A Sommelier's Blog - Spanish Wine Tasting

What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch? 
~ W. C. Fields

Grape Du Jour: Mencia [MHEN-Theea]
This a fascinating grape from Spain that is usually used for blending with Tempranillo and Garnacha, mainly due to the beautiful maroon/cranberry color and the great medium to firm tannin profile. This wine, due to better viticulture has blossomed into a great wine by itself. Grown all over Spain, Mencia is best grown in the DO of Bierzo, a rural and remote region in the northwestern part of Spain, between the mountains surrounding Castilla y Leon and Galicia. The wine exudes smooth tannins with minty, red raspberry flavors finished with perfect earth tones. I had this wine with some fantastic cheese from Spain, then enjoyed a bottle with a Chicago style pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and basil. Perfection!! Lamb and roasted poultry would be perfect as well. This a wine that can be hard to find due to low production, but more of this great grape is being vinified and more should be making it's way over soon. Just ask any wine merchant.
Recommended Wines:
2009 Luna Beberide, Bierzo, Spain  88 wine lover points
2008 Bodegas Estefania, Bierzo, Spain  85 wlp

Weekly Happenings and News:
The Wine Lover had a great tasting featuring Spanish Wines last Saturday. We tasted five wines and made a killer batch of Sangria. The wines tasted were a Cava Brut sparkling wine from Naveran. Perfect way to start the tasting with a nice dry and green applely glass of bubbles. We moved on with a Verdejo from Rueda. This was a floral and spice driven wine that had a hint of oak. Next was the Nessa Albarino. Grown in the seafood rich region of Galicia, this wine was crispy and minerally with just a touch of pineapple. We thought this would be perfect with fresh oysters. We then moved on the the reds. A Mencia was on tap. This wine was absolutely the hit of the tasting. Perfect balance of fruit and terrior, this wine was supple yet had the backbone to handle even a really stinky blue cheese from Spain. We finished with a Rioja blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, and Garnacha. This was a big boy, had to decant two hours before drinking. Just waves of ripe blackberries, currants, and black cherries with firm tannin structure. a delight if you like big, inky rustic style wines. We ended the night enjoying some of the Sangria we had made earlier. Sara Hansen, our host for the tasting, and I decided to make more of a summer Sangria with fresh berries, cranberry juice and a bottle of Ruby Port. Lemon and orange slices were added as well as fresh cranberries. This took the away the sweetness that sometime bogs down most Sangria. I appreciate everyone for showing up. Thank you so much. 

Sangria Recipe: This makes enough for at least 20 people.
4 bottles red wine - I used 2 Malbec and 2 Cabernat from Paso Robles
1 bottle of Ruby Port Wine
2 cups O.J.
6 cups Cranberry Juice
Orange, Lemon, and Lime slices

3 Bags frozen mixed berries - thawed out w/juice
Fresh mixed berries - garnish

Add all liquids in large container
Add orange slices, lemon, lime, and berries w/juice

Let sit for a few hours minimum - all night would be best
Serve in any kind of glass with a few ice cubes and garnish with fresh berries
DONE!!! and Enjoy with tons of Friends

Just wanted to touch base about wine education and how I got mine. I never thought that what I studied in college, Geography Major, would ever play a role in my life. I loved learning about people and places, so I thought studying Geography would be my best chance at getting a diploma, plus no math!! We studied the whole world, region by region, fascinating. But it was the Climatology classes, Geology classes, and the Physical Geography classes that taught me about wine, I didn't know it then. 

Many years later, as I am studying for my level 1 certification and later, my Certified Sommelier, I realized that soil composition, continental weather pattens, limestone and volcanic rocks, orographic precipitation, and the lake/river effect on growing food...etc, all had something to do with growing grapes. All that I learned so long ago was all coming back, really fast and not much missing, I went to Humboldt State. So, before I couldn't say I was using my college studies for my career path. Now I can, what a trip!!

Nick Z and Friends are playing this Sunday. Show starts at 6:00pm - BE THERE!!
Cheers and Drink Good Wine!!

Serge