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…
Tag: tempranillo
A Taste of Ribera del Duero’s Monteabellón
This week, I’ve been sampling some Spanish wines. In this case two from Monteabellón in the Ribera del Duero region. While I’m familiar with the region by reputation, I’m excited to learn more about it and delve into the unique characteristics of these wines. Join me on this journey of discovery. Disclosure: Wines were provided as…
Wine of the Week; 2016 Bokisch Vineyards Reserva Spanish Blend
Lured by the promise of a delectable wine and cheese experience, my wife and I recently spent a lovely afternoon at Bokisch Vineyards in Lodi. As expected, the wine and cheese experience was wonderful (head over to the IG account for the details). Inspired by the quality of the wine and cheese pairing experience, we…
Grilled Garam Masala Lamb Chops Paired with Bodegas LAN Reserva #WinePW
We love our BBQ here in America and quite often we pair it with American wines. That’s cool, but what about wines from other places in the World? Can they pair just as well, or maybe even better with your favorite grilled fare? The theme for Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group this month is Rioja and BBQ. …
A Journey To Iberia And Beyond for Open That Bottle Night #WinePW #OTBN
Open That Bottle Night 2018 was a splendid five hour affair with memorable wines, food, laughter and fellowship shared with great friends! Of all the wine “days” (Cabernet Day, Chardonnay Day, Champagne Day, etc), Open That Bottle Night (“OTBN”) is my favorite. That’s because it’s a great opportunity for fellowship around food and wine; and making memories with the special…
Wine of the Day: 2005 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904
This is a layered, harmonious wine that shows the beauty of old school Rioja aging combined with modern “elaboration” practices. This wine is blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from vines over 40 years old in the cool climate vineyards of Briñas, Labastida and Villalba. It was aged for four years in American oak…
Lodi Chronicles; Lodi’s Tempting Tempranillos
As you may know if you follow this blog, I’ve been contributing to Visit Lodi! Conference & Visitors Bureau blog. Visit Lodi is the official travel website for Lodi, California. From time to time I share blog posts I’ve written for Visit Lodi here. I recently wrote a piece for Visit Lodi entitled Lodi’s Tempting Tempranillo. Tempranillo,…
A Taste of Navarra #Wine; Spain’s Best Kept Secret
Are you familiar with the Navarra wine region of Spain? I wasn’t, until I recently had an opportunity to sample a diverse selection of wines from the new to me region. I received six sample wines that included a diverse selection of traditional Spanish grape varieties – Tempranillo, and Garnacha (a.k.a. Grenache), and international varieties Cabernet…
Wine of the Day: 2013 Fields Family Wines Tempranillo
2013 Fields Family Wines Tempranillo: A Lodi Tempranillo whose savory character evokes Rioja Fruit for this wine was sourced from the first Tempranillo vineyard planted in Lodi. It was fermented on native yeast, and raised in neutral French oak. Bottled unfined/unfiltered. Dark ruby color with exuberant black cherry, cigar box , plum, damp earth…
Wine of The Week: 2001 La Rioja Alta “904” Gran Reserva #TempranilloDay
Every Thursday I feature a wine I particularly enjoy, whether it’s something new and different, is a great value, or from a producer worth checking out. My Wine Of The Week is the 2001 La Rioja Alta “904” Gran Reserva The Winery La Rioja Alta, S.A. was founded in 1890 when five Riojan and Basque families who shared a passion…