Deciding where to travel can be hard, just like picking your next wine to taste. Living in the Napa Valley I am surrounded by delicious wines coming from some of the finest terroir. As it turns out sometimes I want to try something different, hence One Stop Wine Shop. This online wine shop offers a variety of wine club programs including the Exploration Series, which I opted into in order to expand my wine knowledge outside of traditional Napa Valley varietals.
This post was sponsored by One Stop Wine Shop. All opinions stated are my own.
The Exploration Series is a wine club for "the adventurous consumer ready to travel through their glass." AKA me! My first shipment included four wines, half from Spain and half from Italy. I decided to taste the wines from Spain first, an Albariño and a Tempranillo. Below is what I learned about these wines and also some key facts about the Spanish wine region.
SPANISH WINE KEY FACTS
Spain is home to around 600 grape varieties, though roughly only 20 are used in the production of the vast majority of wines.
Spain's primary white wines are Verdejo and Albariño. Their primary red wines are Garnacha and Tempranillo.
There are 139 official wine designations in Spain, including almost 70 DOs and two DOCas. The two DOCas are Rioja and Priorat. Note: Spanish wines are split into a number of appellations called Denominación de Origen (DO acronym). Rioja and Priorat are some of their very best appellations.
(Source facts: Decanter.com)
WINE REVIEW AND PAIRING SUGGESTIONS
When I tell you I am an Albariño wine fan, let it be known and proudly. Why? It's typically a bright style white wine to be enjoyed with food, specifically seafood dishes or anything spicy. The 2020 Terras Gauda O'Rosal white wine, included in my Exploration Series shipment had vibrant citrus and floral aromas that also reflected in flavor. A main reason I loved this Albariño was because of its sea salt and balanced minerality profile influenced by its cool climate region located in Rías Baixas. (Spain’s northwest corner)
Tempranillo time! I'm not going to lie, I haven't had too many Tempranillo's to fully appreciate it's characteristics so the 2019 Quinta Sardonia Red Wine was a great start. It had red fruit aromas such as berry and cherry flavors. A medium body with hints of spices, such as cloves and slightly chewy from its tannins. This wine would be great with any pasta or red sauce dish as well as barbecue.
ABOUT ONE STOP WINE SHOP
One Stop Wine Shop is the premier online shopping destination for red, white, rosé and sparkling wines delivered straight to your door. They offer five different wine club programs like "Everyday Wines" to "Winemaker's Selection." When you join a club you can enjoy 20% off all wines purchased, customizable shipments and access to exclusive promotions and offers throughout the year. Risk free, cancel anytime!
SPECIAL OFFER: Join a wine club and enjoy 20% off all wine purchases and other members only perks! (Ends 9/2/22)
Are you a member of any online wine clubs? Which are your favorites? Spanish wine fans? Let me know in the comments or on my Instagram. Cheers!
- Jackie Roldan
WSET II Certified
Napa Valley Wine Blogger