Brandon's Trip to Spain - June 2011, Part 1

All of our managers and wine staff travel at least once a year to a wine-growing region somewhere throughout the world. Traveling is one of the many aspects of Joe Canal’s that sets us apart from other wine shops. We know that by meeting the winemakers, walking the vineyards and tasting new wine from the barrel, we can see first-hand the passion that goes into each bottle. We can then convey this commitment to quality to our customers. Rather than having you just looking at a label and a score, we believe it is our responsibility to bring you closer to how the wine was made and the people who made it. We'll be sharing their trip reports with you here on the BottleBlog.

In June 2011, Brandon Bartfalvi, Wine Manager of the Lawrenceville store had the privilege of traveling to Spain and immersing himself in Spanish food, culture, and most importantly, wine! Here is the first installment of Brandon's trip.

DAY 1: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

After a peaceful flight from Philadelphia we arrived in the beautiful city of Madrid. Unfortunately, this was a short-lived experience because after a short wait we left for Logrono in La Rioja (a four hour drive). Some might say "Ugh, a four hour drive!!!," but it was a great opportunity to take in the countryside (and a chance to unwind after the flight).

We arrived in Logrono and immediately went to the hotel to freshen up. A quick change, a little stretching and I was ready to tackle the world. We met with the International director for the Bodegas Olarra Group and he helped kick our trip in to high gear. We roamed the town and made our way to a secret hot spot: Meson Egues. This is where I had some of the most delicious beef I have ever eaten. The small establishment doesn't open till about 10pm (along with every other restaurant in Spain it seems) but the wait is well worth it. We went to a private back room and as we passed the kitchen I couldn't help but notice the simplicity. Simple grilling over charcoals: no microwaves, no ovens. If I describe the food too much I will leave this writing and leave for Spain on the next flight so I will keep it simple; Fresh cuts of beef from the market, cooked to perfection with a sprinkling of sea salt with plates of white asparagus that was so tender it melted in your mouth and peas so fresh that they literally popped in your mouth when you bit into them.

After the meal we decided to roam the city and visit around a half dozen tapas bars just so we could get a taste of the city. After the third restaurant I was moaning “no mas” but on we went for another couple hours. The tapas were fantastic and each tapas bar had their own signature dish. I have never eaten this much food in my entire life and that doesn't include all of the 'drinks' we had along the way. This was going to be a great week!