We had a last minute change in our itinerary and were offered the opportunity to meet renowned wine maker Rene Barbier of Cellar Laurona in Montsant, Spain. He was charming, kind, and drove us on a personal tour of his vineyards. (Thank goodness I wasn’t driving!!! Hairpin turns and no more than 6 inches to spare to a sure death over a cliff!!) The terroir was intense with steep climbs and very rocky shale-infused soil. Rene’s passion was evident when we were exploring; the way he explained each vineyard, the different vines, sampling of the fruit, the elevation, finishing with a tour of his offices and private cellar. He took us to lunch at a local restaurant to enjoy the food and celebrate with his wines and conversation.
His Clos Mogador, which received a 96 from Wine Advocate and should age well for up to another 10 years, was an outstanding example of a fine wine from Spain. The blend has an intense flavor profile of anise, dark fruit, truffle, slate, and espresso. The other wines he shared with us are not going to be available in the U.S. but were of the same high quality and great balance.
We parted ways from Rene to continue on our 4 hour journey to Logrono. After a much needed few hours of rest we met with the export manager for Bodegas Olarra for our dinner at Meson Egues. Brandon Bartfalvi, our Senior Wine Manager in the Lawrenceville store, told me in advance about this restaurant from his trip to Spain. It lived up to the expectations and then some! The white asparagus was sweet and all the vegetables were from the owners’ garden picked that day. The beef was cooked over charcoal and melted in your mouth. We enjoyed some Bodegas Ondarre Reserve 2004 with our meal, a wine that I was familiar with from the store but accompanied by the food tasted amazing. After our very filling meal we hit the town to take in some local establishments and I had some Spanish sangria. This is not your average pre-made bottled type, rather a fresh made drink that made you want to stay for more.
No comments:
Post a Comment