Ep 191: Exploring Spain’s Hidden Gems: Bierzo & Txakoli with Beth Willard (Part 1)

EAT SLEEP WINE REPEAT: A wine podcast

Welcome back, wine friends! We're kicking off Season 5 of the Eat Sleep Wine Repeat podcast with an exciting episode for all wine lovers and travelers. Join me as I sit down with Beth Willard, a true authority on Spanish wine and one of the co-chairs of the Decanter World Wine Awards. If you're a fan of Decanter Magazine, you'll recognize her work on Spanish wine regions. And today we focus on one of Spain’s slightly lesser know region of Bierzo.

Beth takes us through the fascinating world of Mencía grapes, the terroir of Bierzo, and the latest trends shaping this vibrant wine region. But that’s not all—we’ll also dive into the delicious wines from San Sebastián, one of the best regions for foodies, where we discuss the Txakoli wines (often poured from a height).

And a special thanks to Coravin, our sponsor for this episode, for giving wine enthusiasts the chance to explore wines one glass at a time without uncorking the entire bottle. Tune in for an inspiring chat, and don't forget to pour yourself something special!

Cheers!

If you want to skip ahead:

03.00: The defining moment for Beths‘ wine adventures and her backstory

06.00: Beth’s first encounter with Spanish wine - San Sebastian

08.00: Must visit sherry bar in Madrid: La Venecia

10.30: Txakoli: What is it and how does it taste?

12.00: The three regions of Txakoli and the different styles

13.00: The annual coastline swim from Getaria to Zarautz

18.00: Hondarrabi Zuri - the grape variety of Txakoli

21.00 The Biezo wine region

25.30: Climatic Influences from Castilla y León V over the border in Galicia affecting the style of Mencia

26.30: The 2017 classification system in Bierzo, to highlight terroir

30.30: Producers to look out for: Alvaro Palacios, Raul Perez, Verónica Ortega, Gregory Perez, Banzao, Michelini i Mufatto

33.30: Mencia is not always 100% Mencia due to field blends/old vines

38.00: The Mencia Grape - profile, tasting notes

44.30: The agebility of Mencia and Godello

47.00: The white grapes of Bierzo

48.00: Beths’ Bierzo wine report published on Tim Atkin’s website

Any thoughts or questions, do email me: [e-mail]

Or contact me on Instagram @eatsleep_winerepeat

If you fancy watching some videos on my youtube channel: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat

Or come say hi at www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk

Until next time, Cheers to you!

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