March 2005

One True Love

by Martina Priadka


No matter how many loves we have in our lives we always have one true love. This is not generally put in the same category as our first love which must stand on it’s own as a unique first experience. The newness of it all is the first thing to really captivate you. But as you experience more, your range of emotions grows and one day you pass through the perfect crossroad that brings you to your one true love. Once found, the true love is explored, adored, enjoyed and honored. But again, time brings new experiences and new loves. This time, however, is different because you will never be able let go of your one true love. The relationship becomes one that allows you comfort and relaxation. It is consistent, full of wonderful memories and even throws in a few surprises along the way. Most of all it is something that will never end. Such is my relationship with the wines of Spain.

Of all the wines in Spain I enjoy the wines of Rioja the most. It is also the most well known region and the one of the easiest to understand. The main grapes used in wines from the Rioja are Tempranillo and Garnacha. Tempranillo not only tastes wonderful but it is also so fun to say. Sing it, say it, whisper it and you will find you feel sexier just talking about it. Popular, easier to understand and sexy may sound like Brittany Spears but trust me, these wines have a whole lot of Angelina Jolie in the bottle. They can sometimes be a little rough, sometimes deep and rich and other times light and playful. Exactly what you want in a true love and for a touch of sophistication, they often have Bordeaux-like qualities to them as well. The grape varietals are different so it is the style that has really created this surprising phenomenon.

Since the drive from Bordeaux takes about the same amount of time as driving from Minneapolis to Lutsen on the North Shore it seems logical that many French winemakers made their way to this area and started business. The similar climate and growing conditions made this the first destination for many of them when the trouble with phylloxera (the insect that destroyed French vineyards) set in. Although you can not say that Spanish wines taste like the wines of Bordeaux exactly, you can sense the spirit of the French influence even today.

In Rioja, there are three levels of wine to choose from and each of them in a different price range based on age. The least expensive is the crianza which is aged for two years, one of which must be in oak. The middle price range is reserva and has three years of aging with one of them required to be in oak as with crianza. The third, and most expensive is the gran reserva which spends two years in oak at the least and can be released after five years. Some wineries have been known to hold their releases for decades!

Another of my favorite appellations is Rias Baixas in Galicia. This is where I find many of my white wine loves. It is the wettest and coolest of Spain’s wine regions making it a wonderful place for Albariño to grow. It is rarely grown anywhere else in the world with the exception of Portugal where it produces Vinho Verde and is called Alvarinho. Because it is a very thick-skinned grape, it difficult to get much juice from it therefore producing very low yields. The result is costlier wines but it is well worth it to take a sip of these fresh, apricot, peach and citrus tasting beauties. They pair brilliantly with food and also make a great sipping wine.

The following are a few of my recommendations if you want to experience a little of the love:

Bodegas Muga:
Bodegas Muga, Crianza, Rioja
Bodegas Muga, Prado Enea, Rioja
Try these in the 1994 or 1995 vintages for the most impressive examples.

Pazo de Barrantes, Albariño, Rias Baixas
Do Ferreiro, Albariño, Rias Baixas
These are best young so drink current vintages with confidence.

...Now That's Theskini!::permalink


» send this article to a friend!

Email this entry to:

Your email address:

Message (optional):