Quick...what's the most widely planted grape in the world?  What's the most widely planted grape in Spain?  If you guessed Cabernet or Chardonnay for the first, or Tempranillo for the second, you're wrong!

The answer is Airen, which accounts for 30% of the grape acreage planted in Spain and over 750,000 acres planted worldwide!!

Our first wine is Ercavio Bianco, a 95% Airen/5% Sauv Blanc blend from an area east of Toledo.  Ercavio Blanco is produced from 90% Airen (Spain’s most widely planted variety) and 10% Sauvignon Blanc from 80+-year-old vines located at high elevation. The result is a light straw-colored wine with aromas and flavors of citrus zest, melons, and lemon-lime. Ripe and well-balanced, this refreshing wine offers excellent value.




Our second wine is based on Bobal, an indigenous varietal from Valencia.  The 2007 Mustiguillo Mestizaje
is a blend of 70% Bobal, with the balance Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was barrel-fermented and raised in oak for 6 months prior to bottling without fining or filtration. Opaque purple-colored, it offers up an alluring perfume of cedar, tobacco, black raspberry, black cherry, and violets. This is followed by a smooth-textured, layered, savory wine with lots of spice, chocolate-covered cherry and black fruit flavors. It will develop for another 2-3 years but can be enjoyed now.  90 points, Robert Parker.

Mustiguillo winery was created to give a place and prominence to the unheralded varietal Bobal. The owners believe strongly that this grape, when cropped low and harvested later can produce wines that can rival some of the greatest wines of Northern Spain. As such, many of the old vines of the property have been kept (some as old as 90 years old) and new vines of Bobal planted as well.

Mustiguillo’s mission is to protect this indigenous varietal and nurture it into what has become, according to many experts, one of Spain’s most fascinating wines.

Recipes: 
For the Airen:  Hake Fillets with Clams in Salsa Verde (Merluza y almejas en salsa verde)  Serves Four

Hake, a noble and expensive fish when caught in Cantabria's local waters and in the Bay of Biscay is also available in the United States in good fish markets. This recipe combines Clams and Hake as well as white asparagus in a traditional light green sauce. This month's crisp white selection, Ercavio blanco, will cut nicely against these flavors.

• 24 Manila or small littleneck clams
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
• 4 cups water
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 !/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 pounds hake fillet, cut into 16 pieces
• Salt
• 4 white asparagus, freshly cooked or canned, halved crosswise
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise, for garnish
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preparation

Scrub the clams under cold running water, discarding any that fail to close to the touch. In a large bowl, combine the clams, coarse salt, and water to cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours so that the clams release any sand trapped in their shells. Drain.

In a large saucepan, combine the clams with the 4 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they open. As the clams cook, uncover the pan occasionally and stir with a wooden spoon to encourage them all to open at about the same time. Drain the clams, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard any clams that have not opened.

In a large cazuela ( this is a glazed terra cotta pan with short two inch sides...you can substitute any low sided pan that is heavy and holds heat well), heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and fry, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the garlic begins to turn golden. Sprinkle the flour over the garlic and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is well blended. Add 3 cups of the reserving cooking liquid and the salt, parsley and wine. Decrease the heat to medium and boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Add more cooking liquid if you prefer a thinner sauce. Rotate the cazuela in circular motions over the burner to mix all the ingredients, and boil gently for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is blended and looks whitish green.

Sprinkle the hake pieces with the salt and place in a single layer in the sauce. Cook, turning once, for 2 minutes on each side, or until opaque at the center when tested with a knife tip. Add the clams and asparagus, shake the pan gently to prevent sticking, and simmer for 2 more minutes so heat all the ingredients through.

Garnish with the egg wedges and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

For the Bobal:" Grilled Sirloin with Four Sauces  Serves Four

These sirloin strips can be cooked at the table on a gas burner with a cast iron grill pan and accompanied by a selection of flavorful sauces: chive, mustard, horseradish and romesco. If that seems too ambitious, the sirloin can be grilled whole, sliced and served with the four sauces or with just one of them. This dish is a nice way to enjoy the Bobal wine from Bodegas Mustiguillo with some friends.

• 1 lb 2 oz sirloin
• Olive oil
• Sea or Kosher salt

Chive sauce:

• 1 bundle of chives
• 1 bundle of parsley
• 4 fl oz oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp mustard
• Salt and pepper

Mustard sauce:

• 2 tbsp grain mustard
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt and pepper

Radish sauce:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 tbsp horseradish sauce or grated horseradish
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Salt

Romesco sauce:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 dried (or canned) choricero peppers
• 1 ripe tomato
• Fresh white bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 small piece of chili pepper
• Salt, ground pepper, water

Preparation:

Heat the griddle or a hot stone. Cut the meat into even-sized strips and arrange on a wooden board on the table. Place the hot griddle or stone next to it, with tongs so that each person can cook their meat to taste. Place the different sauces in suitable containers so that each person can dip their meat into the chosen sauce or serve some onto their plates. Also offer a small bowl of Maldon salt and a pepper mill.

Chive sauce: Blend the chives with the parsley, oil, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper until the texture of a sauce. Check the seasoning.

Mustard sauce: Mix the grain mustard with the mayonnaise, and add the sugar, salt and pepper.

Horseradish sauce: Mix the mayonnaise with the horseradish sauce or grated horseradish, add the sugar and taste to check.

Romesco sauce: Crush the cloves of garlic together with the choricero peppers, the skinned and seeded tomato, fresh white bread crumbs (first soak in water and then squeeze), olive oil, vinegar, chili pepper, salt and ground pepper. If this gives a very thick sauce, add a little water.

• < Prev
• Next >