Spain's Great Match Wine and Food played splendidly in Los Angeles recently showing wines from many of its sixty nine Denominations of Origin and made with some of its native varietals.
For many who attended the event at The Bazaar by Jose Andres on La Cienega Blvd it was a learning experience that began with a seminar entitled "Verdejo Meets Tempranillo--Rireda and Ribera del Duero" Conducting the seminar was Stevin Olson.
The tasting that followed included twenty five wineries.
D.O. Rueda was founded in 1980 and the native varietal Verdejo, a white grape that is generally considered Spain's favorite white wine. Rueda is located in Castilla y Leon, a region higher in elevation with long winters, short springs and hot summers. The Verdejo grape has been grown in Spain for over a millennium and offers unique aromas and flavors.
Rueda red wines are dominated by Ribera del Duero with the principal varietal being Spain's own Tempranillo. These wines have a reputation for high quality and there are currently 267 wineries in the D.O. Besides the Spanish varietals Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are the featured reds while Sauvignon Blanc is produced with Verdejo as a white wine.
For us the enjoyment of the event was the exploring some of Spain's native varietals like Albarino, Godello, Macabeo, Mencia and Monastrell. We were already familiar with some of the other natives, Ximenezs, Tempranillo and Garnacha.
Some exciting appetizers were served with the wines. We feasted on the wonderful Spanish olives.
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