Soaking Up the Jersey Shore in Spain?

By Maureen C. Petrosky

It’s with much dismay I’ve accepted that early nineties fashion trends have actually made a comeback, but we don’t even come as close to fanatically embracing the days of acid-washed jeans and layered fluorescent tanks as they have in Barcelona, Spain. Last week, while in Barcelona celebrating my birthday and a long overdue getaway with my hubby, we basked in the amazing architecture and stuffed ourselves full of Tapas. Said to be the most progressive city in the Mediterranean, we were in awe that spray-painted jeans, wide-laced high tops, and lots and lots of leggings made up the hottest trends. Almost as surprising as the fashion—we actually overheard a group of twenty-somethings excitedly talking about the MTV reality show, Jersey Shore. A horror, even to those of us who admittedly enjoy reality shows, this pitiful production is somehow making its mark around the globe.

Though wayward in both fashion and television preferences, even the Spanish youth know gastronomy. The food scene is flooded with the tragically hip as well as the perfectly posh. Food, wine, beer, cafes, and tea houses made each day of our getaway absolutely delicious. Spanish wines range from bubbly to sweet and include every style in between. Like most European countries, drinking at lunch is obvious. Everywhere we went everyone we dined with drank. The preferred lunch sip of Barcelona hands down was Cava, Spain’s champagne. In addition, this is the traditional aperitif for dinner. With popularity spanning the demographics, it was no wonder to discover that just one of Spain’s Cava producers exports more bubbles than all of France. The winery Freixenet, with its world famous black bottles of bubbly, is situated just outside of Barcelona and makes for a fabulous day trip from the city for any wine loving adventurer. Complete with its own tram car, spiderwebbed caves, and NASA-designed technology, the mix of old and new world made for an adult Disneyland.

Staying on top of trends, this winery will be releasing a new sip for us to swirl. So keep your eyes open for Elyssia. The Pinot Noir Brut or the Gran Cuvee Brut are both ideal for your next brunch, lunch, or happy hour.

Elyssia, Gran Cuvee Brut, $18 Refreshing and an ideal change from the heavy winter reds. Pour this with seafood, shellfish, and salad for a luscious mouthful of bubbles tinted with citrus and honey.