With spring finally here – well, at least on the calendar, if not in actual weather conditions in New England – we were inspired to pick a Sunday Night Supper Club theme that would bring to mind sunny days, the beach, and Mediterranean cultures. What could be better than Spanish white wines paired with tapas? Our chef for our second SNSC was again the incredible Morgan Bigley, who, in short, wowed all of us with a delicious set of dishes that complemented the wines perfectly.
As guests arrived, we enjoyed the Segura Viudas Aria Brut Cava from the Penedes. A pale yellow-green sparkler, which is a blend of Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel-lo, this cava has aromas of freshly baked bread, green apples, sweet herbs, and honey. Its lively and piquant character was an excellent way to prepare the palate for what was to come. And doesn’t a sparkler set the mood for the evening’s festivities?
With the octopus sizzling in a cast iron skillet on the stove, we settled in at the table for our first tapas plate, the EVOO-poached bacalao with heirloom chickpeas, chorizo, and tomato. So you may be wondering if heirloom chickpeas are really just Goya canned beans that have been hanging around too long (some of us considered that option!). No – these chickpeas come from a small organic producer in Italy that specializes in heirloom grains, legumes and flours. They were tender and creamy and perfect in the tomato broth flavored with chorizo. The bacalao was followed closely by the octopus a la plancha served with crispy Jamón Serrano over arugula and radishes.
The 2004 Alvear Fino “en Rama” Sherry accompanied both of these dishes, bringing out the brine and saltwater flavors in each other. The Alvear “en Rama” is a wonderful introduction to this style of wine. It has less of the acetone aromas and tanginess that sometimes put off Sherry inductees, while still being characteristically nutty and bone dry. A few people even noted that they had become Sherry converts!
Our next two courses were the Sherry-braised rabbit with Marcona almonds and garlic chips and the Patatas Bravas served with a spicy paprika sauce and an aioli. The 2008 Shaya Verdejo – one of the wine stars of the evening- was served with these dishes. This Verdejo is aromatic and inviting with aromas of melon, citrus, and apricots over vanilla ice cream. In the mouth, lemon juice and zesty acidity dominate, but are balanced by the wine’s full body and almost viscous texture. Some herbaceousness and minerality round out this wine.
The Verdejo was followed closely by the Albariño, which is gaining international interest as a standout Spanish 
grape. There are quite a few to choose from, and we selected the 2008 Paco & Lola from Rias Bixas because we felt that it represented modern Spanish winemaking. Lots of citrus, herbaceous, and floral aromas serve as the prelude to a freshly acidic and tangy medium-bodied wine. This wine with a touch of oak had sufficient body and depth to stand up to and complement the braised rabbit and almonds. Though the Shaya was the quaffable winner of the evening, the Paco y Lola was the pairing standout.
Finally, dessert – alfajores with dulce de leche and chocolate! The cookies were accompanied by Lustau Capataz Andres Deluxe Superior Cream from Jerez de la Frontera. The deep chestnut hued sherry has aromas of dried fruits, toasted nuts, vanilla bean, and orange peel. Its sweet, rich unctuousness gives way to a bracing acidity. And as a further Iberian treat, we offered Valdeon. One of Spain’s and the world’s outstanding blue cheeses, this mix of cow and goat milk wrapped in chestnut leaves was well matched with the Sherry. And so our vicarious excursion to sunny Spain – a gastronomic and oeneological getaway – concluded with well satisfied diners applauding the tasty creations of Chef Bigley.
When we gather at the table, we are sustained and nourished on all levels – nourished by wonderful food, gladdened by good wine and enriched by the bonds that form while dining. Experiences like these don’t often occur in restaurants and for this reason we formed SNSC to expand our and your experience of dining.
