Just returned from lovely Espana where we were immensely enjoying bright young inexpensive wines that I don’t come across at home. These are utterly natural, lower-alcohol, unoaked Bierzos and Garnachas and Tempranillos that are fully dry at 12-13% abv. Nothing complex, simply joyful wines that fit so easily into the day. We came home and opened some reds and each one of them felt bigger and more demanding, kinda in-your-face in comparison. I suppose the numbers don’t work to get these delightful background wines into stores here. They run 4 to 8 euros in stores and usually less than 19 in restaurants or 3-5 euros by the glass. Lovely cavas, Verdejos, and glorious Godellos were never more than the same easily accessible price points, even in the three star Michelin restaurants we splurged on. After collecting for three decades, and appreciating the occasional stellar, aged Grand Cru, I’d trade it all for having the easy-breezey daily options.
For 15 years, Athan Zafirov has traveled the vineyards around the world and worked with some of the greatest chefs including Francois Duc and Alan Brown.
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