By country :: Spain

Spain is a country that I love for many reasons; its people, its fantastic food, and of course, its diverse selection of wines. It has taken time, but finally, I believe Spain is being awarded the recognition it deserves for its incredible gastronomy, with ‘El Bulli’ named the best restaurant in the world on several occasions. Other advocates of Spanish fine dining are now also receiving accolades by the bucket load, including the likes of ‘El Celler de Can Roca’, which was recently featured on Master Chef. In the same way that the country’s football is currently lauded as the best on the planet, Spanish gastronomy is gradually beginning to steal the limelight once dominated by the well-established Michelin star chefs of France.

I visited our producers in Spain last March, and it struck me that, as well as a long-standing affinity with agriculture and winemaking in particular, the people there display a true passion for food and wine. The premium region of La Rioja has always dominated critical opinion on Spanish wines, however lesser known,
smaller regions can now compete on the quality front, producing delightful wines with indigenous grapes.

Last year we added the Pittacum estate to our list of producers, and we are pleased to continue our relationship with them this year. Mencia is the indigenous grape variety of Bierzo, a region in the north west of the country, and has been likened to Cabernet Franc. Pittacum is undoubtedly one of the best producers in the Bierzo
region, utilising this fantastic grape to create their sumptuous Bierzo Tinto.

We have also added a fabulous Verdejo from Rueda which is a great alternative to the more mainstream Sauvignon Blanc for those who enjoy wines which contain citrus, aromatic highlights.

Richard