This month, we present two of my favorite Spanish wines - Sierra Cantabria  Rioja Crianza and Fefiñanes Albariño.

The 2005 Sierra Cantabria Crianza is 100% Tempranillo aged for 15 months in French and American oak prior to bottling without filtration. Dark ruby-colored, the nose exhibits mineral and earth notes as well as plenty of spice and blackberry aromas. Smooth-textured and easy-going, the wine has excellent balance and depth, complex, savory flavors, and a lengthy, pure close. Black cherry, licorice, vanilla and tobacco flavors.

Possibly my favorite Albariño on the planet, Fefinanes Albariño offers an attractive nose of baking spices, mineral, and lemon-lime. Fresh fruit aromas of apricot and peach slices with notes of lemon and green apple. Pretty notes of honey and wet nutmeg, and the mouth is round, clean, and pleasant with baked apple, honey, and lemon. This is a classic Albariño which is good young, but actually improves over two to three years and remains quite drinkable for up to five years.

Palacio de Fefinanes was the first producer to bottle wine under the DO Rias Baixas denomination.

Recipes:

For the Albariño Broiled Oysters with Garlic, Parsley and Lemon Serves 4

These oysters are fantastic as hors d’oeuvres or a light first course while preparing  and cooking the main meal.

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 12 oysters shucked
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoons fine dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest

Preheat broiler.
Combine garlic, butter and parsley in a bowl. Shuck oysters discarding top shells, and nestle oysters in their shells into a bed of coarse salt in a roasting pan. Put a knob of seasoned butter on each oyster, and top with the garlic-parsley mixture. Mix the  bread crumbs and lemon zest together and sprinkle on top. Broil until golden, 4–5 minutes

For the Rioja:  Grilled Hanger Steak with Red Wine-Shallot Sauce and Roasted Baby Carrots Serves 6

Hanger Steak or Onglet was once referred to as the butcher’s steak because it was the cut of meat that the butcher took home to his family. Its exceptional flavor and rich texture pair beautifully with the ripe bold flavors, supple texture and savory notes of the Tempranillo garpe.

1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 cups cremini mushrooms chopped
1 cup chopped shallots
1 bottle dry red wine
3 quarts veal stock or low sodium beef broth
1 bunch fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
3 pounds hanger steak
Salt and pepper
30 baby carrots, peeled
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme

Season the steaks up to an hour ahead on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cook the onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms and shallots in a large pot over medium-high heat until the vegetables soften and begin to brown. Add the wine and simmer until the pot is almost dry, about 20 minutes. Add the stock or broth and reduce the heat slightly and simmer, skimming frequently, until the sauce has reduced to a little under a cup or thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain the sauce and add the thyme sprigs, salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Heat a grill to high heat and cook the steaks for about 5-7 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a platter and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

While the steaks are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning the carrots so they color on all sides until golden brown, about 4-5minutes. Add the butter and herbs and continue cooking until the carrots are tender.

Slice the steaks against the grain and serve with the sauce and roasted carrots on the side.

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