San Sebastian Food launch educational wine tastings

It is just over two years since Jon Warren launched his culinary tour company, San Sebastian Food. Since then, the company has continued to mature, adapting to the needs of a growing market.

One of its newest features is a premises based in the city’s old quarter, a 'tasting centre' explains Jon, under the tagline 'The Culture of Cuisine'.

The repertoire of 'culinary experiences' has also expanded. Aside from Basque Cooking Classes, the Rioja Day Tour, Pintxo Tasting Tourand other 'bite sized' packages which have formed the company's breadand butter, there are now opportunities for combining food with culture,such as the San Sebastian Jazz Festival in July or the Film Festival inSeptember.

San Sebastian Food remains true to its original objective, however, putting the vast and rich culinary culture of the Basque Country within arm's reach of the less informed or those without the time to 'journey' into the city's gastronomic heart.

Irecently got a taste of one of the company's latest offerings when Ijoined Jon and Wine Specialist Jenny Siddall for a wine tasting at the Culture of Cuisine centre one warm evening in September.

Originally from England, new recruit Jenny Siddall spent seven years in La Rioja before moving to the Basque Country, including two years spent at the Baigorri bodega (in 'La Rioja Alavesa', the Basque part of the wine-growing region) and one harvest at Ramón Bilbao, one of the wines at today's tasting.

Joining Jenny today was Tito, guest expert and sommelier at San Sebastian's Gandarias restaurant, located not far from the Culture of Cuisine centre, on Calle 31 de Agosto.

FourSpanish red wines were chosen for the tasting (from the Bierzo, Toro,Ronda and Rioja denominations) for the simple reason, explained Jenny,that "we like them," adding that the aim of today's tasting wasenjoyment: "It's difficult to create interest in a wine if you don'tactually enjoy it," she adds.

For classes about how to tastewines, more contrasting brands are chosen. But today's tasting is anintroduction to Spanish wines, a way of enabling clients to "put a nameto their preferences" and know what to order. A similar objective to thecompany's pintxo-tasting tours, which enable tourists to negotiatetheir way around the "potential minefield" that is the city's dozens ofpintxo bars, not to mention the many hundreds of different and diversepintxos.

The other guests at the tasting hailed from a broad range of destinations,including the US, Australia and the UK, and a brief chat with eachrevealed that most had been drawn to San Sebastian thanks to itsreputation as a gastronomic paradise. Interestingly, most describedthemselves as 'wine enthusiasts' but were unfamiliar with Spanish wines.

There are some fun touches to the class, such as 'Le Nez du Vin' box of fifty-four different aromas,used to help sommeliers develop their sense of smell. One also learnssome interesting pieces of information, such as the history behind theelaboration of Rioja wines and its trademark oak aging, brought over byBordeaux wine-makers in the 18th century.

Admittedly it was fascinating to discover how one's sense of smell and taste did begin to pick out the different aromas and flavours,particularly on the second tasting, something which ultimately informsour preference for one wine or another. And ultimately the chance toenjoy four such pleasant wines made for a very enjoyable 90 minutes.

It is Jon and Jenny's intention that the wine-tasting sessions be interactive as well as informative.Participants are provided with pen and paper to take notes, a map ofall the different denominations around Spain, bread sticks (which onedescribed as a "nice touch") and a requisite bottle of water, importantfor any wine-tasting.

Lauren and Ashley from Australia, on a"cheese and wine tour of France and Spain," said they found the tasting"fun and informative", while for Peter and Kirsten from Germany, whosaid they normally drank Italian wines, the class had been a useful experience in "opening them up to Spanish wines".

Aspart of a deal with the wine shop Goñi, located opposite from where thecompany sources its wines, clients at the tasting can benefit from a 5% discount on any purchase.