It is getting to be spring again in Spain and the populations of towns all over Castilla-Leon, as well as other places all over the country, are multiplying once again by leaps and bounds. However, it is not the influx of spring tourists that is creating this effect, but rather the return of the mighty white storks to their nests that are located high above the towns on chimney tops, steeples and towers.
I spent last weekend in the city of Avila, in the heart of this region not very far from Abadía Retuerta. Unfortunately, I saw very little of this incredible Medieval walled city as it was all I could do to tear my eyes from the skies and keep myself from tripping over the cobblestones. The storks had just returned to the town for their extended summer holidays and seemed to be lording over it from the rooftops. Huge and majestic birds that can be up to 4 feet tall with wingspans of over 6 feet, storks are as symbolic of Spain’s history and culture as the buildings on which they make their nests. (Flickr photo by chema.foces)

The white storks that make their homes here are strong migrating birds that spend their winters in tropical Africa and India, and then make their way to Europe in the summer, with an estimated 12,000 of them settling in Spain. They are all white except for the black feathers on the tips of their wings and their red bills and legs. It is these powerful reddish beaks that create the soundtrack of Spanish towns this time of year, a loud clattering that reverberates off the city walls. In Avila, the storks seemed to be settling in for the summer, and the constant ratttatttattatt of the clattering birds in courtship made me feel like I was spying on somebody’s first date. Although the storks are serial monogamists, it seems that for them the romance is not dead, as you can see them meeting at their nests and, well, doing what can only be described as flirting. The pairs throw their heads back almost impossibly far and then set off on a simultaneous clattering that can last for several minutes or more. It is really an incredible sight to see and hear.

One can also get a stiff neck this time of year trying to observe the storks flying, or almost gliding overhead, their beaks stuffed with sticks for rebuilding the massive nests that they return to year after year. Or you might see them sharing a snack of what looks like a tasty worm or possibly a pond frog, although it’s possible that I might be romanticizing this a bit too much. I also noticed that some of the storks already seemed to be settling down in their nests, a sign that I might have to make a trip back to Avila in the near future. And while I would like to say that the purpose of my trip would be to see more of the area’s significant monasteries built by the Catholic monarchs in the 15th century or the many other historic relics of Castilla-Leon’s rich history, I confess that what I’m dying to see are those cute baby storks!!

Cheers,

Adrienne Smith

A few months ago I wrote an article about the new kinds of packaging concepts that are being explored in the wine world, specifically the move by the Boisset Family Estates in France to trade in their traditional bottles for tetra brik, aluminum coated paperboard boxes and Polyetheylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. It seems that the latest high volume winery to have a go at this trend is Red Truck, a California wine producer. According to Dr. Vino, Red Truck has come out with a new three liter “boxed” wine that is actually a bag-in-barrel system designed to represent an actual wine cask, with a tap at the bottom. The company press release claims that this new packaging is “convenient, eye-catching, environmentally friendly, and a terrific wine value”. Lucky for us, Dr. Vino has taken the time to delve into the actual truth behind these claims, and I agree that it is something that deserves closer examination, especially given the fact that we are bound to see many more of these new types of packaging cropping up in the future.

Personally, I would agree with both him and the Red Truck people in that it is incredibly convenient to use this type of wine dispensing system. There is no mess, no corkscrews, although perhaps it could turn out to be more dangerous for those of us who count our wine consumption in bottles rather than glasses. I think that for a casual party it could be great, but while I have tried more than decent wine-in-a-box, in my opinion there really is nothing like the ritual of opening a bottle. I also agree with the fact that it is eye-catching, and a great twist on the boxed wine concept, but I think that Dr. Vino makes a lot of sense with reference to his comments on the environmentally friendly qualities of the wine. On the one hand, he points out that lighter packaging can actually greatly reduce the overall carbon footprint of wine and that the packaging to content ration of these barrels is a big improvement over the bottle-wine ratio, but on the other hand he brings up the fact that the 3 liter barrels are not in fact as environmentally sound as they would be if they were square or rectangular in shape, thereby fitting together seamlessly. And finally, with regards to value, it doesn’t really work to compare the 29,99 dollar Red Truck price to wine prices here in in Spain. The price works out to be about 7 dollars a bottle, but we all should know by now that there are many great Spanish wines to be found for less, while Americans spend much more on average per bottle.

The point that I think that Dr. Vino makes, and that I agree with, is Viva! We need to celebrate and integrate new ideas and new innovations, but with the way that the wine market is growing and adapting, we shouldn’t just take things at face value. I worry sometimes about the “out with the old, in with the new” mentality affecting the wine world, while at the same time, finding the new stuff fascinating and at times alluring. Thanks again for your vigilance!

Cheers,

Adrienne Smith

We are pleased to announce the recent launch of the latest vintage of Abadía Retuerta´s most representative wine, “Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial 2006“. Not only is this consistently one of the winery’s most acclaimed wine, but this year’s release is special thanks to the fact this vintage is made up of 75% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot, a faithful representation of our vineyards themselves, reflecting the percentages of the first grapes that were planted here. An additional characteristic is the wine’s aging, which took place during 18 months in French and American oak barrels.

Due to its spectacular success, “Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial 2006″ is currently being sold according to cupos, a sales system based on quotas. Past recognitions for this wine have included both international and national awards. In 2005, the 2001 vintage received the distinction of “Best Red Wine in the World” at the prestigious International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London, as well as the Silver Medal at the “Decanter World Wine Award 2006″, among others. In addition, Abadía Retuerta was named 2008 Winery of the Year by the VEREMA association of wine lovers.

“Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial 2006″ is notable for its intense color and high concentration with respect to earlier vintages, due to this year’s early harvest. Deep cherry in color, on the palate the wine is velvety and inviting, giving way to an aromatic richness, complexity and length. Its nose is complex and attractive, highlighting an exceptional balance between the alcohol, acidity and structure. Recommended food pairing would include fish and poultry, as well as white and red meats. Personally, I am most struck by the incredibly deep and velvety jewel tone of the wine and its intense and complex aromas of spice mingled with sweet cherries.

The average annual production of this wine is 400,000 bottles, and it sells for around 18 €.

Cheers,

Adrienne Smith

If you thought that the only scrambled eggs you would find in Spain would be in the form of Huevos Rotos, the typical Madrid dish consisting of fried potatoes topped with eggs and usually jamon, morcilla or chorizo, then think again. A very Anglo-American tradition has finally made its way over to Spain transforming the Sunday morning scene in big cities, particularly in Madrid: Brunch! Referring to that great meal eaten on Sunday mornings somewhere between breakfast and lunch (which in Spain means that it usually begins at around noon or one) and yet replacing both meals; typical American brunch is traditionally made up of mostly classic breakfast dishes, including, but not limited to things like pancakes, French toast, omelets, eggs Benedict and of course bagels with various delicious toppings. While a few more lunchy type dishes might be thrown in for good measure, the items that have always seemed to really set brunch apart from any other day of extravagant breakfast food eating are the beverages that accompany it. The two most typical brunch drinks to follow the morning’s coffee, are, of course, Bloody Marys and Mimosas. (Flickr photo by IntangibleArts)

What’s interesting to note is that while the concept of brunch has started to thrive over the last couple of years in the Spanish capital city, it seems that while embracing the custom, there are just a few Spanish traditions that people here seem slightly reluctant to part with; the most important of these being drinking wine with meals. Recently, I was having brunch at an American owned restaurant in Madrid whose authentic offerings included New Orleans inspired dishes such as Crab Benedict and Bananas Foster pancakes. Sipping away on my Bloody Mary I realized that the many tables around me were filled with Spanish customers, and that while the majority of them seemed to have at least tried a Bloody Mary or Mimosa as an aperitivo, they all seemed to be enjoying wine with their actual meal. This got me to thinking as to what would be the perfect maridaje of Spanish wine with American brunch. What Spanish wines go best with French toast, and which ones best set off the cheddar cheese on that bagel egg sandwich? The conclusion that I came to was that it would be hard to find a better wine to accompany brunch than the obvious choice of pairing any dish with cava, in fact, it seems like a much better choice than the strong and spicy Bloodies, which while delicious, can often overpower the delicate flavor of eggs, and mix rather horribly with maple syrup. A nice young white Verdejo from D.O. Rueda would also be a great choice, and for sherry lovers, a crisp dry Manzanilla would do wonders for that plate of salmon.

A huge fan of Spanish gastronomy, I could safely say that Brunch is really one of the only meals that I have ever missed in all of my years living in Spain; and over the years several restaurants have tried to capture its concept and its food and most have failed miserably. While some might object, the new trend of brunch serving restaurants in Madrid seems to have ushered in perfection and then lent it a Spanish twist, for truly, what could be better than the occasional Sunday morning brunch enjoyed over the newspaper, with a glass of Spanish wine in your hand.

Cheers,

Adrienne Smith

While you may think that you’ve finally figured out all of the different nuances of wine barrels: French or American oak, Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva, toasted, semi-toasted, new vs. old, etc.; the art of wine barrel making, known as toneleria, also involves a complex artisanal process of shaping and toasting the barrels that are later used for aging wine. The type of oak and the way that each barrel is made has a lot to do with the aromas that a wine develops and its final characteristics. The age of a barrel is also an extremely important factor for winemakers, as barrels lose some of their aromatic potency as they get older and wineries can usually only reuse the barrels for a few years before they need to be replaced. In order to cover the huge expense incurred by changing old barrels, many of today’s wineries are constantly looking for more and more ways to recycle these big wooden casks and recover some of their costly investment, whether it is by selling them to lower quality wineries for reuse, other alcoholic beverage producers for aging rums and whiskeys, or restaurants to use as tables and decoration.

It now seems that their is a new trend in old barrel recycling, and one that seems to be catching on all over Spain: using wine barrels as canvases for art! A recent exposition held last week during ARCO, the prestigious international modern art fair held annually in Madrid, featured sixteen wine barrels painted by 16 different well-known artists from Valencia. The initiative was the product of the winery Bodegas Vicente Gandia, whose ultimate goal is to make their Finca Hoya de Cadenas (farm) into a space in which fine arts and the art of wine making come together. The project began last Spring, at which time the artists were given complete and total freedom to create whatever artistic pieces they wanted out of the barrels, without having to relate their work to the world of wine or gastronomy.

In addition to this Valencian initiative, I also read about a similar project that was recently developed by the Mallorcan winery Bodegues Ribas. In this instance, the winery’s old barrels were given to twenty-one Mallorcan artists, in addition to a handful of international artists based on this Balearic Island. The collection, entitled “Botart, muestra de arte sobre botas de vino” (Botart, a display of art on wine barrels), was presented in Mallorca last October, after which it immediately departed for Brussels, where it was on display during the Megavino Wine Fair.

So, it seems that recycling isn’t going to stop with only wine bottles anymore, and I support these initiatives and any others that bring the worlds of gastronomy, wine and the fine arts together – because after all, isn’t winemaking itself truly an art form?

Saludos,

Adrienne Smith