The cruise lines have obviously been monitoring their target demographics more attentively of late, because the Celebrity ships we’ve sailed on in the past few years have wine bars on them. These are dark wood and leather chambers that hold those Enomatic wine dispensing machines where you can insert your key card and receive a 2-oz. pour of Opus One for $20, or other whites and reds for more reasonable prices. A good way to sample widely, albeit a bit pricey.The ships also manage to stage a “Wine 101” class at least once during each cruise, and hold little wine flight events every night or two. Last week, on the Celebrity Constellation, I ran through quite a few of these small pours, and found some interesting new experiences.One fight, which they whimsically called “Run With the Bulls,” featured four Spanish varietals, though the last one was a Sherry, and I passed on it. The other three, however, were pretty reasonable.Side note: I have to admit we don’t drink a lot of Spanish wine around the house. I lived in Spain in the early Seventies, well before I had been awakened to the joys of the vine, and my wine discoveries at the time were less than inspiring. In fact, we used to drink this stuff called “CASA,” which we bought in the supermarket. It came in liter bottles and I swear to this day that it consisted of water, alcohol, and food coloring. No grapes ever came near that liquid.A bit unfair of me? Probably. But I’m still open to discovering new treats, from Spain or anywhere else. Here are some that I discovered in the middle of the Caribbean.Castell de Raimat Albariño Costers del Segre 2011 – This tiny region is way up in northern Spain, northwest of Barcelona. It was a bit “fatter” than I expected, and could have used a bit more acidity. However, there were nice citrus notes, some lemon zest, and a note of pineapple. Very refreshing.Bodegas Ramón Bilbao Rioja “Edición Limitada” Tempranillo 2010 – This deep,rich red exuded characteristic aromas of smoke and tar, since the Spanish love to oak their wines to the max. On the palate, subtle notes (way in the back) of dark plum and blueberry.Bodegas España Garnacha Athénticas – This wine almost approached a ripasso in its style. There were strong flavors of prune and raisin, tempered a bit by the blending in of a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon. Great for those who like a richer, sweeter style.Sample widely…and order my latest book, Secrets of the Wine Whisperer, on my website or on Amazon.
