A Day in the Wine Country

I signed up for a tour recommended by Trip Advisor with a bit of unneeded trepidation. It was a great tour, with passionate tour leaders and great wines and tapas. We toured the Can Bas winery and its Pere Ventura cava (sparkling wine) affiliate. The Spanish Denominacion de Origen is Penedes. In this region of Spanish wine making, no artificial watering can take place, so the vintners are at the mercy of the weather for their rain. 

The tour began with a 40 minute jeep ride around the historical wine estate of the Pere Ventura Family.  Our guide stopped several times to explain the terroir and show us the grapes. There is an old chapel on the grounds. Each bottle is imprinted with the little cross that crowns the chapel. Upon our return, we toured the winery and learned about their processes for their vinos blancos y tintos (white and red wine). All the wines we tasted were delicious, but especially interesting was the Muscat --dry and delicious with the cheese pairing.

Next, we hopped back on the bus and went over to the Pere Ventura cava tour and tasting. We were greeted by the owner of the property, a nice touch. Another delightful hostess and tour, which ended with a cava tasting. The wines continued to be outstanding and the day a great success.

Zed--Our neighborhood favorite

Our first night in Barcelona, I went on line and found Zed. When we arrived, it was full, totally booked! So I made a reservation the next night. We arrived, there was no one there (but it filled up). It is a delightful French themed restaurant, run by the owner and a lovely staff. We tried the Fourme D'Ambert, a lovely dip of caramelized onions and French blue cheese. It reminded us of the gorgonzola and caramelized onion sauce that we serve with veal chops  Paul asked for the recipe, which caused a stir in the kitchen and we were embraced by the owner. We returned another night for a second delightful meal. If you are in Barcelona, near Sagrada Familia, make a reservation at Zed.

Del Duero

We walked up, emphasis on up, to Montjuic to visit El Poble Espanol. This Spanish Village was built for the world's fair in 1928 and is kind of like Epcot. Famous buildings from around Spain are recreated. We were there for a beer festival, which was a bust. The cool thing about our journey that day was meeting Loro, the owner of Del Duero. We went in for a glass of wine and received wine and an education in Spanish wine. An entrepreneur who has lived all over the world, Loro entertained us, brought us tapas gratis, and helped us understand more about Spanish wine. All of the sudden, it turned into a great afternoon!

Barcelona

This was a great adventure for us. I have one more post, but it will be primarily pictures with a little commentary. We loved Barcelona and hope you will too.