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SPAIN IN ONE WEEK: POSSIBLE ITINERARY
There is no way you can see Spain in 1 week. But you can have a memorable vacation time in Madrid and see some of the highlights of Old Castile if you budget your time carefully. You can use the following itinerary to make the most out of a week in Spain, but feel free to drop a place or two to give yourself a day to relax. One week provides enough time, although barely, to introduce yourself to such attractions of Madrid as the Prado Museum and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. After 2 days, you can head for the once-royal city of Toledo, the most historic and evocative of all Spanish cities. You'll have time to take in Segovia with its Alcázar "in the sky" and the austere monastery-fortress of El Escorial, burial place of Spanish kings.
Days 1 & 2: Madrid
Take a flight that arrives in Madrid as early as possible on Day 1. Check into your hotel and hit the nearest cafe for a pick-me-up café au lait and croissant before sightseeing. Take the Metro to Atocha or Banco de España to begin your tour of the Museo del Prado, allowing at least 2 hours for a brief visit. Since you can't see it all, concentrate on the splendid array of works by Velázquez and take in some of the works of Francisco de Goya, including his Clothed Maja and Naked Maja.
Break for lunch in and around Plaza de Santa Ana, known for its outdoor terrazas. This was the center of an old neighborhood for literati, attracting such Golden Age authors as Lope de Vega and Cervantes. Hemingway drank here in the 1920s.
After lunch, walk west to Puerta del Sol, the very center of Madrid. This is the Times Square of Madrid. Northwest of the square you can visit Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid's art-filled convent from the mid-16th century and a true treasure trove.
After perhaps a siesta at your hotel, head for Plaza Mayor, Madrid's most beautiful square and liveliest hub in the early evening. For dinner, patronize Hemingway's favorite restaurant, Sobrino de Botín.
On Day 2, take the Metro to Atocha for a visit to Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, whose main attraction is Picasso's masterpiece, Guernica. Once here, you can also view one of the greatest collections of modern art in Spain, taking at least 2 hours. In the afternoon, view Madrid's third great art museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, absorbing its many treasures. A visit will easily absorb at least 2 hours of your time.
In the early evening, join in that ritual of tasca hopping, going from one bar or tavern to another and sampling hot and cold tapas or small plates of Spanish appetizers, ranging from fresh anchovies to the tail of a bull. You can discover plenty on your own, virtually on every street corner. After all that food and drink, you'll hardly need to order dinner. Stagger back to your hotel or else attend a flamenco show. Refer to "Madrid After Dark" for the best flamenco showcases.
Day 3: Day Trip to Toledo
Having survived 2 days in the capital of Spain, bid adios and take a RENFE train to Toledo. These depart frequently from Madrid's Chamartín station (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.).
Much of Spain's history took place behind Toledo's old walls. There is so much to see here that you need 2 days, but on a hurried visit you can visit the fortified palace, the Alcázar, with its Army Museum; and the crowning glory of the city, the Catedral de Toledo. The masterpiece of El Greco, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, rests in Iglesia de Santo Tomé. If time remains, see Casa y Museo de El Greco, or the House and Museum of El Greco, although the artist didn't actually live here. Toledo is known for its damascene work, so you may want to return to Madrid by train that night with a souvenir.
Day 4: Side Trip to Segovia
While still based in Madrid, begin Day 4 by taking an excursion to Segovia, leaving from Madrid's Chamartín station and arriving 2 hours later. The thrill of visiting the most spectacularly sited city in Spain is to view its Alcázar, rising starkly above the plain like a fairy-tale castle created by Disney. You can also view the Cabildo Catedral de Segovia and the town's architectural marvel, Acueducto Romano. After lunch in Segovia, head 11km (7 miles) southeast to view the Palacio Real de La Granja, the summer palace of the Bourbon kings. Return to Segovia and take the train back to Madrid.
Day 5: Side Trip to El Escorial
Vying with Toledo as the most popular day trip from Madrid, the half monastery/half royal mausoleum of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is reached from Madrid's Atocha station in about an hour. Felipe II constructed this mammoth complex for "God and myself," with its splendid library, palaces, and some of the world's greatest art.
You can spend a full day here, breaking only for lunch, as you wander the art galleries and state apartments, including the throne room.
If you have time, make a side trip to El Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen), a moving and evocative monument dedicated to the caídos or "fallen" who died in the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Return to Madrid in the evening.
Day 6: South to Córdoba
Leave Madrid early in the morning, taking the 419km (260-mile) train ride (AVE or TALGO) to Córdoba in the south, reached in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Córdoba was once the capital of the Islamic nation in the West. Take 2 hours to visit its Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, the greatest Islamic masterpiece remaining in the Western world. Its stunning labyrinth of columns and red-and-white striped arches alone is worth the visit. With remaining time you can visit Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, a stellar example of military architecture where Ferdinand and Isabella once governed.
After lunch, take one of the frequent trains running between Córdoba and Seville. The fastest train, the AVE, takes only 45 minutes to reach Seville, where you can spend the night.
Day 7: Seville, Capital of Andalusia
For a more extensive tour of Andalusia, refer to "Andalusia in 1 Week" . The next morning, get set to experience the glories of Seville. We like to acclimate ourselves by wandering the narrow streets of Barrio de Santa Cruz, the most evocative district, with its medieval streets, pocket-sized plazas, and flower-filled wrought-iron balconies or tiled courtyards.
After that, head for the Catedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower. The cathedral is the largest Gothic building in the world and the third largest church in Europe. After spending 1 1/2 hours here, climb La Giralda, an adjacent Moorish tower erected by Islamic architects in the 12th century.
After lunch, head for the Alcázar, the other great architectural monument of Seville, which lies north of the cathedral. This is the oldest royal residence in Europe still in use, dating from the 14th century. Allow 1 1/2 hours for a hurried visit. With time remaining, visit Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes de Sevilla, a converted convent housing some of Andalusia's greatest artwork, including masterpieces by El Greco and Murillo. A standard visit takes 1 1/2 hours.
As the afternoon fades, go for a stroll through Parque María Luisa, which runs south along the Guandalquivir River. In summer you can rent a boat and go for a refreshing sail. After dinner in the old town, head for a flamenco show if you still have energy.
The next morning you can take a fast train back to Madrid for your flight home, saving the further wonders of Andalusia for another day.
SPAIN FAMILY TRAVEL: A BASIC ITINERARY THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED JUST FOR YOU!
Spain offers many attractions that kids will enjoy. Perhaps your main concern about bringing children along is pacing yourself with museum time. After all, would you really want to go to Madrid and miss the Prado? We suggest that you explore Madrid for 2 days with the brood in tow, then spend a day wandering through the old city of Toledo, which kids may think was created by Disney. After that, fly from Madrid to Barcelona for 2 days in a city filled with amusements for kids. Finally, fly from Barcelona to Seville for your final 2 days in Andalusia. In Seville, you can link up with either a flight or a fast train back to Madrid.
Days 1 & 2: Madrid
Arrive early in Madrid to get a running start. Museo del Prado opens at 9am, but you can get an early jump on sightseeing by heading for the adjoining Parque de Retiro (Metro: Retiro). With its fountains and statues, plus a large lake, this is a virtual amusement park for kids. Although your child may not be a museum buff, there are many works in the Prado that will sometimes fascinate kids long after their parents' attention has strayed -- take The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch as an example. After 2 hours spent traipsing through the Prado, head for Parque de Atracciones in the Casa de Campo for Disney-like fun, including a carousel, pony rides, and even an adventure into "outer space." There are places for lunch here. In the afternoon, take in the Zoo Aquarium de la Casa de Campo, with its tropical auditorium and some 3,000 animals on parade. Finally, a thrilling ride on the Teleférico is a fit ending for a busy day.
For Day 2 in Madrid, take your brood to Palacio Real (Royal Palace), with its 2,000 rooms. Your kids may have never seen a royal palace before, and this one is of particular interest, with its changing-of-the-guard ceremony, its gardens, and its collection of weaponry and armor. Allow 2 hours for a visit. If you arrived by 9 or 9:30am, you'll still have time to see Museo de Cera de Madrid, the wax museum. You can easily spend an hour here and may have to drag your kids away for lunch.
For your midday meal, head for one of the restaurants at Plaza Mayor or on one of the side streets branching from this landmark square. This is the heart of Old Madrid, and you can easily spend 2 or 3 hours wandering its ancient streets. Sobrino de Botín is our favorite place to dine in the area. It was also beloved by Ernest Hemingway, who featured it in the final pages of his novel, The Sun Also Rises.
To cap your experience, head for Warner Brothers Movie World (tel. 91-821-12-34 ; www.warnerbrospark.com), a Hollywood theme park. It's not very Spanish but is fun for all ages. You'll find it 22km (14 miles) outside Madrid on A-4 in San Martín de la Vega. You can reach it by bus no. 416, which leaves from Madrid's Estación Sur de Autobuses. Movie World charges 32€ ($42) for ages 12 to 59; 24€ ($31) for ages 5 to 11 or 60 and over. Children under 5 are admitted free. There are all sorts of restaurants here (the best pizza is at Valentino's), plus a vast array of amusements ranging from a Tom & Jerry roller-coaster ride to a Río Bravo La Aventura.
Day 3: Day Trip to Toledo
Departing from Madrid's Charmartín station (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.), a RENFE train heads south to the monumental city of Toledo, ancient capital of Spain. A tour of Toledo is like taking your kid into a living-history book.
Head first for the Catedral de Toledo, one of the world's greatest Gothic structures and a jaw-dropping piece of architecture that will enthrall even the children.
After a visit, wander around the historic old town, with its narrow, twisting streets. It's a maze that's fun to get lost in. Eventually you reach Plaza Zocodover, the heart of the old town.
To avoid claustrophobia after all those labyrinthine streets, walk out of the ghetto through the San Martín sector and over to Puente San Martín, a bridge dating from 1203. As you and your brood cross the bridge, take a look back at Toledo rising on a hill before you, evoking an El Greco painting.
Now head back into the maze of Toledo for a final assault on the old city, famous for its bakeries selling marzipan, a delicacy exported all over the world. Our favorite stop, Pastelerías Santo Tomé, Calle Santo Tomé 5 (tel. 92-522-37-63 ), was founded in 1856. Buy your child -- and yourself -- some of this sweet almond paste, but only if you've skipped dessert at lunch.
In the afternoon, visit Casa y Museo de El Greco, which should last 30 minutes. Then go on a walking tour of the military fortress, the Alcázar, inspecting all the military weaponry. Allow a final hour for this tour before taking one of the frequent trains back to Madrid.
Days 4 & 5: Barcelona, Capital of Catalonia
On Day 4, transfer to Barcelona in the east, either by train or plane. If you arrive early, you can take a 2-hour stroll through the history-rich Barri Gòtic or Gothic Quarter. Children love to wander through this maze of narrow, cobbled streets, some dark and spooky like those in a horror movie. Drop in to visit the Catedral de Barcelona. Take your kids on the elevator leading to the roof for one of the most panoramic views of the old city. If it's noon on a Sunday, the whole family can delight in the sardana, the most typical of Catalonian folk dances, performed in front of the church.
Southeast of the Barri Gòtic lies the second most colorful district of Barcelona, La Ribera, home to Museu Picasso. Allow at least an hour for a visit and don't worry about boring the kids. Children always seem fascinated by the works of this controversial artist, even when they exclaim, "Mom, I can paint better than that."
At one of the delis in La Ribera, secure the makings of a picnic lunch and head directly southeast to Parc de la Ciutadella. Here the whole family can enjoy the lakes, promenades, flower gardens, and wacky Cascada fountains. The highlight is Parc Zoològic, the top zoo in Spain, spread over 13 hectares (32 acres), with some 7,500 animals, many of which are endangered.
After leaving the park, head west along the port of Barcelona, where you'll find the liveliest and most beautiful walk along Moll de la Fusta. This leads to the Plaça Portal de la Pau at the foot of Las Ramblas (the main street of Barcelona). At the Mirador de Colón, a monument to Columbus, take the elevator to the top for the most panoramic view of Barcelona's harbor.
Next, head north along Las Ramblas. This pedestrian-only strip extends north to Plaça Catalunya. A stroll along this bustling avenue with its flower vendors is the highlight of a visit to Barcelona. Kids scream in delight as a man in an ostrich suit jumps out to frighten them. You can pay a visit to the Museu de Cera or wax museum, Las Ramblas 4 (tel. 93-317-26-49 ), with some 300 wax figures ranging from Chewbacca from Star Wars to historical personages. It is open July to September daily 10am to 8pm; October to June Monday to Friday 10am to 2:30pm and 4 to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 2:30pm and 4:30 to 9pm. Admission is 6.70€ ($8.70), 3.80€ ($4.95) for ages 5 to 11 and seniors.
To cap a very busy day, visit the mountain park of Montjuïc, with its fountains, outdoor restaurants, gardens, and amusements, including an illuminated fountain display. Kids enjoy wandering through the 1929 Poble Espanyol, a re-created Spanish village. There are plenty of places to dine -- many quite affordable -- in this sprawling park south of Barcelona.
On Day 5, visit La Sagrada Família, the uncompleted masterpiece of the incomparable Gaudí. Take your brood up 400 steep stone steps to the towers and upper galleries (or else go up in the elevator) for a majestic view.
Still in a Gaudí frame of mind, head northwest to Parc Güell, which has been likened to a surrealist Disneyland. Children take delight in the architecture, including two Hansel and Gretel-style gatehouses on Carrer d'Olot. Pathways split through the park, which still has much woodland ideal for a picnic.
After lunch, pay a visit to L'Aquarium de Barcelona, the largest aquarium in Europe, with 21 glass tanks, each depicting a different marine habitat. Take your kids through the 75m (246-ft.) glass tunnel filled with sharks, stingrays, and other denizens of the deep.
Cap the day by heading for the Parc d'Atraccions, a vast fun fair. The park atop Tibidabo mountain is reached by funicular. First opened in 1908, the park has since modernized the rides. Automated toys are just some of the amusements at the on-site Museu d'Automates.
Days 6 & 7: Seville, Capital of Andalusia
To save precious time, we recommend that you fly from Barcelona to Seville on Iberia. A train would take 11 to 12 hours to reach Seville.
After checking into a hotel for 2 nights, head for the Alcázar for a 2-hour visit. This is one of the oldest royal residences in Europe. Kids delight in its construction and layout, which range from a Dolls' patio to Moorish gardens with lush terraces and fountains.
Emerge in time for lunch in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the former Jewish ghetto from the Middle Ages. The most colorful place for a walk in Seville, it is filled with tiny squares, whitewashed houses, and flower-filled patios as you explore a maze of narrow alleyways. There are many taverns in the area serving lunch. The center of the old ghetto is Plaza de Santa Cruz. South of the square are the Murillo Gardens, where you can go for a stroll after eating.
Before the afternoon fades, head for Catedral de Sevilla, the largest Gothic building in the world and the third-largest church in Europe. Allow an hour for the cathedral, followed by a climb up La Giralda, the ancient Moorish tower adjacent to the cathedral.
For Day 7, your final look at Seville, head for Parque María Luisa in the morning. Pavilions constructed for the Spanish American Exhibition of 1929 still stand here. You can spend at least 2 pleasure-filled hours in the park, going on boat rides along the Guadalquivir River and walking along flower-bordered paths. If you can afford it, treat your brood to a horse-and-buggy ride.
Afterwards, head for the landmark square, Plaza de América, where you can stroll through rose gardens past water ponds and splashing fountains. Take time out to visit the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares, a kid-pleaser with all sorts of weaponry, folklore costumes, horse saddles, and musical instruments.
For lunch, head for Bar Giralda, Mateos Gago 1, Barrio de Santa Cruz (tel. 95-422-74-35 ), a tavern converted from an old Muslim bathhouse across from Giralda Tower. Try to get an outdoor seat on the terrace, with its panoramic view of the cathedral. Since 1934 it's been serving that kiddie favorite: patatas a la importancia (fried potatoes stuffed with ham and cheese). Grownups like them, too.
After lunch, take a bus to Itálica, 9km (5 1/2 miles) northwest of Seville. These ruins represent what was once a Roman city founded in 206 B.C. The infamous emperors, Trajan and Hardian, were both born here. The chief ruin is an elliptically shaped amphitheater that once held 25,000 spectators. Spend at least 1 1/2 hours wandering through this city from yesterday.
Return to Seville in time for a summer night's visit to La Cartuja (open until midnight). Now converted into Isla Mágica (Magic Island), it was the site of the 1992 World Expo. Turned into a theme park, it offers rides and shows such as El Dorado or Amazon, Gateway to the Americas. Its motion-picture theater
Spain is Don Quixote country—visitors passing through La Mancha between Granada and Madrid may indeed find, as they gaze at the row of windmills near the town of Consuegra, that the windmills do resemble giants. Related Destination Guides
Visitors to Spain are likely to have their idealized fantasies of the country become realities. Almost all of Spain's villages and towns host fiestas, which visitors can easily locate and join spontaneously.
Walks through cities in Spain may take travelers by medieval Arab fortresses or to bars for wine and tapas. Or visitors might discover a guitarist practicing in a park.
Young lovers can be seen embracing in Spain's ancient streets, and visitors can see flamenco dancers moving with a rehearsed yet passionate fury. Spain is pleasingly down-to-earth yet fascinatingly theatrical all at once.
Spain is Europe's second most mountainous country (only Switzerland has a higher terrain), and the climate varies dramatically according to altitude as well as latitude. In the province of Granada, it is possible to ski in the mountains and lounge on a beach, both in the same day. True alpine conditions prevail in many of Spain's mountains, from the Pyrenees along the border with France to the Sierra Nevada above Granada in the south, and the central two-fifths of the country is primarily high plains crossed by mountain ranges and rivers. Besides the mainland peninsula, Spanish possessions include the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, the Canary Archipelago (in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa) and the Moroccan coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
Mainland Spain can be divided into three climatic zones: the Oceanic in the north (the rainiest and greenest part along the Bay of Biscay); the Mediterranean Zone (sunny and semiarid); and central Spain (hot in summer, cold in winter, relatively dry). Spain is also divided into distinctive, politically autonomous regions, each with its own culture and history, and several with their own languages (including Catalonia, Galicia and the Basque region). Hot, arid Andalusia, to the south, is the home of flamenco, bullfighting and spectacular Moorish architecture
Spain's history was shaped by many forces—the Celts, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Germanic tribes (Visigoths, Vandals) all had a strong hand in influencing the people of the Iberian Peninsula, of which Spain is a part. Perhaps the greatest artistic and intellectual ferment in Spain, though, was under the Islamic conquerors, the Moors (Arabs and Berbers), who ruled parts of the peninsula from 711 to 1492. This period of history in al-Andalus was characterized by a diffusion of culture among Jews, Christians and Muslims, and Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Periods of peace and cooperation were interspersed with spells of fierce fighting. Universities, unique architecture and an age of religious toleration were all fostered by many of the Islamic rulers, most notably those of the Caliphate of Cordoba in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. After a protracted struggle with Christian forces, the Moors were finally defeated in 1492. That same year, all Jews were expelled from Spain, and Columbus crossed the Atlantic under the Spanish flag to reveal the New World to Europe.
The next century saw the apogee of Spain's power and influence throughout the world: Theirs was the first worldwide empire. In addition to their adventures far afield, Spanish kings controlled all or parts of what are now Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy and France. By the early 1600s, most Muslims had been forced to convert or were expelled from the peninsula. Imperial ambitions brought on imperial excess, however, and adventurism finally sapped the strength of Spain. The country went into a decline that saw it lose nearly all of its colonial possessions by the late 1800s.
In the early part of the 20th century, Spain was in turmoil as its traditional culture and economy clashed w
ith modern political and social forces. The breaking point was reached in 1936 with the first shots of the horrific Spanish Civil War. Fascist dictator Gen. Francisco Franco, with the help of Hitler and Mussolini, emerged victorious from the civil war and ruled until his death in 1975. He left Spain in the care of King Juan Carlos I, who helped transform Spain into a modern democracy. With its new freedoms, the country enjoyed a cultural renaissance in the 1980s and 1990s, and joined the European Union in 1986. The country held the world's attention in 1992 as host of the Summer Olympics (in Barcelona) and Expo '92 (in Seville). In the new millennium, Spain continues to integrate itself into the EU.
Spain's main attractions are historical sites, lively cities, some of the finest art in the world, castles, cathedrals, the Alhambra, shopping, the White Villages, cultural events, beaches, museums, caves, hiking, watersports and great food.
Anyone who likes to travel will enjoy Spain. From its art museums and its tapas bars to its beaches, Spain's appeal is so broad that it's truly a country with something for everyon
Menorca's port city of Mahon was the birthplace of mayonnaise.
At 2,133 ft/650 m, Madrid is the highest capital city in Europe. It became the capital in 1561 when Philip II moved his court from Toledo to be closer to his beloved palace, El Escorial.
Point Tarifa is the southernmost spot in Europe. It is considered the best spot in Europe for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Morocco is only 8 mi/13 km from Spain's southern shore across the Strait of Gibraltar. There are ferries and excursions from Algeciras and Tarifa.
Spain has the second-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy.
The Torre de Hercules in La Coruna on the Galician coast is claimed as the oldest lighthouse in the world, dating to 20 BC.
Christopher Columbus brought the first cocoa beans to Spain on his return from his last voyage to the Caribbean in 1502. The Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes drank a bitter chocolate drink with Aztecs in 1519. He added cane sugar and spices to make it more palatable. Back home, the Spanish served it piping hot and created the world's first hot chocolate.
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Spanish Wine and Food Pairings 101
Pairing foods with wines is very much like discovering wonderful new Spanish Mediterranean recipes. Just as the right combination of ingredients complements and highlights each other to create a gourmet dish, pairing the right wine with a meal in Spain creates a combination that celebrates and enhances the experience of both Spanish food and wine.
And, just as a recipe doesn’t have to be complex to be mouth-wateringly good, you don’t have to be a wine connoisseur or gourmet cook to enjoy the benefits of the right wine pairing.
A basic understanding of the food, the wine and how the components and flavors in each interact can make it easy to find a successful pairing on a daily basis, and can greatly increase the chances of finding an exciting synergy between wine and food.
Start with the WineWhen you’re first trying your hand at pairing, we recommend starting with a wine and then selecting and creating the food around it. The simple reason for this is that it’s much easier to tweak a food recipe to make it more compatible with the wine, than it is to start blending your own wines.
Pick a wine you know a love already. This way, you’ll have a sense of its flavors already, which you can use as a starting point to experiment with food pairings. Plus, if the recipe doesn’t work, at the very least you’ll be able to enjoy a nice bottle of wine!
Be ‘Prepared’ With The FoodForget the white wine with white meat and red with red meats. The best place to begin your food selection is with an understanding of how the food is being prepared – the components and flavors in the dish that are integral to pairing it with wine. This is why food and wine pairing in restaurants can be challenging. You think that everything will be fine and then discover that the dish has a different flavor (Why did the chef add olives, they didn’t mention them on the menu?), texture (Wow, I didn’t know that the sea scallops and bay scallops are so different!) or cooking method (I expected the chicken to be grilled, but it is poached.).
The three key pointsTo keep in mind when selecting the food are1. The food item being paired;2. The cooking method of that item; and 3. The additional flavors or sauces
The fundamental rule is to begin by pairing delicate wines with delicate flavors, medium-bodied wines with medium-weight or intensity flavors, and strongly flavored foods with wines that will stand up to their pungency. To help keep things simple as you get started, we’ve put together the following guide. Like anything, these are not absolute rules, but good guidelines to follow to help create the most successful and interesting pairings.
Mourvedre ( Monastrell in Spain)
FLAVORS
Crisp - Tangy
Earthy - Hearty
Intense - Spicy
WINE TYPE
Albariño VerdejoViuraRieslingSauvignon BlancPalomino
Tempranillo jovenPinot Noir Tinto del ToroCariñena
Tempranillo reservaSyrahMonastrell-Mourvedre Garnacha Graciano
FOODS
Salads/Vegetables Fish
Poultry, Game Birds, Pork, Veal
Beef, Offal
SAUCES
Lemon based
Butter; Cream
MeatWine Demiglace
PREPARATION
Poached/Steamed
Sautéed Baked Roasted
Grilled Braised
To make the wine even more compatible you can use the sauce to try to imitate flavors in the wine. For instance, mushrooms work well with Pinot Noir, tomatoes with Sangiovese, herbs and mint with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and dark berries with Shiraz.
As we noted, it’s not critical that you memorize this guide and follow it to the letter. The important point is to use this to help learn how the different types of flavors pair with different wines. This understanding of food components and wine flavors is actually much more helpful that simply matching a food to a wine and the basic chicken breast is a great example of why.
Imagine a chicken breast poached (i.e. cooked in water) with a light lemon herb sauce. This might be a dish that could be friendly with light to medium bodied white wines like Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Now add a cream sauce and you can move up in body to a fuller bodied wine, maybe a Chardonnay. Or try it roasted and suddenly the flavors are such that it can marry with light to medium bodied reds, like Pinot Noir or Sangiovese. Grill it and it becomes great with fuller bodied reds, even Zinfandel or Shiraz (Syrah).
On The ContraryIn addition to marrying foods with complementary wines, many people like to create a contrast between various components in the dish and the wine in much the same way that you would balance sweet dessert recipe with a tangy sauce. This is as simple as enjoying a crisp acidic wine like a Sauvignon Blanc to cut through a very buttery sauce, or possibly a more oaky Chardonnay with a very tart or sweet dish.
The result is different, but the approach remains the same – consider the flavor of both the wind and food to create a specific taste experience.
Dining OutYou can see why our point about the difficulty of pairing a wine with a meal can be rather tricky when you’re dining at a restaurant. That’s why it can also be more fun. Sometimes those surprises can open your palate to wonderful new experiences.
Of course, don’t ever be shy about asking how a food is prepared or requesting help from the sommelier. Be sure they explain how the preparation of the food pairs nicely with the wine. You’ll be more assured of enjoying your meal and will learn some good lessons for your next adventure in your own kitchen.
Cheese, Wine and FruitAny simple gathering can become a tasting event with the classic combination of wine, cheese, and fruit.
An Iberian Couple: Spanish Wine and CheeseBy Jim Clarke
Like sparkling wine kept under pressure and then released, Spanish food and wine is suddenly exploding past the country's borders. In addition to several big-name chefs, the wines and cheeses of the country are becoming popular, and not just in Spanish restaurants. Among cheeses, Manchego has spearheaded the attack into American restaurants, and there are several others trailing in its wake - with many more waiting to be discovered, for that matter. Similarly Spanish wine isn't limited to Rioja anymore; Priorat and Rias Baixas and Penedés and many other quality wines with distinctive personalities are being brought over by enthusiastic and informed importers.
As with France's vinous and dairy products, Spanish wine and cheese make great companions, so I set out to play matchmaker. I was fortunate to visit Spain recently and try a number of wines - inevitably accompanied by cheese - and decided to supplement my education with some research here in New York City. Murray's Cheese Shop in Greenwich Village generously provided me with several great cheeses from their immense selection, and I took them over to see my friends at Union Square Wines to pull some bottles from their shelves that seemed like promising partners.
I began with a creamy mild cheese called Tetilla, which brought back fond memories. The cheese comes from Galicia, in the northwest of Spain above Portugal, and was the first piece of food I put in my mouth when I visited the region last December (The second was some wonderful grilled octopus, a traditional Galician preparation; wonderful, but it made an odd breakfast for me, still on East Coast time). Tetilla is a soft, creamy, mild cow's milk cheese; in Spain, these are less common than those made from sheep or goat's milk, but Galicia's green hills make it the Spanish leader in cow's milk production - cows being pickier eaters than sheep or goats. The cheese's name, which means "nipple," comes from the fact that the cheese is molded into a shape that is said resemble a breast. If so, they must have had Madonna's get-up from the early nineties in mind; the shape is on the cone-like, Hershey Kiss side.
Its risque shape aside, this cheese followed a classic rule of wine and cheese pairing: pair a cheese with a wine from the same region. Galicia is home to the Rias Baixas appellation which makes white wines from indigenous grapes: Albariño primarily, but also Treixadura and Loureira; these are the wines that brought me to visit Galicia. On this occasion I tried the tetilla with the Nora 2002 Albariño, which shows an aromatic nose of peach, apple, and melon with a minerally finish. Paired, it passed its fruity qualities over to the cheese, lightening it, and took on a more Chablis-like character itself. San Simón is Tetilla's alter-ego, a smoked version that's a bit meatier. It also works with Albariño, but preferably something with a brioche edge that will blend well with the smokiness like the Condes de Albarei 2002. If you like cheese croissants it's the match for you.
Cabrales has already made waves in the U.S. among lovers of blue cheeses, but for a blue that's a little tamer (i.e. one that non-blue fans might forgive you for serving) but still creamy, piquant, and flavorful, try Valdeon. It's also the only other cheese we tried that is made with cow's milk, albeit usually mixed with goat's milk depending on seasonal availability. Traditionally it is wrapped in leaves and aged in caves for two or three months, where it develops its blue veins.
Like many blues, Valdeon calls for a sweet wine. Alvear's 2000 Pedro Ximenez Añada worked well, adding a fullness and roundness to the cheese. In this case the wine may be the real winner; the Pedro Ximenez can be a bit too syrupy, and the cheese toned this down and allowed me to concentrate on the figs, dates, and caramel of the wine without being overwhelmed by its texture and mouthfeel. A 2001 Altos de Luzon Jumilla from Finca Luzon also profited from being paired with the Valdeon. The wine's tannins cut through the fat in the cheese, while the slate and other earthy notes emerged from the wine, toning down the fruit.
However, the Jumilla's best match was an Idiazabal, made from sheep's milk in the Pyrenees. Traditionally this cheese was smoked; my sample represented a growing trend away from that treatment, allowing it's buttery and nutty flavors to stand on their own. Together with the cheese, the wine retained all its aromas of blackberry, plum, and slate, and its tannins once more addressed the fat of the cheese to clear the palate. The cheese seemed creamier and smoother in the company of this wine, and they both share an up-and-coming status. The Jumilla DO in Murcia, near Alicante, allows the use of Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Mourvedre (called Monastrell in Spain); it has long been an area of great potential, and the winemakers here have begun applying modern craft to creating more dynamic wines than they have in the past.
The seriously intense Monte Enebro is a cheese that benefits from aging and mold without developing blue veins. A coat of ash and mold forms on the outside of this creamy, spreadable goat's milk cheese, and its tanginess is buttressed by a walnutty base. A Cava like the Marques de Gelida NV Brut brings forth a wonderful smokiness from the cheese, whose nuttiness, in turn, brings out yeasty, bready notes to accompany the sparkling wine's citrus and green apple aromas. Both wine and cheese gain smoothness from the pairing as well. If you've been overindulging in sparkling wines and would like something still, try a sherry like the Delgado Zuleta Manzanilla; there's enough acidity in this wine to keep the cheese's tang in control, and they both possess a complementary nutty element.
A goat's milk cheese with a decidedly different style is Garrotxa, from Catalonia. It's firm, with notes of chalk, wild herbs, and brine as well as a touch of nuts to it. The 2002 Naia is also from Catalonia, in this case from the Rueda DO. The primary grape here is the indigenous Verdejo, and the Naia displays lots of floral aromas which are typical to the grape, along with touches of peach and melon. The herbal scents of the cheese together with the wine's floral qualities bring to mind wind-blown Spanish hills, and the texture and acidity of both partners balance quite well.
Torta de la Serena is a cheese I make a beeline for every time I see it served. Seriously rich and creamy, this soft cheese from Extremadura owes its distinctive, somewhat stinky character to the Merino sheep of the region and the thistle rennet used in making the cheese. Its bold style needs a big red wine to stand up to it. I've enjoyed this cheese on occasion with the 2001 Condado de Haza from the Ribera del Duero, a wine made from 100% Tempranillo grapes; it's dark berries, licorice, and chocolate wraps around the cheese like some yet-to-be-invented bon-bon. An earthier wine also does great things with this cheese; the 2000 Blecua from the Somontano DO is an international blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot together with Spanish natives Garnacha and Tempranillo. Earth, slate and forest floor aromas are layered with black fruits and a clear balsam note from oak-aging; it smooths the more aggressive aromas in the cheese and readies the palate for another bite.
The last successful pairing I tried brought together what may be the two Spanish products most well-known in the U.S.: Rioja and Manchego. 1994 was a special vintage in Rioja and prompted many winemakers to lay down some of their wine according to the special aging requirements to create a Gran Reserva. The Ramirez de la Piscina 1994 Gran Reserva still shows all the character of the tempranillo grape set among the aromas of extended aging: red fruits like cherries and dried cranberries floating over earth, smoke, and barnyard aromas. Meanwhile Manchego is a rich sheep's milk cheese with a mild nutty character and sometimes a pepperiness that increases with aging. In this case my semi-aged Manchego brought new life to the wine, obscuring the barnyard character and filling out the fruitiness. There was just enough tannin left in the wine to balance with the fat of the cheese, and the smoke of the wine blended well with the cheese's nutty touch. Manchego comes from La Mancha, the land of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza; literature's classic pair meets its match on the Spanish table with wine and cheese pairings that ride together just as well.
My thanks to Liz Thorpe at Murray's Cheese and Alexis Beltrami at Union Square Wines for their help in preparing this article.
The Happy Couples: Spanish Wines and Cheeses Together
Cheese:
Wines:
Tetilla
Nora 2002 Albariño, Rias Baixas
San Simón
Condes de Albarei 2002 Albariño, RiasBaixas
Valdeon
Alvear 2000 Pedro Ximenez AñadaFinca Luzon 2001 Altos de Luzon, Jumilla
Idiazabal
Finca Luzon 2001 Altos de Luzon, Jumilla
Monte Enebro
Marques de Gelida NV Brut CavaDelgado Zuleta Manzanilla
Garrotxa
Naia 2002, Rueda
Torta de la Serena
Condado de Haza 2001, Ribera del DueroBlecua 2000, Somontano
Manchego
Ramirez de la Piscina 1994 Gran Reserva,Rioja
SPANISH WHITES: Can You Name One?By Al Dereu
When you consider Spanish wines, what usually comes to mind are the reds from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero areas, the sweet and dry sherries from Jerez (the word sherry itself is a vulgarization of the word Jerez), and the sparkling wine called cava from the Penedés area south of Barcelona. Ernest Hemingway, no stranger to a mellowing beverage, mentioned Spain’s excellent and inexpensive dry rosés on and off in his works, but by and large rosés are under the radar In the United States. Rarely does white wine come to mind – and that’s a shame. Spain, as the country with the world’s most total acreage devoted to vineyards, is home to an array of white wines ranging from the exotic, food-friendly albariño to the more neutral, clean, crisp viura and verdejo to the more familiar chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.
AlbariñoAlbariño, Spain’s signature white wine, is named for a grape grown in Galicia. It is to Spain what sauvignon blanc is to New Zealand and pinot grigio is to Italy, even more so in that almost nowhere else in the world is this grape grown. Almost exclusively bottled as a varietal (that is, with 100 percent albariño and no other grapes blended in), it is as unique as it is food-friendly. It unquestionably ranks as one of the world’s finest, albeit underappreciated, white wine varieties. It literally has no equal, although if asked to name one I would suggest New Zealand’s ripe yet racy sauvignon blanc. Or course albariño does not show the same herbal/grassy aromas and flavors, but in terms of being relatively light in body and displaying forward fruit as well as assertive, palate-cleansing acidity, New Zealand sauvignon blanc is probably albariño’s closest stylistic cousin
These qualities — light body, searing acidity, and intense minerality — make you think of bottling an ocean breeze. They allow albariño to pair brilliantly with a plate of seafood, shellfish, or, more specifically, paella. Spain’s take on a rice dish, paella is typically studded with scallops, mussels, shrimp, chorizo, and/or chicken. It is finished with sherry and traditionally served in enormous pans designed to serve a dozen or even more at a time. Personally, I wouldn’t dream of eating paella without some albariño on hand. In my mind it certainly ranks as one of the greatest and most natural of food-and-wine pairings around. Albariño will also pair well with any seafood rich in mineral or slate qualities (think oysters), though a lobster drenched in butter would be better served alongside your favorite chardonnay, be it Californian or French white Burgundy.Albariño’s home is in Galicia, just north of Portugal, and clearly it enjoys its dominating maritime influence. Galicia is lush and verdant, the landscape more reminiscent of Scotland or Ireland than the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. Given the grape’s undeniable success here, it’s hard to fathom why no one has tried to grow it elsewhere. I can’t recall having tried an albariño from any other country. While some experimentation with oak barrel fermentation has yielded modest success, it is the grape’s primary qualities that set it apart. For the most part, I don’t see how barrel fermentation (versus the normal stainless-steel tank) or any degree of aging can improve upon something that is so unique and so good as it is.
Albariño’s Portuguese genetic cousin, alvarinho, is used to make vinho verde. The latter cannot match the former’s exotic nature and in general pales, not only in color, but also in depth and intensity. Vinho verde on the whole is far more neutral in flavor despite its genetic similarity and geographic proximity to albariño.
There is also less variation vintage-to-vintage in the overall quality of albariños than there is with, for instance, wines from Burgundy or Bordeaux in France, where the whims of Mother Nature can wreak havoc on the grapes and resultant wines. Another consequence of this is price fluctuations, as demand for a “good vintage’s” wines inflate its cost to the consumer. Albariño’s prices remain consistent year to year. And its relative obscurity in this country also helps keep down the price tag. A few albariño producers to look for include Martin Codax, Pazo de Señorans, Burgans, and Fillaboa. Some friends and I recently enjoyed a bottle of this last one with tapas at Café Iberico on the near north side of Chicago.
Viura and VerdejoViura is the most important white grape of the Rioja area in north-central Spain. Rioja is an area far more renowned for its tempranillo-based reds than its whites; some people even think the Spanish word Rioja means red, but it is actually a contraction of “Rio Oja,” a tributary to the Ebro River that runs through the region. Viura makes a far more neutral wine than the aforementioned albariño, lacking the latter’s exotic aromas, flavors, and overall complexity. It has its place, however; if you consider the scorchingly high temperatures typical of the Iberian inland during the summer months, you can readily appreciate its uses. A lighter-bodied, lower-alcohol wine is much easier to drink in unbearable heat – a big, buttery, 14 percent alcohol chardonnay doesn’t quite quench the thirst as well.
I’ve heard some suggest that the full potential of viura has yet to be realized. While I’m not wholly convinced of this, I’d be thrilled to someday learn that there is more to this pleasant little white. Spain is still breaking out of the isolation that gripped the country during the long rule of Francisco Franco, who only passed away 30 years ago. The modernization of the country’s winemaking, investment in new equipment, and total commitment to cleanliness are relatively recent phenomena. For literally centuries, much of Spain “crafted” and drank an oxidized white of little character. So it’s not far-fetched to think there might be uncharted waters even for a grape they’ve grown for hundreds of years.
There has been some experimentation with oak barrel fermentation with mixed results. The Rioja bodega (winery) Conde de Valdemar offers a decent, well-made white, in addition to a stainless-steel tank fermented one. The unoaked white is a great warm-weather quaffer and pairs well with lighter (white) fish and perhaps a simple herb accent – nothing too heavy. An oaky one would seem more suited for scallops with garlic pan-fried in butter.
Verdejo is another indigenous Spanish grape not really cultivated elsewhere. It is grown in Rueda, northwest of Madrid and near the world-class red wine region of Ribera del Duero. Verdejo reminds me most of sauvignon blanc. In fact, sauvignon blanc is also grown in Rueda, and you can find varietal bottlings of both grapes as well as blends of the two together. Light in body and crisply refreshing (noticing a pattern yet?), verdejo can be called upon to quench your summer thirst and complement a salad or herb-seasoned fish or chicken dish.
Even more so than viura-based wines, you’ll rarely if ever encounter much oak influence with Verdejo. One benefit of this is the price – utilizing oak barrels for fermenting or aging wine inherently increases the price of the finished product. While viura and verdejo-based wines may not be the best white wines you’ll ever have, the flip side is that they won’t bleed your wallet dry either. Even $8-15 a pop will get you a good, genuine example of these wines, and that’s really not much to ask for something distinct, food-friendly, clean and easy. Really good albariños cost more along the lines of $13-20 a bottle, which is still relatively inexpensive. A high-quality chardonnay, be it from California or France, could easily cost twice that and more.
Other Spanish WhitesSome other Spanish whites that don’t fit into the above categories warrant mentioning. The Huguet family, longtime makers of the Spanish sparkling wine cava, make a “still” (nonsparkling) white called can feixes. It is blended mostly from grapes used for cava: xarello, parellada, and macabeo (the regional clone of viura), with a splash of chardonnay. Xarello has various “correct” spellings, so if you see any word close to this, it’s probably the same grape. This blend displays restrained flavors of lemon and unabashed minerality; this would serve as a good intro to Spanish whites for Pinot grigio fans. It’s available in Chicago, where I live; and I recently found it being poured at a small wine store in Leesburg, Virginia, when I was there for a wedding. The friendly and knowledgeable saleswoman and I agreed that it is definitely different, consistently good, and begging for a plate of oysters or shellfish.
Marqués de Cáceres, a Rioja winery, makes a white rioja called satinela. It is made mostly from late-harvest viura, with some malvasia filling out the blend. It is fairly sweet, hinting at apricots, white peaches, and even white flowers. Unlike some dessert wines, though, this finishes with good palate-cleansing acidity. The winery’s data sheet calls this “a very original wine in Rioja” and recommends having it with “foie gras, curry dishes, [and] sweet and sour dishes,” but I tend to think peach cobbler or poached pears. To offer both the forward fruit flavors and a crisp finish is no small feat in winemaking, especially considering its $10 price tag. In comparison, the world’s most esteemed dessert wines can cost $40 to $100 for a half bottle and much, much more.
Marqués de Alella, in the tiny area of Alella, makes a spritzy white called clasico that is another pleasant pairing with seafood. The area itself is near Barcelona and the Mediterranean so this is far from surprising. It is made from the local grape pansa blanca, which is their variety of the xarello grown nearby for the production of cava.
The winery Gramona makes a blend called gessami from muscat and sauvignon blanc that drinks like an Alsatian gewurztraminer. It is even sold in a tall, thin bottle like the wines from Alsace, France. It is fragrant, fruity, and even a tiny bit sweet. The muscat grape gives it an apricot/ripe peach quality, and the sauvignon blanc lends a floral note to it.
An important rule of thumb when buying Spanish white wines is that they are almost without exception meant to be drunk young. Stick with recent vintages, and if you can, hold up the bottle (if it’s clear glass) to any light: a young, acidic white wine should show a greenish tinge, and anything brownish should be shunned. If it doesn’t look fresh, it’s not likely to taste that way. This holds true for most less-expensive whites, not just Spanish white wines. I’ve heard some talk that albariño’s acidity is intense enough to merit some aging, but I’m unconvinced. I don’t understand why you would try. Exploit its intrinsic qualities: buy and drink them young, young, young. If five or 10 years from now we learn that they do age well, then all the better. For now I’ll stick with what I do know. On that note my thoughts are turning towards how to work some paella into my dinner plans sometime soon.
Spain news: Bullfights and Hollywood Rescue April 5 (Bloomberg)Spanish bullfighters are counting on Hollywood stars Adrien Brody and Penelope Cruz to save their 900-year-old sport. Filming began last week in the bullfighting heartland of Cordoba for ``Manolete,'' the story of a bullfighter who died after being gored in 1947. His bravery in the bullring and romance of an actress inspired Ernest Hemingway to call him "a demi-god" in the 1960 book on bullfighting, "The Dangerous Summer.""It could give bullfighting a boost," Victor Puerto, a 32- year-old torero, said in a telephone interview. "The criticism we get is destructive and puts people off going for the first time. You have to go at least once to see why poets, writers and musicians have been inspired."Attendances at bullfights fell 11 percent from 2002 to 2004, according to the government, while the number of people wanting to ban the sport that kills 10,000 bulls each year soared. As soccer and motor-racing gain in popularity, bullfighting is getting less coverage in newspapers such as the top-selling El Pais. "A century ago bullfighting didn't need any publicity because it was Spain's only mass-market entertainment," said Eduardo Miura, president of Spain's Madrid-based Fighting-Bull Breeders' Union, in a telephone interview. "Now maybe it does."Eight-Inch Gash Famous for bravely waving his red cape with his back to the bull, 30-year-old Manolete died after a bull opened an eight- inch gash in his leg in a bullring in Linares, near Jaen. Efforts to save him with a blood transfusion failed. His actress girlfriend Lupe Sino, who was disliked by some of his family and friends, was prevented from rushing to his side on concern the couple might try to marry. Manolete's bloodied cream-colored embroidered breeches, pink socks and petite brown leather shoes are on display in Madrid's bullfighting museum. "It's a powerful story," said the 60-year-old Miura, whose father bred the bull that killed Manolete. Oscar-winner Brody will play the bullfighter and Cruz, who won critical acclaim in "Blow," will have the role of Sino. The film will be directed by Menno Meyjes, a Dutchman who co-wrote the screenplay of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and "The Color Purple." No-one from Madrid-based production company Lola Films SA was available for comment. 'The Sun Also Rises'Just 31 percent of Spaniards said they are interested in bullfights, compared with 50 percent who follow soccer, a poll by Gallup in 2004 found. Just 17 percent of Spaniards age 24 or under are interested, Gallup said in the latest bull-fighting poll. To combat this trend, the movie may help to demonstrate "the fear and excitement" of bullfights, said Puerto, who fought at more than 700 shows since 1991. "Manolete" may become the best-known movie about the tradition since "The Sun Also Rises", a 1957 film based on another Hemingway book, said Muriel Feiner, author of "Torero! Los Toros en El Cine," a 2005 book about bullfight movies. The film starred Ava Gardner and Errol Flynn and was popular in the U.S., Feiner said. "It was more fashionable at the time, actors like John Wayne would go down to Mexico to watch bullfights," Feiner said. The latest U.S. production on the subject, "Blood and Sand" in 1989, which starred Sharon Stone, was a flop.
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SPAIN IN ONE WEEK: POSSIBLE ITINERARY
There is no way you can see Spain in 1 week. But you can have a memorable vacation time in Madrid and see some of the highlights of Old Castile if you budget your time carefully. You can use the following itinerary to make the most out of a week in Spain, but feel free to drop a place or two to give yourself a day to relax. One week provides enough time, although barely, to introduce yourself to such attractions of Madrid as the Prado Museum and Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. After 2 days, you can head for the once-royal city of Toledo, the most historic and evocative of all Spanish cities. You'll have time to take in Segovia with its Alcázar "in the sky" and the austere monastery-fortress of El Escorial, burial place of Spanish kings.
Days 1 & 2: Madrid
Take a flight that arrives in Madrid as early as possible on Day 1. Check into your hotel and hit the nearest cafe for a pick-me-up café au lait and croissant before sightseeing. Take the Metro to Atocha or Banco de España to begin your tour of the Museo del Prado, allowing at least 2 hours for a brief visit. Since you can't see it all, concentrate on the splendid array of works by Velázquez and take in some of the works of Francisco de Goya, including his Clothed Maja and Naked Maja.
Break for lunch in and around Plaza de Santa Ana, known for its outdoor terrazas. This was the center of an old neighborhood for literati, attracting such Golden Age authors as Lope de Vega and Cervantes. Hemingway drank here in the 1920s.
After lunch, walk west to Puerta del Sol, the very center of Madrid. This is the Times Square of Madrid. Northwest of the square you can visit Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid's art-filled convent from the mid-16th century and a true treasure trove.
After perhaps a siesta at your hotel, head for Plaza Mayor, Madrid's most beautiful square and liveliest hub in the early evening. For dinner, patronize Hemingway's favorite restaurant, Sobrino de Botín.
On Day 2, take the Metro to Atocha for a visit to Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, whose main attraction is Picasso's masterpiece, Guernica. Once here, you can also view one of the greatest collections of modern art in Spain, taking at least 2 hours. In the afternoon, view Madrid's third great art museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, absorbing its many treasures. A visit will easily absorb at least 2 hours of your time.
In the early evening, join in that ritual of tasca hopping, going from one bar or tavern to another and sampling hot and cold tapas or small plates of Spanish appetizers, ranging from fresh anchovies to the tail of a bull. You can discover plenty on your own, virtually on every street corner. After all that food and drink, you'll hardly need to order dinner. Stagger back to your hotel or else attend a flamenco show. Refer to "Madrid After Dark" for the best flamenco showcases.
Day 3: Day Trip to Toledo
Having survived 2 days in the capital of Spain, bid adios and take a RENFE train to Toledo. These depart frequently from Madrid's Chamartín station (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.).
Much of Spain's history took place behind Toledo's old walls. There is so much to see here that you need 2 days, but on a hurried visit you can visit the fortified palace, the Alcázar, with its Army Museum; and the crowning glory of the city, the Catedral de Toledo. The masterpiece of El Greco, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, rests in Iglesia de Santo Tomé. If time remains, see Casa y Museo de El Greco, or the House and Museum of El Greco, although the artist didn't actually live here. Toledo is known for its damascene work, so you may want to return to Madrid by train that night with a souvenir.
Day 4: Side Trip to Segovia
While still based in Madrid, begin Day 4 by taking an excursion to Segovia, leaving from Madrid's Chamartín station and arriving 2 hours later. The thrill of visiting the most spectacularly sited city in Spain is to view its Alcázar, rising starkly above the plain like a fairy-tale castle created by Disney. You can also view the Cabildo Catedral de Segovia and the town's architectural marvel, Acueducto Romano. After lunch in Segovia, head 11km (7 miles) southeast to view the Palacio Real de La Granja, the summer palace of the Bourbon kings. Return to Segovia and take the train back to Madrid.
Day 5: Side Trip to El Escorial
Vying with Toledo as the most popular day trip from Madrid, the half monastery/half royal mausoleum of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is reached from Madrid's Atocha station in about an hour. Felipe II constructed this mammoth complex for "God and myself," with its splendid library, palaces, and some of the world's greatest art.
You can spend a full day here, breaking only for lunch, as you wander the art galleries and state apartments, including the throne room.
If you have time, make a side trip to El Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen), a moving and evocative monument dedicated to the caídos or "fallen" who died in the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Return to Madrid in the evening.
Day 6: South to Córdoba
Leave Madrid early in the morning, taking the 419km (260-mile) train ride (AVE or TALGO) to Córdoba in the south, reached in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Córdoba was once the capital of the Islamic nation in the West. Take 2 hours to visit its Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, the greatest Islamic masterpiece remaining in the Western world. Its stunning labyrinth of columns and red-and-white striped arches alone is worth the visit. With remaining time you can visit Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, a stellar example of military architecture where Ferdinand and Isabella once governed.
After lunch, take one of the frequent trains running between Córdoba and Seville. The fastest train, the AVE, takes only 45 minutes to reach Seville, where you can spend the night.
Day 7: Seville, Capital of Andalusia
For a more extensive tour of Andalusia, refer to "Andalusia in 1 Week" . The next morning, get set to experience the glories of Seville. We like to acclimate ourselves by wandering the narrow streets of Barrio de Santa Cruz, the most evocative district, with its medieval streets, pocket-sized plazas, and flower-filled wrought-iron balconies or tiled courtyards.
After that, head for the Catedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower. The cathedral is the largest Gothic building in the world and the third largest church in Europe. After spending 1 1/2 hours here, climb La Giralda, an adjacent Moorish tower erected by Islamic architects in the 12th century.
After lunch, head for the Alcázar, the other great architectural monument of Seville, which lies north of the cathedral. This is the oldest royal residence in Europe still in use, dating from the 14th century. Allow 1 1/2 hours for a hurried visit. With time remaining, visit Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes de Sevilla, a converted convent housing some of Andalusia's greatest artwork, including masterpieces by El Greco and Murillo. A standard visit takes 1 1/2 hours.
As the afternoon fades, go for a stroll through Parque María Luisa, which runs south along the Guandalquivir River. In summer you can rent a boat and go for a refreshing sail. After dinner in the old town, head for a flamenco show if you still have energy.
The next morning you can take a fast train back to Madrid for your flight home, saving the further wonders of Andalusia for another day.
SPAIN FAMILY TRAVEL: A BASIC ITINERARY THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED JUST FOR YOU!
Spain offers many attractions that kids will enjoy. Perhaps your main concern about bringing children along is pacing yourself with museum time. After all, would you really want to go to Madrid and miss the Prado? We suggest that you explore Madrid for 2 days with the brood in tow, then spend a day wandering through the old city of Toledo, which kids may think was created by Disney. After that, fly from Madrid to Barcelona for 2 days in a city filled with amusements for kids. Finally, fly from Barcelona to Seville for your final 2 days in Andalusia. In Seville, you can link up with either a flight or a fast train back to Madrid.
Days 1 & 2: Madrid
Arrive early in Madrid to get a running start. Museo del Prado opens at 9am, but you can get an early jump on sightseeing by heading for the adjoining Parque de Retiro (Metro: Retiro). With its fountains and statues, plus a large lake, this is a virtual amusement park for kids. Although your child may not be a museum buff, there are many works in the Prado that will sometimes fascinate kids long after their parents' attention has strayed -- take The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch as an example. After 2 hours spent traipsing through the Prado, head for Parque de Atracciones in the Casa de Campo for Disney-like fun, including a carousel, pony rides, and even an adventure into "outer space." There are places for lunch here. In the afternoon, take in the Zoo Aquarium de la Casa de Campo, with its tropical auditorium and some 3,000 animals on parade. Finally, a thrilling ride on the Teleférico is a fit ending for a busy day.
For Day 2 in Madrid, take your brood to Palacio Real (Royal Palace), with its 2,000 rooms. Your kids may have never seen a royal palace before, and this one is of particular interest, with its changing-of-the-guard ceremony, its gardens, and its collection of weaponry and armor. Allow 2 hours for a visit. If you arrived by 9 or 9:30am, you'll still have time to see Museo de Cera de Madrid, the wax museum. You can easily spend an hour here and may have to drag your kids away for lunch.
For your midday meal, head for one of the restaurants at Plaza Mayor or on one of the side streets branching from this landmark square. This is the heart of Old Madrid, and you can easily spend 2 or 3 hours wandering its ancient streets. Sobrino de Botín is our favorite place to dine in the area. It was also beloved by Ernest Hemingway, who featured it in the final pages of his novel, The Sun Also Rises.
To cap your experience, head for Warner Brothers Movie World (tel. 91-821-12-34 ; www.warnerbrospark.com), a Hollywood theme park. It's not very Spanish but is fun for all ages. You'll find it 22km (14 miles) outside Madrid on A-4 in San Martín de la Vega. You can reach it by bus no. 416, which leaves from Madrid's Estación Sur de Autobuses. Movie World charges 32€ ($42) for ages 12 to 59; 24€ ($31) for ages 5 to 11 or 60 and over. Children under 5 are admitted free. There are all sorts of restaurants here (the best pizza is at Valentino's), plus a vast array of amusements ranging from a Tom & Jerry roller-coaster ride to a Río Bravo La Aventura.
Day 3: Day Trip to Toledo
Departing from Madrid's Charmartín station (trip time: 1 1/2 hr.), a RENFE train heads south to the monumental city of Toledo, ancient capital of Spain. A tour of Toledo is like taking your kid into a living-history book.
Head first for the Catedral de Toledo, one of the world's greatest Gothic structures and a jaw-dropping piece of architecture that will enthrall even the children.
After a visit, wander around the historic old town, with its narrow, twisting streets. It's a maze that's fun to get lost in. Eventually you reach Plaza Zocodover, the heart of the old town.
To avoid claustrophobia after all those labyrinthine streets, walk out of the ghetto through the San Martín sector and over to Puente San Martín, a bridge dating from 1203. As you and your brood cross the bridge, take a look back at Toledo rising on a hill before you, evoking an El Greco painting.
Now head back into the maze of Toledo for a final assault on the old city, famous for its bakeries selling marzipan, a delicacy exported all over the world. Our favorite stop, Pastelerías Santo Tomé, Calle Santo Tomé 5 (tel. 92-522-37-63 ), was founded in 1856. Buy your child -- and yourself -- some of this sweet almond paste, but only if you've skipped dessert at lunch.
In the afternoon, visit Casa y Museo de El Greco, which should last 30 minutes. Then go on a walking tour of the military fortress, the Alcázar, inspecting all the military weaponry. Allow a final hour for this tour before taking one of the frequent trains back to Madrid.
Days 4 & 5: Barcelona, Capital of Catalonia
On Day 4, transfer to Barcelona in the east, either by train or plane. If you arrive early, you can take a 2-hour stroll through the history-rich Barri Gòtic or Gothic Quarter. Children love to wander through this maze of narrow, cobbled streets, some dark and spooky like those in a horror movie. Drop in to visit the Catedral de Barcelona. Take your kids on the elevator leading to the roof for one of the most panoramic views of the old city. If it's noon on a Sunday, the whole family can delight in the sardana, the most typical of Catalonian folk dances, performed in front of the church.
Southeast of the Barri Gòtic lies the second most colorful district of Barcelona, La Ribera, home to Museu Picasso. Allow at least an hour for a visit and don't worry about boring the kids. Children always seem fascinated by the works of this controversial artist, even when they exclaim, "Mom, I can paint better than that."
At one of the delis in La Ribera, secure the makings of a picnic lunch and head directly southeast to Parc de la Ciutadella. Here the whole family can enjoy the lakes, promenades, flower gardens, and wacky Cascada fountains. The highlight is Parc Zoològic, the top zoo in Spain, spread over 13 hectares (32 acres), with some 7,500 animals, many of which are endangered.
After leaving the park, head west along the port of Barcelona, where you'll find the liveliest and most beautiful walk along Moll de la Fusta. This leads to the Plaça Portal de la Pau at the foot of Las Ramblas (the main street of Barcelona). At the Mirador de Colón, a monument to Columbus, take the elevator to the top for the most panoramic view of Barcelona's harbor.
Next, head north along Las Ramblas. This pedestrian-only strip extends north to Plaça Catalunya. A stroll along this bustling avenue with its flower vendors is the highlight of a visit to Barcelona. Kids scream in delight as a man in an ostrich suit jumps out to frighten them. You can pay a visit to the Museu de Cera or wax museum, Las Ramblas 4 (tel. 93-317-26-49 ), with some 300 wax figures ranging from Chewbacca from Star Wars to historical personages. It is open July to September daily 10am to 8pm; October to June Monday to Friday 10am to 2:30pm and 4 to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 2:30pm and 4:30 to 9pm. Admission is 6.70€ ($8.70), 3.80€ ($4.95) for ages 5 to 11 and seniors.
To cap a very busy day, visit the mountain park of Montjuïc, with its fountains, outdoor restaurants, gardens, and amusements, including an illuminated fountain display. Kids enjoy wandering through the 1929 Poble Espanyol, a re-created Spanish village. There are plenty of places to dine -- many quite affordable -- in this sprawling park south of Barcelona.
On Day 5, visit La Sagrada Família, the uncompleted masterpiece of the incomparable Gaudí. Take your brood up 400 steep stone steps to the towers and upper galleries (or else go up in the elevator) for a majestic view.
Still in a Gaudí frame of mind, head northwest to Parc Güell, which has been likened to a surrealist Disneyland. Children take delight in the architecture, including two Hansel and Gretel-style gatehouses on Carrer d'Olot. Pathways split through the park, which still has much woodland ideal for a picnic.
After lunch, pay a visit to L'Aquarium de Barcelona, the largest aquarium in Europe, with 21 glass tanks, each depicting a different marine habitat. Take your kids through the 75m (246-ft.) glass tunnel filled with sharks, stingrays, and other denizens of the deep.
Cap the day by heading for the Parc d'Atraccions, a vast fun fair. The park atop Tibidabo mountain is reached by funicular. First opened in 1908, the park has since modernized the rides. Automated toys are just some of the amusements at the on-site Museu d'Automates.
Days 6 & 7: Seville, Capital of Andalusia
To save precious time, we recommend that you fly from Barcelona to Seville on Iberia. A train would take 11 to 12 hours to reach Seville.
After checking into a hotel for 2 nights, head for the Alcázar for a 2-hour visit. This is one of the oldest royal residences in Europe. Kids delight in its construction and layout, which range from a Dolls' patio to Moorish gardens with lush terraces and fountains.
Emerge in time for lunch in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the former Jewish ghetto from the Middle Ages. The most colorful place for a walk in Seville, it is filled with tiny squares, whitewashed houses, and flower-filled patios as you explore a maze of narrow alleyways. There are many taverns in the area serving lunch. The center of the old ghetto is Plaza de Santa Cruz. South of the square are the Murillo Gardens, where you can go for a stroll after eating.
Before the afternoon fades, head for Catedral de Sevilla, the largest Gothic building in the world and the third-largest church in Europe. Allow an hour for the cathedral, followed by a climb up La Giralda, the ancient Moorish tower adjacent to the cathedral.
For Day 7, your final look at Seville, head for Parque María Luisa in the morning. Pavilions constructed for the Spanish American Exhibition of 1929 still stand here. You can spend at least 2 pleasure-filled hours in the park, going on boat rides along the Guadalquivir River and walking along flower-bordered paths. If you can afford it, treat your brood to a horse-and-buggy ride.
Afterwards, head for the landmark square, Plaza de América, where you can stroll through rose gardens past water ponds and splashing fountains. Take time out to visit the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares, a kid-pleaser with all sorts of weaponry, folklore costumes, horse saddles, and musical instruments.
For lunch, head for Bar Giralda, Mateos Gago 1, Barrio de Santa Cruz (tel. 95-422-74-35 ), a tavern converted from an old Muslim bathhouse across from Giralda Tower. Try to get an outdoor seat on the terrace, with its panoramic view of the cathedral. Since 1934 it's been serving that kiddie favorite: patatas a la importancia (fried potatoes stuffed with ham and cheese). Grownups like them, too.
After lunch, take a bus to Itálica, 9km (5 1/2 miles) northwest of Seville. These ruins represent what was once a Roman city founded in 206 B.C. The infamous emperors, Trajan and Hardian, were both born here. The chief ruin is an elliptically shaped amphitheater that once held 25,000 spectators. Spend at least 1 1/2 hours wandering through this city from yesterday.
Return to Seville in time for a summer night's visit to La Cartuja (open until midnight). Now converted into Isla Mágica (Magic Island), it was the site of the 1992 World Expo. Turned into a theme park, it offers rides and shows such as El Dorado or Amazon, Gateway to the Americas. Its motion-picture theater
Spain is Don Quixote country—visitors passing through La Mancha between Granada and Madrid may indeed find, as they gaze at the row of windmills near the town of Consuegra, that the windmills do resemble giants. Related Destination Guides
Visitors to Spain are likely to have their idealized fantasies of the country become realities. Almost all of Spain's villages and towns host fiestas, which visitors can easily locate and join spontaneously.
Walks through cities in Spain may take travelers by medieval Arab fortresses or to bars for wine and tapas. Or visitors might discover a guitarist practicing in a park.
Young lovers can be seen embracing in Spain's ancient streets, and visitors can see flamenco dancers moving with a rehearsed yet passionate fury. Spain is pleasingly down-to-earth yet fascinatingly theatrical all at once.
Spain is Europe's second most mountainous country (only Switzerland has a higher terrain), and the climate varies dramatically according to altitude as well as latitude. In the province of Granada, it is possible to ski in the mountains and lounge on a beach, both in the same day. True alpine conditions prevail in many of Spain's mountains, from the Pyrenees along the border with France to the Sierra Nevada above Granada in the south, and the central two-fifths of the country is primarily high plains crossed by mountain ranges and rivers. Besides the mainland peninsula, Spanish possessions include the Mediterranean Balearic Islands, the Canary Archipelago (in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa) and the Moroccan coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
Mainland Spain can be divided into three climatic zones: the Oceanic in the north (the rainiest and greenest part along the Bay of Biscay); the Mediterranean Zone (sunny and semiarid); and central Spain (hot in summer, cold in winter, relatively dry). Spain is also divided into distinctive, politically autonomous regions, each with its own culture and history, and several with their own languages (including Catalonia, Galicia and the Basque region). Hot, arid Andalusia, to the south, is the home of flamenco, bullfighting and spectacular Moorish architecture
Spain's history was shaped by many forces—the Celts, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Germanic tribes (Visigoths, Vandals) all had a strong hand in influencing the people of the Iberian Peninsula, of which Spain is a part. Perhaps the greatest artistic and intellectual ferment in Spain, though, was under the Islamic conquerors, the Moors (Arabs and Berbers), who ruled parts of the peninsula from 711 to 1492. This period of history in al-Andalus was characterized by a diffusion of culture among Jews, Christians and Muslims, and Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Periods of peace and cooperation were interspersed with spells of fierce fighting. Universities, unique architecture and an age of religious toleration were all fostered by many of the Islamic rulers, most notably those of the Caliphate of Cordoba in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. After a protracted struggle with Christian forces, the Moors were finally defeated in 1492. That same year, all Jews were expelled from Spain, and Columbus crossed the Atlantic under the Spanish flag to reveal the New World to Europe.
The next century saw the apogee of Spain's power and influence throughout the world: Theirs was the first worldwide empire. In addition to their adventures far afield, Spanish kings controlled all or parts of what are now Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy and France. By the early 1600s, most Muslims had been forced to convert or were expelled from the peninsula. Imperial ambitions brought on imperial excess, however, and adventurism finally sapped the strength of Spain. The country went into a decline that saw it lose nearly all of its colonial possessions by the late 1800s.
In the early part of the 20th century, Spain was in turmoil as its traditional culture and economy clashed w
ith modern political and social forces. The breaking point was reached in 1936 with the first shots of the horrific Spanish Civil War. Fascist dictator Gen. Francisco Franco, with the help of Hitler and Mussolini, emerged victorious from the civil war and ruled until his death in 1975. He left Spain in the care of King Juan Carlos I, who helped transform Spain into a modern democracy. With its new freedoms, the country enjoyed a cultural renaissance in the 1980s and 1990s, and joined the European Union in 1986. The country held the world's attention in 1992 as host of the Summer Olympics (in Barcelona) and Expo '92 (in Seville). In the new millennium, Spain continues to integrate itself into the EU.
Spain's main attractions are historical sites, lively cities, some of the finest art in the world, castles, cathedrals, the Alhambra, shopping, the White Villages, cultural events, beaches, museums, caves, hiking, watersports and great food.
Anyone who likes to travel will enjoy Spain. From its art museums and its tapas bars to its beaches, Spain's appeal is so broad that it's truly a country with something for everyon
Menorca's port city of Mahon was the birthplace of mayonnaise.
At 2,133 ft/650 m, Madrid is the highest capital city in Europe. It became the capital in 1561 when Philip II moved his court from Toledo to be closer to his beloved palace, El Escorial.
Point Tarifa is the southernmost spot in Europe. It is considered the best spot in Europe for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Morocco is only 8 mi/13 km from Spain's southern shore across the Strait of Gibraltar. There are ferries and excursions from Algeciras and Tarifa.
Spain has the second-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy.
The Torre de Hercules in La Coruna on the Galician coast is claimed as the oldest lighthouse in the world, dating to 20 BC.
Christopher Columbus brought the first cocoa beans to Spain on his return from his last voyage to the Caribbean in 1502. The Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes drank a bitter chocolate drink with Aztecs in 1519. He added cane sugar and spices to make it more palatable. Back home, the Spanish served it piping hot and created the world's first hot chocolate.
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Spanish Wine and Food Pairings 101
Pairing foods with wines is very much like discovering wonderful new Spanish Mediterranean recipes. Just as the right combination of ingredients complements and highlights each other to create a gourmet dish, pairing the right wine with a meal in Spain creates a combination that celebrates and enhances the experience of both Spanish food and wine.
And, just as a recipe doesn’t have to be complex to be mouth-wateringly good, you don’t have to be a wine connoisseur or gourmet cook to enjoy the benefits of the right wine pairing.
A basic understanding of the food, the wine and how the components and flavors in each interact can make it easy to find a successful pairing on a daily basis, and can greatly increase the chances of finding an exciting synergy between wine and food.
Start with the WineWhen you’re first trying your hand at pairing, we recommend starting with a wine and then selecting and creating the food around it. The simple reason for this is that it’s much easier to tweak a food recipe to make it more compatible with the wine, than it is to start blending your own wines.
Pick a wine you know a love already. This way, you’ll have a sense of its flavors already, which you can use as a starting point to experiment with food pairings. Plus, if the recipe doesn’t work, at the very least you’ll be able to enjoy a nice bottle of wine!
Be ‘Prepared’ With The FoodForget the white wine with white meat and red with red meats. The best place to begin your food selection is with an understanding of how the food is being prepared – the components and flavors in the dish that are integral to pairing it with wine. This is why food and wine pairing in restaurants can be challenging. You think that everything will be fine and then discover that the dish has a different flavor (Why did the chef add olives, they didn’t mention them on the menu?), texture (Wow, I didn’t know that the sea scallops and bay scallops are so different!) or cooking method (I expected the chicken to be grilled, but it is poached.).
The three key pointsTo keep in mind when selecting the food are1. The food item being paired;2. The cooking method of that item; and 3. The additional flavors or sauces
The fundamental rule is to begin by pairing delicate wines with delicate flavors, medium-bodied wines with medium-weight or intensity flavors, and strongly flavored foods with wines that will stand up to their pungency. To help keep things simple as you get started, we’ve put together the following guide. Like anything, these are not absolute rules, but good guidelines to follow to help create the most successful and interesting pairings.
Mourvedre ( Monastrell in Spain)
FLAVORS
Crisp - Tangy
Earthy - Hearty
Intense - Spicy
WINE TYPE
Albariño VerdejoViuraRieslingSauvignon BlancPalomino
Tempranillo jovenPinot Noir Tinto del ToroCariñena
Tempranillo reservaSyrahMonastrell-Mourvedre Garnacha Graciano
FOODS
Salads/Vegetables Fish
Poultry, Game Birds, Pork, Veal
Beef, Offal
SAUCES
Lemon based
Butter; Cream
MeatWine Demiglace
PREPARATION
Poached/Steamed
Sautéed Baked Roasted
Grilled Braised
To make the wine even more compatible you can use the sauce to try to imitate flavors in the wine. For instance, mushrooms work well with Pinot Noir, tomatoes with Sangiovese, herbs and mint with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and dark berries with Shiraz.
As we noted, it’s not critical that you memorize this guide and follow it to the letter. The important point is to use this to help learn how the different types of flavors pair with different wines. This understanding of food components and wine flavors is actually much more helpful that simply matching a food to a wine and the basic chicken breast is a great example of why.
Imagine a chicken breast poached (i.e. cooked in water) with a light lemon herb sauce. This might be a dish that could be friendly with light to medium bodied white wines like Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Now add a cream sauce and you can move up in body to a fuller bodied wine, maybe a Chardonnay. Or try it roasted and suddenly the flavors are such that it can marry with light to medium bodied reds, like Pinot Noir or Sangiovese. Grill it and it becomes great with fuller bodied reds, even Zinfandel or Shiraz (Syrah).
On The ContraryIn addition to marrying foods with complementary wines, many people like to create a contrast between various components in the dish and the wine in much the same way that you would balance sweet dessert recipe with a tangy sauce. This is as simple as enjoying a crisp acidic wine like a Sauvignon Blanc to cut through a very buttery sauce, or possibly a more oaky Chardonnay with a very tart or sweet dish.
The result is different, but the approach remains the same – consider the flavor of both the wind and food to create a specific taste experience.
Dining OutYou can see why our point about the difficulty of pairing a wine with a meal can be rather tricky when you’re dining at a restaurant. That’s why it can also be more fun. Sometimes those surprises can open your palate to wonderful new experiences.
Of course, don’t ever be shy about asking how a food is prepared or requesting help from the sommelier. Be sure they explain how the preparation of the food pairs nicely with the wine. You’ll be more assured of enjoying your meal and will learn some good lessons for your next adventure in your own kitchen.
Cheese, Wine and FruitAny simple gathering can become a tasting event with the classic combination of wine, cheese, and fruit.
An Iberian Couple: Spanish Wine and CheeseBy Jim Clarke
Like sparkling wine kept under pressure and then released, Spanish food and wine is suddenly exploding past the country's borders. In addition to several big-name chefs, the wines and cheeses of the country are becoming popular, and not just in Spanish restaurants. Among cheeses, Manchego has spearheaded the attack into American restaurants, and there are several others trailing in its wake - with many more waiting to be discovered, for that matter. Similarly Spanish wine isn't limited to Rioja anymore; Priorat and Rias Baixas and Penedés and many other quality wines with distinctive personalities are being brought over by enthusiastic and informed importers.
As with France's vinous and dairy products, Spanish wine and cheese make great companions, so I set out to play matchmaker. I was fortunate to visit Spain recently and try a number of wines - inevitably accompanied by cheese - and decided to supplement my education with some research here in New York City. Murray's Cheese Shop in Greenwich Village generously provided me with several great cheeses from their immense selection, and I took them over to see my friends at Union Square Wines to pull some bottles from their shelves that seemed like promising partners.
I began with a creamy mild cheese called Tetilla, which brought back fond memories. The cheese comes from Galicia, in the northwest of Spain above Portugal, and was the first piece of food I put in my mouth when I visited the region last December (The second was some wonderful grilled octopus, a traditional Galician preparation; wonderful, but it made an odd breakfast for me, still on East Coast time). Tetilla is a soft, creamy, mild cow's milk cheese; in Spain, these are less common than those made from sheep or goat's milk, but Galicia's green hills make it the Spanish leader in cow's milk production - cows being pickier eaters than sheep or goats. The cheese's name, which means "nipple," comes from the fact that the cheese is molded into a shape that is said resemble a breast. If so, they must have had Madonna's get-up from the early nineties in mind; the shape is on the cone-like, Hershey Kiss side.
Its risque shape aside, this cheese followed a classic rule of wine and cheese pairing: pair a cheese with a wine from the same region. Galicia is home to the Rias Baixas appellation which makes white wines from indigenous grapes: Albariño primarily, but also Treixadura and Loureira; these are the wines that brought me to visit Galicia. On this occasion I tried the tetilla with the Nora 2002 Albariño, which shows an aromatic nose of peach, apple, and melon with a minerally finish. Paired, it passed its fruity qualities over to the cheese, lightening it, and took on a more Chablis-like character itself. San Simón is Tetilla's alter-ego, a smoked version that's a bit meatier. It also works with Albariño, but preferably something with a brioche edge that will blend well with the smokiness like the Condes de Albarei 2002. If you like cheese croissants it's the match for you.
Cabrales has already made waves in the U.S. among lovers of blue cheeses, but for a blue that's a little tamer (i.e. one that non-blue fans might forgive you for serving) but still creamy, piquant, and flavorful, try Valdeon. It's also the only other cheese we tried that is made with cow's milk, albeit usually mixed with goat's milk depending on seasonal availability. Traditionally it is wrapped in leaves and aged in caves for two or three months, where it develops its blue veins.
Like many blues, Valdeon calls for a sweet wine. Alvear's 2000 Pedro Ximenez Añada worked well, adding a fullness and roundness to the cheese. In this case the wine may be the real winner; the Pedro Ximenez can be a bit too syrupy, and the cheese toned this down and allowed me to concentrate on the figs, dates, and caramel of the wine without being overwhelmed by its texture and mouthfeel. A 2001 Altos de Luzon Jumilla from Finca Luzon also profited from being paired with the Valdeon. The wine's tannins cut through the fat in the cheese, while the slate and other earthy notes emerged from the wine, toning down the fruit.
However, the Jumilla's best match was an Idiazabal, made from sheep's milk in the Pyrenees. Traditionally this cheese was smoked; my sample represented a growing trend away from that treatment, allowing it's buttery and nutty flavors to stand on their own. Together with the cheese, the wine retained all its aromas of blackberry, plum, and slate, and its tannins once more addressed the fat of the cheese to clear the palate. The cheese seemed creamier and smoother in the company of this wine, and they both share an up-and-coming status. The Jumilla DO in Murcia, near Alicante, allows the use of Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Mourvedre (called Monastrell in Spain); it has long been an area of great potential, and the winemakers here have begun applying modern craft to creating more dynamic wines than they have in the past.
The seriously intense Monte Enebro is a cheese that benefits from aging and mold without developing blue veins. A coat of ash and mold forms on the outside of this creamy, spreadable goat's milk cheese, and its tanginess is buttressed by a walnutty base. A Cava like the Marques de Gelida NV Brut brings forth a wonderful smokiness from the cheese, whose nuttiness, in turn, brings out yeasty, bready notes to accompany the sparkling wine's citrus and green apple aromas. Both wine and cheese gain smoothness from the pairing as well. If you've been overindulging in sparkling wines and would like something still, try a sherry like the Delgado Zuleta Manzanilla; there's enough acidity in this wine to keep the cheese's tang in control, and they both possess a complementary nutty element.
A goat's milk cheese with a decidedly different style is Garrotxa, from Catalonia. It's firm, with notes of chalk, wild herbs, and brine as well as a touch of nuts to it. The 2002 Naia is also from Catalonia, in this case from the Rueda DO. The primary grape here is the indigenous Verdejo, and the Naia displays lots of floral aromas which are typical to the grape, along with touches of peach and melon. The herbal scents of the cheese together with the wine's floral qualities bring to mind wind-blown Spanish hills, and the texture and acidity of both partners balance quite well.
Torta de la Serena is a cheese I make a beeline for every time I see it served. Seriously rich and creamy, this soft cheese from Extremadura owes its distinctive, somewhat stinky character to the Merino sheep of the region and the thistle rennet used in making the cheese. Its bold style needs a big red wine to stand up to it. I've enjoyed this cheese on occasion with the 2001 Condado de Haza from the Ribera del Duero, a wine made from 100% Tempranillo grapes; it's dark berries, licorice, and chocolate wraps around the cheese like some yet-to-be-invented bon-bon. An earthier wine also does great things with this cheese; the 2000 Blecua from the Somontano DO is an international blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot together with Spanish natives Garnacha and Tempranillo. Earth, slate and forest floor aromas are layered with black fruits and a clear balsam note from oak-aging; it smooths the more aggressive aromas in the cheese and readies the palate for another bite.
The last successful pairing I tried brought together what may be the two Spanish products most well-known in the U.S.: Rioja and Manchego. 1994 was a special vintage in Rioja and prompted many winemakers to lay down some of their wine according to the special aging requirements to create a Gran Reserva. The Ramirez de la Piscina 1994 Gran Reserva still shows all the character of the tempranillo grape set among the aromas of extended aging: red fruits like cherries and dried cranberries floating over earth, smoke, and barnyard aromas. Meanwhile Manchego is a rich sheep's milk cheese with a mild nutty character and sometimes a pepperiness that increases with aging. In this case my semi-aged Manchego brought new life to the wine, obscuring the barnyard character and filling out the fruitiness. There was just enough tannin left in the wine to balance with the fat of the cheese, and the smoke of the wine blended well with the cheese's nutty touch. Manchego comes from La Mancha, the land of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza; literature's classic pair meets its match on the Spanish table with wine and cheese pairings that ride together just as well.
My thanks to Liz Thorpe at Murray's Cheese and Alexis Beltrami at Union Square Wines for their help in preparing this article.
The Happy Couples: Spanish Wines and Cheeses Together
Cheese:
Wines:
Tetilla
Nora 2002 Albariño, Rias Baixas
San Simón
Condes de Albarei 2002 Albariño, RiasBaixas
Valdeon
Alvear 2000 Pedro Ximenez AñadaFinca Luzon 2001 Altos de Luzon, Jumilla
Idiazabal
Finca Luzon 2001 Altos de Luzon, Jumilla
Monte Enebro
Marques de Gelida NV Brut CavaDelgado Zuleta Manzanilla
Garrotxa
Naia 2002, Rueda
Torta de la Serena
Condado de Haza 2001, Ribera del DueroBlecua 2000, Somontano
Manchego
Ramirez de la Piscina 1994 Gran Reserva,Rioja
SPANISH WHITES: Can You Name One?By Al Dereu
When you consider Spanish wines, what usually comes to mind are the reds from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero areas, the sweet and dry sherries from Jerez (the word sherry itself is a vulgarization of the word Jerez), and the sparkling wine called cava from the Penedés area south of Barcelona. Ernest Hemingway, no stranger to a mellowing beverage, mentioned Spain’s excellent and inexpensive dry rosés on and off in his works, but by and large rosés are under the radar In the United States. Rarely does white wine come to mind – and that’s a shame. Spain, as the country with the world’s most total acreage devoted to vineyards, is home to an array of white wines ranging from the exotic, food-friendly albariño to the more neutral, clean, crisp viura and verdejo to the more familiar chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.
AlbariñoAlbariño, Spain’s signature white wine, is named for a grape grown in Galicia. It is to Spain what sauvignon blanc is to New Zealand and pinot grigio is to Italy, even more so in that almost nowhere else in the world is this grape grown. Almost exclusively bottled as a varietal (that is, with 100 percent albariño and no other grapes blended in), it is as unique as it is food-friendly. It unquestionably ranks as one of the world’s finest, albeit underappreciated, white wine varieties. It literally has no equal, although if asked to name one I would suggest New Zealand’s ripe yet racy sauvignon blanc. Or course albariño does not show the same herbal/grassy aromas and flavors, but in terms of being relatively light in body and displaying forward fruit as well as assertive, palate-cleansing acidity, New Zealand sauvignon blanc is probably albariño’s closest stylistic cousin
These qualities — light body, searing acidity, and intense minerality — make you think of bottling an ocean breeze. They allow albariño to pair brilliantly with a plate of seafood, shellfish, or, more specifically, paella. Spain’s take on a rice dish, paella is typically studded with scallops, mussels, shrimp, chorizo, and/or chicken. It is finished with sherry and traditionally served in enormous pans designed to serve a dozen or even more at a time. Personally, I wouldn’t dream of eating paella without some albariño on hand. In my mind it certainly ranks as one of the greatest and most natural of food-and-wine pairings around. Albariño will also pair well with any seafood rich in mineral or slate qualities (think oysters), though a lobster drenched in butter would be better served alongside your favorite chardonnay, be it Californian or French white Burgundy.Albariño’s home is in Galicia, just north of Portugal, and clearly it enjoys its dominating maritime influence. Galicia is lush and verdant, the landscape more reminiscent of Scotland or Ireland than the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. Given the grape’s undeniable success here, it’s hard to fathom why no one has tried to grow it elsewhere. I can’t recall having tried an albariño from any other country. While some experimentation with oak barrel fermentation has yielded modest success, it is the grape’s primary qualities that set it apart. For the most part, I don’t see how barrel fermentation (versus the normal stainless-steel tank) or any degree of aging can improve upon something that is so unique and so good as it is.
Albariño’s Portuguese genetic cousin, alvarinho, is used to make vinho verde. The latter cannot match the former’s exotic nature and in general pales, not only in color, but also in depth and intensity. Vinho verde on the whole is far more neutral in flavor despite its genetic similarity and geographic proximity to albariño.
There is also less variation vintage-to-vintage in the overall quality of albariños than there is with, for instance, wines from Burgundy or Bordeaux in France, where the whims of Mother Nature can wreak havoc on the grapes and resultant wines. Another consequence of this is price fluctuations, as demand for a “good vintage’s” wines inflate its cost to the consumer. Albariño’s prices remain consistent year to year. And its relative obscurity in this country also helps keep down the price tag. A few albariño producers to look for include Martin Codax, Pazo de Señorans, Burgans, and Fillaboa. Some friends and I recently enjoyed a bottle of this last one with tapas at Café Iberico on the near north side of Chicago.
Viura and VerdejoViura is the most important white grape of the Rioja area in north-central Spain. Rioja is an area far more renowned for its tempranillo-based reds than its whites; some people even think the Spanish word Rioja means red, but it is actually a contraction of “Rio Oja,” a tributary to the Ebro River that runs through the region. Viura makes a far more neutral wine than the aforementioned albariño, lacking the latter’s exotic aromas, flavors, and overall complexity. It has its place, however; if you consider the scorchingly high temperatures typical of the Iberian inland during the summer months, you can readily appreciate its uses. A lighter-bodied, lower-alcohol wine is much easier to drink in unbearable heat – a big, buttery, 14 percent alcohol chardonnay doesn’t quite quench the thirst as well.
I’ve heard some suggest that the full potential of viura has yet to be realized. While I’m not wholly convinced of this, I’d be thrilled to someday learn that there is more to this pleasant little white. Spain is still breaking out of the isolation that gripped the country during the long rule of Francisco Franco, who only passed away 30 years ago. The modernization of the country’s winemaking, investment in new equipment, and total commitment to cleanliness are relatively recent phenomena. For literally centuries, much of Spain “crafted” and drank an oxidized white of little character. So it’s not far-fetched to think there might be uncharted waters even for a grape they’ve grown for hundreds of years.
There has been some experimentation with oak barrel fermentation with mixed results. The Rioja bodega (winery) Conde de Valdemar offers a decent, well-made white, in addition to a stainless-steel tank fermented one. The unoaked white is a great warm-weather quaffer and pairs well with lighter (white) fish and perhaps a simple herb accent – nothing too heavy. An oaky one would seem more suited for scallops with garlic pan-fried in butter.
Verdejo is another indigenous Spanish grape not really cultivated elsewhere. It is grown in Rueda, northwest of Madrid and near the world-class red wine region of Ribera del Duero. Verdejo reminds me most of sauvignon blanc. In fact, sauvignon blanc is also grown in Rueda, and you can find varietal bottlings of both grapes as well as blends of the two together. Light in body and crisply refreshing (noticing a pattern yet?), verdejo can be called upon to quench your summer thirst and complement a salad or herb-seasoned fish or chicken dish.
Even more so than viura-based wines, you’ll rarely if ever encounter much oak influence with Verdejo. One benefit of this is the price – utilizing oak barrels for fermenting or aging wine inherently increases the price of the finished product. While viura and verdejo-based wines may not be the best white wines you’ll ever have, the flip side is that they won’t bleed your wallet dry either. Even $8-15 a pop will get you a good, genuine example of these wines, and that’s really not much to ask for something distinct, food-friendly, clean and easy. Really good albariños cost more along the lines of $13-20 a bottle, which is still relatively inexpensive. A high-quality chardonnay, be it from California or France, could easily cost twice that and more.
Other Spanish WhitesSome other Spanish whites that don’t fit into the above categories warrant mentioning. The Huguet family, longtime makers of the Spanish sparkling wine cava, make a “still” (nonsparkling) white called can feixes. It is blended mostly from grapes used for cava: xarello, parellada, and macabeo (the regional clone of viura), with a splash of chardonnay. Xarello has various “correct” spellings, so if you see any word close to this, it’s probably the same grape. This blend displays restrained flavors of lemon and unabashed minerality; this would serve as a good intro to Spanish whites for Pinot grigio fans. It’s available in Chicago, where I live; and I recently found it being poured at a small wine store in Leesburg, Virginia, when I was there for a wedding. The friendly and knowledgeable saleswoman and I agreed that it is definitely different, consistently good, and begging for a plate of oysters or shellfish.
Marqués de Cáceres, a Rioja winery, makes a white rioja called satinela. It is made mostly from late-harvest viura, with some malvasia filling out the blend. It is fairly sweet, hinting at apricots, white peaches, and even white flowers. Unlike some dessert wines, though, this finishes with good palate-cleansing acidity. The winery’s data sheet calls this “a very original wine in Rioja” and recommends having it with “foie gras, curry dishes, [and] sweet and sour dishes,” but I tend to think peach cobbler or poached pears. To offer both the forward fruit flavors and a crisp finish is no small feat in winemaking, especially considering its $10 price tag. In comparison, the world’s most esteemed dessert wines can cost $40 to $100 for a half bottle and much, much more.
Marqués de Alella, in the tiny area of Alella, makes a spritzy white called clasico that is another pleasant pairing with seafood. The area itself is near Barcelona and the Mediterranean so this is far from surprising. It is made from the local grape pansa blanca, which is their variety of the xarello grown nearby for the production of cava.
The winery Gramona makes a blend called gessami from muscat and sauvignon blanc that drinks like an Alsatian gewurztraminer. It is even sold in a tall, thin bottle like the wines from Alsace, France. It is fragrant, fruity, and even a tiny bit sweet. The muscat grape gives it an apricot/ripe peach quality, and the sauvignon blanc lends a floral note to it.
An important rule of thumb when buying Spanish white wines is that they are almost without exception meant to be drunk young. Stick with recent vintages, and if you can, hold up the bottle (if it’s clear glass) to any light: a young, acidic white wine should show a greenish tinge, and anything brownish should be shunned. If it doesn’t look fresh, it’s not likely to taste that way. This holds true for most less-expensive whites, not just Spanish white wines. I’ve heard some talk that albariño’s acidity is intense enough to merit some aging, but I’m unconvinced. I don’t understand why you would try. Exploit its intrinsic qualities: buy and drink them young, young, young. If five or 10 years from now we learn that they do age well, then all the better. For now I’ll stick with what I do know. On that note my thoughts are turning towards how to work some paella into my dinner plans sometime soon.
Spain news: Bullfights and Hollywood Rescue April 5 (Bloomberg)Spanish bullfighters are counting on Hollywood stars Adrien Brody and Penelope Cruz to save their 900-year-old sport. Filming began last week in the bullfighting heartland of Cordoba for ``Manolete,'' the story of a bullfighter who died after being gored in 1947. His bravery in the bullring and romance of an actress inspired Ernest Hemingway to call him "a demi-god" in the 1960 book on bullfighting, "The Dangerous Summer.""It could give bullfighting a boost," Victor Puerto, a 32- year-old torero, said in a telephone interview. "The criticism we get is destructive and puts people off going for the first time. You have to go at least once to see why poets, writers and musicians have been inspired."Attendances at bullfights fell 11 percent from 2002 to 2004, according to the government, while the number of people wanting to ban the sport that kills 10,000 bulls each year soared. As soccer and motor-racing gain in popularity, bullfighting is getting less coverage in newspapers such as the top-selling El Pais. "A century ago bullfighting didn't need any publicity because it was Spain's only mass-market entertainment," said Eduardo Miura, president of Spain's Madrid-based Fighting-Bull Breeders' Union, in a telephone interview. "Now maybe it does."Eight-Inch Gash Famous for bravely waving his red cape with his back to the bull, 30-year-old Manolete died after a bull opened an eight- inch gash in his leg in a bullring in Linares, near Jaen. Efforts to save him with a blood transfusion failed. His actress girlfriend Lupe Sino, who was disliked by some of his family and friends, was prevented from rushing to his side on concern the couple might try to marry. Manolete's bloodied cream-colored embroidered breeches, pink socks and petite brown leather shoes are on display in Madrid's bullfighting museum. "It's a powerful story," said the 60-year-old Miura, whose father bred the bull that killed Manolete. Oscar-winner Brody will play the bullfighter and Cruz, who won critical acclaim in "Blow," will have the role of Sino. The film will be directed by Menno Meyjes, a Dutchman who co-wrote the screenplay of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and "The Color Purple." No-one from Madrid-based production company Lola Films SA was available for comment. 'The Sun Also Rises'Just 31 percent of Spaniards said they are interested in bullfights, compared with 50 percent who follow soccer, a poll by Gallup in 2004 found. Just 17 percent of Spaniards age 24 or under are interested, Gallup said in the latest bull-fighting poll. To combat this trend, the movie may help to demonstrate "the fear and excitement" of bullfights, said Puerto, who fought at more than 700 shows since 1991. "Manolete" may become the best-known movie about the tradition since "The Sun Also Rises", a 1957 film based on another Hemingway book, said Muriel Feiner, author of "Torero! Los Toros en El Cine," a 2005 book about bullfight movies. The film starred Ava Gardner and Errol Flynn and was popular in the U.S., Feiner said. "It was more fashionable at the time, actors like John Wayne would go down to Mexico to watch bullfights," Feiner said. The latest U.S. production on the subject, "Blood and Sand" in 1989, which starred Sharon Stone, was a flop.
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