I get a ton of requests for wine resources from visitors to Madrid.  We originally offered sign-up classes on Monday nights to address that need partially but unfortunately no longer do.   Madrid is still a town sadly lacking in tasting opportunities and that even has very few good wine bars.

For wine lovers visiting Madrid there are a few vital stops I would recommend.

El Chaflan is one of the most famous restaurants in Madrid and in a real sign of the times they have opened a tapas bar called the Aris Bar to make their expensive “alta cocina” more accessible to the rest of us.  We checked it out this weekend and despite some problems, had a very good experience.  On the good side the food and wines are excellent, on the downside is the décor and ambiance, which resembles an upscale fast food restaurant like the Fast Good chain.  El Chaflan is located in a hotel and when we entered, we saw what resembles a modernistic hotel breakfast room.  We asked the waiter where the tapas bar was and to our surprise he said: “Here!”  Sadly, there is no actual bar, it is just a plain room with modern plastic furniture.  Despite our dismay, we proceeded.  The service was indifferent at first though eventually the waiter warmed up to us.  The menu is divided into two pages…traditional tapas and special El Chaflan modern tapas.  We stuck to the modern tapas and ordered several…they are very small and meant for one, but we preferred to order many and split them anyway.  All of them were delicious without exception.  In the finger sandwiches we tried three types:  Torta del Casar cheese with truffle oil, sobresada with lemon jam, and smoked eel with mascarpone….seriously unusual but wonderful combinations!  Amongst the pinchos we tried the anchoa and boquerone toast, which is commonly called matrimonio, matching the salt cured anchoa with the vinegar cured boquerone.  This was a creative twist on that with tomato and pesto…really lovely.  We had a tiny plate of steak tartar served with a sweet/savory ice cream…a delicious contrast of savory, spicy, cold, and sweet.  The tuna tartare with avocado is a modern classic…here they add some fish roe and some crunchy fried bits that add lovely texture.  The octopus ceviche was tender, oniony and tart with a lovely sweet and creamy mousse of maracuyá fruit on top….spectacular!  The wine list is short but interesting…I had a decent Alsatian Pinot Blanc by the glass….almost impossible to find in Madrid.  The wines by the glass are expensive but the pours are generous and there are many Champagnes by the glass as well.  The prices by the bottled are not bad at all. The location is a bit isolated so you should plan to come and stay, but the food and wine definitely make up for the bland décor and lack of atmosphere…come with a  group of friends and you can make your own!  I’m be returning to try some cocktails, more tapas and also to try the 15€ prix fixe lunch menu that is offered during the week. Check out the El Chaflan Aris Bar website for more info.

Memento Restaurant is not strictly a wine place, but it is one of my favorite restaurants and it does have a nice, well-selected wine list.  Memento Restaurant is owned and run by Karen Bell, an experienced young American chef who was looking for a change of scene when she moved to Spain five years ago.  When she arrived in Madrid she saw that missing from the restaurant scene was a great California/Spanish fusion place.  She opened Memento three years ago and has been building up quite a local following.  Her cuisine is inventive yet satisfying, a great blend of some unusual ingredients with some really comforting classics.  Her sauces and use of herbs is genius…and when you live in Spain long enough you crave sauces and herbs!   If you are a mussel lover make sure you order them…it’s one of her signature dishes and are some of the best I ever eaten.  She offers a high- end menu del día (prix fixe) lunch which is great value at 18.50€.  Her latest creative addition is a great jazz brunch every Sunday between noon and 4PM.  She offers brunch classics served with a creative twist:  Potato latkes with smoked salmon and mixed greens or crab cakes with poached eggs and a spicy hollandaise sauce.  A group of us went yesterday and we loved it!  You can enjoy your brunch with cocktails such as a Bellini or a Bloody Mary or just stick to the brunch classic, a Mimosa.  It’s hard to find a great brunch place in Madrid and Memento really hit the spot…I’m already craving those crab cakes again!  Check out their regular menu and contact info at:  http://www.restaurantememento.com/.

Vinos de Madrid is an improving but still little known wine appellation within the province of Madrid, the small region surrounding the city of Madrid.  Traditionally it was known for joven or “young” red wines without any oak, wines that were often served in the bars in the capital.  There has been a tremendous effort to improve the wines and the area has become quite trendy here in Madrid.  Unfortunately the best wines have become so popular that they can be quite pricy.  There are three major sub-zones in the area, each with very differing soils and climates:  Arganda to the southeast, San Martín to the west and Navalcarero to the southwest.  The climate is generally very hot continental, similar to La Mancha.  Grape varieties allowed are numerous:  the most common ones are Tempranillo and Garnacha, though Syrah is catching on.  Some of the most well known wineries are Tagonius, Qubel and Regajal…I find their wines very good but quite pricy.  Probably my favorite wine form the area, though it is not an appellation wine but rather a Vino de la Tierra is Montazo, a wonderful wine made by the famous enologist Telmo Rodriguez.   The winery Nueve Valverde is in the zone of St Martin and makes two very interesting reds.  They also represent quite good quality compared to many.

I’m always on the lookout for great wine and tapas places in Madrid.  Unfortunately they are few and far between, though the situation is slowly improving.  One impressive new place is called Kulto al Plato, located near the Argüelles metro in Moncloa.  It’s a great combination of a cool modern décor, delicious modern Basque pintxos and an interesting wine list.  The food is really unique, really showing casing the modern techniques that are coming out of Basque Country and the wine list is short but really diverse and original….a real change from the boring wine lists that are typical here in Madrid.  The prices are good…about 3.50€ for most tapas…modern interpretations in miniature of Spain’s most famous dishes.  Despite the modern feel, I love that the back wall is huge chalk board with the menu and wine list written on it…it gives the place a really warm feel.  The service is very good, very quick and friendly…the food arrives very quickly as well.  This wine bar has a really different vibe than most…it really draws its style from the streets of old town San Sebastian, where its sister establishment, A Fuego Negro, is located.  It’s definitely high on my list for a return visit…there is lot more to try on their creative tapas menu!

Love Spanish food, but often it’s really nice to branch out a little.  French food is always a good option, but it’s hard in Madrid to find authentic bistrot food…and impossible at a good price. 

A great French bistrot experience can be found at Le Petit Bistrot. 
Two locations: 
Calle Ponzano, 60
Plaza Matute, 5
http://www.lepetitbistrot.net/

At the winery, we got to taste the whole range of wines, all from 2003. These are some of Spain top-rated wines…for more information on the winery, see the article below.

These are really impressive wines! With careful and high tech viticulture this winery is able to produce balanced wines in an extremely hot area of Spain. The problem in hot weather is that by the time the tannins are ripe the fruit is over-ripe and the acid levels are quite low. These wine all retained a freshness, despite being big intense wines. An outstanding series of wines!

I’ve been tasting so many great wines…it’s been hard to keep up! Today I wanted to talk a little about some unconventional Spanish wines that fall into 2 categories: Vino de la Tierra and Vino de Mesa. In theory these two categories are not quality wines and should be inexpensive, lower quality wines….but in reality, there are some very premium wines being made under both categories!