Relax right here in the beautiful Bay Area with a delicious wine from abroad!

1) Ca N'Estruc Blanc 2006, Catalunya, Spain

The Ca N’Estruc wines from Can Dez Mas are just becoming available here in the U.S., but have been very much on the minds and in the glasses of the Spanish press and public in recent years. The winery and its 65 acre vineyard, located near Barcelona in a little village called Esparraguera, date back to the 19^th century. These intriguing blends are delicious, well made and well priced.

A crisp, herbaceous blend of 83% Xarel-lo, 12% Macabeo and 5% Chardonnay. The Peñin Guide said this about the 2005 vintage. “Straw colored. Fruity nose with musky notes and hints of fresh fruit, herbs. Powerful palate, fresh and flavoursome, with excellent varietal character, good acidity. 87 Points.” (I should mention that a score of 87 in Spain is like a score of 90 here)

Guide Penin 2008: 90 points

2) Quinta da Murta, Bucelas, Dry White 2007, Portugal

"Pale yellow color with a fresh fruity aroma. Dry, very fresh acidity provided by the Arinto grape. Delicate and fine bodied with a fresh citric taste."

Quinta da Murta is a small-scale wine maker, established in 1988 when Francisco Castelo Branco planted a 10 ha vineyard, mainly of the Arinto grapes, in the Bucelas region near Lisbon. Within 5 years the first harvest was sold as grapes and a year later, in 1994, the first bottling from the vineyard was made. Since then Francisco Castelo Branco winemaking has gone from strength to strength and he has produced a deep red colored Touriga Nacional wine. Excellent soil conditions, vine locations and micro climate combine to produce a balanced wine with a fruity aroma.