Looking to expand your white wine horizons for 2021 and go beyond the usual chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio? We just "discovered" VARA Viura 2018 imported from Spain and bottled by VARA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is a sumptuously delectable blend of Viura, Muscat of Alexandria, and Albarino grapes. The VARA Viura 2018, Vino Blanco Español, is a dry, crisp white wine with lush green apple, citrus, and mineral notes. With only 13.2% alcohol by volume, it is a nice lower alcohol choice for 2021. Cheers!

VARA Viura 2018 Information: 

Tasting Notes: VARA Viura 2018, 13.2% alcohol by volume, is made with 82% of the white wine grape Viura (also called Macabeo), 14% Muscat of Alexandria, and 4% Albarino grapes. The Viura grapes provide its body and dry to slightly sweet notes, the Muscat of Alexandria is an ancient vine grape that lends a slight sweetness to the wine, and the Albarino grapes provide a nice acidity with mineral, citrus, and peach notes and balances the wine, to create a dry, light, and crisp wine. Interesting to note about Muscat of Alexandria grapes is that they are also used to make Pisco. On the nose, there is a rich aromatic bouquet with mineral notes. On the palate, there is nice acidity, with green apple, citrus, and mineral notes.  

Pairing Suggestions: Drink on its own or pair with seafood or cheeses. 

Luxury Experience Culinary Menu

The VARA Viura 2018 pairs well with seafood, so we created Luxury Experience - New England Seafood Pie which features scallops, shrimp, mushrooms, and petite peas in a rich beurre blanc sauce enhanced with whole grain Dijon mustard and wine and baked in flaky pastry. Serve with a small spinach salad with green apple and dried cranberries in an orange vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic, orange juice, whole grain Dijon mustard, and agave. 

Luxury Experience - New England Seafood Pie
Serves: 4 

Luxury Experience - New England Seafood Pie Crust Ingredients

Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Lightly spray 4 individual pie plates or 1 large pie plate with vegetable oil so pie crust will not stick to pie plate(s). 

In a food processor or standing mixer, cream Crisco with vodka until smooth and creamy, add flour and salt and process until smooth dough is formed. Do not overwork the dough or it will be tough.  

Roll dough out between parchment paper lightly dusted with flour. For 4 individual pie plates, cut 8 circles to create top and bottom crusts for the Seafood Pie. Place 1 dough circle in each pie plate. Set aside. 

Luxury Experience - New England Seafood Pie Ingredients 

Method: Melt the butter and sweat the onion until translucent. Add the mushrooms and thyme and sauté. Add the shrimp, scallops, and cook through. Set aside. 

Luxury Experience - Beurre Blanc Ingredients 

Method: Add the butter to a saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Add the mayonnaise, whole grain Dijon mustard, milk, Vara Viura 2018, and a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Stir until sauce is thickened. Fold in the cooked seafood. 

Spoon the seafood filling into each of the pie plates. Cover with top layer of dough. Crimp edges with fingers and cut a few steam vents into the top crust. Brush with egg wash made with 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water. Bake until crust is golden. 

Presentation: Serve with small spinach salad and glasses of Vara Viura 2018. Bon Appetit! 

The Vara Viura 2018 is delicious to drink on its own or add it to spice your culinary recipes. Cheers, its cocktail time! 

VARA Winery & Distillery portfolio of distinguished wines include: Monastrell 2018 USA, Tempranillo 2018 USA, Vara Tempranillo 2018 Espanol, Vermut Seco, Vermut Dulce, Viura 2018, Garnacha Rosado 2018, Garnacha 2018, Silverhead Brut Cava, Silverhead Brut Rosado Cava. Silverhead Brut Reserva Cava, and Vina Cardinal NM. 

Information on VARA Winery & Distillery 

Xavier Zamparripa and Doug Diefenthaler founded Vara Winery & Distillery in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Doug Diefenthaler

"Vara is an international family of Spanish and American wines and spirits celebrating the origin of the American wine experience thanks to the historical connection of Spain and New Mexico. The history of wine in New Mexico is over 390 years old and is as rich and complicated as its colorful landscapes. The flavor of this ancient history plays out in the wines produced here from robust reds to crisp whites. Wine lovers will find Vara wines an enchanting experience. 

Xavier Zamparripa 

In 1629, 140 years before the first Missions of California were established and planted, a Franciscan friar named García de Zúñiga and a Capuchín monk named Antonio de Arteaga planted the first European wine grapes in what is now the U.S. at a pueblo in the Rio Grande Valley of the Province of New Mexico.

Viticulture took hold in the valley, and by the year 1880 the New Mexico territory was the fifth largest wine producer in America. The cuttings brought to the new world by missionaries from Spain were of a Vitis Vinifera grape variety known as Listán Prieto, or the present-day Mission grape. This variety has been continuously grown and is still harvested in New Mexico today. 

We produce wines from Spanish grape varietals grown in Spain and various American vineyards including right here in New Mexico. Under the direction of our winemaking team, Bob and Louisa Lindquist, we acquire fruit from the highest quality growers of Spanish grape varieties in the U.S. The harvested fruit is brought to our New Mexico facility where the wines are made and aged in individual lots until Bob and Louisa assemble the final cuvees. 

Vara co-founders Doug Diefenthaler and Xavier Zamarripa regularly travel to Spain and are committed to growing or locating the best fruit for our Spanish wines and cava. We are very fortunate to have agreements for grape production and wine making with the best grape growers and producers in Spain." 

For information on Vara Winery & Distillery and purchasing their outstanding wines, please visit their website: www.Varawines.com 

Vara Winery & Distillery
315 Alameda Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87113
Telephone: +1-505-898-6280
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.VaraWines.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VARAWines/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/Varawine/  @varawine 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Varawine @varawine 

Follow Luxury Experience on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LuxuryExperience

Follow Luxury Experience on Twitter: www.twitter.com/luxurypair  @luxurypair

Follow Luxury Experience on Instagram: www.Instagram.com/luxurypair  @luxurypair

© January 2021. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com All rights reserved.