Madeline Maldonado, the sommelier at Union Square Hospitality Group’s Ci Siamo in New York City, highly recommends showing up to your next dinner party with a bottle of Bodegas Montecillo Vina Monty Viura—a Spanish white wine born from a predominantly red Rioja region, known for its rich, bold Tempranillo-based wines.
“The consumption and sale of Rioja white wine pales in comparison to the reds,” she says. That’s slowly starting to change. “We will probably start to see more cuvées of wine made from autochthonous and esoteric varietals coming out of Rioja.”
This bottle is part of the upper tier of wines from the Montecillo team, which has been expertly led by winemaker Mercedes Garcia Ruperez for a decade. On a table? It’s the perfect pairing. “This is a wine that can carry you through an entire meal of starters and apps like cheeses, charcuterie (since we are talking Spain, jamon Iberico would be ideal), crab cakes, salads with cheese and nuts,” Maldonado adds.
“It’s perfect to pair with roasted chicken, pork dishes and heartier vegetables for the season like delicata squash, beets and mushrooms. This wine can also work with many cuisines outside of Spain—think Thai coconut curry, pho, ramen, and sushi and sashimi.”
It even matches up with different kind of drinkers. “This is a wine that can speak to the Old World and New World drinker alike,” she continues. “The old vines and judicious use of oak give this wine opulence while still being elegant and fresh. There are notes of almond, marzipan, and quince while still retaining minerality to showcase the terroir and a tinge of grapefruit-like acidity.” $65
Kate Dingwall is a sommelier and wine writer. Her work frequently appears in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, Vogue, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.
