Exploring Wine at Tia Pol

Located at 205 Tenth Avenue in Chelsea

Picture it: Bustling Saturday evening on Tenth Avenue and a couple passionately in love steps into a tiny tapas restaurant looking for a table. They are ravenously hungry and the dim lighting of the place just feels so romantic. "Two please?" Oh, and how lovely that sangria smells. "The wait is about two hours." And scene.

This scenario unfolds almost every night at Tía Pol, a cozy Spanish restaurant in Chelsea. And rightfully so. The dishes are sinfully good and the all-Spanish wine list is commendable.

I could probably eat every dish off the menu every day of the week. (Waist size be damned!) But my favorites are garbanzos fritos (fried chickpeas), bocata de lomo adobado (marinated pork loin with peppers and tetilla cheese sandwich), and pinchos morunos (lamb skewers with spices). These are small plates so the delicate morsels leave you satisfied but not stuffed.

But what to drink with all this?

As I mentioned before, Spain is what’s on tap at Tía Pol. I like to begin every visit with a glass of Cava, a sparkling wine that’s similar to Champagne but with more balanced flavors. The Cava Juvé y Camps Brut Rose is perfect for a mild February day that hints spring may be around the corner. The bright strawberry and raspberry flavors really tickle the nose and settle into your palate well.

After Cava I opted for a Vina Sastre Ribera del duoro 2008. This wine comes from a region of Spain known as Castilla y Leon, famous for its Rioja and the Tempranillo grape. Principally the flavors of a dark blackberries and raspberries knocked me out. And then the aroma of vanilla came through. Maybe just a tiny hint of tobacco? This is a wine aged in some fine oak barrels for sure. This is a glass of wine that goes down very smoothly and doesn’t need a super hearty meat.

So if you’re in Chelsea for a gallery reception, PUT DOWN THE CHEAP WINE! Observe the new works of art and schmooze with the glitteratti. And then head over to Tía Pol to indulge in fine Spanish wine and bold tapas.