{"id":202,"date":"2006-03-27T16:39:00","date_gmt":"2006-03-27T16:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=202"},"modified":"2006-03-27T16:39:00","modified_gmt":"2006-03-27T16:39:00","slug":"days-of-wine-and-more-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=202","title":{"rendered":"DAYS OF WINE AND…MORE WINE."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

[Note: This is an essay that was recently published in Expatica Spain<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n

I come from a long line of great wine drinkers. This should not, however, be confused with coming from a long line of drinkers of great wine.<\/p>\n

My paternal grandfather made home-made wine in the basement of his New York home. According to family archives, it tasted better in a salad bowl than in a wine glass. <\/p>\n

My maternal grandfather attributes his longevity (ninety years old and counting!) to a lifetime of jug-wine consumption. That, and managing not to get blown-up during World War II.<\/p>\n

My parents inherited the old geezers\u2019 passion for wine, and mercifully raised the bar on quality. They refuse to drink any wines poured from a bottle with a screw-off cap. <\/p>\n

But I, alas, have outdone them all. That\u2019s because I am living in Spain\u2014a land of outrageously good wines at outrageously low prices.<\/p>\n

According to several websites that I consulted, Spain is the world\u2019s third largest wine producer\u2014trailing only Italy and France, respectively. I feel somewhat responsible for this achievement. Supply is, after all, driven by demand\u2014and I contribute a helluva lot of demand to our domestic wine industry. If I should move to another country, Spain might quickly drop to fifth place.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t always the case with me. When I moved to Spain six years ago, I was a confirmed beer drinker. My greatest passion was Belgian ales…with the surprisingly excellent US microbrews coming in second, and British Real Ales (bless you, CAMRA!) a close third. I wore this as a badge of honor. I was proud to be a connoisseur of fine beers, and rejected the perceived pretentiousness of the world\u2019s wine drinkers.<\/p>\n

My first brush with Spanish wines after moving here did little to realign those passions. Where did that first brush occur? At Spain\u2019s many \u201cmenus del dia\u201d (i.e., those ultra-cheap, three-course lunches that nearly every Spanish bar and restaurant offers during the workweek). <\/p>\n

I was delighted to find that a half-liter of wine\u2014and in some cases, an *entire* bottle\u2014is included within the price of each menu del d\u00eda. And I was even more delighted to find that I could drink this wine during lunch without fear of being branded a degenerate\u2014as would surely be the case in the US. My delight evaporated when I tasted those wines, however, because they generally came in one of two categories\u2014vinegary and overpoweringly vinegary. <\/p>\n

On the bright side, at least I learned that the vinegar flavor could be tempered by drinking the wine ice cold. If only Grandpa had known this little trick.<\/p>\n

But my attitude toward Spanish wines quickly changed when I ventured out of the bargain lunch sphere into the retail one. There was a small wine shop in the neighborhood in which I lived in Barcelona. In a small room at the back of the shop, the proprietor\u2014a man whom I credit for showing me \u201cthe light\u201d about wine…and whom I discredit for revealing himself to be a pathetic, drunken ass shortly thereafter\u2014operated a tiny, hidden bar for \u201cselect\u201d customers. This bar featured a small, ever-changing list of wines by the glass\u2014each of which was hand-selected for its excellent price\/quality ratio. It was as brilliant a marketing gimmick as it was an educational experience.<\/p>\n

In tasting glass after glass\u2014many of which the proprietor was too drunk to remember when tallying my bill at night\u2019s end\u2014I was able to explore (and finally appreciate!) the depth and quality of Spain\u2019s vast offering of wines and wine regions. <\/p>\n

The exploration continues to this day\u2014although I have, by this point, developed some strong preferences. My favorite wines at the moment are from the region known as D.O. (Denominaci\u00f3n de Origen) Toro<\/a>\u2014which produces a growing selection of big, strong, deep purple wines at ridiculously low prices. I am also deeply in love with the wines from D.O. Somontano, D.O. Costers del Segre and of course…my local D.O. LaMancha. <\/p>\n

[Note to all wineries in the aforementioned regions: Please send the complimentary bottles and\/or cases directly to my home\u2014rather than to those Fanta drinkers in Expatica office.]<\/p>\n

Apparently, I\u2019m not the only one who believes that Spain\u2019s wines are world-class bargains. At least once per month, some friend or co-worker from the US forwards me an article from the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune or other publication in which the food critic or wine editor gushes about his latest \u201cfind\u201d from Spain. If only they knew that I\u2019m buying the same wines locally for 25-50% less.<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a downside to Spain\u2019s outstanding-yet-cheap wines, it\u2019s that they are so…so…outstanding-yet-cheap. When I lived in the US, at least I could rely on my own tendencies as a world-class cheapskate to keep my wine consumption under control. A reasonably good bottle from Napa or Sonoma costs at least $10 in the US…and that hurts! But here…I can\u2014with a little bit of research\u2014buy a fantastic bottle of Spanish wine (for example, Finca La Estacada joven<\/a>) for under 4\u20ac. <\/p>\n

4\u20ac!!! That\u2019s less than a bottle of Night Train, for God\u2019s sake! <\/p>\n

So…what\u2019s my incentive to moderate? Some people may say \u201chealth reasons\u201d…but I\u2019m not convinced. If you want to debate this point further, however, then go talk to my ninety year old grandfather. <\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[Note: This is an essay that was recently published in Expatica Spain.] I come from a long line of great wine drinkers. This should not, however, be confused with coming from a long line of drinkers of great wine. My paternal grandfather made home-made wine in the basement of his New York home. According to … Continue reading DAYS OF WINE AND…MORE WINE.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p75qi3-3g","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":359,"url":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=359","url_meta":{"origin":202,"position":0},"title":"DEEP PURPLE.","author":"Sal DeTraglia","date":"November 30, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"My parents \u2013 who were in Spain for a visit last week \u2013 come from a long line of great wine drinkers. This should not, however, be confused with coming from a long line of drinkers of great wine. My paternal grandfather made homemade wine in the basement of his\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 2 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 2 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=359#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":165,"url":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=165","url_meta":{"origin":202,"position":1},"title":"A SHOWERING OF IDEAS.","author":"Sal DeTraglia","date":"July 5, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"[Note: This is an essay that was recently published in Expatica Spain. Yes, yes, yes...I know that I\u2019m going to catch hell for this photo, but it is, in fact, the photo that Expatica published.And besides...it\u2019s not my fault. Do you know whose fault it is? The Big Finn\u2019s. He\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 23 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 23 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=165#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":218,"url":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=218","url_meta":{"origin":202,"position":2},"title":"THE CELEBRITY ROAST.","author":"Sal DeTraglia","date":"February 10, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"[Note: This is an essay that I published in Expatica Spain a few weeks ago.]Eating in Spain\u2019s central plains region is a vegetarian\u2019s nightmare. If there\u2019s an organization here in Castilla-LaMancha that goes by the acronymn PETA, then it probably stands for \u201cPeople for the Enjoyment of Tasty Animals.\u201dSure, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 18 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 18 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=218#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":195,"url":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=195","url_meta":{"origin":202,"position":3},"title":"TEEN BEAT!","author":"Sal DeTraglia","date":"April 17, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"[Note: This is an essay that was recently published in Expatica Spain.]I\u2019ve been watching Spanish teenagers a lot since I moved here in 1999. And it\u2019s not just because they refuse to talk with me. They are, in fact, fascinating creatures to observe\u2014and, contrary to some of their US counterparts,\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 14 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 14 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=195#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":294,"url":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=294","url_meta":{"origin":202,"position":4},"title":"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!","author":"Sal DeTraglia","date":"July 6, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Tomorrow begins Pamplona\u2019s annual Festival of San Ferm\u00edn. And that means\u2026the Running of the Bulls!Go to the Expatica Spain website and check out my essay on this annual testament to man\u2019s idiocy.","rel":"","context":"With 6 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 6 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=294#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":412,"url":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=412","url_meta":{"origin":202,"position":5},"title":"ROCK THE BOTA.","author":"Sal DeTraglia","date":"July 5, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"How I lament the disrespect with which the Spanish wineskin, or bota, is treated in 21st century America. The bota, an essential tool for thirsty Spanish shepherds throughout the centuries and lovingly memorialized in the writings of Hemingway and Cervantes, has been reduced in the US to a vessel used\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 7 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 7 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/?p=412#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saldetraglia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}