Food Pairing Lab; Pairing Paella Negra with Spanish Wines from Four Regions

Recently, I received four media sample wines from Spain, each hailing from a distinct and renowned region: Rueda, Rías Baixas, Rioja, and Sherry. Inspired by this diverse selection, I decided to prepare one of my favorite classic Spanish dishes, Paella Negra, to explore how well it would pair with each of these exciting wines.. In…

Commemorating Setbacks and Success with Bodegas Tradición Palo Cortado VORS #WorldWineTravel

This is a most remarkable bottle of wine. It’s complex, beautifully textured and balanced. It’s well suited to be a either a “meditative” wine, or remarkably versatile at the table! The intrepid World Wine Travel group of writer wraps of its virtual tour of Spain with a “Writer’s Choice theme this month. See the end…

Wines of Andalucia Preview #WorldWineTravel

This month, the World Wine Travel (#WorldWineTravel) group of writers continues its virtual tour of Spain with a with a visit to Andalusia in southern Spain. For more information about Andalusia see my invitation post here. Andalusia Wine Spanish viticulture originated in what is now known as Andalusia around 1100 BC when Phoenicians founded a trading post…

An Invitation to Explore The Wines of Andalusia with #WorldWineTravel

In October the World Wine Travel group of writers will be taking a virtual trip to Andalusia in southern Spain. About Andalusia This vibrant region is the most populous in Spain, and has a colorful history. Its strategic position at the gateway to the Mediterranean and its proximity to Africa have made it a target…

An Exploration of Sherry; In the Glass And At The Table #WinePW

This month’s Wine Pairing Weekend is about Sherry, one of the world’s most complex, labor intensive, yet misunderstood and under appreciated wines!  I taste and pair the six types of sherry – five dry and a sweet “PX”! I have been a Sherry lover for many years.  My appreciation of sherry was inspired by two books;…

Sherryfest West Coming to San Francisco!

The best wine gift I ever received was (well other than wine;-) Karen MacNeil’s “The Wine Bible“. And one of the most fascinating chapters in the book for me, is the chapter on Sherry.  As I read about Sherry, learned how it’s made, its myriad of styles, and it’s affinity for food, I was fascinated and…

Best Wines To Pair With Tapas #SundaySupper

I was pretty excited when I saw this week’s #SundaySupper tapas theme.  That’s because my wife and I recently returned from a 17-day trip to Spain! Our itinerary included visits to Barcelona, La Rioja (Spain’s most renown wine country), San Sebastian, Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, and Granada.  One of the highlights of our trip, of course was…