Spain Wine Map

5 Tips for ordering wine

1 - ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU HAVE

You have no idea of what is the best wine for your meal? You don´t know how to pronounce the name of the wine "Ribera del Duero"? Ask the waiter or sommelier, they´ll be happy to share their knoledge with you. This way you´ll be learning from them. 

2 - SET THE RULES

Best wines will not be the most expensives (trust me, I´ve tried most of them). Don´t be afraid to set you price range. If you don´t want to talk about € / $ / £ you can point something on the menu and ask for a similar bottle.


3 - KEEP IT SIMPLE

In wine producer countries like Spain, we talk about wine in the same way as food: "I´d like something with strong flavour, powerful smell and no sweet please. Or maybe fruity and savory."

4 - FOOD FIRST 

There are so many options of wine, so always best to choose the food first. Once you made your choice, think of what kinds of flavours would go best with your meal. 

5 - TRUST YOURSELF

Every person is unique, so don´t trust others more than yourself. If you hear that the wine is having "ripe berries" and that sounds interesting to you, order that wine. It is all about enjoying and testing. 

Do you have important guests tonight?

10 + 1 reasons to drink wine

Strengthens bones

According to a study from Tufts University in Boston (USA) women who drink red or white wine are less likely to lose bone density than women who do not drink.

Reduce Heart Risk

A study from Harvard University (USA.) Found that those who consume wine in moderation are 30% less likely to suffer a heart attack.

Antibacterial

Both red wine and white wine have antibacterial properties. This was highlighted by the study conducted by the expert Martin E. Weisse of West Virginia University (USA), which shows that the wine has the capability to reduce bacteria in food, protecting the human body.

Prevent Blindness

Red wine can stop the growth of blood vessels out of control in the eye (angiogenesis) that causes blindness, according to a study by a team of researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis (USA ). Again is resveratrol, the compound may be in the wine, which protects vision.

Against depression

According to a study of scientists in Spanish universities, drinking wine can reduce the risk of depression. The experiment was conducted with 2,683 men and 2,822 women (55 to 80 years old, over 7 years). They found that in both cases, those drinking 6 or 7 glasses of wine per week were less likely to be diagnosed with depression (even taking into account lifestyle factors).

Lowers cholesterol

Studies have proven that a glass of red wine a day decreases the concentration of atherogenic plaques in the arteries and increases levels of HDL or good cholesterol, improving cardiovascular health.

Decreases the chances of colon cancer

Scientists at the University of Leicester (UK) explained that moderate consumption of red wine on a regular basis can reduce the rate of intestinal tumors by approximately 50%.

It helps prevent dementia

A team of scientists from Loyola University Medical Center (USA) analyzed data from academic studies on red wine from 1977 until today. The studies showed a significantly lower risk of dementia on regular and moderate drinkers of red wine in 14 different countries. Resveratrol reduces the stickiness of platelets in the blood, which helps keep blood vessels open and flexible (no clots), which helps to maintain good blood supply to the brain.

Rich in minerals

Wine provides minerals such as: lithium (balancing the nervous system), magnesium (reduces stress), zinc (improves the immune system), potassium and calcium (ionic and electrical balance).

Slows aging

Consuming a glass of wine a day helps to delay the aging process due to its vasodilatory properties that fight oxidation of cells. It is also recommended for memory.

Prevents Breast Cancer

Drinking any kind of alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. However, consumption of red wine has the opposite effect, as concluded a study of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles (USA). The reason is that the chemicals in the skin and seeds of red grapes reduce estrogen levels and increase testosterone levels, resulting in a lower risk of developing breast cancer.

How to fill up a glass of wine

Sangría con almíbar (Syrup Sangaree)

Ingredients (6 people)

1 liter / 2 pt red wine 
2 peaches
2 oranges
1 lemon
2 bananas
1 apple
75 ml./2.60 fl. oz water
3 heaping tablespoons sugar
1 cinnamon stick 
30 ml/1.20 fl. oz orange or lemon soda





Sangría is one the most popular and really refreshing summer drink, to enjoy with friends and family

Make a syrup with the sugar and water, heating until sugar dissolves, let cool.

Peel and cut the peaches, oranges, bananas, & apple in small pieces. Cut the lemon in 4 big pieces. Add the wine, syrup and cinnamon stick. 

Marinate for 2 or 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Pour into a jar, add orange or lemon soda, ice if needed, and serve very cold.

Tapas & Wine design

How long wine can remain open?

Every wine should have a right temperature

Types of glasses for every wine

Wine Sausage with sauteed cabbage

12 homemade sausages 
1/2 cabbage 
2 big potatoes 
2 cloves of garlic 
1 glass of white wine 
water 
olive oil 
salt 
parsley 


Peel the potatoes, chop and boil in a saucepan with water and salt. Drain and mash with a fork. Place the puree in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, chopped parsley and 2tbsp of olive oil. Set aside. 

Wash and chop the cabbage into thin strips. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Golden fry with olive oil, add the cabbage and saute. Mix the cabbage with mashed potatoes and reserve. 

Meanwhile, cook the sausages in a pan with olive oil, and after 2 minutes add the white wine and cook for 3-4 minutes. 

Tips
Add manchego cheease go the mash potato mixture and cabagge. Yummy!

Chardonnay may help to reduce weight & cholesterol

We all are conscious of the health benefits of red wine. According to reports on The Sydney Morning Herald, Chardonnay is one of the best white wine since it can help to reduce weight, and also bring down cholesterol levels. 

In a laboratory experiments, mouses with high calories got to lower their levels eating wheat made from white wine grape seeds. The trial believes that Chardonnay grapes do alterete the task of genes related to fat metabolism. The seeds also do have anti-inflammatory effects.

During the trial different wine grape seeds were used, and it was found that the ones coming from white varietals worked much better reducing weight and cholesterol than the ones coming from red grapes. Mayo Clinic in USA is making the trial in humans to determine how does it works in us. 

Andalusian pestiños (Pestiños andaluces)

1 cup sherry wine 
1 cup olive oil 
3/4 of wheat flour 
1 tablespoon aniseed 
1/2 teaspoon sesame 
1/2 lemon zest
pinch of salt 
1 packet of yeast 
honey 
icing sugar 
cinnamon 
1/2 liter of oil for frying





In a frying pan heat 1 cup of olive oil over low heat. Lightly fry the sesame seeds, anise seeds and lemon peel. When the olive oil cool down strain and reserve the seeds.

In a large bowl, place the flour (as a volcano). Add inside the volcano the sherry wine, a pinch of salt, and gradually the 1 cup of the fried olive oil with the seeds but without the lemon peel. Finally add the packet of yeast, mix all the ingredients and let the dough rest for an hour. 

Tenderloin with Pedro Ximenez sauce (Solomillo con salsa al Pedro Ximenez)

1 beef tenderloin or pork 
1 onion 
Kosher salt and pepper 
1 tbsp of sultanas
Pedro Ximenez Sauce







Spread the tenderloin in olive oil and season. Cook lightly in a frying pan over medium heat, only until it is crispy from outside. (5 - 10 minutes) 

In the same pan (with the meat juice), cook the onion cut into wedges and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Place the onion with the juice on a oven dish. Add the sultanas. Place the tenderloin on top. Bake for about 15 minutes at 220 º C (until cooked. The time depends on the oven)

Pedro Ximenez Sauce (Salsa Pedro Ximenez)

half glass of Pedro Ximénez wine 
half glass of water 
1 tsp of brown sugar 
1 tsp of cornflour 





Dilute cornflour in half a glass of water. (or slightly less) 

In a saucepan pour the Pedro Ximenez wine, sugar and cornflour mixture. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Will be reduced in 5 - 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat when thickened and let cool.

Tips_ It fits great with pork sirloin, beef and chicken. 

Wine serving temperatures

Wine serving

How to taste wine like a profesional (Wine testing step by sptep)

Tasting wine should always be fun and should never be taken too seriously, but you canmake it more enjoyable by having a better understanding of what you should be looking for.

1_ LOOK

Have a look at your glass and judge the color and clarity of the wine. Is it vibrant or dull? Cloudy or clear? Tilt the glass and look at the edge of the wine, can you detect a tinge of another color?

2_ SMELL

Give your glass a good swirl and stick your nose inside. Think about the different aromas you´re taking in, do you smell berries, oak, flowers? How many different aromas can you detect? Are the aromas complex and interesting?

3_TASTE

Sip you glass of wine. What mouthfeel sensations can you detect? How long does the flavor last? How intense is the flavor? Do you taste the wine over your whole mouth or are there gaps? Is the wine balanced or does something stick out? Is the wine complex or simple?

4_ REPEAT

Judge the wine over the whole glass, not just one sip. Let it evolve and tell its story.

AGE______________________________________________________________

You can tell a lot about a wines age by looking at the color. Order red wines have more brown and orange hues compared to younger reds. Older whites are generally darket and more golden compared to younger whites.

AROMA & FLAVOUR _________________________________________________

All the flavors you enjoy are the aromas in the wine. When tasting wine you should try and identify the different types of aromas that are present and before long you will begin to learn the different types of aromas that you enjoy the most.

TASTE SENSATIONS __________________________________________________

When you taste a wine you are looking for the different taste sensations caused by the wine. The different components should be balanced.

Astringency is the sensation that causes the moisture to be sucked out of your lips giving a puckering sensation. Tannin in red wines can cause astringency.

Residual sugar relates to the amount of sugar in a wine and can be detected on the tip of your tongue. A wine high in residual sugar causes a hot sensation on the tip of your tongue.

Alcohol can be felt in the sides of your mouth. Wines that are high in acidity give a tart sensation, much like biting into a lemon

COMPLEXITY_______________________________________________________

Also you can look at the complexity and length of flavor of the wine. It refers to the number of different aromas and sensations you experience. The best wines are highly complex, with each taste you find something new that keeps you coming back for more. The judge length of flavor, after you swallow the wine wait a short period of time and see if the flavor is still in your mouth. The best wines have fantastic length of flavor that lingers long after the wine has gone. 

Mussels and avocado spread (Paté de mejillones y aguacate)

1 can of pickled mussels (or 10 - 12 boiled mussels with a bay leaf) 
1 large avocado
A few drops of lemon
¼ sweet onion or fresh chives
2 tablespoon of thick mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of white wine



Drain the mussels well.
Peel the avocado and remove the bone.

Put in the glass of the mixer mussels, chopped avocado, few drops of lemon (important to avoid mixture oxidation), the chopped onion and mayonnaise and the white wine.

Putting the cool spread in a bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic touches the entire surface of the pate, to prevent it from rusting.

Would you pick red or white?