On my recent trip to Spain, I had an opportunity to enjoy perhaps the best meat Paella in the entire country at Paco Gandia restaurant in the remote village of Pinoso.  Located in the region of Valencia, roughly a 3.5 hour drive southeast of Madrid, you’ll find this cozy little restaurant tucked away on one of the town’s side streets (GPS navigation recommended).

 

Señor Gandia’s paella features only rabbit and snails and is cooked to perfection over an open hearth by his wife Josefa.  She uses dried grape vine cuttings as the fuel for her fire.  How she does this without either burning herself or overcooking the delicate calasparra rice is nothing short of a minor miracle. 

 

As any aficionado will tell you, great paella is all about the rice.  The rice should be slightly crunchy and yet still moist in its consistency.  Paco Gandia’s version meets all the criteria and has a caramelized, golden crust (called soccarat by paella mavens).  The paella’s flavors are immense, slightly smoky with intense saffron and grilled meat notes.  The rabbit is perfectly cooked and the snails are a wonderful addition, adding a pleasant earthiness and rich consistency to the dish. 

A well-suited match for this amazing paella was a tasty old-vine Monastrell (a.k.a. Mourvedre) from Bodegas Tarima.  This full-flavored red comes from the nearby denominacion of Jumilla.  BTW, this wine is a super value.  You can pick up a bottle at ABCFWS for $8.99 (samples of Paco Gandia’s meat paella not included). 

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida