Spanish Wine Bar Tour
I just had the most amazing weekend here in Spain, finally getting the chance to set out for a mini wine bar tour. There’s an unmistakable romanticism commonly associated with the Spanish culture – these people know their wine.
Before I set out for my wino adventure I did a fair share of research beforehand. One of the top destinations on my list was Cata 1.81, the reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Next up on my list was La Tinaja, a little wine and food bar tucked away in Barcelona. Finally I added Monvínic to the list, a wine bar I didn’t know much about but heard great things about.
I have to admit I was most excited about Cata 1.81, having read the most reviews about this wine bar. The facility itself was gorgeous, something pretty universal when it comes to these Spanish cafes. My excitement was somewhat dwarfed by the prices – I’d need to go light if I intended to travel to two other spots – but was relieved to see you could order virtually anything by the glass.
I was instantly impressed that there was virtually no language barrier between myself and the staff – clearly I wasn’t the first tourist to pop in for a nice red. I had a great conversation with a young guy named Marco about some of the best Napa Valley wines, I was genuinely impressed with his knowledge of some major US staples.
I didn’t travel all the way to Spain to sample the comforts of home, so I had Marco bring me a glass of the Muruve out of Bodegas Frutos Villar. The flavor instantly hit me, I knew I was drinking something stronger than what I’d typically find around home. There were exceptional notes of cranberry with a finish that reminded me of an Andes mint. Superb wine, to say the least.
Although I was thoroughly impressed with the Cata 1.81, I cut out early to ensure I had time to visit every place I originally outlined – I promised myself I’d be back before my time in Spain was over.
La Tinaja was every bit as charming as my last stop, a warm little room with lovely Spanish couples crowded among packed in tables. I instantly knew I was in the right place as glimmering bottles of wine were stacked floor to ceiling along every wall. This was dangerous!
After a bit of a wait, I had a massive wine list in front of me. Pressed with thousands of choices, I decided to arbitrarily try a few different wines without any rhyme or reason. Fortunately, there were a few happy discoveries through adopting this really unscientific method.
This place wasn’t falling apart by any means, but it showed some wear and tear. Even the repairman in the corner was sipping on some wine, this is truly the culture out here. We bonded slightly despite an immense language barrier, I noticed he was using the same relton drill bits I have back at home. It made me want to be home working in my garage.
The best thing I tried here was a 2009 Aplphonse Mellot Sancerre Rouge Génération XIX – had to write it down immediately, or I’d never remember the name. This beautifully balanced French wine had a burgundy tone that was just unreal. I’ve never had anything like it before!
I finally arrived to the Monvínic hours later to complete my Spanish wine bar tour, having worked up a serious appetite. Hoping the food was as delicious as the wine, the modern design of Monvínic was the first thing to strike a chord with me. This place was seriously refined to the point of almost being intimidating.
This place was a little too swanky for me to be dining alone, but I tried to put my anxiety at rest when I got hold of the menu. After ordering some exotic egg dish, I started scouring the wine. According to my friendly server, the wine bar opens up roughly 50 bottles of wine from all over the world per day.
I tried to cut to the chase and discover the three best choices they offered that day but the server just laid into all the amazing choices. While I appreciated his enthusiasm, it didn’t help me narrow down my choices and I disappointingly ordered on a whim. Essentially everything I had here was good wine, but nothing to write home about.
It was a little disheartening to end the day on a dour note after traveling so far – I couldn’t help but feel having good company would have greatly improved upon good wine – but that’s the life of a vagabond.
