Roll out the barrel

We were advised to eat a hearty breakfast so I really tried – it’s not that the choice is limited- it’s just my stomach is still full from the paella on day 2 of the course. The spread was again delicious, with local black pudding and “bacon” which really is just a thin slice of delicious Iberico pork fat. Today’s cake was apple cake which I wrapped up to eat on the bus. The cheese was warm, melted goats cheese with honey and pine nuts. The setting for breakfast is also lovely..

We all met up and piled into a luxury air-conditioned bus. We drove northeast, passing salt flats where flamingos were fishing. I panicked slightly when I read a message from Sev saying I should carb up before starting the sherry tour – I had had one piece of bread and a little pork at breakfast but decided to immediately bring out the cake and share it with the rest of the bus. I didn’t want to be the one too drunk after the first few sips! Our first stop was one of the oldest bodegas in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Gutiérrez Colosia. We had a great guide who showed us round the sherry cathedral and explained the processes. It was fairly warm and AnnieB handed round fans – I do like to see a man with a fan. The cathedral was very impressive, such an apt name as it did feel like a church with wooden pews and it smelt like the vestry at my mum’s old church…

We were ushered into a cool room where a table was laid with six glasses of sherry per person and a selection of snacks. AnnieB had also brought along some extra snacks, including some mojama (dried tuna) and some dark chocolate. It’s amazing how the different snacks go with different sherries (Husband doesn’t eat snacks so not sure how he would have coped). For me, the best pairing was the mojama with the Amontillado, closely followed by the goats cheese and the Oloroso. But, at that point I was no expert…

…but by time my selection looked like this….

…I clearly was an expert. (Thanks to Nick who allowed me to use his empty glasses as mine were still half full, honestly). AnnieB had also provided water and we were under no pressure to buy up loads of sherry which was refreshing. I have a built-in dread of being shown around somewhere and then forced to buy – when travelling as a student in Egypt, my friend and I were pulled off our camels on the way to the pyramids and led into a perfume shop where we were given many types of perfume to try. The hard sell started and, through fear of not being allowed out of the shop unless we bought something, we asked to see the smallest bottle they had – student-size. It was very small and cost us what little money we had with us for lunch, but we were released from the shop and our camel ride continued.

After a pit stop – which I should just mention had lovely adverts on the walls so I snapped a few…

…we set off for the next Bodega in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. This tour was also very relaxed and we tried the sherry straight from the barrels. Our guide was lovely – very informative and clearly loved his job. There was one barrel which is set aside for the workers in the cathedral and, to me, that was one of the best. AnnieB suggested I change my job and come to work in the bodega…

This was my favourite sherry tour – I love the gypsy girl whose face pops out all over the bodega and whose history with the founders of the bodega needs more research. Her original painting was on a tambourine, which is kept in a gorgeous room full of the history of the bodega.

The last photo above shows her image on the end of each row of sherry in the cathedral.

So more sherry which really did get better, finely balanced with a sip of water (another top tip from Sev) culminated in a Wellington sherry which was 60 years old minimum. Wow! It was my third best – the one immediately before that one was my second best (maybe a Napolean!)

Pleasantly light-headed, we headed off for more tapas and sherry, and wine in town. Beautiful potatoes which grow near the sea and are naturally salty, with tuna, onions and a little sherry vinegar, shrimp fritters (the freshest I have ever had), gazpacho, langoustines, octopus…. so much food!

But there was room for a little pistachio and chocolate ice cream.

If you have got this far, I applaud your persistence and award you a sherry next time we meet. Tonight I might just have a few beers but then again…

And just because, I loved this shop window. Buenos tardes!