Ricardo's Blog

A Valencia wine selection for Xmas Day.   So what to drink on Xmas day? Which Valencian wines will best complement the traditional smoked salmon, roast turkey and trimmings etc? The answer I suspect is probably anything you fancy from this rapidly improving and versatile wine region!   For an aperitif it has to be D.

Our winemakers bubbles raise Valencia to Heaven!   Under this motto the 1st Valencian cava fair took place last weekend in the grand and appropriate setting of the Cloister of Valencia's University. As one grower put it, `a serious venue for a quality product ´. And he wasn´t joking. This was my first opportunity to taste a number of Cavas in one sitting so to speak and I was wondering why this

Ist Valencia Cava Fair, 27-29 November 2009.   As if this weekend wasn´t already busy enough PROAVA, ( Promocion Agroalimentaria de Calidad de la Communidad Valencia ) are holding the first Cava fair to showcase Cava from Valencia. Some 16 bodegas producing quality wines in the region will be showing their products in the cloister of the old University building in Calle de la Nave ( otherwise

Tenth Artesan Sweet Fair in Casinos, Valencia 27th-29th November 2009.   Next weekend sees the 10th fair held in Casinos, heart of the Serranos almond growing area, at which local producers will again exhibit their sweets, sugar covered almonds and turron. The fair showcases these traditional Autumn and Xmas products made from the highest quality totally natural mediteranean ingredients.  

Utiel-Requena wine week 23-29 November 2009.    The regulatory body ( CRDO ) for Utiel-Requena wine district of Valencia is promoting the wines of the region again this coming week. A series of events starting with a trade presentation ends with a wine disco. Perhaps most interesting is the event in Colon Market between 27th-29th where the  CRDO will take a corporate stall for a public tasting of

1st Valencia Gastronomy Fair. Last weekend saw the first Gastronomy fair held within the circus tent which fills the bullring in Valencia. Some 40,000 people were expected to have attended by Sunday evening. The event was organised by the company which manages the bullring on behalf of the town hall. The plan was to showcase Spanish gastronomy at a time of financial crisis and to this extent the

Fivamel, the Valencian Honey Fair comes to Montroy 6/8 November 2009.   Montroy a pretty little Valencian town half an hour out of the city,  will hold the annual Valencian honey fair this weekend.   The fair is a collaboration between local honey producers, the Government and the town hall amongst others and brings together exhibitors to what is a rather more comprehensive gastronomy fair and

European Wine tourism day comes to Utiel-Requena 8 November 2009.   Sunday 8 November sees an open door policy at the bodega members of the Ruta del Vino organisation of Utiel Requena. The ruta del vino is a tourist arm of the wine area aimed at promoting the food, wine and other tourist interests such as walking and adventure holidays in the area.   Some 20 plus bodegas will open their doors and

Utiel Gastronomica 2009   Friday 16 October saw the opening of Utiel's gastronomy fair held in the open air in the Paseo de Alameda, close to the Rio Magro.   This year, possibly due to cooler weather and the the economic crisis numbers attending were down but the fairs organisers still declared it a great success. Utiel is one of the two major towns on the plateau which gives it's name to the

Quesos Jamesa win world cheese award.   It seems I am not the only one who appreciates the products of Queserias Romero Gozalvez, ( see my last blog ).   Marketed under the name ´Quesos Jamesa ´ the servilleta blanco ( or white knapkin ) won a fresh cheese gold medal at the Las Palmas de Canarias world cheese fair sharing top spot with an Italian and two Californian cheeses. Some 2440 other