Wine Tasting Event June 11-12, 2011 Part 2

Bodega Torrederos - 2006 Tempranillo Crianza

We very much enjoyed this wine.  It presented with a deep red color and a woodsy, earthy aroma.  It had a medium-strong body with a slight tannic finish, not overly dry, with a hint of freshly picked apples.  We drank this bottle with our dinner, which was a grilled flank steak with lime and cilantro marinade. It was quite delicious! Definitely recommend this wine.

Wine Tasting Event- June 11-12, 2011 Part 1

LAN Rioja Crianza 2006- Bodegas LAN S.A. Fuenmayor

This LAN Rioja presents with a medium red-brown color. It has a woody smell along with some citrus/berry aromas as well. Upon initial tasting, there is a lack of body and the tears are very slow moving with a very dry and tart taste,  which could indicate heavy tannins. Would not recommend for a first experience of Spanish wine,  and we suspect a cork malfunction allowing air into the wine during in-bottle aging which could be the cause.  We will try another bottle to confirm and will place a follow up blog. (by mjv.)

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

The Tale of Two Riojas..."It was the best of times, it was the..."

Just to add a little confusion to the mix of learning all about Spanish wines and the regions that produce them, we now must differentiate between the Spanish and the Argentine La Rioja regions. Apparently the battle for the name "Rioja" has been going on for a while.

Here is the original article, "Argentina wins 12-year Rioja wine dispute" I ran across in my research. I found the premise to be interesting and I'm actually looking forward to comparing the two wines.

Virtual Wine Tasting Event

To celebrate the WOU graduates of 2011, and to promote a sharing of Spanish wines, I have organized a virtual wine tasting event for Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13, 2011.

• This is something you can do from the comfort of your own home with friends or family (those of legal age to consume alcohol).
• If you have never experienced a wine tasting, I have created a short tasting guide to assist you.
• The instructions and tasting guide can be retrieved by clicking (here). 
• The important thing is to have fun, enjoy the experience and SHARE your results!

Looking forward to sharing to reading about your experiences!

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!!

I Think This Blog Is Ready for Public Consumption (pun definitely intended).

Creating this blog has been quite a journey into both Spanish wines and technology. This is my first attempt at designing a blog (I'm sure there are more efficient and better arranged blogs) and I have to say that it was a great deal of fun. My desire to become an expert on Spanish wines has been seeded by the research performed in creating this blog, but there is still so much to learn and remember, and shared.

It is my hope that anyone who reads this blog will contribute to its entirety and accuracy, particularly if I have inadvertently made any misstatements or have not fully explored a certain aspect of the Spanish wine story. I would enjoy hearing about your experiences with Spanish wines, any new finds, hidden treasures or major duds.

So, as they say in Spain..."Bienvenidos mis amigos, bienvenidos."

Please check out the blog pages listed on the right-hand side; they contain information derived from my own humble research, and in some cases, my own experiences. Also, for your convenience, I have positioned hyperlinks within the body of discussions so that you may pursue any of the topics in greater depth, simply with the click of your mouse. Especially handy is the interactive wine region map of Spain.

If you are not familiar with the term "tapas", then be sure to visit the video bar and watch the informative and entertaining YouTube videos that explain how connected tapas are to the Spanish wine culture.

"Beber este vino es como hablar con Dios"

"To drink this wine is like speaking with God"

To say that wine is more than just an industry in Spain would be a gross understatment. Wine, to the Spanish people, is an artform, a passionate extension of the their culture and identity; a source of great national pride.

The Spanish dedication to wine is first made obvious by the nearly 3 million acres of fertile soil (more than any other country) that is allocated exclusively to the growing of wine grapes. Additional evidence can be found in the knowledge that Spain ranks third, behind Italy and France, in total (world-wide) wine production (Corrigan, n.d.).

"In Spain, no matter if you make screwdrivers, at some point after you have saved a little money, the first thing you want to do is own a bodega. It is very important to the Spanish soul."--Yolanda Garcia, winemaker, Bodegas Valduero