Drink like a Spaniard

Diego Luis Perez and Siobhan Maria Etxeberria own Flan y Ajo tapas bar and have recently opened their second venture, Bodega Malasaña, a wine bar on Union Street.

What inspired you to open the Bodega and Flan y ajo?
There was no presence of authentic Spanish food at all, just people claiming they made Spanish food. Wine is blue collar in Spain. We encourage people to taste more; figure out what you like. Create a palate if you don’t have a palate. No one here is going to laugh at you. Every wine is individual to itself and each one tastes completely different.

What’s the meaning behind the name Bodega Malasaña?

A bodega is a shop that sells specialty items that you can order and consume there, like a cheese shop; it’s a place to congregate. Malasaña is the name of a freethinking neighborhood in Madrid; It’s a new way of eating and drinking so-called luxury items that really are for everyone.

What’s different about your wine list?
We carry a lot of odd natural wines. Natural wines are a little bit more alive. One bottle can taste totally crazy; one bottle can taste sparkling, another won’t. We carry white wines that aren’t white! White wine wasn’t always clear; the actual color has a straw hue from the grape’s skin. We carry Rioja, but even our Rioja is really weird.

How does your beer embody the Spanish culture?
In Spain, locals will order a caña, which is a local beer served in a small glass. You can order a caña of Narragansett Beer here for $1. If you don’t want a small beer, we offer large format servings, which are good for sharing.

What is sidra?
Sidra is our really big thing that we care about here. It’s a Spanish style cider. Traditionally, it’s poured out of the bottle from really high up above the glass in a slow stream — a technique known as escanciar — which creates a light effervescence. It’s unfiltered, cloudy and indicative of the Asturias terrain in northern Spain, where Diego’s family comes from. We’ll pour the first one for you.

What’s not to miss?
Our wine flights. They’re reasonably priced and a good way to pick which wines you like. It’s a good way for people to adjust their palate, to look for different flavors throughout and across the board. Not all white wine tastes like white wine. Some red wines you should drink a little cold. Flights get people in the mindset that there are no rules to wine drinking.