Friday, 26 April 2013

VALLDOLINA RESERVA 2010



Penedès is an area known mainly because quite a proportion of wine production belongs to the designation of origin Cava, and, to a lesser extent DO Catalunya. It’s difficult to understand how the same geographical area belongs to three denominations of origin, and still there are vineyards that aren’t members of any. In Penedès, the three denominations of origin –Cava, Penedès and Catalunya– live in harmony, alongside cellars that have chosen not to be certify their products in either of the regions. Conceptually it’s quite hard to understand the logic of this if you are not physically here in Penedes, and involved in wine or wine production. It would be our pleasure to explain it in person should you wish to visit us in Penedes!


Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Wine cathedrals



Today is a very special day in Catalonia. It’s Sant Jordi (Saint George), similar to Saint Valentine’s day but extensive to everybody. In the schools, at work, at home, with friends… around are nice activities and, of course, in the street the atmosphere it’s just different. The streets are crammed with people looking at the stalls -decorated with the Catalan flag- and full of books and roses, performances of Sant Jordi’s legend: he kills the dragon and save the princess and from the dragon blood grow up a rose bush full of red roses. And the tradition says that women are given away with a (red) rose and men with a book… it’s a nice tradition, but I prefer not to choose, both: book and rose.


Today I’ve got my book and my rose, nice presents from my sister: a lovely red rose muffin (a vegan muffin!!!) with a book called Catedrals del vi (Wine cathedrals). It is an interesting book about the history of the cooperative cellars in Catalonia. Most of these buildings are Modernist and were built at the beginning of the XXth century by architects like Cèsar Martinell (a disciple of Antoni Gaudí), Pere Domènech and others.
 
Marta Morató - www.b12.cat

I think it’s just the book that I will enjoy. It’s not a novel, but it’s full of histories, places to visit and wines to taste!!
Cooperative cellar from Pinell de Brai


So today, after work, I’ll continue with the tradition and I will go to have a look at the stands and choose nice books for my dearest people and finish the day with a glass of wine, or two, and nice company. 

Enjoy your Sant Jordi's day!

Note: you can find the muffin recipe in http://www.b12.cat/2013/04/per-sant-jordi-una-rosa.html