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!

Happy New Year!  We’re in the final stretch of the holidays…only Reyes (Epiphany) to go on 6 Jan.  At least two more lamb and seafood feasts to go! 

When I am trying to select a red for a holiday meal I try to stay clear of the big, extracted, oaky wines that seem to dominate in the Spanish market these days.  When asked for a suggestion, I often steer people towards Rioja…though modern Riojas styles are more and more extracted…they still largely retain a freshness of fruit and acidity that complements many foods.

The holiday season, with its lengthy and varied meals, is the perfect moment to try many different styles of wines.  Holiday meals also offer a challenge with regards to wine matching:  it’s tricky to find a wine to match so many flavours. 

During the holiday season, I’m going to rate the wines I’m choosing for my clients and my family.   The holidays here in Spain are like a marathon, the festivities don’t end on New Years…we have a whole other round of big meals for the Epiphany holiday on 6 January!  The flavors for the holiday meals are different here, but just as challenging….fish and lamb are common, though you can find turkey as well.  Shellfish, cured meats, and foie all play important roles.  

Terroir: Does it Apply to Everything?

The growing number of appellations for every type of agricultural product in Europe would suggest so. There are appellations for salt, olive oil, cheese, beef and wine, amongst others.

I decided to do a small experiment in the influence of origin on ducks.

When we are in France, usually in the St Jean de Luz area, I love to go to Carrefour. There is Carrefour in Spain but obviously the products are quite different…sometimes to a surprising extent. This time I picked up some local duck breasts recommended by the butcher.

This is a matching I had to do for El Mundo newspaper here in Spain. They picked 5 champagnes and five chocolates and had me match them. Four of the pairs matched up naturally, the final one was a bit trickier, mainly due to trouble matching any of the chocolates with the Piper Heidsieck. Following is the rite up I did for them…with a few modifications!

Another great tasting to give this weekend: Matching wine and cheese. A classic, but a difficult classic as they can actually be quite challenging to match! I picked five wines from different categories and five very different cheeses. The wines were as follows:1. DO Cava – Bodega Raventos i Blanc – Elisabet Raventos – Reserva – Brut – 2000 – 60% Xarel.lo, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Monastrell – 4 years aging on lees, 6,5g/l residual sugar – 12% – 18 euros