Cena Maridaje “Atardecer por México” en El Mirador Restaurant

April 18, 2015

 

Asistir a El Mirador Restaurant  es siempre un gran placer para el paladar, ya que uno puede viajar por los sabores mexicanos más entrañables a través de sus platillos. Además con una ubicación privilegiada, sobre el Trópico de Cáncer, cada día la puesta del sol brinda un espectáculo extraordinario.
El sábado 18 de Abril, se llevó a cabo una cena maridaje en este icónico restaurante del mágico pueblo de Todos Santos, en la que los invitados de honor fueron Viñedos Casa Madero,  la casa vinícola más antigua de América ubicada en Valle de Parras, Coahuila.  Los vinos que produce Casa Madero son de los vinos mexicanos más premiados a nivel mundial
Esta experiencia eno-gastronómica denominada “Atardecer por México”,  ayudará  a fomentar la cultura del vino y mostrar parte del menú del  Mirador que se caracteriza por crear  platos innovadores con productos de la región pero con todas las bases de la cocina mexicana.
Luego de una completa introducción a lo que son Casa Madero y sus vinos, los más de 50 comensales que asistieron a esta cena  fueron consentidos con 6 platillos ensamblados perfectamente para poder ser maridados por  6 etiquetas, dos de ellas, de vinos orgánicos. A continuación, conoce más sobre esta experiencia culinaria que llenó de deleite los paladares:

1. Tiradito de Pesca del Día con Frutas Tropicales.

Con la cercanía de Punta Lobos, los productos del mar son frescos y de la mejor calidad.
Además la mezcla con kiwi, manzana y mango dejaron una sensación perdurable de frescura y el Vino Chenin Blanc potencializó el sabor tan especial que tiene el pescado.

2. Callo Garra de León a las Brasas, Envuelto en Buñuelo, sobre una Salsa Sabayón de Naranja China Regional.

Este platillo recuerda esa sensación agridulce, que tan adictiva resulta para el gusto. La combinación con el Vino Chardonnay Orgánico,  disminuyó el sabor fuerte del callo  y armonizó mejor cada momento de sus sabores.

3. Dúo de Filete de Res en Salsa de Café y Salsa de Fresa, acompañado de Puré de Coliflor Rostizada.

Cuando el plato llegó a la mesa, un rico aroma invadió los antojos.  El envolvente sabor del café y la fresa superaron el sabor que prometía este dúo. Sin embargo, la armonía que logró este plato  con el Vino Casa Grande Chardonnay fue muy completa.

4. Arrachera Angus de Sonora en Salsa de Zarzamora al Chipotle.

Un fino platillo de sabores elegantes y bien logrados, cuyos toques de chipotle cerraban con broche de oro las sensaciones peculiares de este fruto rojo, que eran mejor recibidas con el  Vino Orgánico Cabernet Sauvignon cosecha 2012.

5. Trilogía de Moles Mole Verde de Oaxaca con Costillita de Cerdo, Mole Blanco de Tabasco con Pollo de Leche y Mole Rosa de Taxco con Pato.

Este fue mi momento preferido de la noche, que se convirtió en un poema culinario y un homenaje a uno de los platillos más representativos de nuestro rico México, pues  se logró un balance delicioso con el Vino Shiraz del cual se desprenden aromas de frutos negros maduros y ciruela pasa.  Notas de madera terminan redondeando la nariz de este vino.
Ambos, lograron entenderse a pesar de sus distancias, ya que tanto el plato como el brebaje, fusionaron ingredientes y orígenes a la perfección, como nuestra cultura misma.

6. Parfait de Guayaba Rosa relleno de Frutos Rojos en Salsa de Chocolate Blanco y Hierbabuena de Nuestra Huerta

Un postre excelso y sofisticado, cuyo juego de sabores y texturas hacían la degustación más placentera. El maridaje con el Vino Cosecha Tardía  era más completo pues se hacían patentes todos los momentos in crescendo desde los dulces, hasta los cítricos. Sus aromas perfumados lograban invadir el olfato haciendo mejor la experiencia.
La cena estuvo amenizada por música de arpa y un trio de ritmos y percusiones, quienes durante toda la cena interpretaron canciones que despertaron aún más los sentidos a la hora de probar cada plato.

Un dia en Todos Santos Baja California Sur

A pasado un poco- mucho tiempo que no escribo sobre los vinos que he tenido oportunidad de beber y degustar  en compañía de mi familia y amigos, esto por diferentes razones como tiempo o trabajo,  así pues dejé de  estar en  comunicación, pero esto  no significa que dejé la práctica de la apreciación  y  degustación de los vinos  a un lado por el contrario son ciclos que hay que cumplir.

El día de ayer tuve la oportunidad de acudir a la Clausura del  evento de El Festival de música Todos Santos fue organizado por Peter Buck de REM, para lo cual llegamos a la hora de la comida, aterrizamos en Hotel Guaycura que acaba de renovar sus Menús, razón por demás interesante para probar las nuevas opciones gastronómicas de este prestigiado Hotel Boutique  que, por cierto  en ese momento se encontraba al 100%, hospedando a los  participantes de este muy buen evento.

Para el efecto nos  hicimos acompañar con un par de botellas de Vin Rouge du Rhone LA VIEILLE FERME,Récolte 2013,  que desde hace más de veinte años. Es reconocido como una de las mejores marcas relación precio-calidad que existe en el mundo! 

El ensamblaje es realizado con Syrah, Cinsault , Grenache y Carignan, en diferentes porcentajes, procedentes   de viñas de 25 a 40 años , me encontré con un vino nuevo(ya había tenido la oportunidad de probar otras añadas del 2005 y 2006) . de color morado  obscuro , y el aroma es profundo, la especia continúa en primer gusto , de forma  sutil, Vino suave y rico, con notas de bayas maduras y un poco  punzante, Encontré una  acidez que persiste en la lengua que con el tiempo te deja con ganas de un poco más, con un factor de que  Es un vino bien joven  y que es fácil de beber, 

   En conclusión:

Vista: De color morado oscuro con bordes luminosos,  Nariz: ciruela, cereza, tierra húmeda,  cuerpo medio a completo, Sabores a Ciruelo y notas terrosas  que vienen a través de un  fuerte acabado pero bien terminado gusto tánico en seco  donde las notas terrosas persisten.

 Para lo cual acompañamos unas Tapas de camarones envueltos con tocino y unos Focaccia que prendieron nuestros paladares, continuamos con un pollo, pulpo y pescado presentados alegremente en diferentes modalidades  y estilos.

 

Despues A disfrutar  de las diferentes bandas de rock..........

Un poco mas tarde acudimos al Café Todos Santos propiedad del chef Angelo Dal Bon y su compañera Magda Piovesan, a quienes agradezco la oportunidad que me otorgaron  para poder probar y comentar con el , los mas nuevos de sus vinos, en esta ocasión tuve una grata experiencia  y felizmente  sorprendido con estas elaboraciones bien llevadas y concluidas con una acidez palpable pero excelentemente balanceada  dejando a las frutas de cada varietal el exponerse a cuerpo abierto, fueron tres vinos blancos, me comento Angelo que las cepas fueron plantadas en el Valle de Guadalupe y que esta producción que no supera las 40 cajas, y estas  son el resultado de una  cosecha esperada con mucha paciencia , por lo que a continuación expongo las sensaciones recibidas por estos recomendables y muy bien logrados vinos, los cuales recomiendo como imperdibles si acuden al pueblo mágico de Todos Santos  ya que pocos bebedores podrán saborearlos por lo corto de su producción pero que bien vale la pena un viaje y degustarlos en su Restaurante Las Tres Gallinas.

El primer vino elaborado con el varietal Falanghina, Excelente para ser  degustado  como aperitivo, que va bien con los platos tradicionales de la cocina mediterránea: aperitivos, arroz y pasta con marisco, mariscos, salsas delicadas, sopas de verduras, sopa de setas, pescado frito y a la parrilla, carnes blancas, quesos blandos, mozzarella de búfala y pizzas variadas sin olvidar que va muy bien con diversidad  de verduras.

Vino blanco de color amarillo pajizo con reflejos verdosos; en  nariz se abre en una rica gama aromática de delicado perfume floral y afrutado intenso y persistente, con notas de flores,  plátano, manzana verde, pera, almendra y albahaca; el sabor es seco, fresco, armonioso, suave, con buena acidez; el retrogusto amargo, amplio y agradable, recuerda la granada, un blanco de buena personalidad se aprecia al igual que sus demás hermanos que,  Todas las operaciones de vinificación y embotellado, fueron logradas  adecuadamente la temperatura de servicio debió estar  entre 8 y 10 grados es un excelente vino.

 El Segundo Vino blanco Malvasia Bianca , es la variedad mediterránea más antigua de la que se tienen noticias. El crecimiento en el Valle de Guadalupe refleja un  vino  que es seco y aterciopelado. Es adecuado para acompañar platos a base de pescado y aperitivos. Considero su Servicio a una temperatura de 10 ° / 12 °. De color amarillo con toques de oro, su paladar nos recuerda los aromas de almendras, enebro y de las flores blancas. En el paladar su sabor es calido, fragante, suave y seco.

Grigio Perla vino que  se distingue por su fragancia floral y ofrece delicados sabores cítricos, cremoso y especiado, y de acuerdo a  la madurez de la uva y la técnica de vinificación, se  puede decir que es de gran cuerpo y  seco. En esta  región expresa la personalidad del terroir y ofrece características únicas que se aprecian en la copa.

Es un blanco versátil, de aromas sutiles, que recuerda a manzanas verdes, cítricos y flores blancas, con buen balance entre acidez y azúcar que lo transforman en el ideal complemento de la gastronomía va de maravilla con un plato de rabas o  mariscos. De aromas florales y cítricos y con una acidez vibrante en boca es un vino ideal para servir como aperitivo o acompañar frutos de mar.

Si la opción es un vino fresco, delicado y diferente, sin dudas el Grigio-Perla es una alternativa que vale la pena probar.

  

Excelente Día regresamos mas tarde con los buenos sabores de esta grata experiencia, eso fue todo hasta la próxima cita. A Votre Sante, Cin,Cin, Chers, Salute, Salud!!!!

Antonio Palacios

Butler –Sommelier

25 de Enero 2015.

Italy and its wines

The origin of Italian wine is lost in legend and mythology. Much is known of old wines by the works of the classics as Pliny, which lists 195 kinds in most of Italy, and considered to the "falerno" of the Campania, as the most extraordinary of all. Horacio describes it as robust, ardent and generous. In the North of Italy is the Rhaetian, which according to Virgilio was the second best wine after the Falerno. César to celebrate his third Consulate, offers the Mamertino Sicilian, which was very popular at that time. Thus we can follow multiple allusions that confirm the ancient origin of the Italian wine industry and whose roots are the time of the splendor of Greece.

Italy belongs to the Group of large producers of wines in the world, and it has been said that Italy is a great vineyard, from the Alps to Sicily almost is not interrupted its cultivation, however for different climates and soils are very varied styles. The international prestige of Italian wines has been consolidated as a result of quality control imposed by the authorities. There are three designations of origin:

Simplice: Refers to wines made in accordance with the respective local uses and with traditional grapes in production areas.

Controllata: Is reserved to the wines that meet the requirements set by the regulations in the areas of production and breeding.

Controllata e Garantita: is for the best wines, whose standards specify the particular and fine qualities. Wine is identified by the expression on the labels of their source data, entitled with an official stamp numbered and attached to the container that prevents the removal of your content unless it is broken.

Best known for its wine regions are Lazio, Piedmont, Trentino and Venice and Tuscany.

Piedmont: Region in the North of Italy, produces wine with a gradation between 12 and 13 ° G.L., with the exception of the Moscazo d'Asti that has 10.5 to 11.5 ° G.L.

The wines that are produced in the region the most known are:

The most famous red wines of Piedmont, is Barolo: Deep color, fragrance and great palate, made from the Nebbiolo variety, in the provinces of Barolo and Monforte d'Alba and Serralunga d'Alba, Catiglione. With four years of aging, it is classified as "Riserva"; After five, it acquires the 'Riserva Speciale' category

Barbera: The regions of Asti, Cuneo and Alessandria, produce this wine velvety and pleasant taste, coming from grapes barbera from which it takes its name. After three years of aging is given the "Superiore" qualification.

Barbaresco: Is a wine with orange tones and delicate bouquet. It occurs in regions of Neive and Barbaresco, Nebbiolo grape, which gives it a resemblance to Barolo but it is lighter. Aged three years is "Riserva" and four "Riserva Speciale".

Nebbiolo: The used strain gives its name to this wine that is dark red and reminds to the Barolo and Barbaresco by their origin. The towns which produces are: Alba, Montaldo di Mondovì, Cornegliano d'Alba, Santa Vittoria d'Alba, and Sommariva Perno

Moscato D'Asti: There are two varieties, Moscato Naturale d'Asti and Moscato D'Asti Spumante, both with world renowned. They are pale golden colour, delicately sweet and flavor of moscatel, whose variety is developed, Asti, Cuneo and Alessandria.

Trentino and Venice: located to the northeast , produces wines of alcohol 10.5 ° to 13 °, famous for its aroma, and are advised to consume them there himself.

Teroldego: Vineyard situated on the edge of the South Tyrol, Bolzano and Trento, aged two years in cask. It is Ruby colour with aroma of raspberry and violet.

Santa Maddalena: Occurs in the Bolzano region, at the foot of the Dolomites. It is a solid wine, fruit flavored.

Valpolicella: This wine involves at least five types of strains, it is docile, garter belt and fruity conservation does not exceed five years

Bianco dei Colli Euganei: it is customary to eat it young, is light, fresh, with a strong yellow color and fruit flavor. Made with 10 different varieties.

Prosecco: It takes its name from the variety that is produced. It is a sweet wine with a hint of bitter, rich aroma and golden colour is used as an aperitif.

Picolit: It came deep aroma and yellow gold.

Soave: Appreciated since ancient times. It takes its name from one of the five municipalities, near Verona, where it is produced. It is light green with Golden hues, freshness, acidity and taste of almond. A very rich wine.

Tuscany: Land of the famous "Chianti" which corresponds to a small region between the provinces of Florence and Siena, but as a name extends to the vineyards of Pisa, Pistoia and Arezzo.The special shape of the Chianti bottle called "fiasco" protected with straw cover make it unmistakable, the same attributes that distinguish it are the main factors that elevated this wine at a high level of international popularity. It is a well-balanced wine, with body, fine bouquet and a minimum of 11.5% alcohol G.L. gets Sangioveto, Canaiolo, Malvasia and Trebbiano varieties. In addition to the Chianti area, there are other two wines the Nobile di Montepulciano with 12 ° occurring near Siena. Rich in tannins, astringent, you need two years of ageing before gaining firmness, is slightly bitter. And the Mortecarlo also of 12° is produced in vineyards near Luca. It is quite light, well formed and Garnet color.

The production of white wines is just as important in this region include the Valchiana, fresh, pleasant wine, dry and delicately aromatic, comes from the trebbiano strain and graduation is 11 °. Procanino or Bianco dell' Elba, this pale wine, full-bodied, generous is used mainly with fish and seafood, the strains used are procanico and biancone.

Lazio: Ancient wine-producing region, around Rome, producer of white wines, with a reputation that tourists visiting Rome not denies. The wines of Lazio are known by the generic name of Castelli Romani (Roman castles) and include the following:

Frascati: Produced vines with malvasia and trebbiano. Is golden, dry, it has body and a minimum of 7.1 ° G.L.

EST, Est, Est: White wine with yellowish hues with 11° G.L. occurs in Montefiascone, trebbiano grapes, toscabo and malvasia bianca. The Bishop Fugger, a cleric connoisseur was named to that in the year 1111 and the wine lover asked one of his servants was preparing him accommodation in the successive stages of his upcoming trip to Rome. So Monsignor lost no time in useless stops, it was agreed the advance to write about the door of the visited wineries: est or non est, according to which came to deserve or not that he stop. When the servant came to Montefiascone recommendation seemed poor to excellent quality of wine that there proved, and so your employer won't let try this wonderful nectar, wrote Est, Est, Est. They say that the Bishop never came to Rome, was to live and drink until his death.

A little background on .... wine

To really understand the wine we have to know its history, which is full of anecdotes and unexpected situations. Since the preparation of Champagne by mistake, to the production of great wines of the world in a special way to transport cause great wines of the world as sherries or ports, or even the most important fact in the history of wine that was the appearance phylloxera and change the concept of wine. Here we put a few small words by way of introduction.

Some historians suppose that the man knew the wine before I knew growing grapes; possibly since the Genus Vitis, comprising all domestic vines, made its appearance in the Tertiary era, period of the first mammals. The vine was then a wild plant, from which sprouted a small and sour berries that were collected as other plant species and consumed directly.

But the vitis vinifera, which alone produces quality wines, appears much later in the Caucasus and the Middle East. From Israel, Mesopotamia and Egypt, the vinifera vine was spreading throughout the Mediterranean, promoting the development of wine culture. Much later Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian move this legacy to America and South Africa. The English take Australia and New Zealand and spreading throughout the world.

In ancient Egypt wine ranks first in the trade of that time. The Egyptians gathered the grapes from vines planted in the gardens of the Nile River in rush baskets pressing, which were trodden by the feet of slaves and once fermentation was transferred into jars or jars of different sizes, sometimes very large, for consumption or transport ships. At the time of the Greek vineyard did not receive great attention, but the mild climate gave lots of fruit. The resulting wine never drank pure, was mixed liberally with water, honey, thyme, myrrh, sea water etc. To transport the Greeks used leather skins, while for large storage jars were used.

Later the Etruscans consumed natural wine without added water, although the Romans later return to work it in the Greek manner, adding water infusions, herbal honey and other sweeteners.

It was the Romans who took over for the expansion of wine. Thanks to his military successes, and the realization of numerous commercial companies, consolidated two of the jewels of the Mediterranean agriculture - wine and oil - expanding their growing areas to the periphery of the empire. By this time begin to dictate rules for the election of more suitable varieties, soil properties and climate observations.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, religious orders - especially the Benedictines and Cistercians later - recover wine culture. With the spread of the faith, the new apostles not forget to extend the wine trade, planting new vineyards, making progress processing techniques and upbringing. In the Middle Ages, feudal lords cultivate their lands for them wine that allowed them to show hospitality to the range of the castle had an obligation to try. Also the literary and religious recommendations of the time had their land devoted to wine.

The Middle Ages left their mark on the most artisan work and patients of the vineyard and the winery. Some of these practices and arts have remained almost unchanged until the mid-twentieth century.

For centuries the Vitis vinifera was the only species of vines cultivated in Europe. With the discovery of the New World also appear new species of vitis, for making wine since the mid-nineteenth century began to be imported strains and different species from the United States. The entry of American vineyards on the international stage was as serious and unexpected. Coming from beyond the Atlantic, fungal diseases caused by dangerous unknown parasites in Europe, severely beat the very sensitive to such insects in waves European vineyards: first powdery mildew, then mildew but above phylloxera was introduced in Europe in the last third of the century and devastated all European vineyards, even went beyond, as also Australia suffered their attacks. This plague, in addition to the immediate economic consequences, led to the disappearance of numerous vineyards not return to planting.

JEREZ, A UNIQUE WINE

Sherry is one of the emblematic wine of Spain and its particular aging process, make it a unique wine. Perhaps the Spanish wine more recognized globally. It is usually dry, with super sweet exceptions, that accompany marine meals with a grace and a salt shaker of the motherland, serving first as a snack and sweet as dessert wine.

HISTORY

Let's start by placing us on what Spain represents in the world of wine. Spain is one of the largest producers of wine in the world, ranking in third position as a producer of wine in the world, close to France and Italy, first and second respectively. Among the three countries, they produce half of the wine on the planet.

Some scholars locate the beginnings of viticulture in Spain around 1100 BC, when the Phoenicians introduced the first vines in the peninsula. The wine that was produced for the period should be cooked so that it is not damaged. Later at some point in history this practice changed by the of adding wine alcohol, for the same purpose, to protect the wine.

In the 8th century B.C. appear in scene Greek settlers, who leave certain traces of the systematic and extensive planting of vineyards. A century more, the Romans started the expansion of the Empire, which will influence a decisive, the Mediterranean including, of course, the Iberian peninsula.

Towards the year 711 it begins dominating Arabic of Spain, the current city of Jerez, Arabic "Sherish" called, and despite a ban on the Quran alcohol intake, is continued drinking wine in the region. The vineyards are reduced on the orders of the Caliph to a third in the year 966.

Around 1,500, with the reconquest by Alfonso X, the wise, Sherry Wine takes its natural peak. At the time wine was exported to England, where it was known as "Sherry".

"Sherry" gets fashionable in the Court English, about the year of 1.587, when the fleet of Francis Drake attacked Cadiz and Jerez, taking more than 3,000 Wineskins as booty.

For the 15th century "Sherry" is exported to England, France, the Netherlands and America.

From 1.682, several English entrepreneurs bring capital to Jerez, founding wineries such as: Garvey, Duff-Gordon, Wisdom & Warter, Osborne. Then continue Spanish repatriated capital founding wineries such as: Gonzalez, Marquis of Misa, as well as French capital founded: Domecq and Lacave.

They resonate today names such as Sandeman, Harvey, Byass, Terry, Domecq, Garvey and Williams & Humbert, as well as various mergers between the previous ones.

DENOMINATIONS OF ORIGIN

The classification of Spanish wines was similar to those found in Europe until the enactment of the new law of vine and wine of 2003, which introduced deep modifications that still keep alive the discussion around it. Why not delve into the same and go direct to the denomination of origin Jerez.

This denomination has as synonyms Sherry and Xerez and is controlled by the Council regulator of wine of Jerez.

Takes its name from the city Andaluza de Jerez de la Frontera, and is a wine Fortificado, i.e. with added alcohol, usually dry, but with extraordinary sweet exceptions.

Unique and unrepeatable, wines are given the characteristics of soil, climate and development in its area of production; Highest quality, Albarizas, soils are soils formed mainly by organic calcium carbonate; The tropical climate, warm, bathed breeze marina full of moisture; And the process, particular and characteristic.

The D.O. Jerez covers the area known as the triangle of Jerez, which is made up of the region between three beautiful cities, Jerez de la Frontera, with Moorish and Arabic origins, Puerto de Santa María, beautiful maritime city, southwest of Jerez and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, also on the coast, but Northwest of Jerez. All located in the province of Cádiz, in the autonomous community of Andalusia.

THE STRAINS

Palomino is the predominant grape in the production of sherry. Although it is not a grape for table wines recommended by its neutral flavor and low acidity, however it is perfect for the production of sherry.

Pedro Ximénez is another important grape variety, used for sweet sherry. Regarding their origin, there is a curious story, it says that a soldier flamenco, Carlos I, to name Peter Siemens armies, brought the region German of the Rhine, a few strains of "Elbling" or "Weissable", with the passage of time Peter was changing Peter and Siemens by Ximen, giving name to the grape variety and wine producing.

LAND AND CLIMATE

Formed mainly by land Albarizas, also called "White land", they are those that produce wines of the highest quality. Are formed poLAND AND CLIMATE

Formed mainly by land Albarizas, also called "White land", they are those that produce wines of the highest quality. They are formed by organic sediments of an inland sea that covered the region in the Oligocene period. It is rich in calcium carbonate. Excellent to retain moisture during the winter to release it slowly over the summer.

There are other types of lands in Jerez, of lesser quality, barros, of dark color, primarily clay soil and sand, Golden hues, with high content of silica.

Its climate is strongly influenced by the Mediterranean, is a warm southern zone, which receives humid winds from the West, which acts as moderator of high temperatures in summer times. The region boasts 290 days of cloudless sunshine and intense luminosity. The summer nights are watered with sprays or "Indefinitely", contributing too much moisture to the vines. The rains reach the 600 l/m2 per year, falling mainly from October to may. September tends to be mainly dry, which helps the healing of the grape about to for vintage.

TYPES OF JEREZ

There are two major groups in the wines of Jerez, the fine and the Olorosos, and characteristics of each one of them come dice by the processes of development and aging. These two groups are subdivided in turn into two groups each, as are classified below:

Fine, camomile and pale, usually known as "Generous", are the product of biological ageing, which will be explained later.

Amontillados, although they tend to be called liqueur liqueur wines, only the above we refer to as generous, Amontillados are ageing and oxidative aging, which also expand later.

Oloroso, Palo Cortado and Golden, are dry liqueur wines, and receive only oxidative aging.

Pedro Ximénez, are wines sweet, natural or not, and receive oxidative aging.

GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING THE WINE BASE OR SOBRETABLA

Grape is harvested manually to avoid damaging it, it goes through a few machines of soft crushing, where Gets the must's "Yolk", which is the base of good wine, and immediately after presses. The must obtained is inserted into a large stainless steel tanks where starts the fermentation at a controlled temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius for a week and in which the grape sugar turns into alcohol, then spends several months, during which develops the fermentation that culminates with a wine base, which receives the name of "Sobretabla" or "Must"This last erroneous considered term for a juice already fermented, gives us the idea that the wine obtained, is very far from complete.

THE PHENOMENON OF THE FLOWER (VEIL)

Once the wines have been fortified, and whilst it still boots, occurs in the Sherry intended for Finos or manzanilla, the growth of a yeast called FLOR (Saccharomyces), this grows spontaneously on the surface, which eventually is completely covered by it, protecting the wine from oxidation. The flower only grows to a maximum of 17% alcohol. For this reason the fine lead up to 15º and the Olorosos up to 18 °.

The flower thrives on oxygen extracted from the wine and air, and Glycerin to wine making, this changes the character of the wine helping to develop their distinctive characteristics of aroma, smell and taste. Low aging flower is known as "Biological ageing".

Due to its high alcohol content, the flower does not grow in wines destined to be Olorosos. Without this protection of the oxygen in the air, the wine oxidizes as it ages. This is known as "Oxidative ageing". This feature will be very useful, because the finished wine will not rust once opened the bottle, maintaining its characteristics longer than a fine.

AGING (SILL)

All Sherries, age through a unique system in the production of sherry. This system is known as Solera and consists of a chain of barrels, usually between 4 and 9 levels, used to go to aging the wine. Then it exemplifies the solera system.

2nd Criadera

3rd Criadera

1st CriaderaEn the scheme, we appreciate a slab of 4 levels, top level contains the youngest wine, and level lower, is the one containing the oldest wine, this final level is also called Solera.

SoleraNo is an imperative that the boots are placed on each other, however, when it is so easy to be conveyed between barrels wines.

When there is a new wine, begins the process of transfer, which takes place more or less well, the level lower or hearth, where this wine more aged, a part of the content, approximately between a third and half of the contents of each barrel is extracted, this wine is bottled and ready for sale.

The empty space is filled with the wine of the immediately higher level, normally called "1st Criadera", which is half filled and is filled with the wine from the level immediately suprior, i.e. "2nd Criadera", this procedure is repeated until the barrels of the upper level, which contains wines are more young, half filled, and to fill themthe newly developed "must" is used.

A cask wine is not racked completely to another boot of a lower level, but it is distributed to several barrels, contributing to the homogenization of the finished wine.

This process makes young wines are mixed with wine Ageing, becoming a wine increasingly more aged, to become the more aged and ready for sale.

While new wines will be mixing with wines, they will gradually take the characteristics of the more mature.

We can assume that each slab (last barrel of the chain), contains a small amount (increasingly decreasing), of the most ancient wines of the winery.

This system helps to standardize the quality of the wine over the years.

Since the Sherry barrels, ageing in well-ventilated and dry warehouses at ground level (rather than wet and table wines), part of the water of the wine tends to evaporate, making their relative content of alcohol will increase. As an example we see some fragrant that after 10 years of aging can have alcohol contents of up to 24%, contrasting his original 18%.

Finally it should be noted that this particular aging system makes that the Sherries do not benefit from year of manufacture (vintage).

STORAGE AND SERVICE

The Sherries are stored with the bottle stop, in a cool environment and the general care of any wine.

The Finos and Manzanillas are taken cold, between 4 ° and 7 °, Amontillados between 10th and 12th and the Olorosos and Pedro ximenez between 10th and 12th.

Sherry in general should be taken from freshly opened bottles or that they don't have many days of uncovered and they have been refrigerated.

It is not good to keep bottles of Fino or Manzanilla for more than three months. Other types of sherry, more alcohol and more oxidized the olorosos, sweets, etc. They may be kept for a longer time.

PAIRING

Finos and Manzanillas, go very well with almonds, olives, shrimps or prawns, and in general all kinds of seafood. As well as all kinds of Spanish tapas.

Amontillado, but they go well with Tapas, also accompany soups, cheese, ham, salami and sausages in general.

Fragrant and stick cut go better with nuts, olives, and hard cheeses including the manchego.

All the sweet Sherries, well accompany desserts.

Its particular taste brings to mind the sea. So it accompanies the sea fruits in an impeccable manner. It goes very well with the majority of Mediterranean products, such as olives, almonds and dried fruit in general, as well as the local cheeses.

The Variety of the Veneto

Italy’s Veneto is one of the world’s most diverse wine producing regions, and for me it is a “go-to” area when I am not sure exactly what I want to drink. You can find just about every wine style and price point in the Veneto, from cheap and cheerful Pinot Grigio to super premium, concentrated Amarone dell Valpolicella to crisp, refreshing Prosecco sparkling wines to carefully crafted expressive Soave wines. The Veneto seems to have it all.

Fueled by the agricultural rich Po River Valley the Veneto has made its greatest income on Pinot Grigio. These relatively simple IGT level wines are generally well made crowd pleasers. The fruit has an apple and lemon quality with enough crisp acidity and sometimes a bit of residual sugar to make them easy to drink.

Soave represents the next step up in Veneto white wines. These wines are DOC and DOCG quality level, and thanks to the efforts of producers such as Pieropan, the entire category continues to get better.
The main grape grown in this ancient extinct volcanic hill town is Garganega and in the right hands, it can make a superb wine. I have often been a proponent of other cool climate regions trying to grow Garganega, as it has enough, but not too much, fruit and crisp acidity to make one of the best food friendly wines.

I recently tasted the 2012 Pieropan Soave Classico and it was bursting ripe apple, lemon, and almond skin notes balanced by refreshing acidity. Underlying all of this is a mineral note that adds complexity and contrast to the fruit character.

Corvina is the primary red wine grape of the Veneto and its stars in Valpolicella and Bardolino wines. Usually supported by small amounts of other native grapes (Rondinella, Molinara, Oseleta), Corvina can create both simple easy to drink Valpolicella Classico wines and rich, layered Amarone wines. The former are perfect easy drinking red wines dominated by cherry (often sour) and herb notes along with a slightly savory mineral quality.

Amarone is the exact opposite of the basic Valpolicella. These vines are made from dried grapes, fermented than aged in oak for multiple years before release for sale. The result is a wine with chocolate, mocha, dried fruits, jam and smoky notes. Speri makes some of the best wines in the Valpolicella region. Their range of wines, for me, shows the Veneto’s reds at their best.

Both Corvina and Garganega also make sweet style “recioto” wines. These wines from Valpolicella and Soave are unique and offer yet another different wine style from the region.

In the northern part of the Veneto in areas of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, sparkling wines are the star. Prosecco DOCG from this region comes in Brut and off-dry styles. I prefer the drier styles with their crisp yet light apple, pear and lemon notes. These wines cost a fraction of what you would pay for Champagne, and, although they lack the bread and biscuit notes of the French sparklers, they are often more food and crowd friendly. Try Canella Prosecco or the wines from Sorelle Bronca for a great classic example of Veneto sparkling wine.

-Thanks Adam for your info.-

Meiterranean Food Style

The Greeks and Romans laid the foundations of what we now know as the Mediterranean diet with the "Mediterranean trilogy": bread, oil and wine, always present in our culture.

For the proper functioning of our body need balance in our diet. We should consume carbohydrates, proteins and lipids or fats. The latter play an important role in our diet because they are essential nutrients that provide us with energy, essential for our daily activities.

We understand that our nutrition experts say all the food groups, fats, or lipids, we will provide approximately 35% of total energy, why are preferably vegetable fats such as extra virgin olive oil, at animal. One exception is the blue fish (mackerel, tuna, sardines ...) because it is polyunsaturated and helps prevent cardiovascular problems.

The proposed Mediterranean diet olive oil as the main source of fat.

Olive oil has many properties, including many that have been agreed recently by doctors and scientists are:

:: Being a monounsaturated fatty acid, reduces LDL levels and increase levels of HDL (good cholesterol), unlike other oils, it protects against the risk of heart disease, especially myocardial infarction.

:: It is rich in vitamins A, D, F and K. and its high content of vitamin E helps prevent arteriosclerosis, cancer, and is excellent for keeping skin young and healthy.

:: I like the fat content of breast milk, so on paediatrics, the fat is appropriate for infant feeding.

:: Promotes the growth of bones and calcium absorption.

:: It is a natural remedy for ulcers, prevents diabetes and increases the body's defenses.

In addition to benefiting from these oil economy do, because its performance is higher than that of other vegetable fats, both cold and hot. We can see the heat because it increases its volume, which translates into less use for cooking. Due to the fruity flavor, smoothness and viscosity of olive oil is always less precise for cooking in cold weather.

:: A good breakfast Mediterranean: natural orange juice, coffee with milk and a slice of bread soaked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil Good Sense.

-Wine makes us twice civilized one when it produced and two when it is taken-

Decanter

Decanters have a long history associated with them. Similar to a Carafe, Decanters have played an important role in serving wine. Dating back to the Roman times, Decanters were filled with wine from an Amphora, which is a vase like ceramic jug with two handles and served from the table. The decanters were easier to handle by one person or servant. Glass decanters were pioneered by the Romans but due to limited amounts of glass, other materials like silver, gold and bronze were used. The Venetian also used glass decanters during the Renaissance period. The design style of decanters allowed for more air to interact with the wine. They usually have long slender necks and wide bodies. In 1730 the British glass makers added a stopper to limit the exposure to air. The designs haven’t changed much since then. We now use decanters not only for the looks but also to help the aerate. When you aerate a wine and allow it to breathe it mimics the effects of swirling the wine in a glass. The stimulation and movement of the molecules in wine trigger the release of more aromas. Aerating is more beneficial to wines containing more tannins.

Champagne.

 The name itself evokes thoughts of celebration, romance and special occasions. Nothing is more useful to mark a special occasion than opening a bottle of Champagne. This wine has become synonymous with good times, good cheer and the moments in life that are to be remembered. But in the very midst of celebration, be careful how you term the wine in your raised glass. Is it Champagne, or is it something else?

The terms “Champagne” and “sparkling wine” are often used interchangeably, much to the chagrin of Champagne producers. While all Champagne sparkles, not all sparkling wine is Champagne. The discerning factor is the region in which the wines are produced. Ninety miles northeast of Paris, covering 85,000 acres, is a region called “Champagne.” Produced anywhere else but Champagne, the wine should properly be labeled “sparkling wine.” This is not just a matter of pride within the Champagne region, but a matter of law, as the moniker is protected by the World Courts to designate the exact region.

Based on today’s perception of Champagne, it may be difficult to imagine that Champagne originated as a still wine. Originally planted by the Romans, the vineyards of Champagne have been thriving for centuries. According to history, in 496, the first King of France was anointed with wine from the Champagne region. From 896 to 1825 the crowning of the Kings of France took place in Reims, located in the heart of Champagne. Commemoration of this event was always accompanied by a celebration involving the free flow of Champagne.

It was not until the 17th century that Champagne gained its sparkle. While Dom Pérignon did not invent Champagne, he played a significant role in its development. For 47 years (1668-1715), Pierre Dom Pérignon was the cellar master at the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers. Since creating a sparkling wine was not his original intention, Dom Pérignon spent a great deal of time trying to find a way to cure what he called the “mad wine.” Dom Pérignon has been credited with developing the art of blending as well as instating the use of heavy glass bottles and cork stoppers, which helped prevent the bottles from exploding.

Women have played a key role in the history of Champagne with a few key players sharing a common thread: They were inducted to the Champagne trade as widows. Madame Clicquot (1798-1886) of Veuve Clicquot was widowed at the age of 27 after only two years of marriage. She is credited with inventing the first table de remuage (riddling table). Veuve is the French word for widow. Madame Pommery of the House of Pommery was in control of the vineyards after she was widowed in 1858. She was a savvy businesswoman who took her husband’s business to the next step. She foresaw the newly evolving tastes and introduced the first Brut in the history of Champagne, the legendary Pommery Nature of 1874

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Pinot Noir, International & Elegant.

The name can also refer to the created wine from the Pinot Noir grape strain.

The name of this grape is derived from the French words for "pine" and "black" respectively, since growing from this grape cluster shaped like a pine cone and its purplish black tone giving characteristic color.

Pinot Noir grapes grown around the world, especially in cold regions, but it is common to associate them with the region of Burgundy in France, as birthplace of the best wines that use this type of grapes.

Origin and expansion

She is originally from Burgundy.

It is one of the strains that make up the mixture of the majority of the Champagne (sparkling wines in the eponymous region)

As of many sparkling wines in the world.

Also considered it one of the choicest varieties around the world for the production of wine varietal, in Bourgogne, it gives some of the wines most exclusive and expensive in the world, for its limited production, such as Romanée Conti.

Believed to be the mother of Spanish Tempranillo variety.

It is a variety that does not adapt easily to any region, requires a cold climate to achieve good results.

The main regions and producers of this variety are: France, Germany, the region of the Willamette Valley in Oregon, Sonoma County in California, Australia, Argentina, Chile and South Africa cold valleys.

Strains

Its berries are small, purplish black, waxed by abundant bloom.

The skin is thick, and soft pulp.

A very fine wine is done with this vid.

He is characterized by its low tannic structure, body means waking up refined and subtle sensations in the mouth.

Pinot Noir produces an extremely soft, fresh and fruity, wine of a very nice bouquet, with acidity that makes it quite lively and persistent on the palate without being aggressive.

On the nose, red Pinot Noir wines can reach the aromatic Excellence (cherry, cassis, strawberry, raspberry, violet, leather, licorice that evolve to a delicate aroma with aging) and support a good upbringing. The characteristic aromas of this wine are red and black fruits such as Cherry, BlackBerry, raspberry, Plum, among the most prominent. The primary aromas are determined by the black currants, truffles.

Floral notes like for example wilted roses are also highlighted.

                                        

View, it is a wine that has a special luminosity, reminiscent of a more opaque than bright red tile, contrary to French wines from Pinot Noir that are characterized by a much more luminous shine.

Their color varies depending on their age: a red, Ruby or purple when young, to an ochre Orange, after 8 to 10 years of cellaring, maintaining a middle layer.

In the mouth tends to be light, but structured, wine if is vinified to old-style Burgundy, may require years of aging, to soften the tannins from the stems.

Recommendation of served and accompaniment

Suitable to accompany semi-mature cheese varieties, magret of duck or goose, is famous the pairing with the Coq au Vin (chicken with wine), being one of the few wines that harmonize with some fish such as fresh tuna and Salmon.

Its ideal serving temperature varies between 14 and 15 ° C.