Wine tastings at La Bodega de Alicia

La Bodega de Alicia

Pieter Whaley of VIN365 asked if I fancied going to a tasting last week. They are coming thick and fast as the grape harvest finishes and end of year build-up to Christmas kicks in. I’m always keen, though, and this intrigued me as it was being held in a wine shop on calle Félix Pizcueta that I had never heard of, let alone visited, La Bodega de Alicia (their web is just a home page, but there is a nice photo of the shop – there is more information about them at this wedding list site, and I’m waiting to be accepted as a friend of theirs on Facebook).

Not only is it clearly and elegantly laid out, it has an extensive selection of Valencian wines among a total of over 500 national and international wines. I noticed a broad selection of sherries, but it often seems to me that I can find a wider range at keener prices in the UK – am I imagining this?

Anyway, I so much enjoyed getting to grips with the latest vintages of four wines from Chozas Carrascal at that first tasting on 21st October that I put myself on the mailing list and was back again a week later for a tasting of the junior wines of 6 grand producers (3 French and 3 Spanish) from Primeras Marcas.

As a masterly final touch, Rafael García, who runs La Bodega de Alicia along with Alicia herself, turns out to be a demon cook. The first week he passed around really fine pisto empanadas, and outdid even those with his quiche next time around. That’s a sure way to get me and others to come to this fine (in every sense) wine shop.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 29th, 2010 at 20:06 and is filed under General.