Travels in Rueda

Travels in Rueda

July 1, 2009

Driving out of Segovia raving over last night’s tapas of grilled asparagus, zucchini, shrimp, garlic and smoked salt, we head for La Seca in the heart of D.O. Rueda. Now widely renowned for its fresh white wines made from Verdejo, in the 1970s, the Verdejo grape was practically wiped out by more prolific varieties such as Viura and Palomino. Visionary Angel Rodríguez realized the treasure in his 17th-century Martinsancho Verdejo vineyard and refused to uproot it. For his untiring efforts in reestablishing Verdejo’s prominence in its region of origin he was officially honored by King Juan Carlos.

Angel Rodriguez in his vineyard

The majuelo (plot) of Martínsancho is less than an acre of gnarled vines, preserved in isolation as a museum of prephylloxera viticulture and as a continuing source of undisputed varietal authenticity, treasured by nurseries throughout Europe. In 1976, Angel regrafted 25 acres of his best vineyard, using Martínsancho cuttings. Rodriguez makes one wine: Martinsancho, produced from 100% Verdejo and made in the historic bodega that they’ve occupied since 1780. They still utilize the subterranean bodega which is 3 stories underground, replete with 5,000-liter oak bocoyes in continuous use for centuries.

Underground bodega at Bodegas Angel Rodriguez

At the opposite end of the winemaking spectrum but with every bit as much reverence for the Verdejo grape, is Bodegas Jose Pariente. Oenologist Victoria Pariente (one of only four women winemakers in Spain who also own their bodegas) inherited the passion for winemaking from her father Jose, who produced his own artisan wines. A new state of the art winery is still under construction and without a sign, it looks unoccupied from the highway. But drive around back and there’s a bee hive of activity! Every step of the winemaking process here is analyzed and controlled with the latest technology to preserve freshness and avoid oxidation, which easily happens with the Verdejo grape. The hand picked grapes are brought from the surrounding vineyards directly to a refrigerated storage cooler and then crushed and piped under refrigeration to temperature controlled fermentation tanks. The bodega uses nitrogen in all of the must handling to minimize oxidation. The pebble covered vineyards are from 40 years to 100 years old, situated in the “Golden Mile” of Rueda, the highest part of the plateau, whose Atlantic climate has strong variations of day and night temperatures.

In the vineyard with Victoria Pariente and her assistant

WHITE WINES FROM RUEDA

2008 Martinsancho Verdejo, Rueda ($18.99) The harsh continental climate and extreme altitude, together with the soil’s austere inhospitality to all types of insects and bacteria, allow for the practice of completely organic viticulture. From free-run juice, the new wine is racked into centuries-old subterranean bocoyes prior to clarification and bottling. 2008 was a cool, late harvest producing a full bodied, freshly fruity and minerally complex Verdejo.

2007 Jose Pariente Verdejo, Rueda ($21.99) Ecologically produced from 40 year old vines planted by Jose Pariente, the winemaker’s father. Daily battonage provides a creamy texture, backed up by fresh aromas of citrus and delicate pear flavors. …”The 2007 Varietal Verdejo is a superb expression of this once under-rated grape variety. The fruit was sourced from a 40 year old, 6-hectare estate vineyard. Medium straw-colored, the wine has an alluring fragrance of mineral, lemon-lime, citrus, and floral notes.” 90 points Wine Advocate

2007 Martina Prieto Verdejo, Rueda ($15.99) The daughter of Victoria Pariente makes this wine using extreme methods such as harvesting grapes at night to lock in the fresh aromatics. Martina Prieto bursts with flavors of creamy grapefruit, ripe pineapple, lime, flint, and a hint of cinnamon. Vibrant with acidity, this is the perfect wine to serve with octopus ceviche.

2007 Marques de Irun Verdejo, Rueda ($12.99) Fresh and lively on the palate, with aromas of white grapefruit. Unctuous on the palate, with flavors of citrus, a hint of honeydew melon and palate cleansing minerality. With a persistent, crisp finish, it pairs wonderfully with shellfish.

 

RED WINES

Gear up for barbeque weather this weekend! These are stellar reds to match with grilled ribs or lamb burgers:

2007 Vale Da Clara, Douro ($13.99) The new vintage of this red table wine is a staff favorite! Complex black fruit flavors are nicely structured by accessible tannins. Smooth and well balanced, this tasty red is perfect for quaffing when you’re sitting around with friends on the deck.

2007 La Planta, Ribera del Duero ($15.99) I had a glass of this at a tapas bar in Valladolid. It was sensational with my tapa of roasted eggplant, onion confit and carmelized cabbage. 100% Tempranillo, it has been barrel aged 6 months. There’s a hint of smoke behind the smooth boysenberry, licorice and black cherry fruit. With great food pairing acidity, it is full bodied, balanced, with a dry and pleasing finish. Recommended value wine under $25.00 by Wine Advocate.

2007 Clos de los Siete, Mendoza ($18.99) “Bright, full ruby-red. Crushed black fruits, mocha, bitter chocolate, licorice and smoked meat on the nose. Sweet, penetrating and firm-edged; … I like this wine’s balance of sweetness and acidity…” “There may be no finer red wine value in Argentina than this superb blend of 48% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 12% Syrah, and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon… This lengthy effort over-delivers and then some.” 89 points Stephen Tanzer, 91 points Jay Miller

 

Winemaker tasting: Meet Martina Pariente, producer of Martina Prieto Verdejo at Tango Restaurant on Sunday July 12, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. A selection of tapas will be paired with three red wines and the Martina Prieto Verdejo. $30.00. For reservations, contact Tango Restaurant 206.583.0382

Sincerely,

 

Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, Owners

Spanish Table

Holiday Feasting in Portland

April 16, 2009

The buzz about Portland’s diverse restaurant scene got us on the road Sunday morning with our California partners Andy and Tanya. Our first stop was lunch at Andina in the Pearl District (http://www.andinarestaurant.com). After sharing piquillo peppers stuffed with quinoa and jamon serrano, tender octopus kebabs, and fresh lime infused fish ceviche, we understand why it gets rave reviews. A few hours later we stopped at Toro Bravo (http://www.torobravopdx.com) for a pre-dinner sherry and couldn’t leave without trying the manchego cheese marinated in rose petal harissa and mint, sherry chicken liver mousse, and the oxtail croquettes. What astonishing flavor combinations! We would have stayed all night but we had dinner reservations at Le Pigeon (http://www.lepigeon.com), a tiny bistro with communal tables which is always full. The seasonal menu was loaded with meat-centric dishes that blew us away.  My fried rabbit was more rabbit confit, ultra-tender with meat falling off the bone. We had duck breast and beef cheeks and an amazing finale of cornbread, maple syrup and bacon. Everything was fantastic! We’ll go back to these places very, very soon.

Instant Tapa:  Start with a slice of Aegean Gourmet Golden Toast ($1.99/11.6 oz), add a layer of Greenland Buffalo Feta cheese ($3.99/500 grams) and top with Napoleon Grilled Artichoke Halves ($3.85/7.5 oz).  Serve at room temperature.

New Meats

Chorizo Leon ($11.99, appx ¾ lb): Take one bite of this intensely flavored soft-cured sausage and you’ll think you’re in Spain. Its distinctive flavor comes from a mixture of garlic with the smoked paprikas from Pimenton de la Vera. Serve sliced at room temperature on a charcuterie plate.

Asturian Fabada Stew Kit ($23.99/appx 2 lbs): Our cold and rainy Easter weather got me hankering for stew. A comfort food fanatic, nothing warms me on a chilly night like a hearty serving of Fabada, the signature dish of Asturias. Traditionally made with a special bean called “fabe” grown in this region, this sausage and bean dish is absolutely satisfying. Our Asturian Fabada Stew Kit includes Chorizo Bilbao, Morcilla de Cebolla (blood sausage with onion), Tocino (bacon with rind) and Jamon Serrano (dry cured ham). We also have a limited supply of the authentic “Fabe” Fabada bean ($35.00/kg), which is prized for its ability to hold shape after a long simmer.

For a Fabada recipe, click this link: http://www.spain-recipes.com/fabada-asturiana.html

Soujouk ($9.99/1.2 lb): We discovered this dried beef sausage in Turkey, where it was sliced over a dish of hummus and warmed, then served as a tasty appetizer.

Basturma or Pastirma ($12.99/12 oz): Racks of hanging beef loin rubbed with a heavy marinade of paprika, fenugreek and chili line the market streets of Kayseri, Turkey. This popular spiced beef is sliced thin and eaten on bread, or it can be sauteed and eaten with everything from eggs or wrapped in phyllo dough and baked.

 

FISH PRODUCTS

Squid ink ($.99/4 gram plastic or $19.99/200 gr jar): Not a new product for us, but we’ve been getting a lot of calls for it lately.   The essential ingredient in black rice or squid in its own ink.  Now available in a 200 gr jar as well as the familiar plastic packets.  
Filetes de Boqueron: ($8.99/appx 6 oz) Another item that is frequently asked for.  These fresh white anchovies are marinated in oil and vinegar, with garlic and parsley. We had these one night at Txori on top of crostini with black olive tapenade. The briny fish and rich olive flavors were fantastic together!   Also great on caesar salad.

 

 

WHITE WINE 

2007 Grinalda Reserva Vinho Verde, Portugal ($14.99) Produced by Vinho Verde maker Aveleda, Grinalda represents the perfect combination of tradition and innovation. The grapes are fermented at low temperature with selected yeasts in an effort to preserve the naturally fresh character. Unlike many vinho verde wines, carbon dioxide has not been added to Grinalda; it reflects the intense aromas of the Loureiro grape, the elegance and softness of Trajadura and the persistent finish of Alvarinho. It’s aromas of tropical fruits and flowers, flavors of fresh stone fruit with notes of citrus and a zippy acidity provide a clean and bracing palate. Excellent with shellfish.

2007 Porrais Douro ($16.99) Produced from a 28 hectare vineyard which is over 60 years old, with shale and schist soils at an altitude of 600 meters, this white wine is a knockout! Made of 60% Rabigato and 40% Codega do Larinho, it is steely and lean. With citrus and green apple flavors, abundant minerality and moderate tannins, it is crisp, delicate and delicious.

WINE VALUES:    To ease the pain of tax season, we’ve added to our stock of over 50 wines under $10.00. Amazing wines from Spain and Portugal arrive weekly and continue to be the best value on the planet!

2007 Mesta Tempranillo, Tierra de Castilla ($7.99): Named for gatherings of sheep herders organized to sort stray sheep (mestencos) from their flock, Mesta is 100% Tempranillo, the wine traditionally served with lamb. The grapes are grown at 2500 feet elevation, and it has great balance and food-pairing acidity. Aged in stainless steel, this is a young wine with a fruit driven nose full of enticing aromas of ripe red berries. On the palate, it has chewy and firm tannins with a hint of pepper and a persistent finish. Serve this at your next backyard barbeque!
2008 Famega Rose, Portugal ($7.99) Our first 2008 rose has arrived! With all the promise of a seedling poking up its first shoots, the new rose season brings hope of salad days to come. 2008 Famega is loaded with fresh strawberry flavor, a hint of effervescence and a feeling of summer. Sip it chilled on the deck on a sunny day!
2007 Carlos Bassos Dos Fincas Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot, Mendoza ($9.99) Aged lightly in oak for 4 months, Dos Fincas is a blend of two different vineyards and microclimates. Made of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, its jammy berry aromas and plump black berry flavors shine through. Solid and flush throughout, it has surprising softness. Excellent with grilled pork chops.
2005 Conde de Vimioso, Ribatejano ($9.99) Winemaker Joao Portugal Ramos has been the most influential wine consultant in Southern Portugal over the last 15 years. His philosophy of low yields, preserving fruit flavors and occasional oak aging with modern winemaking techniques have made him a superstar. His 2005 Conde de Vimioso combines aromatic, dark fruit flavors of Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira blended beautifully with the bold spices of Tempranillo and well-integrated tannins of Cabernet. The palate is rich and youthful, showing raspberry and currant fruit with hints of white pepper, espresso bean and dark chocolate on the lingering finish.
NV Quinta de la Rosa’s Finest Reserve Port, Douro ($11.99/375 ml, $19.99/750 ml) “is a stunning example of what can be achieved and found in non-vintage port blends. This small port lodge has turned out a terrific, full-bodied, garnet/ruby-colored wine with a big, chocolatey, black-cherry, cedary nose, full-bodied, unctuously-textured flavors, and gobs of fruit and richness, as well as an off-dry, impressive finish. Drink it over the next decade or more.” 92 points Robert Parker

We hope to see you soon and have a great week!  

Best regards, 

Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, owners
The Spanish Table Inc.

 

Tour de Tiendas

We are just back from a Tour de Tiendas, visiting our stores in Santa Fe and San Francisco.  Sunny weather welcomed us everywhere and it felt sooo great.
At 7000 feet, the high desert air of Santa Fe was crisp and invigorating.  Always captivated by this city’s mix of Spanish, Native American and Mexican history and the natural beauty of the landscape, we’re also addicted to the New Mexican red and green chiles.   Our manager, Karen Squires, hosted the whole staff for an awesome New Mexican potluck.  Carne adovado marinated and slow cooked in red chile sauce made by chef and employee, Adrian Perez with peppers from his own garden. Red and green New Mexican style tamales, posole, pinto beans and chicos rounded out the menu.  Dessert was sweet tamales filled with native pine nuts, raisins and local honey.
We loved the food at La Boca, Chef James Campbell Caruso’s tapas restaurant.  Former chef at El Farol, he wrote the cookbook that we still recommend to customers looking for a contemporary interpretation of tapas.  James is a customer of The Spanish Table and his menu reflects several of our new products, many with a Moroccan influence.  But our favorite tapa was all Spanish: Asparagus spears dressed with Casa Pons White Truffle Olive Oil, dusted with Matiz Smoked Sea Salt and topped with shavings of aged manchego cheese. 
WINES WE TASTED ON OUR TRIP:                 
The Alto Moncayo Veraton (Campo de Borja) $23.99 paired wonderfully with our picante New Mexican potluck.  Its spicy and ripe red fruit with a deep mineral and white pepper finish was absolutely delicious.    Limited quantities available    91 points Stephen Tanzer           
We sampled wines by the glass at La Boca, pairing them with rich flavors of James’ tapas. 
Portuguese wine 2001 Ardosino Douro ($15.99) was fantastic with grilled artichoke hearts and goat cheese.   Ardosino has an earthy minerality with flavors of currant, real elegance and bright acidity that makes it a great combination with any grilled foods.
2003 Loriñon Rioja Reserva ($18.99) was terrific with spicy lamb meatballs in yogurt-mint sauce.  From a less than stellar vintage, the 2003 Loriñon sings with red cherry, black tea and sweet spice notes integrated with a toasty balsamic finish.   Delicious!
ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE:   50 under $10:
These are frugal times and after a lot of tasting, we have selected 50 wines under $10 that will allow you to enjoy life without breaking your budget.  Stop by, pick out a dozen of them and get a 10% case discount.  That brings you price down to only $9 a bottle!
NEW VALUE WINES THIS WEEK:
2007 Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines (Calatayud) $7.99   Big and powerful, the grapes for this wine are grown in a desolate, arid area which produces ripe and concentrated fruit.   With intense aromas of sweet cherries and dark plums, Garnacha de Fuego has considerable depth and finesse.  With an exotic spicy finish reminiscent of white pepper, it is great with taco truck fare.
2007 Casa Gualda Tempranillo (La Mancha) $8.99 Think fruity pie cherry with an earthy minerality.  Smoky and low in acidity, Casa Gualda is easy drinking and great for the pocketbook!
SHERRY ARTICLE
Here at The Spanish Table, our appreciation of unique Sherries is evident by our selection – the largest outside of Spain.  Vastly underappreciated, and one of wine’s greatest values (how many wines are available for $45.00 that have been barrel aged for at least 20 years?), sherry is finally getting its due.  If you’d like to learn more about sherry, check out the recent comprehensive article from the San Francisco Chronicle:  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/15/WINR159ONQ.DTL&hw=gonzalez+byass+alfonso&sn=001&sc=1000
 
INGREDIENTS: In Jan 11th The New York Times travel section, Paula Wolfert singled out Moroccan cumin as something she brings back in her suitcase.  Luckily, it is easy to get just by visiting The Spanish Table, thanks to Mustapha Haddouch who buys his directly from the farmer in Morocco.  He also deals directly with the farmer for his saffron.
TWO CHEESES SPECIALS: We were able to make a special purchase on these two cheeses:
Veigadarte   Sometimes referred to as Humbolt Fog on Steroids, Veigadarte is rolled in oak ash and covered by a thick bloomy white rind. Beautiful on a cheese platter with its black and white outline and soft texture, this artisanal cheese uses the milk of two different goat breeds.  With a high butterfat content and the characteristic tang of a goat’s milk, it is distinctive and delicious.  Was: $7.00; Now $5.75/quarter lb.
Drap Made of 100% cow’s milk, Drap has all of its characteristic butteriness with the herbaceous nuances of a goats milk cheese.   Was 9.00/quarter lb; Now 5.75/quarter lb.
TWO NEW CHEESES:
Cantell Goat Cheese  This compact, crumbly and granular goat cheese is aged roughly 4 months. Its fully developed, complex flavor has hints of dry fruits with a herbaceous tangy finish. This rare goat cheese from Catalonia is one of the finest cheeses made by Nevat cheese maker, Joseph. We are offering this cheese only for a limited time.  Now $9.99/quarter lb.
Idiazabal  This unpasteurized sheep’s’ milk cheese is the absolute best Idiazabal on the market. Traditionally, Basque shepherds lived in small mountain huts and due to lack of space, stored and aged their cheese inside stone chimneys. Lana, producer of this Gran Reserva Idiazabal maintain these cheese making traditions, and it reveals itself with wonderfully buttery, lightly smoked, aromatic and tangy flavors. Now $6.50/quarter lb.

Turkey Day

November 25th, 2008

All of a sudden it is Thanksgiving and Christmas is only a month away!  We are closed Thanksgiving Day (but Steve will be in the store with his power saw and sander doing a little carpentry – there are no days off for small businessmen) but this Friday – Saturday – Sunday, all books and CDs are 10% off!  If you are able to come in, pick up some of our imported Puebla style Red Mole and turn your left over turkey into a Mexican feast.  Left over turkey also translates into paella with a little help from some saffron and a jar of piquillo pepper strips!  Or if you are making classic turkey sandwiches (a must-have at our house), serve them with some of our Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips.
Meanwhile, there are new arrivals in our cold case:
Pate is an essential entertaining food in Barcelona and this is pate season in Seattle.
Pate de Campangne with Black Pepper:  A traditional recipe with origins in the French countryside, this country-style (campagne) pâté is a thick, coarsely-textured treasure seasoned with piquant black pepper. The uneven, super spread-able paste is created using seasonings and fats, added to bring out the flavor in meats.
Truffle Mousse Pate:  Made from pork and chicken liver and flavored with Sherry. This mousse has an unbelievable silky texture.
Winter Cheeses:
Pasamontes 4 month Raw Milk Manchego:  Pasamontes is the DO award winner of Manchego and unlike cheaper industrial cheeses it is made slowly over 4 months with unpasteurized milk. Intensely nutty with a strong bouquet and a long finish on the palate.
Afuega=l Pitu Red:  One of the oldest and most prolific Asturian cheeses, and rarely brought to the USA. This fresh cow=s milk cheese is mixed with paprika, wrapped in a cloth and aged for one month. The subtly chalky/creamy texture of this cheese melts in your mouth like cream cheese and has just the perfect amount of heat.
Bulgarian Feta: Our all time favorite sheep=s milk feta. This feta has got some hurrrummph! It has just the right amount of tang with a rustic twist.
Bulk Olives:
Thasos Olives:  We picked up these high quality olives from our local Greek importer. Thasos Olives are Greek prepared olives made from Thrubolea olives. They are made on Thasos (aka Thasou), in the northern Aegean Sea.  The olives are harvested when fully black and wrinkled. They are dry-cured, and then packed in olive oil.  They have a strong, rich flavor and are chewy and meaty.
Pitted Kalamata Olives: Also from our local Greek importer, Kalamatas that are a dark eggplant color and have a flavor that is rich and fruity. They are marinated in red wine vinegar.
Taramosalata:  Taramosalata is a Greek style caviar spread made from the delicate roe of carp. Krinos Taramosalata uses roe that is naturally cured and aged over one year. It can be served as a vegetable dip or a spread on crackers. No preservatives, no artificial ingredients.
Chistorra:  This  Basque style 6inch long sausage is great to fry up with potatoes for breakfast or with rice for dinner.
Top Wines for Thanksgiving weekend and the December holidays:
Rosado:  Dry Spanish rosé not only look festive in the glass but pair perfectly with the variety of flavors which make up Thanksgiving dinner.   From savory dressings, creamed vegetables and gravy, a high-acid rose cuts through rich foods and refreshes the palate like nothing else.
Our favorite roses:   2007 Muga Rosado Rioja ($13.99) and 2007 Cune Rosado ($11.99)
Emilio Moro, Ribera del Duero $29.99:  AThe reasonably priced 2004 Emilio Moro is a terrific Ribera del Duero.  Its dense ruby color is followed by a projected nose of blackberries, currants, cherries, smoky oak and crushed rock.  Terrific texture, purity and a long heady finish, suggest it will keep for 7-8 years.@  92 points Wine Enthusiast   
Remelluri, Rioja $34.99: We have two vintages on hand: A small amount of the suave and graceful 2001 vintage and the latest, 2003 release.  The 2001 is sophisticated and polished with earthy and ripe fruit.  The 2003 is elegant, fresh and poised with a chewy texture and a peppery kick.     Either would be stunning with Thanksgiving dinner, or buy one bottle of each and have a vertical tasting!
VIU 1, Valle de Colchagua, Chile:  You probably have never paid $65 for a bottle of Chilean wine.  This is the reason you should.  Viu 1 is only produced in outstanding years, with  premium grapes hand sorted for consistent ripeness.  A blend of 94% Malbec and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in barrel for 20 months, it is a limited release of 11,333 numbered bottles.  Hedonistic, with flavors of black cherry, leather and truffle and voluptuous tannins, it was unanimously the winner of a blind tasting we attended recently, where it stood head and shoulders above the other 13 wines tasted that night.
2003 Tahuan Syrah Mendoza $19.99: Ernesto Catena, son of respected winemaker Nicholas Catena, is producing  stellar Malbecs and Syrahs from his Tahuan winery.  The 2003 Syrah, grown at an elevation of 1700 meters contains 7% Bonarda which gives it a fresh juiciness. With spice, a hint of smoke and toast flavors, balanced acidity rounds out this plush wine.   AY with rich texture and mouth filling notes of coffee and currant comfiture, warm fig sauce and dark cocoa. Rich, fleshy finish has nice buried grip.@ 89 points Wine Spectator
2006 CARM Douro Superior ($15.99) A blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca, CARM is a superb expression of terroir.  Ripe blackberries, mulberry, and black cherry introduce this wine, followed by seductive flavors of black fig and licorice.  The finish has hints of toasted oak, warm spicy fruit and silky texture.  89 points Wine Spectator
2005 CARM Grande Reserva Douro ($39.00) Produced from the best vineyards, the Grande Reserva has intense floral aromas with ripe plum and blueberries.   With  concentrated black fruit liqueur flavors and fine tannins, the oak is well integrated.  Balanced and smooth with a full mouthfeel and persistent finish, this elegant wine will pair well with roast meats or game.  89 points Wine Spectator   
We also stock rich flavored Carm Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the same property in Portugal.
2003 Vila Santa, Alentejo ($14.99)  Joao Portugal Ramos is one of the most widely known winemakers in the south of Portugal, making wines in several regions.  His 2003 Vila Santa needs about 30 minutes of air to release its full floral aromas, but the wait will be rewarded!   Dusty boysenberry flavors with hints of cherry pit and pencil lead are supported by sweet tannins.  With medium acidity and a long toasted finish, Vila Santa is a natural match with a rich Thanksgiving dinner.
 
Best wishes to you and your family and friends!