Exchange-inspired Spanish wines
We’ve been drinking a lot of Spanish wines lately.
It’s all in honour of Spanish exchange student, Patri, who’s been staying with us for the past two months.
Patri is 15, so not able to drink, but, my wife, Kerry, and I have taken the opportunity of her living with us to explore some new sips.
Patri is also helpful in deciphering the labels for us.
Our daughter, Grace, also 15, will complete the exchange when she heads to Patri’s hometown of Tera in north-central Spain for two months in the spring.
Tera is close to the famed Rioja wine region, so we started in the summer with 2016 Bodegas Muga rose ($17), which comes from Rioja.
It’s a pale orange-salmon pink blend of three very Spanish grape varieties – Garnacha, Viura and Tempranillo – and delivers with white peach, lychee and apricot aromas and flavours.
As the weather turned colder, we gravitated to the 2013 Antano Rioja red ($15), another blend of four quintessential Spanish varieties – Tempranillo, Grenache, Graciano and Mazuelo.
It’s classic Rioja red with hints of strawberry, cherry and vanilla spiciness.
Although not from Patri’s area, the white Luzada Albarino 2015 ($16.50) from the very northwest of Spain near Portugal, is a new favourite for its textbook Albarino flavours of plump peach, mineral and citrus.
I found all of these wines for sale at the government liquor store at Kelowna’s Orchard Place, which has an extensive selction.