Looking for great Spanish wines to drink this summer? Félix has ten suggestions!
Felix reaches for a bottle in the wine room at Cúrate Tapas Bar. Photo by Evan Sung
Félix Meana, Beverage and Service Director and co-owner of Cúrate and Nightbell, has selected ten Spanish wines for you to try this summer. As we feel the heat from the sun, taste the best fresh fruit and produce, and spend time with friends, these wines will pair perfectly with your summer vibe.
Félix has chosen one sparkling white, three rosés, three white wines, and three reds from Cúrate’s ever-changing wine list. He includes a diverse array of wines that may surprise you. His selections veer away from the expected and allow you to expand your palate with some new choices.
Guide to wine listings: Year (or N/V for no vintage) Name grape varietal(s), wine region (D.O.)
SPARKLING WHITE
N/V Perelada “Reserva” Xarel.lo/Macabeo/Parellada, Cava.
We begin with a sparkling white, as you can’t think about summer without cava. Perelada is close to Félix’s heart, as it is from his home region. It features toasty, nutty flavors with a creamy finish and is structured but still refreshing. The grape blend is very traditional, utilizing the three main cava grape varietals.
ROSÉ
The Juvé y Camps sparkling rosé is perfect for any summer occasion.
N/V Juvé y Camps Brut Rose Pinot Noir, Cava.
Félix says spring and summer are the best seasons to enjoy rosé wines, and you’ll see more offered at Cúrate during this time of year. At first glance, you notice the beautiful salmon pink color of this cava. There are flavorful notes of apple, strawberry, honey and flowers which evoke summer and its seasonal gifts.
This wine company gives to charity with every bottle you purchase.
2015 Liquid Geography Mencia, Bierzo.
Do good while drinking this delicious rosé – 100% of the proceeds goes to nonprofits. Fifty percent goes to the T.J. Martell Foundation, a cancer research organization, and 50% go to the South Bronx Education Foundation. Not only does it feel good to contribute to the causes, it tastes amazing, too. This is a beautiful, very light pink, copper-hued rosé. It is a dry wine in the Provence style, great to pair with a summer meal.
2015 Ameztoi Rubentis Hondarribi Zuri/Hondarribi Beltza, Getariako Txakolina.
This wine is made from indigenous grape varietals. It is vibrant, bright, tart, and has a light, natural effervescence. Flavors of candied red fruit combine with lime-infused flavors, differentiating it from other rosés.
WHITE
A day at the beach in Spain includes great wine and food in the summer sun. Photo by Félix Meana
N/V Sacristia AB, Manzanilla Palomino Fino, Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Félix has mentioned some wines from northern Spain, but this is a southern wine. It reminds him of summer trips to the beaches of Cádiz, near Jerez, eating pescadito frito, olives, and anchovies along with this wine. It is dry but refreshing at the same time, and should be on every summer wine list.
2015 Las Bas Gewürtztraminer, Somontano.
It’s unusual to see the Gewürtztraminer grape varietal on a Spanish list. The vineyards are pre-Pyrenes, in a colder region. You can taste the French influence with its crisp minerality. It is a clean, lighter wine with slight floral notes that you can sip in the sun with ease.
2014 Tajinaste Listan Blanco, Canary islands.
We travel now to the Canary Islands, an extremely southern tropical region with volcanic soils that influence the terroir. The wine is dry and crisp with unexpected herbal and floral notes, as well as honey to balance. This comes from vineyard that is over 200 years old, yet is new to many wine drinkers.
RED
Try a red wine this summer, like the Pena de Lobo.
2013 Pena do Lobo Mencia, Ribeira Sacra.
This light-bodied but deep red comes from grapes grown in the northern region of Galicia, very close to the region of Rias Baixas and Albariño wines. This is a fragrant wine with Atlantic and mineral overtones that combine with dense stone fruit aromas.
2013 La Bruja de Rozas Garnacha, Madrid.
Comando G is becoming a well-known known organic and biodynamic winery in the region of Sierra de Gredos near Madrid, which is a less-popular wine region. The garnacha grape is a less intense red, great for summer meals. This wine is perfumed with plenty of fruit with acid backbones and fine tannins. Félix loves Comando G and their wine philosophy, and thinks this is a perfect addition to a summer wine list.
2015 Atance Bobal/Tempranillo, Valencia.
This wine is from the Mediterranean region near Valencia. Near the coast, wind and sea breezes influence the flavors. Dry herbs and slightly spicy flavors jump from this soft and juicy summer red. Félix would like you to try wines made with the Bobal grape, as it is one of his favorite varietals.
Cúrate offers a wide variety of Spanish wines by the glass. Photo by Félix Meana
Make a reservation to try some of these wines by the glass! All are on the wine list or on special at Cúrate, but the list changes seasonally, like our menu, to introduce new regions and flavors.
Ask at your favorite local wine shop to purchase bottles for summer evenings at home, and discover your own favorite pairing.
