News from the vine!
The next On-Air Wine Tasting on Bay Radio will be on Sunday 11th September from 12:00 – 13:00 hrs Spanish time. I’ll be suggesting two wines to accompany the Recipe of the Week, supplied by co-presenter Noelle (with hubby, Bob). It’s a fun slot where you can learn a little about Spanish wine and maybe choose one (or both!) of the wines next time you are shopping!
NOTA DE PRENSA
PAZO DA BOUCIÑA SE HACE CON LA MEDALLA DE ORO DE LA XXIII CATA CONCURSO RÍAS BAIXAS ALBARIÑO DE CAMBADOS
8 de agosto de 2011.- Después de catar 60 marcas de Rías Baixas en dos días, los profesionales que integraron el panel de cata de la XXIII Cata Concurso Rías Baixas Albariño decidieron que los premios de esta edición recayesen la medalla de oro en la marca Pazo de Bouciña, de la adega Arousa de Bebidas; la medalla de plata en el Rías Baixas Albariño de Esencia Divina, Bodegas Gran Vinum y; la medalla de bronce en Bouza de Carril, de la bodega Bodega Bouza de Carril.
I was honoured to be one of the above 25 panelists (in fact the only foreign wine critic invited!) in this major wine tasting event where the best three Albariño wines of the 2010 vintage were determined!
Sitting on the panel as an equal with such luminaries as: Antonio Palacios (master wine maker, President of the Federacion Española de Asocianes de Enologos, and a member of the Palacios family, the most famous winemaking dynasty in Spain);
His young daughter Barbara, a fine winemaker in her own right, whose fledgling Barbarot Bodega, with its excellent Vino de Autor Rioja wine, would surely be voted Best Newcomer, if there was such a title in La Rioja;
Jesús Flores, doyen of Spanish wine writers and tasters, author of several acknowledged wine books and guides, in fact the Spanish equivalent of Hugh Johnson;
Pablo Amate, renowned national wine and food critic on radio and in various newspapers and magazines;
Cristino Álvarez, famed wine critic and writer who has attended over 20 of these catas over the last decades;
Plus many more, was of course a memorable experience, to say the least!
Thus, as a panelist, I played a part in deciding which Albariño wines were the best three of the 2010 vintage:
1st Place – Pazo de Bouciña, Gold Medal
2nd Place – Esencia Divina, Silver Medal
3rd Place – Bouza de Carril
The owners of the bodegas making these wines were delighted when the announcement was made in front of TV Cameras and hundreds of invitees including dignitries, politicians, celebrities and of course the judging panel!
My congratulations to the winners of course but also to all the others who make the excellent Albariño wines of Denominación de Origen Rias Baixas, Galicia.
BREAKING NEWS:
I have just heard this week that I have been selected as a Judge on the DO Rias Baixas Consejo Regulador’s Panel at the Prestigious Annual Cata-Concurso de Albariño which decides the best Albariño wines of the year!
This is a major honour as I am, I believe, the first foreigner to be asked to serve on this panel! Needless to say I accepted with alacrity and look forward to being in Galicia in August.
Many readers will know that Albariño is considered to be the best Spanish white wine grape variety and it is a particular favourite of mine.
My experiences up in Green Spain will of course be posted here!
Bay Radio’s Sunday Brunch programme hosts a unique Live Wine Tasting each month, where presenters Noell and Bob are joined by me to recommend wines to go with Noelle’s super recipes.
If you’re stuck for wine/food combinations this is the programme for you (as well as the weekly recipe/wine recommendations that are posted on the Bay radio website)!
The next On-Air tasting will be on Sunday 5th June, 12:00 hrs – 13:00 hrs and you are of course cordially invited to join us!
Don’t forget Spain’s Bay Radio, including this programme of course, is also available all over the world by internet – www.bayradio.fm Click ‘Listen Live’.