BODEGAS LAN #WINPW

JULY 13, 2019

July 10, 2019
Circulation: 4,170

Wine Pairing Weekend: Rioja and BBQ Preview #WinePW

Jeff Burrows

Break Out the Grill and the Rioja Wine

Our Wine Pairing Weekend Group is pairing all-things grill
with Rioja this month. Many of our members received
samples, generously provided by Bodegas LAN.

Rioja Fast Facts

Rioja is best known for its’ red wines, although white wines
and rosato’s are also made
Rioja red wines are blends, primarily of Tempranillo,
Garnacha Tinta (Grenache), with some Mazuelo (Mourvedre)
and Graciano. Rioja wines are known for their long aging in oak barrels.

Rioja white wines are also blends, primarily made from Viura, Malvasia, and Garnacha Blanca.

Rioja wines are classified by their aging time, with the best grapes going into wines receiving the longest
aging. Look for these notations on the label (aging listed for the red wines):

Joven – no aging requirements, these are simple fruit
forward table wines. There’s no “Joven” on the back label,
you’ll only see “Cosecha” followed by a year which indicates
the vintage.

Crianza – 12 months minimum in cask, 24 months total

Reserva – 12 months minimum in cask, 36 months total

Gran Reserva – 24 months minimum in cask, 60 months total

Historically, Rioja wines were held by the winery much longer than other regions of the world, the winery
would wait to release until the wines were at their best. Some wineries still age and hold their wines much
longer than the minimum requirements.

Look for the back sticker to show the official wine classification. This one tells us this is a Rioja Reserva
2012.

Barbecue / Grill / Gas Grill / Low & Slow Smoke / BBQ

Americans love all sorts of outdoor cooking. Whether it’s a hot and fast sear over open coals, reverse sear,
or low and slow smoking for hours on end, we love it all! Take a look below at all the great ideas you’ll see
this weekend. While you’re at it, join our chat on Twitter on 13 July at 10am CDT. Just search for the
hashtag: #WinePW

Deanna at Asian Test Kitchen shares “Vegan BBQ: 3 Ideas to Pair with Crianza Rioja”.

Lori at Exploring the Wine Glass shares “A Father’s Passion is Passed Down to Daughter and Expressed
in Bottle”

David from Cooking Chat shares “Grilled Paprika Pork Chops with a Rioja”

Jane at Always Ravenous shares “Grilled Sausage Feast Paired with Rioja Crianza”

Lauren at The Swirling Dervish shares “Paella and Bodegas LAN: Perfect for Your Summer BBQ“

Jill at L’Occasion shares “On the Grill with Rioja Wine“

Jennifer at Vino Travels Italy shares “Oven Roasted Italian Sausage with Rioja Riserva“

Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog shares “Grilled Garam Masala Lamb Chops paired with Bodega LAN Reserva“

Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “Keep your
cool with grilled steak salad and Rioja”

Camilla at Culinary Adventures with
Camilla shares “Robatayaki and Rioja Wines,
the Perfect Summertime Party”

Pinny at Chinese Food & Wine
Pairings shares “Bodegas LAN Rioja Crianza
and Thick-Cut Sirloin Steak on the Grill”

Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares
“Our Favorite BBQ Ribs with LAN Rioja“

Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “Smoking Low
& Slow with Rioja Wines”

July 13, 2019
Circulation: 28,290

Grilled Paprika Pork Chops with a Rioja #WinePW

David Crowley

Simple yet delicious Grilled Paprika Pork Chops make an excellent
companion for a bottle of Rioja red wine from Spain. We share this
recipe and wine pairing as part of the Wine Pairing Weekend focus on
Rioja today. Disclosure:The wine described in this article was provided
as a complimentary sample by the winery.

Today our Wine Pairing Weekend theme is “Rioja & BBQ”, taking a look
at how the highly regarded Spanish red wine pairs with grilled foods.
I quickly landed on pork as the meat I’d put on the grill to pair with our
Rioja. Preparing pork chops with a simple rub featuring paprika, a spice
common in Spanish cooking seemed natural.

Checking out some articles on matching Rioja with food, such as this
one from Fiona Beckett,confirmed that I was on the right track with my
Grilled Paprika Pork Chops. The article suggests pork as well as lamb as
meats to pair with Rioja.

Fiona also suggests that young Riojas can be good paired with spicier food. Our Paprika Pork Chops
aren’t super spicy, but definitely flavorful. So more evidence suggesting we had a good pairing in the
making.

We served our Grilled Paprika Pork Chops with some sautéed spinach and quinoa for a delicious, easy
meal. Our Spanish Roasted Potatoes could also be a nice side dish for this recipe.

LAN CRIANZA RIOJA WITH PAPRIKA PORK CHOPS

We were provided with a bottle of the 2015 LAN Crianza Rioja ($14,
13.5% ABV) for this #winePW event. I think of Rioja as being made from
Tempranillo grapes. I learned that while Tempranillo is the dominant
grape in a Rioja red wine, other grapes can be blended.
The LAN Crianza is made from a blend of 96% Tempranillo and
4% Mazuelo, the term for Carignan in Rioja. The grapes come from select
vineyards in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, aged between 10 and 20 years.
The is fermented in stainless steel tanks, then aged in a unique hybrid
barrel comprised of American and French oak. More details on the LAN
Crianza can be found on the winery website.
TASTING LAN CRIANZA RIOJA WITH PAPRIKA PORK CHOPS
Let’s talk about tasting this Rioja!
Color: Deep inky purple in the glass.
Nose: Vanilla and spices on the nose.
Body: A full bodied red wine, long finish.

Palate: Jammy, cherry fruit taste with a bit of vanilla. Also can pick up a bit of the oak element that comes
from the aging process. Spices on the finish.
Pairing: This LAN Rioja is definitely a good partner for grilled meat! The wine has the heft to stand up to
the pork chops, and the nuanced flavor profile matches the spices from our pork chop rub, and the smoky
flavors that come from grilling.
ABOUT BODEGAS LAN

Bodegas LAN in Rioja. Courtesy photo from the winery.
Bodegas LAN has been making wines in the Rioja region
of Spain since 1972. The winery takes its name from the
three provinces that comprise the Rioja region: Logroño
(now La Rioja), Álava and Navarra.
The LAN Crianza that we tasted is part of the LAN range
series that works with trusted suppliers in the Rioja Alta
and Rioja Alavesa areas. The LAN series offers some
great values — certainly the LAN Crianza we tasted is a
great option for an under $15 BBQ wine!
In addition, Bodegas LAN produces a series of estate
wines and some other special bottlings. Learn more at the
winery website.

PRINT
GRILLED PAPRIKA PORK CHOPS

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Grilled Paprika Pork Chops feature a simple rub for an easy to make recipe full of flavor. Excellent paired
with a Rioja red wine.
Author: Cooking Chat
Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 12

Total Time: 17 mins
Yield: 2 servings 1x
Category: Main
Method: grilling
Cuisine: Spanish
SCALE 1X2X3X
ingredients
2 pork chops, approximately 1 inch think
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2/3 tsp salt
pinch of saffron (optional)
instructions

Make the rub: combine the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pinch of saffron in a bowl. Set aside.
Rinse and pat dry the pork chops. Set the pork chops on a large plate, and sprinkle roughly half of the rub
to cover one side of the meat. Work the rub into the meat, then turn the pork chops over. Rub the
remainder of the spice mix into the pork.
Let the paprika pork chops sit a room temperate as you heat a grill to medium high heat, about 10
minutes.

When the grill is ready, coat the grill with oil spray, then place the pork chops on direct heat. Grill covered
for 6 minutes. Turn the pork chops over, and grill for another 6 minutes. Check for doneness — pork
should be cooked to at least 145 degrees followed by a 3 minute rest time.
When the chops are done, allow to rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy with a glass of Rioja!
notes
Grilling time will vary based on the thickness of your pork chops. Our bone in pork chops were a bit
thicker than 1 inch.
The 145 internal temperature recommendation for pork doneness is relatively new. As this article from
Pork Checkoffexplains, this leads to meat with more pink than you might have grown up eating. A bit of
pinkness in the pork tends to lead to a more flavorful pork chop.
Our Spanish Roasted Potatoes would make a nice side dish here!
Smoked paprika is a good option here especially if pairing with Rioja. But you could use other paprika on
hand.
Keywords: paprika pork chops, foods to pair with Rioja, grilled pork chops recipes
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
Tag @CookingChatWine on Instagram and hashtag it #CookingChat

July 9, 2019
Circulation: 7,710

Grilled Garam Masala Lamb Chops Paired with Bodegas LAN Reserva #WinePW

Martin D. Redmond
We love our BBQ here in America and quite often we pair it with American wines. That’s cool, but what
about wines from other places in the World? Can they pair just as well, or maybe even better with your
favorite grilled fare?
The theme for Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group this month is Rioja and BBQ. We’ll be sharing our
suggestions for combining wine from the renown La Rioja wine region in Spain with food from the grill.
About Rioja
Rioja has historically been considered Spain’s greatest wine region, and is especially renown for red wine
made from the indigenous Tempranillo grape.

Source: http://origins.wine/partners/rioja/
Here are some fast fact from Jeff Burrows of FoodWineClickwho is hosting this month:
Rioja is best known for its’ red wines, although white wines and rosato’s are also made
Rioja red wines are blends, primarily of Tempranillo, Garnacha Tinta (Grenache), with some Mazuelo
(Mourvedre) and Graciano. Rioja wines are known for their long aging in oak barrels.
Rioja white wines are also blends, primarily made from Viura, Malvasia, and Garnacha Blanca.
Rioja wines are classified by their aging time, with the best grapes going into wines receiving the longest
aging. Look for these notations on the label (aging listed for the red wines):
Joven – no aging requirements, these are simple fruit forward table wines. There’s no “Joven” on the
back label, you’ll only see “Cosecha” followed by a year which indicates the vintage.
Crianza – 12 months minimum in cask, 24 months total
Reserva – 12 months minimum in cask, 36 months total
Gran Reserva – 24 months minimum in cask, 60 months total

Historically, Rioja wines were held by the winery much longer than other regions of the world, the winery
would wait to release until the wines were at their best. Some wineries still age and hold their wines much
longer than the minimum requirements.

Crianzas tend to be easy drinking wines with vibrant flavors. Reservas are made from better grapes from
better sites, and tend to be more lush and concentrated than crianzas, and Gran reservas are only made
in exceptional years and come from the very best vineyards.
The Wine

Disclosure: The wine was provided as a media sample. I received no compensation for this post, and
all opinions presented are my own.

Fruit for this wine was from selected from vineyards with an average age of more than 25 years in the
well-regarded Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa subzones of Rioja.

The wine is a blend of 92% Tempranillo and 8% Mazuelo. The wine was aged 18 months in hybrid
barrels of French and American oak. It spent another 20 months in the bottle before release. to complete
its rounding off.

My tasting notes follow:

Color – Dark ruby
Aromas – Sour cherry, leather, dried dill, and vanilla
Body – Medium-bodied, focused and fresh with well-integrated velvety tannins
Taste – Tart black and red cherry, and mulberry with hints of dried fig and spice
Finish – Medium-long
13.5% ABV | SRP – $16 USD per winesearcher.com.
This charming wine was a tasty reminder of value offered by Rioja wines for me. To maximize
enjoyment, I recommend decanting this wine for at least 30 minutes.

The Wine and Food Pairing
When my wife and I visited Rioja several years ago, we discovered, first hand, the beauty of pairing Rioja
wine with lamb when we served grilled baby lamb chops grilled over grape-vine cuttings!

I looked for a recipe I thought would complement the Old World character of the 2012 Bodegas LAN
Reserva. I settled on the my take of Grilled Garam Masala Lamb Chops. It’s lamb loin chops prepared
with a garam masala and ancho chile rub I had a hunch would pair well with the wine. And since I had
the Weber fired up, I also grilled some veggies.

I wish you could have smelled the lamb when I pulled it off the grilled. There was an intoxicating
combination of smoke, savory and sweet spice aromas! The wine, which has touches of spice and
leather, was wonderful paired with the lamb and grilled veggies!

About Bodegas LAN
Bodegas LAN was founded in 1972 is named after the initials of the 3 provinces in the Rioja Designation
of Origin: Logrono (now La Rioja) Alava and Navarra. It is located in the heart of Rioja Alta which is
synonymous with tradition and prestige.
LAN has four lines of wine;
Viña Lanciano – wines sourced from their estate vineyards
LAN D-12 – winemakers favorite tanks
The LAN Range – wines sourced from long-standing suppliers
LAN Xtrème – an organic wine

LAN seamlessly blends the best of Rioja tradition and modern winemaking. For example, the winery is
fitted with an automatic stacking and racking system that is unique in the world. Additionally, they work
with a wide range of different types of oak in our barrel room. French, American, Russian, Hungarian,
Pyrenean oak and hybrid barrels (American oak staves and French oak bottoms) are all used, along with
different types of toast to elaborate their wines. They tailor the ageing to each variety on a separate
basis, arranging pyramids of barrels by parcel, in order to extract their maximum potential of each bottling.
Wine Pairing Weekend Rioja and BBQ Pairing Ideas

Please join our live Twitter chat on July 13 at 8am PDT. Just search for the hashtag: #WinePW and join in
or search for it later and read all the posts. Salud!

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 5,000

Our Favorite BBQ Ribs with LAN Rioja #WinePW

Wendy Klik

When Jeff of FoodWineClick sent the invitation out asking us to join him
in a Rioja and BBQ celebration I was very excited. There is nothing
better than relaxing around the pool with a BBQ meal and glass of wine.

This event was made even sweeter by the fact that it was sponsored by
Bodegas LAN who sent several of us, including me, some lovely bottles
of wine. I received no other compensation and all opinions are purely my
own.

I wait all winter long for the weather to break so we can make our
favorite BBQ Ribs. I guess I could make them in the oven but if we could
have them anytime we wanted they wouldn't be so special.

As soon as Jeff announced the theme I knew that I wanted to make the
ribs to pair with the wine. I was familiar with Rioja wine however I was
not familiar with Bodegas LAN and anxious to try it

In his Preview Post, Jeff gives some fast facts about Rioja wine. He also
explains the the different classifications of Rioja wine, Joven, Crianza, Reserva
and Gran Reserva. I received a bottle ot the Crianza.
While the ribs grilled, Frank and I enjoyed a glass while I looked up the Bodegas
LAN website and we learned of the Bodegas wines and specifically the wine we
were drinking.

The LAN Crianza is the wine produced for people to enjoy every day. It is
affordable yet delicious. It is aged in barrels made with both French and
American Oak, giving it a unique flavor. The Crianza is primarily Tempranillo
with a small amount of Mazuelo. It is made in stainless steel and then move to
oak barrels for 14 months of aging.

We found it to be a very dry wine that left a nice touch of sweetness on the
palate. Sweet as in fruity, like the taste left after biting into a fresh, juicy
peach. We each enjoyed a second glass of wine with the Ribs which were absolutely perfect. The pairing
was very satisfying and I can see why Rioja has a reputation for pairing well with BBQ.

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 5,000

Bodegas LAN Rioja Crianza and Thick-Cut Sirloin Steak on the Grill #WinePW

Pinny Tam

I always feel I get the best bang for the buck
when I drink Rioja wines from Spain. This
old world charm always has the complex
flavor that’s appropriately oaked and
structured, but is affordable for everyday
consumption. Thanks to Jeff Burrows
from Food Wine Click, some of us were able
to obtain a sample from Bodegas LAN and
have a great wine to start the feature
blog about Rioja wine and summer BBQ.

The Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja is located in the north of Spain, on both
sides of the River Ebro. It is divided into three large zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and
Rioja Oriental (Baja). In the highlands of Alavesa and Rioja Alta the remnants of the
westerly winds from the Atlantic cool the
vineyards. The harsh winds from the north are
filtered by the Pyrenees and by the Cantabrian
mountains. The result is a cold winter, mild and
sunny spring, hot summers, and mild autumns
with cooling night-time breezes. Although the
highlands have a typical continental type of
climate, a more Mediterranean climate rules in
Rioja Baja with hot, dry summers with many
hours of sunshine.

Photo Credit: Fernando Beteta

Each of the wine zones has its characteristics. Rioja Alta and Alavesa, at the highest
elevations, are considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while
grapes from the warmer and drier, Rioja Oriental, produce wines with deep color, great
body, and richness.

LAN, composed of the initials of the three provinces that make up the D.O.Ca. Rioja:
Logroño (now La Rioja), Álava and Navarra, started their winemaking in 1972. Viña
Lanciano is the name of the 72 hectares vineyards embraced by a curve of the River
Ebro, on the natural border between the Rioja Alta and the Rioja Alavesa. A privileged
location, sheltered by the Cantabria Mountains, which creates a different microclimate in
each of its 22 parcels. It is also naturally protected from frost and extreme summer heat.

LAN Crianza 2015 Wine Note (from Bodegas LAN)

GRAPE VARIETIES: 96% Tempranillo and 4%
Mazuelo.

VINEYARDS: Selected vineyards in the Rioja Alta and
Rioja Alavesa, aged between 10 and 20 years.

Chalky-clay soils, located on well-drained slopes with
good sun exposure.

WINEMAKING: Traditional winemaking, destalking -

crushing. Fermentation in stainless steel tanks. 15

days’ maceration, with continuous pumping-over to

optimize color extraction.

Aging: Aged for 14 months in hybrid oak barrels (a

mixture of American oak staves and French oak
bases), that LAN pioneered the use of, followed by nine months’ bottle conditioning.

TASTING NOTES: Bright cherry red with a garnet rim. An elegant nose with predominant

notes of red and stone fruits: strawberry, raspberry, and peach. Patisserie and cream
enveloped in elegant notes of vanilla and caramel and a subtle hint of cinnamon. It is

flavorful and expressive on the palate. It is immediately inviting, enveloping the palate
and leaving a long and pleasant aftertaste.

Without much hesitation, I have grilled a thick-cut of sirloin steak to pair with the LAN

Crianza 2015. I generously seasoned the steak with kosher salt and freshly ground
pepper right before putting it on the hot grill. A summer weekday steak dinner

accompanied by a glass of LAN Crianza – a happy combo that I can eat, sip, and repeat
on a regular basis!

Disclosure: The wines in this post are samples. All
opinions are my own.

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 5,000

Robatayaki and Rioja Wines, The Perfect Summertime Party #WinePW
#Sponsored

Camilla Mann

This is a sponsored post written by me in conjunction with the July #WinePW Rioja event.
A wine samples was provided for this post and this page may
contain affiliate links.

This month Jeff of FoodWineClick! is hosting the Wine Pairing
Weekend bloggers as we delve into wines from Rioja. You can
read his invitation here. The #WinePW bloggers will be posting
and chatting on Saturday, July 13th. Feel free to join the live
Twitter chat that morning at 8am Pacific time. Follow the
hashtag #WinePW and add it to your comments so we can see
your contributions.
Not being very familiar with Rioja wines, I immediately emailed
my friends from Spain who shared the following information...

Usually, in Spain, Spanish wines are classified into four categories depending on the time/years they have
been aged in the oak barrel and in the bottle. The four groups are as follows:

• Joven/cosecha - less than 6 months in the oak barrel
• Crianza - 18 months in total and a minimum of six months in oak barrel
• Reserva - 36 months in total and a minimum of twelve months in oak barrel
• Gran Reserva -60 months in total and a minimum of eighteen months in oak barrel

Obviously, prices vary depending on the classification. Some wineries only produce one certain type of
wine. Some of the most well-known Riojas are as follows:

• One of the most expensive and very well-known is Vega Sicilia, if you can afford it! ;-)
• Marqués de Murrieta Reserva has a reasonable price for the age and it's a good wine. The Gran
Reserva from Marqués de Murrieta is very popular, although very expensive.
• Muga Crianza - has a good price and it's good. This is probably one of the ones we like that can
afford! It is filtered without chemical using only organic egg whites.
• Marqués de Cáceres is a standard one, but good for the price.
• Marqués de Riscal, not our favorite, but another one for standard price.

It's always nice to learn about wines from people who are very familiar with them. Muchas gracias, Susanna
and Juan!

Several of the #WinePW bloggers were fortunate to

receive a sample bottle from Bodegas LAN*. I received the

Bodegas LAN 2012 Reserva, but wanted to round out the

exploration and tracked down three other bottles of Rioja

on my own based on Susanna's email. I purchased

Bodegas LAN Rioja Gran Reserva 2010, Bodegas Muga

Flor de Muga Rose 2017, and Marques de Murrieta Rioja

Reserva 2014.

Then I invited myself over to our friends' house with the
promise of wine if he grilled for me. A couple of years ago,
they built a robatayaki (or robata for short) in their
backyard. The robatayaki is an authentic style of
Japanese cooking that originated hundreds of years ago on Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan.
There industrious fishermen here created robatayaki by encasing charcoals into stone boxes.

Grilled Chicken with Tare Sauce

+ Bodegas LAN 2012 Reserva

suggested retail price $18.99/ wine.com, received as an industry sample

Bodegas LAN was founded in 1972 and named after
the first letters of the three provinces in the Rioja DOC:
Logrono (now La Rioja), Alava, and Navarra. This wine
is a blend comprised of 92% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano.
To the eye it is a brilliant, deep ruby color. To the nose,
you get notes of plum mixed with vanilla and spice. On
the tongue, the wine is well-structured and full-bodied.
Complex layers made this a nice match for the tare
sauce, a soy-based basting sauce. Jenn prefaced her
email with this: "no two Japanese cooks make these
exactly the same way, and probably don't follow a
recipe. I started with a basic recipe and tasted as I
went." Understood.

Jenn's Tare Sauce
• 1/2 C water with dashi (1 T) mixed in on medium heat

• 1/4 C mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)

• 1/4 C soy sauce

• 2 T sake

• 3/4 t (packed) light brown sugar

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 scallion, chopped

• 1-inch-piece peeled ginger, sliced
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-
low and simmer until reduced to a generous 1/2 cup, approximately 20 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine
mesh sieve; discard solids. Let cool. Note that this can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store in refrigerator in an
airtight container until needed.

Grilled Steak with Yakiniku Sauce
+ Bodegas LAN Rioja Gran Reserva 2010

suggested retail price $24.99/ wine.com

From the same vintner as the previous wine, Bodegas LAN, this wine is aged longer. Still with that bright
ruby hue, aromas for this wine were more herbaceous (think tarragon and fennel) with some earthy notes
of tobacco and leather. Still full-bodied, I actually expected it to be more balanced and it wasn't. It bordered
on too tannic for my tastes.

Jenn's Yakiniku Sauce
• 3 T sake
• 3 T soy sauce
• 2 T mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• 1 t miso
• 1 T sugar
• 1/2 apple grated
• Ginger grated
• garlic grated
• shallot grated
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 T bonito flakes
• roasted white sesame seeds
In a mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients,
to the apple, and stir to combine. Heat the
sauce to simmer and add in the remaining
ingredients. Keep simmering until thickened.
Remove from the heat and allow the sauce
to cool. Use immediately. Or for best flavor,
cover the yakiniku sauce and refrigerate for
2 to 3 hours to allow the flavors to meld.

While we initially paired the wines with their
intended grillable, after that we just poured
and drank whatever we wanted. Everyone
loved the squid and rosé; surprisingly, we all preferred the Reserva to the Gran Reserva! I'm glad I had the
opportunity to dive deeper into exploring Rioja wines. Thanks for that, Jeff.

And that's a wrap on the Rioja wine exploration. Next month, we'll be heading to New Zealand by wineglass
with Lori of Dracaena Wines at the head. Looking forward to that. Stay tuned...

Bodegas LAN on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter

*Disclosure: I received a sample wine for recipe development, pairing, and generating social media traction.
My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 5,000

On the Grill with Rioja Wine, Including Rosado

Jill Barth

I’ve been a wine lover since I was in college. Like
most, I started out with whatever I could get my
hands on and moved around from there. I hear a
lot of talk about how millennials are left out of the
wine conversation in certain ways, and while I’m
sure that’s true, I contend that it was more difficult
for young people of my generation (I’m in my 40’s,
so Gen X, if we must label) to ‘break into’ the wine
world.

No constant internet access, no cell phone, very
little in the way of wine writing that was easily
consumable — shipping was administered from a
catalog! It was hunting and gathering in the truest
sense, no real planning ahead (at least for me,
and most of my other young professional friends
in Chicago).

But there is a bright side to that: it meant I was actually drinking wine to form an opinion and experience.
The main filter was — and this is a big one, a hurdle I’m glad is going away — access.

For some reason, one of my earliest brushes with high-quality wines was a hit from Rioja. My husband and
I both felt drawn to the flavors of Tempranillo from Spain. Delightful as a single varietal and yummy in
blends, it checked many boxes for food-friendliness as well as a rich, tannic body. When we wanted a red
wine with dinner, with tapas (one of our fave meals out) or by the fire (even as a young couple, we always
chose an apartment with a fireplace) Rioja had an answer.

Winters are long in Chicago and we often relied on warming, rich reds. But as time went on, Rioja wines
showed another side: they are killer with food from the grill.

ABOUT RIOJA
Let me take a step back before we get to the grill. I don’t want to oversimplify Rioja — it’s a complex region
and the oldest classified denomination in Spain. Situated in the North Central part of the country, the
overarching denomination is divided in three ways: Rioja Baja, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. From a tourism
perspective, these three lands are also segmented into wine routes.

Unlike most other wine areas around the world, the Rioja classification standard is based on age-time.
Wines with more age-time, combined oak and bottle, obtain a higher style indicator. The control board has
stated requirements for vine density, yields, trellis configurations, harvest parameters, vintage verification
and aging standards.

“For a winery to be an aging winery, it must have a minimum of fifty 225-liter oak barrels and 22,500 liters
of wine in stock,” according to the control board — this requirement makes Rioja home to the most wine
barrels in the world.

ACCORDING TO RIOJA WINE:
Wines in their first or second year, which keep their primary freshness and fruitiness are simply called Rioja.

Crianza
Red wines: Aged for a total of two years, at least one year of which is in oak barrels.
White and rosado wines: Aged for a total of two years, at least six months of which are in barrels.

Reserva
Red wines: Aged for a total of three years, at least one year of which is in oak barrels and at least six
months of which in bottles.

Sparkling wines: Wines must be aged en tirage for at least 24 months. Hand harvest required for vintage
wines.

White and rosado wines: Aged for a total of two years, at least six months of which is in barrels.
Grand Reserva
Red wines: Aged for a total of five years, at least two years of which are in oak barrels and two years are
in bottles.

White and rosado wines: Aged for a total of five years, at least six months of which are in barrels.
Something new for sparkling wines:

Gran Añada Rioja: Wines must be aged en tirage for at least 36 months. Hand harvest required for vintage
wines.

A new element to the classification system was recently announced, adding nuance and location reference
(not unlike the wines of Burgundy, for example) — Rioja wines can now include village names on the front
label.

RIOJA AND GRILLED FOOD
One of my favorite recent indulgences is Rosado, the Spanish term for rosé, from Rioja.

Simply gorgeous in the glass, luminous with vibrant pink, it’s decidedly dry. (Nitpick: I meet so many people
that have been told that dark rosé is always sweet! Even by wine pros at the shop! It’s not true, particularly
when you get into rosé wines from around the world.)

Recently, in accordance with the new classification system, Rioja Rosado received some leeway in color:
it can now be made in paler shades, which I think many consumers will find appealing, and perhaps remove
some Rioja Rosado from the (unjustified) stigma of darker tones.
Rioja Rosado has a wonderful body and structure to pair very nicely with grilled food and we particularly
enjoyed it paired with grilled chicken with chimichurri. The combination of fire-roasted poultry with super
fresh and cool herbs simply sings with Rioja Rosado.

Marqués de Cáceres Rosado 2018. Photo Credit: Jill Barth

WINES TO TRY
CVNE Cune Rosado 2018 (100% Tempranillo | $13)
Marqués de Cáceres 2018 Rosé (96% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha Tinta | ~$11)
Bodegas LAN D12 2015 (100% Tempranillo |~$15)
WINE PAIRING WEEKEND
Our Wine Pairing Weekend group has a bunch of great ideas for pairing Rioja wines with grilled food.

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 3,720

Grilled Sausage Feast Paired with Rioja Crianza #WinePW

Jane Niemeyer

GRILLED SAUSAGE FEAST PAIRED WITH RIOJA CRIANZA
#WINEPW

July 12, 2019 by Jane 4 Comments

It’s summertime! Time to fire up the grill! Want an easy, tasty grill
menu? A grilled sausage feast and mixed seasonal vegetables
paired with a Rioja Crianza is one of my favorite summertime go-
to grilling menus. Tempranillo, the principal grape variety in a red
Rioja from Spain, has an affinity to pair well with grilled meats
from lamb and pork, (popular in Spain) to beef.

Join the Wine Pairing Weekend group of bloggers as we celebrate Rioja and barbecue. We will take to
Twitter on Saturday, July 13th at 11:00 am ET to chat about the wine region of Rioja and our barbecue
food pairings (follow and join the chat using hashtag #winepw). Also, check out my fellow Wine Pairing
Weekend bloggers’ posts at the end of this one for more great Rioja and barbecue pairing ideas.

GET TO KNOW RIOJA

courtesy of winetourismspain.com

• Rioja is Spain’s renowned wine growing region located in
north-central Spain. Rioja is known for their red wines with
91% of the region planted to red grape varieties. Tempranillo
is the flagship red variety accounting for 87% of the area
cultivated.

• The red grape varieties of Rioja include Tempranillo,
Garnacha tinta, Mazuelo (also known as Cariñena), Graciano; since 2007 Maturana tinta (also known
as Maturana Parda or Maturano)

• The white grape varieties of Rioja include Viura (also known as Macabeo), Malvasía, Garnacha
blanc; since 2007 Maturana blanca, Tempranillo blanco, Turruntés or Torrontés, ( not the same as the
varieties named Torrontés cultivated in other parts of Spain and the rest of the world) Chardonnay,
Sauvignon Blanc, and Verdejo.

RIOJA REGIONS THAT MAY APPEAR ON THE WINE LABEL

• If the wine is labeled simply “Rioja” it is most likely a blend of grapes from all over La Rioja.
• 3 Official Production Zones

• Rioja Alta – Located in the western portion of Rioja. Higher elevations result in cooler
temperatures. The wines are known to be higher in acidity and tannins with an overall elegance.

• Rioja Alavesa – Two separate tracts of land neighboring the Rioja Alta. The altitudes and
macroclimates are similar to the Rioja Alta. The wines are known to express more acidity.

• Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja) – Located in the eastern portion of Rioja. Vineyards are on
the flat plains. The climate is dryer and warmer with a greater influence from the Mediterranean.
Wines are known to be fruitier and fuller bodied.

• Rioja has a total of 145 municipalities (villages) where grapes are grown; 77 in Rioja Alta, 50 in Rioja
Oriental, and 18 in Rioja Alavesa, these village names may appear on the wine label*

• Single-vineyard wines; similar to the classification system used in Burgundy, wineries producing a
wine from a specific vineyard can appeal to the Consejo Regulador to have that vineyard listed on the
wine label*

*new regional labeling was adapted in 2018 and can be used from the 2017 vintage onwards.

RIOJA WINE AGING CLASSIFICATION

Rioja (formerly called Joven – meaning young in Spanish) – Little or no oak aging

Crianza – Aged for 2 years total – red wines: at least one year in barrels – white/rosé wines:6 months
in barrels
These wines are generally a great value for $12-19.

Reserva – Red wines: aged for 3 years total with at least one year in barrels and 6 months in bottles
– white/rosé wines: aged for 2 years total with 6 months in barrels – Sparkling wines: at least 2 years
on the lees
These wines are a balance of fruity flavors and oak aging influence.

Gran Reserva – Red wines: aged for 5 years total with at least 2 years in barrels and 2 years in bottles
– white/rosé wines: aged for 5 years total with at least 6 months in barrels
These wines can be made with some of the best grapes, aged for at least 5 years with high tannins, and
have great aging potential.

Gran Añada – Sparkling wines: at least 3 years on the lees and vintage wines are hand-harvested.*

*new aging category added in 2018.

MY TASTING NOTES
Disclosure: The wine was provided to me as a media
sample. All opinions are my own.

2015 Lan Rioja Crianza, Rioja Alta and Rioja
Alavesa
13.5% abv | $12 average price (sample) | 96%
Tempranillo 4% Mazuelo
Bodegas LAN website

The grapes come from 10-20-year-old vines in select vineyards in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa
zones. The soils are chalky-clay with good drainage and sun exposure. The wine was fermented in
stainless steel tanks with 15 days of maceration and continuous pump-overs for optimal color extraction
and followed by 14 months of aging in French and American oak barrels and 9 months in the bottle.

Medium garnet in color. Medium body and acidity with medium(+) tannins. On the nose, black fruit and a
hint of vanilla. On the palate, red cherries, plums, sweet tobacco, and notes of spices and herbs.

FOOD PAIRING NOTES

The easy drinking LAN Rioja Crianza pairs well with the rustic assorted pork sausages and smoky grilled
flavors of the vegetables. The rich fattiness in the sausages is balanced with the wines fruit-forward
flavors, acidity, and tannins. The spices in the sausages are echoed in the herbal and spice notes in the
wine. The casual grilled sausage feast is ideal with a fruit-forward value Spanish Rioja Crianza.

Grill Sausages Recipe
Grilled Basket “Stir Fry” Vegetables – I used onions, red peppers, and zucchini. I oven roasted the
potatoes.
Grilled Corn on the Cob

Note: It’s worth the effort to find a really good butcher in your area. I purchased these roasted poblano
and Italian sausages from Pine Street Market in Atlanta; they also are at my Farmers Market, Freedom
Farmers Market on Saturday mornings at the Carter Center.

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 3,270

Paella and Bodegas LAN: Perfect for Your Summer BBQ (#WinePW)

Lauren Walsh

When you think of summer barbecue dishes, does paella ever come to mind? I have to admit that, until I
traveled to Spain, my thoughts would first have turned to ribs, steaks, chops, burgers, and hot dogs. But,
after spending a month in Andalucía, on the coast of the Mediterranean, I realized that, in the summer
months, the Spanish cook absolutely everything outside. It’s just too darned hot to cook indoors – and not
nearly as pretty!

This post is my contribution to the Wine Pairing Weekend event, whose theme is Barbecue Paired with
Rioja Wines. Each blogger has offered up a favorite food and wine combo that will have you imagining your
own Rioja-themed summer party. On Saturday, July 13th at 11 am ET, we’ll have a Twitter chat to share
what we’ve learned, talk about how the food and wine worked together, exchange travel tips, and more.

If you’d like to join us, it’s easy to do: follow our hashtag (#winepw) at the appointed time and make sure
you add it to any of your tweets. It’s always good fun and we love to welcome newcomers. Hope to “see”
you there!

The Origins of Paella

Given Spain’s multicultural heritage, it’s only natural that a dish like paella would emerge as part of the
culinary tradition. The Romans introduced irrigation in Valencia, making it possible to grow crops in the hot,
dry climate. Arab travelers brought rice, which thrived there and became a staple food source. The Moors
added their tradition of mixing rice with meat, fish, and vegetables to create a meal for special occasions.
You can see how all these factors influenced the paella we know today.

The term paella refers to the pan in which the dish is made. It is round and flat – actual dimensions vary –
but it’s always shallow, with the perfect depth about the length of one’s thumb, from the tip to the first joint.
A wide, shallow pan over a hot fire was an effective way to cook large quantities of food for hungry field
workers; it’s still a good strategy if you want to feed a bunch of hungry friends. Probably easier to cook it
atop a grill but, if you’ve got a fire pit that can support a large pan, go for it!

Paella from Xixón Spanish Restaurant: wonderful with Bodegas LAN wines!

What goes into a “classic” paella depends on whom you ask: each part of Spain has adapted the recipe to
take advantage of what’s available at the local market. In some places, that’s fresh fish and mollusks; in
other places, chicken, rabbit, and sausage are mandatory. I think it’s the perfect culinary canvas on which
to create your own gastronomic masterpiece.

So, get out of your kitchen and put your guests to work: even making the paella is fun!

Students at the Escuela de Idiomas Nerja get hands-on with the paella.

María Barúa: Winemaker and Visionary at Bodegas LAN

Trinidad Villegas and María Barúa of Bodegas LAN. Yours Truly
in the middle.

Last month I had the opportunity to attend a lunch hosted by
María Barúa, Winemaker and Technical Director at Bodegas
LAN. She explained how she came to appreciate wine as a child,
looking forward to Sunday afternoons, when her father would
allow her to help choose a wine to be served at lunch.

That curiosity evolved into a thirst for knowledge, propelling her
to earn a degree in Chemistry and Enology, then working for the
Rioja government to research the many influences of oak aging on red wine. She began working at LAN in
2002, monitoring all aspects of winegrowing – especially during the critical period just before harvest.
Choosing the perfect day to pick the grapes is just the beginning of a meticulous process that continues
until the wine is bottled and sold.

Wines from each plot are vinified and aged separately, according to different oak treatments: depending on
the desired style of wine, they may be aged in French, American, Russian, or Pyrénnéan oak or, perhaps,
in hybrid barrels.

In 2007 María launched several new projects:

• D-12, a line of intensely aromatic wines fermented in their own special vat;
• LAN Xtrème Ecológico, wine made from an organically farmed plot; and
• Marqués de Burgos, a property in Ribera del Duero

Her expertise combines a rigorously academic mindset applied to the practical matters of viticulture and
viniculture. I wonder where she will focus her attention next?

Bodegas LAN Viña Lanciano Estate – 72 Hectares in Rioja Alta

On this day, her focus was the special terroir of the Viña
Lanciano Estate, 178 acres of vineyards consisting of 22
separate plots jutting into the Ebro River.

Photo of the Lanciano Estate (photo: Bodegas LAN)

As you can see from the photo, the Lanciano Estate vineyards
occupy a spit of land in between Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa.
Given the continental climate here in Rioja, harsh spring weather
and icy winds are a perpetual risk early in the growing season;
the Santa Cantabria Mountains to the north protect the vines from the worst of it. The river itself reflects
sunlight and warmth during the day, providing an additional layer of protection.

Despite the relatively small size of the estate, each of the 22 plots contained within it has a unique
microclimate. Old vines (most around 60 years old) of Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano, and Garnacha are
planted on the sites best suited to those varieties.

The plots do share similar soils – rocky, alluvial deposits that derive from what was once a river bed.
Thousands of years ago, as the Ebro carved its path into the countryside, it left a wide swath of silt, rocks,
clay, and sand along its inner bank. That inner bank is now the Lanciano Estate.

Here is an illustration showing how the location of each of the 22 plots:

Illustration: Bodegas LAN

Plots 18-20 are known as the Mantible Plots, named for
the Roman bridge originally built in the 2nd century BC to
link Rioja with Álava. Charlemagne later rebuilt it, adding
seven arches; two of them are still visible today.

One of these plots is farmed according to organic
practices: the five-hectare Mantible 18 Xtrème Ecológico.
Its focus is Tempranillo grown in a way that enhances the
vine’s own immunity to disease. Vines are tended by
hand, with particular attention given to gentle pruning and
shoot thinning, minimizing the need for leaf-thinning or
green harvesting. You can learn more about the
methods here.

Tasting Notes

The

tasting line-up.
2015 Bodegas LAN D-12 (SRP around $20)

100% Tempranillo; fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel; 12 months’ aging in new French
and American oak.

Color: Deep ruby red with a flash of fucshia at the edge.

Nose: Cherry-berry notes complemented by dusty violet and a hint of earth. Perfectly Tempranillo!

Palate: Spicy red and black fruit, medium acidity, silky tannins. Nice finish of licorice and pepper.

2016 Bodegas LAN D-12 (not yet available)

100% Tempranillo; fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel; 12 months’ aging in new French
and American oak.

Color: Deep ruby

Nose: Less overtly oak-driven than the previous wine, with red fruit aromas, bitter chocolate, and baking
spices.

Palate: Again, the oak is more integrated here, giving a pleasant balance of fruit, spice, and smoke notes.

2010 Viña Lanciano Reserva (SRP around $56)

85% Tempranillo; 10% Graciano; 5% Mazuelo. Aged 18 months in French and Russian oak; 18 months in
bottle before release.

Color: Deep ruby fading to pale violet at the rim.

Nose: Ripe cherry, forest floor, cocoa powder, and just a whiff of vanilla. So alluring!

Palate: Moderate acidity and silky tannins balance the ripe fruit, making this one of my favorite wines of the
tasting.

2012 Viña Lanciano Reserva (not yet available)

90% Tempranillo; 8% Graciano; 2% Mazuelo. Vines over 30 years old and tended by hand. Aged 14 months
in French oak, 8 months in Russian oak, and 20 months in the bottle.

Color: Deep ruby with hints of coral at the rim.

Nose: Striking aromas of black, red, and blue fruit accentuated by vanilla and just a hint of clove.

Palate: Every component plays its part beautifully in this wine: you notice the fruit, tannin, acidity but as part
of the whole tasting experience. Just lovely!

2013 Bodegas LAN Edición Limitada

82% Tempranillo; 10% Mazuelo; 8% Garnacha from 35-40 year-old vines on the Lanciano Estate. Aged for
8 months in new French oak; then 7 months in Russian oak.

Color: Purple-red. I can’t decide which color is stronger.

Nose: Ripe black fruit complemented by baking spices, vanilla, and dusty earth.

Palate: Earthier than the nose, with forest floor, tobacco, cedar lifted by red and black fruit. Acid and tannins
are moderate and proportional, making this a well-balanced wine ready to drink now or to hold for a few
years.

2016 Bodegas LAN Edición Limitada

85% Tempranillo; 10% Graciano; 5% Mazuelo, all from the El Rincón plot located in the southern plot of
the Lanciano estate. Wine was aged in new French oak for 8 months then for 5 months in new Russian
oak.

Color: Bright ruby red.

Nose: Ripe red and black fruit underpinned by caramel, earth, and licorice notes. Tannins are more
noticeable here but they’re needed to balance the richness of the fruit. There is enough acidity to lift the
flavors and bring them all together.

Miami wine enthusiasts taking over
the cellar at Xixón Restaurant.

My Takeaways

I was fascinated by the story behind
the Lanciano Estate vineyards: 22
individual plots making wines that are
vinified and aged separately. It would
be interesting to follow the wines as
they age, tasting them along the way.
If you come across them in your local
market, I highly recommend you give
them a try. And, if you do, by all
means drop a comment here and let
me know what you thought.

Many thanks to María Barúa and Trinidad Villegas of Bodegas LAN for the chance to learn about and taste
these lovely wines. And a big shout-out to Xixón Spanish Restaurant in Miami, for hosting us – the food
was delicious, and the ambience lively and fun.

¡Salud!

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 3,000

Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva with Cajun Butter Ribeye Steak

Rupal Shankar

When you fire up your grill and make a thick juicy steak, you immediately think of the obvious wine
pairing, a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon or an Argentinian Malbec. Sure these wines make great pairings,
but if you are tired of the same old, same old, then look to Spain’s Rioja region for the perfect pairing with
Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva 2012.

Bodegas LAN has always been known for its innovative winemaking,
in a region that is rooted in tradition. Bodegas Lan was founded in
early 1970’s, in a spectacular setting, on the curve of the River
Ebro. For more background and details on Bodegas LAN please
click here.

There are the standard rules for pairing wine with steak. You want a
wine that can stand up to the steak; firm tannins, rich fruit and a
complex structure. The Bodegas LAN Reserva 2012 fits all those
criteria. And wow what a wine it is!!

The Bodegas LAN Reserva is 92% Tempranillo and 8% Mazuelo. It spends 18 months in hybrid barrels
of French and American oak. Bodegas LAN is a pioneer in the use of hybrid barrels that combine American
oak staves – giving vanilla elegance – and French oak bases, which provide touches of spice. LAN Reserva
remains a further 20 months in the bottle, to complete its rounding off.

The wine has a bright cherry red hue with intense and complex aromas. The Bodegas LAN Reserva 2012
has aromas of ripe red fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and almond blossom. Velvety on the attack, it is smooth and
delicate on the finish. It is elegant, balanced and harmonious on the palate. With an incredibly long finish
that leaves you wanting for more.

The Bodegas LAN Reserva is the ideal pairing for a juicy grilled ribeye steak. The tannins in the wine
worked well to cut the fat in the ribeye. The fruit was rich and ripe and so it complemented the cajun spice
in the steak. Oh what a heavenly pairing.

The Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva works well with grilled meats when barbecuing at home. When you find
yourself at a fancy steakhouse, be sure to look out for Bodegas LAN or any Rioja Reserva wines. Save
yourself hundred of dollars versus ordering California
Cabernet or a big Bordeaux. The Rioja will be just perfect for
your palate and your wallet will thank you!!

INGREDIENTS FOR CAJUN BUTTER RIBEYE STEAKS
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. lightly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cajun seasoning
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

2 lb. Ribeye (or a thick cut of sirloin)
2 tbsp. butter
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, brown sugar, Cajun seasoning, and garlic. Pour out about ⅓ of
mixture to use for glaze later. Toss steak in mixture and let marinate for 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
Heat grill to high. Remove steak from marinade and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill until
charred on bottom. Remove from grill and let rest on cutting board before slicing against the grain.
Meanwhile, make glaze: Pour reserved marinade into a small saucepan and bring mixture to boil over
medium-high heat. Whisk in butter until melted.
Brush glaze over ribeye and garnish with parsley.
Serve with Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva 2012. SALUD!!

Our Wine Pairing Weekend group has come together this month to focus on Rioja wines and grilled foods.
Please be sure to check out what my other wine lovers have to say.

July 13, 2019
Circulation: 2,850

An American Summer BBQ with Spanish Rioja Wine: LAN Crianza and Beronia
Rosado #WinePW

Gwen Alley

With July 4 past, we’re solidly in summer BBQ season.
First off, let’s get something straight: there’s a difference between BBQ
and grilling.

Grilling is direct fire underneath your food-– whether you use wood,
propane, charcoal. It’s also a noun — where you put the food you’re going
to cook and a verb that indicates someone is in for some heated
questioning.

Barbecue is to cook by indirect heat: there’s no flames under the food and
it’s usually smoked or cooked slowly over along period of time. A
barbecue is also a style of food and a gathering of people who plan to
cook and eat out of doors.

While the English word “barbecue” comes from the Spanish
word barbacoa. Wikipedia says that the indigenous people of the
Caribbean and Florida used a word barabicu which, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED),
comes from Haiti and means “framework of sticks set upon posts.” The Spaniards saw this sometime after
1492, and in 1526, Spanish explorer Gonzalo Fernández De Oviedo y Valdés brought the word “barbecoa”
to print.

This month the Wine Pairing weekend group of wine writers is also bringing “barbecoa” to print by focusing
on the intersection of Spanish wine and barbecue — whether using direct or indirect heat or even a
framework of sticks!

We have found over and over that “what grows together goes together” but this month we decided to do an
American style BBQ with two wines from Rioja — red Crainza from LAN and a rose from Beronia. Both are
made from the Tempranillo grape.

Menu

Cheese Plate
Grilled corn
Assorted grilled sausage from local market
Filet Mignon with blue cheese
Potato Salad
Sue’s potato salad
Boil 4-6 large russets in water until soft
finely chop 3 T onion
slice 1 can black olives
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped dill pickles (Sue used her homage refrigerator
pickles)

Throw chopped olives, pickles and celery in a mixing bowl. Chop
cooked potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and throw into the bowl. Add 3/4
cup to 1 cup mayo, 2 T mustard, and 2 T vermouth, 1 t salt and 1 t
ground pepper. Mix all ingredients together. Top with 2 sliced
hardboiled eggs, fresh parsley, and a bit of paprika for color.

2015 – LAN – Rioja – Crianza – 13.5% alcohol SRP $14

Although not certified biodynamic or organic, LAN’s commitment to sustainability includes several important
practices including integrated pest management:

“To avoid the much feared grapevine moth, we have used biological methods of sexual confusion involving
pheromones for over a decade, using an innovation diffusion system that leaves no residue on the vines.
In the case of the yellow spider mite, we are helped by the natural predators that live in Viña Lanciano,
such as mites, chrysopids, ladybirds and other bugs. As for the smaller green leafhopper – of growing
concern due to climate change – capsid bugs and other egg parasitoids that live in our estate help us.”
They also prune and “manage the soil without herbicides, through solely traditional labour with small
implements. We fertilize, when necessary, to make up for the extraction of nutrients, with organic manure
and the vine cuttings from our own estate,” says the LAN website.

Finally, LAN finds protecting the natural ecosystem around the vineyards benefits the grapes:

“We respect green corridors and we have created other spaces to protect small mammals, reptiles and
even amphibians. In addition, the presence of wild plants that grow naturally in the rows between our vines

is further evidence of our nurturing balance. This environment permits the presence of the typical flora and
fauna of groves or riverbanks, as well as being a refuge and rest point for many birds.”

Color: Dense, plummy

Nose: Tons of fruit, cherry, plum, dark red stone fruit, blackberry. There is also a bit of meatiness on the
nose as well. Forest floor. Very expressive.

Palate: Tons of tannins, the fruit on the nose is very deceiving. Open this wine and let it breathe or lay it
down for another 5-10 years. Cherry.

The more this wine opens, the better it gets!

Pairing: With a manchego cheese the creaminess of the cheese cuts the bold tannins of the wine.
Loving this wine so much more with food!

Really nice with the spicy venison sausage. For Sue there was an OMG moment when she had the wine
with a cheddar jalapeño sausage. With the filet mignon, it was superb. Especially because the steak had
the blue cheese on top. There is such a nice fattiness to the steak which quickly cuts through the heavy
tannins of the wine and brings out a fruit. This fruit is not present upon opening and only comes out as it
has opened up. The fattiness of the meat and blue cheese combined tames the tannins in the wine and
makes this combo sing. For this wine, most Americans need a ribeye, porterhouse, filet mignon, or rack of
lamb to make it enjoyable. As a wine by the glass, it may be a bit too harsh for most Americans.

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 2,700

Vegan BBQ: 3 EASY Ideas to Pair with Crianza Rioja #WinePW

Deanna

Before you spend precious time prepping vegetable skewers, consider these 3 vegan options at your next
BBQ. They pair quite nicely with Crianza Rioja wine too.

Vegetable skewers are fun to eat, but you can skip the chopping and prep work with these 3 vegan BBQ
ideas below.

There always has to be a vegetarian/vegan option for any kind of get together, including a summer BBQ.
Luckily, it’s not very difficult, and vegan options can even taste just as good as “meat” on the fire. Why not
give these 3 dishes a try?

#1 Smoked Shishito Peppers

Shishito peppers are just large enough not to slip through the grill grates.

These bite size poppers are the cherries of the vegetable world and usually not too spicy either.

Shishito peppers are a small, thin skinned and shriveled one bite wonder you hold by the stem to pop in to
your mouth just like a cherry.

They can be spicy, but more often than not, they are mild.

Easy Appetizer

This appetizer seems to show up in the summertime in countless farm to table restaurants on the West
Coast.

It’s really too simple and so easy to make @ home.

Just the standard toss with olive oil and sea salt. Toss with olive oil and grill for 30 seconds to 1 minute per
side. Season with salt.

That little bit of smokiness from the grill improves the flavor so much more.

They also taste really great with some miso sauce and Japanese whisky.
#2 Vegan Sausages

These plant based sausages look just like meat and taste like it too.
Try spreading the vegan sausage love over a corn tortilla for a light Mexican meal.

If you’re an omnivore, frankly, the sound of vegan sausages sounds gross.

But these plant based sausages from Field Roast may make you change your mind.

A Blend Of European And Asian Heritage

As the label states, these sausages are “a blend of European and Asian heritage”. Unlike many vegan
“meat” products that are processed from soybeans, the only unusual product used in this one is Vital wheat
gluten.

Wheat gluten is used in Chinese cuisine for dishes such as kao-fu and seitan.

Tastes Just Like Meat

I brought these to a sausage party with an assortment of pork and beef sausages on the grill. Everyone
was so surprised at how good they tasted and how much they resembled meat in texture and flavor.
The chorizo flavor is a wee bit spicy so beware. Though once smushed into warmed corn tortillas with a
fresh tomato salsa on top, you won’t mind the spicy kick.

#3 BBQ Bellas

A big portabella mushroom slathered with BBQ sauce on the grill is sweet, savory, and smoky.

The flavors also pair well with the ever food friendly
Rioja wine.

What would an outdoor BBQ get together be without
some actual BBQ sauce?
Whether homemade or store bought, the sauce
seems to match with everything including giant
portabella mushrooms.

Hopefully though the BBQ sauce is not overly
sweet. Oftentimes sugar can be the first ingredient in
bottled BBQ sauces. I usually add a couple dashes of
soy sauce to balance out the sugar.

Scrape out the gills and slather on your favorite sauce while it cooks on the grill. It will probably be the
juiciest “steak” you’ve ever had.

Wine Pairing: Crianza Rioja

This 2015 Crianza Rioja from Bodegas LAN ($14) show ripe red fruit flavors
with some leather and bay leaf that marry well with grilled food. (Disclosure:
This wine was provided as a sample. All opinions expressed are unique to
this blog.)

While there are many drinks you could pair with an outdoor BBQ feast,
consider a Spanish Rioja wine made from tempranillo grapes.

Rioja Shopping Tips

There are 4 styles of Rioja to look for in the store:

Joven – Young wine with little to no ageing. It almost tastes like grape juice.

Crianza – Aged a minimum of 1 year in casks and a few months in the
bottle. Very approachable wine that shines with fruit and muted oak flavors.

Reserva – Aged a minimum of 3 years, with at least 1 year in casks. Shows much more complexity than
the Crianza which is also reflected in the price.

Gran Reserva – Aged a minimum of 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in the bottle. Shows structure, fine
tannins, and easily quaffable without food.

Joven Riojas can be a bit hard to find. Crianza Riojas are a bit easier to find and very affordable with most
bottles under $15.

Pairs With Vegan Food
Rioja is often recommended with BBQ foods and for good reason. It is very food friendly and classically
paired with all the wonderful tapas from Spain.

It matches with the vegetal, smoky notes of the shisito peppers, handles the spice in the chorizo “sausages,”
and stands up to the sweetness in the BBQ sauced portabella mushrooms without clashing with the tannins
too much.

I tried these pairings with the 2015 Crianza Rioja from Bodegas LAN (provided as a sample) and was quite
pleased with how well it danced with different partners.

I also tried the wine with herb roasted chicken, grassfed steak haché, and hot smoked salmon. However,
I didn’t like it nearly as much as with the vegetable options.

Why Is Crianza Rioja Best Paired With BBQ?

For my money, Crianza works well for a party since it is more affordably priced.

In addition, if you don’t end up liking it, you can turn it into sangria and not feel guilty about spending so
much on a bottle of wine you’re diluting with sugar, fruit, and ice.

Helpful Tips

If there are vegan/vegetarians, remember to reserve a portion of the grill for non-meat items only. Separate
tongs/utensils would be best practice too.

Vegetable skewers are always a default grilling item. Shishito peppers, vegan sausages, and BBQ
portabella mushrooms can satiate your vegans/vegetarians and even omnivores.

Rioja pairs well with BBQ food and a BBQ party. There are 4 styles to consider when shopping that vary
according to how long they are aged.

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 2,190

Oven Roasted Italian Sausage with Rioja Reserva

Jennifer Martin

Usually a couple times a year I feature wines of Spain. Our Wine Pairing Weekend group led by Jeff of
Food Wine Click chose Rioja to highlight with some BBQ pairings. Let’s get creative!

Rioja Wine Region
The Rioja wine region of Spain has been making wine since
Roman times. It’s one of Spain’s major wine growing districts
located in the north central part of the country. Only about
200 miles from Bordeaux one can really delve into some of
the famous wine regions of Europe. Back when
thephylloxera vine attacking disease hit in the late 1800’s into
early 1900’s some Bordeaux producers relocated to the area
of Rioja since many of their vineyards were destroyed. The
area had a similar climate and growing conditions in
comparison to Bordeaux. The winery I’m sharing today,
Bodegas LAN, is one of the respected wineries on this region.

The Winery ~ Bodegas LAN
Bodegas LAN was established in 1972 and is based in the town of Guenmajoy in the heart of Rioja
Alta. Their vineyard, Vina Lanciano, is situated along the Ebro River and is where many of their
wines are produced. I was intrigued by the LAN in the title as I thought it was rather unique. Come to find
out it represents the 3 provinces that make up the Rioja D.O.C, Lagrono (known as La Rioja), Alava
and Navarra.

The Grapes ~ Tempranillo
Rioja is primarily a red wine region. The red grapes used in the wines of Rioja
include tempranillo,garnacha, mazuelo, graciano and maturana tinta. When it comes to Spanish wines I
have always gravitated towards tempranillo as I found many similar characteristics to sangiovese, one of
my favorite Italian reds. They are medium to full body in weight displaying red fruits, primarily cherry as
well as some earthy qualities and leather notes. As you’ll see the wine I sampled was
primarilytempranillo with a small amount of mazuelo.

The Wine ~ Bodegas LAN

The 2012 Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva is made of 92% tempranillowith
8% mazuelo. The grapes are grown from long time suppliers of theirs from
both the areas of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The vines average about 25
years old. It is aged 18 months in oak plus an additional 21 months in the
bottle. I loved the aromatics of this wine. The red fruit smelled luscious with
vanilla notes and a hint of spice. The wine was medium-bodied with quite a
silky texture. Well-balanced with mostly cherry notes and some blackberry
showing in the glass. A lingering finish with the tannins making an
appearance at the end. For only about $16 I find this wine to be quite a value.

What’s unique about the oak aging of this wine are the hybrid barrels
used. Looking through the photos of their wine cellar they’re structured in a
beautiful pyramidal shape. The barrels are comprised of French oak bases
with American staves. Per their website the French lends “aromatic
complexity with delicate notes of spice, touches of menthol, smoke and
cocoa. It addes a considerable amount of tannins giving
great structure”. The American oak on the other hand
lends vanilla and coconut nuances.

The pairing
When I think of red spanish wines whether
its garnacha or tempranillo I always gravitate to roasted
meats or BBQ grilled foods. I chose to pair the Bodegas
LAN Reserva with an oven roasted Italian sausage dish
with roasted potatoes and veggies. I love the summer
time as I belong to a local farm and participate in their CSA
program so weekly the veggies are abundant in our
home. A super easy one pan dish to prepare and in this
house the easier the better, plus my kids love
sausage. The vino is for me! The pairing went well and I
think grilling everything would be even better.

Join the rest of my fellow food and wine lovers as their share their wines of Rioja with some BBQ pairings. If
you catch us in time join us live on Twitter Saturday July 13th at 11am EST on #WinePW. Hope to see you
there!

My Full Wine Glass

July 12, 2019
Circulation: 2,040

Keep Your Cool with Grilled Steak Salad and Rioha (#WinePW)

Linda Whipple

On a hot day, cooking outside makes sense.
But, to keep cool in the summer heat, why not
add your grilled steak to a salad?

The spouse and I recently took this approach
for the upcoming Wine Pairing Weekend chat
on Saturday, July 13. This month’s theme is
barbecue and Rioja. You can follow along on
Twitter, starting at 11 am ET, by using the
hashtag, #WinePW.

To be honest, we don’t have a barbecue or grill
at the moment. I know – that’s positively un-
American. Un-Canadian, too. We do intend to
remedy this dreadful deficit soon. For now, we
called on our friend Emily, who owns a gas grill
and has some prowess as a griller, to cook up the main dish however she liked.
Now wait just a minute, you say. Is gas-grilled meat technically barbecue? For this month’s pairing, our host
Jeff of foodwineclick graciously is allowing any food cooked by fire.

What does barbecue mean to you?

Barbecue, it seems, means different things to different people, depending on your experiences and
childhood memories. Growing up in the New York City suburbs, I formed my notion of barbecue from
savoring my dad’s prized, charcoal-grilled chicken.

“Stand back,” he’d shout to us kids as he threw lighter fluid on the coals.

My mom tenderly rubbed oleo margarine and paprika into the chicken skin prior to grilling, and dad labored
over the meat until it cooked to crispy perfection.

In Pennsylvania, where I’ve lived most of my adult life – and elsewhere in the country – barbecue is pulled
pork, preferably cooked on an open spit, though some people nowadays cook their pulled-pork “barbecue”
in a crockpot.

Others associate “barbecue” with brisket or ribs.

The same weekend as our barbecue and Rioja pairing, barbecue was the subject of the “Five Myths” weekly
column in The Washington Post.

Jim Auchmutey, author of Smokelore: A short History of Barbecue in America, notes that while there are
four dominant styles of barbecue in the United States – Texas, North Carolina, Memphis and Kansas City
– distinctive regional varieties abound. Take, for example, Chicago (rib tips), St. Louis (pig snoots),
Baltimore (pit beef) and Kentucky (smoked mutton). The list goes on.

Gas grilling is one of the most contentious issues in barbecue. Though Auchmutey is a traditionalist and
campaigns for the use of wood only in barbecue restaurants, he acknowledges that about 80 million
Americans have some kind of backyard grill, and roughly 62% of those are gas.
A really cool pairing

Any way you slice it, barbecue is made for Rioja –
and the 2015 LAN Rioja Crianza DOC
(Denominación de Origen Calificada) that we
sampled for this pairing certainly proved this to be
true.

Please note that while the wine for this post was
provided, opinions are my own.
Founded in 1972 LAN is an acronym for the three
provinces that make up Rioja: Logroño, Alava and
Navarra. LAN’s vineyards are located along the
meandering Ebro river. According to the tech sheet,
the bodega (winery) is known for paying growers
“more” for top-quality fruit.

Grapes are sourced from Rioja Alta and Rioja
Alavesa. These are the highest altitude regions that
enjoy the most favorable climate – mild and not too
hot.

The grapes are 96% Tempranillo and 4% Mazuelo
(Carignan, outside of Spain). After they are de-
stemmed, the grapes are lightly crushed and fermented on their skins in stainless steel tanks for 15 days.
The juice is pumped over the cap of skins daily for maximum color and aromatic extraction. “Crianza” refers
to the length of time aging. Longer-aged wines are labeled “Reserva” and “Gran Reserva.” A Rioja “Joven”
undergoes no aging.

This LAN Crianza is aged for 18 months in combined American and French-oak barrels, followed by nine
months of rounding in the bottle prior to release. Alcohol is 13.5%. At $13.99 on wine.com, this Rioja is,
quite frankly, a steal.

My tasting notes: Deep ruby red in color. Aromas of ripe red cherry, raspberry and cranberry. On the palate,
I get an earthy mix of leather, tobacco, smoke and licorice with vanilla creeping in on the edges. Medium+
acid. Long finish. A little grippy (tannic) right now, but it has the potential to smooth out with further aging.
Here are the secrets to Emily’s grilled steak salad:

Marinate flank steak for 24 hours in ½ cup olive oil, ½ cup red wine, 2 tbsp. each of ketchup and dijon
mustard, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with Emeril seasoning, salt and freshly
ground black pepper. Flip once during this time.

Grill on high for 3-5 minutes on each side. Then let stand for 10 minutes before slicing steak against the
grain.

Mix together torn romaine lettuce, sliced scallions, cherry tomatoes and croutons.
For the dressing, combine two parts olive oil to one part lemon juice, salt, pepper and a little grated
parmesan. Add to salad ahead of time to wilt lettuce.

Add grilled steak and serve.

Predictably, proteins and fat in the steak bind with the tannins to smooth out the wine. An excellent meal –
thank you, Emily!