Rioja Paired Recipes: Melocotones al Vino

Peaches in Wine

The fertile land along the Ebro River yields some of Spain’s best produce. Among them are peaches, particularly from the area around Calahorra and Rioja Oriental, where the warmer temperatures result in juicy, flavorful fruit.

The local red wine is used to gently poach the peaches, giving them a deep, rich flavor made more complex by the tannins of the fruit-forward Rioja wine. You can substitute white wine to good effect, but red is more traditional and results in a lovely, deep colored dessert. Save your ripest peaches for eating fresh—this recipe works best with peaches that are already very soft.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 5 peaches
• 1 bottle (750 mL) Rioja red wine
• ¼ cup (50g) sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions:

1. Carefully peel all the skin off the peaches.
2. Using a knife, cut a circular line all the way around the circumference of the peach and twist to halve the peach.
3. Remove the pits and put the peach halves in a pot.
4. Mix the wine with the sugar and pour it over the peaches.
5. Add the cinnamon stick and cook the mixture over high heat until it reaches a boil, stirring.
6. Turn the heat down to medium so that it is simmering vigorously and cook the peaches until they get soft, and the liquid reduces somewhat, about 25-30 minutes.
7. Serve cold or hot with some of the cooking liquid.