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Photo Courtesy Tapeña
Interested in winning a tapas party for you and nine of your closest friends? Tapeña wines can make that happen. Starting today, Tapeña wines is offering three Slashfood readers the chance to win a tapas party in your home! We'll ship everything to you: wine, a spice pack, ice bucket -- even a corkscrew.
The name Tapeña comes from a fusion of the Spanish word tapas, flavorful foods to share, and peña, slang for a group of close friends. Tapeña wines are crafted with de alegría de vivir (the joy of living) in mind.
Made from Spanish grape varieties grown in the Tierra de Castilla region in the heart of Spain, Tapeña wines have been created using classic Spanish techniques with a modern twist and are meant to be enjoyed late into the evening with great food and friends on either side of the Atlantic.
Find out how to win a Tapeña party in your home after the jump.
CONTEST RULES:
• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us your favorite Spanish tapas and which Spanish wine you would drink it with (Tempranillo, Garnacha or Verdejo).
• The comment must be left before 5pm EST on Monday, March 7, 2011.
• You may enter only once.
• Three winners will be selected in a random drawing.
• Three winners will receive a one Tapas party prize pack (includes wine, snacks, decorations, music and recipes, estimated value $150.00).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 21 and older (an adult will have to sign for this package when it arrives)
• Click here for complete Official Rules. Winners will be notified by email, so be sure to provide a valid email address!
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More information about the wine:
Tempranillo
Tapeña Tempranillo brings out flavors and aromas of plum, violets and orange peel. Often compared to pinot noir, Tempranillo is perfect for those looking for a light to medium body red wine that is smooth and fruity.
Often referred to as Spain's "noble grape," Tempranillo is a variety of Spanish red grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines. Its name is a derivative of the Spanish temprano, meaning early, as it ripens several weeks earlier than most Spanish red grapes.
Garnacha
Tapeña Garnacha depicts flavors and aromas of cherries and candied fruit. Similar to Merlot, people who enjoy a medium bodied red wine with a deep berry flavor will enjoy Garnacha.
Garnacha is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, and therefore thrives in hot, dry regions such as Spain.
It is likely that Garnacha was first grown in the northern region of Aragon (the kingdom of Ferdinand, husband of Queen Isabela of Christopher Columbus fame). Not surprisingly, an early synonym for the Garnacha vine was Tinto Aragonés (red of Aragon). In addition to Spain, Garnacha has been known to thrive in the Mediterranean climates of regions such as Italy (Sardinia, Sicily and Calabria), Israel, Algeria, Morocco, Cyprus, and scattered among the Greek islands.
Verdejo
Tapeña Verdejo brings out flavors and aromas of green apple, peach and pineapple. Verdejo is known for its fresh flavor and can be likened to a good Sauvignon Blanc.
The Verdejo grape has been growing in Spain since 1000 AD. Spain's warm climate lends itself well to Verdejo wines that are at once crisp, aromatic and full-bodied.
For the majority of its early history, Verdejo was used to make a strongly oxidized, Sherry-like wine. In the 1980s, however, white wines from the Rueda region were recognized by their own Denominación de Origen* in honor of the vast increase in quality reflected in a fresher, crisper style of white wine.
As a general rule, Verdejo grapes are harvested at night because lower nighttime temperatures protect the grapes against oxidation and contamination of juice, allowing for crisper and cleaner flavor profiles.
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3-02-2011 @5:23PM Allison said... I am a sucker for any variation of the goat-cheese-baked-in-tomato-sauce tapas. Garnacha is my favorite wine no matter what season it is. :-)
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3-02-2011 @5:45PM Cristina said... Love them all, but my favorites would have the be: patatas bravas (NYC has yet to get them right, though the ones at Cafe Espanol in Greenwich has come the closest to Spain's... mmmm), stuffed mushrooms, mussels, shrimp in garlic sauce. Would love to try the Verdejo.
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3-02-2011 @5:30PM jen said... My favorite spanish tapa is shrimp ceviche and I would drink the Tempranillo.
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3-02-2011 @5:29PM Joel M said... Verdejo. With a selection of cheeses.
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3-02-2011 @5:34PM vaca said... I choose one for each wine, maybe the most typical (maybe not) but really the ones that I remember as being my favorites from the 3 months I spent in Salamanca :D
Pulpo a la gallega, patatas bravas + verdejo
Montao de morcilla + garnacha
Croquetas de jamón + tempranillo
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3-02-2011 @5:35PM Brenda said... I'm a sucker for Modesto's grilled octopus with paprika, olive oil, lemon and crispy potatoes and break all the rules by pairing it with a Tempranillo.
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3-02-2011 @5:38PM Raquel said... I absolutely love meat empanadas and I would have them with some Tempranillo!
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3-02-2011 @5:38PM Lynds said... Tempranillo
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3-02-2011 @5:56PM Julia said... My most favorite Spanish tapas are croquettas, and I would have them with Verdejo wine.
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3-02-2011 @5:50PM Elizabeth Ramsey said... Like Brenda, I'd go for grilled octopus and the Tempranillo.
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3-02-2011 @5:44PM Shay said... Tempranillo and spicy sausage and cheese.
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3-02-2011 @5:48PM Sugar said... Ummmm, I'm drinking whatever your sending and loving every bit if it! :)
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3-02-2011 @5:48PM Danielle said... Ooohhh, Verdejo please!
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3-09-2011 @8:51AM Shayla Nastasi said... Champiñones al ajillo is definitely my favorite tapas. I would pair it with the Tempranillo.
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3-02-2011 @6:06PM Monkaey said... A place near me serves up a ton of great tapas and my fave is seared scallops, raisins, couscous & pine nuts. The Verdejo sounds like it'd be a great pairing with this!
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3-02-2011 @6:14PM Crystal said... Tempranillo with a selection of cheeses, and bacon wrapped dates
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3-02-2011 @6:11PM Dawn said... Roasted Olives with rosemary. really almost anything roasted with rosemary is good
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3-02-2011 @6:10PM srah said... I love Manchego cheese with membrillo, and I already know I like tempranillo, so I would try the verdejo.
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3-03-2011 @12:04PM Pablo said... Marcona almonds and tuna filet in olive oil, served with the Verdejo.
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3-02-2011 @6:25PM cheide said... Garnacha with anything seafood !!
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