¡So Much Wine!

We began our morning at Valpiedra, which I described in yesterday’s post, as wine had blurred my memory. Today was a special pairing lunch at Bodegas Baigorri.

This unique winery occupies seven levels, with a glass-enclosed entry level offering sweeping views of the vineyards.

There were three starters: bluefin tuna tartare, roasted aubergine with sheep’s cheese cream, and creamy rice with roasted chestnuts and partridge, accompanied by rosé, a white, and a garnacha.

The first course was roasted monkfish, followed by slow-cooked beef rib, and two reds, one an 85% Graciano and the other 100% Tempranillo. Dessert was chocolate crémeux. One highlight was wine butter to spread on their delicious bread. Have to make that at home!

After returning to our hotel and a rest, we met Ramón for a tour of his favorite tapas bars in Logroño. What a mob scene! The streets were jammed with merrymakers, and we had to elbow our way into each stop.

Foie gras is a very popular tapa here, and the portions are generous (above). One bar only serves mushrooms grilled on a flattop with garlic, and since it’s mushroom season, we had to have them. So delicious.

At another place we had raw mushrooms, very thinly sliced, with honey mustard and grated manchego. Another one to try at home.