Oinoslogo - Rafael Delgado, CSW

Celebrating the beginning of the New Year with wonderful food and friends! Spectacular !! Thank you!!

Happy Holidays!! Cava at its best for holiday celebrations! Barrica Gran Reserva 2018 Guarda Superior Brut Nature

Another unparalleled gastronomic experience at

Every visit is better than the last. The keen eye for details on all areas of the experience shows a deep, clear understanding and passion of the Spanish culinary ethos. A synergy of ideal ingredients, flawless technique, simple and comforting yet vibrant flavors, attentive service, welcoming hospitality, and relaxing Mediterranean ambiance. In my opinion, Casa Teresa, led by , offers among the best gastronomic experiences in quality and value of any kind of cuisine in Washington, DC.

My goodness, as an example, other Spanish restaurants in DC may offer premium quality jamón ibérico de bellota on their menus. This one is always perfectly sliced by expert hands, allowing for a perfect bite, whether you eat the jamón by itself, wrapped around ‘picos’, or on top of the flown in from Catalonia, perfectly toasted in house “pan de cristal”.

The pan con tomate - a must at Casa Teresa- transports me to Spain every single time. Simply and unceremoniously pouring the best EVOO (from Spain of course), brushing the beautifully ripened tomatoes on top of the Catalonian Pan de Cristal, and finishing with sea salt, in this case Maldon salt. The bread always crisp. The flavors at full volume. Heaven!!! Don’t know how to prepare it? No worries. They have written instructions available, so in no time you become an expert.

Xistorras cut tableside to the ideal bite; the escalivada so sweet and savory, moist and thinly sliced vegetables, but not too thin, so it is substantial yet delicate in your mouth. I could go on and on.

A beautiful, and growing, perfectly priced Spanish wine list, serviced by knowledgeable yet unpretentious sommeliers, who assist in your wine selection and service. No used car salesman pressure to buy the most expensive offering in any area of the experience, but genuinely knowledgeable people with passion for their product. A team perfectly happy to create a dining experience for your table, or to hospitably allowing guests to make their own selections. Hospitality at its best!

Thank you Casa Teresa!

Albeit for what was a short time, I want to publicly express my gratitude for the time shared as part of the sommelier team at by It has been a genuine pleasure having contributed my skills as a sommelier & Spanish Wine Scholar, sharing hospitality by serving wines, spirits, and Spanish culture to our guests for the last few months.

I raise a glass to the team at Del Mar: May the sea and land continue to grace your tables with its bounty, and the wine cellars echo with the satisfaction of happy guests and team members.

Until a next time….. Cheers!

Photo by:

About two and a half years ago, I flew to DC on a one-day notice, for what was meant to be a three-weeks visit to assist as a hospitality consultant in the opening of Immigrant Food+, (I’m still here!) I stopped by the Planet Word location on a Friday night for a quick hello. It was enchanting to see the amazing Alita and the tireless Carla, two of the original team members, carrying on the warm torch of hospitality. I was thrilled to see some cocktails and welcoming touches created for the restaurant during my tenure are still being served. During the visit, I first ordered the Siddhartha (Mocktail Version), an alcohol-free variation to the Shoshu-based “Siddhartha”. I found it as delicious as when first created to pair with the eclectic food menu. Delicate and bright, with a lingering hint of piquant freshness. Pictured is the Sakura Sour, a slightly fruity and velvety sipper. Originally created as a Cherry Blossom Festival offering, hence its name, this cocktail is made with a house-made seasonal fruit shrub. Always familiar, yet surprising and delightful. Thank you for a warm and welcoming visit. Oh, yes, the food menu: the Pork Belly is one of my love languages. A must try! 😉 😋

With new best friends and at in Washington DC enjoying Guimaro Finca Meixemán, Ribera Sacra.

Today, I’m grateful for the power of kindness. Just like a relentless drip of water can shape rocks and landscapes, the power of kindness can shape lives. A kind, thoughtful, intentional word has the power to create new outlooks. The power of a kind gesture has the power to unknowingly even save a life.

If you’re reading this today, before going to sleep tonight, please share an intentional kind word or gesture with someone. It may not seem like much to you at the time, but to them it may mean the world. Thank you go to the people who were kind to me at the perfect time. Be well!

Best Baklavas in DC? I say YES! These scrumptious baklavas and other sweet & savory baked goods from the wonderful people at shouldn’t be missed when you are in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in Washington, DC.

Stopped by Casa Teresa and found TAPAS! Here we have .coronado preparing Ensaladilla after cutting jamón ibérico… both with picos. Delicious!

Chef Masaaki "Uchi"
Uchino delicious sushi omakase at The Square paired with Fino Ynocente. Oh so good!! Ynocente Fino by Bodegas Valdespino may be one of the last Fino in Sherry still to be fermented in 600-liter American oak butts. The wood cask notes round up the brightness on this Sherry, making it pair deliciously with the sushi prepared by The name Ynocente, trademarked in 1894, was originally the name of a specific vineyard in the pago Macharnudo. ☀️

Fun pairings at Little Blackbird Wine Bar: Amontillado Sherry with Reese’s. Playful! Delicious!

Eleven mile walk enjoying the beautiful autumn weather in Washington DC with a midday tasting of Krug Champagne.

Are you ready for Sherry Week, DC? Let’s go! Enjoy a brand new Sherry list with well over 20 selections - Four Sherry Flights. Tapas and Sherry Pairings. Sherry Week Cocktails.

Can you help us pick a favorite pairing to celebrate Sherry Week? Fino with fried fish? Manzanilla with oysters? Amontillado with artichokes? Or all of them? With just FIVE days to go until the start of Sherry Week, choosing just one is proving to be a challenge.

The Sherry party is about to kick off! Discover all the events at www.sherryweek.wine 🎉

--

¿Nos ayudas a escoger un maridaje favorito para celebrar la Sherry Week? ¿Un fino con Jamón Ibérico? ¿Una Manzanilla con mojama? ¿Un Amontillado con queso curado? ¿O todos ellos? A solo CINCO días del inicio de la Sherry Week, nos resulta difícil elegir solo uno.

¡La Sherry fiesta está a punto de comenzar! Descubre todos los eventos en www.sherryweek.wine 🎉

*𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢 𝘈𝘨𝘳í𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘢 𝘥𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰 𝘙𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘪ó𝘯 𝘥𝘦 𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘭 𝘝𝘪𝘯𝘰 𝘥𝘦 𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘻. 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘢 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘻𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘥𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢 𝘜𝘯𝘪ó𝘯 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢 𝘺 𝘭𝘢 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘥𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘤í𝘢.⁠

Amazing tasting with iconic winemaker Benjamin Romeo at Xiquet.

Pà amb Tomàquet - how it’s done. The beauty of details.

Midnight walk in Washington, DC.

Seen on a walk yesterday…. Washington, DC getting ready for Halloween. 🎃

Champagne Billecart-Salmon | Crane’s

El día de ayer, Bodegas Alvear tuvo el honor de ser parte de la primera edición de la feria profesional Vive Vinomio en Madrid.

Este evento, organizado por el distribuidor Vinomio Madrid, brindó una plataforma inigualable para la cata y presentación de nuestros vinoa ante una audiencia selecta de profesionales de la hostelería y tiendas especializadas.
¡Agradecemos la cálida recepción y el entusiasmo compartido por todos los asistentes!

Vinomio Madrid

Though I am a loyal fanatic and advocate of Wines from Spain, it was in Campania, Italy, that I first fell in love with wine. The vineyards, the sea, the mountains, the volcanic soils, and the Neapolitan people and the delicious food…. 🤤. Just yesterday, I had the opportunity to taste two beautiful wines at the Banville Mid Atlantic Trade Show: Perillo Taurasi 2010 and Perillo Taurasi Riserva 2009. A “Ratatouille” moment transported me back to my early twenties, while touring Italy as a professional dancer, and to first being enamored with wine. The Taurasi Riserva 2009 was made from selected late-harvested, optimum quality grapes from un-grafted old vines planted in 1925. Low-temperature 3-day maceration before fermentation by indigenous yeasts. The maceration process lasting from 3 to 4 weeks, then aged for 24 months in Slavonian 2,000L oak barrels, with further aging on stainless steel and finally in bottle. Bottled unfiltered. Tasting it was a powerful and sublime experience from an equally powerful and sublime wine. 💥 Thank you and Marco Martire from Wine Drops Imports.

It's almost impossible to resist temptation. Enjoying paella in summer is a must.
What’s your favorite type of paella and where was the best one you’ve ever eaten?🌟 🇪🇸

Mas del Serral es un espumoso que proviene de las cepas de Xarel·lo y Bastard Negre en coplantación desde 1954, en la parcela Clos del Serral.

*
Mas del Serral is a sparkling wine that comes from Xarel·lo and Bastard Negre vines co-planted since 1954, in the Clos del Serral plot.

Working in hospitality our ultimate goal is to *always make people feel welcomed* … guests and teams alike… no matter the circumstances. On very unique times, we get the unique opportunity to build a team that surpasses all expectations and create magic. These people make sharing hospitality a genuine reciprocal harmonious conversation. Those far and few times are as special as encountering a wine Unicorn….like finding a beautifully matured classic vintage Dom Perignon 2000. I’m grateful to these good people. 🎶 You gotta find your people then you find yourself. 🎶

Enoteca Gramona Brut Nature 2006, Mejor Espumoso de la Guía Peñín 2023, y uno de los 12 mejores vinos de la guía.

Después de más de 11.500 vinos catados, la , concede la puntuación más elevada en la categoría de espumosos a Enoteca Gramona Brut Nature 2006, con 99 puntos.

Según la propia guía, “Gramona, que tan buenos recuerdos nos ha dejado en el pasado, nos ha recordado un año más por qué es una de las mejores casas elaboradoras de espumosos en España, concretamente gracias a su Enoteca 2006 Brut Nature”

Enoteca Gramona es una etiqueta que ha encabezado en varias ocasiones la categoría de espumosos en Peñín. En 2016, Enoteca 2001 hizo historia al proclamarse el Mejor Espumoso de todas las ediciones de la Guía y Mejor Vino del país. Nunca antes un espumoso había recibido este reconocimiento. La prensa calificó la botella «de auténtica demostración de excelencia, complejidad y finura». Desde aquel momento, este vino espumoso de más de 15 años de crianza se mantiene entre los mejores vinos de la clasificación Peñín, con puntuaciones extraordinarias, oscilando entre los 98 y los 99 puntos.

Además de Enoteca, Celler Batlle y III Lustros han obtenido también un elevado reconocimiento, con 98 y 95 puntos.

Un reconocimiento que agradecemos enormemente por la constancia y espíritu de superación de nuestra familia y equipo, porque pone en valor la viticultura y la vinificación conscientes y respetuosas de nuestra casa, supone la reivindicación de nuestras variedades tradicionales y recompensa el esfuerzo de años y años de crianzas y de historias vividas.

Some wines I’ve had the pleasure of sharing recently.

“Multi-story oasis of serenity in Glover Park”

Grateful! 🫶

“The wines of Greece only sprang onto the global wine scene in the past thirty years even though Greece has one of the world’s longest wine-making traditions.” Thank you and for this deliciously educational trade wine event in Washington, DC.

“The most refined Spanish sparkling wine I’ve ever tasted. A top biodynamic terroir wine and a masterwork” 99 Points

Mas del Serral 2009 receives an exceptional and unique recognition: a brilliant 99 points; the highest score ever obtained by a Spanish sparkling wine in an international media.

Thus, the critic and writer Pedro Ballesteros , publishes and signs in the British magazine Decanter ; and stands Mas del Serral and recognizes it as the most refined Spanish sparkling wine had ever tasted and a mastetwork.

~~~

"El vino espumoso español más refinado que he probado. Un vino de terruño biodinámico de primer orden y una obra maestra" 99 Puntos.

Mas del Serral 2009 recibe un reconocimiento excepcional y único: unos brillantes 99 puntos; la máxima puntuación jamás obtenida por un espumoso español en un medio de comunicación internacional.

Así, el crítico y escritor Pedro Ballesteros , publica y firma en la revista británica Decanter ; y destaca a Mas del Serral y lo reconoce como el espumoso español más refinado que jamás había probado y una obra maestra.