Winery Tour-better know as the Bodega Visit

(Bow-day-guh) bodega

The tour comes to an end as Eva, a who knows what generation Riojan proudly shows us their 7,000 new French oak barrels meticulously stacked behind a sparkling clean glass wall. Darn these Riojan women are gorgeous. The perfection of her facial features, the way the rr’s roll off her tongue, her deep dark brown eyes, the length of her fake eyelashes, and her well endowed chest leave me mesmerized. She articulately speaks of their cooper Jose Felix and the attributes of French oak that sparks questions and controversy while my mind wanders off to a fantasy of Intima Cherry lingerie from the store front window on Jorge Vigon Street in Logroño.

In stilettos, black lace, and organza silk that artfully expose and conceal Eva approaches me - her chestnut hair collected in a loose messy bun and her round bouncing breasts encased in fitted seductive lace with her deep dark brown eyes fixated on me and only me. I am a moor that must surrender here in our last bastion of Rioja-the Baja- I lie here powerless before Eva.

I sink into the grandeur of a feather bed and the century when Spain was an empire and Rioja flourishing. I feel empiric too in this 16th century Calahorra Castle. Almost as much as that famous Riojan Conquistador, Martin de Calahorra who chartered his own boat to the new world in 1517 . Eva saunters over high heeled and now straddled on top of me feeding me dusty blue graciano grapes one by one..their acidity is biting but Eva sure ain’t no sour chick. A sudden vibration clouds me… is this me

It happens again and jolts me back into the disappointing reality of my iphone.

It’s Sam, my secretary in Houston saying he stayed late to finish this quarters’ reports and confirmed numbers are down 9%, hence even more of a reason to add a Rioja Oriental zonal Rioja to my portfolio. Eva invites us into the parlor for an aperitif before lunch with the winemaker Ventura Gomez de la Cruz de la Fuente. Patricia the distributor from Seattle leans over and asks, “ What is his last name? I missed that. Did Eva say de la Puente…like the bridge.” Still trying to recover from the fact that my fantasy is not my reality I answer her curtly with increased volume, typical of Americans with poor linguistic skills, “NO she said de la fuente like the fountain,” maybe you should hold off on the next flight of Tempranillos Patricia and save them for lunch”) I am stuffed but starving. How can you not be when the cuisine of this region is steeped in rich raw ingredients. Siestas are history and lunch and dinners seem seamed together. This reality still beats mine in Houston. “Excuse me, can you please pass the white asparagus”.

On- Line at Customs

With my 1982 Rioja Gran Reserva in hand, I thought: why did I do this anyway? My heart is racing, I’m sweating, I’m shaking, my palms are wet. This is insane. Should I take it out of my suitcase?

What will be worse, this customs official seeing the towels I took from that sweet B & B in Briñas overlooking the Ebro or them confiscating my artisanal chorizo, Cinco Jotas jamon and serving it up at their backyard barbeque next Sunday?

Why did I do this? It’s not illegal like in Uncle Tom’s day. I can buy ham and chorizo online at Latienda.com Was this about saving the shipping and handling or simply the thrill of risk? Risks? To be fined and embarrassed?

This guy looks nasty I’ll go to the other line. Dang, I hope I wrapped it up enough. Paco from the store in Briones did give me 30 pieces of aluminum foil. What an aromatherapy session for my dirty laundry. That’s precisely what Uncle Tom said: always wrap it in your dirty laundry.

This is the dumbest thing I ever did…”Passport please, ah, Jill Woodgrove, Where were you traveling?”

“Spain sir.” Purchase anything? Just some souvenirs. “Business or pleasure” “Business Sir” He quickly spurted, “What kind of business?” “I am a wine importer. Sounds fun Do you have wine with you? No sir, I get all the samples I need in the states duty-free.

“Lucky you.”

Do they have good wine? Yes, world-class wines. I’ll have to try them, maybe I’ll even ask for a bottle for Christmas. Well, there are great Rioja wines from $15.00 a bottle to over $100.00 a bottle. “Then what should I ask for young lady?“ ,he asked. “Well if you were good ask for a Rioja Reserva and make it a 2015”, I replied.

I lied. On the form, to his face, I lied. But I made it through just like Uncle Tom did too many times but was the stress worth it?

Back in my abode on Clark Street ,I spent the month serving my partner Sue jamon from my pata and grilling up my chorizo. I even made warm Patatas a la Riojana on some cold March nights and cuddled up by the fire with my easy Friday night crianza. As I sat in my kitchen my mind wandered off to that amazing butchers shop in the Plaza Mayor of Haro, the sights and smells I felt just as euphoric as pre-phylloxera Haro, in 1888. I concluded, oh yeah it was worth it

Juan the Winery Owner

Here in Laguardia, Juan Atxurra is a sexy guy who loves his vineyards and success in Rioja as much as you love his Alavesa Reserva. He struts his stuff with the magnetic presence of Clint Eastwood. You just can’t take your eyes off him.

He listens to your questions with careful consideration, and responds without hesitation. The confidence with which he delivers his responses could be interpreted as cocky, but his genuine smile, great skin tone, and sparkling gold chain quell that notion. Between questions, he barks off orders to his winery manager who responds with immediacy and respect.

Juan has earned his status here in the Alavesa. He is a true Vasco who embodies why they never needed a kingdom. Entrepreneurial, brilliant, calm, swift, and with that Clint Eastwood glance he’s got an eagle eye that can see through the Cantabrian mountains, beyond the horizon of the Cantabrian sea, and with visual radar identify the best vineyards to buy kilometers away in Leza or Lanciego.

Although suits are absent couture for these winery owners you can be sure his jeans are Armani and his shoes the best calf’s skin leather a euro can buy - double-stitched old world craftsmanship you can’t knock off in China. Likewise, you can be sure his gold is 18K. And, one more thing, jewelry sales go up in great vintages.