11 Thursday Jul 2019
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Greetings from Galicia! A couple of weeks ago I was commissioned to write another article for Decanter (!!!), this time on Galicia. At first I thought I’d have to refuse since I hadn’t been here for awhile, but after chatting with friends (and Galicia “fixers” extraordinaire) a plan was made for me to come up for a few days to visit some wineries and refresh my knowledge of the region.
Very excited to be here. Stay tuned for updates on this latest Galicia Getaway.
10 Wednesday Jul 2019
Posted in food & drink, friends, getaways, restaurants
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[read full review of Mantúa on Azahar Tapas]
Last weekend I finally had the pleasure of visiting Mantúa, which had been on my “to-do” list pretty much since it opened in 2017 as it’s owned and run by chef Israel Ramos, who also owns one of my favourite places in Jerez, Albalá. I had made plans to go with friends Ann and Paul after the Harveys sherry tasting at the Consejo Regulador.
As you can see below, everything was beautifully presented, and the service was impeccable. Can’t really recommend Mantúa enough. It has the feeling of a place with real heart, and flavours that attest to the chef’s genuine love of his region. Unpretentious and about as perfect as a meal can get.
06 Saturday Jul 2019
This weekend the Consejo Regulador’s Sherry Academy was holding one of its wonderful “sherry 101” tastings in Jerez, this time featuring the Premium range by Harveys, so off I went for a quick Jerez Getaway, which included lunch at the marvelous Mantúa, but more on that later.
Poor Harveys Bristol Cream has suffered from a bad rep over the years, largely due to grannies pouring a glass of it at Christmas and then leaving it in the cupboard until the next Christmas. And frankly, any wine would be undrinkable kept in those conditions. In fact, the cream style of sherry was invented by Harveys and, unlike most creams which are a blend of oloroso (75%) and PX (25%), Bristol Cream adds fino and amontillado to the recipe, making it a more complex wine than the others. Recently the iconic blue label has had a makeover. The new bottle features a thermochromic ink logo, which changes colour as it hits the perfect serving temperature. When the sherry is cold and ready to be poured, the Harveys logo on the label will turn blue.
All the wines were excellent, with possibly the amontillado being my favourite… tough call. And as always, the presentation was interesting and informative. The monthly tastings, excellent value at 12€, start up again in October.
Harveys was founded in Bristol in 1796 by merchant William Perry. During the 19th century, Harveys became one of the largest importers of sherry from the Bay of Cadiz to the port of Bristol. Harveys Bristol Cream, created in 1882 by John Harvey II and his brother Edward, is the result of a meticulous selection of over 30 blends of Fino, Oloroso, Amontillado and Pedro Ximenez grape. It is aged in American oak casks using the traditional system of soleras and criaderas and is a global icon of sherry.
31 Friday May 2019
Posted in andalucia, food & drink, friends, getaways
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Sam & Jeannie Chesterton
I’ve been virtual friends with Jeannie @jeanniechesterton and Sam @samchesterton on social media for years and have been wanting to visit their Finca Buenvino ever since I first heard of it. So when Alexis @evoo_workshop said she was heading up there to do an olive oil tasting, and J & S invited me for lunch, I naturally jumped at the chance.
It turned out that the people who were to be Alexis’s olive oil clients were also doing a photo shoot at Finca Buenvino, and the photographer was none other than Tim Clinch @clinchpics, who I had met here in Sevilla a couple of years ago, and who is also a close friend of Jeannie & Sam.
Aside from being the Chesterton’s family home for more than 35 years, Finca Buenvino is also a peaceful mountain retreat, nestled in the hills in Huelva, just a short drive from Sevilla. There are two self-catering cottages on the grounds, as well as six B&B rooms in the main house, with various activities available, including cooking classes run by Jeannie.
While Alexis did her tasting I wandered around the gorgeous sprawling house and grounds, including a trip over to the spectacular salt water infinity pool, followed by the Buenvino dogs, until it was time for lunch. Which was fabulous. Along with the house guests, we were joined by the Chesterton sons, Sam, who shares cooking duties with his mother, and Jago, who works at nearby Cinco Jotas, producer of exquisite Jamón Ibérico de Bellota.
It was a spendid day in the country, and one that I hope I can repeat again soon. Thanks for the wonderful hospitality Los Chestertons, and thanks to Alexis for taking me there and back again. Photos below…
25 Saturday May 2019
casa azahar 