bilbao for food & wine lovers
30 Thursday Mar 2023
Posted in decanter magazine, restaurants, travel, wine
30 Thursday Mar 2023
Posted in decanter magazine, restaurants, travel, wine
23 Thursday Mar 2023

On Monday I was invited to the presentation of this year’s bottling of La Goya XL Manzanilla en Rama by Bodegas Delgado Zuleta, held at the fabulous Terraza La Fortissima. At first I thought it was going to be a vertical tasting when I saw other versions of La Goya in the ice bucket but when I asked José Antonio Sánchez (technical director and winemaker at DZ) he said it was actually going to be an L-shaped tasting, with different samplings of La Goya from two criaderas and two soleras (criaderas go up and down, soleras sideways). Cool.

Afterwards there we were treated to snacks on the rooftop with other wines from the Delgado Zuleta range: Goyesco Ámbar, Gallipato, Tarabilla and Barbiana en Rama. It was a perfect sunny day and fun to catch up with colleagues and friends.

20 Monday Feb 2023
Posted in decanter magazine, wine, work
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The physical copy of this month’s Decanter Magazine arrived today, with many thanks to Michael (and no thanks to Brexit!). He tried to post it from London and was told it would have to go Priority Post as they were no longer offering regular post to Europe because of the various strikes, etc and that would have cost him 59£ . Like what? So I told him I’d try and find another option. But then it was Michael to the rescue when he found out the son of his friend Pankaj would be in Barcelona soon and could post it from there. Phew! I always say it never feels real until I’m holding that baby in my hot little hands.
And check this out. For the first time I’ve been included on the
Decanter Experts page and like… OMG.
Seriously OMG.
15 Wednesday Feb 2023
Posted in birthdays, gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla, wine

Don’t ask. Perhaps because of all the sad stress of this week with Loki, or maybe for no reason at all, when I met up with Lucy to try out a new cheese bar (new to me, been here as long as I have – since 1993) we then ended up back at Jaylu to try the amazing jamón selection I’d missed when I was there on my birthday lunch with Peter. Then Lucy said, as she is wont to do, LET’S HAVE SOME FIZZ. Well, I don’t know what I was thinking so when I asked the barman which Cava they had by the glass he told me a couple of names and then I asked if he had any Corpinnat and he said Yes! Recaredo! Well, said I, let’s have that one! You serve it by the glass?? He said not usually but that he’d happily open a bottle for us and we could drink as many, or as few, glasses as we wanted. Ha. Too easy. And no, I didn’t ask the price. He left the bottle in a bucket next to us and said we could help ourselves. I think we all know what happened next.
Anyhoodle… who cares? It was Wednesday after all and Lucy and I realised that this was just a continuation of our Birthday Week. Plus we had a fabulous time hanging out at the bar and chatting with everyone. Much more convivial than sitting in the posh dining room, though that was also lovely when I did it in January. But I think I’ve found my favourite spot at Jaylu. Fabulous place.
01 Wednesday Feb 2023
Posted in decanter magazine, wine

It’s out! The latest Decanter Magazine Spain Guide including my wine lover’s getaways… five cities, ten destinations. To date my most ambitious piece. Lots of other great stuff inside too so check it out.
