April seems to have flown by, but at the same time lasted forever. It’s all a bit of a blur at this point in these quarantimes. I’m thankful that my wine clubs are still shipping, the temperature is getting warmer, and the sunshine is lasting longer. I also don’t mind my social media feeds being filled with photos of bread baking. I hope everyone is still staying safe and sane in these wild times. Dom Perignon 2008 – Rating 5/5 This wine was from Champagne, France and sampled on April 3, 2020. This celebratory bottle was a gift from my…
Tag: spain
Realce Tempranillo
Once I found a recipe for paleo tamales, I knew I had to have a Tempranillo to pair with it before I made them. As luck would have it, that’s just what came in my Wine Awesomeness box this month! With the rain season setting in full blast this week in Seattle, some comfort food sounded just about perfect. I’m always excited to try a Tempranillo wine. When living in Texas, it was one of the only varietals that grew well there. It became my go-to for a while, especially when visiting a winery or just trying something new. I…
RAW Rosé
On the cusp of a three-day weekend I was more than happy to see a Rosé on deck for this week’s wine. With the label, this one was giving off edgy vibes, which got me pumped up for the research behind it. RAW stands for “Really Awesome Wines.” RAW creates wines in partnership with Bodegas Latúe. This wine cooperative operates in Spain and specializes in organic and vegan wines. The cooperative started in 1954 and currently operates with 131 wine growers. The working goals of the cooperative are to provide economic and social sustainability for their relatively small community. * One…
Raimat Family Vineyards Garnacha
After hosting a housewarming party the weekend before, I knew I would have to be creative when fixing a pairing up for this week. All that was left from the festivities was a bunch of random foods. All little bit of barbeque here, a little bit of veggie tray there, some frozen foods, and some half eaten cheese blocks. Fortunately, the wine this week was a Garnacha, so I knew pairing just about anything would work out ok. The Garnacha for this week was also a fully organic wine, so I decided to look into organic wines a little bit.…
Conde de Alicante Blanco
It was hard to decide what I was more anticipating for this week, the food or the wine. My husband was out of town, which always leads to me trying out some recipe I’ve found that I knew he would not enjoy. This week, it was called, “Egg Roll in a Bowl.” Once seated beside this bottle of white wine though, I was most eager to have them together. This wine was a blend of 50% Marseguera grapes and 50% Macabeo grapes. Having heard of neither of these before, I started my research there. Both of these varietals are not…
Bodegas Latúe Tempranillo
Ahhhh, a Tempranillo. It felt like seeing an old friend again. Having recently moved from Texas, where Tempranillo reigns supreme, it felt almost nostalgic to pick up a bottle that was pure Tempranillo grapes, even if it wasn’t from Texas, or even the US. Bodegas Latúe is a wine cooperative in Spain that prides itself on being socially responsible as well as ecologically friendly and sustainable. These values are at the forefront of their winemaking. Their vineyards are in central Spain and the climate provides very little rain. The summers are quite warm, but the winters can be harsh as seen…
Castro Ventosa Mencía
I have to say; this wine bottle and label looked extra fancy to me. Not only was I ready for the wine during this pairing; I was extra ready for the food as well. Apple and onion pork chops? Yum! Yes! This wine was 100% Mencía which I had never heard of before, so I started my research there. First off, I had been referring to is as men-see-ah, and quickly realized that it was correctly pronounce men-thee-ah. This grape is grown only in Spain and Portugal. It is generally compared to the better-known grape, Pinot Noir, in that they…
Nexo Garnacha
I was super excited for this week’s wine based on the label alone. It reminded me of my wedding theme with the turquoise tree and little birds. My wedding colors were turquoise and brown and we utilized the image of a swallow in the details because of one of my husband’s tattoos. This label pulled at my heartstrings and had me ready to share a glass with my one and only. I knew going in that Garnacha was another word for Grenache. Grenache is the term used in France and Garnacha in Spain. It is one of the most widely…
Alaia Verdejo
This week, it was all about trying something new. Verdejo was a varietal I’d never heard of, much less tried. I had just settled into a new townhouse in Seattle. I had also bought my first cookbook ever and decided to cook my way through it. This week would make for a combination of all of these things. While this marked the second wine I would try from the Alaia winemaker, it would be the first Verdejo for me. Verdejo is grown mostly in Spain and almost exclusively in the Rueda region. Outside of Spain, is not very well known,…
Alaia Marisa Red Blend
This label appeared so interesting to me. It seemed rather mysterious. Every time I entered my kitchen I felt like it was calling out to me or daring me to open it and unravel the mysteries within. I was happy for a free night to sit down and pop it open finally. Living in Texas, I had had my fair share of Tempranillo wines. However, this Tempranillo was also mixed with Prieto Picudo at 70% and 30% respectively. Never having heard of Prieto Picudo, I started my research there. Prieto Picudo, when bottled solely is considered table wine from the…