Some good wine choices to buy at Madrid Airport - Whites (I)

One of the things that I really hate with the security rules after the famous Shoe Bomb incident is the ban on liquids (which BTW if you want my opinion is total BS and just a way to increase sales at the airport and manage the people's fear management) . So I used to buy 6-8 bottles and just curry them with me on my hand luggage. Now I am forced to buy some of them if I can / want to check in my bag or to buy them at the airport

The good news is that at least on Madrid airport at the Aldeasa shops the wine selection is not that bad (probably the biggest complaint is lacking some interesting wine regions as Bierzo, Madrid just to name a few). Let me give you some of my recommendations (Cuatro Rayas, MAr de Fredes and Santiago Ruiz) :



Cuatro Rayas - Rueda Verdejo (please note there is also a Cuatro Rayas Sauvignon Blanc). Usually they have the latest year, meaning right now they will be selling 2009. I already mentioned on a previous post (http://winefoodaroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2010/01/top-10-wines-2009-value-and-quality.html), excellent wine for less than 5 Euros. They serve this one at many of the paradores in Castilla Leon. Good colour, yellow with a bit of lemon and green, Fresh and intense on your nose, mostly fresh fruit/ green apple, and on your mouth, clean flavours for the typical Rueda 3 month in Barrica, mostly fruit but not fruity and good and delicate end of your palate. Nobody will be disappointed but amazed you only pay 5 Euros

Another two options on the white, although more expensive (between 10-12 Eur) are also interesting and in general people will like them (even if I am not a huge fan of Albarinos at least in terms of value for money)
MAr de Fredes - To start with you will love the bottle (see picture) and probably keep it for candle lighting. Intense blue and interesting shape. One of the most famous grape albarinos (DO RIas BAixas) and always present in many good shops. Light yellow/gold color, not very intense on your nose but Smooth-textured, elegant, intensely flavored, and balanced. Should be drink within 1-2 years and goes very well with seafood and white fish

Another Galician Albarino grape option is Santiago Ruiz (from the winemaker of the same name). Label is great (a handmade map that Santiago made to explain people attending her daughter's wedding how to get to the vinery), this is a very light wine, to drink very cold, very light yellow color but very good for another day of seafood