FROM ROUTES AND WINES: JEREZ

For some time now, we've wanted to share our experiences in the fascinating worlds of artisanal cheeses and wines, to tell you all about our culinary travels and the details of the cheese dairies and wineries we work with. Everything comes in time, and we're finally delighted to launch this modest blog. Of course, feel free to comment on our posts and enrich our understanding with your opinions!

JEREZ ROAD

To get to the point… At La Carbonera, we've always had a great passion for Jerez wines, so we were really looking forward to visiting the city to see firsthand the wineries of some of the best wines in the world… or at least, the most complex and artistic ones! One warm May morning, Marcelo and Marité ( chef at La Carbonera ) And our friends Margit and Amy from the gastronomic tour company Walk and Eat Spain (both Americans and lovers of sherry), headed south.

Margit and Amy from @walkandeat

THE CARBONÁ

Much has been said about the stunning beaches of Cádiz, but this time we're going to talk about the local cuisine. First off, you can eat very well in any tabanco you find in Jerez, where you can always pair your dishes with magnificent local wines. We tried a few tabancos for lunch, although we had a reservation at a spectacular place called La Carboná . Run by chef Javier Muñoz , this former wine cellar is now a luxury restaurant, where most of the exquisite dishes feature sherry and are perfectly prepared and presented. It also has an impressive wine cellar, where anyone can go and choose their favorite bottle. It's not too big, but it's definitely a place to get lost in!

WINE

We also took advantage of the trip to visit Vinoble , the International Exhibition of Noble Wines (fortified, liqueur, and special sweet wines), which reopened this year after a two-year closure due to the pandemic. This time, it was held at the Alcázar, a former palace and fortress from the Muslim era, a perfect setting for this grand wine event. There, we were fortunate enough to stroll through its gardens among olive trees, cypresses, and all kinds of flowers, explore the palace rooms, and meet up with old friends to enjoy Jerez at its finest. It was a unique moment, one we will remember for a long time.

In short, we enjoyed a dream getaway. For two days we were able to taste excellent fortified wines, savor the delicious cuisine of Jerez, explore its most charming corners, and visit its legendary wineries, among which we highlight one of the oldest and most prestigious in the city: the Sánchez Romate winery, where we were able to appreciate both the fortified wines and the brandies, some of them preserved and aged in ancestral casks dating back to the 19th century… incredible!