li>Ages extremely well</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Verdejo</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Principle variety of Rueda</li>\n	<li>With modern wine-making techniques makes a top quality crisp and citric flavoured wine</li>\n	<li>Pleasant bitter finish</li>\n	<li>These wines are among some of the best value white wines in Spain</li>\n	<li>Experiments are underway with barrel fermentation and aging</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Xarel-lo</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>The third of the primary Cava varieties</li>\n	<li>Adds weight and alcohol to the blend</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n<h2><strong>Red grape varieties</strong></h2>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Bobal</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Highly colored grape found in the Levant</li>\n	<li>Gives hearty rosados and reds</li>\n	<li>Previously known for being coarse</li>\n	<li>Careful modern techniques can make very interesting wines</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Cariñena</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Also called Mazuelo in Rioja</li>\n	<li>A robust grape that is an important part of the Rioja blend</li>\n	<li>Giving color and body</li>\n	<li>Also used in Cataluña, where it is also used as a natural partner to Garnacha</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Garnacha</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Likely the most widely planted red grape in Spain (despite the credit given to Tempranillo)</li>\n	<li>High yielding variety that makes a great blending grape</li>\n	<li>At low yields and with older vines, it can produce stellar wines</li>\n	<li>Oxidizes easily</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Graciano</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>A low-yielding grape that is a high quality part of the Rioja blend</li>\n	<li>It is seeing a resurgence in popularity</li>\n	<li>It has thick skins that give wines with a lot of tannin</li>\n	<li>They can be tough early on but they age extremely well</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Mencía</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>High quality grape that is seeing a surge in popularity</li>\n	<li>Many high quality examples are being produced in the Bierzo DO and the Valdeorras DO</li>\n	<li>It gives fresh, tannic, racy wines with an elegant profile...the best have mineral notes</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Monastrell (Mourvedre)</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>High yielding variety that produces highly colored, alcoholic wines</li>\n	<li>In the right hands it can produce excellent wines</li>\n	<li>Its new reputation for quality wines is being led in Jumilla</li>\n	<li>It is also used to make some interesting sweet wines.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Prieto Picudo</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Rising in popularity in various parts of Castilla Leon</li>\n	<li>The best wines can be quite tannic and acidic with interesting cherry fruit</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Tempranillo</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Spain\'s top native red grape</li>\n	<li>It is cultivated throughout Spain and has many names depending on the region:</li>\n	<li>Cencibel in southern Spain</li>\n	<li>Tinto Fino, Tinto del Pais and Tinta de Toro in Castile Leon</li>\n	<li>Ull de Llebre in Cataluña</li>\n	<li>It gives high quality wines at all levels</li>\n	<li>May diverse styles…it is sometimes criticized for lacking a dominant varietal character.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;','Spanish Grape Varieties','','inherit','open','open','','573-autosave','','','2012-10-22 04:48:55','2012-10-22 04:48:55','',573,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/573-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(577,1,'2012-10-20 23:57:52','2012-10-20 23:57:52','','Spanish Grape Varieties','','inherit','open','open','','573-revision-2','','','2012-10-20 23:57:52','2012-10-20 23:57:52','',573,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/573-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(578,1,'2012-10-01 04:35:22','2012-10-01 04:35:22','','Intro to Spanish Wine','','inherit','open','open','','338-revision-2','','','2012-10-01 04:35:22','2012-10-01 04:35:22','',338,'http://planetavino.net/newsite/338-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0);
