I am like a little kid, especially for birthday celebrations, and my Bride pampers me, because she knows that there is truth when I tease her that she is a creature of habit, as we would probably only go to one restaurant and she would have the same meal every time.  She knows that I try to keep abreast of the restaurant scene, so she asked me if there was any place that I would like to try for my birthday.  There have been times, when that could be a lethal question.

I suggested Aventura, a Spanish restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor, and off we went; and yes, I always look out of place wandering around the streets there.  I don’t know if it was a positive or a negative, but the restaurant had us sit right at a window setting, so that pedestrians could see a couple dressed for dinner.  Now, I am not sure if you have ever been to a “Tapas” restaurant, but you order a bunch of small plates and the dishes come out as the kitchen gets them done, I have never asked, if one could have the meal structured.  We started with Pintxo Donostiarra (crab, tuna, spring onion, egg, aioli, Cristal bread), Setas a la Planxa (seared wild mushrooms, garlic, lemon, truffle oil, parsley), Pimentos de Padron (shishito peppers, Romesco, crispy garlic, lemon), and Croqueta de Jamon (Serrano ham croquettes, Romesco).  We had to have two different wines, because of the variety of dishes.  The white was Fento Wines Bico da Ran Albarino Rias Baixas 2022 by Eulogio Pomares.  Fento Wines was created in 2012, originally only in Rias Baixas, but they are also now in the Dao region of Portugal. The vines are planted in the sandy granite soils of Galicia, and come from small winemakers under the guidance of Eulogio Pomares.  The fruit comes from the Valle del Saines just off an estuary. The fruit is harvested in the morning, the must is cold fermented, cold stabilized, and filtered. A soft golden color wine that offered notes of white fruits, and citrus.  On the palate tones of melon, pear, and lemon in a well-balanced wine that ended with great mouth-watering salinity and terroir.

We finished off our Tapas dinner with Gambas al Ajillo (grilled prawns, garlic, Fresno pepper, parsley, olive oil, baguette), Datiles con Chorizo (bacon wrapped and Chorizo stuffed dates, quince, Dijon mustard). Rodaballo Y Caviar (grilled turbot, brown butter Miso, sturgeon caviar, Pippara pepper escabeche) and Peras al Rioja (poached pears in Rioja wine, vanilla ice cream, hazelnut crumble).  The red wine that we went with was Granja Nuestra Senora de Remelluri “Lindes de Remelluri Vinedos de Labastida” Rioja 2019.   Remelluri is a family winery near Labastida in the Alavesa zone of Rioja and known for their use of Tempranillo.  The estate was founded by monks in the 14^th Century, though the vineyards probably preceded that time. The estate has changed ownership over the years, but in 1967 it was purchased by Jaime Rodriguez, and in 2010 his children took over.  Fruit from established contract growers in the nearby village goes into the wines sold under the Las Lindes de Remelluri label.  Each is named for the village in question: Sanillas de Buradon, Labistida, Rivas de Tereso, San Vincente de la Sonsierra, Pecina and Abalos.  The vinification for these wines is essentially the same, using native yeasts, little new oak is used, light filtration and fining and ten months in French Oak.  For comparison the Labastida vineyards lay at a higher altitude, hence the wine is higher in acidity and lower in alcohol than the San Vincente; consequently, each designation will be unique.  A deep blackish-purple wine that offered notes of dark fruits, raisins, and sous-bois.  On the palate there were strong, muscular tones of dark fruit, vanilla, oak in a savory, chewy wine with tight tannins and a good medium count finish of fruit and terroir.