The single most important factor as either a wine buyer or a wine consumer is value for money. At the cellar door, when I was buying wine in my previous job, the discussion was always about the relationship between quality and price – and this applied to any country, in any language. Indeed, this is more or less the ‘Holy Grail’ of the wine buyer, to find the best quality wine at the best price – not necessarily the cheapest price, but the ‘correct’ price. To back this up is one of my very favourite sayings in the wine trade that I have pinned to my office wall: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten”……. That says it all for me.

So, on the subject of value for money, we were very happy to appear on the Snooth website yesterday as the top value Spanish wine tasted in 2013. Snooth is a very big website in the U.S. (and around the world for that matter) and so it’s really great to have our wine endorsed by them, especially in an article about value. Click HERE to see the article.

The single most important factor as either a wine buyer or a wine consumer is value for money. At the cellar door, when I was buying wine in my previous job, the discussion was always about the relationship between quality and price – and this applied to any country, in any language. Indeed, this is more or less the ‘Holy Grail’ of the wine buyer, to find the best quality wine at the best price – not necessarily the cheapest price, but the ‘correct’ price. To back this up is one of my very favourite sayings in the wine trade that I have pinned to my office wall: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten”……. That says it all for me.

So, on the subject of value for money, we were very happy to appear on the Snooth website yesterday as the top value Spanish wine tasted in 2013. Snooth is a very big website in the U.S. (and around the world for that matter) and so it’s really great to have our wine endorsed by them, especially in an article about value. Click HERE to see the article.

It’s just another one of those celebrations which has crept up quietly, almost unnoticed – it’s September 29th – World Tapas Day. As celebrations go this is certainly one with great potential, but I’m afraid that I am left wondering to myself, just how many people actually know about it? To be honest I have not noticed any publicity in our region, and only really know about it because I happen to be on the right mailing list. What a shame!

I mentioned tapas in our blog only the other day, when I declared it to be one of the most civilised parts of buying a drink here in Spain – nearly every glass that you buy will be accompanied by some small dish to ‘picar’ – maybe a few olives, perhaps a few potato chips, or maybe even something more elaborate served hot or cold – but always free. Apart from this there are many bars that offer an extensive tapas menu, and these can comprise almost anything, and often will vary from region to region. Perhaps the most common tapa of all would be a simple platter of jamon or local cheeses.

The actual origin of tapas is one of those tales that is open to conjecture, but the most popular version is that a ‘tapa’ was simply a hunk of bread placed over a glass to keep the flies out. The word tapa literally means ‘cover’ or ‘lid’, hence the term ‘tapas’ was born. Original tapas were traditionally the most simple items, that required the minimum of preparation. In the south of Spain for example, a fino sherry would possibly be served with a small dish of almonds, fried in olive oil, sprinkled with salt and served whilst still warm, or perhaps a manzanilla served with a few thin slices of Manchego cheese……. delicious! These days however, tapas can be much more elaborate (especially those selected from a menu, that are not given as a free accompaniment), and the only limit to what can be served is really down to the imagination of the chef.

It’s just another one of those celebrations which has crept up quietly, almost unnoticed – it’s September 29th – World Tapas Day. As celebrations go this is certainly one with great potential, but I’m afraid that I am left wondering to myself, just how many people actually know about it? To be honest I have not noticed any publicity in our region, and only really know about it because I happen to be on the right mailing list. What a shame!

I mentioned tapas in our blog only the other day, when I declared it to be one of the most civilised parts of buying a drink here in Spain – nearly every glass that you buy will be accompanied by some small dish to ‘picar’ – maybe a few olives, perhaps a few potato chips, or maybe even something more elaborate served hot or cold – but always free. Apart from this there are many bars that offer an extensive tapas menu, and these can comprise almost anything, and often will vary from region to region. Perhaps the most common tapa of all would be a simple platter of jamon or local cheeses.

The actual origin of tapas is one of those tales that is open to conjecture, but the most popular version is that a ‘tapa’ was simply a hunk of bread placed over a glass to keep the flies out. The word tapa literally means ‘cover’ or ‘lid’, hence the term ‘tapas’ was born. Original tapas were traditionally the most simple items, that required the minimum of preparation. In the south of Spain for example, a fino sherry would possibly be served with a small dish of almonds, fried in olive oil, sprinkled with salt and served whilst still warm, or perhaps a manzanilla served with a few thin slices of Manchego cheese……. delicious! These days however, tapas can be much more elaborate (especially those selected from a menu, that are not given as a free accompaniment), and the only limit to what can be served is really down to the imagination of the chef.

This year’s late harvest has enabled us both to make a trip that is often difficult, if not impossible…… a visit to New York for the annual tasting of our importer. Unfortunately this tasting is nearly always held at the beginning of September, meaning that it usually collides head on with the arrival of our grapes! Of course we could employ a sales director, an executive who could attend these events on our behalf, but this is just not the way we chose to work. Angela and I prefer to work ‘hands-on’ and travel to meet our friends and partners around the world in person. It goes without saying that, given the choice, our importers and their customers also prefer to meet those responsible for making Castro Martin face-to-face. The family behind the wine.

One of the other advantages of Angela making the journey to New York with me is that it negates the need to travel with a huge shopping list! The credit cards take a pounding as we both shop for the goods simply not available in our remote corner of Spain. It also gives me the opportunity to make my annual pilgrimage to the home of photography – the B&H store on 34th and 9th Ave – the world’s best photographic shop.

On the wine side of things, it is always very gratifying to witness the growth of albariño in the U.S. market, and the fact that many of those who taste already know our wine, or at the very least, know our denomination. That is why the United States is by far the biggest and most important market for our grape variety, and happily the numbers are still increasing….

This year’s late harvest has enabled us both to make a trip that is often difficult, if not impossible…… a visit to New York for the annual tasting of our importer. Unfortunately this tasting is nearly always held at the beginning of September, meaning that it usually collides head on with the arrival of our grapes! Of course we could employ a sales director, an executive who could attend these events on our behalf, but this is just not the way we chose to work. Angela and I prefer to work ‘hands-on’ and travel to meet our friends and partners around the world in person. It goes without saying that, given the choice, our importers and their customers also prefer to meet those responsible for making Castro Martin face-to-face. The family behind the wine.

One of the other advantages of Angela making the journey to New York with me is that it negates the need to travel with a huge shopping list! The credit cards take a pounding as we both shop for the goods simply not available in our remote corner of Spain. It also gives me the opportunity to make my annual pilgrimage to the home of photography – the B&H store on 34th and 9th Ave – the world’s best photographic shop.

On the wine side of things, it is always very gratifying to witness the growth of albariño in the U.S. market, and the fact that many of those who taste already know our wine, or at the very least, know our denomination. That is why the United States is by far the biggest and most important market for our grape variety, and happily the numbers are still increasing….

After a very cool wet spring and the prospect of a late harvest as a result, we are now experiencing the opposite – a prolonged warm, dry period. The month of August now behind us, was extremely dry, but also quite sunny and warm – temperatures mostly in the 25-30°C (77-86°F) range. Altogether very pleasant. I was actually trying desperately to recall whether there had been any precipitation  at all during the last month, and was even searching various weather websites to see if I could confirm my idea, but believe it or not I couldn’t find one. Having said that, if there was any rain at all, then it was certainly next to nothing.

So what are the implications for our harvest? Well, it really depends on what happens next. If the dry weather continues for the next few weeks, then it is possible that the berries will start to shrivel and yields could be somewhat reduced. In an ideal world we need just a little rain, enough to refresh the soil and to breathe a bit more life into the vines, but clearly we done want too much rain either as this can lead to potential problems with rot and disease. So we don’t ask for too much – just perfect weather for our vineyards!

Now only another few weeks to run before the games begin.

After a very cool wet spring and the prospect of a late harvest as a result, we are now experiencing the opposite – a prolonged warm, dry period. The month of August now behind us, was extremely dry, but also quite sunny and warm – temperatures mostly in the 25-30°C (77-86°F) range. Altogether very pleasant. I was actually trying desperately to recall whether there had been any precipitation  at all during the last month, and was even searching various weather websites to see if I could confirm my idea, but believe it or not I couldn’t find one. Having said that, if there was any rain at all, then it was certainly next to nothing.

So what are the implications for our harvest? Well, it really depends on what happens next. If the dry weather continues for the next few weeks, then it is possible that the berries will start to shrivel and yields could be somewhat reduced. In an ideal world we need just a little rain, enough to refresh the soil and to breathe a bit more life into the vines, but clearly we done want too much rain either as this can lead to potential problems with rot and disease. So we don’t ask for too much – just perfect weather for our vineyards!

Now only another few weeks to run before the games begin.

My guess is that in the majority of the food and beverage industries there are professional tasters. Wine tasting is nothing unique – perhaps a tad more glamorous than say, a tomato ketchup taster, but certainly not unique. (Please note that I have nothing against ketchup or ketchup tasters!) 

Water tasting is however, something far more curious. As we all know the bottled water industry has grown enormously in recent years (and dare I suggest, is also a generator of some handsome profits). Only a decade ago there was quite a scandal in the UK when the Coca-Cola Company attempted to sell filtered mains water to consumers under the brand name Dasani. When the source of this water was made known the backlash resulted in its rapid withdrawal from the market. Supplying a water that cost only 0.03p and selling it in a plastic bottle for 95p was deemed simply not acceptable, no matter how ‘space age’ the filtering process was claimed to be.

Having said all that, I personally use different types of water in different situations. For example, I use mains tap water to boil for making tea, whereas our everyday drinking water is sourced from a natural spring in Sanxenxo and collected in large containers every few days. I have to admit that you can really taste the difference – the mains tap water obviously contains chlorine (that strangely makes good tea), whereas the spring water is much softer on the palate – what some people might describe as ‘sweet ‘water.

In London there are now bartenders who are creating infusions of water, adding a distillation of hay and grass to give consumers an alternative type of soft drink with their meal. The end result is apparently quite unusual. It’s perfectly clear, but has a straw-like bouquet, and in the mouth is slightly savoury with a lingering and rather pleasant taste. However, at £4 ($6) a glass, this might seem a little steep for many.

Another alternative might be pure iceberg water, claimed by its producer to be “the purest water on Earth”, made from icebergs formed by snowfall that settled in Greenland 12,000 years ago – a snip at only £13 ($20) a bottle.  Of course, all this is paled into insignificance when compared to Claridge’s Hotel in London which has a ‘water menu’, including bottles up to £50 ($78) a litre!  For water……..

My guess is that in the majority of the food and beverage industries there are professional tasters. Wine tasting is nothing unique – perhaps a tad more glamorous than say, a tomato ketchup taster, but certainly not unique. (Please note that I have nothing against ketchup or ketchup tasters!) 

Water tasting is however, something far more curious. As we all know the bottled water industry has grown enormously in recent years (and dare I suggest, is also a generator of some handsome profits). Only a decade ago there was quite a scandal in the UK when the Coca-Cola Company attempted to sell filtered mains water to consumers under the brand name Dasani. When the source of this water was made known the backlash resulted in its rapid withdrawal from the market. Supplying a water that cost only 0.03p and selling it in a plastic bottle for 95p was deemed simply not acceptable, no matter how ‘space age’ the filtering process was claimed to be.

Having said all that, I personally use different types of water in different situations. For example, I use mains tap water to boil for making tea, whereas our everyday drinking water is sourced from a natural spring in Sanxenxo and collected in large containers every few days. I have to admit that you can really taste the difference – the mains tap water obviously contains chlorine (that strangely makes good tea), whereas the spring water is much softer on the palate – what some people might describe as ‘sweet ‘water.

In London there are now bartenders who are creating infusions of water, adding a distillation of hay and grass to give consumers an alternative type of soft drink with their meal. The end result is apparently quite unusual. It’s perfectly clear, but has a straw-like bouquet, and in the mouth is slightly savoury with a lingering and rather pleasant taste. However, at £4 ($6) a glass, this might seem a little steep for many.

Another alternative might be pure iceberg water, claimed by its producer to be “the purest water on Earth”, made from icebergs formed by snowfall that settled in Greenland 12,000 years ago – a snip at only £13 ($20) a bottle.  Of course, all this is paled into insignificance when compared to Claridge’s Hotel in London which has a ‘water menu’, including bottles up to £50 ($78) a litre!  For water……..

On Saturday we were trapped in our own home once again by the return of the Vuelta a España (the tour of Spain cycle race). The first stage of the event was a team time-trial past our front door – well, actually, to be more accurate, between Vilanova de Arousa and Sanxenxo (where we live in summer). The start of this stage was quite dramatic as the teams departed from a glass topped pontoon built especially for the occasion on one of our Rias, and was quite amusing in that the cyclists had to be ferried to the start line by boat – a world’s first I’m sure!

Today we are trapped by the Vuelta once again, but this time in the Bodega, as the race passes through the village of Barrantes where we are located. There is however, a difference between today and Saturday. On Saturday, which was the team time trial, we had groups of riders passing every four minutes for a period of about 1½ hours, which at least made the day a bit more interesting. This afternoon, when they pass through Barrantes it’s possible that the entire peloton can pass in a matter of a few seconds – a lot of inconvenience for a split second of entertainment! (Click on photo to see more detail)

On Saturday we were trapped in our own home once again by the return of the Vuelta a España (the tour of Spain cycle race). The first stage of the event was a team time-trial past our front door – well, actually, to be more accurate, between Vilanova de Arousa and Sanxenxo (where we live in summer). The start of this stage was quite dramatic as the teams departed from a glass topped pontoon built especially for the occasion on one of our Rias, and was quite amusing in that the cyclists had to be ferried to the start line by boat – a world’s first I’m sure!

Today we are trapped by the Vuelta once again, but this time in the Bodega, as the race passes through the village of Barrantes where we are located. There is however, a difference between today and Saturday. On Saturday, which was the team time trial, we had groups of riders passing every four minutes for a period of about 1½ hours, which at least made the day a bit more interesting. This afternoon, when they pass through Barrantes it’s possible that the entire peloton can pass in a matter of a few seconds – a lot of inconvenience for a split second of entertainment! (Click on photo to see more detail)

On Saturday we were trapped in our own home once again by the return of the Vuelta a España (the tour of Spain cycle race). The first stage of the event was a team time-trial past our front door – well, actually, to be more accurate, between Vilanova de Arousa and Sanxenxo (where we live in summer). The start of this stage was quite dramatic as the teams departed from a glass topped pontoon built especially for the occasion on one of our Rias, and was quite amusing in that the cyclists had to be ferried to the start line by boat – a world’s first I’m sure!

Today we are trapped by the Vuelta once again, but this time in the Bodega, as the race passes through the village of Barrantes where we are located. There is however, a difference between today and Saturday. On Saturday, which was the team time trial, we had groups of riders passing every four minutes for a period of about 1½ hours, which at least made the day a bit more interesting. This afternoon, when they pass through Barrantes it’s possible that the entire peloton can pass in a matter of a few seconds – a lot of inconvenience for a split second of entertainment! (Click on photo to see more detail)

On Saturday we were trapped in our own home once again by the return of the Vuelta a España (the tour of Spain cycle race). The first stage of the event was a team time-trial past our front door – well, actually, to be more accurate, between Vilanova de Arousa and Sanxenxo (where we live in summer). The start of this stage was quite dramatic as the teams departed from a glass topped pontoon built especially for the occasion on one of our Rias, and was quite amusing in that the cyclists had to be ferried to the start line by boat – a world’s first I’m sure!

Today we are trapped by the Vuelta once again, but this time in the Bodega, as the race passes through the village of Barrantes where we are located. There is however, a difference between today and Saturday. On Saturday, which was the team time trial, we had groups of riders passing every four minutes for a period of about 1½ hours, which at least made the day a bit more interesting. This afternoon, when they pass through Barrantes it’s possible that the entire peloton can pass in a matter of a few seconds – a lot of inconvenience for a split second of entertainment! (Click on photo to see more detail)

Hybrid grapes are often created to improve resistance to disease, or perhaps by way of creating a hardy varietal that will survive in difficult climates, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a grape being conceived solely for its shape. However, one fruit producer in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley has just developed a new grape known as ‘witch fingers’. (I should quickly add that these are not wine producing grapes but are intended purely as a sweet, eating varietal). In fact, apart from their unique shape there is nothing that really distinguishes these ‘fingers’ from other table grapes. The producers themselves simply hope that they might appeal to children, or perhaps be a way to simply enhance the presentation of your cheese board – they do not make any other extravagant claims.

From the picture you can probably work out for yourself where the name comes from.

Hybrid grapes are often created to improve resistance to disease, or perhaps by way of creating a hardy varietal that will survive in difficult climates, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a grape being conceived solely for its shape. However, one fruit producer in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley has just developed a new grape known as ‘witch fingers’. (I should quickly add that these are not wine producing grapes but are intended purely as a sweet, eating varietal). In fact, apart from their unique shape there is nothing that really distinguishes these ‘fingers’ from other table grapes. The producers themselves simply hope that they might appeal to children, or perhaps be a way to simply enhance the presentation of your cheese board – they do not make any other extravagant claims.

From the picture you can probably work out for yourself where the name comes from.

The other day I was interviewed for a video (that may or may not end up attached to our website, depending on how it turns out), the significant point being that the person asking the questions appeared to be a little transfixed by the Altlantic Ocean and the effect that it had on our wines. It is of course true that the Atlantic does have a huge influence on our albariño and could possibly be the reason that this unique grape was planted in Galicia in the first place. Not only do particular varietals thrive in particular climates, but also the local diet often plays a large part in the style or type of wine that dominates in a given area. Being by the Ocean and having direct access to a huge amount of fresh fish and seafood has no doubt played its part over the centuries, and is probably one of the main reasons that our local wine history has evolved the way it did.

The style of most albariño is very distinctive, and many of the adjectives that are used to describe it are actually synonymous with the sea – we use terms such as fresh, zesty, crisp, clean and even salty, all words that could just as easily be used to describe the breeze from the Ocean. Indeed, the smell that we do experience from the sea rather depends on where you are, as different areas of coastline combined with a differing local climate can certainly change your perception.

So where does this distinct character come from? Well, quite naturally, a huge proportion comes from the grape itself, and whilst we have only one variety that dominates, there are of course many clones in existence, each of which might yield a slightly different taste (although the differences are very subtle and will not trouble most consumers). The rest comes from what the French would call ‘terroir’ – not just the soil, but all the different climatic nuances that surround a vineyard or wine growing area. In Galicia many of the soils are sandy, alluvial soils, deposited by the rivers (or Rias) along the coast. Obviously the soil itself will contain mineral deposits that could include varying amounts of sodium (salt), whilst the underlying base of granite in some areas, can increase the acidity and add to the ‘mineral’ character of the grape.

As far as the weather is concerned, being immediately adjacent to the ocean (as we are in the Val do Salnés sub-zone), has the effect of moderating our climate, keeping it cooler in summer, and more mild in winter. However, moving as little as 30 or 40km inland from the coast there can be a significant difference. Around our local town of Ourense for example, in summer it is quite common for the thermometer to hit 40°C (over 100°F) during the peak of summer. From a grape growing point of view this is far from ideal as the berries can rapidly lose their acidity.

Finally, we have the sea-mist – witnessed quite a lot in recent days. One minute we are bathed in hot sunshine, and then, within a matter of minutes we are plunged into a somewhat chilly blanket of a briny, saline sea-mist (or néboa in Galician), as it suddenly rolls in from the Ocean. This can be seen quite dramatically in today’s photos (click to enlarge), all taken within a period of 15-20 minutes. This sea-mist sometimes shrouds the vineyards even at the height of summer, and there is no doubt that this not only will influence the development of the fruit, but can also possibly, add just a touch of salty zest to the bunches.

The other day I was interviewed for a video (that may or may not end up attached to our website, depending on how it turns out), the significant point being that the person asking the questions appeared to be a little transfixed by the Altlantic Ocean and the effect that it had on our wines. It is of course true that the Atlantic does have a huge influence on our albariño and could possibly be the reason that this unique grape was planted in Galicia in the first place. Not only do particular varietals thrive in particular climates, but also the local diet often plays a large part in the style or type of wine that dominates in a given area. Being by the Ocean and having direct access to a huge amount of fresh fish and seafood has no doubt played its part over the centuries, and is probably one of the main reasons that our local wine history has evolved the way it did.

The style of most albariño is very distinctive, and many of the adjectives that are used to describe it are actually synonymous with the sea – we use terms such as fresh, zesty, crisp, clean and even salty, all words that could just as easily be used to describe the breeze from the Ocean. Indeed, the smell that we do experience from the sea rather depends on where you are, as different areas of coastline combined with a differing local climate can certainly change your perception.

So where does this distinct character come from? Well, quite naturally, a huge proportion comes from the grape itself, and whilst we have only one variety that dominates, there are of course many clones in existence, each of which might yield a slightly different taste (although the differences are very subtle and will not trouble most consumers). The rest comes from what the French would call ‘terroir’ – not just the soil, but all the different climatic nuances that surround a vineyard or wine growing area. In Galicia many of the soils are sandy, alluvial soils, deposited by the rivers (or Rias) along the coast. Obviously the soil itself will contain mineral deposits that could include varying amounts of sodium (salt), whilst the underlying base of granite in some areas, can increase the acidity and add to the ‘mineral’ character of the grape.

As far as the weather is concerned, being immediately adjacent to the ocean (as we are in the Val do Salnés sub-zone), has the effect of moderating our climate, keeping it cooler in summer, and more mild in winter. However, moving as little as 30 or 40km inland from the coast there can be a significant difference. Around our local town of Ourense for example, in summer it is quite common for the thermometer to hit 40°C (over 100°F) during the peak of summer. From a grape growing point of view this is far from ideal as the berries can rapidly lose their acidity.

Finally, we have the sea-mist – witnessed quite a lot in recent days. One minute we are bathed in hot sunshine, and then, within a matter of minutes we are plunged into a somewhat chilly blanket of a briny, saline sea-mist (or néboa in Galician), as it suddenly rolls in from the Ocean. This can be seen quite dramatically in today’s photos (click to enlarge), all taken within a period of 15-20 minutes. This sea-mist sometimes shrouds the vineyards even at the height of summer, and there is no doubt that this not only will influence the development of the fruit, but can also possibly, add just a touch of salty zest to the bunches.

What happens when you’re smart phone becomes too smart…. or at least when it thinks it is? The other day Angela went to an official tasting at the Rias Baixas denomination office in Pontevedra. Whilst she was there she had to collect a box of ‘tirillas’ (in case you don’t remember these are the small stickers that we attach to every bottle to prove that our wine has passed the official tasting and is an authentic Rias Baixas wine). It is the proof of origin if you like.

On my new, all-singing, all-dancing HTC smart phone I wanted to send Angela a simple message to remind her to collect these special labels. What I typed into my phone was “Don’t forget to collect the tirillas”, but what my smartphone thought I wanted to type was “Don’t forget to collect the gorillas”! Suffice to say that Angela was just a little confused!

This morning when we actually came to bottle the wine in question, we started with a problem that we sometimes have at this time of year – sweating bottles. When the cold wine hits the slightly warmer empty glass bottle, a very fine film of condensation forms which can prevent the labels from sticking properly. On this occasion it was the tirilla that refused to stick properly, which made me laugh….. I couldn’t resist telling Angela that the ‘gorillas’ wouldn’t stick to the bottle! I apologise yet again for my infantile sense of humour, but I’m told that it’s only healthy to laugh now and again (even if it is at your own jokes!)

What happens when you’re smart phone becomes too smart…. or at least when it thinks it is? The other day Angela went to an official tasting at the Rias Baixas denomination office in Pontevedra. Whilst she was there she had to collect a box of ‘tirillas’ (in case you don’t remember these are the small stickers that we attach to every bottle to prove that our wine has passed the official tasting and is an authentic Rias Baixas wine). It is the proof of origin if you like.

On my new, all-singing, all-dancing HTC smart phone I wanted to send Angela a simple message to remind her to collect these special labels. What I typed into my phone was “Don’t forget to collect the tirillas”, but what my smartphone thought I wanted to type was “Don’t forget to collect the gorillas”! Suffice to say that Angela was just a little confused!

This morning when we actually came to bottle the wine in question, we started with a problem that we sometimes have at this time of year – sweating bottles. When the cold wine hits the slightly warmer empty glass bottle, a very fine film of condensation forms which can prevent the labels from sticking properly. On this occasion it was the tirilla that refused to stick properly, which made me laugh….. I couldn’t resist telling Angela that the ‘gorillas’ wouldn’t stick to the bottle! I apologise yet again for my infantile sense of humour, but I’m told that it’s only healthy to laugh now and again (even if it is at your own jokes!)