The Yacht Week: Skipper Academy

Writing on top of water...

From the countryside back to the city and now off to the sea!  I will be leaving my beloved Madrid for two weeks, but will instead be reunited with the sea, sails, and The Yacht Week in Croatia.  I am going to be writing a blog for The Skipper Academy, where the skippers will be learning and preparing themselves on the route for the summer.  You can follow me on The Yacht Week website to check out the skippers in action, learn a bit about sailing, and the unique culture of Croatia. Have a wonderful Easter everyone!


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The Skipper Academy Blog


...gone sailing

Marqués de Riscal: Tasting antiquity

Is it me, or do history and things from the past seem to always carry some sort of mysterious element with them?  Ancient jewelry from the Etruscans or one of Coco Chanel´s first designs today inspire, touch and fascinate people.  After all, as Petrarch said, we are like gnomes riding on the backs of the giants of history...

On our last day, we were fortunate enough to literally step into history through the door of the first wine cellar at Marqués de Riscal, founded in the year 1860.  Upon entrance, I immediately smelled the passing of time, saw the effects of years on the bottles grasped by cobwebs, and best of all...tasted a bottle from the year 1956, older than my very own father.


The deeper we walked into the cellar, the colder it got.  The feeling was eerie yet mesmerizing while at the same time the bloggers and I walked around with our glass of ancient wine.

After finishing the tour of the old winery, we were taken to the modern section, where shipments to over 60 different countries are currently being made.  I saw boxes labeled with Australia and the USA.  Marqués de Riscal is now participating in a huge process of changing the traditional unstable wooden crates to metal ones.

The tours came to an end and we were taken to Francis Paniego´s territory, the kitchen of Marqués de Riscal...where gastronomic magic happens.  Leaving the kitchen transposed us to the balcony where the kitchen keeps their very own herb garden, not to mention with incredible views of Elciego and Gehry´s architectonic overhangings.

Finally, we finished the #experiencia Riscal in the library of the hotel, reminiscing on the weekend and every moment that was filled with something important to learn about wine, social media, the importance of bloggers today and their contribution to the visual experience...

Marqués de Riscal: Flavors come in pairs

Last night, in the Aula Marqués de Riscal, after having learned everything there is to know about white wine, we had a 2 and a half hour course dedicated to vino tinto.  I was surrounded by gastronomic professionals in the room that basically told me wine drinking is an art.  The more practice you have at tasting it, the more possible it is to develop a profound appreciation and desire for it.  

Based on color, is it ruby or cherry red?


Based on smell, does it have notes of chocolate, cinnamon, dried fruit, or a pastry shop?


Based on texture, is it smooth or difficult to swallow?


We tasted five different wines, each one older and more expensive than the first, so the best one was as you can imagine, saved for last.


After having been enriched of a day's worth of wine culture, we went over to enjoy Francis Paniego's gastronimic creations, one of the most internationally recognized chefs today.  The dinner was called Cena Maridaje-Dinner of pairs which means that every single course was paired purposely with a different type of wine that paired flavors beautifully together.

To name a few of the tastes of the night that may inspire you...


Truffle-chestnut soup with an egg yolk on top


Smoked red peppers in organic olive oil of the region


Mint lime ice cream with frozen bananas


Honey ice cream on top of a crunch caramel pastry and crisp apples


Never did gastronomy and the world of flavors look so vibrant and, not to mention, well-organized.

Francis Paniego

Marqués de Riscal: Incorporating the 5 senses

Gehry´s architectonic masterpiece appears to be a metallic scarf flowing frozen in motion in the strong winds of Elciego.  Waking up to this and the vineyards doused in the morning sun is like going into another dream world that seems too surreal to be grasped as reality.

From the vineyard to the technological process to the barrels and finally the tasting of the wine in the Aula Marqués de Riscal, I couldn´t be more happy to say that here at Marqués de Riscal, things are not done by stepping away from the norm, but rather climbing a whole ladder of innovation to truly take the history and knowledge of wine to a whole other level.  Today´s morning adventure was led by the director of the Aula Marqués de Riscal, Rafael Ruiz Isla.  

The Aula Marqués de Riscal is a course designed a la carte to teach professionals in the wine world to go deeper into the judging of what really is a fine wine. I tasted 4 different wines, each with a distint flavor. Here we were led by the expertise of Señor Ruiz. I am definitely not a connoisseur , nor am I of the age yet to be critical of what a good bottle of wine is and what is not, but today if there is one thing I have learned about wine is that it is not just the taste that must be judged but also...

The sight:
-color
-age
-intensity
-aspect


The smell:
-quality of the aroma
-intensity
-characteristics: floral, fruity, spicy, bitter


The consistency:
-soft
-sharp
-delicate
-at the right temperature
-dehidrating


Flavors:
-sweet
-acidic
-salty
-bitter

Marqués de Riscal: Bloggers trip

About 350 kilometers and 4 and a half hours away from Madrid, I have arrived to the beautiful and eclectic winery Marqués de Riscal in La Rioja region of the north of Spain.  Marqués de Riscal developed from a dream and finally became a reality in 1858, leaving it today, one of the most internationally and nationally admired wines.  This winery is not only noted for its fine wine, but also for its luxury resort hotel designed by the Frank Gehry himself.  Here the avant-garde design of the Frank Gehrian masterpiece meets the tradition and history found within the very roots of the grapes that produce the incredible wines continuing to marvel the wine market today.

This weekend I am fortunate enough to join Spain´s most talented bloggers in the area of gastronomy and fine cuisine at Marqués de Riscal.  After miles and miles of untouched land, we finally arrived to La Rioja region where Frank Gehry´s architectural fenomenon struck an emotional note.  As normal bloggers, we raced out of the bus, pulling out our iPhones, Canons and Nikons to capture the first glimpse of what will truly be an enriching weekend.

Stay with me as we discover together the enchantment of Marqués de Riscal...

80s Music and Mojitos

I would like to add another cool-wandering to my list of places to visit in La Latina.  If you are into some fine 80s classics, good ambience, an open air terrace, and a minty mojito then El Viajero may just be the place for you.  It almost seems as if the cafe slash restaurant slash lounge slash bar does not vertically end.  Reaching three stories high,each level of El Viajero has something different and exciting to offer. 

Upon entrance, if you are still not in the mood to quite let your guard down and forget that it´s Sunday, then sit down and enjoy some classic Spanish tapas while partaking in people watching (at El Viajero all different types of characters come together.)  On the first story, that would be the second story in the states, get ready to try one of the best mojitos La Latina has to offer accompanied by a retro song from Journey.  To top off the night climb to the last level of the bar to find a charming cantina on top of an open air terrace that offers some of the best, most magical views of Madrid.  This terrace is a bit too cold to enjoy during the winter time, but during the summer it is theee place to be.

Calle de la Cebada, 11

Your Sunday Plan-LA LATINA!

LA LATINA

Sundays are usually thought of as being "the annoying day before the new week starts."  To a pessimist, Sunday is a day to not move, do nothing, mope around and complain about starting the weekly ritualistic routine.   An optimist on the other hand will see Sunday as a day off to relax, see an exhibit, enjoy good company and maybe take on an adventure throughout the city.

In Madrid there is an entire neighborhood called La Latina dedicated to Sunday plans.  It is filled with everything from funky bars to quaint cafes and retro restaurants.  This neighborhood is the place to be on a Sunday if you are in the mood to be social and have a good time.  Everyone gathers together here on a late Sunday afternoon to grab a bite to eat or sip a fresh and minty mojito.  You can also find your traditional Spanish taverns playing good music while serving tapas and vino tinto.   


I suggest to arrive no later then 4 o´clock in the afternoon because the neighborhood begins to fill up as if a major event was about to happen.  There are plenty of bars and cafes to choose from.  Two of my favorites are the terrace top at El Viajero-known for its 80s music and mojitos or La Musa-a very eclectic cafe, known for its vertical garden and classic tapas.  Stay in tuned for a more detailed description of the two!

La Latina is known for being the afternoon plan of a lazy Sunday, BUT do not be surprised if you find yourself staying out with the crowd until 12 or even 1 o´clock in the morning!  Afterall I would say that La Latina could be compared to a siren, it has a very temptuous reputation of making the visitors stay for more time than they expected!