Summer maybe be waning but let us not forget that there is about a month or so left before the true chill of Fall will arrive. Therefore, we should all carry on with our crisp, white wines that refresh us so much when the temps are climbing above 75 degrees or so.

The Herencia Altes Garnatxa Blanca is from Catalonia, Spain and is made from the white Garnacha grape that is a possible mutation of the more popularly known Red Garnacha grape. This wine is a blend from a mix of very old vines and new vines to produce a wine of bright character. It is medium bodied and has a bit of creaminess. The color is slightly lemon yellow. The nose is very aromatic with honey, tropical fruit and flowers. The Herencia Altes is dry and crisp and tastes of peach, pear and lime. The mid-palate adds a nice contrast of slightly sour grapefruit. This is a well-balanced wine with solid acidity. The finish lingers for a refreshingly long time.

With good structure and acidity, the Herencia Altes to stand up to several Asian dishes with a variety of spices as well as seafood dishes that call for ripe fruit and citrus flavors.  Consider Mussels in a white wine broth with a bit of fennel or Clams on the grill with herbed butter.

Pan's Labyrinth

There are several interesting movies that are about Spain or filmed in Spain that are worth checking out. I would like to mention one that is a bit “out there”.

The film is Pan’s Labyrinth directed by Guillermo Del Toro in 2007.  A dazzling, dark, and at times intensely scary film, Pan’s Labyrinth tells the story of a young girl growing up in Spain in the 1940’s whose life is torn apart by the real horror of war and the mythical horror of a Fairy Tale gone awry. The film is beautifully photographed and directed and not easy to forget.