I’ve been in Denmark for a month now, and I must say, my blog would be much different if I had chosen to be an Au Pair in a wine producing country. Wine is just as expensive here as it is in the US, and it is much more common to enjoy a frothy pint of beer in the evening than a glass of wine. Oh yeah, and I’m meant to be taking care of kids so it’s generally inappropriate to explore a full bottle of wine in the evening like I used to when I was allowed to be a little less responsible.
But life here is good. I love absolutely everything about it except for 3 things:
- There are no street lights on the highway
- The light switch for the bathroom is ALWAYS in the hallway
- And you buy yogurt in cartons and it’s watery, not creamy
A marshmallow filled flødeboller already being enjoyed
So you can see that I don’t have many complaints. The people are friendly, patient with my lack of Danish, and the food is so so good. I came at the best time of year, just before fastelavn, the Danish carnival. That means lots of cream filled fastelavnsboller and marshmallow filled flødeboller. I think I’ve only gained a few pounds since I arrived in January…
I’ve already met lots of friends, many of whom are also Au Pairs from all over Europe, and two of whom are fellow wine enthusiasts. So last night my new friend from England and I went out for Spanish tapas, and we arrived at the conclusion that it was most economical for us to get a whole bottle of wine, only 330 Kr… I’ve decided not to do the math and figure out how many dollars that is. Helen had talked to me the week before about her desire to learn more about wine and my inner wino came out again in full force. My favorite thing to do is teach others about wine, so when she handed me the wine list and told me what she was ordering to eat, I buried my face in the menu, thankful that the language of wine is universal. Despite not being able to understand the rest of the menu, I could recognize producer names, wine regions, and grape varieties. I explained my choice of the 2011 Mas Oller Pur Empordà - a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon that would be fruity enough for her anxiety over ordering a dry wine, but with enough body to compliment the Manchego cheese and Beef she had ordered.
Empordà is one of Spain’s lesser known and smaller wine regions, but a new focus on creating complex reds that can be enjoyed in their youth has brought a new appreciation to the region. Around a dozen different varieties can be used in their wines including many indigenous varieties such as Cariñena, Grenache, and Macabeo. The region is home to a variety of well-drained volcanic, sandy, and chalky soils and has seaside influences that make the terroir more similar to the neighboring French wine regions in the East than other Spanish regions.
Tapas and a bottle of red wine. A perfect combo.
My first sip left much to be desired. It was tight and bitter without any of the fruit I had promised. Before she had a chance to taste it and ruin her impression, I nearly shouted, “You’ve gotta swirl it.” She followed suit, and we both sat there drawing circles with our glasses while the other patrons stared at us like we were a pair of wine snobs or something. I then held the glass of fiercely purple wine to my nose and immediately found violets, black cherries, plums, and possibly a whiff of vanilla coke. My first real taste gave me hints of tobacco with an oaky texture that filled my mouth with dark chocolate. After another minute of swirling my glass, I finally found the fruit I had promised with ripe cherries, cassis, and black currant. The finish was long and powerful with a certain woodiness and a flavor of cinnamon sticks. The tannins were sharp, but smooth and velvety with the Manchego. I didn’t try the beef, but Helen found that the sauce brought out a lively spiciness in the wine, especially on the finish.
The best part about eating out in Denmark is that they give you all the time in the world to enjoy your meal. Nobody constantly asks you if you’d like the check and before we knew it, 2 and a half hours had passed and we were the last to leave the restaurant. It’s nights like these, where I have the time to appreciate and study a wine completely, that make me remember why it is I started this blog.
The post A Night of Tapas and a Bottle of 2011 Mas Oller Pur, Empordà appeared first on DeVine Inspiration.
