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It was back in August 2010 that I got an email from Steve Collins, the then Vice-president of the Costa Blanca Wine Society, asking if I might be prepared “to come along at a mutually agreed date in 2011 to give us a talk about Valencian wines”. I was pleased to be asked, and it [...]
Aula Vinícola Tastavins – Broadening horizons
February 12th, 2011To quote Valencia’s Las Provincias newspaper, “Of the private wine courses, the most interesting and prestigious is without doubt the one that Joan C. Martí (it should of course, be Joan C. Martín) provides in his Aula Vinícola TastaVins.” The course comprises winetastings of over 100 wines from around the world, field work in vineyards, [...]
Wine tastings at La Bodega de Alicia
October 29th, 2010As a masterly final touch, Rafael García, who runs La Bodega de Alicia along with Alicia herself, turns out to be a demon cook. The first week he passed around really fine pisto empanadas at the end of the tasting, and outdid even those with his quiche next time around. That’s a sure way to get me and others to come to this fine (in every sense) wine shop.
Celler del Roure – new wine in old vessels
October 27th, 2010Celler del Roure recovers tradition of making wine in earthenware vessels (tinajas) from their old underground cellar tunnels
Catarte – nice idea, but could do better
October 22nd, 2010I was drawn to Catarte’s opening on 15 October 2010 as much as anything by the fact that it was in the 15th-century Gothic palace in c/ Cadirers in Barrio del Carmen that is home to the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Valencia. I’ve always wanted to go up its magnificent staircase, and now I did.
Cava, Gazpacho Manchego and a hailstorm
October 12th, 2010A courageous friend, Helen Westwater, is about to fulfil a longstanding sueño and open deli-cafe-bar La Ola Fresca in happening (or studenty, as I prefer to describe it) Benimaclet.
A journey to Garnacha Tintorera (via Dominio de la Vega and Vegalfaro)
July 14th, 2010I got an unexpected early morning phone call inviting me to be ready to leave at 8:30 to accompany researcher and photographer to take some shots of the Bobal in Utiel-Requena
VIN365 – from all over the world to swanky storage in Alfafar
July 9th, 2010My wine stocks have been running pretty low of late, what with World Cup-fueled over consumption and haphazard efforts at frugality.
