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Let’s start with a study by Tufts University in Boston (USA) with over 2,400 female participants and a truly surprising finding: the women who drank wine were less likely to lose bone mass than the ones who didn’t.

And that’s not the only study we’ve seen come to that conclusion: recently, in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, another study was published that found red wine contributes to better bone health in men, too. They found a direct correlation between better bone mineral density and red wine consumption in men aged 50 to 80.

Still in the United States, this time we have a study by Harvard University. This one also sought to understand another health benefit of wine and found that people who drank wine were 30% less likely to have a heart attack.

This is due to the polyphenols, which are found in the skin of red grapes (and many other fruits, vegetables and nuts), and help “protect” the heart. Another argument says this is due to the fact that red wine is part of the Mediterranean diet, a series of eating habits that has been proven to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Another health benefits of red wine!

According to a study by scientists at the University of Cluj-Napoca, in Romania, this health benefit corresponds to a substance present in much higher quantities in red wine than in white or rosé: flavonoids, which have loads of antioxidants.

In this case, it is due to the alcohol in the wine: ethanol. It has an anti-inflammatory effect that, with other substances like the polyphenols we mentioned earlier, create the perfect combination for anti-inflammatory action, as well as protecting the heart.

This paper from the University of the Aegean (Greece), and this one from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, show a direct correlation between consumption of red wine and the growth of intestinal microbiota, which is the “good” gut flora.

This, again, is due to the polyphenols in wine, which also act as a prebiotic, allowing certain beneficial bacterial that are key to a balanced intestinal microbiota to develop after moderate consumption of red wine as part of a balanced diet.

A large group of Spanish scientists from several universities found that drinking wine in moderation can decrease the risk of depression.

The study was done on people from 55 to 80 years old (2,822 women and 2,683 men) over a period of 7 years. After this long, exhaustive study, they saw that both women and men who drank about 6 glasses of wine a week were less likely to develop depression than those who didn’t.

Finally, let’s finish off with a study from scientists at the Loyola University Medical Center in the United States published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.

This study was conducted in 14 countries and found that moderate yet regular drinkers of red wine had a lower risk of developing dementia. Why? From the resveratrol, which helps keep blood vessels open and lowers the risk of clotting, helping improve blood flow to the brain.

What do you think? We recommend you check out all of these articles from our blog so you can keep discovering more about the world of wine.

The most important thing here is to choose a knife that is less wide than the cork, so it will fit in the bottleneck, and has a very sharp point.

1. Set the bottle upright and slide the knife into the cork halfway (more or less, you’ll have to do it by feel).
2. Then try to turn it very slowly, rocking from side to side, to pull it out of the bottle.
3. It takes a lot of patience and skill or you’ll end up with pieces of cork in the bottle or cracking the cork in two.
4. Pull up slowly and viola, bottle open!

Did you know you can open a bottle of wine with a shoe? And no, you don’t need a stiletto or something like that. What you have to do, with patience and skill, is:

1. Find a flat shoe, without a heel, like a slipper or a moccasin.
2. Put the wine bottle in the heel of the shoe.
3. Tap the heel against a wall, holding the bottle firmly in your hand. The shoe will cushion the blows, but make sure you protect the bottle carefully.
4. Repeat several times, with gusto.
5. The cork will push out little by little and, when it’s out about two centimetres, just pull it out with your hand.

If you like these tricks, we’ve got some for removing red wine stains…

With scissors

The process with scissors is exactly the same as the one with a sharp knife: put the tip halfway into the cork and turn the handle of the scissors slowly and prise the cork out.

With house keys

Push the tip of a long key into the cork at an angle. Then turn it as you pull upwards. Slowly but surely, and carefully so you don’t break the cork, it will end up coming out.

With a hanger

You’ll need a wire hanger you can reshape, bending the tip into a hook: time to catch a cork! Push it all the way in, through the cork, and then pull up. It will act just like a hook and remove the cork easily.

After all that, did you know our special format wines come with screw tops so you no longer need a corkscrew? For example, El Coto Crianza de 37.5cl.

Dozens of white grape varieties are grown in our country, but we’re going to look at some of the most well-known.

Verdejo

Type of white grape originally from Rueda, in Valladolid. Wines made from this grape are mainly known for being light bodied, highly aromatic and having balanced acidity. One good example is El Coto Verdejo. Have you tried it? It has fine and intense aromas of tropical fruit, fennel and aniseed.

Chardonnay

It’s true that Chardonnay grapes are originally from the Burgundy region of France, but they are now grown in many areas of our country, especially La Rioja. At Finca Carbonera, the highest altitude estate in DOCa Rioja, we make our 875m Chardonnay, a spectacular white wine with aromas of pineapple and vanilla.

In the third part of our wine dictionary we explained in detail the characteristic of Chardonnay grapes. Have you read it yet?

Albariño

Albariño grapes are one of the most widely recognised in our country, mainly from Galicia. It is a small grape, fruity and quite sweet. Wines made from this grape pair wonderfully with fish or seafood.

Another way to categorise white (and rosé) wines in Spain is by whether (or not) they contain carbon dioxide. This gas is produced as the must ferments, although CO2 can also be added artificially. This is one of the traits easiest for consumers to identify, along with the wine’s sugar level, so we’re going to look at these two characteristics together.

Wines without carbon dioxide or still wines

Any type of white wine without carbon dioxide falls into this category. Here are the subcategories by sugar level.

• Dry: less than 4 g/l
• Off-dry: 12 – 18 g/l
• Semi-sweet:18 – 45 g/l
• Sweet: over 45 g/l

Wines with carbon dioxide or sparkling wines

There are two categories, based on what we call the wine’s atmospheres of pressure. This just means the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide in the wine, expressed on a scale of atmospheric pressure, with a maximum of 6 atmospheres of pressure.

• Semi-sparkling wines. Between 1 and 2 atmospheres. These are not considered a sparkling wine, as they have a tiny bit of carbon dioxide from the origin of the grape variety or how they are made but, once open, it is released without forming bubbles.
• Sparkling wines. More than 3 atmospheres. Champagne and Cava are considered natural, quality sparkling wines. However, sometimes this pressure is added artificially to the liquids. These are the subcategories by sugar level for white sparkling wines:
• Brut Nature: 0 – 3 g/l
• Extra Brut: up to 6 g/l
• Brut: up to 15 g/l
• Extra Dry: 12 – 20 g/l
• Dry: 17 – 35 g/l
• Demi Sec: 33 – 50 g/l
• Doux/Sweet: over 50 g/l

Designation of Origin is a certain region, district, town or place that has been recognised to designate wines that meet a certain series of conditions. What does that mean? It means that there are a series of prerequisites for a wine to be given a DO, or a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) or a DOCa (Qualified Designation of Origin, a separate Spain term).

Do you want to know what the prerequisites are that set each of these designations of origin apart? Did you know that there are only two DOCa in Spain, and one of them is DOCa Rioja? Don’t miss this article!

It’s not easy to tell what exactly a structured wine is because they are a lot of elements connected with what we call the “structure of a wine”, which is one of the most common terms we hear during a wine tasting.

We can split the structure of a wine into three components: tannins, acidity and alcohol. The structure of a wine depends on these three points, with all of them being present but none of them standing out over the rest.

In general, when we speak about a structured wine, we mean a harmonious, well-rounded, solid wine with a pleasant taste. We could say that a structured wine is a balanced wine: for example, a wine in which there is just the right amount of tannins with pleasant notes.

The wine fermentation process refers to the process that turns a wort or grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. There are two types of fermentation:

• Alcoholic fermentation

 During the alcoholic fermentation of a wine, the micro-organisms in the grape turn the sugars into alcohol in a completely natural way. The yeasts that cause alcoholic fermentation are micro-organisms that, along with bacteria, break down organic material.

• Malolactic fermentation 

Furthermore, we have malolactic fermentation, which is the process in which malic acid becomes lactic acid. In red wines, this normally takes place after alcoholic fermentation. Malic acid is what normally causes the acidity and freshness of some wines, such as white wines.

Did you miss our latest Wine Dictionary posts? Take a look!

Did you know that DOCa Rioja wines are aged in oak barrels? We’re going to look at the various types of oak we find, their characteristics and what they impart on the wine.

American oak

When we talk about American-oak barrels (Quercus Albar), we’re talking about a hard, strong yet permeable barrel. This type of barrel gives wines stronger, “sweeter” notes, which can include coffee, cocoa, coconut or vanilla. We can even sometimes find touches of black pepper or cloves. American-oak barrels tend to impart fewer tannins than other types. Our Coto de Imaz Reserva spends at least 18 months in American-oak barrels.

French oak

Another type of wine barrel is made of French oak (Quercus Petrea). It is softer than the previous type and known for the balanced aromas gives the wine, with more balsamic notes, plus honey or nuts, as the predominant ones. Oxygenation in these barrels happens more slowly than in American-oak barrels, and they give the wine more tannins.

Coto de Imaz Reserva Blanco spends 12 months in new steam-bent French-oak barrels (and the lees are stirred periodically (battonage) to maintain this wine’s characteristic fruitiness while also promoting its complexity, unctuousness and longevity.

Spanish oak

Less well-known than the other two types of wine barrels, since Spanish oak (Quercus Petrea or Quercus Pyrenaica) used in winemaking is quite scarce. It is similar to French oak thanks to the region where it grows, and it has great aromatic qualities, imparting mature, tantalising, enveloping notes.

According to the DOCa Rioja Regulatory Board, Rioja wines are aged in 225-litre barrels (known as Bordeaux barrels), racked periodically, and then finished in the bottle. Did you know La Rioja is considered to have the largest inventory of barrels in the world, with over 1,300,000?

For storing wine, we also have foudres: large casks (200 – 300 hectolitres) that are laid horizontally, with a round or cylindrical base, as you can see in the picture.

Want to learn more about all our wineries?

Level: Beginner

Focus/Style: Basic concepts

The book “La Cata de Vinos” (Wine Tasting) is full of fun facts, stories, tips and tricks, an A to Z glossary… Everything you need to turn a beginner into a wine-lover, with a fun, entertaining style. You’ll find all sorts of information on oenology culture, from the basics to pairings and DOs.

The author, Lluís Manel Barba, has a degree in oenology and agricultural and agrifood engineering. He has extensive experience in several fields in the wine world, including as a teacher of oenology at Hofmann Culinary School and training sommeliers.

Level: Beginner / Intermediate

Focus/Style: Fiction, short story

Continuing on with another book on wine, in the same vein but completely different from the previous one. Now we’ve got one from the marvellous author of classics Roald Dahl: an illustrated short story that is highly entertaining and accessible for all levels. Did you know this book was first published in 1945?It tells the story of six people seated around a dining table. One of them is “wine connoisseur” Richard Pratt. Pratt often makes small bets with the other diners, especially Schofield, to guess the wine being served with the meal. But when Schofield brings out the second wine of the evening, he remarks that it will be impossible to guess. And Pratt takes up the challenge… Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

Any of these books, and the others still to go on the list, are perfect gifts. Even more so if you pair them with one of our gift packs designed specially to surprise on a special day, or just because!

Level: Advanced

Focus/Style: Specialised, wine-growing

Carrying on with our books on wine, let’s move into a more advanced level, in this case with The New Vignerons, a book about the new generation of Spanish winegrowers. It looks at everything from their personal histories to their efforts to rescue and revive varieties from winemaking regions all over Spain.

The author, Luis Gutiérrez, is the Spanish representative for Wine Advocate, one of the most influential publications in the world in wine scoring. In fact, the forward is written by Robert Parker himself, one of the most influential wine critics of the past 30 years. Parker calls this book “an extraordinary work that is distinctive, original and will make a fabulous contribution to the literature of fine wine.”

By the way, do you know about wine points and who awards them? Find out in this post on our blog!

Calle de Santa Engracia, 161.

Chamberí

We’re kicking off our recommendations with this restaurant with a terrace in Madrid. Since La Gran Tasca first opened its doors to the public back in 1942, this charming place has become an icon both for the Chamberí neighbourhood and the entire city of Madrid and boasts one of the best cocidos (a traditional stew) in the entire city. The stew comes in two servings: firstly, a delicious soup (of which you can ask for seconds), followed by a platter of chickpeas, two types of blood sausage, bacon, free-range chicken and much more, up to 15 ingredients.

This culinary delight paired with a bottle of our El Coto Crianza is one of our favourite choices for enjoying food that’s truly traditional in Madrid. However, if you prefer white wine, they also have El Coto Verdejo. And if you were wondering, yes, this is the platter you can see in the header!

Calle de Jesús, 2.
Barrio de las Cortes

Moving on to the Las Cortes neighbourhood, we come to a modern, sophisticated and cosy tavern. They describe themselves as “specialists in free-range eggs, select pork from Teruel and simple cuisine based around seasonal produce.”

At El Gallo Canta they have a menu to whet your appetite, with star dishes such as pork tenderloin or pork shoulder in “salsa rusticana”, which they make themselves (you can even get some to go!), and some of our outstanding wines to go with your food, such as Coto Mayor, El Coto Verdejo and 875m Chardonnay. Do you fancy trying it out and telling us what you think?

Calle de la Basílica, 17.

Tetuán / Azca

Modern, laid-back food. A different and original venue. Food for all tastes. Taxi a Manhattan is all of this and much more, a restaurant that sets out to “research and import all the most original flavours from the trending neighbourhoods in New York: Brooklyn, Soho, Nolita, China Town and Little Italy”.

What we love about their menu is the hamburgers: once you try one, you’ll be hooked! And nothing goes better with a good hamburger than a good wine. If you’re more into fish, you just have to try their red tuna tartar or their griddled octopus with mojo rojo sauce, paired with El Coto Semidulce.

Chardonnay is a grape variety originally from the Burgundy region of France, although it is now found in loads of countries, including our own. It has small or medium-sized bunches and ripens early. Chardonnay vines are hearty and adapt well to many types of soil, being quite high yield.

In terms of the grapes, this variety has fruity aromas, including citrus and tropical fruit, such as lemon and pineapple. Plus, its characteristics make it suitable for barrel fermentation, like our 875m Chardonnay, a wine that undergoes alcoholic fermentation in new steam-bent French-oak barrels.

The perfect wine for dishes like fish stew, arroz caldoso, foie, oily fish, seafood… It’s amazing!

Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak, a tree that grows in France, Portugal and Spain, which is the second largest cork producer in the world. The main reason this material was chosen to store wine is that it is waterproof yet porous.

Because the cork is much more important than it seems: it is simply essential to the quality of any wine. Its main function is to protect the wine’s traits over time, and ensure it is preserved and can evolve in the bottle.

Porousness is key because for a wine to age it needs oxygen (just the right amount, called micro-oxygenation). So, thanks to the porous cork, oxygen can get in while keeping bacteria and mould out.

One interesting fact: the cork should stay wet while wine is stored. That’s why bottles are stored on their side, so the wine is in constant contact with the cork.

This is the first step grapes go through when they reach the winery, to separate the stems from the grapes. What are the stems? All the “woody” bits of the grape bunch. This process improves the colour and taste of the wine, avoiding stronger, more astringent nuances. Plus, this step gives the wine a more concentrated colour, saves space during pressing and slightly increases the alcohol level.

 Nowadays, this phase of winemaking is done by machine, called a destemmer, to automate and cut production times.

Before you go, here are the first two instalments of our “Wine Dictionary”:

When we talk about wines with a DO, we’re referring to wines with a Denominación de Origen seal. They are wines from a specific production region that are made according to a series of parameters that guarantee their quality and ensure they reflect the typical characteristics of that region. Those parameters are dictated by the Regulating Council in each region.

What does a wine have to do to get the DO seal?

– It has to be made in the specific region, county, town or place with grapes grown there.

– It has to enjoy great prestige in commercial traffic based on its origin.

– Its quality and characteristics should be mainly or exclusively due to the geographic setting, which includes both natural and human factors.

– It must have been recognised for at least five years as a VC (quality wine with geographical indication).

DOP is a European-level quality seal, known as PDO in English, that standardises the DO in each country, according to their rules.

For Spain, there are currently 96 Protected Designations of Origin, broken down as follows:

• 67 DO (Denominación de Origen or Denomination of Origin).
• 19 Vinos de pago (Estate Wines).
• 2 DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada or Qualified Denomination of Origin).
• 8 VC (Vino de Calidad or Quality Wine).

Read to the end of the article to find out about these types of wine! Plus, you can check out this list from the magazine Vinetur for more details.

As we saw before, there are other categories that fall under the Protected Designations of Origin, including:

• VC (quality wine with geographical indication): the grapes used for these wines must be grown in the area and the wine must be produced there.
• VP (Estate Wines): these wines enjoy a certain prestige from a single pago, or estate with a climate or microclimate that differs from the others around it.

Outside of the PDO, we also have IGP (protected geographic indications), which like VT are from a region with unique characteristics but apply less strict requirements, as only 85% of grapes have to be from that region.

We hope you’ve learned something new and that, from now on, you’ll pay much more attention to these seals when you buy wine. Want to learn more interesting facts about the world of wine? Don’t miss this article!

One excellent plan to see in the spring is to have a picnic in a park or in the countryside, wherever you can! You’ll have a great time no matter where you are, so here you have a few tips to make sure it turns out just right:

1. Get the right selection of food: to set up your springtime plan, whet your guests’ appetite by telling them what you’re going to bring. Pick out things that are easy to eat if you’re going to be sitting on the ground, such as sandwiches, a delicious pasta salad, etc. What else do you think we’d love? Iberian cold cuts! Make sure they’re sliced before you set out to make things easier, or get packs of sliced meat. Our Dehesa Barón de Ley Iberian cold cuts are the perfect option.

2. Pick your wine: once you know what you’re going to eat on your amazing picnic, you’ll need to choose what wine you’re going to take. The formats we like best for a picnic are the smaller versions of our classics: 50 cl or 37.5 cl bottles, which are easy to carry around.

3. Cool box: it’s important to take a cool box or a cool bag to keep your food and wine at the right temperature so that they don’t go off with the heat. But… Make sure you don’t chill your wine too much! Do you know the right serving temperature for each type of wine? Click here to find out!

4. Other things to bear in mind with our spring plan: a picnic blanket or a sheet to get comfortable, cutlery, napkins, sunglasses and sunscreen if it’s a particularly sunny day. Enjoy!

Another great plan for the spring is to get together with the family or with friends (as far as restriction will allow) and to dust off the board games you have lying around – of course, you should also bring out a couple of bottles to help the evening flow. We often think that wine only goes with lunch or dinner, but it’s a great for when you’re just sitting around the table with friends, playing a board game or two, or even watching a film out in the garden.

For a fun evening with a couple of glasses of wine, board games and a little friendly competition, we propose El Coto Semidulce or El Coto Rosado. These are light wines, just perfect for this time of year and that go down perfectly on a leisurely evening.