Heroine from the Highlands

Bodega Chivite has been shaping the Spanish viticulture since 1647. The decisive factor in its success has always been the Legardeta vineyard. Everything is just right here: the climate, soils and topography are destined for growing wine. Located about 40 kilometers southwest of Pamplona, the area is one of the northernmost on the Iberian Peninsula. The nearby Atlantic Ocean provides a temperate climate, allowing for wines with a fresh and elegant profile. At Bodega Chivite, it has always been believed that the quality of a wine does not depend on the potential of a grape variety, but rather on how well a grape variety fits a specific terroir. Legardeta and Syrah seemed made for each other. «Syrah proved to be the ideal variety for our vineyard. It translates our terroir into a wine full of ripeness and minerality. A perfect Syrah,» enthuses Julián Chivite, Legardeta's 11th-generation winemaker. Indeed, the Syrah of Legardeta convinces with a fresh acidity, good tannin structure as well as the typical aromas of cherries, raspberries and spices. In culinary terms, the wine virtually calls for Mediterranean herbs such as thyme or rosemary, and it also combines very well with hearty dishes. Try it with dates wrapped in bacon, the tapas classic from Spain. Quick, easy, surprising – a well-rounded dish!

Download the recipe «Dátiles con bacon» here (in German).

La Mancha – Don Quijote already treated himself to a cup of wine or two here. We at Flaschenpost do the same and have embarked on an adventurous search for a Spanish red wine that meets our high expectations in terms of taste and style. Today we stand by the wines from «La Pica». They are the perfect companions for casual evenings with friends and stories of times gone by. Have you ever fought against windmills? We owe this saying to Don Quijote, the knight from the old Spanish novel. He believed so strongly in his ideals that, for him, windmills became giants with many arms. Anyone who has an extraordinary vision and fights for it with their heart and soul is often ridiculed, but it is not uncommon for something great to emerge in this way. Passion knows no boundaries – as Don Quijote already knew. We should drink a toast to that!