August 2020: A Trip through Spain

A Trip through

Spain

WI N E C LU B: AU G U S T 2 020

GRAPESBY THECRATE.COM

August 2020 About two months ago, I kicked off a virtual tasting series for the shop that's been a lot of fun. I'm used to doing educational tastings for larger groups of people in person, but there's something about a Zoom call, tiny bottles of wine, and 35 people sitting in their living rooms that's really appealing.

Early on in the series, I asked for suggestions for future tastings.

Spain came up a lot. So we did an hour and a half class about major regions in Spain, and it was lovely. I'd forgotten (because I don't drink Spanish wine a lot at home) how much I love Spain's diverse terroir and general approach to wine and food. The Spanish also have a particular affinity for vermouth, which I totally relate to and adore.

After teaching the class, I talked with Angela Fultz at Well Crafted Wine & Beverage, and she helped me pull together this month's wine club. Well Crafted used to be called The Spanish Wine Importer, and they have incredible connections with small family vineyards all over Spain. They, as well as these small wineries, have been hit particularly hard by the global pandemic (and wine tariffs), and I figured that you guys would love the chance to help a bunch of people in one fell swoop.

This collection - while broad - is by no means a comprehensive look at this incredibly diverse winemaking region. It is an awesome primer on Spanish wine, and I hope that it inspires you to dig a little deeper into this amazing country.

In addition, I hope it inspires you to dig a little deeper into Spanish food culture. Here in Williamsburg, you can get started by popping

by La Tienda Tapas Bar for take out or dine in and sample authentic, regional cuisine prepared by Chef Greg Mincher. La Tienda has also put a lot of effort into supporting Chef Jose Andres's World Central Kitchen recently, setting up a pay-what-you-can community kitchen right here in Williamsburg during the last several months. You can read more about their efforts and Chef Andres later in this month's magazine.

As always, The Wine Seller (and me!) appreciates all of your continued support. We wouldn't be where we are or who we are without each of you. Thank you for being our friends! Salud!

Cheers, Amber

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The Place

Wine Folly makes amazing maps of wine regions around their world. In particular, their maps of countries and corresponding wine regions are excellent tools for those wanting to understand a bit more about the wine their drinking. The smaller map of the Rioja region goes into geographical detail about the rivers and river valleys that make up Spain's most famous winemaking region.

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WHITE WINES white wines

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Reina de Castilla Verdejo Reina de Castilla is located in the heart of the DO Rueda. The estate focuses on white varietals, including their signature grape (and the signature grape of this region) Verdejo.

This wine is made from a careful selection of grapes from vineyards that are 35+ years old. The vines are trained as goblets that feed up to a trellising system. The vintner chose this hybrid model of old and new world trellising to allow the grapes to get the benefit of maturing low to the ground, but also make the work done in the vineyard by hand easier on those who tend and harvest the fruit.

Grapes are crushed at a very low temperature directly into the press. This gentle treatment allows for the maximum amount of juice to be obtained while protecting the delicate acids found naturally in the skin. The wine is aged in stainless steel to enhance fruit.

Tasting Notes The high aromatic expression is an exceptional union of aromas of white fruits (pear and apple) and bone (peach), accompanied by herbaceous notes with hints of fennel, which blend in perfect harmony with the balsamic and spicy background provided by its aging on lees. Balanced and powerful on the palate, it is soft and round with the characteristic bitter hint of Verdejo.

Try It With Ideal to accompany any preparation of fish or white meat, rice or pasta, as well as smoked appetizers, ham, cured meat and cheese.

About Rueda No one goes to Rueda. You will never meet any one who has travelled to Spain and come back with stories of Rueda. It’s a place where few outsiders will venture, even if the region produces some of the most amazing wines, along with a plethora of exotic agricultural products.

The region is patchwork of vineyards on the flat high plains south of Valladolid, home to the rare indigenous white grape Verdejo. Verdejo has mutated over hundreds of years to thrive in Rueda’s stark climate–it’s dry and either hot-as-hell or freezing cold! There are many sandy vineyards here, which have resisted phylloxera and have 100+ year-old Verdejo vines.

white wines

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Pilgrim Godello Pilgrim is a small winery projected tucked away in Bierzo on the Camino de Santiago. The winery takes its name from the millions of adventurers who walk the trail, paying homage to those who come for a deeper spiritual connection, a physical adventure, or a gastronomic vacation.

The winery is simple and produces simple wines, three of them, that reflect the deep tradition that courses through this region.

Bierzo is planted mostly to bush vines on the slopes of mountains.

Soils in the vineyards are a mix of fine elements, quartzites, and slate. All work is completed by hand, and the wines are produced to allow the characteristics of their signature varietals, Godello and Mencia, shine through.

This wine is a blend of 80% Godello and 20% Dona Blanca.

The Godello vines average 40 years of age, where the rare and indigenous Dona Blanca vines are closer to 80. These vines produce mature and complex fruit that yields a textured and full-bodied white. Fermentation and aging occur in stainless steel tanks, and an extended period of rest on the lees occurs prior to filtration and bottling.

Tasting Notes This wine is yellow-green in color and has a brilliant clarity.

The complex nose is punctuated with notes of tree fruits and white flowers. There is a distinct hint of mineral from the slate and quartz soils that has a touch of fennel and citrus. It is full bodied on the palate and has a lingering, complex finish.

Try It With Enjoy this wine with all manner of seafood, especially paella and scallops. It would also make a nice complement to a fresh summer garden salad with grilled chicken.

About Bierzo The region of El Bierzo is situated in the most western part of the province of Leรณn. It is a valley surrounded of mountains, carved through by courses of rivers and brooks. It is a land of silent landscapes with origins that trace back to a time before the Roman occupation.

The region is crossed by the Camino de Santiago and has been traversed by millions of pilgrims over thousands of years.

The region is thick with tradition, which makes it incredibly appealing for those who choose to walk The Way.

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white wines

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Castillo Ducay Rosado Most of Spain's larger wine regions are dotted with teeny tiny vintners who grow amazing fruit, but have no outlet for their labor. The demand for centralized wineries that people could use, or at least sell fruit to, emerged in the early 1900s thanks to the ingenuity of many. These cooperatives often support the economy of entire swaths of towns and hundreds of people, providing jobs and cash flow to areas that desperately need it. The flip side is that quality wines can often be produced at a fraction of the cost, allowing consumers to enjoy authentic product without paying a fortune.

Bodegas San Valero is one of these cooperatives and is located in the DO of Cariñena. It was founded in 1944 by 60 growers, and it now consists of over 700 members. They are committed to tradition and innovation, striking the perfect balance of traditional practices and state of the art technology.

This rose is one of the labels produced by San Valero specifically from grapes sourced from Monte Ducay. Produced from a blend of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit undergoes several hours of skin contact to achieve its neon color and allow for ample fruit on the palate. It is then aged in stainless steel before bottling.

Tasting Notes Unequivocally, this is summer in a bottle. It has amazing tones of watermelon and strawberry with a touch of orange blossom.

The palate is full and fleshy - kind of like biting into ripe fruit.

It is uncomplicated and fun. I encourage you to enjoy this wine unabashedly.

Try It With Perfect for lounging on the back patio in the late summer evening. It would also be an excellent match for spicy tacos or light cheeses.

About Cariñena The Cariñena vineyards are similar to those in parts of Rhône, France. They sit 1200 to 2400 feet above sea level, and the rocky soils radiate warmth during cold nights, allowing for slow, steady ripening of the grapes.

The soil here is composed primarily of layers of fractured rock and pebbles. The wine's label honors the soil and the local name for Cariñena wines: "el vino de las piedras" or "wine of the rocks."

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RED WINES 12

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red wines

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Clos de Nit Tinto Clos de Nit is a Catalan phrase that translates to “vineyard of the night.” The land that comprises the Montsant D.O. located in southern Catalonia takes the shape of a crescent moon when drawn on a map. This is the inspiration for the unique blends of the Clos de Nit range. This winery produces only two wines, this one and its big brother the Crianza, and both have made numerous appearances on Wine Enthusiasts Top 100 list over the years.

Blended from Garnacha, Cariñena, Tempranillo, and Merlot, this wine is bright and fresh or what the Spanish refer to as a "joven" wine. Joven simply means young and can refer to any red wine that has not undergone significant oak aging. This wine is fermented naturally and aged for about six months in a combination of stainless steel and neutral oak. The brief aging time, allows the wine to retain its crunch fruit and nervy acid.

Tasting Notes This young wine has a deep red strawberry color with vivid garnet edges. Aromas of fresh red and black fruits punctuate the nose. On the palate, it presents some sweet and pleasant tannins, that provide a long and fruity aftertaste.

Try It With A great wine to enjoy with some tapas! It would also be excellent with red meats, poultry, barbecue, rice, pasta, or creamy cheese. So basically, try it with everything!

About Monsant The Designation of Origin Montsant is known as the “diamond in the rough,” because although it is a DO which was created in 2001, it already has a prestigious reputation throughout the world. Montsant is located in the center of Catalonia, forming a ring around the famous and exclusive DOQ Priorat. It is a very isolated area, depending exclusively on agricultural production methods that respect the environment.

Surrounding the region of Priorat on all sides, Monsant shares much in common with its neighbor. Though its soils contain less schist than that of Proirat, its old Garnacha and Carinena vineyards produce wines of similar intensity and character.

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red wines

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Bodegas Riojanas Canchales The Artacho family had a deep wine tradition when in 1890 they founded Bodegas Riojanas together with Rafael Carreras. Signs of this tradition are the stone door built in 1799 to provide access to the family vineyards and is now preserved at the entrance to our winery.

Over the last one hundred years, Bodegas Riojanas has been a leader in Rioja, pushing for the establishment of the DO, embracing modern technologies in the cellar and vineyards, and working to preserve the culture and tradition of the region.

Located in San Vincente (part of the acclaimed Rioja Alta region), Bodegas Riojanas has approximately 300 hectares of vineyards planted to Tempranillo, Graciano, and Mazuelo.

This "joven" Rioja is produced from 100% Tempranillo that is made in the traditional fashion for the region. This means the grapes are fermented in whole clusters (carbonic maceration) to allow for more extended skin contact and a higher extraction of acidity and fruit. This technique is used widely in Rioja. The resulting wine is then racked into stainless steel where it ages for approximately six months.

Tasting Notes This wine is deliciously fragrant with bright red fruit tones and soft hints of crushed violet. It is fresh, fruit, has awesome acid, and leaves you wanting more. The wine is balanced and smooth on the palate with slight tannins and a lingering finish.

Try It With This wine is perfect for carnitas, carne asada, and, surprisingly, pizza.

About Rioja Rioja is arguably Spain's most famous winemaking region (for argument's sake, I'm taking Sherry out of the equation). It is known worldwide for making red wines with incredible power and body that have proven over and over again they can withstand the test of time.

Rioja also has another hallmark: it is one of the only European regions that requires the use of American oak. The belief is the larger grain of American oak trees is more beneficial to coaxing flavor out of Tempranillo.

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Costers del Sio Petit Sios "The love we feel for this land is what inspires us to look after our vineyards like precious jewels, and they give us their best fruit in the form of wine."

Juan and José María, Costers del Sió Winery In 1992, the family Porcioles-Buixó acquired the historical property where the Costers del Sio winery now sits. It took nearly two decades to reinvigorate the vineyards and restore the existing structures so that Juan and José María could begin producing their wines. All planting and work in the vineyard is done by hand because the team believes it is the best way for them to connect with the land and the fruit they tend. Today the property is known as Finca de Flix.

Petit Sios is produced primarily from indigenous Tempranillo, the wine is blended with Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon. All of the grapes are hand harvested from estate vineyards with siltloam soils. The grapes are fermented individually and aged in second use 300L French barrels for four months. This imparts hints of oak to balance out the beautiful fruit found naturally in these grapes. The final blend of the wine is done after aging.

Tasting Notes Beautifully ripe aromas of red berries, violets and a touch of earthy spice. Full-flavored and velvety smooth, with sweet fruit and a long toasty finish.

Try It With Match with grilled meat, stews, rabbit and roast lamb.

About Costers del Segre Costers del Segre is a dry, rugged, hilly area inland from Barcelona in Catalan. The climate here is continental (hot summers and cold winters) and has sparse rainfall thanks to the nearby Pyrenees mountains.

The DO of Costers del Segre is fragmented into six subzones: Artesa, Valls de Riucorb, Garrigues, Raïmat, Pallars Jussa, and Segria.

Costers del Segre is a hotbed for Cabernet Sauvignon and the indigenous grape Trepat. There are less than a dozen wineries here, which makes this wine all the more special.

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red wines

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Additional Red Wines These are the additional red wines featured this month.

Bodegas Atalaya Laya Tinto, Almansa DO The Bodegas Atalaya Winery is a relatively new project within the Gil Family Group. It is located east of Albacete Province among Valencia, Alicante and Murcia, in the transit zone between the Castilian Plateau and the Mediterranean Sea. .

Garnacha Tintorera is known for its deep, inky color, and for coating the glass on the swirl. This Garnacha is aged 4 months in French oak to create a rich and approachable wine with aromas of black fruit and berry, licorice, and espresso. A supple, balanced finish with hints of white pepper complement the fruit.

Pair with roasted or grilled meats and mature cheeses. Great for tapas!

Pilgrim Mencia, Bierzo DO The region of El Bierzo is situated in the most western part of the province of León. It is a valley surrounded of mountains, plowed through by courses of rivers and brooks, that receives varied crops from the vegetable garden until the vineyard, silent landscapes where inhabits the culture of a zone whose origins trace back to the pre-Roman period.

Black cherry in color, this wine is nervy and exactly what Mencia should be. Highlighted on the nose are fresh red fruits, minerals and blue flowers. The palate is complex, fleshy, and full-bodied.

Pair with cured or grilled red meat, hearty vegetable dishes, or mushroom risotto.

Tres Ojos Garnacha, Calatayud Our Tres Ojos – “three eyes” – is named after an ancient walking bridge in the city of Calatayud. The bridge’s three arches earned it the nickname ‘tres ojos’.

This wine is whole berry fermented, like a Cotes du Rhone Rouge. Blended from 85% Garnacha and 15% Tempranillo, the wine comes from vines that range from 40-60 years old. It displays a brick red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. The palate is incredibly concentrated and rich.

Fruity and juicy with a great depth, ripe tannins & length, yet wonderful elegance and lightness.

Pair with sausages, roasted meats, and aged cheeses.

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red wines

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Cellar Selection This month's cellar selection is Domaine Reverdy-Ducroux Sancerre 'Chene-Marchand.'

Domaine Reverdy Ducroux is a long established family of winemakers in the village of Verdigny in Sancerre. Laurent is the new generation, farming alongside his father, Alain, the seventy-five acres of vineyards spreading over seventy distinct parcels.

Laurent can trace back his family in Verdigny and their wine growing activity to fourteen generations as the domaine was created in 1550.

The domaine is medium-sized for Sancerre and covers various type of soils and climats. The main vineyards are located around the winery in Verdigny, and vines in this area are grown on a limestone soil known locally as “terres blanches” which brings the minerality and acidity known of Sancerre to Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

In addition to the vineyard holdings in Verdigny, the domaine also farms other vineyards in the village of Bué, in the famous and rather unique “Le Chêne-Marchand” climat, and various parcels with more flinty soil components.

The flinty parcels are bottled separately under the Chêne Marchand name to honor the historic vineyard.

The domaine farming practices are traditional - utilizing organic methods with most of the work being done by hand. The clay and limestone vineyards are plowed and natural fertilizers and composts are used extensively.

Despite the traditional approach in the fields, the winery is actually quite modern, using gentle presses and temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Cement and barrel are also used for the reds and the Chêne-Marchand.

This wine is fermented around 60 degrees and aged on the lees in second use and neutral oak barrels. A portion of the wine is also fermented in oak to add a layer of complexity and roundness to the palate.

The Chêne Marchand vineyard is known for its flinty, limestone soils, and these qualities come across nicely in the wine.

The nose is full of tangy white fruit and an almost flinty, floral quality with a touch of honey and a hint of candied citrus.

A palate has a nice fat supported by a low acidity where we find the citrus notes that we had on the nose.

This powerful wine has a lingering and complex finish that offers us a pure, mineral-driven, and distinct look at a region where Sauvignon Blanc thrives.

red wines

The Nitty Gritty Alcohol: 12.5 % Vineyard Sources: The historic Le Chêne-Marchand vineyard in the commune of Bué Fermentation: native yeast Aging: approximately six months on the lees in oak How to Pair, Pour, and Store Pair: Asparagus soup, shellfish, fresh goats cheese Pour: No decanting needed!

Store: Enjoy within the next three years to get maximum fruit and acidity.

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THE WAY OF ST JAMES T h e Way o f S t J a m e s

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The Way The Camino de Santiago (known in English as The Way of St. James) is a network of pilgrims' ways leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in Northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried. Many follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. It is also quite popular with hiking and cycling enthusiasts, as well as organized tour groups.

The Way of St. James was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during the later Middle Ages, and a pilgrimage route on which a plenary indulgence could be earned.

Legend holds that St. James's remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried in what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela. (The name Santiago is the local Galician evolution of Vulgar Latin Sancti Iacobi, "Saint James".)

The Way can take one of dozens of pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. Traditionally, as with most pilgrimages, the Way of Saint James began at one's home and ended at the pilgrimage site. However, a few of the routes are considered main ones. During the Middle Ages, the route was highly traveled. However, the Black Death, the Protestant Reformation, and political unrest in 16th century Europe led to its decline. By the 1980s, only a few hundred pilgrims per year registered in the pilgrim's office in Santiago. In October 1987, the route was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe; it was also named one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Since the 1980s the route has attracted a growing number of modern-day international pilgrims.

The Shell The scallop shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on a variety of meanings, metaphorical, practical, and mythical, even if its relevance may have actually derived from the desire of pilgrims to take home a souvenir.

Two versions of the most common myth about the origin of the symbol concern the death of Saint James, who was martyred by beheading in Jerusalem in 44 AD. According to Spanish legends, he had spent time preaching the gospel in Spain, but returned to Judaea upon seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary on the bank of the Ebro River.

Version 1: After James's death, his disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. Off the coast of Spain, a heavy storm hit the ship, and the body was lost to the ocean. After some time, however, it washed ashore undamaged, covered in scallops.

Version 2: After James's death his body was transported by a ship piloted by an angel, back to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. As the ship approached land, a wedding was taking place on shore. The young groom was on horseback, and on seeing the ship approaching, his horse got spooked, and horse and rider plunged into the sea. Through miraculous intervention, the horse and rider emerged from the water alive, covered in seashells.

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From its connection to the Camino, the scallop shell came to represent pilgrimage, both to a specific shrine as well as heaven, recalling Hebrews 11:13, identifying that Christians "are pilgrims and strangers on the earth".

As the symbol of the Camino de Santiago, the shell is seen very frequently along the trails. The shell is seen on posts and signs along the Camino in order to guide pilgrims along the way. The shell is even more commonly seen on the pilgrims themselves. Wearing a shell denotes that one is a traveler on the Camino de Santiago.

Most pilgrims receive a shell at the beginning of their journey and either attach it to them by sewing it onto their clothes or wearing it around their neck or by simply keeping it in, or attached to the outside of, their backpack.

The scallop shell also served practical purposes for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. The shell was the right size for gathering water to drink or for eating out of as a makeshift bowl.

During the medieval period, the shell was proof of completion rather than a symbol worn during the pilgrimage.

Why This?

For me, I can't think of Northern Spain (and the wines included in this month's wine club) without thinking about the Camino de Santiago. It is a 'bucket list' trip for me. The stories I've read and the people I've met who've taken in even just a few miles of this pilgrimage speak to the incredibly transforming power of the people and the landscapes they encounter. My personal obsession with this particular route came from

The Camino de Santiago is one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the world.

T h e Way o f S t J a m e s

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Ernest Hemingway.

Once upon a time, I was a high school English teacher. I was inspired to become a high school English teacher for two reasons: 1. One should attempt at some point in their life to use the degree they paid for; 2. I love American literature more than I love wine (okay, not more than, but pretty damn close), and I particularly love the 'Lost Generation.' I was entranced by Fitzgerald and Hemingway when I first picked up their books when I was in high school. For me, there is something mesmerizing about prose that appears so simple and straight-forward, but speaks to greater underlying themes that we all experience.

In Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, the title character Jake Barnes, plagued with feeling lost following his service in World War I, drinks, eats, and travels his way through France and Northern Spain. While Hemingway never particularly mentions the Camino in his novel, he does spend an awful lot of time describing the small town of Burguete and Jake's time there fishing (and drinking). In the whole of the novel, it is only here, in this small town on the pilgrim's path that Jake finds any sort of peace.

Hemingway never denied that this novel was based partly on his own experiences following the war and the experiences of his friends. This section in Book II is lifted almost directly from Hemingway's own time spend in Burguete and the small hostel there. What he found in this place was a sense of peace in a world that increasingly didn't make sense to him. There is something incredibly beautiful in that.

If you find yourself in Pamplona one day, you'll find Hemingway everywhere there is even a monument dedicated to him next to the Plaza de Toros, honoring the man who put the running of the bulls on the world map. But in Burguete, you'll have to look a bit harder... there is a small inn, the Hostel Burguete, and a small plaque on the outside that explains how important the hostel and the town had been to the young Hemingway. Go in for a visit and ask to see the piano. There, under the top lid, you'll find the following:

From Jake (and Hemingway), we learned there can be hope, peace, and memories everywhere you turn. You just have to know how and where to find them.

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THE FOOD The Food

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Chef José Andrés Is Using His Success to Make the World a Better Place This article was written by Hannah Docter-Loeb, and I couldn't say it any better than she did.

Jeff Bezos. Bill Gates. Elon Musk. All of these men have practically become household names due to their success and immense fortunes. But there’s another man who deserves equal, if not more, media attention: chef and philanthropist José Andrés.

Andrés’ rise to fame exemplifies a classic “rags to riches” story. Born and raised in Spain, Andrés started cooking at a young age. At 15, he enrolled in a culinary school in Barcelona.

After a short stint cooking for an admiral, Andrés started working at El Bulli, a Michelin star restaurant off the coast of Catalonia, Spain. Three years later, he was fired from his job and decided to seek culinary opportunities in America.

With only $50 in his pocket, 21-year-old Andrés was able to find work in New York City.

Another three years passed and Andrés helped open Jaleo, a famous tapas bar in Washington D.C. Impressed with his skills, the owners of Jaleo solicited Andrés to help open other well-known restaurants in D.C., including Zaytinya and Oyamel, both of which Andrés now owns. In 2003, he opened his own restaurant in D.C., the exclusive minibar. Since then, he has continued to grow his food empire, opening countless unique restaurants across the country through his company ThinkFoodGroup, including a chain of vegetable-based restaurants called Beefsteak. With all of his restaurants, his goal is the same: to change the world through the power of food.

Throughout his endeavors, he has heavily influenced the American restaurant industry.

Perhaps his greatest contribution is the concept of “small plate” dining, known as tapas in Spain. Tapas are usually a small snack or appetizer; however, many Spanish restaurateurs have taken them to a whole new level by making the dish a main course. Many of Andrés’ restaurants serve very sophisticated tapas as the main meal.

Andrés’ culinary accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. He is the only chef globally that has both a two-star Michelin restaurant and four Bib Gourmands. Andrés has also received praise for his work in other areas.

Following the Haiti Earthquake in 2010, he founded World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization devoted to providing healthy meals to those affected by natural disasters.

Since 2010, Andrés and World Central Kitchen have continued their work across the world, providing food relief in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru, Cuba, Uganda, the Bahamas, Cambodia, Puerto Rico, and the United States. The nonprofit was also a central force in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico in 2017.

World Central Kitchen provided over 100,000 meals a day to those afflicted by the hurricane, serving more meals than the American Red Cross or Salvation Army. For these efforts, Andrés was awarded the James Beard Foundation Award for humanitarian of the year.

Andrés’ philanthropic actions didn’t stop there. During both the 2013 and 2018-2019 government shutdown, Andrés offered free meals to furloughed federal employees (an initiative he called #ChefForFeds).

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The Food

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Currently, he is hard at work providing food relief to those affected by COVID-19. In February, Andrés and World Central Kitchen provided meals to those quarantined on cruise ships. In April, he promised nurses and health professionals free meals for the rest of the year. Andrés has also partnered with the D.C. baseball team the Washington Nationals to use their stadium as a community kitchen and site to distribute free meals to those in the D.C. area. As of July 28, Andrés and World Central Kitchen had helped serve over 20 million meals across the United States.

(This part is me, not Hannah.)

During the pandemic, many restaurants have struggled to stay afloat as they've faced the closure of their businesses and staff layoffs. This massive shutdown of a huge component of our economy also caused several other shutdowns as the losses moved down the pipelines.

Through World Central Kitchen, Andrés has been able to get people back to work by using funds donated to allow restaurants to stock their kitchens on the premise that they will feed the people who need feeding. Locally, La Tienda Tapas Bar and Kitchen has partnered with Chef Andrés and World Central Kitchen to provide members of our own community with meals on a regular basis. Since March, Chef Greg Mincher and his team have been delivering over 500 meals a week to people in need across our community.

While I am thankful we've been able to see this concept in action locally, I've been amazed by the #ChefsforAmerica call to action and what has resulted across the country. For example, in Oakland, California, Andrés was able to help over 100 restaurants reopen and serve over 80,000 meals a week.

If you're interested in donating to WCK's efforts, pop over to wck.org and click the 'donate' button. You can also just go spend your money at La Tienda and know you're making a difference in our community.

Chef Andrés stopped by La Tienda in March to thank Greg Mincher, owner, and his team for their efforts in our community.

The Food

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