NEW World’s Best 50 Restaurants 2015 from 51-100

The much anticipated World’s 50 Best Restaurants will be announced tonight  at the 13th annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony. Live from London’s Guildhall, the ceremony, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, will reveal if Noma stays at Nº 1 followed by El Celler de Can Roca at Nº 2 and  Osteria Francescana at Nº 3, as in 2014.

What’s new? What’s Hot? What’s Not? Find out tonight when the complete NEW 2015 World’s 50 Best Restaurants 1-50 are revealed from London. In the meantime what we can tell you is that 3 Spanish restaurants are featured in the NEW 2015 World’s 50 Best Restaurants 51-100:

DiverXo dish

Nº 59 DiverXO keeps climbing!! 2014 saw David Muñoz enter the prestigious list in 94th  position. This year DiverXO climbs a whopping 35 places for 59th position in 2015!! Can we expect to see DiverXO in the Top 50 in 2016?

Nº 61 Martín Berasategui leaves the top 50 as his San Sebastián restaurant, which re-entered the prestigious list in 2014, falls from last years nº 35 to this year’s nº61!!

Nº 68 Nerua Guggenheim – Bilbao – enters the list for the first time at nº68!  Josean Alija heads this Michelin 1 star restaurant with it’s privileged location in the wonderful Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

Albert Adrià leaves the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 51-100 list with no mention in 2015 of his Barcelona restaurants Tickets and 41 Grados, nº 57 and nº74 respectively in 2014. 41 Grados is currently closed for refurbishment and relocation but can we expect to see Tickets in the Top 50 World’s 50 Best Restaurants list which will be announced tonight?

DiverXO

How do we know all this? Well, the results have already been announced, for the first time ever prior to a  World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony, for the NEW  2015 World’s 50 Best Restaurants 51-100.  Here’s the complete list:

NEW 2015 World’s 50 Best Restaurants COMPLETE LIST 51-100:

  • No. 51 Geranium – Copenhagen, Denmark
  • No. 52 Tim Raue – Berlin, Germany
  • No. 53 Hertog Jan – Bruges, Belgium
  • No. 54 Hof Van Cleve – Kruishoutem, Belgium
  • No. 55 The Clove Club – London, UK
  • No. 56 Saison – San Francisco, USA
  • No. 57 Septime – Paris, France
  • No. 58 Quay – Sydney, Australia
  • No. 59 Diverxo – Madrid, Spain
  • No. 60 Hedone – London, UK
  • No. 61 Martin Berasategui – San Sebastián, Spain
  • No. 62 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana – Hong Kong, China
  • No. 63 L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Paris – Paris, France
  • No. 64 Maaemo – Oslo, Norway
  • No. 65 Combal Zero – Rivoli, Italy
  • No. 66 Amass – Copenhagen, Denmark
  • No. 67 NoMad – New York, USA
  • No. 68 Nerua – Bilbao, Spain
  • No. 69 Momofuku Ko – New York, USA
  • No. 70 Waku Gin – Singapore
  • No. 71 De Librije – Zwolle, Netherlands
  • No. 72 Restaurant at Meadowood – St. Helena, USA
  • No. 73 The Fat Duck – Bray, UK
  • No. 74 Jaan – Singapore
  • No. 75 Coi – San Francisco, USA
  • No. 76 Fu He Hui – Shanghai, China
  • No. 77 Indian Accent  – New Delhi, India
  • No. 78 La Maison Troisgros – Roanne, France
  • No. 79 Ryunique – Seoul, South Korea
  • No. 80 Daniel – New York, USA
  • No. 81 Joe Beef – Montreal, Canada
  • No. 82 Le Louis XV – Monte Carlo, Monaco
  • No. 83 Tegui – Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • No. 84 Sepia – Sydney, Australia
  • No. 85 L’Effervescence – Tokyo, Japan
  • No. 86 Hajime – Osaka, Japan
  • No. 87 Brae – Birregurra, Australia
  • No. 88 = The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français – Franschhoek, South Africa
  • No. 88 = Zuma – Dubai, UAE
  • No. 90 Estela – New York, USA
  • No. 91 Belcanto – Lisbon, Portugal
  • No. 92 St. John – London, UK
  • No. 93 Jungsik – Seoul, South Korea
  • No. 94 Masa – New York, USA
  • No. 95 Fu1015 – Shanghai, China
  • No. 96 Mikla – Istanbul, Turkey
  • No. 97 Esperanto – Stockholm, Sweden
  • No. 98 Vila Joya – Albufeira, Portugal
  • No. 99 Lung King Heen – Hong Kong, China
  • No. 100 Manresa – Los Gatos, USA

worlds best 50

 

If you would like to experience some of the best restaurants Spain has on offer, then something like our Ultimate Gourmet Tour   is perfect for sophisticated diners who are looking to experience the best of Spanish cuisine.

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New Basque Cuisine

It’s not “New” by any means, it’s been around for decades, but it’s the Nouvelle Cuisine of the Basque Country and it’s Nouvellicious. The revolution in Basque kitchens started in the 70’s and today the Forefathers of Basque Cuisine rub shoulders with the Modern chefs to promote this radically original cuisine with a splash of  style, a touch of expertise, a dash of creativity and sprinkling of pride.

The New Basque Cuisine revolutionized the world when, in 1976, Juan Mari Arzak and Pedro Subijana, today regarded as the forefathers of the New Basque cuisine, set off to France in search of new techniques. Inspired by the work of Paul Bocuse, they went to Lyon to learn the secrets of Nouvelle Cuisine. The trip proved invaluable and on their return they set up a collaborative group that formed the foundations of the Basque Nouvelle Cuisine movement – a Basque cuisine revolution began.

Arzak dish

The group revived and improved traditional recipes by using modern methods and innovative techniques. The goal was evolution although at the same time sticking to local tradition and the best quality regional products. Using traditional ingredients, chefs created new and innovative dishes offering lighter and less rustic versions of traditional dishes and flavors.

A new culinary movement was born – the Nueva Cocina Vasca – New Basque Cuisine, and in a few years the movement swept across Spain to become the default haute cuisine and by the 1990′s the New Basque Cuisine had spread worldwide.

Over the next 25 years, pioneering Spanish chefs began creating a new Spanish cuisine, experimenting with new techniques, and the term “molecular gastronomy” was born.

Martín Berasategui dish

Today the Basque Country and its’ chefs continue to enjoy international acclaim for their cooking in Michelin starred restaurants. More informally, many tapas bars, especially in San Sebastián, serve modern-style pintxos employing novel techniques and ingredients and in more recent years, young chefs, such as Martin Berasategui, have given new stimulus to Basque cuisine.

Mugaritz Dish

What better place to enjoy the New Basque Cuisine and the playful, innovative and twisted genre of molecular gastronomy than in the Basque Country. Join us on a Private Food and Wine Tour to include the Basque Country where you can enjoy the New Basque Cuisine in the heart of the action.

 

Worlds Number 1 Restaurant 2015?

Can Michelin 3* restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, knock NOMA in Copenhagen off the top spot this year at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards to be held this year in June ?  All will be revealed on Monday!!

El Celler de Can Roca

 

El Celler de Can Roca was awarded the acclaimed Nº 1 status, at the head of Restaurant Magazine’s prestigious list, in 2013, but last year Noma reclaimed it’s crown as Number 1 Restaurant  in the World for 2014.

Noma was first awarded the Nº 1 spot in 2010, after stealing the crown that El Bulli had held for the previous 4 years.  2011 and 2012 saw René Redzepi winning the award yet again, but in 2013 Noma lost  first place position to El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, which became the new World’s Number 1 Restaurant for just 1 year, 2013.

Just a year lapse or is Noma back on top for good?

All will be revealed on June 1st when the World’s Best Restaurants for 2015 are announced!

Noma - Nº 1 restaurant 2014

We, at Gourmand Breaks, do not cover Denmark but why not join us on a Gourmet Private tour of Spain and/or Portugal  to escape into a Gourmet World of sublime enjoyment with a chance to dine in top restaurants in Barcelona, Madrid or Lisbon for example.

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What is Nouvelle Cuisine?

Nouvelle Cuisine, when mentioned, brings thoughts of small plates of food that many feel will see you leaving a restaurant with a lot less money and a lot more hunger than when you went in!!!  But, is this true?  What is sure, is that this French revolution has spread all over the World but, is Nouvelle Cuisine for everyone ? for the Gourmands? or just for the Gourmets? or is it a chance for a personal culinary experience that will excite the tastebuds and leave memories for a lifetime?

Nouvelle cuisine 

The term “nouvelle cuisine” has been used several times in the history of French cuisine, to mark a  break with the past, with tradition.  In the 1700’s several French writers emphasized this break with tradition, calling the new cooking style  “modern” or “new”.  In the 1880s and 1890s, the cooking of Georges Auguste Escoffier was sometimes described with the term.

Today, the French term “Nouvelle Cuisine” is  attributed to authors Henri Gault, Christian Millau, and André Gayot,who used nouvelle cuisine to describe the cooking of Paul Bocuse, Alain Chapel, Jean and Pierre Troisgros, Michel Guérard, Roger Vergé, and Raymond Oliver, many of whom were once students of Fernand Point. Paul Bocuse claimed that Gault first used the term to describe the food that he prepared, along with other top chefs, for the maiden flight of  Concorde in 1969.

The style that Gault and Millau wrote about was a reaction to the French cuisine classique placed into “orthodoxy” by Escoffier.  Calling for greater simplicity and elegance in creating dishes, nouvelle cuisine is not cuisine minceur (“thin cooking”), which was created by Michel Guérard as spa food.  It is thought that World War II was a significant contributor in the creation of the phenonenom of nouvelle cuisine, as  there was a short supply of animal protein during the German occupation hence the need to experiment.

Gault and Millau “discovered the formula” contained in ten characteristics of this new style of cooking. The ten characteristics of “Nouvelle Cuisine” were identified as:

  • A rejection of excessive complication in cooking.
  • Cooking times for most fish, seafood, game birds, veal, green vegetables and pâtés were greatly reduced in an attempt to preserve the natural flavors. Steaming was an important trend from this characteristic.
  • The cuisine was made with the freshest possible ingredients.
  • Large menus were abandoned in favor of shorter menus.
  • Strong marinades for meat and game ceased to be used.
  • They stopped using heavy sauces such as espagnole and béchamel in favor of seasoning their dishes with fresh herbs, high quality butter, lemon juice, and vinegar.
  • They used regional dishes for inspiration instead of cuisine classique dishes.
  • New techniques were embraced and modern equipment was often used; Bocuse even used microwave ovens.
  • The chefs paid close attention to the dietary needs of their guests through their dishes.
  • The chefs were extremely inventive and created new combinations and pairings

Nouelle cuisine dessert

Today Nouvelle Cuisine is Worldwide and plays a part in many kitchens. It is an art, a science, an explosion of sensation and a treat for the tastebuds that has foodies and the general public alike craving the escapism that it provides from everyday life. 

Join us on a Gourmet Private tour of Spain and/or Portugal  to escape into a Gourmet World of sublime enjoyment.

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Evora, Portugal – Historic Charm in the Alentejo Wine Region

Evora is a small city surrounded by 14th century walls in the Portuguese wine region of Alentejo which is a vast, sun-drenched area covering around a third of Portugal. Only five per cent of the land is planted with vines though and between towns in Alentejo you can drive for miles passing cork and olive groves, vines, crops and grazing livestock.

 Evora, Portugal

Évora is a walled city with a proud, rich and imposing past. The Romans were here, leaving their 1st century Temple behind, but so were the Moors who occupied the narrow streets with quaint small white washed houses.  Traces of different eras and civilisations have been left virtually untouched in a city where people still walk small cobbled, medieval streets. Large archways give way to picturesque squares where local artisan shops are found next to the modern high-street names and terraced cafés invite you to relax and watch the world go by. The large amount of rich monuments found in this city has led to its UNESCO classification as the ‘the finest example of a city of the golden age of Portugal after the destruction of Lisbon by the earthquake of 1755’.

 Evora streets

There are many great Alentejo wineries that you can visit in the surrounding  countryside so Evora makes a wonderful base for discovering the wine region although in Evora itself don’t miss:

Catedral da Sé – Built in 1186 in Romanesque style and later restored in the Gothic this is the greatest medieval cathedral in the country.  The facade is dominated by two asymmetrical towers flanking a massive doorway, which includes twelve figures of the apostles that are masterpieces of Portuguese Gothic sculpture. Don’t miss the shrine studded with 1,426 precious stones—and a piece of wood thought to be from the True Cross.

Templo Romano de Évora ou Templo de Diana (Roman Temple of Évora or Temple of Diana) –  This is one of the city’s most famous monuments and one of the main symbols of the Roman occupation of Portugal. There are 14 columns left of this temple which was originally built in the 1st Century A.D. as a place of worship to emperor Augustus. Legend has it that it was erected in honour of the Roman goddess of the hunt, Diana, and is more commonly referred to today as the Temple of Diana.

Aqueduto Água de Prata (Silver Water Aqueduct) – This is a masterpiece of engineering workdating back to the 16th century and one of Evora’s iconic monuments. Follow the aqueduct inside the walls of Évora and see how homes have been built inside the arches.  It is one of the largest aqueducts in Portugal and  used to bring water from the springs of Graça do Divor, 11 miles (18 kilometres) away, to the center of the town.

Capela dos Ossos (The Chapel of Bones) – Built in the 16th century by Franciscan monks to invite contemplation on the transitory nature of life, to transmit the message that life was just a passage before reaching heaven or hell. Approximately 5,000 skeletons, from 42 local cemeteries, are exposed on its walls and ceilings —ironically, all but the bones of the monks who created the chapel. This intriguing chapel belongs to the Igreja Real de São Francisco (San Francisco Royal Church) and if you are a little sensitive you may have to think twice before you enter the archway that states “We bones lying here await yours”. 

University of Évora – This 16th century university is the second oldest in Portugal and the azulejos that decorate the classroom entrances represent each of the subjects taught.  Opened in 1559 and run by the Jesuits before they were evicted by the Marquês de Pombal in 1759, its elaborate classrooms look onto a serene courtyard with a central fountain. Feel free to walk through its marble cloisters, look in on classrooms with teaching pulpits and 18th-century blue-and-white azulejos (tiles, painted here to reflect the academic subjects) and don’t miss the chapel’s tapestry and the stunning painted ceiling of the library. The students are unfazed by visitors.

Praça do Giraldo –  The center piece of the main square of Evora is a marble fountain,  the fonte Henriquina, that dates from the 1570’s.  This water fountain  marked the original source of the aqueduct of silver water and has eight streams, each representing the eight streets which lead from the Praca do Giraldo.  The square today is a calm and pleasant setting to spend an hour or so doing some people watching but was once the scene for some of the region’s most violent historical events such as the murderous 16th century Spanish Inquisitions for which it was the focal point.

 Evora aqueduct

Discover some of our customized food and wine tours to the most beautiful regions of Spain, Portugal and S.W France Food, Wine & Cultural Tours of Spain, Portugal & S.W France

Our travel agency creates private and high-end wine, culinary and cultural tours in Europe. We understand that everyone’s idea of the ´perfect´ package is unique which is why we work with you to customize your unforgettable experience – with an emphasis on the personal touch. Contact us to receive a quote for your private customized food and wine tour

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Andalusian Gastronomy

Gastronomy in Andalusia is very location-specific – everyone knows that the best strawberries and jamon come from Huelva; sardines from Malaga; tuna from Barbate; mangoes from Granada; cucumbers and tomatoes from Almeria…..

Andalusia is the largest agricultural producer in Spain.  It leads the national production of table olives and the world’s largest producer of olive oil.  Jaen will say that they make the best olive oil, although in Cordoba, Granada and Seville they will dispute this.

Olives

Similar to Spanish wine, Spanish Olive Oils have strict standards and seals provided by the different “Denominaciones de Origen”, Designation of Origin, to ensure their unique taste and high quality.  The richness and variety of Andalusian oils is reflected in the recognition of 12 Protected Designation of Origin “PDO” areas, each with its own characteristics.The ratio by province is as follows: Cádiz,  (Sierra de Cádiz PDO); Córdoba (Baena PDO; Montoro-Adamuz PDO; Priego de Córdoba PDO and Aceite de Lucena PDO); Granada (Poniente de Granada PDO and Montes de Granada PDO); Jaén (Sierra de Cazorla PDO; Sierra Mágina PDO and Sierra de Segura PDO);  Málaga (Antequera PDO); and Seville (Estepa PDO).

Greenhouse cultivation predominates in Almería, producing noteworthy amounts of vegetables. Huelva and Granada are leaders in fruit production, cultivating strawberries and tropical fruit respectively.

Pigs are bred primarily in the mountains of Cádiz, Córdoba, Huelva, Málaga and Seville, where large herds of Ibérico pigs are raised.

Fishing is a chief industry in Cádiz, Huelva and Málaga, where fishermen specialise in catching tuna, prawns and sardines. The Andalusian fishing fleet consists of over 1,575 vessels and the captures reach 41,528 tons per year (2013).

Wine production is centered in the regions around Jerez (the area with the oldest and longest wine exporting tradition in Spain), Montilla-Moriles, Málaga and Huelva.

Andalucian cuisine

Andalusian gastronomy has deep roots within the Arabic cuisine of Al-Andalus (711-1492). Its refinement, unknown in Europe, transformed a wide range of customs. It was the andalusíes themselves who invented the dining room and the current order in which we eat dishes during a meal.

Gazpacho (a cold soup made of tomato, bread, onions, peppers, cucumbers, garlic, oil, vinegar and salt) is the typical Andalusian dish par excellence.

Tapas (small cold or hot dishes served in bars as aperitifs) attain their maximum expression in Andalusia (Cádiz, Málaga, Jerez…), where they are always served along with a glass of wine or beer.

Tapas hopping is part of Andalusian life and  Seville, for example, boasts around 4,000 tapas bars – roughly 1 for every 200 locals so you know they know what they’re talking about!  Plate after plate of hot and cold food comes freshly out of the kitchen to appear on the bar to tempt your palate. Try cold roasted pepper salad or anchovies in vinegar, a hot dish of meatballs in sauce or a slice of Potato Omelet ….. the choice is yours.  Of course, as is customary, accompany your mouth watering bites with a glass of dry Spanish Sherry, wine or draft beer.

Traditional Andalusian desserts are characterized by clear Arabic influence, like torta real de Motril, tocinos de cielo de Guadix, torrijas de Semana Santa or piononos de Santa Fe, exquisite sweet fillings cream. Other desserts  collect a long tradition of Andalusian cuisine convents, which is reflected in the famous St. Ursula yolks.

Here are just some of the typical Andalusian dishes you may like to try while you’re staying in Andalusia:

Salmorejo – a thicker version of Gazpacho, from Cordoba, normally served with chopped boiled egg and jamon.

Pescaito Frito - a mix of fried fish, normally including calamares (squid), adobo (marinated dogfish), merluza (hake) and puntillitas (baby octopus).

Pescaito Frito – a mix of fried fish, normally including calamares (squid), adobo (marinated dogfish), merluza (hake) and puntillitas (baby octopus).

Solomillo al Whisky - Pork fillets cooked in whisky.

Solomillo al Whisky – Pork fillets cooked in whisky.

Rabo de toro - bull's tail stew - traditionally eaten after bullfights, using that day's toros.

Rabo de toro – bull’s tail stew – traditionally eaten after bullfights, using that day’s toros.

Arroz marinero - a succelent seafood rice, cooked in a cazuela (pot) usually including almejas (clams), mejillones (mussels) and shrimp (gambas).

Arroz marinero – a succelent seafood rice, cooked in a cazuela (pot) usually including almejas (clams), mejillones (mussels) and shrimp (gambas).

 

Join us on a personalized private tour of Spain, like the Majestic Madrid and Authentic Andalusia Tour, to experience the sights and delights of Andalusia in Southern Spain with the orange scented patios of Seville, Romantic Ronda, Grand Granada and Curios Cordoba!

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Portugal Wine Regions – Port Wine and the Douro Valley

Portugal is divided into 14 Regional Wine areas : Vinho Verde, Trás-os-Montes, Porto and Douro, Távora-Varosa, Bairrada, Dão, Beira Interior, Lisboa, Tejo, Península de Setúbal, Alentejo, Algarve, Açores and Madeira.

Portuguese wine is then categorized using the ‘DOC’ (Denominação de Origem Controlada) system meaning Controlled Denomination of Origin. Portugal has 31 DOCs/DOPs.  At the moment, both the traditional terminology of DOC and the new pan-European “DOP” are used. DOP (Denominação de Origem Protegida) means Protected Denomination of Origin. The “DOC/DOP” system is similar to the Denominación de Origen “DO” system of Spain, the Appellation d’origine contrôlée “AOC” system of France and the Denominazione di origine controllata “DOC” of Italy.

In the Douro there are separate DOCs  for unfortified wine and for Port, although geographically they both lie within the same  boundaries.

Douro Valley

DOURO VALLEY

The Douro Valley, Portugal, is considered one the most spectacular wine regions of the world with its terraced vineyards on sloping hills that meet the meandering River Douro below as it cuts through the mountains. The characteristic terraces of vines in the Douro Valley were introduced by the Romans in the third century A.D and the Douro “vinhateiro” wine-growing area of the Douro Valley is now a designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The soil in which the Douro Valley vines are planted is made up of schist, a slate-like metamorphic rock.  Rich in nutrients, it also has useful water retention properties.

Long famous as the source of Port Wine, the authentic port wine is made at ‘quintas’ (estates) along a narrow river gorge that winds 100 miles through the mountain ranges and was once shipped downriver to the city of Porto in sailboats called ‘barcos rabelos’. But, the Douro Valley not only produces fortified wine.  Around the same amount of  unfortified wine is produced and is renowned for its fine and rich red and white wine.

The Douro wine region of Portugal is divided into three sub-regions: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior from west to east respectively. The further east, the drier the climate becomes and the deeper the wines. The Cima Corgo, which includes the towns of Pinhão, São João da Pesqueira and Tua, is the heart of fine port production and where also many of today’s fine unfortified wines are produced.

  • The Baixo Corgo lies at the western end, closest to the Marão mountains, where the rainfall and vineyard yields are highest. This area mainly produces the lighter more early maturing styles of Port intended to be drunk relatively young.
  • The Cima Corgo area is the location of many of the Douro’s finest vineyards and produces more concentrated and long lasting wines.
  • The Douro Superior is the easternmost area and is the driest of all making it the source of many of the finest Vintage Ports.
Douro DOC

Main white Douro Valley grapes:

  • Viosinho, Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Rabigato, Côdega, Donzelinho Branco, Esgana Cão and Folgazão

 

Main red Douro Valley grapes:    

  • Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Aragonez), Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Sousão, Bastardo, Mourisco Tinto, Castelão, Rufete, Tinta Amarela (Trincadeira) and Tinta Francisca

 

Just some of the World class Quintas that you could be visiting in the Douro Valley:

Quinta do Crasto –  Sitting in a privileged location in the Douro Demarcated Region, this Quinta is famous for its sophisticated wines as well as for the dramatic views. This single vineyard property dates as far back as the early seventeenth century, long before the Douro became the world’s first demarcated wine region in 1756

Quinta do Seixo – Sandeman’s flagship, and a most exclusive port winery, of the most important Port wine producer. This Winery is beautifully maintained and picturesquely located just down the river from Pinhao, with gorgeous views of Pinhao.

Quinta do Panascal  – This majestic quinta, whose reputation goes back to the 18th century, is located on the banks of the river Távora. It is the most important estate of the prestigious Port Wine Company “Fonseca Guimaraens”.

Quinta de la Rosa – Quinta de la Rosa is unusual in the way that they do everything in the Douro. Most port houses make their port in the Douro but store and bottle it in Vila Nova da Gaia, in Porto. Here, you will be able to see both wine and port making processes side by side.

 

port

PORT WINE

Port Wine is a wine that was developed in Portugal by the British.  It is a by product of their battles with France through the 17th and 18th centuries. The English finally decided to boycott French wine in the late 17th century  and began sourcing their red wine from Portugal. They started to add a drop of Brandy to the still wine so that it would arrive in England after the long trip on a rocky boat without spoiling. This addition of the brandy not only gave the wine the strength to survive the journey but it also made the wine considerably sweeter when it was added early enough to stop fermentation.

Today, Port wine ferments for only 2 to 3 days, has brandy added, and then is aged in wooden barrels. How long it ages determines the taste and how sweet the wine is.

The base  for Port is made and fortified in wineries in the Douro Valley, then transported to the Port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, opposite Porto, at the mouth of the river, for ageing. Here, the ageing and blending of most of the world’s supply of Port wine takes place beneath a sea of red roofs emblazoned with some of the most famous names in wine-making. Rabelo boats were traditionally used to carry the wine down the river from Douro to the lodges in Oporto.

There are generally five different types of port wine – white, ruby, tawny, late bottle vintage (LBV), and vintage. White is aged early and is young and robust.  Ruby is aged for 3 years with a strong grape and pepper taste.  Tawny is aged in smaller wooden barrels and varies from 10 to 40 years (the label will specify how many 10, 20, 30, 40) with a lighter color and a more mellow taste. Late Bottle Vintage is aged 4 to 6 years while vintage is from a single harvest and is bottled after only two years in barrel, keeping it rich and red, then 10 to 30 years in the bottle. All port wines are medium sweet but they do range from a drier, less sweet to very sweet.

Although around thirty grape varieties can be used to make Port Wine, the five red grape types now generally considered to produce the finest port wine are: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão.

Just some of the fantastic Port Wine Lodges  that you could be visiting in the Porto:

Taylor’s Port Wine Lodge –  One of the oldest of the founding Port houses was established over three centuries ago in 1692. For many, Taylor’s is the archetypal Port house and its wines the quintessential Ports.  It is dedicated entirely to the production of Port wine and in particular to its finest styles. The history of the firm is in many ways the history of the Port trade itself.

Graham’s Port Wine Lodge  – For almost two hundred years W & J Graham’s has been an independent family business renowned for producing some of the finest Port wines. Wine Spectator Magazine voted Dow’s 2011 as the best port Wine in 2014. Dow’s Lodge in Porto is not open for visitors, but Graham’s is their sister company and you can buy the awarded Port here.

Sandeman Port Wine Lodge –  Founded in 1790 the Sandeman Lodge is housed in a former 16th century convent with a small museum. The Sandeman Porto Cellars are a landmark spot and the building boasts one of the best views of Porto.

 Port Wine, Portugal

Join us on a Private Tour of Portugal (or a combined tour with Spain) like our  Luxury Tour of Portugal – Wine and Culture  to experience the beautiful Wine Regions of Portugal in Alentejo and the Douro Valley, among others, to enjoy winery visits and tastings as well as a relaxing picnic in a vineyard and a cruise along the Douro River.

 

 

Wine Regions of Portugal – Alentejo

The  Portuguese wine region of Alentejo is a vast, sun-drenched area in the south, covering around a third of Portugal. Actually, only five per cent of the land is planted with vines and between towns, you can drive for miles passing cork and olive groves, vines, crops and grazing livestock.

Portugal is divided into 14 Regional Wine areas : Vinho Verde, Trás-os-Montes, Porto and Douro, Távora-Varosa, Bairrada, Dão, Beira Interior, Lisboa, Tejo, Península de Setúbal, Alentejo, Algarve, Açores and Madeira.

Portuguese wine is then categorized using the ‘DOC’ (Denominação de Origem Controlada) system meaning Controlled Denomination of Origin. Portugal has 31 DOCs/DOPs. At the moment, both the traditional DOC and the new pan-European DOP are used. ‘DOP’ (Denominação de Origem Protegida) means Protected Denomination of Origin. The “DOC/DOP” system is similar to the Denominación de Origen “DO” system of Spain, the Appellation d’origine contrôlée “AOC” system of France and the Denominazione di origine controllata “DOC” of Italy.

Alentejo

DOC Alentejo wines can be made only in certain small enclaves within the greater Vinho Regional Alentejo region. For the purpose of regulating grape-growing and wine-making in the varying microclimates and terrains, DOC Alentejo is divided into eight different sub-regions: Portalegre, Borba, Redondo, Vidigueira, Reguengos, Moura, Évora and Granja/Amareleja. All DOC wines are labelled DOC Alentejo, and sometimes qualified by the name of the sub-region as well.

One of the most exciting areas is right up in the north-east corner, around the city of Portalegre and over towards the Spanish border. This high mountain country has a much cooler climate than the rest of the Alentejo, and the potential to make more elegant wines.

The central Alentejo, wide, rolling country around the towns of Évora, Borba, Reguengos and Estremoz, is hotter, and makes wines with a good balance of acidity. Even further south, in the bakingly-hot country around Beja, winemakers are producing some excellent wines. Soils vary hugely, from granite and schist to chalk.

A long list of grapes is permitted for Vinho Regional Alentejo, including many foreign varieties, such as Syrah, which is seriously gaining in importance.

Main red grapes (variable according to sub-region):

  • Aragonez, Trincadeira, Castelão, Alfrocheiro and Alicante Bouschet

Main white grapes (variable according to sub-region):

  • Arinto, Antão Vaz, Roupeiro, Fernão Pires, Perrum

 

 

Just some of the World class Portuguese wineries  that you could be visiting in the Alentejo Wine Region of Portugal:

Herdade dos Coelheiros,  Igrejinha – a wine estate  run by the effervescent Teresa Leal. This estate not only produces wines, but also walnuts and cork trees.   The area is known for the world renowned typical Portuguese craft – the most beautiful carpets of Arraiolos, nearby, that throughout the years won a status of national symbol, and now they bring their image, tradition and identity to the labels of this fine winery.

Herdade dos Coelheiros estate in Alentejo is a family business founded in 1981, which over the years has won recognition for producing wines of unquestionable quality, both nationally and internationally. It launched its first wine, labelled Tapada dos Coelheiros in 1991.  Since then, their portfolio of wines and other products has gradually grown.   A visit to this fascinating Portuguese wine estate will surely end with a tasting of their best wines including their superb barrel fermented white and the powerful Tapada de Coelheiros Tinto.

 

Herdade do Esporão,  Reguengos de Monsaraz – a very progressive family business which won the hotly contested “Sustainability of the Year” Award in the Drinks Business Green Awards 2013.  The Drinks Business, British magazine and one of the publications most read in Europe, praised Esporão for its holistic approach in adopting a wide range of innovative sustainable practices.

Since it was founded in 1267, the boundaries of Herdade do Esporão have remained virtually unchanged, despite being the stage of bloody battles and heroic deeds over almost nine centuries.

A visit to this impressive Alentejo winery not only includes a tour of the vineyards, wineries and wine cellars, there is also a great opportunity to visit and get to know the historical and cultural heritage of Herdade do Esporão, which dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the historic and monumental centre of Herdade do Esporão you can visit the Esporão Tower, the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios Chapel (both of which have been classified as Public Interest Properties), and the Esporão Arch.  The chapel, an example of religious medieval architecture, was recently restored, thus making it possible for visitors to see the magnificent frescoes in its chancel.  There is also a Museum in the Esporão Tower where you can admire artefacts from the excavations at the Perdigões Archaeological Complex.

 

Adega da Cartuxa, Evora – This winery belongs to a foundation and wines are no longer produced here, but the place is referent for the area and definitely worth a pop in. The guided visits are not very good though, mainly 2 videos, but worth going to the shop and to taste/buy their range of wines, from modest to the region’s most expensive wine, the legendary Pêra-Manca, of which you are allowed to buy only one bottle.

 

Join us on a Private Tour of Portugal (or a combined tour with Spain) like our  Luxury Tour of Portugal – Wine and Culture  to experience the beautiful Wine Regions of Portugal in Alentejo and the Douro Valley, among others, to enjoy winery visits and tastings as well as a relaxing picnic in a vineyard and a cruise along the Douro River.

DO Wines Spain – Jerez Spanish Wine D.O Region

Our Gourmand Breaks DO the Vineyards series is covering some of the great Wine Regions of Spain: Ribera del Duero, Priorat, La Rioja …… and now the Jerez Spanish Wine D.O. Region.  Located in the autonomous community of Andalucia the Jerez Wine D.O region produces world-renowned sherry.

Quality Spanish wines are classified, using a system called the “Denominación de Origen” or “D.O.”, which in English translates as “designated origin”, to determine where they were produced. Spanish wine laws first created the “D.O.” system in 1932 and each “denominación” D.O. has its corresponding regional regulatory council or “Consejo Regulador”.

The Jerez Spanish Wine DO Region is based around the three Spanish towns of Jerez de la Frontera, Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. All Spanish sherry producers source their grapes from the bright, chalky ‘albariza’ soils of Jerez.   The main sherry grape in the Jerez Spanish Wine DO Region, Palomino, thrives in the vineyards here alongside the other two key grapes – Pedro Ximénez, which makes a rich, black, raisiny wine for blending and treacle-like dessert wines and Moscatel which makes a lighter dessert wine.

Before the phylloxera infestation in 1894, there were over an estimated 100 grape varieties used to make Sherry in Spain but now there are only three white grapes grown for Sherry-making:

  • Palomino: the dominant grape used for the dry sherries. Approximately 90 per cent of the grapes grown for Sherry are Palomino.
  • Pedro Ximénez: used to produce sweet wines. When harvested these grapes are typically dried in the sun for two days to concentrate their sugars.
  • Moscatel: used similarly to Pedro Ximénez, but it is less common.

Jerez Palomino grape

Spanish Sherry wines in the Jerez Spanish Wine DO Region mature in large 500 litre barrels made of oak, which are arranged in three row high ‘soleras’. The young wines are poured into the top row and wine is then transferred downwards enabling the fresher wines to blend with those of more maturity and a consistent style for each bodega year after year.

The wines in the Jerez Spanish Wine DO Region fall into three broad categories: Very dry Manzanillas and Finos to  richer amber and mahogany coloured Amontillados, Olorosos and the rare Palo Cortado style. Sweeter sherries include pale cream, medium and cream. Finally there are natural sweet sherries which are made from the Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel grapes. The alcoholic strength of sherries ranges from 15.5˚ for the lightest styles (Manzanilla and Fino) to 22˚ for sweeter wines.

In the Jerez Spanish Wine DO Region there is a long association with the UK,  where sherry has been enjoyed for over 400 years, indeed many names of the original English, Scottish or Irish sherry shippers can still be seen in the industry today.

Jerez Spanish Wine DO Region principal  Grape Varieties:  Palomino, Pedro Ximenez, Moscatel.

If you love Wine you can’t miss the Wine Regions of Spain!

Join us on a Private Wine Tour of Spain and enjoy expert  guided visits to some fantastic Spanish Wine Regions and wineries and taste some great Spanish wines.

Just some of the great wineries you may be visiting in the Jerez Wine Region of Spain:

Lustau – boutique sherry winery, 15 min walk from the station, In 2013 they won the Best Sherry of the World Award in IWSP International Wine and Spirit Competition.

The House of Sandeman Jerez – Sandeman’s Sherry Visitor Centre is in a perfect location, close to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in the heart of the city of Jerez de la Frontera, in the south of Spain.

Gonzalez Byass Winery – The Gonzalez Byass collection of Vintage Sherries are amongst the rarest wines in he world. The founder was mentored by his uncle, who was affectionately known as Pepe, and what is now the world’s best-selling Fino was named after him – Tio Pepe (“tio” being Spanish for uncle).

 

More of our Gourmand Breaks DO the Wine Regions of Spain series:

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DO Wines Spain – Priorat Spanish Wine D.O.Q Region

Wine from the Spanish Priorat region is not only the most highly regarded in Catalonia—it is some of the best in the world. That is why it has been granted its elite label of D.O.Q., or Qualified Destination of Origin.

Priorat Stamp

Quality Spanish wines are classified using a system based on the “Denominación de Origen” or “DO”, designated origin, which determines where each wine has been produced. Spanish wine laws created the “DO” system in 1932 and it was later revised in 1970. In addition to the “DO” system in Spain there is also the Denominación de Origen Calificada “DOCa” or “DOQ” in Catalan, a status for DOs that have a consistent track record for quality. There are currently only two DOCa/DOQ regions in Spain: Rioja and Priorat.

Perhaps what gives the wine in the Priorat Wine Region of Spain its famous and unique personality are all the extremes in both its climate and beautiful geography. In addition to sharp temperature fluctuations between night and day, this slate-soiled land is full of majestic cliffs and steep hillsides where terraces sometimes have to be built to grow parts of vineyards.

The most planted grape varieties in the Priorat Wine Region of Spain are red ones, with Carinyena (Carignan) and Garnatxa (Grenache) being the most important and recommended native varieties.

The permitted grape varieties of the DOQ Priorat Wine Region of Spain are the following:

  • Red Priorat Grape Varieties: Grenache, Carignan, Hairy Grenache, Tempranillo, Piquepoul, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah.
  • White Priorat Grape Varieties: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Pedro Ximinez, Chenin Blanc, Muscat of Alexandria, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Xarello, Piquepoul

 

Carignan grapes

Part of the Priorat region overlaps with another highly esteemed region, the Montsant DO, where the Capçanes cellers produce kosher wines in accordance with Jewish tradition in addition to other high quality wines.

Montsant Wine Region of Spain Grape Varieties:

  • Red Montsant Grape Varieties: Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Samsó, Mazuela, Garnacha Tinta, Garnacha Peluda, Merlot, Monastrell, Picapoll  and Syrah
  • White Montsant Grape Varieties: Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Muscat, Parellada, Pansal

Among the most interesting spots in the region is where the Carthusian Priory (or Priorat) of Scala Dei founded its first monastery on the Iberian Peninsula in the 12th century. This site, situated at the foot of the Montsant mountain range, is where the region’s winemaking tradition originated. The society thrived there until 1835 when the church shut the monastery operations down, but the ruins can still be toured through alongside vineyards that are stronger than ever before.

In 1900 an outbreak of phylloxera devastated the region’s vineyards and, as the textile industry was taking off in Catalonia, entire work forces fled to the city to work.  New vines were therefore not planted again, except on a small scale, which fortunately, is what remains today.

Some twenty odd years ago, the Priorat region was on the verge of extinction, with grape prices so low that this was one of Spain’s most impoverished regions. It took a few visionaries to realise Priorat’s potential and most people agree that René Barbier initiated the Priorat revival. In the 1980s he established a co-operative that put its first wine on the market in 1991 and the rest, as they say, is history.

While refining your palate, you may also want to note this region’s production of world-class olive oils, which are also classified into DOs. One of the best olive oils comes from the Priorat town of Siurana, which is set upon a mountain rounded with austere cliffs. As the last Moorish stronghold in Catalonia, this town also comes with its own set of intriguing historical legends.

Priorat wines

 

If you love Wine you can’t miss the Wine Regions of Spain!

Join us on a Private Wine Tour of Spain like our Wine Lovers Tour of Spain and Portugal to explore the Ribera del Duero, La Rioja, Priorat and Penedes Wine Regions of Spain and enjoy expert  guided visits to some fantastic wineries and taste some great Spanish wines.

Some of the wineries you might visit in the Priorat DOQ Wine Region of Spain are:
  • Clos Mogador
  • Costers del Siurana
  • Gratavinum Spanish Winery
  • Mas Blanc Pinord
  • Mas Doix Spanish Winery

 

More of our Gourmand Breaks DO the Wine Regions of Spain: