Food and wine tour to the north of Spain – Part 1

Last week on Wednesday evening I flew to Bilbao to run a 3-day food and wine tour for a group of 5 people from Hong Kong. This was to be the third tour they were doing with me. The first two had been in the south and now is was time to explore another part of the...

Wine tour to Ronda (II)

Yesterday, I ran yet another wine tour to Ronda. The vines at the moment are dormant but it should not be long before budding starts. At our first stop they were busy putting the capsules and labels on one of their 2012 wines. After barrel ageing the wine had spent...

Preserving extra virgin olive oil

Yesterday, I ran a half-day olive oil tour. As always, we explained all the factors that go into making a fine extra virgin olive oil. As important as making the oil is how you preserve it before it goes on sale. First of all, your need to store the oil in stainless...

More Iberian ham tours

Over the last week or so I have been up to the Sierra de Aracena on a few of my Iberian ham tours. Most of the acorn-fed Iberian pigs that will be turned into hams and all the other wonderful Iberian pork products have gone on their final journey already. However,...
A trip to Sanlúcar de Barrameda

A trip to Sanlúcar de Barrameda

Last Friday I went to Sanlúcar de Barrameda to visit a winery I had not been to before. It is called La Callejuela and is situated on the outskirts of the town with a vineyard right next to the winery. This is unusual in the Jerez region as most wineries are located...
Wine tours to Jerez and Ronda

Wine tours to Jerez and Ronda

Over the past few days I have run two wine tours, one to Jerez de la Frontera and the other to the area around Ronda. At one of the wineries that I often visit in Jerez, a number of years ago they decided to use one of the buildings for events and removed all the...
Acorn trees and salting Iberian hams

Acorn trees and salting Iberian hams

Last year I let my blog slip due to being very busy and to other issues that were going on in my life. This year I hope to get things back on track (hopefully not just another New Year’s resolution!). Well, the New Year has started well with quite a few tours...
Dormant vines and snow

Dormant vines and snow

Last Friday I ran a tour which involved visiting an olive mill and then a winery, with lunch at the latter. As we are in February the vines are of course dormant (see photo below) awaiting the spring when they will come to life again. After a wonderful lunch we went...
More wonderful Iberian ham

More wonderful Iberian ham

Yesterday, I took at group of people from South Korea on an Iberian ham tour. We started with a visit to Sánchez Romero Carvajal producers of the famous 5J hams. I have not been to their ham factory for a number if years as they stopped visits. Their new centre for...
A Question of Taste launches a cheese tour

A Question of Taste launches a cheese tour

Yesterday, I spent from 8:30 in the morning to 6 in the afternoon in the Sierra of Grazalema, around 90 minute’s drive south-east of Seville. The area is a Natural Park and is of exceptional beauty. The reason for my trip was to sort out the details for a cheese...