“There are no standards of taste in wine, cigars, poetry, prose, etc. Each man’s own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard.”
–Mark Twain, 1895
“One not only drinks wine, one smells it, observes it, tastes it, sips it, and—one talks about it.” –King Edward VII of England
On June 29th the Haro Wine Festival takes place in the town of Haro, in the La Rioja province of northern Spain. It is held every year in the summer and involves a lot of wine drinking and pouring of buckets of wine on each other.
Despite a surge in diverse and interesting wines from all around Spain, Rioja still reigns as the principal red-wine-producing region. Rioja offers both quality and quantity and comfortably sits alongside many of the worlds greatest wine-producing regions. A deep ruby red wine from Rioja is likely to be light to medium-bodied, with intense aromas of wild red berries and black cherry and blackberry flavors.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Music and wine are one”. As music is an essential companion to a good glass of wine, I invite you to listen to your favorite music as you drink a nice glass of Rioja. May it uncork your interest in the fascinating regions where wine originates. Let us know what you think of Rioja!
PETIT WORLD CITIZEN 
Loving your blog….
Thank you. I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying it.
Hi, Martine. Rioja wine was the first wine that I drank. It was in Spain and I loved it. I lived there in 2004 and even brought some Rioja back with me. These days, I still find lots of Rioja and Tempranillo wines in the US. I have tried the Cortijo that is pictured – by the way, GREAT photos. Wine and dark chocolate are two of my daily rituals (no exceptions – haha!). Thanks for sharing – I am a cheerleader for Rioja! The Haro Wine festival sounds wonderful. Be well, Shanna
Thanks Shanna! I bet the wine you had in Spain was fantastic! How nice to have lived there. Blue Zone Sardinians drink a dark red wine called Cannonau. It apparently is high in antioxidants. I believe its hard to find in many parts of the U.S., but I hope to try it one day! Perhaps when traveling abroad! 🙂 Have a great day!
Hi, Martine,
Yes, you mentioned a “dark” red wine in your wine post. The Cannonau sounds quite salubrious. I will take a peak on-line and see if I can find it. I am quite curious about the body and complexity of the wine – it must be robust and earthy, since it is so dark! I hope that we both get to try it soon. Travelling abroad is always a great thing to do – especially if new wine adventures are involved. Take good care! – Shanna
Hi Shanna, I just came across this site for Sella and Mosca wines. They produce a Cannonau. If you click on “Where to Purchase” on the left, you can enter your locale and see if you have a local retailer or restaurant that has it. http://www.palmbay.com/sella-and-mosca-cannonau-di-sardegna-riserva.htm
Good luck! If I find any and finally try it, I’ll be sure to let you know! Have a great day!
Thank you, Martine: “Color: Initially dark, ruby red, during maturation it loses intensity and takes on a warmer tone. Bouquet: Mesmerizing scent, redolent of violets.” This sounds like an inviting, tasty wine – and as you mentioned, salubrious. Thank you for sharing! Best wishes, Shanna
Oh and good for you for your daily rituals of wine and dark chocolate (it’s the best kind)! I’m with you on NO EXCEPTIONS! 🙂
Martine,
I actually just finished three big squares of 72% dark chocolate with herbal tea. This variety is Belgium. Quite tasty! My husband and I always have at least 5 bars of dark chocolate in the house at all times. I will not say how much red wine is in our wine storage. 🙂 What is your favorite red wine? Dark chocolate?
No exceptions: yes, please!
Be well,
Shanna
Shanna, Herbal tea and fine dark chocolate from Belgium. Ah, I’d come over in a skinny second! 😉 I enjoy dark chocolate from Belgium, Switzerland or any French chocolatier. My husband also loves his dark chocolate so like you, we too normally have several bars at home at all times. For me, sometimes having my time for tea and chocolate it my Zen moment after a long and busy day. Ah, chocolate…definitely a food of the gods! 😉 Sadly I don’t have a favorite red wine…yet. For the past couple of years I haven’t drunk much due to pregnancy and breastfeeding so I’ll soon have to explore possibilities! I had a cup of tea earlier (rooibos, one of my favorites), but I just realized I haven’t had any chocolate…must change that now! 😉
Martine – You have hit the nail on the head with the countries with amazing dark chocolate. Your tea and chocolate sound quite zin – yes, get to munching on dark chocolate immediately. You have earned it after a long day. 🙂 I hope the coming years yield exploration in fine red wines. Have a lovely day. Best, Shanna