Wineries & Eat local
Because local food and gastronomy is the best for pairing with the wines from each region
Spain’s rich and diverse culture reveals through not only distinct wines and their styles from region to region, but also through the gastronomy and culinary traditions existing in these localities.
The special climate in Galicia-Bierzo area means we can grow top quality food products. The most famous of all is undoubtedly the Botillo del Bierzo, a unique sausage with a very distinctive flavour produced under the auspices of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Regulatory Board. What’s more, this is also the land of Reineta apples, Conference pears, El Bierzo peppers, several kinds of cherries, chestnuts, honey and walnuts. The Rías Baixas region is also famous for the excellent quality of local food products. Shellfish, fish, meat, cheese, vegetables and fruit all have a place at the table, both in traditional cooking and in the most cutting-edge restaurants. The amazing variety of food produced in this area makes it a paradise for foodies.
Gastronomy is one of the most popular attractions in La Rioja, with hundreds of different types of restaurants, pintxos (local tapas) bars and wineries serving drinks amongst the barrels. This is definitely the best place to learn the Spanish culture of tapas and have the most amazing time. Go to the historic quarter and walk the streets which have a wealth of tapas bars where the locals go to relax and enjoy the best of the local cuisine and a glass of Rioja, where fruity reds and an abundance of older vintages are waiting to be enjoyed. Visitors can also try traditional local dishes such as potatoes with chorizo sausage, lamb chops roasted over vine shoots, fresh vegetables, hake, cod, beef steak, roast black sausage, and so on. From traditional to cutting-edge, many dishes are accompanied by a product that bears the Eusko Label quality mark, namely local extra virgin olive oil made from the Arroniz variet y. You cannot leave Rioja without trying lamb chops roasted over vine shoots, and without eating pinchos.
Ribera del Duero wines are merely the gateway to a land packed with mouthwatering flavours. gastronomy events like the one focusing on roast suckling lamb in the spring and the ‘Buscasetas’ wild mushroom hunt in autumn, the pig slaughter celebrations in villages all over Soria, tapas competitions and the “Chúndara” festival in Peñafiel, are just a few of the many festive events held in the Ribera region.
Winter and the cold weather is the perfect excuse for seeking the warmth of genuine hospitality, a place by the fire and Somontano’s delicious gastronomy… Time to pause and enjoy a glass of wine in good company.
The gastronomic offering of the Penedès is highly varied and based on local products. The products of the land, the fruit and vegetables, are of good quality and originate from all over the region and mix perfectly with the meat of local poultry breeds: the Penedès black rooster and its duck. Recipes of rooster or roast duck with pears or prunes are well-known and it is a good idea not to miss the Poultry Dishes Cuisine Exhibition that is held during the Rooster Fair. You can also enjoy excellent locally produced cured meats, tasty salads seasoned with xató from Vilafranca, rabbit and veal with wild mushrooms and fish recipes from the neighbouring Garraf coast.
The complexity of local cuisine and their pairings with diverse styles of Sherry wines in Marco de Jerez is an infinite topic. The local experts of food and wine dedicated a whole guide to it. Whether it’s locally-caught tuna, delicious batter-dipped fried fish or the famous papas aliñás, all three towns of the “Sherry Triangle” offer local specialities at their legendary tapas bars.
The region’s deeply-rooted gastronomic tradition in Basque Country, a rich source of artisan products, is famous for the excellent quality of both the raw ingredients used and the finished product. Txakoli, this young wine and the flagship of the area pairs beautifully with shellfish, fish and sushi. However, the most frequent pairing in Txakoli tasting sessions held in our wineries is with cheese. The flocks of Latxa breed sheep that graze on the slopes of the Sierra Salvada mountain range produce the milk for acclaimed cheeses, most of which are protected under the Idiazabal Designation of Origin. The local honey, homemade bread, chorizo and black sausage are also renowned for their quality and artisan production process. Recently, organic farming and livestock rearing methods have brought new table companions for Txakoli, including jam, snails, fruit, meat and vegetables.
All of these varied array of good food and their excellent pairs found in different corners of Spain, could there be a better combination?
