You don't have to go out for dinner to enjoy good Spanish tapas..
All you really need is a few good recipes and a tasty bottle of wine. Follow our foolproof tapas guide – pick five or six recipes below, and then grab a suitable bottle of wine. Sorted!
All the above dishes can accompanied by a delicious Spanish Rioja – below are some easy tasting notes to impress your friends with when you pop open the bottle.
What you see
Ruby red in colour with sweet cherry aromas and silky oak flavours. A light, smooth, velvety texture, this is a classic Rioja wine with great fruit concentration.
What you smell
The sweet berry aromas of the Tempranillo grape mingle with the vanilla imparted from the oak.
What you taste
On the palate it is perfumed, soft and fresh with a long finish with notes of red fruit, vanilla and cocoa. Unsurprisingly this is the No. 1 Rioja in Spain.
Bright and deep with a ruby-red colour and a golden rim.
What you smell
The wonderful balance between the aromas of the fruit (cherries, black plums, ripe blackberries) and the wood (clove, pepper, vanilla and coconut) is further enhanced by the aromas that develop during 18 months ageing in the bottle cellar.
What you taste
Smooth and elegant on the palate with a full, elegant feel and a long, lingering finish.
A vibrant ruby red created by aging in French oak barrels and American casks for 24 months.
What you smell
Ripe red-berry fruit aromas and gradually opens up to reveal smoky, toasted wood nuances, with spices and hints of minerals and tobacco.
What you taste
A smooth mouth-feel with sweet, polished tannins and a long, elegant finish with hints of coffee and chocolate
If you are feeling ritzy then why not match your tapas with some Cava
This fabulous Cava is a blend of Parellada, Xa-rello and Macebeo grapes and is aged for a minimum of 18 months and bottle fermented in the traditional method. A perfect drink to celebrate any special occasion, it has a bright, fruity mouthfeel with an apple-crisp freshness on the palate and lingering finish.
Campo Viejo Tapas Trial is running from every Wednesday and Sunday 3 June to 28 June 2015 in Dublin. For ticket information go to http://www.campoviejotapastrail.ie/
Remember to drink responsibly. Visit Drinkaware.ie
