07/12/07
Among the many reasons to love living in the Bay
Area are the numerous outdoor concerts, plays and other performances that
reappear each year like seasonal fruits and vegetables when the weather gets
warm.
Last night I was at the California Shakespeare Festival
pouring samples of a few Argentine wines we carry. Several theater patrons commented on how the
fragrant Sur de los Andes Torrontès white wine was a perfect match for the cool
twilight hour before the performance.
This weekend I’ll be packing a picnic for an outing
(on public transit, of course) to Stern
Grove in San Francisco to see Os Mutantes (legendary Brazilian psychedelic
band from the 60s) and Los Amigos Invisibles (unique and super-danceable
Venezuelan jazz/funk). A dry, spritzy, low alcohol Portuguese Vinho Verde will
surely be among my pic-i-nic basket goodies (‘Oh Yogi, this wine is
dee-licious’).
The San
Francisco Mime Troupe is celebrating their 48th season of free
political theatre in the parks around the Bay Area (this weekend in
Some of these events take a bit of advance planning
and preparation. When you see that an event is ‘free admission’, as many are, you will always need
to plan on arriving early and claiming a space for your group or be prepared to
enjoy the performance from a distance (sometimes a very long distance). Bring
food of course (including wine and extra water), but also a newspaper or
magazine to read while you wait and an extra sweater or blanket for the always
unpredictable Bay Area weather. Also, though these events are often free and
open to the public, a cash donation of some sort helps insure that these
cultural events continue to reappear in years to come (don’t worry about the
where and the how…the volunteers with the collection buckets will find you).
These events only last until the start of the rainy
season so it’s important to get out there and enjoy the cultural cornucopia
while it lasts. Here are some trusty favorites as well as some new arrivals
from The Spanish Table’s wine department to jump start your pre-show picnic
plans.
Cerveza:
Jerome
Cerveza Roja $6.99 (660ml)
Jerome
Cerveza Negra $6.99 (660ml)
Just in time for the heat of summer comes this
lineup of microbrewery ale from
Named after the family German Sheppard (who’s
profile is featured prominently on the label) Jerome Brewing Company is a pioneer
in the production of small batch (and I mean really small, as in 5 barrels a
day) Argentine ales. We currently carry the Roja,
a bold, hoppy ale that reminds me of some of our local bay Area brews, as well
as the Negra, a dark and creamy
version of a british stout.
Blanco:
Avinyó Vi D’Agulla 2006 $12.99 The Avinyó Cava that we carry
(the traditional Brut Reserva As well as the new Brut Rosado) is always top
notch. This small winery also produces a traditional summer wine called Vi
D’Agulla (translates literally as ‘needle wine’). This lightly effervescent
white wine made from Petit Grain Muscat
is floral and aromatic like a Moscatel,
but only gently sweet. The light bubbles lift the scent and give the wine a
lively, fresh character. The prickly effervescence is what gives the wine its
name. Serve Vi D’Agulla as a welcoming cocktail to your dinner guests and watch
the smiles spread with each sip.
Barbadillo Palomino Fino 2006 $6.99 It’s back! The most popular white wine in
Sur de los Andes Torrontés 2006 $11.99 For an Argentine version of Sangria
blanco, try using this ripe, Viognier-like
white wine from
Granbazan
Ambar 2005 $21.99 This excellent top shelf Albariño displays a flinty mineral foundation underlying bright
citrus fruit and slightly oxidized complexity. Very popular in
Rosado:
Artazuri
Rosado 2006 $12.99 The newly arrived 2006 vintage of this dry rosado is made from 100% Garnacha grapes grown in the high
altitude vineyards of D.O. Navarra, the traditional home of Spanish rosado.
This perennial customer favorite displays gentle fresh berry scent along with a
bright citrus fruit character. The finely detailed aromas and flavors blend
effortlessly in this excellent summertime wine.
Tinto:
Arbanta
2005 $10.99 An excellent young Rioja produced from Organic
fruit. Recently rated 89 Points by The Wine Advocate, Jay Miller reviewed the wine, saying “The 2005 Biurko Gorri Arbanta offers superb
value, among the best in my Spanish tastings. It is 100% Tempranillo, tank
fermented and aged. Medium ruby in color, it exhibits remarkable aromatic
complexity for its price point with cherries, red currants, and spice in
evidence. The wine is elegant, balanced, and fruity right through the lengthy
finish. Drink it over the next 1-3 years.”
Torremayor Crianza 2004
$12.99 Viña Santa Marina is an innovative winery located in the far flung
Extremadura region in western
Peique
Mencía 2006 $13.99 One of my favorite young Mencía grape wines from D.O. Bierzo has just arrived in the new
2006 vintage. Vibrant fresh cherry fruit character encounters dry oak leaf
aroma and flinty background mineral aroma and flavor. Perfect for summer
cookouts in the back yard or wherever you may be.
Collectors
wines:
Hacienda Monasterio 2003 $42.99 Peter Sisseck of Pingus fame makes this dark colored and deeply
flavorful D.O. Ribera del Duero wine. It is a perennial favorite that we
receive limited quantities of once a year. Steven
Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar gave this wine 92 points, saying “Deep ruby. Explosive, sexy aromas of cherry,
plum, incense, freshly ground coffee and succulent herbs. Focused and deep,
with red and dark berry flavors complicated by candied violet, smoky bacon and
cracked pepper. A ripe, weighty wine with a dense, chewy texture and compelling
freshness, especially for the year. Finishes with a note of sweet cherry
preserves, fine tannins and excellent length.”
Hacienda
Monasterio Reserva 2001 $72.00 The Hacienda Monasterio
Reserva from the phenomenal 2001 vintage has just arrived. Using the same carefully selected fruit as the
younger crianza wine, this Reserva sees longer barrel maturation to smooth out
the tannins and bring out the dark berry fruit character. This very special
wine is very limited in availability. We have one 12 bottle case to share with
you, so act soon if you want some for your cellar.
07/19/07
One of the great joys of summer is a perfectly ripe
tomato, served fresh from the garden, still warm from the sun.
In
Typically gardeners in my neighborhood forego
peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and other summer crops and console ourselves with
fava beans and salad greens.
This year however, things are different. The unusually warm, dry weather has brought
unanticipated change to my little garden. After re-grading a section of my back
yard to improve drainage we temporarily piled the extra dirt in the front
yard. Almost immediately, tomato sprouts
appeared which by itself was not surprising as the spot we had dug up was where
we used to keep the compost bin. The surprise came when, as the season
progressed, the tomato seedlings actually thrived.
Having struggled and failed to grow tomatoes in the
past I was initially skeptical, but once I saw that these volunteers were
vigorously extending green leafy vines I was impressed. When they actually
started flowering I rushed to the garden store and bought wire tomato cages to
support this unanticipated growth.
At present the little pile of dirt is almost
obscured by an unruly tangle of vines and furry green leaves. Rows of little
green orbs are replacing the yellow flowers, and a few of these unripe fruits
are starting to turn various shades of yellow, orange and red.
Amazing!
After years of disappointment it looks like this
may be the summer that I actually harvest tomatoes from my garden.
So what do I do with this unexpected bounty? I’ll
make a traditional snack from Catalunya called Pa Am Tomàquet, of course.
Coleman
Andrews includes a version of this traditional preparation in his book Catalan Cuisine: Vivid Flavors From Spain’s
Mediterranean Coast ($17.95).
Pa Am
Tomàquet (Catalan Tomato Bread)
1-2
thick slices of country style French or Italian bread or sourdough bread (the
better the bread, the better the final result).
1
small-medium sized fresh tomato at peak ripeness.
Mild
extra virgin Olive Oil.
Salt.
2-4
anchovy fillets and/or 1-2 slices of Jamón Serrano.
Grill
bread lightly. Slice tomato in half and rub cut side on bread to coat with
tomato pulp and juice (discard tomato skin). Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with
salt. Top with anchovy or Jamón and serve.
Pair this classic appetizer with a green salad and
a glass of wine for a very satisfying lunch. What wine to serve here, you ask?
Read on.
Vinos Rosados:
Muga Rosado 2006 $12.99 We’ve been waiting anxiously for
this new vintage to arrive, and while we are happy to finally get a chance to
enjoy one of the best rosado wines of
the summer we know that it won’t last long due to its stellar reputation and
high customer demand.
This pale salmon colored blend of Garnacha, Tempranillo and Viura
makes a wonderful companion to lighter food as well as being supremely
refreshing on a hot afternoon.
Vega
Sindoa Rosado 2006 $9.99 The new vintage of this rosado from D.O. Navarra (the
traditional home of Spanish rosado)
is a blend of half Garnacha and half Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe berry aromas and flavors give this wine
a bit of extra depth and boldness, making it a perfect wine for paella or other summer meals
.
Vinos
Blancos:
Abad
Dom Bueno Godello 2006 $16.99 D.O. Bierzo is known primarily
as a red wine region, but this Bierzo region white wine is made from the local Godello grape that is more common in
neighboring D.O. Valdeorras. This yellow
gold colored wine is fermented in temperature controlled tanks that preserve
all the fresh citrus and melon aromas that are typical of the Godello grape. Bright acidity adds to
the refreshing quality that makes this such a perfect accompaniment to composed
salads, pasta or poultry as well as a full range of seafood.
Broadbent Vinho Verde $10.99 An excellent example of top quality Vinho Verde. Composed
of 50% Loureiro, 40% Trajadura and 10% Padernã it is light in color with lemon and grapefruit aromas. On
the palate it offers more citrus as well as a bit of flinty minerality carried
along by slight effervescence that makes the wine refreshing and easy to drink.
Soalheiro
Vinho Verde 2006 $21.99 Typically, Vinho Verde is light, spritzy
and simple non-vintage wine. These days, as people discover the joys of Vinho
Verde we are seeing more and more higher priced wines from this region.
Soalheiro is a vintage wine produced from the Alvarinho (Albariño in
Vinos
Tintos:
Primi
2005 $9.99 One of our favorite wines to serve with paella has just arrived in the new 2005
vintage. This young un-aged Tempranillo from D.O.C. Rioja is juicy and bright. Ruby
red color and fresh berry aroma form the basic picture with added complexity
coming from the light grape skin tannins.
Cune
Crianza 2004 $17.99 If you go to Rioja and walk into any small bar and
request a glass of vino tinto,
chances are you will be served this wine. This blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo
is aged for two years (12 months in American oak barrels and 12 months in the
bottle) before sale. The new 2004 vintage shows dark garnet color with black
cherry fruit character and balanced oaky tannins that combine to create a picture
perfect example of crianza Rioja.
Sergio Traverso
Malbec/Syrah 2004 $10.99 A new Argentine wine from Sergio Traverso
is now available in the 2004 vintage. Dark color is the first clue that this is
a big wine, and the rich aroma and flavor backs up the initial perception, but
with a bit of exposure to oxygen the more subtle characteristics of this wine
emerge. The final impression is of a robust, well made red for serving with
grilled meat and vegetables.
07/19/07
A few weeks ago I hosted a wine tasting at the California Shakespeare Festival
that featured a few of our latest arrivals from
At The Spanish Table in
This week, in addition to our latest arrivals from
Food-wise, the center of a big Argentine meal is
usually grilled meat in its many forms, though beef will certainly play a
leading role. If a multi course meal
comprised of steaks, chops, sausages and organ meats seems a bit too
carnivorous for you, perhaps the following recipe adapted from
Tomates
Rellenos - Tuna and Vegetable Stuffed Tomatoes (serves 4)
4 large
ripe tomatoes
2 large
tins (12 ounces) Spanish Bonito
2 cups
cooked vegetables, any combination of peas, carrots, green beans, corn kernels
and lima beans
½ cup Delouis
brand Aioli
Dash of
Piri Piri pepper sauce
2
garlic cloves, minced
4 green
onions chopped
2
teaspoons fresh parsley, cilantro or dill
Make
the tomato shells by cutting the tops off tomatoes and carefully scooping out
the pulp and seeds. Drain the tuna and mix with your choice of vegetables and
the aioli. Stir in Piri Piri, garlic, onions and green herbs. Fill the tomato
halves with the shrimp salad and chill briefly before serving.
Now, on to the wine!
Vinos
Blancos:
Tomero
Torrontes 2006 $15.99 Produced in the Cafayate Valley in the Northern
Argentine province of Salta, this aromatic white wine will charm you with
scents of orange blossom, crane melon and white peach. The rich aromas add
depth to the dry, mineral background and bright apricot-like fruit character of
the wine.
Lagar
de Cervera 2006 $20.99 From the producers of La Rioja Alta red
wines comes the newest vintage of this
always excellent Albariño which is bold
and ripe, with fine minerality, medium body, and loads of tropical fruit.
Aforado
2005 $11.99 In D.O. Rías Baixas, the Albariño grape is King,
but in the O Rosal sub-zone (where Aforado comes from) other grapes such as Treixadura and Loureira also share center stage. The end result of all this
blending is a white wine with more peach and pear aromas and flavors than the
typical flinty, citrusy Albariño
wines. At this price, Aforado makes an excellent choice for buying by the case.
Vinos
Tintos:
Tomero
Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $16.99 In the Mendoza region of
Tomero
Malbec 2004 $16.99 The Malbec
grapes for this wine are, like the Cabernet,
sourced from estate vineyards in the Valle de Uco region. Steel tank
fermentation (i.e. no oak) allows the bold fruit character of the wine to
predominate. Spicy background notes add complexity. This youthful red is ripe,
but not ‘over the top’ as some other
Malbec wines can be.
Vistalba
Corte-C 2004 $11.99 This blend of estate grown Malbec (85%) and Merlot (15%),
grown in the Luján de Cuyo region of Mendoza is aged, in part, in oak barrels
for 12 months prior to bottling, then the bottled wine is aged for another 6
months before sale. Dark plum color and spicy oak aroma adds depth to the
plum-like fruit character. This ripe,
smooth red wine will pair well with cookout fare as well as more elaborate
meat-centric preparations.
Can Blau 2005 $17.99 We’re back in