Recap: Barcelona Greenwich’s “Passport through Spain” Week 3: Montsant/Priorat

For the past three Wednesdays of this month, we’ve attended Barcelona’s “Passport through Spain” wine classes. The first two sessions covered the regions of Rioja and Galacia (Read our recap here). The third class on March 19th covered Montsant/Priorat, which is known for its powerful, elegant and complex wines.

Barcelona Stamford’s wine sommelier, José Valverde, taught the class of 35 about the wines – covering the history, where the grapes are grown, and what foods pair well with them. José did an amazing job as he did in the previous two classes. Chef Michael Lucente prepared three fabulous dishes to be paired with the wines.

Session 3: Montsant/Priorat

Located in the Cataluña region (Northeast Spain), Montsant and Priorat produces wines which José described as “the best that Spain has to offer.”

Pairing 1: 2011 Mas Igneus Barranc dels Closos Blanc with a non-traditional Fideos Paella

José recommends this wine to people who like Chardonnay. The 2011 Barranc dels Closos is a blend of two grapes – Garnacha Blanca and Pedro Ximenez. It’s high in alcohol (14.5% ABV) and has a full body (though body does not necessarily have to be associated with the alcohol content). It pairs well with paella (both seafood and meat).

This was the first time I’ve ever had fideos. A fideo is a spaghetti-like pasta that is either short or long. Chef Michael Lucente cooked short fideos with bacon, pork belly, turnips, Mangalica ham, pata negra, onions, and broth in a paella pan, and in the final 3 minutes of cooking, cracked eggs on top and baked it in the oven. The end result – an amazing dish that I could probably try to finish on my own. Each bite was full of flavor – a little bit of spice and lots of richness from the meats.

Pairing 2: 2010 Acústic Celler, Acústic with Lamb Bocadillos.

The first time I had Acústic was a couple years ago at my birthday Pig Roast at Barcelona Stamford. José actually recommended the wine to us (then it was a different vintage) and it was great to see this on his list for the evening. This wine is a “Baby Priorat,” which means you can enjoy it young. It tastes like fruit, spice, and licorice. On the nose, it has hints of lavender and herbs.

The bocadillo, Spanish for sandwich, was made with arugula, Merguez sausage, olive tapenade and cucumber. The tapenade was spread onto the bread giving the sandwich saltiness to combat the rich, and spicy Merguez sausage.

Pairing 3: 2011 Celler Vall Llach, Embruix with a Bone-in Rib Eye.

Three boards of 3 pound bone-in rib eyes made its way through the dining room. The smell of rosemary and roasted bulbs of garlic floated through the air, as the crowd let out excitement as cuts of meat were served onto everyone’s plates. The wine was called “Embruix,” which means enchanted, and pairs well with grilled red meats. The final pairing was fantastic.

Once again, the wine and food pairings for this session were phenomenal. It’s bittersweet, but I can’t wait to attend the final session on Wednesday. If you haven’t signed up for it yet, I strongly recommend that you do. Chef Lucente hints the food will be amazing (I have no doubt about that) and he will end off the series on a strong note.

The last class of the “Passport through Spain” series will be held on March 26th at 7pm and will focus on the Valencia region. The class is $35 per person (plus tax and gratuity). With the first class you attend, you’ll receive a Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant passport. Each time you attend a class, your passport will be “stamped” and you receive a complimentary tapa token to redeem on your next visit. For those who attend all four classes, they will each receive a ‘Dinner for Two’ gift certificate. Reservations can be made by contacting rsvp@barteca.com.

Hope to see you there!

Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant
18 West Putnam Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830