Tilting at Windmills and Learning About Spanish Wines

In the classic Spanish novel Don Quixote, the main character decides to do battle with windmills. It's where our phrase "tilting at windmills" comes from, that colorful way of describing folks who make up enemies just so they can attack them. Don Quixote's windmills may have looked just like this one, photographed by Ryan Opaz (who blogs with his wife Gabriella and friend Adrienne Smith at the Iberian wine blog Catavino) which I spotted on his new Wine Blog Atlas, a great resource for regionally-focused information on wine. (FYI: Ryan's not only a good blogger, he's a good photographer, too.)

I have to admit that my ongoing attempts to conquer Spanish wines (one of my New Year's Wine Resolutions) has taken on a "tilting at windmills" feeling as I grimly set out to find Spanish wines, then cleared off the kitchen table and sat there, with just my bottle and wineglass, so as not to have any distraction while I tasted the wine.

Recently, though, I discovered that Spanish wines are not the enemy. Here's how. I subscribed to Catavino's feed in my reader, and started learning from the informative posts about Iberian wines. I listened to Tim Elliott's Winecast that featured Ryan Opaz. I started understanding what was on the label a little bit better, and how some familiar varieties like tempranillo and mourvedre might be masquerading under names like Cencibel and Monastrell (and most importantly, I learned these are not vineyard designations!) In short, I've started relaxing a bit, and considered it a personal triumph when, at a restaurant last week, I looked down the wine list, saw a tempranillo, and ordered it instead of my default shiraz to go with some gooey mac and cheese and a side order of grilled asparagus topped with honey vinaigrette and shaved manchego cheese.

I find that Spanish wine is actually very conducive to relaxing (and my tongue is only slightly in my cheek here!). The wines I've been drinking have had a laid-back, comfortable feeling. They go wonderfully with food. And they represent exceptional value. What's not to like?

My most recent Spanish wine find was the very good QPR 2003 Pago Florentino Tinto ($14.95, Chronicle Wine Cellar), complete with a little picture of Don Quixote on the label. This was a juicy, fruit-forward tempranillo that was dark, dark plum. Enticing aromas of berries and spice drew my nose into the glass. Flavors of blueberries and cedar predominated, and there were some leathery notes that added complexity to what was a friendly and straightforward wine. Tempranillo grapes characteristically have low acidity which leads to a plush feeling when you're drinking, despite the fact that this wine had a considerable influence of oak (8 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels), which produced the cedary, woody flavors.

Last time I tried a tempranillo Ryan suggested pairing it with lamb, so we had this wine with a Food & Wine Magazine recipe for Lamb Meatballs sauced with tomatoes, cumin, and mint. Served over some steamed rice it was, as he promised, a perfect pairing.

If this is the life of La Mancha, I'll take it.