Sangria! Wine…or not?

Aug 10 2009

What improves tapas?  A delicious sangria does.  And the sangria I was tasting this evening packed a pretty powerful punch thanks to vodka.  I noted an overall light taste with my first sip but could not make out any particular notes – the sangria seemed well blended. The only fruit used in this mix was granny smith apples.  After biting into some of the fruit, I realized the formula included vodka.

What else makes this one of the lightest sangrias to pass my lips?  In addition to red table wine and vodka, this sangria also included cinnamon, orange juice and Sprite.  Almost too subtle to detect, the other flavors worked harmoniously with each other and the table wine.

While I missed the oranges, strawberries and various fruit I’ve experienced in other sangrias, the clean simplicity of this one made me wish I had ordered a half pitcher instead of the glass.

An sampled  the Tinta especial de la casa, or red wine sangria ($7.00/glass) at Jaleo Tapas Bar located at 480 7th St NW in Washington DC, phone 202-628-7949. She paired the wine with:

Cazón en adobo al estilo se Cádiz (marinated fried baby shark like people do in Cádiz),
dátiles con tocino ‘como hace todo el mundo’(fried dates wrapped in bacon),
chistorra envuelta en patata frita (slightly spicy chorizo wrapped in a crispy potato) and
grilled manchego, murcia, picon and goat cheese with truffle oil on rustic bread served with honey aioli

For taste, color, scent, experience and complexity, An gives the Tinta especial de la casa (Red wine sangria) at Jaleo a 4 out of 5.

From Lebanon, Via D.C: Get Out Your Summer Whites

Jul 17 2009

Have you ever wanted to just get away? I know I have, and I did just that last night in Washington, D.C, when I ordered a delightful Lebanese sauvignon blanc. I asked the waitress to bring out two tastes, one each of an ‘06 Domaine Wardy and a Clairette ‘06 Massaya Classic White.

While both were lovely (and within $0.50 of each other on the menu!), I chose the Massayax, a drier white than the Domaine Wardy.

The Domaine Wardy started out quite promisingly – it had a full bodied sweetness that, at first taste, was surprising and delightful in a muggy D.C. evening. However, the next sip several minutes later seemed overly sweet, almost cloying. If I were to order a full glass, I’d have to drink it quickly, before the glass warmed up.  I didn’t think that was the experience I desired.

Thus I ordered a glass of the Massaya – what this drier white lacked in depth of body, it made up for in sheer drinkability for the surroundings. The pale, golden liquid possessed a ethereal quality and the crisp finish ensured that I could sip it at my leisure throughout the meal. The refreshing quality decrescendoed over time, as the wine lost its chill, but the difference in experience seemed subtle, relative to the change I experienced with the Domaine Wardy. I found pleasure in the simple fact that the Massaya did not degrade during my meal. Instead, it seemed to develop a more complex quality as the meal progressed.

Try the Massaya for a bit of escapism. For what it’s worth, the sauvignon blanc was more realistic than a round trip ticket to Lebanon.

An drank the Clairette ‘06 Massaya Classic White ($7.50/glass) at Lebanese Taverna in Washington, D.C. She paired the wine with chickpea and fava bean fritters served with tahini;  hommos with spiced ground meat, pine nuts, almonds, & olive oil; sliced rotisserie lamb and beef served with tahini sauce; a mixed vegetables medley sauteed with garlic sauce and a Lebanese salad. It was DELICIOUS!

For taste, color, scent, experience and complexity, An gives the Clairette ‘06 Massaya Classic White a 4.