(aka Spanish Wines with Laurence Vuelta)
Tuesday, April 30th, 2013
7pm
Laurence Vuelta loves his wines and exudes an infectious happiness and excitement about them that I just love. Oh, and I also love these wines like I love so many Spanish wines. When we sat down and started tasting through them, I thought it might be fun to put together a Spanish-inspired menu using Asian touches, which should be really fun for me to make and really tasty for you to eat.
If I had to pick a star in the line-up, it would be the refined and effusive Terras Gauda Albarino, which is a lovely example of how delicious they can be. Minerally, briny, but so lush and supple, all at once. In honor of its Basque origin, we thought we’d serve it with a few pintxos, just like they might in Donastia. Well, they might if someone was working out of an Asian cupboard.
Bookending the meal are a bright and lovely Cava from Gran Bach (paired with what I think is going to be an exquisite croqueta of local ham) and a friendly, yet regal Priorat, paired, as I think it should be with roasted lamb.
Two tempranillo, one fruity, the other more earthy, fill out what I expect to be an outstanding line-up of wines. And just wait until you see what you can take these home for. They’re steals, every one.
So, come on down and catch the show, it’s gonna be great.
JohnstonCounty country ham croqueta with Asian pear coulis
-Gran Bach Cava Brut NV
Pintxos platter of friend anchovy with almond-chile sauce
and radicchio-mizuna “ramo” with Chinese olive aioli
-Terras Gauda Albarino Abadia de San Campio 2012
Grilled quail with peanut sauce and cucumber salad
-Raimat Tempranillo 2008
Shiitakes a la Plancha
-Vina Zaca Rioja 2008
Roasted lamb with grilled onion-mixed grain salad, and yogurt sauce
-Scala dei Negre Priorat 2011
$47 does not include tax or gratuity
