Abadia Retuerta – The Abbey of the Twisted River

Written by Allison Levine on March 26, 2019

Travel Lifestyle Wine

Want to dream about a place to visit? Perhaps dream about ABADIA RETUERTA LeDOMAINE located just outside the Ribera del Duero region in Spain. During a recent visit of General Manager Enrique Valero Quintana to Los Angeles, I met with him and tasted the wines of Abadia Retuerta. The wines were fantastic and the images of the winery, and hotel, had me fantasizing about my next trip. You can read about it in my recent column in the Napa Valley Register, shared here.

The Duero River starts in the north of Spain and travels 460 miles through Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean. Along the river, there are several recognized wine-producing regions, including Ribera del Duero in Spain. Just outside the Ribera del Duero wine region sits a unique destination, Abadia Retuerta, the Abbey of the Twisted River.

Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Berryessa Gap Paella Cook-Off

Written by Allison Levine on November 17, 2018

Lifestyle Food Wine

There is something beautiful about watching paella being cooked over an open fire in a large open pan. This image was magnified this past week where at least a dozen different paellas were being made for the Berryessa Gap Paella Cook-Off, the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Berryessa Gap is a winery based in Winters, in Yolo County, California, located 30 miles from Sacramento and 60 miles from San Francisco. Owned by the Martinez family who originates from Spain, they celebrate their Spanish heritage each year with the annual Paella Cookoff and Dinner. This year marked the 11th annual event and more than a dozen local chefs came out to make paellas, many from their own family’s recipes. Read More +

Red Wine 101 Guide

Written by Allison Levine on October 18, 2017

Wine

This story originally appeared in Drizly.

Jammy, fruity, earthy, bold…these are some common words associated with red wine. There are hundreds and hundreds of different varieties of red wines, each one different from the next. Not all red wines are alike and there is a style for every palate. You may say that you do not like red wine, but perhaps you have not had the right one yet. So, let’s go over some basics of red wine and perhaps help you find one you will like.

How Is Red Wine Made?

Red wines get their color from the grape skins. White wine can be made from either red or white grapes but red wine cannot be made from white-skinned grapes. The juice of all grapes is clear. The color comes from the skins. Once the grapes are picked, they are fermented with their skins. This means that the yeast is added to the grapes and the sugar in the grapes is converted to alcohol. As the process takes place, the juice leaches color from the skins. The longer the juice spends with the skins, the darker the color of the wine. Red wines are typically fermented at a warmer temperature than white wines. Read More +