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Page 2 |
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CAVES,
CORKS, CUISINE, AND AN
ANNULAR ECLIPSE OF THE
SUN |
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Sept. 26: Wine
Country. Spain is the third
largest wine producer in Europe after France and Italy, and today we
explore some of the La Rioja region, Spain’s prime wine country. Our
first stop is the Bodega Muga in Haro (bodega means winery). During our
90-minute tour we learn the many steps involved in making wine, see how
they construct their own oak barrels and casks, and taste two of their
reds. |
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Next we drive
through vineyard country to the medieval walled village of Laguardia.
Founded in 1164, it’s built over more than 300 underground caves. Almost
every house in the village has a cave for a basement; these days they’re
primarily used as wine cellars.
Lunch is in one of
the restaurants in the village, but we begin deep in its cellar with
wine and cheese while the history of
restaurant’s winery is |
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presented. Our meal is
typical of the excellent fare
we encounter throughout this trip: deep-fried
cheese balls, red peppers, potatoes and (hot) green
peppers, fish and scallop potatoes, finished off with a
wine-drenched pear with whipped cream; all accompanied
by endless bottles of wine. Afterwards we explore the
village’s narrow streets and shops, but by 5:00 most of
us have gravitated to the small town center where we
watch the dancing antics of figures in a clock on a
wall. |
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The final winery
of the day is the Bodega El Fabulista. On the main floor are two large
square vats and yes, they still stomp the grapes by foot! The
14th-century cellar has three linked parallel corridors for wine
preparation, aging, and tasting. Our host claims that while his
grandfather's grapes were better, his modern winemaking process is
superior.
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Back in Logroño
the locals are still celebrating the end of summer.
Dinner
tonight is tapas. According to Josu, tapa is Spanish for a lid or cover.
When the tradition began a couple of centuries ago, vendors would sell
wine with a cover (to protect it from bird droppings and the like) and
give away little morsels of food. Today it’s a mobile feast, and as we
stroll the streets we stop at four or five different tapas bars to munch
on such things as stuffed mushroom caps, anchovies, a fish
mini-sandwich, and chorizo, washing it all down with wine and beer.
Fortunately we’re walking for most of the time; surely this means we
didn’t gain any calories tonight! |
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Photo by Aram Kaprielian |
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Copyright 2006 TravelQuest
International. All rights
reserved. 800-830-1998
Revised: April 18, 2006.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies or trademark holders. |
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