Spain & Portugal are Red-Hot Right Now
Judging by the sheer number of customers telling us about their upcoming or recently traveled trips to Europe, it is clear that Spain and Portugal are among the hottest vacation destinations we hear about.
Both of these countries have ancient connections with wine, and the comparative values for their world-class wines make them irresistibly appealing.
Once they are sampled, of course.
A case in point are two recent local wine dinners in town where the surprise favorite wine was the Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza, a smooth, silky red wine that diners were enjoying with their braised short ribs. Here was a gorgeous red wine from a classic wine region for $22. Think of the other classic wine regions in the world—Bordeaux, Burgundy, Napa Valley, Barolo—what do you get for $22 that you really want to share with your friends? Not much these days.
Spain
Rioja is the traditional classic great wine region of Spain, and there are modern and traditional red wines available, some already properly aged before release. Tempranillo is the main grape, but some of the traditional producers blend in a few others for complexity. Lamb loves Rioja, but as we’ve seen, so does beef, pork, dark poultry and grilled chicken.
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But it’s not just Rioja that provides red wine thrills from Spain. Dabble with the Tempranillos of Toro and Ribera del Duero, the Garnachas all over the country, and the richly flavored blends of Priorat and Montsant for some explosive flavors. And those are just the red wines.
Spanish whites, virtually unknown when we began our store 30 years ago, have exploded, led by the aromatic, crisply flavored Albariños and followed up by the whites of Rioja, Rueda, Galicia and the frothy, tart wines of northern Spain, Txakolina. These are wines usually devoid of oak flavors that dance on the tongue, making wonderful stand-alone aperitifs and very useful food wines when paired with simply grilled seafood and shellfish.
Sherry is another unique wine category that admittedly is polarizing to American palates, but at the right time and place, the flavors are diverse and explosive, providing thrills with plates of olives, anchovies, Marcona almonds and slices of jamon.
Portugal
Do you know anyone who has visited Portugal either on a dedicated trip or a cruise destination? We get people all the time who have taken the Port wine cruise up the Douro to witness the steep, terraced, ancient vineyards that are breathtaking to behold.
Port wine is, of course, Portugal’s traditional great wine export, but face it, as great tasting as they are, and as age-worthy as they can be, Southern California doesn’t have the climate to encourage frequent Port drinking. It’s a shame, because Port wine is timeless and remains well-priced for what you get. For example, a 20 year old tawny port is under $70, and you can sip on it for a month without it losing much of its character! Ruby-styled port wines from top producers start at just $17, reserve ports at $26, Late-Bottled Vintage Ports for $25 and up. You may have to pay triple digits for the finest Vintage Ports, but what other wine can you buy for that price that’ll still be great in 30 years?
The wine energy in Portugal has shifted in recent years, as very accomplished dry red wines have emerged from places we didn’t know good red wine could be grown in. Places like Alentejo, Dao, and, yes, outstanding dry red wines from the Douro valley, port wine’s home. The Prats family from Bordeaux joined forces with the Symington, the legendary Port wine family, to produce statuesque red wines that are surprisingly satisfying and accomplished. In short, you can drink the best of Portugal for an the price of an average Napa Valley Cabernet.
And don’t forget the white wines of Portugal. The frothy coastal whites from Vinho Verde often have a little sparkle to them and are priced for everyday consumption. The white Alvarinho can also be grown in a more substantial body, losing none of its energy or charm.
Those who are lucky to travel to Spain and Portugal know this already. If you haven’t yet travelled there, a trip to one of our wine tastings focused on these regions will open you up to pleasures you didn’t know were out there. Dive right in. The wines will impress you.