Tapas & Wine a Tough Combo in Madrid

Nov 3, 2006 | Blog

You would think every great tapas bar in Madrid would serve fabulous Spanish wines, but then you’d be wrong and very disappointed.

The popular Cerveceria La Dolores, pictured here and just a few blocks from the Prado in central Madrid, is a case in point. Loved the food, hated the wines. Bad enough to force a confirmed wino to order a beer!

This is typical throughout Madrid, and it’s a shame. Best wine selection I found in a tapas bar was the eclectic list at Taberneros, situated between the royal palace and Plaza Mayor.

Best wines I found during a four-night stopover were at the fabulous restaurant Viridiana, where I had an exceptional old Pesquera Reserva. El Rincon de Esteban, a good neighborhood restaurant close to my hotel, the Palace, offered a solid selection, but nothing too esoteric.

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