This weekend Vilafranca comes alive with the Vijazz festival. It’s basically a street party combining jazz and wine. Over 30 Penedes wine producers are taking part, and there are two…
My first look at Priorat
Had my first visit to Priorat yesterday. Remarkable how similar the soils are to the Douro, with schist, which here they call licorella. The similarity is also helped by the…
Some nice food here in Catalunya
So, I have been eating quite well over the last couple of days. Dinner on Tuesday evening was at Cal Ton in Vilafranca (www.restuarantcalton.com). Not flashy, but just very good….
Some research work at Torres, Spain
I’ve been visiting Torres today, one of Spain’s strongest wine brands, making not only very good commercial wines, but also some fairly serious high end wines, too. I spent some…
Old vine Garnacha from Domaines Lupier, Navarra
Two impressive, potentially ageworthy Garnacha (Grenache) wines from Navarra. They’re quite difficult to assess right now because they are just so tannic and primary, but I think they will be…
Another experience of Spanish greatness in the form of Equipo Navazos sherries
I am being spoiled by Spain at the moment. Hot on the heels of yesterdays fabulous Vega Sicilia tasting, today was a chance to try through a wide range of…
26 vintages of Vega Sicilia, one of Spain’s greatest wines
Remarkable tasting, this morning, at The Square restaurant in London. 26 vintage of Vega Sicilia back to 1920. There’s something special about Vega Sicilia. It is unique. It is long-lived….
Some brilliant Terras Gauda wines from Rías Baixas, Spain
Very enthusiastic about the white wines from Terras Gauda, a producer in Spain’s Rías Baixas region, in the north west of the country, adjoining Portugal’s Minho. They’re so nicely judged….
A brilliant fino sherry from El Maestro Sierra
I’m a big sherry fan, as I think most of my wine nut friends are. Great sherry is one of the most affordable of all fine wines, which is a…