Wine Tasting in Northern Spain
In a new article on GoNOMAD by Marina Solovyov, the little joys and discoveries of northern Spain are discussed. Solovyov took a tour of a good portion of the country, and in this selection she describes wine tasting in La Rioja. Solovyov writes,
Don Jacobo Bodega
La Rioja
La Rioja is the smallest autonomous community in all of Spain, yet is well visited. The region is well known for producing some of the best wine in Northern Spain. Although it is true that the majority of Spanish wine is delicious, la Rioja has a strong reputation for its wine because it is one of the few areas in Spain that produces wine on an international level. For example in the States, most local liquor stores will carry “Rioja Red”.
One especially fun thing to do in Rioja is visit a bodega (wine vineyard). During our travels we stopped at the Don Jacabo vineyard.
Most bodegas allow visitors the opportunity to appreciate wine through wine tastings. Two of the most important tips I learned before drinking my wine are: 1) never hold the cup near the top of the glass, always by the stem or bottom, otherwise you may warm the wine, and 2) hold the cup steady and swirl the wine gently to allow the bubbles in the wine to pop and thus make each sip more potent.
The wine in Spain is excellent and can compete with Italian or French wine in many areas. This helpful information is useful to a novice wine drinker to better appreciate the drink. Read more about Solovyov’s trip on GoNOMAD.
