Spanish Steps dinner at Bunker, May 7-9th, 2017

Tags

andreas pergher, arnie marcella, Bangkok, bodega k, bunker, cims de porrera, dehesa la granja, equipo navazos, new american, olivier riviere, raventos i blanc, spain, spanish wine, wine dinner, wine garage, zarate

We are extremely pleased to work with Arnie Marcella, Chef and Andreas Pergher, Beverage Director, on this menu and wine pairing, which traces back Arnie’s history and stories.

The above 4-course menu is thb 2,250++ with optional wine pairing  at thb 1,500++.

Recently, the dining front of our City of Angels seems to progress faster than any other Asian metropoles; unfolding new entries, especially from Spain, with an array of dishes and wines that shed light on our senses.

For this dinner we propose wines from some of Spain’s most innovative regions or winemakers and invite you to join our road to discovery:

Raventos I Blanc, formerly in the Cava D.O, but Manuel and Pepe decided to depart in 2013, and began the process of creating a new, terroir driven appellation, Conca del Riu Anoia. As an aperitif we pour their chalky and dry Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2014.

Equipo Navazos, are partners Dr Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda, who have single-handedly revived the sherry landscape by releasing small lots from long-forgotten bodegas. This Florpower however is not fortified, but shows how the precise Palomino grape can become with ageing under flor for 20 months. Dense, with lovely minerality and nutty background.

Bodega K, is one of many producers in the wet and windy Basque country. We fell in love with the simple and fresh aromatics of Txacolina, which bursts with energy and pairs well with seafood.

Zarate, there is Albarino and there is Zarate. Say no more. Galicia’s favorite white wine for seafood.

Dehesa La Granja, is a mature Tempranillo from legendary winemaker Alejandro Fernandez of Pesquera. The Toro region brings out powerful and intense wines, however the 24 months in oak cask followed by 6 years bottle ageing does its trick here and delivers and great drink today.

Olivier Riviere, the terroirist Frenchman in Rioja, also works a small plot in the Arlanza DO. The high elevation and old vines planted in 1930s, makes a wine unlike any other Tempranillo – showcasing floral, black wild berries and spicy notes.

Vi de Vila Priorat, is made by the Cims de Porrera cooperatives high above the Mediterranean Sea. The old vines and unique licorella soil (black slate) are responsible for a powerful and intriguing red wine.

 

Arnie Marcella’s career was exclusively in star-studded NYC restaurants including Jean-Georges, Marea, Corton, Alto, The Elm, Aldea, Docle Stil Novo, and Ai Fiori. So perhaps, later next year, The Bangkok Michelin Guide will also have a place for Bunker?

To book please call  092 563 9991 or email reservation@bunkerbkk.com

 

Wine & Tapas at Toro, Bangkok

Tags

andalusia, basque country, jumilla, penedes, rueda, sherry, spain, tapas, toro, wine pairing, wines from spain

Toro is the brainchild of James Beard Award-winner Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, whose Boston outlet opened in 2005. As the queues got longer and longer, they soon ventured to New York City and since last year also opened in Bangkok. The Barcelona-inspired tapas bar is housed in Courtyard 72, a burgeoning open-plan mall, smack in the middle of bustling Thonglor.

On Wednesday, March 22, Chef Zach Watkins has selected 10 tapas dishes to pair with our wines from Penedes, Rueda, Basque Country, Jumilla, Toro and also Andalusia. The menu including wines is priced at thb 1,500++ per person and can be booked by calling

081 929 6562 or 02 392 7790

Come taste a fresher and more delicate Spain, and discover the changes that happened the past 15 years.

 

Raventos I Blanc Blanc de Blancs, traditional Cava grapes aged 18 months on lees

Basque country makes the ultimate seafood wine from Hondarrabi Zuri

Verdejo can be the next famous white grape from Spain. Belondrade’s unoaked Apolonia

Jumilla’s leading estate is Casa Castillo, making refined Monastrell, Syrah and Garnacha

Alejandro Fernandez’ estate in Toro, late released 2008

Equipo Navazos reawakens the sherry category with superb finds from old cellars

Hacienda Monasterio, Ribera del Duero

Tags

hacienda monasterio, peter sisseck, spain, tempranillo, tinta del pais

Year-in-year out Peter Sisseck and owner Carlos del Rio make one of the most impressive red wines of stature in region of Ribera del Duero. Low yields of 30HL, old vines planted on calcareous soils and elevation of 750 meters, the arid climate with cool nights, help achieve ripeness, intense aromatics, and of course full bodied wines that rank only behind Rioja among consumers’ recognition.

The Crianza is a blend of 80% Tinta del Pais (aka Tempranillo),Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, that has spend 18 months in oak, of which 30% are new. Always, silky and polished, the 15% ABV is well hidden behind the fresh and mineral aromas with
licorice notes and currants. The signature notes of red wines from this region.

This wine is often recognized among the finest values in the region, and accolades abound from the world’s leading palettes:

Luis Gutierrez for Robert Parker “This could very well be the best crianza ever produced at Monasterio. This has to be one of the bargains of the vintage in Ribera, given the quality it delivers.” RP 94

Josh Raynolds for Vinous “Concentrated yet vibrant and precise, finishing with excellent clarity, velvety tannins and excellent tenacity.” Vinous 93

Jancis Robinson “Superbly charged with juicy black fruit. It combines richness and elegance on the back palate. Quite impressive.” 17/20

Belondrade Y Lurton, a Grand Cru for 20+ years

Tags

belondrade y lurton, grand cru, rueda, spain, valladolid, verdejo

Rueda has a fine-wine making tradition dating back centuries, especially the local white grape variety, Verdejo, has been regarded the best of Spain.

From the 1994 vintage onwards, the French husband and wife team, lead by Jean Belondrade, set out to create a great barrel-fermented dry white wine with Burgundian philosophy and values, resulting in a limited production Verdejo cherished by sommeliers from Paris, to London and Tokyo.

30 hectares  (74 acres) divided up into 19 plots that bring different characteristics to the wine, depending on soil types, exposures, rootstocks and clones. The soils of this part of the plateau are generally made up of a 10-60cm deep layer of pebbles over a layer of clay and a deep stratum of limestone.

The estate wine is 100% Verdejo fermented and aged on its lees in 300-litre French oak barrels. Each plot is fermented and aged separately. Spontaneous and controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts.At the end of a 10-12 month ageing period, a selection and blending take place. The wine stays in bottle for a minimum time of six months. The average annual production is 80,000-90,000 bottles, 495 magnums (1.5 litres) and between 70 and 100 double-magnums (3 litres).

The family also produces an unoaked and fresher, lighter version called Quinta Apolonia, which is a good alternative for a fruity mid-weight wine for every day. While the estate garners ratings well above 90 points, the little brother gets reviewed between 88-90 depending vintage.

 

Interview Philippe Bramaz, Atlan & Artisan

Tags

atlan & artisan, barahonda, monastrell, spain, winemaker interview, yecla

Winemaker Atlan & Artisan

Name: Philippe Bramaz

Winery: Atlan & Artisan

Town/Country: Yecla/Spain

Date: May 2014

Which spot in your vineyard is the most special and why?

There is a Church of an old hermit on top of the vineyard, which has an underground cellar from 1780.  In this cellar, there are amphora, which the owner of Barahonda still uses to ferment some wines.  Being there and sensing how wine was made in the past is a unique experience, something which cannot be replicated.

Epistem with wax capsule

If you link the dots in your life, which experience was the most crucial relating to how you make your wine today?

Meeting and listening to the grand Monsieur Henri Bonneau in Chateauneuf, who showed me how complex, but simple, life can be. A humble mentor, who understands the virtues of balance and patience.

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to when making wine in your cellar?

At 2am in the morning the best sound is that of fermenting grape juice.  Silence is golden.

Ungrafted 60 year old Monastrell

Name a regional dish from your area, which matches best with one of your wines.

The amazing paella with free range rabbit and snails!

Name a restaurant from your recent travels around the world, which changed the way you thought about food and why?

Restaurant Coure in Barcelona – owned and operated by a chef who opened it 10 years ago and seems to evolve every year.  His magic makes you leave after an 8-course meal, not tired of sitting, nor stuffed from the food, but trying to remembering each and every dish. http://www.restaurantcoure.es/

If your wine would die, who or what would it come back as (person/animal)?

It becomes everything in nature!