Looking for tasty, food friendly wines to serve over the holidays? Tomorrow, Saturday December 14, the importer of El Coto Rioja wines will be pouring free samples of their wines at Paris-Madrid Grocery from 2-4 p.m. Stop in and taste their line up of white and red Riojas and take home a case to serve over the holidays!
Our refrigerator cases are stocked with a wide range of easy to prepare party foods that taste amazing. Semi-cured cantimpalito chorizos can be simmered in red wine and then served with toothpicks and crostini. Add a caperberry for crunch! Sobrasada, a spreadable sausage from Mallorca can be layered on slices of bread, melted quickly under the broiler and served. White anchovies (boquerones) can be simply plated and served with toothpicks and crackers, or made into “Gildas” by spearing a pitted olive, Basque guindilla pepper and boquerone together for a briny treat. We carry a multitude of pre-sliced and packaged Spanish cured meats including lomo, salchichon, Jamon Serrano, Jamon Iberico and chorizos. Olives from Spain and France are a necessary finger food at parties. Or pick up one of our toothsome charcuterie and cheese platters for your gathering – the gorgeous presentation is a showstopper and super affordable at $5.90 per serving (4 person minimum, please). Order in advance to avoid the wait! 
We carry hard to find ingredients such as Mojama (dried tuna) Choricero pepper paste (used in making Basque recipes, including chorizo), Ñora peppers (for Romesco sauce), several varieties of Spanish morcilla (blood sausage), squid ink, French butter, sherry vinegar, pâté and cornichons, a wide assortment of French mustards including Amora and Pommery mustard de Meaux. We’ve got all of the basic ingredients for making paella – choose between standard Valencian short grained rice, Bomba rice or Calasparra rice from Murcia, chorizo, broth, piquillo peppers and smoked paprika. Tinned seafood? You bet, with many brands, varieties and prices to choose from.
For an elegant dinner party, we have many essential ingredients for making cassoulet, including authentic Tarbais beans, duck confit, duck fat, Toulouse sausage, canned tomatoes and broth. Our freezer case is loaded with treasures, including duck breasts, uncured Iberico de Bellota pork in several cuts, French-style Boudin Noir and Boudin Blanc, Duck foie gras, escargot in the shell with butter and parsley sauce, whole Spanish rabbit, and a multitude of other French-style sausages.
In a hurry? Order meats, cheeses and other products in advance by visiting parismadridgrocery.com and clicking on the “Order & pick up” button. Place your order, specify a pick up time and be ready for our confirmation call. We’ll ask for credit card details and get the order placed. If you’re driving, pull into the load zone in front of the shop and step inside to pick up your order. We also ship… ask us for details.
The staff’s red wine favorites of 2019:
Castell del Remei Gotim Bru 2016 Costers del Segre ($15.99) This wine is classic, elegant and as deeply rooted as The Pyrenees; avant-garde, informal, and as expressive as Barcelona. Gotim Bru has a nice cherry color, its very aromatic and seductive with balsamic notes of toasted cocoa and black fruits. In the mouth it is harmonious with great development and generous acidity which flavors the persistent dark chocolate and lingering ripe fruit. Enjoy it! -Mercedes
Jean-Michel Dupre Morgon Cote du Py 2017 ($21.99) When people think of Beaujolais, they often think of the quite fruity Beaujolais Nouveau. However, I’m a big fan of the Beaujolais cru, particularly Morgon. This wine in particular has a lot going on and actually benefits from decanting about 45 minutes so it can fully express itself. Bright cherry with lilac flavors dance in your mouth. The acidity is bright with plush tannins. Grab some steamed duck buns or sweet and sour eggplant and savor the deliciousness! – Valerie
Bodegas Frontaura Aponte 2006, Toro ($30.00). This winter I’ve really been enjoying Frontaura Aponte. It’s a full bodied, delicious, aged Toro Tempranillo with a lasting finish. It pairs excellent with hearty dishes and spicy foods – perfect for the holidays. – Ethan
Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva Rioja 2009 ($70.00) – With 30+ years of drinking Spanish wines it’s tough to pick a favorite. R. Lopez Heredia Riojas are absolutely stunning and always a treat to drink. But this year I have been entranced by every bottle of Muga I have enjoyed, whether it was their Rosado, Reserva, Reserva Especial, or the Prado Enea Gran Reserva. Muga’s impeccable winemaking gives a nod to the modern Rioja style, offering a balance of superbly ripened fruit, balanced with spices, hints of oak, tobacco and mineral. The 2009 Prado Enea scored 96 points by Wine Advocate: “Grown in the highest and coolest vineyards in Rioja Alta, which allows slow and perfect ripening. Fermented with native yeasts, aged 12 months in oak vats, then 36 months in oak casks, and another 36 months in bottle before release. Fined with egg whites. It feels like one of the great recent vintages of Prado Enea. At this quality level, the price seems like a real bargain.” This would be a very special gift for a wine aficionado.- Sharon
2 great and limited French wines arrived yesterday:
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge Classique “pour Lulu” 2017 ($60.00). Lulu Peyraud turned 100 in December of 2017, and this bottle has been named in her honor. Predominately Mourvedre, it offers up savory and olive notes, with ripe red fruit. Only 20 cases were received this year, and with strong demand it won’t last long.
Vieux Télégraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, 2017 ($95.00) 96 points James Suckling “… darker fruit in this vintage. It has some reserved, sanguine notes and an essence-like, raspberry core. Some stones and chalk here, too. The Grenache is singing here. Very long and focused palate. Best from 2025.”
Vieux Télégraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau, 2015 ($88.00) We picked up a few bottles of the incredible 2015 vintage from a library release, and the importer was kind enough to maintain the original release price. 94 points Wine Advocate “Deliciate floral scents with ample cherry and licorice notes. It manages to be full-bodied and almost creamy without much weight, then ends powerfully. It should drink well for 20 years.”
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