Vino in Madrid

First, it needs to be said that I have a major crush on Madrid. I have since my first time here. Madrid is cool and effortless. And while Spain makes great wine, Madrid makes drinking them fun. What more could you want?

The wine scene in Madrid is a lot like Madrid itself – social, casual, and jovial. Wine bars overflow with groups of friends and family. Small tapas – such as olives, chips, cheese, or sausage – accompany every drink like wonderful unexpected magic morsels of free food delight. It is loud, often standing room only, and sometimes there is no wine list at all. But this adds to the charm. Everyone is welcome.

 Just remember the one key phrase us vinophiles need to know when in Spain:

Quiero una copa de vino (tinto/blanco, seco/dulce...) por favor

Translation: “I would like a glass of wine (red/white, dry/sweet) please.” Not only is it always a good idea to learn basic phrases in whichever country you are visiting in order to be polite, but it makes you feel more integrated with the culture, and, hopefully, avoids language barrier/charades communication issues and gives you a better chance of getting you what you want.

There is no shortage of wine bars, markets, or other establishments that serve wine in Madrid, however you have to know where to find the goodies. Not all bars in Madrid are jewels. Some are expensive, not all serve the best wine, and some may not even tell you what they are pouring. Over many visits to the wonderful city of Madrid, I have discovered some my own favourites and have also learned that if you ask to see the bottle, they are happy to show it to you.

On this particular 2-day trip I frequented some of my treasured hangouts: the totally hip and trendy Mercado de San Ildefonso, and the quirky and quaint Cafe de la Luz, as well as explored some new finds. Based on recommendations from a wildly accurate and funny Madrid Chow blog post, I hunted down 2 of the suggested locales: Díaz y Larrouy and Casa González. Let me tell you, I won’t miss a chance to have a glass or two at these bars next time I’m in town. Fan-tas-tic!

Díaz y Larrouy is one such bar that has no written wine list. Here you must put your Spanish wine ordering skills to the test. Don’t worry, it is so loud and crowded (even on a Sunday afternoon!) that any imperfections in your pronunciation will be drowned out. Or they simply don’t care – they are happy to pour you a glass. And thankfully, the barkeep is more than happy to show you the bottle, so us wine nerds can understand what we are drinking.

Due to our much earlier internal eating times, we lucked out at Casa González and nabbed a table in this small deli/wine shop/speciality store/bar/restaurant on Sunday around 1:00pm. Here the wine list is written down, but it is also for sale along the wall. The servers were wonderful and helpful in recommending wines to try.

A special mention also goes to Bodega de la Ardosa. A few years ago, after watching Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations show on Madrid, I tried the coveted Tortilla de Patatas here. Just to be certain that my earlier verdict was not tainted by celebrity endorsement I tried it again this trip. Yep, there is no question that this Tortilla de Patatas is magnificent. Order one as a plate or tapas style along side a sweet vermouth or a beer and enjoy!

As if Madrid was not already sounding appealing, what’s more is that a gastro-vino-cultural experience in Madrid is affordable. Between the free food with every drink, and the culture of ordering small figure foods as you feel the need, you can try so many different basic culinary aspects of Spanish culture for next to nothing. In the photo below, on the right we have delicious bread with olive oil and thin slices of jamon Iberico, at the bottom is bread with cream cheese and honey, and on the left are garlic flavoured olives. Simply but extraordinary.

Until next time, Madrid, I’ll be trying my hand at preparing tapas and drinking Spanish wines at home in the hopes of recreating the magic that has me smitten with you. Keep cool, Madrid.