WELCOME, 2021
January always seems like a fresh start, and we’re riding that feeling right now. But we’re still taking extra precautions in our markets and restaurants for those of you dining in, and we’re still open for takeout or delivery for those of you staying home. We’re grateful for every one of you, and looking forward to a better year together.
NATIONAL SPAGHETTI DAY
January 4th was National Spaghetti Day – if you let it slip through your fork – you can still pick up a package at our markets, or if you’d rather have us do the cooking (we get it), go for some spaghetti-adjacent Fettuccine, Rigatoni, or Ravioli.
JANUARY 20— SAY CHEESE
National Cheese Lover’s Day is totally a thing, and if you didn’t already know it, you do now. Lucky for you, we’ve got you covered with PROVOLETA PARRILLERA. That’s our perfectly grilled Argentine provolone, served with tomatoes, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. This Graziano’s fave is available at all of our locations, including Lucia Pizzeria.
THE REGIONS: RIBERA DEL DUERO & BIERZO
Spain, as one of the largest wine-growing countries in the world, is also one of the most exciting ones when it comes to the lesser-known local grape varietals and also for the world-famous red wines from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero. In recent years the internationally more known grape varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc or Merlot that get to their full ripeness in Spain’s warm growing seasons, have become more popular.
Godello is one of Spain’s own favorite white wine grapes, fragrant and with great acidity it can produce impressive and memorable white wines that thrive from the mineral soils in the north and northwest of Spain, like the Bierzo region in northwestern Castilla y Leon.
Godello can at times show some similarities with Chenin Blanc and is gaining popularity in the wine community. The long ripening season and the stony and mineral soil in continental Bierzo, with the Atlantic influences coming in from Galicia and Asturias, produces complex and elegant wines. The Ribera Del Duero D.O. (Denominación de Origen) in the southeast of Castilla y Leon is, without doubt, one of the world’s best places for amazing Tempranillo-based wines, and the Spanish superstar grape needs no introduction. The age-worthy and elegant wines, perfect ripeness, and the complexity keep reminding us of the very best of our very own wines from Mendoza in Argentina.
THE WHITE
‘El Zarzal’ Godello 2018 by Bodegas Emilio Moro, or
better Don Emilio Moro and his viticulture with roots in the Ribera Del Duero is legendary, it is now carried out by the three generations that followed him, producing the best that the various terroirs can produce. From the Bierzo and made from 100% Godello grapes, the ‘El Zarzal’ 2018 has a beautiful pale to golden shiny yellow color with green reflexes.
The aromas spilling out of the glass are a mix of ripe white and yellow fruit, fragrant and dried flowers with herbs from a wild meadow, very exciting and inviting!
On the palate, there are white peaches, ripened apricots, quince jam, and a beautiful mineral & acid play that keeps things on the bright side and make you salivate with every sip. But make no mistake, with ‘only’ 13% alcohol this is a wonderful big white wine that offers a lot of complexity and different shades, the use of wood to round it up and make it age-worthy and elegant is clearly experienced winemaking with perfectly ripened fruit. The ever-present freshness in this wine makes it perfect with food.
THE RED
Malleolus 2017 Tempranillo is Spain’s international super-star grape and the Malleolus one impressive example of it from the Ribera Del Duero, this is a true Tinto Fino.
The word Malleolus comes from the Latin majuelo (hawthorn) and is used by the locals in Pesquera de Duero to refer to their vineyards.
The deep and intense cherry red color in this wine, with its dense and intense aromas from ripened 100% Tempranillo fruit is a result
of the low yield in 2017, the Emilio Moro family was able to use that
to their advantage and produce a concentrated, powerful red wine with a great balance through the perfect use of wood.
The tannins are fine and very present in this wine, elegance with enormous structure, and a long, persistent finish to remember! What a Tempranillo! The perfect wine to talk about with good friends and family and with or without food, good food!
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