Sauced In New York Sometimes the food is in the sauce, sometimes we are
So the Mayans were wrong, and in considering the end of our planet, I discovered that this fantastic, rediscovered Maturana grape is now available in the United States, from the Barón de Ley vineyards in the Rioja Baja region.
WOOT! WOOT!
I love the story behind the grape, too. Traditionally, vineyards in the Rioja region intermingled their vines in the fields, with a mixture of some seven different grape varieties. Wines from the region were often blends of those grapes. The arrival of phylloxera in the late 1800s destroyed many European and Spanish vineyards. At the same time, Riojans realized the Tempranillo grape was hugely popular, and simpler to work with. The other grapes were no longer cultivated.
While you won’t find it on their website, Barón de Ley has made a concerted effort to bring back those lost grape varietals. They were able to cultivate what little remained of the Maturana grape, getting it recognized officially in 2007, then producing their first vintage in 2010.
It is a wine for special occasions at $35/bottle. Purchase it online here.
Or better yet, buy a case, and hog it all to yourself. It IS that good!
Anna, any chance of getting this into barVino?
