Where there is good wine, food parings often are close by. These pairings don’t tend to be created out of convenience or by coincidence, but rather by passion and patience through the lenses of those who are practically philosophical over flavor matchmaking. Pairings like French fries and Champagne, a pepperoni pizza with a rich Cabernet, or perhaps a refreshing Sauvignon Blanc with fresh oysters, tend to create a deeper relationship within the many different yet compatible flavors within the food and wine. We at Benchmark Wine Group are always looking for recipes and wines that are soulmates, and recently, we’ve been traveling around different regions and appellations to find their regions number one fan.
Spanish Wine & Food Pairings
This week, we’re traveling to Spain to find Tempranillo’s true love, Grenache’s go-to, and a Cabernet blends’ new bestie. From Rioja to Priorat to Ribera del Duero, we are finding Spain’s most coveted bottles that guarantee the promise of impeccable wine and extraordinarily flavorful provisions to go with them. We created a handpicked collection that offers an extraordinary range of vintages and formats, like magnums, imperials, and pristine multi-packs, all sourced from impeccable provenance and ready to find their kindred spirit with a few impeccable menu items.
Imagine the timeless elegance of Vega Sicilia Único alongside paper-thin slices of jamón ibérico, or the haunting depth of Pingus with slow-braised lamb with smoky pimentón. Álvaro Palacios’s L’Ermita with wild mushroom croquetas or roasted piquillo peppers. Pair a stately Gran Reserva Rioja with chorizo-stuffed dates, or a nutty, old Amontillado with Manchego and Marcona almonds as the afternoon stretches into evening.
Whether you’re uncorking for a tapas spread with friends or acquiring rare vintages for decades of enjoyment, we’re ready to find your favorite wine their food soulmate.
Enjoy our full Spanish Paring series here!
Spanish Wine Pairing Series Cheat Sheet
What does Tempranillo go with?
-Olives, Manchego cheese, cured meats, and roasted lamb, pork, or beef dishes.
What does Grenache go with?
-Semi-soft cheese, spiced and herb-y dishes, grilled meats, braised beef or lamb dishes.
What do Cabernet Blends go with?
-Grilled meats, mushrooms, roasted vegetables, paella, anything salty (Jamon!)
Check out this recipe from Bon Appétit!
Spanish Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Manchego and Jamón Serrano
Makes 2 Servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 slices firm white sandwich bread
6 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced
4 ounces thinly sliced jamón Serrano or prosciutto
4 Medjool dates, pitted, chopped
Preparation
Step 1
Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Spread butter on bread slices, dividing equally. Place 2 bread slices on prepared baking sheet, buttered side down. Top bread slices with half of sliced cheese (1 1/2 ounces each); top cheese with ham, dividing equally. Sprinkle dates over. Top with remaining cheese, then remaining 2 bread slices, buttered side up. Refrigerate 30 minutes. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled. Peel plastic from sandwiches before continuing.
Step 2
Heat panini press and cook sandwiches according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Alternatively, heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place sandwiches in skillet. Place another large skillet atop sandwiches; place weight, such as large can of tomatoes, atop skillet. Cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese melts, about 4 minutes per side.)
Pairs well with the 2010 La Rioja Alta Rioja (Gran) Reserva 904 (Seleccion Especial)