Try a Ribera del Duero

For the last two months, when we've been out at tapa bars, we've gotten by with just asking for "Vino tinto," or a glass of red wine.  If you're not too picky, you will usually get a decent glass at a good price (around 1,50 - 2 euro with something to eat).

Then, we stumbled upon a great wine shop called La Borboleta, where we met up with the owner Antoine.  Recently, Antoine suggested that we pick up a bottle of Ribera del Duero, which he said might become our go-to house wine.   

And, Antoine might be right.  This Tinta del Pais from De Blas Serrano is a Tempranillo.  It's a full-bodied, spicy wine that paired well with the roasted chicken we made for dinner.

After doing some googling, we found that the De Blas Serrano Winery opened in 2005 and is defined by "respect for the earth, tradition, and the client."  We also located the Ribera del Duero region, where the wine comes from, just south of the more well-known Rioja region. (We mentioned that we are complete beginners, no?)

 

The upshot of our discovery is that we can now ask for a "Ribera del Duero" at our local tapa bar, and get one step closer to feeling more like locals in Madrid.