Photos from left: Migas courtesy of Barcelona Restaurant Group; portrait of man and glass of wine © Celia Hernando.

sasa: Most vegetables come from local reds of Prirorat are as unique as the "terroir"! Bodegas Aalto, or Juan Rojo, to name a
sources. One nearby farm even grows padrón Full-bodied wines, full of ripe fruit, minerality, few, are favorites with our cabernet-drinking
peppers for us. Funny as it may sound, we tannins and alcohol. customers.
have our tasty chorizo made in New York,
and our morcilla made for us in New Haven! How do you convey the love and excitement Is there any wine that matches the entire
But we always rely on Spanish cheeses, cured of your trips to your customers? menu?
meats, olive oils, saffron, canned tuna… and
lots of wine. Gretchen: It’s such a domino effect – Spain Gretchen: It’s tricky to pair any wine with
is abundant with passionate and enthusiastic such a huge span of flavors. Many of

speaking about wine… You spend a tremen- winemakers and it inspires me every time I’m our tapas contain garlic, sherry vinegar, dous amount of time touring around spanish there. For example, when I visited Sara Pérez pimentón… When in doubt, never under- wine regions. in Priorat -- at the moment we are serving her estimate the food pairing ability of a Cava Martinet Bru from Clos Martinet -- she explained – the sparkling wine of Spain. Made from

Gretchen: When we hire new managers and to me that her concrete tanks were not epoxy- native varietals, Cava can be just as good chefs, very few of them have actually ever lined, like all other concrete tank facilities as many top Champagnes, but typically been to Spain and understand it on a cultural I’ve ever known. This unique detail may not at a much lower cost. Its high acidity and level. So I host them on wine journeys featur- translate easily in the dining room, but my generally lower alcohol are all very fooding Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Montsant… One overall impression of this dynamic winemaker friendly elements. of my favorite stories is from the trip in which I and her wines is easy to describe with energy. brought our West Hartford assistant manager, My customers now are very accustomed to me At the moment which are the regions on Anna Beyer, who was only 19 years old. The coming home from Spain filled with excitment your list that you are most excited about? very first winery we saw on that trip was Vega from new experiences and ready to introduce

Sicilia, a place that most wine professionals them to my new favorite wine. Gretchen: My newest obsession these fantasize about some day visiting, but Anna days is Rueda, for its fresh and minerally was experiencing Vega Sicilia as the first win- so what would you say to those diners who Verdejos. Even the least expensive versions ery tour and professional wine tasting in her usually stick with the more familiar california are enjoyable. El Hada, served by the glass life! It’s like getting a Ferrari as your first car, cabernet? at $6.5, has an unbeatable price. Rioja will just setting the bar so high. always remain the “love of my life” though.

Gretchen: This has been a hot topic at my It’s definitely not the newest wine region What region are you always looking for- staff wine classes for years! And it’s not on the market, but it still offers something ward to exploring again? just Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s all the familiar extremely unique – well aged red wines! varietals in the American market that we Not to mention that I can easily pick up a

Gretchen: Visiting Priorat is always a highlight have to relate Spanish wines to, guiding our bottle of Gran Reserva Rioja at the store, on these journeys. It’s one thing to be told that customers to a wine with a similar profile. So, with perhaps 10 or more years of age, and the terrain is difficult and very unique, but to if they are California Chardonnay drinkers, spend maybe $30 or $40 a bottle. Try to actually experience those incredibly steep, we try to point them to a barrel-treated white buy a Grand Cru Burgundy with 10 years terraced vineyards and to see slate soil, some- from Spain, for example ‘As Sortes’ Godello of age at a wine store, and it would be thing that looks like nothing could possibly by Rafael Palacios. If they are asking for impossible to find one at that price! grow in...It’s all very humbling. We always Cabernet, we introduce them to red wines Barcelona Restaurant Group, 63.65 North Main St., stay in Falset, at the only hotel that seems to featuring oak, alcohol and fruit, preferably South Norwalk, CT 06854, Tel: 203.899.0088. be available, and it’s like stepping back in all at high levels. The modern style wines of Look for their other Connecticut locations in time with the ancient streets and gothic style Ribera del Duero, Toro and Priorat never fail to Greenwich, Stamford, Fairfield, New Haven and architecture. And the unforgettable complex impress. Vina Solorca, Hacienda Monasterio, West Hartford. www.barcelonawinebar.com.