Fellow travelers of the vine:

If you wondered why I didn’t write a blog last Monday, it’s because I was a little preoccupied- Last week I hit the road in northern Spain and traveled just under 2000 miles in about 6 days! I was without Internet for pretty much the entire trip and when it was up, I was either confirming an address or looking up a number quickly before hitting the road again. At the end of the trip the entire American crew, including myself, was completely wiped out…a little agripado as the Spanish say.

In total our group tasted roughly 150 different wines from some of Spain’s most popular wine regions, as well as new regions I had never even heard of before I pulled the newspaper off the bottle (utilizing our classic blind tasting method of choosing new wines).

Our whirlwind trip produced some exciting news for Spanish Vines Inc.:  Within the next two months we’ll be adding three, possibly four, new wineries to our portfolio. We’re also launching our new Pour Favor brand, out of the Campo de Borja region. Needless to say, things at Spanish Vines are both crazy and exciting. I’m pausing to write this blog as I’m in Myrtle Beach, SC before driving to Atlanta and then to Charleston with one of the ENATE winery representatives. Finally, the news I’m most excited about is our private tasting with Michael Schachner, Spanish wine rater for Wine Enthusiast Magazine, next Monday afternoon.

So back to the Spain trip for just a bit: My dad and I flew into Oviedo, Asturias last Saturday while our Mad Monkey partners drove in from Madrid. We all convened at the famously renowned restaurant and birthplace of Spanish Vines, La Cata del Milan. We spent the next couple of days blind tasting roughly 80 wines. We tasted wines from the regions of Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Carinena, Bullas, Jumilla, Campo de Borja, Toro, Ribera del Jucar, La Mancha, Riber del Guadiana, Castilla y Leon, Navarra, Vinos de Madrid, Arlanza, Bierzo, Cigales, Calatayud, Almansa, and Rias Baixas (just let me know if you would like for me to write on any one of these particular wine regions).

After our blind tastings in Oviedo, we took off for Aragon with two clear objectives: decide on the final blends for the new Pour Favor brand in Campo de Borja and taste new wines and vintages at the ENATE winery in Somontano. The dinners in these two regions with both wineries were filled with tremendous laughter and great story telling. I had the tremendous honor of meeting and dining with one of the founders of ENATE- what an experience! Following our time in Aragon, we headed back to Oviedo, but broke the trip up by stopping in Haro, the classic city within the heart of Rioja, for the night. And on Thursday and Friday of last week we were busy in Oviedo before our final drive to Madrid to catch our flights on Saturday. Stay tuned for pictures on both our facebook page and website.

Again, some of the most exciting things coming up within Spanish Vines are the new vintages and label changes that will be hitting stores over the next couple of months. We’ll soon be organizing a launch party in NYC for the summer time. Just keep on following what’s going on within Spanish Vines, and if you’re in Atlanta or Charleston over the next couple of days, please send me a tweet!

This week’s recipe is one of Spain’s most classic snacks. And I really enjoyed it while in Spain last week…Authentic Spanish Tortilla!

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• Salt, to taste
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• Green olives, for garnish

Directions

Crack the eggs into a bowl. Whisk with a fork and add a pinch of salt. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan. Add the potato and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and mash together.

When the potato starts to brown a little on the edges and is mashed up with the onion in a lumpy fashion then add the eggs. Make sure the potato and onions are fully submerged by the eggs. Poke the potato to allow some of the egg to seep into the mashed mixture.

Fry this gently on a low heat. While cooking shake the pan to loosen the tortilla from the base and tidy the edges up with a wooden spoon. Do not over cook. The middle is meant to remain runny and gooey.

The egg will start setting, as this happens place a plate over the pan, a large enough plate to cover the pan substantially, and with a quick coordinated movement of both wrists flip the tortilla over onto the plate and slide back into the pan to cook the underside.

Keep shaking the pan lightly so the tortilla does not stick to the bottom.

Once it feels firm on the edges and soft in the middle (after about 1 minute) then slide the tortilla back onto the plate. For the brave heart you can do the flip again if you wish.

Let the tortilla rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Cut into cake slices or cubes.

Always remember: to understand is to enjoy!

-Josh

Dear readers,

If you were to ask certain winos, sommeliers, or aficionados today about their first wine drinking experience, I’m sure one answer would repeat itself more than you might expect. “Well, let’s see. The first wine I had was white zinfandel. I was about ___.” For me, I was 11 years old when I had my first sip of wine, and that wine was white zinfandel. I’m not afraid to admit it. It’s like fruit juice with soft alcohol. For the novice palate, it’s a great way to get into wine, but the truth is that I haven’t had it since.

I drank a first growth Bordeaux when I was 14 and fell in love from there. My father took the family to Bordeaux region where we traveled to many of the top producers. There we really learned the proper ways to analyze and drink wine. You see, growing up in a European family meant that wine was always flowing in the house because my father felt it was a great way to bring culture to the household.

But how did white zinfandel really make its way into the US market?

The name “zinfandel” really got shoved into the spotlight in the mid 1970’s by Sutter Home Winery. The winemaker, Bob Trinchero (now CEO) bled some juice off of a zinfandel lot he was fermenting to give it big color and concentration. He didn’t really know what to do with the “pink” sweet juice that he drained from that lot, so he bottled it and called it “White Zinfandel” and just sold it through the tasting room. It was a big hit! People bought it and demanded more, and the boom of white zinfandel continues today, with Beringer Winery selling the most in the U.S.A.

My point to this blog is that if you’re a fan of white zinfandel, there is so much beauty beyond this novice level wine. I jokingly call it the “gateway drug” because, in my opinion, it opens you up to the rest of the wine world. It is a warm-up, but for every warm-up, the race will follow. And honestly, there are thousands of wines out there, both red and white varietals, that are perfect options beyond the step of white zin.

A great grape, for example, is young garnacha or Grenache. The characteristics of this varietal are soft, supple, chocolaty, & fruity- but much more sophisticated than a white zinfandel. So please join our Spanish wine revolution as we bring wines to the market for every level of palette, and we’ll educate you along the way.

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A quick and easy recipe:

A Croissant Panini

Ingredients:

• 4 croissants, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
• 4 ounces smoked Gouda, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 8 teaspoons grated Parmesan
• 4 ounces Genoa salami (about 24 slices)
• 5 ounces arugula

Directions:

Heat a panini grill or just a regular pan. Divide 1-ounce (1/3 cup) smoked Gouda between 1 top and 1 bottom of a croissant. Sprinkle each half with 1 teaspoon Parmesan. Top each side with about 3 slices of Genoa salami (about 1 ounce of salami per sandwich, total.) Top 1 half of the sandwich with a small handful of arugula salad. Close the sandwich and continue with the remaining sandwiches. Grill the panini until the cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Cut each sandwich into thirds. Place the remaining arugula on a serving platter. Place the warm sandwich slices on the arugula. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Entender es Disfrutar,

~Josh

Followers of the Vine,

This week I was asked by national Wine and ‘Foodie’ blogger, Jacqueline Malan, to write a guest blog on her site: (http://www.jacquelinemalan.com/wp/).  I’ve decided to post the same blog on the Spanish Vines blog site as well, mainly because I’ve been getting a ton of requests lately to talk more about Spanish wine basics. These are the questions Jacqueline asked me about Spanish wine varietals, regions, and more.  See below for my answers:

1. What are the Spanish grape varieties?
There are hundreds of grape varieties grown throughout 70 D.O.s and 2 D.O.Ca.s. (keep on reading to learn what these are). In an effort to keep this blog simple, I want to focus this answer on three widely popular grape varieties both in Spain as well the USA: Tempranillo, Garnacha, & Albarino.

• Tempranillo: personally my favorite red grape varietal, it provides a deep, rich color. Dry with moderate levels of acid and alcohol, tempranillo is incredibly balanced, sometimes blended, and can be consumed both young and old.

One of the goals of Spanish Vines is to represent the beauty of this grape through three different styles:

1) Tempranillo Seleccion: young, fresh, bright & jammy fruit- basically an everyday sipping wine meant for casual conversation with friends and family,

2) Crianza Tempranillo: older, more complex, richer and bolder in style; a wine for you cabernet sauvignon lovers!

3) Rioja Reserva: super complex wine combining black fruit flavors with smoke and tobacco, yet still an approachable red keeping you reaching for more! This is definitely a food pairing wine.

• Garnacha: another personal favorite amongst red grape varietals; definitely a blending grape if aging is the winemaker’s intention. Typically higher in alcohol and sugar levels with moderate levels of acidity and very soft tannins, when fruity, Garnacha is an extremely appealing wine to drink, especially if produced from “older vines” equating to more concentration and intensity of the fruit. Our Cinco Joses is an awesome representation of a young, inexpensive, fruity “Old Vines” Garnacha.

Check out a video I was featured in where I discuss Tempranillo and Garnacha in more depth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p2lss1si8Q)

• Albarino: a white grape varietal from D.O. Rias Baixas (again with the D.O. thing? Keep on reading!); if someone tries to sell you an Albarino from another region outside of Rias Baixas, then I would be very skeptical! Common characteristics of this varietal are floral, peach, citrus, green apple aromas. This wine displays tremendous levels of acidity (which allow the fruitiness of the wine to come to life in your mouth) in harmony with white fruit making it a perfect candidate for spicy foods a shell fish.

2. What are the Spanish wine regions?

There are currently 70 D.O.s and 2 D.O.Ca.s in Spain. A D.O. is a Denominacion de Origen controlled by a regulatory council located within each region respectively (each region essentially sets their own rules). There are only 2 D.O.Ca.s within Spain – Priorat and Rioja. This is the highest level of quality that a region can receive, and it is a very selective process. Other classifications below D.O. or D.O.Ca. status are Vino de la Tierra (Wine of the land) or Vino de Mesa (table wine).

If I had to pick three classified regions as my top favorites, I would choose D.O. Rias Baixas for my whites, D.O.Ca. Priorat for when my Mediterranean appetite strikes, and Ribera del Jucar for when I want a juicy, red filet or ribeye or just have the urge to relax with a fresh, soft red wine.

3. What are some common misconceptions/stereotypes of Spanish wines?

Rioja is a grape and Tempranillo is a region. CORRECTION! Rioja is a region. Tempranillo is a grape!

4. What are the most popular Spanish Wines?

For red grape varietals, Tempranillo and Garnacha are the most popular. Certainly the regions most famous and internationally well known for producing red wines are Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Albarino from Rias Baixas is definitely becoming a major white grape varietal player as well as Verdejo common in the D.O. of Rueda. On the sparking side of the wine world, Cava, mainly because of its value, has grown tremendously in popularity. The region most well known for producing Cava is D.O. Penedes, just outside of international superstar city, Barcelona.

5. Why did you decide to focus on Spanish wines versus another part of the world?

I lived and studied in Northern Spain, fell in love with Spanish culture and gastronomy and then one day realized this is what I wanted to dedicate my life to.

6. What should one look for when purchasing Spanish wines?

There are a few things you want to keep in mind when buying Spanish wines:

Grape variety – usually listed on the label. Spain is definitely one of the only old world countries that has grape variety listed on the label. As Americans, we’re big ‘by variety type’ shoppers!

Vintage – for most Albarinos, Verdejos, Godellos, Sauvignon Blancs, or in general un-oaked whites (as a rule of thumb) you want the most recently released vintages. For example, Spanish Vines is about to release its 2009 vintage of Sauvignon Blanc. The idea is to keep the fruit and acidity as fresh as possible. The older the white wine gets, the more oxidized it becomes. A great question of comparison would be this: would you eat a banana that is brown and rotten? That’s what happens over time to white wine. You want to drink these style whites upon their release from the winery.

Aging – You will sometimes see various words listed on the label aside from region and grape variety. This is the reference to aging. Listed below is a great rule of thumb and explanation to the Spanish classification system of aging wine:

Joven – usually spends little to know time in oak barrels. This wine is typically fresh, light and is the classic ‘just pop the cork and start drinking’ type of wine.

Crianza – The benchmark is 2 years of total aging. 12 months minimum on oak and another 12 months in bottle before release is the breakdown. Current Crianza release is 2007.

Reserva – The benchmark is 3 years of total aging. 12 months minimum on oak and another 2 years in bottle before release is the typical breakdown, although wine makers typically age wines set to be a Reserva for slightly more than 12 months on oak. Current Reserva release is 2006.

Gran Reserva – The benchmark is 5 years of total aging. 2 years on oak and 3 years in the bottle before release is the typical breakdown. Current vintage release is 2004.

Advice concerning aging: If you start moving 4 years or more away on Jovens and Crianzas and more than 8 years on Reservas and Gran Reservas from the current vintage, and the wine is unusually low in price, you can assume something is probably wrong. For example, a 1999 Joven at $3.99 a bottle is probably garbage. Or a 2001 Crianza at $6.99 is not a wine you want to bank on being solid. Make sense? If you want to shop for the Spanish Reservas and Gran Reservas then I would definitely check with the store’s wine consultant for some advice. There’s always a good deal to be had, but just be careful! And as an FYI, we’re launching our Rioja Reserva this Fall. Vintage on this wine will be 2004 and will be solid through 2016.

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I hope that my Spanish wine session here as been helpful to you. Please post a comment if you have any specific questions about this article or just to say it was helpful! As always, thanks for following me at travelthevine.com!

Entender es Disfrutar!

~Josh

Dear Readers,

Today we end the tour of Spanish cuisine by touching on one of the most famous cuisines in the world: Valencian cuisine. This is one of my favorite places to visit as well as eat in Spain.

Before I tell you the most common Valencian dish (of which I’m sure you’re already aware) I’m first going to pose a question: do you think this internationally-recognized dish originated with seafood or meat? Well, if you answered seafood, then you are incorrect!

Although many towns claim to be the birthplace of PAELLA, it is usually considered native to the county of Ribera, just south of Valencia. It can be found in two main varieties: with chicken and rabbit, or with seafood. Contrary to popular belief, the original Paella was made with only chicken and rabbit. Nowadays, however, paella can be found all throughout the world, cooked in many different variations.

Rice, the fundamental ingredient of Paella, was introduced to Spain (specifically grown in Valencia) by the Moors over a millennium ago. There are three types of rice that are protected by a Dominacion de Origen (which we’ve touched on before- remember the Ternasco lamb from Aragon protected by a D.O.?) – Bahia, Bomba and Senia. If you want the best kind of rice, then definitely go after one of these three types.

Rice can be found in just about any type of Valencian dish, not just paella. A few examples are: arros negre, which is rice with squid and squid ink (seen in other parts of Spain as well), arros al forn, a rice dish baked in the oven usually consisting of sausages and potatoes, arros amb crosta, a kind of arròs al forn but covered with an egg which provides the “crust” in the name (typical of southern Valencia, especially Eliche, a beautiful coastal city located in Alicante), and arros a banda, a simple preparation of rice, fish and sweet potato.

The other common product considered to be a staple of Valencia are Valencia oranges, which originated in Valencia but are now grown throughout the world- in fact, Valencia oranges are the most widely planted orange variety! (As I write this blog, I’m actually enjoying one;-)

Now I’d like to give you some basic history on Valencia. Valencia, one of Spain’s seventeen Comunidades Autónomas, or “autonomous communities,” is located in eastern Spain along the Mediterranean Sea. To the north lies Cataluna, to the northwest the region of Aragon, to the west the region of Castilla-La Mancha, and to the south the region of Murcia. The Comunidad Valenciana is made up of three provinces – Castellón, Alicante and Valencia. Valencians have their own language, Valenciá, similar to Catalán, spoken in neighboring Cataluña.

What kind of Spanish blog would this be if we didn’t put a world class, in-depth recipe on how to make Valencia paella? I’m a strong believer in following the true ingredients of origin, so spend some time looking for the ingredients listed below if you want to make truly authentic Valencian paella. I’m listing this recipe below because I felt it was the best as an education piece and for its authenticity. Follow the directions, and you’ll make an incredible paella!

I’d love to hear about your experience cooking this paella, and a picture would be incredible. Anyone who sends in a picture of their paella experience will receive an awesome Spanish Vines t-shirt made by American Apparel! I hope to see some great pics! Until next Monday, have a great week.

Entender es Disfrutar!

~Josh

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Recipe found in an article entitled “Paella Where It Grows” by Janet Mendel

Paella How-To (Serves 4)

The pan. Paella pans of rolled steel, come in sizes from 10 inches up to three feet. The depth varies from 1 1/2 to 2 inches. A 10-inch pan serves 2-3; a 12-inch pan is about right to serve 4-5; a 16-inch pan serves 6-8.
 A paella pan larger than 12 inches is difficult to manage on top of the stove, as it has to be rotated over two burners.

The rice. Valencia paella is made with medium-short grain Valencia rice. Allow 1/2 cup of rice per person. For paella, the amount of liquid is double the rice, so 2 cups rice requires 4 cups liquid. Have on hand about one-half cup additional liquid to add in case the liquid cooks off too rapidly. 
Do not wash the rice.
Add the rice to the paella pan once the liquid has come to a boil.
Stir in the rice, bring the liquid to a full boil–then never stir the paella again. Stirring releases the grain’s starch and makes gummy rice. Some cooks like to shake the pan, to prevent the rice sticking on the bottom, while others, appreciating the crunchiness, let the bottom get a little crusty.

The cooking liquid. Simple, country paellas are made with only water–and very tasty they are. A simple chicken broth enhances the finished flavor of the rice.

Color it yellow. Paella is always a sunny, golden color. The true coloring (and flavoring) agent is saffron. Crush a few threads of real saffron in a mortar. If you don’t have a mortar, use the butt of a knife to crush the saffron in a teacup. Stir 1/4 cup water into the saffron. Then supplement the golden color with a pinch of powdered yellow coloring or five to six drops of yellow food coloring. Do not, however, substitute that other yellow spice, turmeric, because it’s too strongly flavored for paella. If neither saffron nor yellow coloring is available, the best substitute is a big spoonful of pimentón (Spanish paprika), which adds both color and flavor.

What meat, seafood? Paella is a rice dish, so don’t overload it with meats. If calculating 1/2 cup rice per person, allow 6-8 ounces per person of combined chicken and meat.
Cut chicken and rabbit into small pieces, so that it cooks fully in the time it takes to cook the rice. If using large serving pieces, use additional liquid and, after sautéing, let the pieces of chicken cook 10 minutes in the liquid before adding the rice.

The sofrito. The sofrito is the mixture of sautéed ingredients–meat, peppers, beans, tomatoes. Olive oil is the essential starting point of a good sofrito. Use a medium fire, so the chicken browns very slowly. It should be nearly cooked by the time the liquid and rice are added.
Fresh green beans, fava beans, peas and artichokes can be cooked with the sofrito. They add a special taste. Favas and artichokes may be par-boiled, then added to the rice towards the end of the cooking time.

Timing. Allow 20-30 minutes for the sofrito. Then add the liquid and bring it to a full boil. Put in the rice. Cook it on a hot fire for the first five minutes, then reduce the heat to medium. The rice should cook in 20 minutes from the time it was put into the pan. It will be tender, but slightly chewy. Let the paella rest 5-10 minutes, so that it finishes cooking from residual heat.

Paella, Valencia Style – Ingredients:

-1 cup fresh or frozen giant lima beans or dried butter beans, soaked overnight

-2 cups wide flat green beans, cut in 2-inch pieces

-2 chicken thighs (10 ounces)

-4 pieces of rabbit (10 ounces)

-1 boneless duck breast (10 ounces), cut in 4 pieces (or use chicken breast)

-1/4 cup olive oil

-2 cloves garlic

-Finely chopped
1 tomato, grated (1/2 cup pulp)

-4 drops yellow food coloring

-1/4 teaspoon saffron, crushed

-1/2 teaspoon pimentón (Spanish paprika)

-4 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

-1 dozen cooked snails (optional)

-Sprig of fresh rosemary

-2 cups Spanish medium-short grain rice

-Lemon wedges

If using dried butter beans, soaked overnight, cook them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Set the beans aside.

Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, refresh in cold water and set aside.

Cut the chicken thighs in half along the bone, making four pieces. Lightly salt the pieces of chicken, rabbit and duck. 
Place a 12-inch paella pan on the fire and heat the oil.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt into the oil, then add the chicken, rabbit and duck and let them brown slowly.

Next add the limas or par-boiled butter beans and the blanched green beans. Continue sautéing these ingredients.
 Add the garlic and, when it begins to turn golden, the tomato pulp.

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of water, the yellow food coloring, crushed saffron and pimentón. Stir until spices are dissolved. Dribble this mixture into the pan.

Add 4 cups of broth or water and turn the heat to high. Add the snails and sprig of rosemary. When the liquid is boiling, add the rice, stirring to distribute it evenly. Continue to cook on a high heat for 6 minutes. Remove the rosemary.

Turn down the heat to medium. Cook 14 minutes more without stirring. Add additional liquid if necessary. The liquid should be almost absorbed, the rice al dente. Allow the paella to set for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with lemon wedges.