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The patriarch of modern Priorat: Carles Pastrana

This piece originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register (November 6, 2015) If someone had told Carles Pastrana years ago that he would be considered the patriarch of modern Priorat wine and the owner of two of the greatest wines in the world (Clos de l’Obac and Miserere), he would have said they were insane.

Priorat is not a normal region. A tiny region within Catalonia, Spain, Priorat is a small area that covers 4,000 acres. A very hilly area with hot and dry summers and cold and windy winters, the soil consists of slate, rocks and bushes. It is not an area to easily plant in and many were thought to be foolish to plant there. The Romans did not dare to try. But in the 12th century, the Catalonian king founded a place for monks. No vines, no grapes. No grapes, no wine. No wine, no communion. So, the first thing to do when the monks moved in was to plant grapes.

25 November, 2015

Monday is Valencian Putxero Night at Smoke.Oil.Salt.

Monday night may be the night you like to stay in. And, perhaps it is a good night for cooking at home as many restaurants are closed on Mondays. But, if you want to have that home-cooked meal and don't want to do the work, head to Smoke.Oil.Salt in West Hollywood. Smoke.Oil.Salt is an authentic Spanish restaurant and wine bar known for its traditional Catalan dishes (paella, fideua, wood-grilled fish and seafoods). But, on Monday nights, Chef Perfecto Rocher is preparing a traditional stew from Valencia, a region south of Catalan. At Smoke.Oil.Salt., Chef Rocher's Valencian Putxero is served on a “TV Dinner/School Cafeteria Tray” with the items in different sections. Traditional Valencian Putxero is a Spanish stew made with rice, lamb, beef, pork, pilotes (Valencian meatballs), chickpeas, potatoes and other vegetables. This stew may vary from household to household in Valencia but it always contains meat, vegetables and sometimes sausage with ingredients typical to the area where it is prepared.

16 February, 2015

Winery Profile: Emilio Moro, Ribera del Duero

Emilio Moro Winery was founded on three generations of family united by pride, effort and dedication. In 1987, current president Jose Moro decided to bring his father and grandfather's wine to the public and invested his family's savings into a grape press. Shortly after, in 1988, the Moro family purchased their first cellar, extending a family tradition outward for generations to come. Their brand name was created in 1989, thus launching the first vintage of Emilio Moro.

Emilio Moro was a viticulturalist and he was the first person to plant on the mountains in Ribera del Duero. People thought he was crazy but today many others are planting there. Situated at an altitude between 750 and 1000 meters above sea-level, the land's climate make this chalky soil unique for producing its 100% Tempranillo varietal.

01 April, 2014