Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe: The First Sherry Hotel

Sherry has a special place in my heart and I've written numerous articles about this special Spanish wine. Back in 2010, I visited the Jerez region and it remains one of my favorite wine trips, an excellent combination of great wine, delicious food, fascinating people, beautiful architecture, and much more. I've love to return to the region, to see how it has changed in the last ten years, and to drink more Sherry, bottles unavailable in the U.S.

I visited González Byass, and enjoyed some wonderful aged Sherries, and now they state they have recently opened the "first Sherry Hotel in the world." Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe is situated in a corner of Jerez’s historic Old Town, opposite the Alcázar de Jerez and the city’s Cathedral. It has been constructed in 150-year old renovated buildings that were once winery workers’ cottages. "Every space, room and restaurant at the hotel is imbued with the culture and essence of Sherry, wine and Brandy de Jerez, .."

It is a boutique hotel, with only 27 rooms, which are divided into Classic, Premium, Deluxe and three suites: The Oloroso Alfonso y Amontillado Viña AB Junior Suite, the Superior Palo Cortado Leonor Junior Suite and the Fino Tío Pepe Presidential Suite. "Spacious and elegantly decorated, they all have very special views over some of Jerez’s loveliest and most historic corners."

The hotel possesses a swimming pool, a spacious solarium, a bar and restaurant and the Pedro Nolasco gardens, a beautiful, leafy garden, which opens out onto one of the prettiest streets in the world, Calle Ciegos, and La Recachita, a secluded, tranquil terrace, perfect for a rest after sight-seeing in Jerez. There are modern, comfortable installations, such as a fitness zone, gym and a Oenotherapy and massage programs.

The Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe experience has a strong focus on gastronomy, with different bars and restaurants offering a wide range of culinary experiences – from the most traditional Andalucian flavors to the most Avant-guard creations. The Sala La Reservada, Restaurante Gran Bodega and Restaurante Villa Ricardo allow guests to enjoy delicious dishes made from the very best quality, local ingredients, all matched with the aromas, nuances and flavors of the González Byass wines. Cocktails can be found at Bar Solera 1847, nestled between the hotel’s vestibule, the Pedro Nolasco, and the Bar Terraza La Atalaya.

Guests have the ability to go on personalized trips through the winery, exclusive tastings, walks through the vineyard, tours of the winery’s Historic Archive, the old bottling room and much more, allowing them to be immersed in the world of Sherry. This opportunity allows people from around the world to learn more about the wines and history of Jerez and González Byass.

Once travel to Europe is safer, you might want to consider visiting the Sherry region and staying at the Hotel Bodega Tío Pepe. Sherry is one of the most fascinating wines in the world, and is very much under-appreciated in the U.S. It's slowly making a comeback, as it has done multiple times during its lengthy history. Once you've experienced Sherry in Spain itself, especially the Jerez region, you'll understand why it is such an amazing wine.

Spanish Vacation: The End

Day Fourteen...

We had a final buffet breakfast this morning and then our driver arrived to take us to the airport. Then the long flight home.

What an amazing trip it had been. Spain was a wonderful country and we certainly have so many great memories. I am sure I gained at least ten pounds from all of the delicious food. I brought a case of wine back home with me and it made it safely.

Since our return, we have repeated the story of our vacation to all of our friends and family. Everyone wanted to know about Spain and I think some of them might even consider it for a future destination. I am sure we will repeat our story again to other friends and family members we have not seen yet.

I cannot rave enough about Spain. I would highly recommend it to anyone considering a vacation in Europe, especially if you love food and wine. And if you want to go in style, then consider Cellar Tours. They are certainly an exceptional tour company and do their best to ensure your vacation is as good as possible.

Now, what to do? Well of course it is time to start planning my next vacation, for next year. Probably to Oregon, to Portland and the Willamette wine region. And then in 2009, maybe Portugal, again with Cellar Tours.

So where are you going on your next vacation?

Spanish Vacation: Drolma Restaurant

Day Thirteen continues....

Our final dinner in Barcelona was at Drolma, located in the Hotel Majestic. Drolma, run by Chef Fermí Puig, has 1 Michelin star. It is a classy restaurant with nice views of the Passeig de Gracia.

Our dinner began with a nice chilled glass of Cava. We then received a loaf of fresh bread that was sliced tableside. It was warm and very tasty with a fine crusty exterior and a soft, chewy interior.

We were then served some "Snacks Drolma" which consisted of a plate of four rolls, including shrimp roll and spring roll. They were crunchy with flavorful fillings. Next, we received a couple Tapas. The first was a custard with foie gras and truffle which was very rich, creamy and absolutely delicious. The second was a pumpkin ravioli with soup. This was an intriguing dish and I enjoyed it.

It was now time for the regular courses to begin. First up, Prawns' Risotto, which consisted of two prawns atop brown rice and mushrooms. This was an ok dish but nothing really special. The next dish was Macaroni with Ceps, a thick ziti with fresh mushrooms. Again, another dish which tasted good but was nothing really special.

Matters changed with the next course, Anglerfish from San Vicente de la Barquera with vegetables. I have never had Anglerfish before so this was a treat. It was a thick piece of white fish and very tender and sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. And I very much was delighted by the next course, a Roasted Iberian Pork's Cutlet. This was more like a roast than a cutlet. It was sliced tableside. It was very tender, flavorful and we received plenty of meat.

Dessert was Watermelon Soup with Melon and Citronella's Ice Cream. This was alright but nothing special. After coffee and tea, we received some petit fours which were good.

Service was very good. Overall, our experience was good with moments that were excellent. But, I think I expected more from my experience. I am not sure if my expectations were just too high, or maybe the experience suffered from being our last dinner in Spain. I have pondered this a lot since that dinner, and I don't have any definite answers.

After dinner, we walked back to our hotel. In the morning, we would return home.

Spanish Vacation: Day Thirteen

Day Thirteen begins...

This is our last full day in Spain. Most of the day is free for us so we can do whatever we wish. It is a bit of an overcast day, with the occasional bit of rain. Nonetheless, we chose to go to the port area. Below, you can see the statue of Christopher Columbus again, as it is at the end of Las Ramblas, close to the shore.

We walked past the statue and continued on to the Port area. We stopped at the Maremagnum shopping center and checked out some of the stores.

From there we proceeded to the Aquarium. It was a fairly nice aquarium, with a couple areas where you walked under the glass walls of the great tank. You could watch sharks, mantas and other fish swim above your head. There were plenty of activities for children and this would be a good family outing.
Here is where I geared up for a dive with the sharks. Well, maybe not.

We proceeded from the Aquarium down to the beach. Despite the weather, there were a number of surfers in the water. In the summer, this would be a beautiful beach.

Why wandering the area, we decided to stop at Paco Aldade for lunch. We knew nothing about this restaurant. The menu just seemed good so we gave it chance.

I had the seafood paella, the only time I have had paella on my trip. The paella contained mussels, prawns, lobster, and pieces of fish. It was absolutely delicious. I got a big pan of paella, with lots of tasty rice. It was very reasonable priced and service was very good. We certainly lucked out and found some good food.

We then headed back to our hotel, for a bit of siesta before our final dinner, a multicourse feast at Drolma.

Spanish Vacation: Tapioles 53

Day Twelve continues...

While preparing for my Spain trip, I did a lot of research, including seeking out interesting restaurants. My local newspaper, the Boston Globe, had an intriguing article on Tapioles 53, a relatively new restaurant in Barcelona. I checked out some other resources on Tapioles 53 and it continued to intrigue me. It certainly seemed unique so I made reservations for dinner.

The restaurant is located in a more residential area, in the Poble Sec region, and can be difficult to find as the door lacks a sign. Tapioles 53 is not only its name, but also its address. You can look through the large front room and see that it is a restaurant. But, this is not a place you are likely to find unless you specifically seek it out.

The restaurant is only open from Tuesday through Saturday. There is a single seating each night and reservations are almost essential, especially considering the small size of the restaurant. There are only six tables, five that fit two people and one that fits eight. It is a cozy and intimate restaurant. It is certainly not stuffy or pretentious. Interestingly enough, we sat near another couple from Massachusetts. They too had read the Boston Globe article.

The wine list is small, about twenty choices, though prices are good, mostly under 40 Euros. Though the list is primarily Spanish, there are also choices from Italy, New Zealand and Australia. We ordered a bottle of 1997 Pago Jean-Leon Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva ($34 Euros), a very good price. This is an excellent wine from a winery we visited while in Spain. I definitely recommend it.

There are no menus for dinner. Instead, Sarah Stothart, the Chef and co-owner of Tapioles 53. comes to your table and explains the available choices. Chef Stothart is Australian and was once the personal chef of Rupert Murdoch. She is very personable.

There were three options for dinner, two different three-course meals ($34 Euros) and one five-course meal ($54 euros). The choices change every two to five days. Chef Stothart selects only the freshest ingredients and shops in a few of the food markets in Barcelona, as well as a few other select providers. This is obviously a Chef who works hard each day, shopping, planning her meals and then cooking them. And while she explained our options, her passion was more than evident.

And that is a significant reason why I chose to go to Tapioles 53. From all that I had read, Chef Stothart appeared to be a very passionate individual. I felt that passion would lead to some superb food. And I was not wrong.

We decided on the five-course dinner, which I would recommend to anyone going to Tapioles 53. You are going to want as much of Chef Stothart's food as possible. Prior to our first course arriving, we received some homemade bread, Spanish olive oil (from Priorat) and an Egyptian mix of spices. An excellent start to our meal. You dipped your bread in the oil and then the spices. The bread was very fresh and tasty and the oil was clean and flavorful. The spices were very interesting, with a bit of sweetness.

The kitchen is small, almost like what someone might have at home. There were two people helping Chef Stothart, including Noelle, the pastry chef. The size and closeness of the kitchen to the dining are helped make the restaurant seem cozier and more intimate.

Our first course was Gravadlux (marinated Salmon) that was cured on bread with several different seeds types. There was a layer of sweet French butter, a squeeze of lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper. This was simply fantastic, silky, creamy and a delicious blend of flavors. The salmon was very fresh and almost melted in the mouth. A great start to our dinner.

I was a little hesitant about the second course. This was Gnocchi, made with fresh spinach and cabra de ronda (fresh goat cheese made by nuns in Ronda), served with a sage infused butter and parmesan. This is a signature dish of Chef Stothart. Why my hesitancy? Because I dislike spinach. There were six Gnocchi though they seemed more like meatballs than traditional gnocchi. I actually did enjoy these and my wife loved them. If a Chef can get me to eat something I dislike, then they have to cook very well. The flavor of the spinach was more muted by the goat cheese and parmesan.

The next course was a Boned Quail sprinkled in a five-pepper mix then fried in Albequina olive oil from the Priorat. At the last minute, the Chef also put 4 drops of white truffle oil on the quail. This was served with black rice from Verona in Italy and baby green beans. We received a breast and two legs. The quail's skin was very crispy, just perfect. I love crispy skin on poultry and this was exactly what I loved. The quail was also meaty, and the meat was tender, juicy and flavorful. Absolutely superb. The black rice was interesting and I enjoyed it as well.

Our fourth course was a selection of three cheeses. We had Don Enrique, a sheep's milk cheese from Andalusia cured with rosemary and paired with quince paste. We also had a Tete de Moine from Switzerland, a cow's milk cheese. This was paired with two home-made jellies, one from Cava and the other from Etim, an over matured sweet red wine. The third was a Brique made with goat's milk from France and paired with a rose petal jam from Greece. An amazing combination of cheeses and pairings. I loved all of the cheeses and the pastes and jellies were so delicious and very much complemented the cheeses.

We had a choice of desserts and we chose the meringue with passion fruit and the flourless chocolate cake. Both of these were excellent. They certainly were an excellent ending to this phenomenal meal.

Service was excellent. Everyone worked hard to make sure you enjoyed your dinner. They were all personable and almost made you feel like family. Chef Stothart impressed me with her passion and incredible food. Each dish was inventive and delicious.

If you are going to Barcelona, I cannot recommend enough that you should make reservations for Tapioles 53. This is a special place, the epitome of passion. A foodie paradise.

Spanish Vacation: Day Twelve

Day Twelve begins....

Ah, our vacation is winding down and the end is near. The only planned events we have remaining are two dinners. We have the rest of the days to ourselves, free to wander Barcelona and explore this wonderful city. It is a large city and there is so much to see that we will only be able to view a fraction of it. But, we will sure do a lot of walking in the next couple days.
We first returned to the Mercat de la Boqueria, where we had made a brief stop before. We wanted more time to explore the market, to examine all it had to offer. We passed down about every row and aisle in the market. It is just amazing how much can be found here. It is also so very clean.Just look at all the choices offered at the egg stall. You can buy any number of eggs rather than just the dozen packages we see in our stores.

You can buy entire suckling pigs. Don't they look like they are sleeping? And if you don't want the whole pig, you can buy any of its body parts and organs, as in the picture below.
And if you don't like pork, there are organ meats from other animals as well.
Or check these organs below. In the bottom right corner there is a tray of criadillas, bull testicles. Andrew Zimmerman of Bizarre Foods might be able to eat them but I certainly was not even going to try them.

After leaving the Boqueria, we wandered down Las Ramblas almost to the shore. At the end of Las Ramblas, there is a statue of Christopher Columbus. Below, you can see a silhouette of that statue.

This is a popular Church for mariners, who often pray here before going out on a sea journey. Just across from this Church, you will see a statue of Poseiden, which you can view below.

We wandering for a time through the Barri Gotic and Born districts, a kind of random meandering. There were plenty of interesting architectural finds, such as below.

There were also intriguing stores, such as a magic and costume show with the intriguing entrance below. On route, we did stop at a place for Churros. They were delicious, hot, cripsy and with a light covering of sugar. We also saw a Dali museum. Though we did not go into the actual museum, we did wander into the courtyard and see a couple of the statues there.

For lunch, we just stopped by Txapela, a Basque pintxos tavern on the Passeig de Gracia. We just had a few Tapas and a couple glasses of wine. The food was ok though nothing special. But we knew dinner should be special so we did not want to fill up too much for lunch.

We were certainly tired by the afternoon as we walked so much. So, we spent a time relaxing in our hotel before dinner.

Spanish Vacation: Catavino

Day Eleven continues....

As the afternoon approached, I looked forward to finally getting to meet Ryan and Gabriella of Catavino. They are a husband and wife team that write an interesting and informative blog about Iberian wines, both Spanish and Portuguese. Because of my own love of Spanish wines, I began reading their blog. And over time, I got to know Ryan and Gabriella better, albeit only online. So when my wife and I chose to vacation in Spain, we made plans to meet them in person.

(You can read an interview with Ryan and Gabriella over at Tom Wark's Fermentation).

As we waited for Ryan and Gabriella to arrive, there was obviously a little bit of trepidation. What would they be like in person? Would we like each other? Would we be able to find something to talk about or would there be much awkward silence? I figured they felt the same way as well. Yet I felt that it would go well.

Ryan showed up first, alone, as Gabriella was busy though she was going to join us later for dinner. Ryan had brought a bottle of Portuguese wine made from the Touriga Nacional varietal. This was to honor Wine Blog Wednesday, Portuguese Table Wines, which would occur the next day.

We led Ryan to the rooftop of our hotel to drink some wine and talk, getting to know each other. There was a beautiful view from the rooftop and it was an excellent setting for our initial meeting. And it fit in with Catavino's frequent rooftop tastings, though on their own rooftop.

The conversation flowed quite freely, from wine to many other topics. Ryan certainly was personable, witty and intelligent. It was a pleasure to spend time with him, sipping wine and chatting. As I have said before, wine tastes even better when shared with good friends.

After a time, we went off for dinner. Ryan had chosen a Portuguese restaurant that was not too far from our hotel. But when we arrived, it was closed. So we just wandered around, seeking any place that looked good. A grand adventure. Would we find some place delicious, or would it be a dud?

We chose to first stop at Origen 99.9% for a drink and some tapas. It just looked interesting though none of us had heard of it before. We sat at a table and were brought intriguing menus. The menu was actually a magazine! There were articles in the beginning and then a list of the foods, with photos of each dish. The menu started with desserts, certainly a great way to start a menu. There was also a fairly long wine list.

Ryan chose a Cava for us to try, one he had not had before. It was made with an intriguing blend of grapes and was very tasty. It had a crisp, fruity quality. A very good choice.

We ordered three tapas, and split them all so we could try the different dishes. We had slices of a lamb sausage which were excellent, with good spices and a meaty taste. We also had a stuffed baked apple, containing minced veal and pork and various spices. This was also excellent, a nice blend of flavors. There was plenty of meat inside the apple. The third dish was Majorcan sausage, atop bread, and covered with a thick layer of cheese. Though it was tasty, the cheese did overpower the sausage.

We all thought this place was very good. We got lucky when we stumbled into this restaurant. It is a place I would recommend. Prices were reasonable and the food was generally very good.

Gabriella showed up near the end of the meal and she was obviously very bubbly and personable. We decided to find another place for dinner so we left Origens 99.9% and wandered off to find another restaurant.

We decided to eat at Restaurant La Ferreria. It was relatively quiet there but it seemed nice and the menu had many enticing choices. My wife and I began with the Gambas Al Ajillo, garlic shrimp in sizzling oil. That is one of my favorites and it was very good, with plenty of garlic. Ryan and Gabriella split a goat cheese salad and had one of the largest pieces of goat cheese I have even seen. It was like a huge ball of cheese, and it was very creamy and tasty.

For my meal, I chose the duck breast with a fruit sauce. There was plenty of lean duck and the sauce went very well with it. I was very pleased with my meal. My wife had the steak tartare and it was a huge pile of raw beef. Again, it was one of the largest steak tartares I have ever seen. It was also very delicious. Ryan and Gabriella enjoyed their meals as well. Portions were all good-sized. We had found another good restaurant. The conversation went very well and we had a fun time chatting about a variety of topics, from wine to how each couple met. Gabriella was also witty and intelligent. We all got along very well and had many laughs. Especially about someone talking with their hands.

After dinner, we returned to my hotel and decided to have some wine on the rooftop. We did take a couple pics before going to the roof.

On the rooftop, we continued our fun and conversation. We opened a Talai Berri Red, a very nice wine with a bit of effervescence. I got to know Ryan and Gabriella much better and I very much liked what I learned. They were genuine, down to earth people. They were passionate about Spain, Portugal and wine. They were very easy to talk with and I could have spent the entire night talking with them. It felt very comfortable.

Ryan and Gabriella helped create another fine memory of Spain for me. It was a great pleasure to spend time with them and I wish we could have spent more time together.

Spanish Vacation: Barcelona Gourmet Tour

Day Eleven begins....

We finally got to sleep in late this morning as we had no plans until noon. We then met Guillem who was going to take us on a gourmet tour of Barcelona, to explore some of the culinary wonders that can be found in the city.
Our first stop was the Mercat de la Boqueria, maybe the most famous food market in the city. Located just off Las Ramblas, it is a huge covered market, selling all sorts of fresh meat, seafood, poultry, produce and much more. There are literally hundreds of stalls. This is where many local Chefs come to buy for their restaurants. There is certainly nothing in New England to compare with this market.

The Market was very clean and the stalls were very aesthetically pleasing. They made sure that the food looked appealing. It was simple amazing to see so much variety available. We could only spend a short time in the Market today but we would return and I will talk about that in a future post.


We did stop at one of the stalls to try the Iberico Jamon, the special Spanish ham.


You can see the prices of these hams, and they can be quite expensive. The famous Bellota ham is probably the most expensive, over $100 a pound. Below, you can see the Pata Negra hog, the black footed hog, which generally runs free and eats acorns. It is the source of these Spanish hams.


We got some of the Bellota and it was heavenly. Silky smooth with a nutty flavor. Just an incredible piece of ham. Have a glass of Sherry, some Bellota and bread, and you have a wonderful meal.


The fruits and vegetables certainly were enticing. But do note that the highest prices in the market at near the entrances to the Market, where the vendors figure the tourists are most likely to buy anything. So, if you want to buy anything, go deeper into the market toward the inner stalls.


As you can see in the pictures above and below, the Market also sells all parts of the animals, snout to tail.

Just around the corner from the Market is Pastas Alimenticias, a famous bakery.

Their pastries and other desserts certainly looked delicious.After the Market, we entered the Barri Gotic, the Gothic Quarter, to continue our gourmet tour. Guillem also pointed our certain historical spots as well. One of our stops was Oroliquido, an olive oil shop. I never knew that Spain made so much olive oil. It also appears that Italy buys a lot of Spanish olive oil, in bulk, and then bottles it themselves. The bottles only stated "Bottled in Italy" so they do not directly lie. They just don't tell you where the oil was produced.

Another one of our stops was Formatgeria La Seu, a cheese shop.

The shop is owned and operated by Katherine McLaughlin, a Scotswoman, who you can see below. She became an expert on Spanish cheeses. She was very personable. We had a tasting of a few cheeses with a glass of wine.

The store does not keep a huge stock of different cheeses, maybe around 25 at any one time. Many of the cheeses are unpasteurized, which is generally illegal in the U.S. All I know is that the three cheeses we tasted were amazing, full of flavor. I would highly recommend that you stop here while in Barcelona.

While wandering, we came across a set of Roman ruins, walls from that around 2000 years old. It brought to mind the ancient Roman walls I once saw in London. And also made me think of how much I wanted to visit Italy as well.

Our next stop was a chocolate and pastry store, Bubo. There was some construction going on the outside of the shop. It was a small but modern looking shop with very intriguing desserts.

There were petit fours, macaroon cookies, mousse desserts and so much more. I tried some of the cookies and they were light, tasty and just the right amount of sweetness. A mousse cake was also quite decadently delicious.
You would think we had enough food already but that was but a tease prior to lunch. And we were not prepared for what was coming now, at Taller de Tapas. This is a relatively new Tapas eatery but which has gained much fame in a short time. It presents fresh ingredients in traditional Tapas with some innovations.

We sat at a table at the large front window, looking out into the street. A nice view to people watch. Once they started to bring us Tapas, the lunch never seemed to end. After tasting a half dozen dishes, they would bring another half-dozen. More and more plates were delivered to our table. We seemed to have a taste of everything, from croquettas to mushrooms, from ham to asparagus. I could not keep track of everything but I am absolutely sure that the food was superb. This is certainly the place for incredible tapas.

After waddling out of the restaurant, we caught a cab back to our hotel. A Siesta sounded like an excellent idea.

Spanish Vacation: Qu Qu

Day Ten continues....

Another very busy day so we were relatively tired by the time we returned to our hotel. Plus, we had such a large, and delicious, lunch that we only wanted a light dinner. So we chose a walk down the Passeig de Gracia. We would just choose whichever restaurant appealed to us at the moment. Not far from our hotel was the Casa Batllo, a building designed by the renowned Antoni Gaudi, a Modernista architect. His influence was quite important in Barcelona and his works can be found throughout the city. Some of it reminds me of Salvador Dali, that almost melted look. It sure is striking though, even at night.

Tapas sounded appealing so we decided to stop at Qu Qu, located on the Passeig de Gracia. We really knew nothing about it but the menu looked good and they had tables set up outside. It was a very nice night so it was perfect to sit outside, eat and people watch. The streets were quite busy and it was an enjoyable way to spend some time.

Qu Qu is short for "Quasi Queviures", a Catalan phrase which means "almost provisions." Qu Qu is a tapas bar and deli. The prices seemed reasonable and the menu was diverse. We ordered several different tapas, from croquettas to salad and everything was very good. Service was very good too, despite them being fairly busy. We took our time eating and drinking, just savoring the ambience of a Barcelona night.

Spanish Vacation: El Celler de l'Aspic

Day Ten continues....

After our two excellent winery visits, it was time for lunch at El Celler de l'Aspic. This is considered one of the best restaurants in the Priorat region. Located in Falset, the restaurant seats about fifty people. Its owner, Toni Bru, creates innovative Catalan cuisine.

We actually sat in a small dining room on the second floor. There was some type of function going on in the main dining room on the first floor. This made it a more intimate lunch as we were all alone up there. And what a feast was coming up.
We began with an interesting white wine, 2006 Sant Bru. This is a blend of White Garnacha and Chardonnay. It was a nice crisp wine, with delicious citrus flavors. It lacked any bitterness and had a decently long finish. A good choice.

Our Salad came with Figs and Sliced Duck Foie Gras, with a vinegarette. What a start! The figs have to be some of the best figs I have ever eaten. Perfectly ripe, sweet and juicy. Far too open figs are over ripe or shriveled. But not these in the least. Plus, the Foie was so silky smooth and so creamy. I could have made a lunch of just this salad.

We moved on to a Seasonal Mushroom "Paella." This was a rice dish with different types of mushrooms. Though I am not a big mushroom fan, this was an excellent dish with very intriguing flavors. As I have said before, if a chef can make me eat what I usually do not, the dish is excellent.

Then came Hake with Aromatic Herbs. A simple dish but the fish was tender and sweet. I have really come to enjoy Hake and this was certainly one of the best pieces I have had so far.

We moved on to a red wine, a 1999 Capafons-Osso Mas de Masos. This wine is a blend of 35% Garnacha Peluda, 20% Garnacha Pais, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carinena and 5% Syrah. This wine spends 12 months in French oak. This is an interesting wine, with bright berry flavors on the palate meshing with some spicy notes. It is nicely balanced with moderate tannins. It went well with our beef.

Our next course was the Solomillo Steak with Black Morcilla Sausage in a Red Wine Sauce. The steak was tender and flavorful. The Morcilla were delicious and the sauce complemented both foods. There was plenty of food on our plates.

We ended our meal with a white chocolate soup with wild berries. An excellent dessert and a great way to end this superb lunch. I was very satisfied, and full. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in Priorat.