The goal of wine is to invigorate your senses and enhance your life experience. I said a mouthful I know, but the truth is wine is a living breathing, evolving food that should be appreciated and pondered upon with each sip. The appreciation not only for its taste and food enhancing qualities, but for its sense of place and the skill of the winemaker to capture all of the above. Let’s look a Spain. Spain is the third most important wine region in the world. It has the most land under vines than any other wine region. It produces stunning reds from Rioja, and refreshing whites from Rueda. I opened a bottle of one of Rueda’s pride and joy – Verdejo. The meal planned for the evening was penne pasta with banger sausage…not quite a match but I was looking to sip on something while I waited. The wine was Hermano Lurton Rueda 2010. Upon first pour its youthful aroma leaped out of the stream that whirled into my glass….fresh citrus. Not wasting any time I sipped….it tasted of key lime pie - without the sugar - and a hint of herbs. What a gem! Within my glass was Rueda and a wine maker who knew how to capture its essence. I wouldn’t have expected anything less. Now, this wine is more of a warm weather sipper, and as I pondered each sip I thought about what I’d pair it with…..so if I had to pair it with food, I’d pair it with a Mediterranean pasta salad and/or grilled chicken with cilantro.
enjoy
