Spanish Vines

Dept: Wine
Hed: Spanish Wines
Dek: Diving into a Different Region
By Josh Hackler

     Think of a country. Now, think of a wine region in that country. A little more…think of a grape from which wine is produced in that country. Was your answer a cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley right here in the U.S.? Maybe you are little more wine savvy and you thought of a pinot noir from Burgundy, France. Perhaps you are wildly in love with viniculture and thought of a Sauvignon Blanc from Auckland, New Zealand, or a Riesling from Pfalz, Germany, or a Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina — or maybe you even thought of a tempranillo from Rioja in Spain. Whatever your answer, it shows that you are a possible wine enthusiast, and that ultimately is most important.
     When faced with this question, my first response was a tempranillo from Rioja. The truth is, I am obsessed with everything Spanish. Those who know me best would testify to that. I was fortunate to have lived in the capital city of Asturias, Spain, a couple of years ago. I now look back to nights where I would drink part of a bottle of some crianza from Ribera del Duero, indulge in a mixed plate of jamon iberico, chorizo, and manchego cheese served with freshly baked artisan bread and not spend more than ten euros. How could you not fall in love with that? I should also tell you that my love for wine did not develop in Spain; it originated while on a tour through Bordeaux some six years before my journey throughout Spain. After living in Spain, I came to realize that no specific topic of Spain can be analyzed or even discussed without first taking a look at its history.

     So let us retreat back to the 8th century when the Moors occupied virtually all of Spain. The Moorish occupation is of incredible interest to me, because its influence is seen so easily in Spain’s architecture. If you go to southern Spain, you can detect the extreme Islamic influence, compared to the Romanic influence in the north. Moorish occupation lasted all the way up until the latter part of the 15th century. Throughout the Middle Ages and even today, there exists the camino Frances, or French road. A route through Rioja named for French pilgrims who, with millions of other devout Europeans, walked across Spain to the shrine of the apostle James in Santiago de Compostella, located in the far west autonomy of Galicia.
     Needless to say, these French pilgrims did not just walk right through Rioja — they stopped to drink wine. After all, these French Europeans were not Islamic Moors; they could drink. Historically noted, in 1780, a Rioja wine-maker by the name of Manuel Quintano adopted a Bordelaise method of aging wine and began successfully aging his wine in oak wood. Unlike the French, Quintano used large barrels, which would later be considered a Spanish signature (aging wine in large oak barrels for long periods of time). For example, Marques de Murrieta, a famous Spanish vineyard, released its 1942 Gran Reserva in 1983.
     Karen MacNeil in The Wine Bible writes, “The 1850s and 1860s were difficult times for French vinters, and the wine-makers throughout northern Spain profited from the distress of their French counterparts.” During these times, a parasitic fungus attacked French vineyards, which naturally drove the demand for Spanish wine to unseen levels. During this period, the Rioja wine region grew by 40,000 acres. Even some French wine-makers migrated permanently to Rioja to begin producing French-style Boudreaux. If only the demand for Spanish wine continued, today we would probably be talking about how underappreciated French wines are today rather than Spanish wines. Unfortunately, Phylloxera overtook Rioja in 1901 and wiped out more than 70 percent of the vineyards.
     Many French wine vinters living in Spain moved back to France, naturally initiating a downward spiral in the popularity of the Spanish wine market. A combination of World War I, the Spanish Civil War, World War II and communism led to the serious demise of many Spanish vineyards.
     What is so interesting to me is that Spain’s vinters almost anticipated the boom that would take place nearly 100 years later. Franco’s communistic dictatorship discouraged commerce with other countries. Francisco Franco finally died on November 20, 1975, causing the communistic walls to crumble. Spaniards know and have always known that this red grape juice was like liquid gold. Democracy and capitalism have slowly taken route in this very traditional culture, and both wine quality and wine sales have never been better.

     Do not think for a second that Rioja is the only region worth admiring. Karen MacNeil notes in The Wine Bible, “that in fact, two of Ribera del Duero wines – Unico from Vega Sicilia and Pesquera- are among the most outstanding red wines anywhere in the world.” Another interesting fact is that according to the European Economic Community statistics, Spain has more land planted with grapes than any other country in the world- some 2.9 million acres. So I will leave you with this quote taken from an article entitled “Spain, The Next Italy” by Jerry Adler: “[Spanish wines] are among the most underappreciated wine values on the planet. For now, that is. How long that will last is anyone’s guess. Imports of Spanish wine and olive oil have more than doubled in the past five years and is only forecast to continue.” Have fun, and enjoy some incredible Spanish wine … I will.

Did You know that among any professions, the most enthusiastic wine supporters are cardiologists (heart doctors). In the following paragraph, I will explain how wine can play a positive role in maintaining good health and a good diet.

Dr. Ellison of Boston University Medical Center’s department, said that “if you want to eat fried chicken, you would do well to drink red wine along with it-not only help to keep the fat from being deposited in your arteries as plaque, and to aid in digesting that much meat or protein, but also because the positive effect of drinking red wine only lasts couple days.” He went on to say that almost everyone in the field agrees that drinking wine regularly, in small to moderate amounts, is important.

Resveratrol-along with flavonoids such as tannin that naturally preserve wine-is one of several phenols in wine that acts as an antioxidant. Resveratrol appeared to reduce mortality from coronary heart disease. It is found in greater amounts in red wines because they have the most grape skin contact during fermentation. Other phenols in red wine, particularly, ‘quercetin’, have also been studied for possible anti-cancer capabilities. Numerous studies now have shown that people who drank moderate amounts of alcohol daily (in forms of beer, wine, or spirits) had significantly less likelihood of heart disease than either non-drinkers or heavy drinkers. The city of Copenhagen, Denmark went even further and did a long-term health study comparing differences between wine, beer, and spirits. They summarized their findings as pointing to wine as being the most beneficial of the three.

You might wonder what’s the definition of moderate amount of wine…well, the scientists claimed no more than one glass per day for women but for males, their metabolism allows them to drink twice as much and still get prevention or lowering of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain cancers such as colon cancer, food poisoning, and degenerative effects of aging such as Alzheimer. Further studies claim that small amount of red wine increased mental acuity and the ability to do mental tasks in the elderly.

“If you want to eat a hamburger (or other fatty food like fried chicken), you would do well to drink red wine along with it. Not only to help keep the fat from being deposited in your arteries as plaque, and to aid in digesting that much meat or protein, but also because the positive effect of drinking red wine only lasts no longer than a couple days.”

Almost every doctor in the field agrees that drinking wine regularly, in small to moderate amounts, is important. Infrequent drinking provided little benefit.

Healing Powers of Antioxidants
The compounds found in red wine that are responsible for its healing powers are antioxidants. Red wines contain several antioxidants beneficial to good health. Different antioxidants have different functions, but the key feature of all these antioxidants appears to be one of protection and prevention of disease.

Resveratrol and Other Red Wine Antioxidants
One of the most studied antioxidants in red wines is resveratrol, a compound found in the seeds and skins of grapes. Red wine has a high concentration of resveratrol because the skins and seeds ferment in the grapes’ juices during the red wine-making process. This prolonged contact during fermentation produces significant levels of resveratrol in the finished red wine. White wine also contains resveratrol, but the seeds and skins are removed early in the white wine-making process, reducing the concentration of the compound in the finished white wine.

Antioxidants, like resveratrol, are beneficial in preventing harmful elements in the body from attacking healthy cells. Found in red wine, peanuts, blueberries and cranberries, resveratrol is easily absorbed by the human body. The antioxidant properties of resveratrol also offer certain health benefits in the prevention of heart disease and the reduction of lung tissue inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Other Antioxidants
Red wine also contains other antioxidants. Researchers are finding new ways to isolate these antioxidants and study their health benefits.

One of these antioxidants, a flavanoid known as catechin, is abundant in red wine and green tea. Research indicates that, along with resveratrol, catechin plays an important role in reducing the risk of heart disease. Saponins, found in red wine, olive oil and soybeans, offer protective benefits for the heart and are easily absorbed by the body. Yet another antioxidant present in red wine, called guercetin, is being studied for its value in the prevention of lung cancer.

Heart Disease and Stroke
Studies show that resveratrol has blood-thinning properties. By keeping individual blood cells (”platelets”) from sticking to each other, resveratrol can limit the formation of blood clots. If blood clots form and become lodged in the smaller vessels of the heart or brain, oxygen can be prevented from reaching these vital organs. This lack of oxygen is called ischemia. Severe ischemia in the heart is known as a heart attack or myocardial infarction. Severe ischemia in the brain is called a stroke.

Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure
Another health benefit of resveratrol is its ability to limit the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The oxidation of LDL is the first step to the production of plaques on the inside of the blood vessels. Plaque is the primary cause of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. New studies show that the antioxidant saponin, also found in red wine, may aid in reducing the levels of LDL cholesterol. Any reduction in the levels of LDL, or in its oxidation, can potentially decrease the build up of plaque.

Preventing Future Heart Attack
Another health benefit of resveratrol is its ability to regulate nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a gas that enables smooth muscles to relax. This relaxation of the smooth muscle also occurs in the walls of the blood vessels and allows blood to flow smoothly through the vessel.

The results of a French study of men who had previous heart attacks indicates that the effects of resveratrol, through moderate red wine consumption, may help prevent future heart attacks.

Tumor Suppression
Studies show that resveratrol has the ability to inhibit the process that leads to the growth and spreading (metastasis) of cancer. Resveratrol helps to neutralize the oxidation of free radicals which keeps them from penetrating the cell membrane and destroying the protein and DNA inside healthy cells. Resveratrol also shows properties of tumor suppression by preventing the production of new blood vessels, which can help limit the growth of tumors by cutting off their supply of nutrients.

Laboratory studies have shown that resveratrol can cause certain cancer cells to self-destruct, or undergo apoptosis—an event where cells disintegrate and become particles that are then consumed by other cells. So far, this triggering of apoptosis by resveratrol has been shown to occur in breast cancer cells, skin cancer cells (melanoma), and leukemia cells.

Other research studies have shown that resveratrol can suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells. In addition, levels of the prostate specific antigen (PSA), a marker used to monitor prostate cancer activity in patients, were also suppressed in these experiments.

Wine and Colon Cancer
According to researchers from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, a glass of wine per week may help prevent colon cancer. The study led by Catherine R. Messina, Ph.D. found that colorectal polyps occurred in eighteen percent of beer or grain-based liquor drinkers, twelve percent of non-drinkers and only one percent of wine drinkers.

Too Much of a Good Thing
While evidence shows that small daily amounts of resveratrol have positive health benefits, some concern exists that large amounts may have adverse effects. Limiting the amount of the antioxidants to those in red wine, peanuts, blueberries and cranberries may offer the most health benefit. Positive evidence is based on moderate drinking of one to two glasses of red wine per day. More research is moving in the direction of using resveratrol as a chemopreventive (cancer preventing) agent.

Major Red Grape Varietals

Tempranillo

The tempranillo grape is as important to Spain as the Cabernet Sauvignon grape is to the Médoc. The great reds of La Mancha, Rioja and Ribera del Duero are Tempranillo based. This versatile grape is capable of yielding big, full-bodied reds with firm tannins and loads of complexity to very light and easy-drinking wines with light tannins. Typically Tempranillo yields red wines with red-fruit flavor, which include cherry and ripe strawberry with rustic nuances of earth. With substantial oak aging such as the Gran Reservas, Tempranillo produces elegant and complex wine with multifaceted layers of flavor. Also known as Tinto de Toro, Tinto Fino, and Tinto del Pais.

Aromas:

• Red & Dark Fruit: Blackberry, Currant, Strawberry, Plum
• Oak: Oak, Smoke, Spice, Cedar, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Earth, Coffee, Herb

Flavors:

• Red & Dark Fruit: Blackberry, Currant, Strawberry, Plum
• Oak: Oak, Smoke, Spice, Cedar, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Earth, Coffee, Herb

Styles:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Fruit forward and easy drinking
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Great fruit flavors and medium bodied with detectable tannins
• Elegant: Medium to full bodied with succulent fruit flavors, complexity and refined tannin

Food:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Tapas, Manchego cheese, Serrano Ham
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Grilled meat, game dishes
• Elegant: Salmon, Steak, Lamb, Veal

Regions:

• Spain: La Mancha, Rioja, Priorat, Ribera del duero Argentina

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of the red wine grape varieties. It offers wonderful flavors consisting of blackcurrants, blackberry, chocolate, tar and leather. The beauty of this resilient red wine grape is the many different styles of wine it is capable of yielding.

From the fresh, easy-drinking fruit-forward styles to the intensely big, dense and complex wines with firm tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in the gravelly soils of the Left Bank of Bordeaux and grows particularly well in California’s Napa Valley.

Aromas:

• Dark Fruit: Blackcurrant, Blackberry, Plum, Raisin
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Flavors:

• Dark Fruit: Blackcurrant, Blackberry, Plum, Raisin
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spic, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Styles:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Filled with fresh and bright fruit and easy drinking
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Great fruit flavors and medium bodied with detectable tannins
• Elegant: Medium to full bodied with succulent fruit flavors, complexity and soft tannins
• Highly concentrated fruit/firm tannins: full bodied and dense with loads of fruit flavors and ample tannins.

Food:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Aperitifs, light cheese
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Lamb, Venison
• Highly concentrated fruit/firm tannins: Red meat
• Elegant: Game dishes, Filet

Regions:

• Bordeaux-Left Bank-Saint Estèphe, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Margaux, Graves
• California: Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, Central Coast
• Washington State: Columbia Valley
• Other: Australia, Argentina, Italy (Super Tuscans) and Chile

Merlot

Merlot has captured the attention of the everyday wine consumer because of its fresh, ripe fruit appeal. It offers red fruit components such as cherry, plum and currants with hints of cedar prominent with oak aging. Merlot dominates the Right Bank communes of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol where the wines are refined and elegant with loads of complexity. It is capable of producing wines which are full bodied and tannic, but most wine producing areas focus on the friendly, soft and fruit-forward style. Merlot is currently the world’s most popular red wine and is one of the prominent grapes in Bordeaux.

Aromas:

• Red Fruit: Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Currant
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Flavors:

• Red Fruit: Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Currant
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Styles:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Filled with bright, fresh fruit and easy drinking
• Intense Fruit/Medium Tannins: Great fruit flavors and medium bodied with detectable tannins
• Elegant: Medium to full bodied with succulent fruit flavors, complexity and soft tannins
• Highly Concentrated Fruit/Firm Tannins: Full bodied and dense with loads of fruit flavors and ample tannins

Food:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Aperitifs, Light Cheese
• Intense Fruit/Medium Tannins: Duck, Game Hens
• Highly Concentrated Fruit/Firm Tannins: Red meat
• Elegant: Game Dishes and Lamb

Regions:

• Bordeaux- Right Bank- Pomerol and Lalande de Pomerol, Saint Emilion and Satellites
• California: Napa Valley, Alexander Valley
• Washington State: Columbia Valley
• Other: Argentina, Chile

Pinot Noir

Wines made with Pinot Noir are known for their elegance and refinement. They often possess an exotic bouquet along with a velvety, mouth-filling texture. Pinot Noir exhibits flavors of ripe red fruit, cherry, chocolate, toast and spices. Most famous in Burgundy, where it is the only grape permitted in producing the famous red wines of the Côte d’Or, Pinot Noir thrives in cooler climates. Other fine, well-structured examples of Pinot Noir can be found in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and California’s Carneros and Russian River Valley.

Aromas:

• Red Fruit: Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Currant
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Flavors:

• Red Fruit: Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Currant
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Styles:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Fruit forward and easy drinking
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Great fruit flavors
• Elegant: Medium to full bodied with succulent fruit flavors, complexity and refined tannins.

Food:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Aperitifs, Light Cheese
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Game dishes
• Elegant: Salmon, Pork, Veal

Regions:

• France-Burgundy-Côte Chalonnaise, Côte d’Or
• California: Carneros, Russian River Valley
• Oregon: Willamette Valley

Syrah/Shiraz

Syrah (Shiraz in Australia) is relatively easy to grow and produces wines from the easy-drinking, fresh style to the intense, full-bodied and highly concentrated style. The traditional flavors of Syrah include dense red and dark berry, violet, tar, pepper and spice. Syrah is widely planted around the world, although it seems to flourish in Australia, Washington State, and in the Rhône valley of France. The most popular form of Syrah is produced in Australia, where it is known as Shiraz. Most consumers are not aware that Syrah dominates the northern Rhône, producing the renowned and lush Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.

Aromas:

• Fruit: Blackcurrant, Cherry, Blackberry, Plum, Raisin
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Flavors:

• Fruit: Blackcurrant, Cherry, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Oak: Oak, Cedar, Smoke, Vanilla, Spice, Pepper
• Complex: Chocolate, Coffee, Tobacco, Earth, Herb

Styles:

• Fresh Fruit flavors/Easy Drinking
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Great fruit flavors and medium bodied with detectable tannins
• Highly Concentrated Fruit/Firm Tannins: Full bodied and dense with loads of fruit flavors and ample tannins.

Food:

• Fresh Fruit/Easy Drinking: Aperitifs, Light Cheese
• Intense Fruit/Ripe Tannins: Lamb, Venison
• Highly Concentrated Fruit/Firm Tannins: Red meat

Regions:

• France: Northern Rhône, Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas, Saint Joseph
• Australia: Mclaren Valley, Hunter Valley, Barossa
• Washington State-Columbia Valley
• California: Central Coast, Amador, Napa Valley

Major White Grape Varietals

Macabeo

Loads of exotic, Macabeo is the most widely cultivated white variety in northern Spain and the most important white grape in the Rioja and La Mancha regions, where it’s called Viura. Macabeo-based wines are light, crisp, slightly Floral, and full of fruit. Their aroma and flavor dissipate very early; however, so they should be drunk quite young. This grape is also knowsas Maccabeu, Lardot, and Alcanol.

Aromas:

• Fruit-Citrus (Grapefruit, Lemon), Melon
• Oak: Vanilla, Amond

Flavors:

• Fruit-Citrus (Grapefruit, Lemon), Melon
• Oak: Vanilla, Amond
• Grassy: Grass, Herbs, Mineral

Styles:

• Crisp-Lively and refreshing with loads of fruit flavor
• Elegant-Crisp, yet round and complex, layers of flavors
• Oak-Influenced by oak aging with hints of smoke and vanilla

Food:

• Fruity-Mussels, Scallops, Shellpish, Fish, Seafood, light hors d’oeuvre
• Grassy-Grilled Vegetables
• Creamy-Grilled chicken, Swordfish, white meat, pate
• Spicy- Indian food, Korean food

Regions:

• Spain-La Mancha, Rioja
• France-cotes de Rousillion

Chardonnay

This varietal in general produces wines, which are dry to medium dry with pear, apple, tropical or citrus fruit flavors. When little to no oak aging occurs, Chardonnay tends to be more crisp and fresh. With extensive oak aging, they become creamy and buttery with vanilla, spice and oak flavors, they become creamy and buttery with vanilla, spice and oak flavors. Chardonnay is the world’s most popular white wine grape and it is grown in virtually every wine-producing region. Chardonnay thrives as the white grape of Burgundy and it produces extraordinary wines in the Russian River Valley and Carneros region in California.

Aromas:

• Tree Fruit-Apple, Pear, Peach
• Citrus Fruit-Lemon, Grapefruit, Orange
• Tropical Fruit-Pineapple, Melon, Banana
• Oak: Vanilla, Spice, Smoke

Flavors:

• Tree Fruit-Apple, Pear, Peach
• Citrus Fruit-Lemon, Grapefruit, Orange
• Tropical Fruit-Pineapple, Melon, Banana
• Oak: Vanilla, Spice, Smoke

Styles:

• Crisp-Clean and Fresh fruit with little to no oak aging
• Elegant-Smooth and complex fruit flavors with a smooth and buttery texture
• Oaky-Lush and round with fruit flavors heightened by oak aging

Food:

• Crisp-Seafood, Fish
• Oaky-Smoked white meat
• Elegant-Grilled chicken, pork, veal

Regions:

• Burgundy-Mâconnais, Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Beaune Montrachet, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet
• California-Sonoma Valley, Carneros, Central Coast other
• Champagne, Australia, Australia, Washington State, Chile, Argentina

Sauvignon Blanc

This dry white wine grape offers distinctive flavors of citrus fruit, melon, fig, herb and sometimes grassiness. Sauvignon Blanc can also offer vanilla and creamy flavors when introduced to oak. Typically light, crisp and high in acidity, Sauvignon Blanc thrives as the white wine of Bordeaux and is used to produce the delicious Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre of the Loire Valley. It also has proven successful in New Zealand, California and Chile.

Aromas:

• Fruit-Citrus, Melon
• Grassy-Herbs

Flavor:

• Fruit-Citrus, Melon
• Grassy-Herbs

Styles:

• Crisp-Lively and refreshing with loads of fruit flavors
• Elegant-Crisp, yet round and complex

Food:

• Fruity-Mussels, Scallops, Shellfish
• Grassy-Grilled Vegetables
• Creamy-White meat

Regions:

• New Zealand: Marlborough, Hawkes Bay
• Bordeaux: Pessac-Léognan, Graves
• Loire-Pouilly-Fumé, Sancerre, Touraine
• California: Sonoma County, Napa Valley
• South Africa: Stellenbosch
• Others: Chile, Washington State

Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris

Currently the most popular white wine produced in Italy, Pinot Grigio is mostly grown in the northeastern regions of Italy. It thrives in Valdadige and Veneto, where these crisp, dry and substance. Most Pinot Grigio is dry with fruit flavors of pear and apple with hints of lemon and mineral. They range from light to medium body and should be consumed when there are fresh and young. Pinot Grigio is dry with fruit flavors of pear and apple with hints of lemon and mineral. They range from light to medium body and should be consumed when they are fresh and young. Pinot Grigio is the same grape as Pinot Gris, which is grown in a medium-bodied style in Alsace, California and Oregon. Our Pinot Grigio/ Pinot Gris wines are set in three separate locations in our store: Italy Pinot Grigio labeled wines are in the Italy white section, California and Oregon wines are in the Other White area, and Alsace Pinot Gris are in the Alsace section.

Aroma:

• Perfumed Pear, Apple, Lemon, Mineral

Flavors:

• Pear, Apple, Lemon, Mineral

Style:

• Light Bodied-Light and crisp with ample fruit flavors
• Medium Bodied-Crisp with more complex fruit flavors

Food:

• Light-Shellfish, Quiche, Light food
• Medium-Chicken, White meat, pâté

Regions:

• Italy-Veneto, Valdadige, Collio
• France-Alsace
• Oregon-Willamette Valley
• California-Arroyo Seco

Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer translates to “spicy grape” with spicy fruit flavors including lychee, citrus and peach. Gewürztraminer is most known for the astonishing wines it produces in Alsace. These wine range from the crisp, fruity and dry style to the lavish, honeyed sweet styles found in the vendange tardive, or late-harvest, wines. California and Washington State also produce excellent examples of Gewurztraminer ranging from the semi-sweet to sweet style. Alsace Gewurstraminers are in the Alsace section of the store, dessert-styled wines are in the dessert section, and all others are in the Other Whites Section.

Aromas:

• Floral, Spice, Peach, Citrus Fruits, Lychee

Flavor:

• Citrus Fruit, Spice, Peach, Lychee

Style:

• Dry-Crisp and clean with loads of fruit flavors
• Sweet-Round and lush with ripe fruit flavors

Food:

• Dry-Baked Turkey, Grilled pork, veal, cheese
• Sweet-Spicy food, Asian Cuisine, Cheese
• Very Sweet-Desserts, Cheesecake, Fruit Tarts

Region:

• California-Sonoma Country
• Washington State-Columbia Valley

Riesling

Riesling is one of the noble grape varieties and is capable of producing a variety excellent white wine. It is known for the sweeter-style German wine it produces. These wines contain alluring floral bouquets and are filled with peach, honey and apricot fruit flavors. The much-touted Riesling produced in Alsace offers the same aromas and fruit flavors but is produced in a drier style and is famous for its food pairing capability. Washington State also produces high-quality Riesling; most of these fresh wines are made in a sweeter style and are a great alternative to White Zinfandel.

Aromas:

• Floral, Citrus, Apricot, Pineapple, Honey, Mineral

Flavors:

• Citrus, Apricot, Pineapple, Honey, Mineral

Styles:

• Sweet-Very sweet with lush fruit
• Semisweet-Ripe fruit flavors with a noticeable crispness
• Dry-Crisp and clean with loads of fruit flavors

Food:

• Sweet-Dessert or Aperitif
• Semisweet-Assortment of cheese, Asian cuisine
• Dry-Seafood, Chicken

Regions:

• Germany-Model
• France-Alsace
• Washington State-Columbia Valley

1. How do I hold my wine glass?

The proper way to hold any style of wine glass is by the stem. This keeps fingerprints off the bowl and keeps your hand from heating the wine.

2. Why do we swirl wine?

Swirling the wine serves many purposes, but visually it allows you to observe the body of the wine. “Good legs” may indicate a thicker body and a higher alcohol content and/or sweetness level. It also exposes the wine to more oxygen, which encourages the release of the fragrances within the wine. This may take a bit if practice, don’t be embarrassed if you spill a little wine the first time you try this!

3. How do I know if a wine is good or not?

The definition of a good wine is one that you enjoy. Do not let others dictate taste to you!

4. Should I clean glasses with cleanser after I use it?

Yes, you need to clean your glasses, but before you clean it make sure you don’t use too much cleanser. If your glass is too slippery, you may not see wine tears.

5. Why do people keep hanging their wine glass upside down?

After you wash glasses, try to hanging upside down. That’s the best way avoiding from dust and smell of cupboard.

6. Can I eat salted food or spicy food before wine?

If you really want to eat something before wine dirking, unsalted water crackers or unflavored French bread are good. Salted food or spicy food are not recommended before drinking, because you cannot taste wine well.

7. Which wine do I drink first? Red or White wine?

White wine is recommended first, because white wine digests faster. Red wine has more tannin and polyphonol, so it takes longer to be absorbed.

8. Any health benefit by drinking wine?

Now there are some intriguing medical studies that say there may be some truth to the folklore that, in small amounts, red wine can help us improve our mental skills and access intellectual thought. The most enthusiastic wine supporters are cardiologists. They believe that wine can play a positive role in maintaining good health and a good diet.

9. Why can’t women drink as much as men?

The answer is not just because women have a lower body weight! Women have only half as much of the enzyme that metabolizes alcohol in their stomach lining as men. That’s why it may take only one oversized glass to make you intoxicated!

10. How about Calories and Carbohydrates in wine?

Tequila, Rum, Vodka, gin and brandy contain no carbohydrates; however, none of these drinks offer health benefits of red wines. And, since most red wines are dry with very little sugar left after fermentation, red wines are naturally low in carbs.

11. What is Moderation?

In the US, drinking in moderation means one glass for women, and one to two glasses for men.

The definition of moderation is different in the United Kingdom and European Union, however. The “sensible limits” in the UK and EU are two to three glasses of red wine per day for women and three to four glasses for men.

There are hundreds of styles of wine glasses designed for different purposes and types of wine. But for most wine drinking and wine tasting a few key characteristics can make your choice of wine glasses easy. Here are a few guidelines to help you choose wine glasses.
Steps:

1. Select a balloon shaped wine glass to allow the wine to promote better flavor and to allow the wine to develop its full bouquet. Wine needs room to breathe.
2. Choose either crystal or glass wine glasses. Crystal glasses require a bit more care and are delicate. Wine glasses made from glass can be washed in the dishwasher and provide easy care.
3. Determine both the type of wine you wish to serve as well as the type of service setting. For example, are you serving red or white wine? Is it a full-bodied wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a lighter, fruitier wine? Also, are you looking for glasses to serve wine to accompany a dinner or just for tasting wine at a wine tasting party?
4. Select a tulip shaped champagne glass for the best flavor and aroma while drinking champagne. The old-fashioned wide champagne glass will work in a pinch, but the tulip shaped glass is preferred.

Tips:

• Generally, more full-bodied wines work best in slightly larger glasses while lighter, fruitier wines can do well in smaller glasses. Also as a generalization, red wine is typically served in slightly larger glasses than white wines.
• While you can find good deals on stemware on the internet through various companies, it is best to see the glasses firsthand to really appreciate their clarity, size and how they feel in your hand.
• For serving fine wines, choose glasses that are clear in color and do not have any painted or etched decorations. While colored glass and decorations may make the glass pretty to look at, it detracts from the appreciation of the wine inside, particularly for wine tastings.
• If you are serving wine at a dinner, choose wine glasses that are slightly larger so that it can accommodate larger pours, around 4 to 6 oz each, while still having ample empty space in the bowl.
• If you are serving wine at a wine tasting event, particularly if many wines will be served at one time and over the course of the evening, smaller tasting glasses are often optimal. They are easier to clean and you can fit more in front of each guest on the table. Also, tasting pours tend to be smaller so that each wine can make it around to each guest and so that each guest can drink more wines without getting too tipsy. A small pour in a very large glass can get lost and be hard to assess.
• Most fine wine shops, beverage stores and kitchen supply shops have a wide selection of wine glasses. Shop around and ask for help.
• For fine crystal wine glasses, some companies release factory seconds which have some small imperfection in the glass. While some of these are not desirable, some are minor and purely cosmetic. The glasses will serve perfectly well for serving and tasting wine. They are a good option for those trying to save money. Again, it is best to assess these in person before buying to be sure the quality is adequate.
• Again, whatever you choose, avoid glasses that flare outward at the top as these make assessing a fine wine almost impossible. Also avoid very small glasses

• MacNeil Karen, The Wine Bible. Workman Publishing, New York 2001
• LaRaia Anita L., Pick a Perfect Wine…in No Time, Que Publishing 2006
• Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Wine Lover’s Companion, Barron’s 2005
• David Trone and Robert Trone, Total Wine & More’s Guide to Wine, Total Wine and More, 2007

Alright! The time has finally arrived. We wanted everything to be up and running by the time Wine Enthusiast Magazine made a link to Spanishvines.com on April 1st. With the articles that we are currently posting, you will be able to gain a better grasp of general wine drinking culture. Included in the current postings, we have provided an extensive overview of the most popular grapes and regions around the world. We imagined there might be a few folks interested in learning about the health benefits of drinking wine, so this was a main focus as well. There is an absolute increase in popularity of Spanish tapas, so we included various tapas recipes. If you know of any other recipe, Spanish Vines would love for you to share your knowledge. As the website becomes more popular, we will start holding competitions for various Spanish Vines memorabilia (shirts, glasses, possible food and/or wine). Please be sure to make postings to Spanish Vines World! As you currently learn more of general wine drinking culture, we will be developing articles and stories that relate specifically to Spanish gastronomy. You can beat us by making your own postings about Spain. Additionally, you can enjoy our opening article on Spanish wine that was written by Spanish Vines’ president for the Grand Strand Magazine in Myrtle Beach, SC. Please feel free to make postings about this article as well. We look forward to providing you with a unique experience that no other wine import company is committed to doing. A main focus of the Spanish Vines mission is introducing Spanish Vines products accompanied by the rhythm and brilliance of Spain’s culture. When actively posting blogs, please be sure to always remember To Understand is to Enjoy!  

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