This year, my big ski trip was to Val d’Isere, France.  They had 17 feet of snow, bluebird skies, and temps in the upper 30s (Fahrenheit; 2 degrees Celsius).  It was probably the best conditions for consecutive days that I have ever skied.  We drank a lot of Rhone wines, due to the Innkeeper’s preference, but I’ve written about Rhone wines before, so I won’t write anything more about them here except to say that wines from the St-Joseph AOC in Northern Rhone are my favorite.

After skiing, we went to Copenhagen for three days.  If you’ve never been to Copenhagen, I highly recommend that you do go, but perhaps in summer rather than winter, as it was below freezing every day (but sunny!).   Copenhagen is known for its beer and snaps (schnapps), not its wine.  That is why I brought wine to Copenhagen from NJ:  so that I would have a delicious bottle to drink while watching the Eagles in the Super Bowl from 12:30 am to 5 am!

The wine I carried from Marlton to Val d’Isere to Copenhagen is Don Bernardino’s “Finca Mezquita” Amandi Ribeira Sacra 2012.  This wine is from the Ribeira Sacra region, located in Galicia in the northern part of Spain.  Riberira Sacra translates to “Sacred Shore,” and likely refers to the monks in the area who dutifully kept alive the winemaking culture begun by the Romans.

Don Bernadino is made by restaurateur Emilio Rodríguez Diaz.  The vineyards for his red wines are located in the village of Amandi, and steeply rise up from the Sil River.  With aromas of pomegranate, black cherries, a touch of slate and smoke, and bright cherries on the palate, silky tannins, and a long finish, this is an outstanding example of Mencia.  Mencia is a grape I love because of its dichotomy:  it usually smells earthy and rustic, but tastes delicate and elegant.  At $70 a bottle, this wine was worthy of the Super Bowl game the Birds treated us to. 

But fear not, those of you who refuse to spent $70 on a bottle of wine (even though it costs that much for your steak at Capital Grille) because there is a cheaper version, from younger vines:  Don Bernadino’s “4 Generacion” Barrica Amandi Ribeira Sacra 2012  At only $25 a bottle, this wine never fails to make an impression.  It’s dark garnet in the glass, with red berries, violets, and Indian spices on the nose and palate, with a hint of smokey minerals and white pepper on the finish.  Easily a 90+ point wine.  I hoard these bottles for worthy drinking companions.

I would like to thank Andrea Billick at West Deptford Super Buy Rite for first introducing me to Don Bernadino’s wines.  She is my go-to expert for Spanish wines.  And if you do go to Copenhagen, I highly recommend eating at Hallernes Smǿrrebrǿd in the Torvehallerne and drinking the house specialty snaps made with cinnamon, cardamom, and anise from Told & Snaps in Nyhavn.  Skǻl!