We get a lot of requests for reviews of places, wines, and occasionally, a hotel or two. However, the new chic wine bar in downtown Barcelona called Monvinic, takes the cake. A few months ago, we started receiving requests to review this swanky wine bar. And from what little I had read online, as the website is less than informative, it appeared to be interesting and innovative place for a wine geek looking to explore fine wines.  But due to the EWBC, and various prior engagements, it wasn’t until a few weeks ago when we could actually check out the place, with a group of friends in tow.

Arriving early, while the rest of group was maneuvering the various train schedules, my first impression started off poor. Walking up to two large, what appear to be, glass windows, I searched in vain for an entrance. Walking back and forth, I searched for a way to get in, even going so far as walking into the adjacent apartment building, hoping to find a side door. No luck. And just as I was about to give up, I decided to give it one last shot. Peering into the window, slowly inching my face towards the glass, the huge window/door slide open. As if this wasn’t frustrating enough, the employees were watching me search for the entrance, and just stood and stared without helping me. UGH, strike one!

From the moment you walk in, you immediately realize that this is to be an UBER-modern experience. From the front entrance halfway down the left side, you have a unique glass library of sorts with a wide range of wine books lining the room. I suppose this is very nice and interesting, but I’m not …

Ok, jetlag is done, culture shock is mitigated, and my life is starting to get back to its crazy usual self. I’ve inoculated my system with some fresh Iberian wines and assorted tapas. So what happened in Minnesota you may ask? Well a lot. One wedding, one 60th birthday party and at least 4 wine filled dinners. So rather than give you a play by play, I’ll bullet point some of the highlights and ask you a few questions, or rather, state some observations from the visit.

Jason Kallsen, the man behind the World Class Wines Blog, invited me to talk about blogging and Iberian wine on the second night I was in town! Thankfully, it was a great success. Held at the cafe across the street (space purposes) from SoloVino in St.Paul, we talked about wine, blogging and the intersection of the two. Take away thoughts? Well, I was shocked by how few of the “wine geeks” in attendance actually read blogs. While about half had read a blog, very few actually frequented them. If anyone who attended has anything to say about this, please chime in!

I tasted wines twice with old buddies/wine geeks. First night, I tried two Pinot Noirs, one of which was a Bergstrom 2002 PN that was beautiful, seductive, and well worth it. The other, as a result of my desire to carry over wines that were unique and different, was a Kosta Brown RRV 2005 that was undrinkable, or at the least, not a wine that I would ever purposefully go out and buy. Hot, thick, clunky, this was a wine that was better distilled than consumed. Oh, and at 14.7% alcohol?! Give …

As promised for the New Year, we are committed to broadening our discussion on wine beyond Spain and Portugal. One way we’re attempting to do this is by both contributing to Dr. Debs Wine Book Club and by doing a little research on our own as we find books of interest to us. And fortunately, our new plan couldn’t have come a moment too soon considering that my father-in-law was kind enough to surprise me over the holidays with Natalie MacLean’s book, “Red, White, and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass.”

Cracking open the book in Norway next to a roaring hot fire, which are much needed on those cold blistery days; I was reminded how much I enjoy holding a physical book in my hand. It’s funny how often you forget that these objects exist when information is so readily available at click of a mouse.

The book is broken down into eleven chapters, two of which are solely dedicated Natalie’s observations as to how she both entered the wine world and what she intends on doing now that book is finished. Both sections are a fun read, but don’t compare to the meat of her story which describe her roaming adventures through wineries, vineyards, cellars, restaurants, retails shops, wine tastings and interviews.

But before I comment on my impressions, allow me to give you a general overview of what you’ll encounter when reading this book. Natalie begins her journey in Burgundy, where she uncovers some of her deep resounding questions about Pinot Noir and its relationship to some of the most coveted wines in the world through her conversations with Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and …

As a wine geek/wine blogger/wino, one of the questions I often get from my non-geek friends is what I mean when I say a wine is “varietally correct”. It often comes up when someone brings over a wine to our house that they wish our opinion on. Often times the wine is perfect for enjoying in one another’s company, yet nothing to make me jump up and down with vinous joy! I often will, out of habit, mention that the wine is varietally correct when it’s a single varietal bottling, such as a Garnacha from the Priorat. If I mention the varietal correctness, I’m referring to the fact that the wine exhibits all the characteristics of a Garnacha made in the Priorat. In this case, there would be minerality combined with deep, rich, red fruits and black pepper notes. These are the wines I like to turn to when teaching or doing a seminar, as they are the wines that help people to learn a region’s style and tipicity.

Today, however, I would like to talk about the other side of varietal correction, that which is varietally incorrect, inspired by a wine I tasted and an article I read recently. Last week, while visiting with the owner and viticulturist of a cava house, we were given the opportunity to taste both an example of his cavas and of his still wines. Although his cavas were notable, the Avi Ton, a monovarietal wine made with 100% Xarel.lo, was for me exceptional and it turned out possessed a heritage uniquely tied to the property. The story goes that the owner discovered that while the vines located in one part of his property were 100% Xarel.lo, they turn out …

2000 Alta Pavina Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León Selecto - Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León (6/10/2006)Tempranillo/Pinot Noir BlendLight in color, reddish. Nose is pure cherries with minerals though quite restrained. Light and elegant with soft tannins and a medium acidity. In the mouth the flavors are of cherries, light cinnamon, and black pepper.