In Spain, Tapas are not only at the top of the menus, they also feature seafood, veggies and spices in an endless combination of flavors. And this is a situation that can make most of us seriously consider chucking darts at the wine list.
But to make those wine decisions simpler, Spain’s many years of white wine making excellence provides flexible pairing options to match. This certainly makes iteasier to pick a wine to go along with those Tapas!
Of course, you might think that because of Spain’s reputation for bold red wines like Rioja, Spanish tradition doesn’t lend itself to perfect white wines, but not so. Their white wines are very excellent and boast many interesting flavor alternatives that can be quite mesmerizing.
Consider the Verdejo grape. White wines made from this amazing varietal can be totally zippy like Sauvignon Blanc and even a tad sugary like a Muscat. The best of these wines combine characteristics of both, resulting in some of the most versatile food pairing options around.
One good way to get familiar with these gems is Arindo’s Verdejo Rueda. This is a white wine with an inviting bouquet of grapefruit, lemon, wet stones and a whiff of baked bread. This makes it seem at first like a Sauvignon Blanc, but one taste reveals orange-like citrus followed by an acid-sweet balancing act that it is just fantastic with spicy seafood tapas!
Right now you can find it at Total Wine for $12.99. This is a great way to combat the summertime sizzle with informal food, light wine, and pleasant company.
Chill it down really well in the fridge or ice bucket and don’t be afraid of over chilling this selection. It is meant to be totally refreshing.
