gluggy
By Saralyn Mehta, Sommelier( ISG), CSW
I have lived in Winnipeg for most of my life, so winters here don’ t really bother me. I have always loved the glittery snow and all the fun that comes with it. I am the first girl to throw on some snow pants and get outside with my son Max to have a snowball fight, build a fort, or go tobogganing. But once we start heading into month four of the deep freeze, the allure of winter has left me. I long for green grass, backyard BBQs, friends around the fire pit, and a super-cold pitcher of white sangria.
With thoughts of summer dancing around in my head, I decided to throw an impromptu get-together. A few phone calls and a few hours later, I began my preparations for a Spanish-themed chick night. There is nothing more Spanish than tapas, so I assigned each of my friends a primary ingredient to contribute to our tapas table. I believe that when you are working in the kitchen you should stick to what you know, so my contribution to the evening was to open the wine cellar.
The great thing about Spanish wine is that there is so much versatility in the choices, that food pairing is a cinch. Out came the ice bucket and in went a bottle of Castellblanch Brut Cava: the champagne of Spain. Bubbles will pair with anything, but we were just planning to sip it while we warmed the tapas. Next was Domino de Eguren Protocolo Blanco, a crisp clean white made from Airén and Macabeo grapes. It is the perfect backyard sipper on a hot summer day, and pairs perfectly with white fish. My next choice was Don Ramon, a Tempranillo Grenache blend that is a very popular lighter-style summer red. Serve it slightly chilled and it won’ t let you down in the heat! This paired perfectly with the battered chicken tapas.
My next choice needed to kick it up a notch; I needed a little more body and a slightly richer red. My eyes scanned the shelves, until: Aha! I needed a single varietal Tempranillo, probably a Crianza. I wanted a Rioja Crianza because they must be two years old and spend at least one year in oak. This aging process raises the complexity quotient, but the wines are still very approachable. I couldn’ t wait to try this with the pork belly. Suddenly I heard the doorbell( I was running late as usual), so I grabbed a bottle of Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Monastrell and a bottle of Bodegas Ateca Garnacha de Fuego and headed up the stairs.
The girls arrived with a ton of food and we headed into the kitchen. Some dishes went to the stovetop, while others went into the oven for warming. As we sipped Cava, I taught the girls the secrets of my white sangria. It was a great night spent happily making our plans for the summer while we mixed and matched the wines with the tapas.
I woke the next morning with a smile on my face and a few more dishes to do. Confident in my belief that summer was right around the corner, I turned my attention back to the day at hand. After a quick clean up, I woke Max, asking him his favourite spring-time question:“ So what’ ll it be today buddy, skateboarding or bike riding?”
� summer sangria
Here is what you need for this summer treat: One bag of frozen fruit; I like to use strawberries, peaches, and blueberries. Frozen fruit is great because it replaces ice and doesn’ t dilute the flavour of the Sangria. Next step is the wine. Use what you have, but it is best if it is a fresh, light, and( most importantly) unoaked white. Pour the wine over the frozen fruit and then add fruit juice( I use Five Alive Citrus) and a little Sprite. This is delicious already, but wait: I still have a trick up my sleeve. An ounce and a half each of Grand Marnier and apricot brandy will take this Sangria over the top. Stir and serve.( And make sure you take credit for the recipe!)
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