Ricardo's Blog

Two Sides of the Coin in Valencias Vineyards.   The two sides of Valencian winemaking seem to be at odds this weekend over the future of Valencian wine. The problem seems to be essentially related to the difference between the Bodega owners, or `bodegueros´and the families who grow grapes, the`cosecheros´, but who do not make their own wine, choosing to sell to the Cooperatives instead.     The

Valencia´s Wine and Food Fair Reaches New Heights! - Part 2.   This year I made a special effort to visit the stand showcasing the Vins de la terra de Castellon. People forget that Castellon once had a thriving wine industry that exported huge quantites of wine the UK annually as well as Bordeaux to bulk up claret. Phylloxera, new wine laws, the Civil war and compulsory replanting of vineyards

Valencia's Wine and Food Fair Reaches New Heights! - Part 1   Valencia's dry river bed this weekend is hosting the 22nd Valencian Wine and Quality Food Fair organised annually by PROAVA, the wine and food promotional body here in the Community. And to my mind this has been the best yet, a view clearly shared by fellow visitors and exhibitors alike. Several of the bodegas are exhibiting for the

Busy April in Valencia!   It´s a busy month for wine and food enthusiasts in Valencia this April.   Las Añadas de España, Valencias big gourmet shop near the Estacion del Norte has a couple of promotions running. Firstly `Taste the City´ involves touring a number of bars and restaurants in the centre, all within walking distance of each other. The idea is to drink a glass of wine in each and to

  Julio Calvo and a selection of Chilean Red Wines from Vin365.       VIN365, Valencia's New World Wine Importer.   Operating under the slogan `Uncork the World´ Vin365 has now opened for business via the internet and a base in Alfafar.   Two friends, Julio Calvo and Pieter Whaley decided to launch their business selling New World wines following persuasion from friends who had the advantage of

Valencia Celebrates it's Moscatel and Sweet Wines at a Special Fair.   Last weekend saw the first wine fair dedicated to the Sweet wines of Valencia and proved a great success by all accounts.   Although some producers take examples of their wines from this end of the spectrum to the various gastronomy and wine fairs of the community it is unusual to find quite so many available in one place to

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

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

    A group of top  restaurants and their chefs have initiated a campaign to defend the authenticity of Valencian Paella and have asked the Valencian Government to decree a new D.