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Taste of Spain
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Location: Blogs Antonio MaurielloWine Tastings |
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| Posted by: Antonio |
9/28/2005 4:12 AM |
 If somebody asks me what is my favorite wine country, then they also probably would guess that my answer would be Italy. Well ... yes, Italy is my "passion" country, where my heart and my roots reside. Though, it doesn't mean that Italy is, in absolute, my "only" favorite wine country.
Another Old World country among my preferred wine countries is Spain. This was confirmed once more during my last trip to Toronto on September 28, 2005, while attending the biggest Spanish wine tasting event of the year offered by the Spanish Trade Commission. I am more and more convinced that Spain has a lot to offer. No doubt that Spanish wines have a very high quality/price ratio. They offer the most in value to today's consumers.
In the beautiful setting of the Hart House stone building in the University of Toronto complex, more than 135 Spanish wine producers, represented by various Ontario agents, were aligned to offer a huge portfolio of Spanish wines to hundreds of trade participants.
Spain has been in the wine making for more than three thousand years, and it boasts the world's largest acreage under cultivation. Spain is a country that, today, like many Italian regions, offers a good variety of traditional wine making techniques always in contrast with many new and trendy ones. Small barriques against large casks, new oak barrels against used ones, oxidization due to long aging against fruitiness and softness given by short aging and shorter fermentation times and so on ... in a continuous "innovation vs. tradition" battle.
I started my tasting, like I usually prefer to do, from the whites. And, as usual, I went on the search for lesser known grapes. So, not only Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Muscat, but also to discover Macabeo, Airen (the most abundant grape in the world!!!), Albarino from Galicia in the Atlantic Northwest. I found this latter a bit expensive for the quality offered. As was explained to me, the high price is due to hand picking harvest, harsh climate and low production. These products are usually targeted to local market, avid of fish and seafood, which marries perfectly with their citrus-like light aroma and flavor.
 My Spanish extravaganza brought me to "travel" from Galicia to Rioja, from Ribera del Duero to Andalucia, finding always a common denominator among the various native grape varieties: Tempranillo, the Spanish "Amor por el vino Tinto"! You can really find an immense variety of sensations when you try different regions. You find Tempranillo blended with Cabernet or Merlot, which (and I heard this at the show...!) it makes a SuperTuscan of Spain... or you can find the absolute 100% oak fermented or not, oak aged or not... Always with a ton of fruits and a pleasant sweet tannic touch.
It is interesting to note that Tempranillo is called by different names in different regions...hey..you, Italian wine connoisseurs...doesn't this sound familiar?
Of course, I tried other red grapes such as Garnacha, Graciano (always in a blend with other varieties), Monastrell, Mazuelo, and a fair variety of Sherries to finish. I have to say I am not a big fan of Sherries (however I greatly enjoy the sweet varieties) but I like to try Sherries because I imagine the sunny Andalucia, its night life and the tapas to go along with it. The main Sherry grape varieties, Palomino and Pedro Ximenez, are kings of those Southern Spanish areas.
Among other reds, I found the 100% Merlot and Syraz interesting: very intense on the nose, huge body and good structure and for their aging potentials.
Many producers at this tasting, had representatives directly from Spain, which I spent most of the time with, because those are the people who really know the territory. You can tell they have really smelled the air that makes wines so different from each other and they are usually the most proud to talk about it.
The Spanish Trade Commission really put on a great show. Varied, educational, informal in a particularly special historical setup. And the food...ahhhh, food! Spanish tortillas, chorizos, aceitunas (olives), jamon (spanish ham), esparragos (asparagus), alubias (beans), mariscos - and my absolute favorite...sepias, calamares, pulpos and "chipirons (cuttlefish, squid, octopus and baby squid).
A day to remember!
Hasta luego España! Estas en mi corazon! |
| Copyright ©2006 Antonio Mauriello |
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