SPAIN GOintMETOUR FOOD, WINE & TRAVEL QUARTERLY MAGAZJ^E: No 2. October-November-December. C 1 40, USS 2. $C 2.70. PTAS. 300

TPiE TRANSCANTABRICAN EXPRESS THE 50 BEST SPANISH HOTELS CANARIES-CUBA-CANARIES: THE MUCH-TRAVELLED QCAR rnicoMEn IBEBIA

Iberia stands for Spain. passengers every year in a st>'le which combines So, today, Iberia can welcome you in just And it also stands for a woridwide network with pleasant passenger comfort details with about any part of the worid. offices in 160 cities in 60 countries. professional know-how before, during and after Iberia ffies almost thirteen million a flight. This makes Iberia one of the vrorids leading airiines. AIRLINES OF SPAIN his, the second quarterly marketed, selling at around T number of 500 ptas. a bottle. And for the GOURMETOUR SPAIN, effects of the natural tendency coincides with an important to try out what is new, be it for time of year for those of us reasons of fashion, curiosity, with an interest in food, wine or whatever. and travel. But Spam also has a lot to In this issue, we aim to keep offer the rest of Europe. Our you abreast of changes and fine wmes, oils, olives and developments in food and preserves will come as an wme in Spain and to make agreeable surprise to those some Christmas holiday who, until now, have had little suggestions. more than a fleeting January 1st, of next year sees acquaintance with us. Spains's entry into the E.E.C.. The Gastronomic Feshval an event which is to have which was held recently in San far-reaching effects for our Sebastian to coincide with the goods and services. Free Film Festival, was attended by circulation of goods, both food-writers from all over imports and exports, is going Europe (Fay Maschler, to cause noticeable changes Catherine Mitchell, Luigi in what we eat and drink in Veronelh.,.). The gastronomic Spain, whilst at the same time standard of restaurants like establishing an up-to-date Arguinano, Arzak and Subijana market presence for us in the impressed them favourably, major countries of Europe. something we can expect to Whilst the effects of this see reported back in their mutual exchange will be respective countries. A quick largely medium and longterm. initial visit to Guetaria to taste It will have its immediate the Basque Country's unique im.pact. Spain must be chacoli, m situ, first gripped prepared for the arrival of their interest, which remained wines from France, Italy and fully engaged throughout the Germany which will be highly rest of this first Gastronomic competitive in terms of both Festival, as was revealed in quality and price; an influx of the subsequent forum, ably good quality wines, well chaired by Nines Arenillas. presented and better

GOURMETOUR SP.VN 3 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

Gourmetour Spain offers the widest coverage of Spanish wines, gastronomy and travel, and where to buy gourmet foods and arts and crafts in Spain. To subscribe to the quarterly English language edition, fill in the form below. Gourmetour Spain will appear in July and October 1985, and January and April 1986.

SPAIN

28035 Madrid Spam. Spain. Velayos. 4. bajo. Send to: Gourmetour

FORENAMEISI SURNAME ... issue. The p S p. to be in. starting vvitb thBy—J^,^ uS$8 plus S3 airma,

CheQU^ n' toA/C n" 2691. Banco deB^lbJ^. ^ ^3,«,card

E^f^iif^neiv^ a^ivWa issues. The ! Date

oi transfer document. enclose photocopy Please ammary

Editorial. TOBACCO Cananas-Cuba-Canarias 54 wmES Cataluna Wine. A tangible reality RECIPES Marinated salmon canapes with quails eggs 50 Cold Yoghurt cucumber and soup 50 Royal pie a la Isabel 51 Forest fruits with orange but­ ter 51 Eggs in aspic 52 Monkfish terrine with king praxns 52 Aubergine puree 53 Caramel ice cream 53 Almond tuiles 53

The best wine of Catalufia 12 The wmes of Navarra. Ros6 rules 16

GASTRONOMY Gourmets recipes Santifia Laredo Colindres. The triangle of anchoa 47

TOURISM The 50 best hoteles of Spain , , 23 The Transcabrian express. Following the coal rule 40

SPAIN GOOBMETOUR

Editor m thief: rrancisco l j6pcz. Canls. Editor: Ignacio Medina. Design: Miguel Angel Ldpez. Correspondents: Juan Carlos .Monso (Andalucia); .Mario Hemindcz Bueno (Canarias); Guillermo Campos (Galicia); Ixirenzo .Millo (1-evanie); Gastrofilus (Mexico); Oscar Caballero (Francia). Contributors: Luis Bcttbnica, Jos* Maria Busca Isusi, |os* Carlos Capel, Belen DIaz-Calcro, Lorenzo Dfas, Enrique Dominguez, Eugenio Domingo, Xavicr Domin­ go. Rafael Garcfa Santos, Fermln Gofii, Eduardo Mendez Riesira, Joaqufn Mcnno, Francisco Ontafttin, Luis Paneorbo, jos* P*rez Gallcgo. .AndriSs Proensa, Carlos .Moro, Luis San Valentin, Ima Sanch/s Jost, Joi^ V. Sueiro, DepBtito lefai: M. 1I-002I'J76. Published by Club G, S.A. Adrtss: Vclayos, 4 bajo. 28035 Madrid. Spain. Tel; ("JI) 209 10 42 and 209 10 4.1. Tfpesetling: .Vrtecomp, S. .A. .Albarradn. SO. 2803'' Madnd. Pnnied by Sipio. S,A. Albasanz, 27. 28037 .Madnd. Distributed by COEDI, S.A. Valencia, 245. 08007 Barcelona. Tel: (93) 6~6 39 11. Translated by Haways Priichard.

ADVERTISING. Vclayos, 4, bajo. 28035 Madrid Tel. (91) 209 10 42 and 209 10 43.

GOURMETOUK SPAIN 6 CATALUNA WINE A TANGIBLE REALITY

ATALUNA has wines from various parts duction structure and waggon both at home C been producing of the Principality is cu­ back-up. Pened^s pro­ and abroad —a pity, since wine since the dawn of rrently the focus of at­ jects a good image with Its slights have hither­ civilisation, and particu- tention, but the real re­ its fine, pale, fragrant to been focused on ex­ lary since it was coloni­ volution of recent years wmes and espumosos. ports. Still, the Denomi­ sed by the Romans, as in came with the veri­ Some attempts have nation of Origin of Tarra­ Ampurias and Tarraco, table gush of sparkling been made recently to gona is large, and its pa­ for example, Wme has wines, vmos de cava, establish quality reds in norama varied, and always played an im­ from Penedes. specifica­ Pened^s. There are there are some hopeful portant part in Catalan lly from San Sadurm' areas such as Priorato. signs. Conca de Barbe- life and still does to this d'Anoia and the surroun­ Ampurddn and Terra ra, a provisional Deno­ day: Catalufia has been ding area Production is Alta which are natural mination of Origin, has a major contributor to currently well over 100 red wine territory, but been awaiting an offi­ the recent «wine boom» million bottles a year, here the standards of cial declaration of full in Spain, and has prompted a lea­ both production and status for several years With Its 80,000 hecta­ ding politician of the ma­ commercialisation are now At present, it sells res under vine, Cataluria jority party in the Cata­ uneven. Cataluna also almost all its wme to the is an important force in lan Parhament to decla­ includes the historic de­ cava makers m Pene- the wine world; it em­ re that wtourism and nomination of Alella. d6s, though its ros^s braces several Denomi­ cava between them will now struggling to survi­ have a promising future nations of Origin and Wi­ fill the coffers of our au­ ve against the assault of in their own right. negrowing Areas, all ma­ tonomous community». sprawling coastal deve­ Even such a brief rfe- king very different con­ Catalima is a field lea­ lopment, sum6 of the Catalan tributions to the general der in quality wines, and Tarragona seems to wine scene as this can wine scene. The specta­ IS also a tirail blazer in be falluig behind the not omit to mention that cular progress of quality commercial and pro­ quality wines band- one of its companies, Co- 6 GOURMETOUR SP/UN Cataluna is well equipped to compete growing concerns, equi­ without comercial handicaps in the valents of the French Community market place. Penedes is on a chateaux, have sprung sound technical and commercial footing, up. growing their own and can contemplate the future with optimism. grapes and making their own wines. Pened^s has established a distinctive character for itself and IS unique m Spain in offer­ ing such wide ranging guaranteed quality. Thanks to the efforts of the pioneers —Torres, Rene Barbier, Marques de Momstrol, Masi'a Bach and Pmord— and to opened markets, small and medium-sized firms have been able to thrive in Pened^s, and now give the area an added gloss and inte­ rest Cavas Hill, Here- dad Montsarra, Jean Leon, Masi'a Vallformo- sa. Masi'a Valldosera, Mont Margal, Parato Vi- ni'cola, Vmya Teixidora, Mas Rabassa and Can Rafols dels Caus are- names to note particularly. Pened^s produces few native reds because of the peculiar structure of the market, largely controlled by the caws- fas' need for white wme varieties. However, there are sign that this situation may be chang­ dorm'u, has succeeded UNEVEN, BUT Community market­ ing. It may well be that in creating a top-ranking PROMISING place. Catalufia will always wmegrowmg area in the produce predominantiy province of LSrida This somewhat un­ white wines, but all the Raimat. with 700 hecta­ even panorama nonethe­ PENEDES: big firms and many res of impeccable vi­ less has its promising THE FUTURE smaller ones are plant­ neyards It is also worth features and suggests LOOKS GOOD ing red varieties. The mentionmg that Catalu- that Cataluiia will soon successes in this field iia, specifically Raimat be able to offer a wide Pened6s is on a sound scored by Jean Leon, and Pened^s. has been range of interestin technical and commer­ Vmya Teixidora, Masia the scene of the biggest wmes m addition to Pene- cial footing, and can con­ "Vallformosa. Mont Mar­ and best experiments d6s' fine whites and ele­ template the future with ital. Cavas Hill, Masfa with foreign «noble» va­ gant cavas. comparable optimism. Many of its Bach, Parato and Ren6 rieties, achieving exce­ for both price and quali­ bodegas were canny Barbier are notable. Mi­ llent results with Caber­ ty with fine wines from enough to invest early in guel Torres' success net Sauvignon, Chardon­ elsewhere m Europe. new technology and this, qualifies as historic This nay. Riesling and Syrah. Thanks to the Pened^s in combination with the could well mean the end among others Firms like spearhead and effective legacy left by generations of the Rioja or. more re­ Jean Leon and, more re­ cooperation between of good oenologists, is cently, Navarra flavour cently, Rene Barbier the relevant bodies of what makes this opti­ of Catalan reds. and Masi'a Bach have the Catalan Government mism possible. In such a The healthy record of been the leading ex­ and producers, coope­ favourable environment, quality wines is paral­ ponents of this p61icy ratives mcluded. Catalu- the seeds of the Spanish lelled by the continuing besides Raimat. na is well equipped to wme boom have flourish­ upward trend in cat^as. compete without com­ ed spectacularly. Here The giants - Freixenet mercial handicaps m the and there, small wine­ and Codorniu, the big

GOURMETOUR SP/UN 7 cially dynamic and pro­ gressive people in Pen- ed6s and its future looks the most promising of all parts of Catalufia*, af­ firmed special envoy Eduardo Puig Vayreda,

8 COURMETOUR SPAIN There is only tain the genuine local handle the entire cycle ket —Barcelona — as a one way character. Covinosa, a of elaborating and festive event, a prelude forward for company associated ageing wines made from to Christmas: «The Am­ this tiny area with the Cooperativa de grapes from their own purdan Nuevo is here!» of Alella, just Mollet de Perelada, also vineyards. to the north of reaches good technical All in all. activity is too Barcelona; it standards and produces disparate for efforts to must adapt the THE CHALLENGE elements of its very agreeable wines. be concerted towards FROM THE SOUTH prestigious These three bottiing promotional activity or past to fit the bodegas come under bringing about general Vinegrowmg m the demands of the Denomination of Ori­ improvements in the south of the Principality the future. gin of Ampurdan-Costa area's wines, all of is problematic, though Brava, The other firms which, with the excep­ there are sparks of opti­ covered by the D. O. are tion of Santamaria, are mism discernible in some a rather mixed group cooperative-produced. areas. The D O. of Ta­ Cavas del Ampurddn. Something which might rragona IS divided into S. A, an associate com­ possibily unite the seven Subdenominations as a pany of a big finance- botiling bodegas in this way of dealing with its wide geographical va­ riations. They arc Cam­ po de Tarragona, in the north of the area cove­ red by the D O. (Some make the further distinc­ tion of Alto Campo). Fal- sct, and Ribcra d'Ebre near the province of Castellon. The Denomi­ nation of Origin of Prio­ rato and the Provisional AMPURDAN: AT THE Denomination of Origin CROSSROADS of Conca de Barbera are Ampurddn is in the also m the south of the extreme north of the province Principality, between «In my opinion*, Puig the sea and the moun­ Vayreda told our repor­ tains, and with its vine­ ter, «Priorato is an area yards of Garnacha of exceptional wines and Carinena is one of with a selective and ex­ Catalutia's sources of clusive market. It is a red wine. Unfortunately, source of truly Catalan it is poorly organised, commercial group (own­ winegrowing area is the red wines. These wines which no doubt partly ers of the Catalan Casi­ exciting vi novell (new must retain their person­ explains its lack of drive. nos), produce a quality wine) experiment. This ality. That being said, The cooperatives domi­ sparkling wine by the is wme which, following however, I do recognise nate the production scene granvas or large contain­ the example of Beaujo- that the cooperative and many of them still er method, and a p6ti- lais Nouveau, is put on structure is unwieldy use obsolete equipment Uant wme. Blanc Pesca- the market five or six and that this sector's and have no qualified dor. Both are commer­ weeks after the harvest. economy is not technical experts cial successes, and are «AmpurdSn is interest­ buoyant.» Exceptions to this rule based on white wines ing for its reds and ro- The tough old vmes are the CooperatiVa de from Ampurdan. They s6s», opines Puig Vayre­ growing on steep slopes Espolla and the Coope- also make notable quali­ da. «Its problem is that are now barely viable. rativa Ricardeli both ty red wines with D O., the area's vines are old Mechanisation is impos­ very dynamic and well such as Tinto Cazador. and badly grafted, and sible. Productivity is in tune with current Jos6 Oliveda is repre­ the general attitude is around 250 grammes trends. For example, sented by champagne- unbusinesslike. It's a per vine. Although Gar­ they have installed chill­ type sparkhng wines, as pity, because Ampur- nacha has largely been ing equipment, and Ri­ well as some covered dan's ros^s have a lot of replaced by Carihena, cardeli botiles its own by the D, O, Perhaps the personality and the vi which is slightly more entire production, sorae- most interesting name novel! experiment could productive, a gradual thing hitherto un­ when it comes to wine­ well prompt improve­ move away from vine- known hereabouts. Tech­ growing is Cellers San­ ments in structure and growing IS discernible nical standards are tamaria which, with its back-up. It ought to be This is an archaic vine- good in these cooperati­ Grand Recosmd wines promoted on its own growing area, as historic ves, and their wines re­ is the only company to territory, its natural mar­ as its medieval town-

COURMETOUR SPAIN 9 The creation of Ihe Ins- titut Catalan de ta Vinya y el Vi (INCAVI) has gal­ vanised the Catalan wine sector This organisation, a subdivision of the Gene- ralitat's Agricultural Council took on for Cata- luiia the lunciions which Ihe Institute Nacional de Denominaciones de On- gen fulfils for the rest of Spain. It governs the Prin­ cipality's various Denomi­ nations of Origin and ope­ rates with Its own budget and adminislrative struc­ ture. It has also shown its effechveness in encoura­ ging awareness, in pro­ ducers and consumers alike, of the value of Cata­ ships. Nevertheless, some lan quality wines. It now wine men are optimistic. faces the difficult task of The Gratallops Coope­ advismg on the area's vi­ rative, which belongs to nos pobres —spoor wi­ the Reus Union, makes nes*— with a view to up­ and bottles good classic grading them oenologica- Pnoratos. The Vilella Uy and commercially to keep up with the quality Baja and Poboleda coo­ leaders. peratives bottle their wines there. INCAVI's first director, The big Tarragona Jaume Ciurana, made a firm De Miiller also bot- very worthwhile move in THE DINiUynC INCJiVI ties a well-made Priora­ launching the Mostras del Vi Catalan, held annually to. But the best-knovm during the Fiestas de la Priorato is one made m Merced m the third week meanwhile preparing Cata­ absolute essential if they Scala Dei by Mussons, in September. This wme lan wines for ttieir «socie- are to compete at all m following in the footsteps fair has given Catalans ty d^but*. the society in the market-place. But bot­ of medieval monks. The the opportunity of getting question being the EEC. tling alone is not enough; Barril brothers have to know their own «native* And he hasn't got much methods of elaboration brought out, in addition wines, and provided time to do it. also need to be overhau­ producers, who would to their excellent red, a Although Calaluria has led not otherwise have the young red, which is lighter- been a pioneer in produ­ The first step towards means to do so, with an cing wines up to «Euro- bodied than the clas­ improving standards in wine Invaluable showcase for peans quality standards is to update vinegrowinq. sic reds which can offen their products. The sus­ (thanks to enterprising Old vines, inadequate go up to 16° of alcohol. tained public success of names like Masia Bach, measures for preventing The director of INCAVI Ihe fair goes to show what Ren6 Barbier, Marques disease, madequate pest- stated: «The Administra­ a worthy venture it has de Monistrol and Miguel controi, chrome soil infec­ tion IS categorically m been Torres the last of these tions, virus-ridden plants favour of backing this Sr. Ciurana s successor has also been a pioneer and poor grafting are. in distinctive wine which took over the reins in Sep­ in the field of exports), broad outline, the wrongs she still has quite a few that need righting. And matures so harmonious­ tember of 198^. Eduardo problems to sort out and, this applies throughout ly despite its sturdy Puig Vayreda, a native of Ampurdan and friendly m some cases, to recog­ Cataluna. Pened6s inclu­ structure.* bon vivant with a keen nise, ded. The Pened^s Regu­ Terra Alta is the «ju- sense of humour, will The major problem is latory Council is updating nior* Denomination of need all these qualities, Ihe predominance of coo­ the vinegrowing and am- Cataluiia. It is also, for as well as his proven pro­ peratives in overall pro­ pelographic register, and Puig Vayreda, an «area fessional skills, to deal duction. Time and again correcting its anomalies. One can not stress too of interest* He says: with the challenge ahead they have been seen to of him. The challenge is to firmly the importance of f.Mistelas and fortified oppose change because help the depressed areas of the costs involved and replanting with virus-free wirtes are very impor­ out of their endemic the intangible nature of varieties. There are two tant. Obviously, the structural difficulties, the likely benefits. Ne­ schools of thought on this area's cooperatives will equipping Ihem with Ihe vertheless, they are gra­ quesfion, one represen­ have to make a big effort technical and political dually commg round to ted by Miguel Torres to adapt to new market means to save them. the view that bottling is an who advocates using trends And the first step

10 COURMETOUR SPAIN is to take a fresh look at lar to Valencia's) sell commercially. Rehable the ideas and techni­ most of their output to rumour has it that the big vines disinfected by the ques they have inheri­ the big names in the port Tarragona companies French thermal process ted, Batea's, for exam­ of Tarragona, Neverthe­ are investing in land in and another represented ple, has already insta­ less, some cooperatives Alto Campo. This just by Codormu's Agro 2000 lled chilling equipment,* have been bottling their goes to show that they which recommends, and Terra Alta's problem own wmes for a few can still hold their own in practises in its nurseries, years now, like the Vails the quality stakes and the Davis University of is that apart from its one Califorma method If this big name, Pedro Rovira, and Vila Rodona coops, adapt to new ways. practice spreads, we can its commercial presence and, more especially, Puig Vayreda agrees expect to see marked im­ IS almost nil. Pedro Rovi­ the Unidn Agraria de that central administra­ provements in quality ra, Jr. is President of the Cooperativas in Reus, tion, particulary INDO, is and yield. Regulatory Council, and The Union represents very much aware of the declares that every ef­ 180 cooperatives in the Conca de Barberd situa­ fort will be made to pre­ province. It was founded tion and a^'firms that it INCfiVl's future serve the character of in 1962, and bottles will soon be accorded this area's wines, espe­ wmes from the Tarragona full D. O, status. Conca sINCAVI's most impor­ cially ones made from countryside, such as de Barberd traditionally tant function is, in my Garnacha Peluda, a typi­ those already mentioned, sells its white wines to view, to contribute to and cal and very attractive as well as from Priora- the San Sadurnf cavistas, foster wine awareness in to's Gratallops coopera­ Cataluna* its director, variety. Pedro Rovira, but they are very plea­ Eduardo Puig Vayreda S, A., make a red worth tive and Conca de Bar­ sant, light, aromatic told our reporter, 4This is, noting, Vinya D'Irto, ber wines in their own right. if anything, more impor­ using Garnacha Peluda «Tarragona seems to CONCAVINS are con­ tant than projecting a and Carifiena grapes. me to be rather static as ducting a very interest­ commercial image for ing experiment through Catalan wines abroad. It is really up to indivi­ far as winegrowing dual vineyard owners to goes», observed Puig the cooperative of Mont- The sort of contribution I blanc, the area's capital. mean is exemplified by change their way of think­ Vayreda «but there is no our consumer-aimed ing and realise that doubt about its promise. This cooperative is bot­ wme courses which have young wines have more Take Falset, for exam­ tling varietal wines been attended by thou­ market appeal, especia­ ple, where they grow made from Macabeo, sands of people. And lly bearing in mind that Cariiiena and Garnacha; Pareilada and Trobat, another clear function of the widely - used Gar­ they make reds which The Conca's ros6s have INC AVI is to provide nacha Blanca makes age well and attractive always been much ap­ technical advice where it preciated locally, and IS needed* fast - developing white fortified wines. The Fal­ wmes which oxidise ra­ set cooperative is trying one can only applaud Puig Vayreda is aware pidly. We feel that the very positive experi­ the initiative of botthng that, as well as INCAVI's dynamism of the young ments, making reds by them and making them current close look at the President of the Regula­ carbonic maceration, a available to a wider pu­ vinegrowing situation, tory Council could well process which is well- blic. The Reus Union there is a need for a para­ lead the D, O, of Terra know for producing also botties them. llel look at the oenologi- cal situation, so that reme­ Alta towards achieving very aromatic, fruity red This quick trip around dial measures may be ta­ quahly starii.s, Bjt it will wines. It could be said» winegrowing Cataluna ken, «The sector must be take a lot of hard work. he continued, «that Ta- has revealed a very va­ got in tune with the rest of Tarragona has its pro­ rragona-Campo has suf­ ried situation both eco­ Europe*, he declared, blems. Traditionally, it fered the consequences nomically and ecologi­ sand with this m view we exports wine in bulk: De of a change of fashion. cally; we have seen are making chilling Miiller, Ldpez Beltran, Adapting to new ways is wealth and poverty. Ne­ equipment and mobile Dalmau Germas and La not easy. There are big vertheless, there can be bottling-lines available to Vmicola Mestre have al­ differences between a no doubt that Catalufia those who need them. Un­ less everyone cooperates ways done so and still Tarragona Clasico and is, and will continue to in gearing up towards do, with the result that the wines the public be, a producer of great quality, we are not gomg many of the area's wines wants today. One should wines, Spanish wines, to to make it*. are quite unknown, even add that, as far as ex­ offer Europe and indeed Puig Vayreda is also of to winelovers. These big ports are concerned, the rest of the world. The the view that the Mostras names sell very Uttle on coupage wines are not a revolution which stirred wine fairs should conti­ the Spanish market and valid proposition.* Spanish winemakers to nue, ensuring that stan­ do nothing to project a The director of INCA­ take arms in pursuit of dards are not allowed to market image for their VI feels that prospects quahty a few yearfe ago slip The future is certain­ products. for Alto Campo are was largely engende­ ly bright for Catalan wi­ Another characteristic much brighter, given red in Catalufia. And we nes, but it will have to be feel sure that she has paid for with hard work of this extensive and va­ that its wines are lighter and dynamism, ried region is its coope­ and more aromatic. The many more delightful rative structure. The Parellada grape gives surprises up her sleeve, A. K. cooperatives (and here very attractive wines the situation is very simi­ which should do well Alain Kelepikis

GOURMETOUR SPAIN II ALELLASOL Year 1979. Type of wine white. Bodega: Vinos Jaime Serra, S A. Escuelas Pias. 1 Alella CATALUNA (Barcelona). Tel.: (93) SSS 03 SO. Telex: SlS13.Establistied 194S Catalufia is a source of great delights. Her sparkling cava wines are D.O,, Alella conquering home and foreign nicurkets alike, whilst her five Crapes: Garnacha, Denominations of Origin offer a range of wines hard to beat for quality Area under vine: 500 Ha. and variety. Alella's subtle, smooth, fruity whites, the whites of Harvesting method: mechan­ ised Pened^s, honed to meet the high standards set by cavas, Ampurddn's Aged: in stainless steel casks. reds and ros6s., light reds and whites from the Denomination of Origin Bottle: Rhine-type of Tarragona, and hearty, vigorous reds from Priorato, held by some to Alcoholic strength: 12°. be the best in Spain. Alongside these, two provisional Denominations of Serving temperature: T. Distribution: throughout Spain, Origin, Conca de Barber^ and Terra Alta, with their distinctive wines, Pnce per bottle: 350 pts little-known commercially outsided Catalufia, and experiments with Sales to the public at the French grapes, producing brilliant results both in Pened^s and in bodega: no. L^rida's winegrowing area, Raimat. Colour: singularly transparent pale yellow. Aroma: fruity, with the charac­ teristic aroma of Alella wmes; smooth, penetrating, pleasant smell. Taste: dry start, with hints of fresh broom: balances nicely in the mouth, culminating in a harmonious finish. Gastronomy: grilled white fish and sea-food

ALTAMAR Year 1983 Type of wine: white. Bodega: Bodegas Pedro Ro­ vira, S. A Ctra de Barcia, s/n Mora la Nova (Tarragona) Tel,: 337 18 12. Telex: S4332 PRHOE Established: 1864 D O.: Terra Alia. Grapes: Gamacha 50%, [vlaca- beo 50%. Harvesting method: mechan­ ised Elaboration method lightly controlled temperatures dur­ ing fermentation Aged: in the bonle Bottle: Burgundy-type /Ucobolic strength: 11,2°, Serving temperature: 6', Distribution: Itiroughout Spam Price per bottle: 300 pts. Sates to the public at the bodega: no. Colour: golden yellow: bright and clean, Axoroa: moderate and subtle Taste: provocarive start, with just the right hint of sweetness; hone.st and .smonrh in the mouth and aftertaste. Gastronomy: simple fish and sea-food dishes

CAZADOR year 1980-81. Type of wme: red. Bodega: Cavas del AmpurdSn. S A Conde Zabella s/n, Pere- 12 GOURMETOUR SPAIN CATALUNA raercio, 22. Vilafranca del Pen- very lively start; easy m the ed^s (Barcelona). mouth, fruity and flowery; very Tel: (93) 890 01 00. Telex: honest, balanced, long finish. S2149 —57621 MITOE Estab­ Gastronomy: white fish and lished: 1870. sea-food. D.O; Pened6s Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. Area under i//ne;43nJdB JEAN LEON Harveslmg method: manual year, 1982. and mechanised. 7'>7De of wine: white. Elaboration method: macera­ Bodega: Jean Ledn Afueras, tion of the skins s/n. Torrelavid (Barcelona) Aged: In oak casks. Tel: (93) 899 50 33; 203 36 89 Bottle: Bordeaux-type .'-''v , ri-~~T^-^ ./Chardonnay. NCA DE BARBER« Serving temperature: 18-19° • Area under vine: 60 Ha, Distribution: Spain and EE''"''""'** Harvesting method: manual. abroad Elaboration method: fermenta­ TARRAGONA Price per battle: 560 pts. tion in oak casks. Sates to the public a! the Aged: one year in tanks, bodega: yes. BotUe: Bordeaux-type Alcoholic strength: 12,5°, Colour: dark cherry; well- Serving temperature: 8-12' presented and dressed bottle Price per bottle: 1.300 pts. Aroma: very subtle, with a Sales to the public at the CAST. ' clever mix of llowers, fruit and bodega no. spices (violets, raspberries, cinnamon) and hmts of herb Colour: yellowish with golden lada (Gerona) Tel.: (93) Rovires (Barcelona) Tel. (93) Taste: fine start, robust and hues. "204 10 38, 301 46 00, Establislied 1902, full, proud in the mouth; after­ Aroma: complex, with hints of D.O.: Ampurd^n, D O.: Penedfe, taste with oily overtones; well- vanilla and wood. Crapes: Garnacha and Canfi- Grapes Xarel-lo 80%; Maca­ balanced long finish. Taste: dry start, penetrating ena. beo 20%. Gastronomy: roasis, red meal, and elegant in the mouth; Harvesting method: manual, Area under vine: SO Ha. game and strong cured clean, long finish removing all stalks. Harvesting method: mechan­ cheeses Gastronomy: with aperitif Elaboration method: red wine ised snacks and simple fish dishes method Elaboration method: fermenta­ Aged: m the cask. tion at controlled temperatures GRAN VINA SOL Bottle: Burgundy-type, in stainless steel containers. Alcoh ohc strength .13°, Aged: three years in the cask year.-1983, KRALINER Serving temperature: 13°. and two years in wooden vats. Type of wine: white. Distribution: Spain and Alcoholic strength 11.5'. Bodega: see Gran Coronas year 1983. abroad. Serving temperature: 4-6* D.O: Pened^s. Type of wine: white. Price per botUe 266 pfs. Distribution: Spain and Grapes: Parellada and Char­ Bodega: Rene Barbiet. Afuer­ abroad. donnay. as. s/n San Sadurnf de Noya Colour: ruby red with slight Price per bottle: 254 pts Area under vine: 430 Ha (Barcelona) Tel.: (93) linges of violet. Harvesting method: manual 899 5 111, Telejt 52397, Estab­ and mechanised. lished: 1880, Aroma: complex, with oak Colour: intense lemon yellow. prevailing. Elaboration method: con­ DO.; Penedes. Aroma: sweetish with hints of trolled fermentation. Grapes: Macabeo. Xarel-lo, Taste: dry start, powerful and truffle. tannic in the mouth; warm Aged: in the bottle. Parellada. Taste: hone.st start with hints of Bottle: Burgundy-type. Harvesting method: mechan­ afler-tasle. sweetness; meaty in the mouth; Gastronomy: meat, roasts and Alcoholic strength: 11.55°, ised, removing all stalks. balanced fmish Sers'ing temperature.' 7-10', Bottle: rhine-type game, and regional dishes Gastronomy: fish in general, from Us area of origin Distribution: Spain and Aico/ioiicstrengr/i: 11°. especially cod. abroad. Serving temperature: T. Price per bottle: 356 pts. Distribution: Spam and EXTRISIMO BACH abroad. GRAW CORONAS Colour: very pale yellow, with Price per botlte: 212 pts. rear 1979. slight tinges of green Type o/wj/ie, semi-dry white. year. 1978, Aroma: subtly fruity: hints of Colour, straw-toned pale yel­ Bodega: Masfa Bach. Ctra. Ca- Type of wine: red. apple and hawthorn low, clean and bright. pellades. s/n, San Esteban Ses Bodega: Miguel Torres, Co- Taste: fresh, light, elegant and Aroma: fruity, chiefly Parella-

1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983

Alella VG A VG A A VG A G VG E A G E E

Ampord^-Costa Brava G A P E G A A P E VG A A VG VG

Pened^B VG G E VG G VG A G E A G A VG G

Priorato A P G G G- G VG E G VG G G G

Tarragona G A P G G G G A E G G G G G

E: Excellent VG; Very good G: Good fi: Average P: Poor

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 13 da grape; very intense, honest, Elaboration method fermenta- MARQUES DE clean nose non at controlled tempera- MONISTROL NO EXPANSION Taste: dry. very light and :re=: FOR ALELLA fresh BoftJe. Rhine-type, year 1983 Gastronomy: sea-food and Alcoholic strength: 11 7° Type of wine white. Last August's hail­ simple fish dishes Serving temperature 6-8'. Bodega: Vinos y Cavas Mar­ storms have resulted in a Distribution: Spain and ques de l\/lonistroI. S A San Sa- grape-harvest in Alella of abroad. dumi de Noya (Barcelona) 11.000 quintals (1 quin­ MARQUES DE Price per bottle: 305 pts. Tel,: (93) 593 80 61. Estab­ tal = 100 k.). Production of ALELLA Sales to the public at the lished: 1882- bodega oredered in advance DO Penedes P'ans^ Blanca, Garnatxo year 1983. and by post Crapes: Macabeo. Xarel-lo Blanco and Pans^ Ver- fype of wine: white. and Parellada. mella is down 30% thanks Bodega Alta Alella, S, A, Can Colour: pale, with steely Area under vine: 412 Ha to the effects of the hail. Matons Sta Maria de Martor- tinges. Elaboration method horizon­ Quality, according to Al­ elles (Barcelona) Tel.: (93) Aroma: deliciously flowery tal pressing of selected fonso Bonmatf, president 395 08 11 Telex; 51319 Estab­ and perfumed: subtle, elegant grapes. of the Regulatory Council lished 1981 and intense. Alcoholic strength: 11.3°. since 1975. is good. The D,0„ Aletla, Taste: fine, fresh, young start, Serving temperature: 7'. grapes vary from those Grapes Xarel-lo and Pansa developing mto ]uicmess in the Distribution: Spam and grown in the coastal re­ Blanca, mouth; honest, clean finish. abroad gion, which give wines Area under vine: 40 Ha, Gastronomy: relatively sim­ Price per bottle: 303 pts. Harvesting method manual ple white fish dishes and sea­ high in alcohol and low in acidity, to mountain- and mechamsed. food, best of all grilled Colour: pale, with steely tints Aroma: fruity and clean (hay, grown grapes which give aromatic herbs); very subtle in light, fruity, acid v/ines, PEDRO ROVIRA'S CALL TO ARMS the nose and back of nose. «There is no hope, as Taste: dry start, lively and things stand, of any move slightly acid; silky in the mouth, The 1984 harvest offer­ age of eighteen, consid­ easy to drmk, with honest, along the lines of increas­ ing lo the Regulatory ers the area's raw mater­ clean aftertaste- ing production.B Alfonso Council of the Denomina­ ials to be «unique». They Gastronomy: grilled fish and sees the task for the fu­ tion of Origin of Terra are what produce its dry any sort of simply-preparcd ture as being smaintain- Alta was seventeen and a white wines of 13 to 16* of sea-food ing standards of quality*. half million litres of good alcoholic strength and Whilst local land quality but little appre­ fine, distinctive almond prices remain as high as ciated wine. The wines flavour and. more espe­ MASIA BARRIL they are and the produc­ produced varied accord­ cially, Its Macabeo-based tion area remains its pre­ ing to the performance of wines, rich in aromas and year. 1983, sent size, there is no way Garnacha in the various with a sitkmess and co­ 7'ype of wine: red. that output can be in­ municipalities which lour worthy of

14 GOURMETOUR SPAIN CATALUNA Elaboration method: fermenta­ RAIMAT CABERNET- TORELLO BLANC WALTRAUD tion with tloatmg surface layer SAUVIGNON TRANQUILE of skins. rear 1983, Aged: four years in tanks. year-1979. rear,' 1S83, Type of wine: white. Alcoholic strength. 16°. Type of wine: red. Type of wine: v^hite. Bodega: see GRAN CORONAS. Serving temperature,-18-20'. Bodega: Raimat, S A, Raimal Bodega: J Llopart Mir. Can DO; Pened^s. Distribution • Spain and (Lerida), Tel,: (973) 72 40 00 Marti de Baix, San Sadumf de Grapes: Riesting. abroad, Established: 1920, Noya (Barcelona), Tel, (93) Area under vine: 430 Ha. Prrce per bottle 180 pts. Grapes,- Cabernet-Sauvignon 891 07 93. Established 1953, Harvesting method: manual 85%, and Tempramllo and Mer- D.O.: PenedSs, and mechamsed Colour: ripe cherry red. lot 1S%, Grapes: Macabeo. Xarel-lo Elaboration method con­ Aroma: very vmous and Area under vine: 700 Ha, and Parellada in equal propor­ trolled fermentation complex, with suggestions of Harvesting method: mechan­ tions Aged: in the bottle. fruit preserve. ised, removing all stalks. Area under vine: 60 Ha Bottle: tall Rhine-type Taste: mellow start; very ro­ Elaboration method: fermenta­ Harvesting method: mechan­ /Ucoholic strength: U ,5'. bust and full m the mouth; tion in self-emptymg stainless ised, with partial removal of Serving temperature-9- \ 1' rounded, warm finish. steel tanks, with the wine stalks Distribution: Spam Gastronomy: a useful ingre­ pumped ainomatically up Elaboration method: white Price per bottle: 531 pts. dient in game stews and marin­ through the layer of skins. wine method, with decanting of ades, and good drunk with the Aged: 18 months m casks and 1 the must and controlled tem­ Colour; pale white, with steely dishes in which it is involved. year in oak vats. peratures. tints. /Ucoholic strength: 12,6', /Ucoholic strength: 10,7°, Aroma: fine,delicat e and pen- Serving temperature: 16'. Serving temperature: 5°. etraung (fiowers and fresh Distribution: Spain. Distribution: Spain fruit). RAMON VIBAL: Price per bottle: 439 pts. Price per bottle: 301 pts. Taste: pleasant start; fresh, 30 YEARS lively and complex m the Colour: very tleep znoy red Colour: pale white with some mouth, long and beaufifuily IN PRIORATO Aroma: complex (dowers, ripe amber tints. harmonious finish This is a fine, fruit and spices). Aroma: perfumed — flowers complete and very elegant wine. Pripratq - is- also' feeling Taste: dry. light start; tannic in and fresh fruit — with remam- the moutli: moderate and ex­ ing impression of lime flowers Gastronomy: boiled or raw the effects ot the '04 d$-: pressive finish Taste: fresh, smooth start, light sea-food, fish without sauce bScle: The, .harvest which and perfumed m the mouth; (baked, grilled or salt-baked) gave the latest vm'age is smooth, full finish. Nicety struc­ and aspic dishes. Suitable as • reckoned to be 30% down RAIMAT PINOT- tured. an aperitif, too. cr: '.vlial cculd i:av-s been CHARDONNAY Gastronomy: sea-food and expected, Ramon Vidal,- grilled fish or simple fish :Qenologi3t of over thirty rear; 1982. dishes. Type of wine: white. • years'' slanding and' pre; Bodega: Raimal, S. A, Raimat sident of the Reg-.j1»tory (L^rida), Tel,: (973) 72 40 00. Council sincf3' it;j incep­ Established-ld20 tion in 195.4 attributes it to Crapes: Chardonnay 80%, Par­ slc:v,- fruiting of Garnacha ellada 11%, Macabeo 9%. BOIX and lew fnul-yield in Car- Area under vine: 700 Ha. iilc-na, the grapes which Harvesting method: mechan­ Km. 154 on the Lerl- The wine list is not give the area's alcoholic ised, removing all stalks. da — Puigcerda road, spectacular, but is parti­ and aromatic .•.vmes, rich, Elaboration method: fermenta­ Martinet de Cerdafia cularly welt selected. It in. colour and body, as tion at controlled temperatures in stainless steel tanks (L?§rida)- offers 200 brands of wme •ffell as Priorato's-classic Alcoholic strength: 11.3°. and 30 cavas. The oldest ra n c: cs. v : m 3 d e i in e d Serving temperature: 8°. wine 13 a 1925 Marqufe wines,' , Distnbution: Spain de Riscal, at 20,000 pts., Price per bottle: 316 pts. Jos^ Maria Boix's res­ / •••The President of thi.^ taurant has been one of but the most notable ones small •E)'.0., with us uni­ Spain's e^ife fdr years. It are from those legendary form soil-types and con­ Colour: yellov/ tinged with gold has a lot going for it: won­ years, 1958, 1964 and stant Climate, admits the derful mountain scenery, 1970, represented here ' high . ale-3ho!ic strength Aroma: very characteristic, with subtle herbaceous notes. the skills and eathusiasni by leading Rioja labels • and fuU-bodiedness. of its' Taste: smooth start; full-bodied of Sr. and Sra. Boix, a fine The Boix has a cellar of v; m es can.be 1 i m iting • in in the mouth: honest finish. kitchen and a fine wine- about 10,000 bottles, consumer termsi though Gastronomy: with aperitif cellar. some 60% of which are he hastens' to add that snacks and white fish. One would not have Riojas. Next come Catalan they play .an ackncw- thought that the tempera­ wines, followed by wines iedged role- in gastrono­ tures around here (23" from Vail ado lid and a mic cucies; In fact, cor.- below, earlier this year) good selection of French sumption of Pnc-^ito were particularly kind to ones. Prices are reasona­ wines, has increased con­ good y/ines. but the wine- ble: the house wines siderably recently They cellar is m the basement (Oiarra's Otonal 76 and have starred bottling cur­ and we 11-equipped to 78) cost 900 and 580 pts rent year reds and clai- Withstand dramatic The 58's range from 8,000 etes ':With great .success, changes of temperature to 10,000 pts.. the 64's and these, have done very and even serious flood­ from 5,000 to 6,000 and well on foreign markets^ ing, such as devastated the 70's are around 3,000, which had not viewe-d the region and indeed Its most expensive wine is •priorato's ciassic -.vines this building in 1982, but French, a'1970 Chateau with much enthusiasm. spared the vintage wines. d'Yauemat 23,000 pts

GOURMETOUR SPAIN IS / 6 GOURMETOUR SPAIN THE WINES OF NAVAKRA ROSE RULES

Production and gzape prices fell lower than Rioja's. Victor Rodn'gnez has been exploring the Ribera Baja and sampling the wines of the area. He sketches for ns the ronte he followed.

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 17 eased their guilty cons­ cafeten'as on the Plaza cience with wine smug­ de! Castillo and the fas- gled in from Ribera. cas and bars of San M- Later generations colas and La Estafeta look care to avoid these {one of the world's most toxic excesses, and only famous streets). It did lit­ the soldiery carried on tle to clarify matters; one drinking the evil stuff. waiter did claim that an­ But then we all do stupid yone ordering ros6 things on military ser­ would specify a particu­ vice. lar brand, while clarete never aspired to rise The voice of reason above anonymity. Clare- was not heard until the te's background is mid nineteenth century, closely linked with the when Benito Eraso, a na­ San Fermih bull run, and tive of Navarra educat­ is what is drunk from ed in the modern wines wmeskins during the of the Medoc, wrote a Festival, comforting the critique of his home natives and exciting wines, accusing his fel- flushed tourists. low-Navarrese of being dirty and lazy. He also Vine-growing in Na­ advised against involv­ varra is almost monopo­ ing too many women in lised by Garnacha, that the grape-harvest; their very Spanish grape. constant chatter distract­ Garnacha is not a grape ed the other workers, he of dazzling qualities; it is said. He was an early not the finest or noblest advocate of hygiene and of grapes. But it does re­ good timing in vinicul­ sist disease whOst all ture. Having catalogued around it succumb, and for us the dark, cob­ is a generally trouble- o-one nowadays wine... After being hber- webby premises, the free variety. In the last doubts that Na­ ated from the Moors by wooden pressing de­ century, the French N varra makes Charlemagne, Pam­ vices, the straw sieves bought a lot of Garnacha good wines, and a good plona was for many cen­ for pipping the grapes wine from Navarra. This thing too. What is not so turies a garrison town. and cleanmg the skins, highly alcoholic wine good is that some Navar- Its soldiers never com­ he goes on to observe entered France via the rese wine-makers still plained about their mon­ that the wines thus pro­ ports of Roussillon or allow themselves to be otonous lives in the rear­ duced were undrinka- directly across the Pyr­ influenced by their unig- guard of nameless bat­ ble to anyone with a pa­ enees, to be subjected norable Riojan neigh­ tles. In 1468, Dona heon- late. subsequentiy to aU sorts bours. And by the last or, queen of Navarra for of mixing processes. vestiges of outdated atti­ only two weeks, forbade Nowadays, vinegrow­ Small wonder, then, that tudes. the bringing in of wine mg has moved gradual­ the French nowa­ ly south, and you are We now know that it is from outside. Neither days — those who come more likely to find mush­ not essential for wine to red nor white, pommade to Peralta and Caparos- rooms than wine m the spend long years lan­ nor vinegar was to enter so to deal with the underground bodegas guishing in oak, There the city. An exception asparagus and arti­ around Pamplona, are some wines that do was made for the Bi­ choke canners, for ex­ not get on with wood, shop, of course, who was ample — are amazed by and very good wines at allowed two deliveries a the delicacy of Navarra that. Machismo is losing week. CLARETE OR ros§s, first-pressing ground, even in the wine Some considered this' ROSE? wines made from the world. protectionist attitude same Garnacha. From wine to Pani- dangerous. Certain gen­ This is a matter of last­ The only problem pJona requires no great tlemen revealed to their ing confusion in Navar­ with this grape is one leap. In olden times, confessors m their last ra, though the legal de- common to most Spanish vines were grown out­ hours that they had been fmition of what is a ros6 varieties: the tendency side the city walls of pickled to death by and what a clarete is to oxidise. This is why what the Basques called Pamplona's indigestible quite clear. I had the op­ production must be Iruna, with the blessing brew. The bodega- portunity of doing a littie geared to making young of its farmers. Wheat one owners themselves re­ wme-sampling in Pam­ wines for early drinking. could do without, but fused to drink it, and plona, and visited the Navarra has taken a

18 COURMETOUR SPAIN THE WINES OF NAVARRA ROSE RULES

larra cm-nlu mn unu urruiiwlj Irmlli-iiin f ca Ul clatKiniclon dr tu^ tjntts. ^

iiloiu-ji pury v\ rllHIwi lit-la vid, ^^pr iilHin-liiiiiiiiili) iini" >iiii>s ill- uninA-ilUiluiI H. < ()\>il:j u II .inli»u MU rulidail.

s: -11S676 ChMte few kilometres, one goes COSEGHA ,1983 from the heights of Tier­ IMSOrCLUDO htOVIGMBtf \wa ra Estella, Valdizarhe and Baja l^ontaha to the sub-desert area of Bar- denas Reaies, elite's Estacion Eno- Idgica (Oenological Sta­ tion) has been studying the advantages of this amazing diversity. It now tUtMnChmB has five experimental ONfTRUBvaCXJ-NAVARRA sites, in Montana, the two Riberas (Alta and Baja), and Valdizarhe. where Tempranillo, Ma­ zuelo, Garnacha, Viura long time to admit this; it tunes of its bodegueros, an hour), since both and Cabernet-Sauvig­ was as if no-one dared rest on ros6, young, maize and beet need non have been plan­ speak up earlier, having fruity and with those three times as much ted Around Pam­ no grandes reservas to lovely colours, ranging water as the long- plona, the Station is try- give them confidence. from «onion-skin» to suffering vine. ing white varieties: They must have been in­ orange. It looks as if the need Rieslmg, Gewurztramin- spired by the success of But then there are is for a shift of mental at­ er, MiiUer-Thurgau, Xar­ Beaujolais Nouveau and those who are coming titude in the direction of el-lo, Pareflada and acted accordingly, with back to wine-growing. quality. Navarra is en­ Chardonnay. The results the result that ros^s Growers in Mtirchanfe, dowed with an envia­ are being computer- have really taken off. Ribera Baja, uprooted ble geographical situa­ analaysed in OUte. There are still those many of their vines to re­ tion and chmate. It is an who msist on competing place them with maize area which pushes the with Rioja, planting var­ and beet, which fetch limits of possibility for ieties tike Tempranillo, better market prices. vine-growing, something MY ROSE ROUTE Mazuelo and even Ca­ They then discovered, which has always been bernet Sauvignon, But it though, that their profit held to be an important What follows is just a seems clear that Navar- was being soaked up by ingredient in producing suggestion for anyone ra's future, and the for­ watermg costs (1,400 pts. quality wines. Within a with the time to follow

COURMETOUR SPAIN 19 ment with the northern me a piece of paper say­ THE WINES Cooperativa de Los Ar­ ing so. OF NAVARRA eas, which supplies Still heading north, we them with wine to re­ come to 0/i(e. Bodegas ROSE RULES duce the excessive alco­ Carricas have adopted holic strength of tiieir a very Bordelais-looking own. The State has spot­ seal for their Domaine ted them, and plans to Mont-Plane red and distribute Cascante ros6, made by carbomc wine through ex- maceration. Luis Carri­ Riima.sa'.s Berherana cas was one of those To Cintru6nigo. home who backed the plantmg of Julian Chivite's flour­ of Tempranillo in Navar­ ishing bodega, whose ra, so his Teobaido 1 is Gran Feudo leads the guaranteed to age well. held m the return to En route for Puente la young ros6s. The 83 may Reina, we pass through not be such a fine vin­ Airtajona, in whose evo­ tage as the previous cative landscape the one, but it is still excel­ Sean Connery-Audrey lent. It is a clean, lively, Hepburn fflm of Robin lusciously coloured Hood was made. Further wine of which, like good on, we come to Mendi- champagne, one never gorr/a, whose church tires. was built with wine- Contrary to expecta­ mixed mortar. tions, I preferred the jol­ Sehorfo de Sarria, ex- the Navarra ros6 route. ly, flavourful Gran Feu- Huarte family and now It IS a plan susceptible to do red to the Cirbonero in the hands of the local last-mmute changes, but 5,° Ano made from Tem­ councfl, makes a rose devised with the best of pranillo, Garnacha and which is probably the intentions. Mazuelo, Despite having most unorthodox m Na­ We start right in the taken the gamble on varra, Not many people south, in Case ante, a young wines, this bode­ realise or experiment cooperative which has ga has by no means with the gastronomic really taken to heart the dropped oak-ageing. possibilites of a ios6. quest for quality. Here, They have some 4,000 And this is where the you can try not only one casks of wine ready to Senor/o scores. Its high of the best ros6s in Na- do battle in the market­ tannic content and time varra, Ma!6n de place which are not, spent in wood muffle its Echaide, but also a Tem­ they claim, imitation Rio­ vivacity and spirit, but pranillo and Garnacha jas. In 1983, Chivite ex­ make it a sturdier wine red, aged in oak for ported 67% of the Deno­ for drinking with food. three years. Cascante mination of Navarre's to­ The red has a somewhat has come to an arrange- tal exports. They gave undecided quality about it, rather like the general atmosphere prevailing other hand, gets better in the bodega Very and butter. closed to Puente la Reina, at the junction of A SWEET FAREWELL roads followed by San­ Don't leave Navarra tiago de Compostella, is without tasting Corella's Maheru, whose ios6 is a moscatel — advice tittle gem of a wme. which should be taken I may be accused of by the relevant authori­ fussiness, but for me the ties. Las Campanas ros6 is Fernando Ferrer is not up to scratch; nor, in­ currently in charge of deed, is Vaiafranca's the Camiio Castilla Monte Or/, a Navarra bodega and, as he lives ros6 made by a Navar- opposite, he keeps a ^'MOSCaTELI rese involved in La Rio­ close eye on it. The (AMMO ( AS III I \ ja, Lui's Gurpegui. His t llkEl.l.A

20 COUR.METOUR SPAIN his vineyards of Mosca- ttTotus Tuus» along with ise the wine, mature te! Romano and Mosca- the usual portrait of moscatel is added from (ei de Labaf. To taste the Goya. a Jerez-style solera sys­ wme IS to realise that it is Fernando Ferrer in­ tem of casks. Great demi­ notiiing hke Mediterra­ sists, as he shows me johns of it are kept ex­ nean moscatels. It is a Moscate! Goya or Rayo over the small, neat posed to the elements m curious wme, combining de So! in many an ab­ bodega, that his mosca­ the patios, the wine dat­ the mystery of oak, the bey and monastery. tel is a wine an not a ing back in some cases extreme sweetness oi When Pope John Pau! II mistela. A wme which as long as a hundred the grapes and an inde­ made his official visit to has been fermented un­ years. Sometimes, de­ finable freshness. Madrid he ordered, via til the sugars have par­ mand exceeds supply, The clergy, knowing the Opus Dei, a case of tially converted to alco­ and other moscatels as they do all about tran- twelve botties for use at hol, and arrested at 9° have to be bought in substantiation, have the people's mass in the Baum6. The time spent from elsewhere, such as been using Camiio Cas- capital's boulevard, Pa­ in oak, which can be se­ Turfs or GodeHeta. tilla's moscatel for over seo de la CasteHana. ven years and over, dis- a century. There must Their exclusive labels guises this original Text and pictures: be bottles of the famous bore the popular slogan sv/eetness. To homogen­ Victor Rodriguez

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 21 THE WINES BODEGAS BflRDON, BODEGAS MAGANA COOPERATIVA S.A. San Miguel, 9, Barrillas VINICOLA DE OF NAVARRA Ctra Madnd, s/n, Corella (Navarra) CARCAR (Navarra) Tel. (948)82 63 17 San Cerni. s/n, Carcar ROSE RULES Tel.: (948) 78 08 23 VINA MAGANA, 1982 (Navarra) LARUMS, 1982 (White) (Red) Tel,: (948)67 41 43 AGRONAVARRA LARUMS, 1988 (Ros6) VINA MAGANA, 4.<= afio CARCAR, 1980 (Clarete) C.E.N.Ji.L.S.A. LARUMS, 1982, (Red) (Red) CARCAR, 1980 (Red) Ciudadela. S Pamplona BODEGAS CARRtCAS, COOPERATIVA (Navarra) S. A. BODEGAS OCHOA VINICOLA DE Teis,: (948) 22 72 93 and Riia Romana, ll.Olite Ctra. Zaragoza, 21. Oliie TAFALLfl 22 72 94 (Navarra) (Navarra) Ctra, Estella, s/n, Tafalla Telex: 3799S Tel.: (948) 74 01 06 Tel.' (948) 74 00 06 (Navarra) CAMPONUEVO, 1983 Telex: 37747 Telex; 45389 Tel.: (948) 70 00 88 (White) MONTPLANE, 1983 OCHOAi 1983 (White) VINA NAVA, 4.0 alio AGRAMONT, 1983 (Rosd) (White) VINA CHAPITEL, 1983 (Clarete) AGRAMONTi 1982 (Red) MONTPLANE, 1983 (White) VINA NAVA,4.o aiio CAMPONUEVO, 1983 [Ros6) OCHOA, 1983 (Ros6) (Red) (Red) VINA GHAPITEL, 1983 MONTPLANE, 1983 (Red) COOPERATIVA BODEGA MONTPLANE RESERVA, (Ros^) OCHOA, 1962 (Red) VINICOLA COOPERATIVA 1976 (Red) MURCHANTINA CIRBONERA TEOBALDO I, 1982 (Red) Ctra. Tudela, s/n. Ribera, s/n. Cintru^nigo BODEGAS BODEGAS NUESTRA Murchante (Navarra) (Navarra) CORELLANAS, S. L. SENORA DE LA OLIVA Tel.: (948) 83 80 30 and Tels,: (948) 77 30 48 and Santa Barbara, 29- Carcastillo (Navarra) 83 81 34 77 30 33 Corella (Navarra) Tel.: (948) 72 50 06 REMONTE, current year CAMPOLASIERPE, 1983 Tel.: (948) 78 00 29 MONASTERIO DE LA (Ros6} (White) VINA TAMBARRIA, 2." OLIVA (Glarete) MURCHANTE RESERVA. CAMPOLASIERPE, 1983 aiio (White) MONASTERIO DE LA S^fano (Red) (Ros^) MARIATE (Red) OLIVA CLARETE FINO, REMONTE, 4,» afio (Red) CAMPOLASIERPE. 1983 VINA TAMBARRIA, 1979 1978 REMONTE OJOGALLO, (Red) (Red) MONASTERIO DE LA 4-p afio (Red) BODEGA OLIVA, 2." ano (Red) BODEGAS IRACHE, GRAN RESERVA COOPERATIVA SAN MONASTERIO DE LA KARRIKIRI, vintage. 1969 S. L. SEBASTIAN OLIVA, 1978 (Red) (Red) Irache. I. Ayegui Avda Arag6n, s/n. VINO DE MISA (Navarra) HEREDEROS DE Sanguesa (Navarra) MONASTERIO DE LA Tels.: (948) 53 19 32 and CAMILO CASTILLA, Tel,: (948) 87 00 34 OLIVA (Sweet) 53 16 08 S.A. UNESA, current year Telex: 37889 (Clarete) BODEGAS PEREZ Santa Barbara, 40. CASTILLO IRACHE LAHER Corella (Navarra) UNESA, current year (White) iKedj Vaquero Jacoste. 4. Tels.: (948) 78 00 06 and IRACHE. 1983 (White) 73 1021 BODEGA Tudela (Navarra) CASTILLO IRACHE. 1973 Tel.: (948) 82 12 63 GOYA (Sweet) COOPERATIVA (Red) MONTECRISTO (Sweet) VIRGEN BLANCA CASTILLO DE TUDELA, CASTILLO IRACHE, 1970 4,0 ano (White) RAYO DE SOL (Sweet) Barrio Venta, Lerfn (Red) VALDETELAS, current NUESTRA SE^ORA (Navarra) VINA IRACHE. 1978 year (White) DEL ROMERO Tel: (948) S3 00 SB (Red) VALDETELAS, 3.«aiio SOCIEDAD SARDASOL (Ros^) VINA ORDOIZ, 1976 (White) COOPERATIVA SARDASOL (Red) (Red) CASTILLO DE TUDELA, LDVIITADA BODEGA DE SARRIA, VINA ORDOIZ, 1966. 4," ano (Ros6) Gran Reserva (Red) Ctra. Tarazona. s/n, S.A. VALDETELLAS, current Cascante (Navarra) Seiiorfo de Sarria. Puente BODEGAS JULIAN year (Red) Tels,: (948) 85 14 11 and La Reina (Navarra) CHIVITE VALDETELLAS, 3.« afio 85 14 36. Tel :(948) 26 75 62 Ribera. s/n Cintru^nigo (Red) Telex: 37764 Telex: 37718 (Navarra) MALON DE ECHAIDE. SENORIO DE SARRIA, Tel.: (948) 77 30 00 BODEGAS 1983 (White) 1981 (White) Telex, 58871 VILLAFRANCA DE TORRECILLA. current VINA ECOYEN SENORIO GRAN FEUDO, 1983 NAVARRA year (White) DE SARRIA, 1983 (Ros6) (White) Ctra, Pamplona, s/n. MALON DE ECHAIDE, GRAN VINO DEL GRAN FEUDO, 1983 Villafranca (Navarra) 1983 CRos6) SENORIO DE SARRIA, (Ros^) Tel., (948) 67 00 50, PLANDENAS, l983[Ros6) 1973 (Red) CASTILLO DE MELIDA, Telex: 37211 TORRECILLA, current VINA DEL PERDON 1982(Red) MONTE DRY, 1983 year (Ros6) SENORIO DE SARRIA, CIRBONERO, S-oario (White) NUEVO VINO. 1983 (Red) 1976(Red) (Red) MONTE CRY, 1983 (Ros6) PLANDENAS, 1982 (Red) VINA ECOYEN SENORIO GRAN FEUDO, 1981 MONTE CRY, 1983 (Red) SENOR DE CASCANTE DE SARRIA, 1981 (Red) (Red) MONTE CRY, 1978 (85) 1978

22 COURMETCUR SPAIN LMOST all the mforma- A tion we give here was provided by the hotels them­ selves, and they are also res­ ponsible for any gaps that nal Paradores and Entursa might occur. For example, state-run establishments our team considered it useful which have their own parh- to know the size of the beds T is quite a while since a cular criteria and were not in an hotel, but it seems that survey of Spain's best ho­ included in our brief. most hoteliers think differen­ Itels appeared, and the Club tly since they tended to be de Gourmets team have ta­ unhelpful on this point. ken it upon themselves to conduct one. In a country where tourism plays as im­ UR criteria were sim­ portant a role as it does in ple. We assessed ho­ Spain, this could have been Otels for accommodation, ser­ E believe, allowing expected to be a pretty exci­ vice, extra facihties offered W for the element of ting task. However, what the and the gastronomic standard subjectivity which is inevita­ survey has shown is the shor­ of the hotel restaurant. The ble in making this type of jud­ tage of really good hotels in big traditional hotels were in­ gement, that these hotels are Spain; there are not many cluded alongside others with Spain's best. We may have more than the ones listed special characteristics, such overlooked one or two, but here. This does not, however, as the Hotel Mijas, or the Rei­ certainly now many more take into account the Natio­ na Victoria in Ronda. than that.

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 23 Cr w-

ANDORRA CENTER * * * *

Dr. Negui, 12, Andorra la Vella (Principality of Andorra) Tel.: (9738) 24999- Telex: 377 And Nearest airport: 10 km. Nearest ski resort: 6 km. Proprietor: Administered by Ho- tand. Manager:]. Pauricio Infante Beard. Staff: 60 employees.

Established in 1981 siluated m the centre of the capital ot Andorra. Comfortable rooms and pol lie service Single rooms. 3,200 plas ISO double rooms: 3.990 ptas. 12 suites. 7,300 ptas Brooms with balcony: 5,800 ptas Size of beds: 1,42 x 2 m 2 doubles per room. tvlmi-bar m suites, TV and video Private balcony. Animals allowed in rooms. Additional facilities, parking, healed swimming-pool, garage, hairdresser, shops, tennis, sauna (500 ptas,), gym, 4 convention Avenida rooms for up to 300 people, gardan with so­ Palace larium and swimming-pool (Barcelona). Full board: 2.340 p'tas Half-board:].520 ptas 55 single rooms. 9,225 plas 26 km. Ski resorts of Masella and La Breakfast in rooms: connnental 350 ptas, .'55 double rooms: 11,520 ptas Molina 20 and 23 km away. Btj//ei,' 1,170 ptas. ISsuites: 15,550 ptas. Proprietors: Dolores Vidat Font and La Dama Blanca Hestaurant TV and air-conditioning. Animals allowed in rooms Josep M.3 Boix i Marginedes. Chef: Ignacio Lasheras, Staff 22 employees. Maltre: ]ose Isorna. Additional facilites: bookshop, hair­ Turtle soup (300); Endives with roquefort dresser, shops, 3 conference halls (500); Escalope polichinela (1,100); Entre- Full board-4m5 ptas. This welcoming hotel, surrounded by gar­ c6te with green pepper (1,100); Profiteroles Hall board: 2.B65 ptas, dens, is on the bank of the river Segre. It with chocolate sauce (450), Flamb6 whisky Breakfast in rooms-475 Buffet. serves excellent regional food ll is com­ cake f400). £1 CandelaBro Restanrant fortable, well-appointed and service is Wmes: Chef Sr Horacio. friendly and efficient, IVIanaged by the Alella MarQl (650): IVIarquSs de Riscal Ma;fre;Sr Subirana owners, Man'a Dolores and josep Boix red (1,125): Codorniu Non Plus Ultra (1.425) Brou Cassola a la CDalalana (350); Sea­ The excellent breakfasts with home­ Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard. food paella (1,200); Botifarra (Catalan sau­ made rolls and jams deserve a special Master Card. Visa, sage) dish (9003; Zarzuela de Pescadores mention (fish and shetl-fish mixture) (1.600), Duck 4 single room's: 2.300-2.700 ptas with turnips and pears (900), Baked apple 27 double roo/ns,-3,700-4,300 ptas (275); Crema a la caialana (Custard topped 7 suites: 4 800-6,300 ptas AVENIDA PALACE ***** with burnt suqari (400). Size of beds singles, 90 cm; doubles, 1.40 Wines: m M Torres' Vina Sol (990); M. Torres' Cor­ Minibar, private balcony Animals al­ Gran Via, 605-607. Tel.: (93) 301 96 00. onas (750); Sequra Viudas Brut cava (1.3S0): Telex: 54734, lowed in rooms House-wine (200) Additional facilities: parking, swimming- Established: 1952, Nearest airport Credit cards: Amex, Diners, Eurocard, (El Prat): IS km. Nearest beach (Barce- pool, shop selling own produce dams, vine­ MasterCard. Visa gars, elc), golf, tennis, garden. loneta): 4 km. Nearest ski resort (La Full board: 4.150 ptas. Molina): 200 km. Half-board-2.700 ptas Propnetarjuan Gaspart. Breakfast in rooms: 400 ptas BOIX** * Manager: Francisco Ortiz, Boix Restaurant Staff 160 employees. Km. 154 on the L6rida to Puigcerda Chef Francisco Noguera Ribas Maitre: Dolores Vidal Font A classic, stately hotel opened m 1952 and road. Martinet (L6rida). Tel.: Pigeon and pal6 salad (920), Creamed recently restored Situated in the centre (973) 51 50 50, onions with thyme (620): Sliced leg of iamb of the city. Regional and iniernational Established in 1950 Most recently with potatoes a lo pabre (9S0); Escalopes of cooking. 22S rooms refurbished m 1984, Nearest airport: trout with fennel (830). Confil of duck

24 GOURMETOUR SPAIN (1.125): Mandarins with meringue (400). Additional facilities- parking, swimming- and king prawns (900), Fillets of sole (1.300); Fresh fruit platter with strawberry coulis pool, garage. 6 convention rooms for 10 to Saffron monkfish with prawns (1.200). Me­ (400) 500 people. dallions of sirloin v;ith armagnac and truf- Wines. board 2.500 ptas nes( 1.300). Imperial 7S (1.700), Prado Enea' 73 Breakfast in rooms 600 ptas. Wines. (2 145). Wahraud (1,375); House wme: Clon­ Buffet: 500 ptas Gran f^eserva Marquds de Monistrol' 70 al' 76 (800), Otoiial Olarra 78 (580) Calderon Restaurant (1,050). Imperial 75 (1,300). Priorato Escala Menu of the day 1.600 ptas Chef [iian Manuel Lasheras. '75 (1,100). lean Leon Cabernet .Sauvignon Credif cards Amex. Diners, Eurocard. Maitre |os6 Maria Guinovart. (1.600) Master Card. 6 000, Visa, Marinated monkfish and salmon salad Credit cards: Amex, Diners, Eurocard, (925). Asparagus stuffed with mushrooms Master Card, Visa,

CRISTINA ***** Downstaus is a splendidly stylish disco, BOTANICO SOL ***** Et Colo Professional service, 32 single rooms 5.500 ptas Richard ]. Yeoward, s/n.. Puerto de Gomera, 6. Playa de las Cameras. 242 double rooms 8,000-9 OOO ptas. Las Palmas de Gran Canana. Tel : 4 suites: 17.000 ptas la Cruz (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) Tel,: Size of beds: 90 cm. x 2 m, (922) 38 15 00. Telex: 92395 (928)26 76 00. Telex: 95161 Estab­ Minibar m rooms on t'ne executive floor, Established in 1974 Nearest airport; lished in 1970, most recently renovat­ colour TV, private balcony and au:- 95 km Nearest beach. 1,5 km. ed in 1984, Nearest airport: 25 km. conditioning m rooms Propr/efor,-Atlantico Canada. S A Gives onto the beach. Additional facilities, parking swimming- Manager: Isidoro Dardiiia Vidal. Proprietor: Sol chain. pool, heated swimming-pool, garage, disco. Manager: Santiago Martin de Benito. 7 convention rooms for up to 800 people, so­ Staff 200 em.ployees. larium Excellent luxury hotel, siluated opposite the fuWfcoard.-5.280 ptas Botanic Gardens and with its own gar­ dens about whose 100 varienes of plants Half board. 3,600 ptas a book has lUSt been produced This IS one of Las Palmas' five-star hotels, si­ Breakfast in rooms: connnental. 600 ptas Belongs to the Hotasa chain, recently tuated on Las Cameras beach in the tour­ Buffet 500 ptas bought by the Sol group ist area of the city. It has been completely Gorriones Restaurant 20 single rooms 8,000-11,000 ptas renovated both in its public areas and its Chef Manuel Fernandez. 24 double rooms: 13,000-17,000 ptas, guest rooms Its jardin Botanico grill is Maltre Manuel Piez. 7penthouses 35,000 ptas making a name for itself among the res­ Menu of the day: 3,000 ptas 2presidential suites: 50,000 ptas taurants of the capital It is right in the Credit cards,- Amex. Diners. Euroeard. Mini-bar on request, TV, private balcon­ heart of the Indian commercial area. Master Card, 6.000. Visa. ies and air-conditionmg m rooms. Additional facilities: parking, bookshop, hairdresser, swimrrung-pool, heated swim- CASTELLANA INTERCONTIN- mmg-pool. golf (1.000-2,000 ptas). tennis ENTAL * * * * Marques de Murrieta (1,750): Muga (450 ptas per .hour), disco, 3 convention (1,200); Reserva 904 (2,750): House wine: rooms for 300 people, 22,000 sq m, of Vina Quejana (473), gardens. Paseo de la Castellana, 49 Madnd Credit cards Amex, Diners, Eurocard, FLiWi)oard.-6 20Dptas, Tel.: (91)410 02 00. Telex: 27686 Master Card, Visa. Half board: 3,400 ptas Established in 1953 and refurbished in Breakfast m rooms,- continental, 800 ptas 1982 Nearest airport (Barajas): 12 km. Buffet Nearest ski resort (Navacerrada): 60 Botdnicu Sol Restaujant km. CORONA DE Chef ST Coll Proprietor: Hotelera E Carmen. S. A, Mait'-e:St Arribas Manager: Sr. D. J. Kuhlman, ARAGON ***** Menu of the day 3,300 ptas Staff 210 employees. Wines Avda. C6sar Aucusto, 13 Zaragoza, Campo Viejo (850): Torres ros6 (900): Tel: (976) 43 0100, Telex: 58828, Torres Coronas (850). Vina Pomal (1,900), Opened in 1953 by the Hilton chain this ho­ Credit cards Amex. Diners, Eurocard, tel IS now an associate of Grand Metro­ Established: 1968, most recently reno­ Visa. politan Hotels Renovated in 1982, this is vated in 1982, sUU the favourite hotel for the North Nearest airport: 10 kin. Nearest American contingent in Madrid, who beach: 225 km. Nearest ski resort (For- celebrate all their nanonal festivals there lAsingle rooms 10,300 ptas. migal): 190 km. CALDERON**** 284 double rooms: 12,750 ptas Proprietor • Sol Hotels 22suites 18,750 ptas Manager:] Reboll Puyal, Rambla de Cataluna, 26 Barcelona, Size of beds: singles. 1 x 2 m.; doubles. Staff 140 employees. Tel: (93) 30100 00, Telex: 51349 1 50 X 2 m. HOCA E Established in 1973 and com­ Minib^r. TV. private balcony and air- pletely renovated in 1983 Nearest air­ condidoning in rooins The Corona reopened its doors recently, with modem, functional decor It is a cen­ port 12 km Additional facilities: parking, bookshop, garage, hairdresser, shops, sauna. 8 con­ tral, quiet and altogether pleasant hotel It Proprietor: N H Hoteles vention rooms for up to 600 people, patio- has a good restaurant of «five fork» stan­ Manager, Jaime Serra Canela. garden open m summer dard, and another specialising in region­ Staff 100 employees. Breakfast m rooms continental, 850 ptas. al dishes. There is also a «piano-bar» Buffer 1.150 ptas which IS a nice place to have a drink Situated close to the Plaza Cataluna. Ihe £1 Cafe Restaurant 18 single rooms: 5.250-6.800 ptas commercial centre of the city Pleasant Chef Angel Victoria Martinez 188 double rooms 7.700-10.800 ptas atmosphere. Maiire Lorenzo Cucharero. 2sui/es: 20.000 ptas 18 single rooms 6.200 ptas •Wild mushrooms in cream (859). Jabugo 43rooms with sitting-room- 15.000 plas. 214 double rooms: 8,900 ptas. cured ham (1,350). Grilled hake (1.450): Room service 24 hours. ISsuttes 13.500 ptas Poussin (1.000); Sirloin with tarragon (1.500). Size of single beds 90 cm. Minibar, TV and air-conditioning in Lemon sorbet (250): Seasonal fresh fruits Mini-bar, TV, private balcony air- rooms (325) conditioning

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 25 est airport (Barajas): 7 km. Nearest ski Nearest beach: 250 m resort (Navacerrada); 70 km. Propietor Inmobiliaria Formentor, Propietor: Promociones Eurobuild- S. A ing. S A Manager: Juan C Mascaro, Manager: Giovanni BertolL Staff: 250 employees Staff 480 employees. Set in solitary and exclusive splendour in An impressive building, situated m Ma­ one of the most unspoill parts of the is­ drid's new commercial centre, and offer­ land, this is one of the great hotels of Eur­ ing a wide range of up-to-date facilities. It ope, an hotel of breeding and tradition. It houses various social clubs such as Euro- provides every comfort and service for bridge and Sigin XXI. as well as the Mau- its high-class clientple Own hesch, love­ Mau discotheque. In nearby Orense ly and beauUfully tended garden. Literal­ street is the Eurobuilding II «apartotel», ly impeccable service. The proprietors, Additional facilities: parking, swimming- operated by the same company Miguel and Bealriz Buadas, run the hotel pool, souvenir and pottery shops, 11 con­ Single room: 9.200 ptas. personally. vention rooms for up to 400 people, garden Double room: 12,300 plas. Half board: 3,250 ptas. 5 single rooms 4,150-7,000 ptas Suites, 10,700-13,500 pias 109 double rooms: 6,000-10,000 pias, Breakfast m rooms: 550 plas Size ofbeeds: singles 1,05 m. doubles 1,50 Buffet: 350 ptas ; 7suites: 11,SOO-15,300 ptas. m. Mini-bar, TV, private balcony, air- Animals allowed in rooms Mimbar m Pai-rilla Albarracin Restaurant conditioning in rooms. Chef] Dob6n suites, Air-conditioning Maitre T. Brun Additional facilities parking, swimming- Additional facilities: parking, swimming- Selection of smoked fish with melba loasi pool, healed swimming-pool, bookshop, pool, bookshop, healed swimming-pool, (850): Cream of crab with brandy (350). garage, hairdresser, shops. 16 convention garage, hairdresser, tennis (1,000 per hour), Hake with wild mushrooms and eel (1.300); rooms for up to 900 people, garden on the disco. 3 convention rooms for up to 250 peo­ Corona de Arag6n roast veal (2,000); Ara- third floor by the swimming-pool ple. 8.000 sq, metres of garden as well as 12 gbn-slyle chop (1.400); Corona de Aragdn Breakfast m rooms: Continental 700 ptas million sq, metres belonging to the hotel coffee (300). Lemon sorbet with vodka (450), Buffet 1,550 ptas. Fu//5oard; 5,850 ptas Wmes: Balthasar Restaurant Half-board: 4.350 ptas. Chef Mariano Arranz. Breakfast m rooms: continental 1,000 ptas; Marques de Carifiena (965); Monte Du- Maitre: Jos6 Zapata cay white (520), Marques de Riscal ros6 buffet 1,000 ptas (1,725), House wme. Lalanne (430) Pat6 millefeuilles with hazelnuts (2.100). Formentor Restaurant Menu of the day 1,500 ptas. Salmon terrine with garlic and beans (950). Chef Arnaldo Mir. Credit cards Amex. Diners, Eurocard. Hake with endive and broccoli (1.900); Bro­ Maltre: Jos^ M." Gassb. Master Card, Visa. chette of duck with mandarin orange Smoked fish on toast (1.530); Langoustmes (1.700); Oranges m warm honey sauce (525); au gratin (1.630); Lobster stew (8,800 ptas Apples with Calvados sauce (750) for two people); Baked sea-fish (1.800). Wines: Tournedos with green pepper (1,900); Veal HOTEL DIPLOMATIC Viria Paceta, white (1,745), Marqu6s de escalope vongola (1,750); Validemosa tart Cdceres, red (1.330), (450): Fresh almond ice-cream with fig sauce (330), Pau Claris, 122, Barcelona Tel.: House wine: Reserva Balthasar (900) Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard, Wines- 317 31 00. Telex; 54701. Established: Master Card, 6000, Visa Blanco Pescador (950), Olarra ros6 1967; renovated in 1974. Nearest air­ (1,000), Vma Real Plata. 4.° afio (1.200) port (El Prat): 12 km Menu of the day: 3.350 ptas. Proprietor: Mabesal Hotels. FORMENTOR Credit cards: Amex. Diners, Eurocard, Manager:D. Luis Tusquets. Masted Card, 6000, Visa. Staff 164 employees Playa de Formentor, Puerto de Pol- lensa (Balearics). Tel : (971) 53 13 00, GOLF COSTA BRAVA * * * * This is a cenlral. modern hotel Its general Telex: 68323. atmosphere is pleasant and Its good res­ taurant often organises gastronomic Established ui 1930 and extended in Urbanizacion Glub de Golf, Santa days. Professional service Managed by 1944. 10 km from centre of Pollensa. Cristina d'Aro (Gerona). Tel.: (972) Its owner, Luis Tusquets Berrondo. Nearest airport (Palma); 75 km 33 70 52, Telex; 57252. 28 single rooms: 9.560 ptas 187 double rooms: 11,950 plas. ;i suites; 25,000 ptas GRAN HOTEL 118 single rooms: 5.300 ptas. Minibar. colour TV. air-conditioning. ERCILLA ***** 230 double rooms: 8,500 ptas. Some rooms have a balcony Size of beds: 1.10x2 m Additional facilities: parking, swimming- ErciUa, 37-39. Bilbao (Vizcaya) Tel; TV, private balcony, air-condtttoning Animals allov/ed in rooms. pool, garage, disca- 6 convention rooms for (94) 443 88 00 Telex: 32449 GHR E up to 600 people. Additional facihties: parking, bookshop, Half board: 3,565 ptas. Established: 1972, renovated in 1984 garage, hairdresser, disco. 8 convention Breakfast m rooms continental. 775 ptas, Nearest airport (Sondica): 10 km. rooms for up to 500 people. Buffem5 ptas Nearest beach: 15 km Nearest ski re­ Breakfast in rooms: continenlal 430 ptas. La Salsa Restaurant sort (!a Lunada, m Espinosa de los Bermeo Restaurant Chef: Juan Fradera. Monteros): 80 km. Chef Angel Lorente. Maitre: Sr Ricardo, Proprietor: Hotelera Ana=agasti, Maltre: Quinnliano Andres Martinez. Credit cards: Amex. Dmers, Eurocard. S. A. Gardens i la Navarra (750). Vegetable Master Card, 6 000, Visa fritters (730); Baby eels al pil pil (1,550). Manager; Agustin Martinez Bueno. Casserole of hake (1.350). Scallops m cha- Staff 250 employees. colf (1.430), Spinach tart (450); Pme-nut tart (450) EUROBUILDING ***** Cenlral. comfortable and welcoming, this Wines.- hotel has become part of life m the centre Vina Salceda. 5 ° aiio (775); CVNE. 5° aiio of Bilbao. The lounges are always fyll of (1,050); house-wuie: Olarra ^8! (530). Padre Damidn, 23. 28036 Madrid people and have excellent bar service It Credit cards: Amex. Dmers, Egrocard, Tel: (91) 457 17 00. Established m 1971. also has a good restaurant, the Bermeo Master Card. 6000. Visa. most recently renovated in 1980 Near­

26 GOURMETOUR SP/UN Established in 1974 and renovated in 1973. 1.5 km from the centre of St, Crislina. Nearest airport (Gerona): 30 km. Nearest beach (S. Agar6); 5 km. Proprietor; Hotel Golf Costa Brava. S.A Manager; Narciso Sureda Carreras. Staff: 55 employees.

Surrounded by greenery, A modern hotel with tasteful decor. Comfortable rooms and facilities Very professional and friendly service. Managed by the pro­ prietor, Narciso Sureda Carreras, 11 single rooms.-3,000-5,000 ptas 77 double rooms: 5.000-8,000 ptas 3 suj/es, 8,000-13,300 ptas. Size of beds smgles: 2,10 m x 93 cm; dou­ bles: 2 10 X 1 30 m Private balcony, air-conditioning, anunals allowed in rooms Additional facilities: parking, swiratrung- pool, aolf (2,700 ptas), tennis (500.'700 ptas). 2 conference halls, 4.000 sq metres of gar­ den with swimmmg pool and solarium ter­ race. Half board: 1,600 ptas. Breakfast m rooms.-Continental 400 ptas Buffet on the terrace: 1,300 ptas. Golf Restaurant Hotel Chef Jos6 Marro. Fonmentor. Mallre: Juan Cebria, Palma de Prawn cocktail (600); Hors d'oeuvres del Mallorca EmpordS (500); Entroc6te maltre d'hotel (Baleares). (1.100); Costa Brava fish terrine (1,200); Paella Valenciana (700). Crepes Suzette (450); Crema catalana (custard with burnt sugar top) (230). Wines.- Sangre de Toro (575); Monopole (850): Rio­ ja Bordcin '70(1,750). House wine: Rioja 2,"= ano (400), Menu of the day: 1.300 plas Credit cards: Amex, Diners, Eurocard, Master Card. Visa.

GOLF GUADALMINA * * * *

Urbanizacidn Guadalmina, San Pe­ dro de Alcantara (Malaga). Tel.: (952) 78 14 00, Telex: 77058, Established in 1959; most recently renovated in 1977, 10 km. from the centre of Marbeila, Nearest airport (Malaga): 55 km. Nearest ski resort (Sierra Nevada): 270 km. Proprietor; Golf Hotel Guadaimma. S, A, Manager: Miguel Soler, Staff 80 employees,

A very peaceful place, conducive to relaxa­ tion. Just the place to be with fneds for a chat, lunch or a round of golf. There is a course beside the hotel and anottier across the road For swimming enthu­ siasts, there is the sea. and three sea- water swimmmg-pools, one of them heat­ ed- Professional service, and a constantly improving gastronomic standard Interna­ tional menu, but based on fresh produce, Hotel Golf attracnng custom.ers from outside Ihe ho­ Costa tel, too Buffets in the adpinmg restaurant, Brava the Vallesol, are parncularly popular (Gerona). provided daily throughout August and on

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 27 Breakfast in rooms conlmenta! 500 plas Full board: 2,730 ptas h. ;!!••- Half board: 1.900 ptas Hotel del Goll Restaurant Breakfast in rocms: 400 ptas. Chef Caspar Diaz Berben Lion d'Or Restaurant Maitre: Manuel Rodriguez Betlido, Chefjosii Vaquero Briz Golf poached eggs (500); Strogonoff Maitre Victoriano Belsue (1.300). Sitlom brochette (1,300), Mexican Vegetable terrine au gratin (300); Hoi grilled entrecote (1,400), carre d'agneau asparagus Gran Hotel (700), Salmon with (1,300), creme caramel au chantiUy (330); cava (1.200), Hake (1,200); Filet mignon crepes Suzetle (600), (1,400); Flamb^ apple dessert (300); Pineap­ Wine ple mac^doine wuh Cointreau (300) Torres Rinso white (900), Marques de Ris­ Wines.' cal ros6 (1,100); Rioia Bordrin '75 red (1.200), House v/ine Crianza Martinez Bujanda, 5 " Menu ol the day 2,500 ptas afio (300); Vifia Tondonia (975); Vma Real Sundays during the rest of the year, or on Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard. Orod.lOO). request Upper-class clientele Ma.<;tet Card Visa • Menu of Ihe day: 1,500 ptas S single rooms: 4,260-6,290 ptas Credit cards: Amey. Diners, Master Card, 55 doubles rooms: 5,800-8,650 ptas Eurocard, Visa, 6,000, 12 suites 8,650-12.950 ptas Size o/£>eds: 1.90 x 1 m GRAN HOTEL * * * * * Animals allowed in rooms, private bal­ cony HACIENDA NA Joaquin Costa. 3. Zaragoza Tel: XAMENA * * * * * Additional facilities pafkuig, swimm.mg- (976)22 19 01 Telex: 58010. pool, golf (1,200 ptas.), tennis (500 ptas) Ha//-jboard 2 700 ptas Nearest airport (Zaragoza): 8 km. Nearest ski resort (Formigal): 185 km. Na Xamena, San Miguel. Ibiza (Ba- Breakfast in rooms Continental 500 ptas learics). Tel: (971) 33 30 46 Telex: Proprietor: Compafiia Hoteiera Ara- Vallesol-Guadalmina Resiauram 69322. gonesa, S A Chef Francisco Vives Dieste Established in 1971, mosl recently iVfa.'.'re Manuel del Valle Manager: Pedro L Alcrudo renovated in February 1985. 23 km. Avocado and prawn pancakes (850); ' 2a- Staff 110 employees food cocktail (830); Monkfish brochette from the town centre. Nearest airport: 30 km. Nearest teach: 3 km, (1,200); Supreme of chicken with lemon This hotel is something of an mstiturion in (900); Tournedos with green pepper (1.350); Zaragoza It was closed for some years Propietor: Na Xamena, S, A. Salmon mousse with crab sauce (1.000); until recently, and having changed hands Manage/---Ernesto Romon Fajames, Chocolate mousse and apple tart (330) has been completely refurbished, pre­ Staff 43 employees. Wines serving Its oiiginal features inside and House-vvine Romeral Azpilicueta '83 out. so that It IS now offically designated a Perched on a promontory, this hotel is one (600); Imperial CVI^ '73 (2,300): Marques building of architectural interest Its situa­ of the most attractive on the island, and de Riscal '80 [1,400), Banda Azui Paternina tion IS delightful, and it combines modern mdeed m the Balearics as a'whole. Its (750). comforts with the typical atmosphere of a amazing sea-viev/s. comfortable rooms Menu of the day 1.900 ptas Cdte d'Azur hotel. Some of the original modern facilities and good t"ood make Credit cards Amex, Diners. Master Card. staff have also been re-engaged, so that this a highly recommendable hotel Effi­ Eurocard, Visa, service ;s very professional cient service. 20 single rooms. 3,800-4,250 ptas. 11 single rooms: 8 250-'. 1,150 ptas, ' HOTEL DEL GOLF, 100 double rooms- 5.500-6,5o'o ptas. 44 double rooms: 4,750-7,650 ptas per Suites.- 7.000-10.000 ptas person S. A. * * * * * Size of beds, singles 1 10 x2 m ; doubles 6 suites, 13,000-22.000 ptas. 1 40x2m, Rooms have minibar, private balcony air- Nueva Andalucia, Marbslla (Mala­ Rooms have minibar TV and air- condiUoning Animals allowed in roomiS, ga) Tel: (952) 78 03 00. Telex; 77783. conditioning Additional facilities parkmg. s'lVimming- Established in 1984, 10 km. from the Additional features: parking. 3 conven­ pool, heated swimming-pool, hairdresser, centre of Martaella Nearest airport tion rooms for up to 500 people. boutiques 50 km. Nearest beach 3 km. Nearest Hacienda na Xamena. San Miguel (Ibiza). mountain resort (Sierra Nevada): 190 km. Proprietor Ext ugolf, S. A Manager-Feliciano P^rez, The Nueva Andalucia development is a kind of dreamland, no' without hints of Disney: here, a «normal» block of flats; there a delightful complex of small houses; over there, a stately home: beyond, some Moorish houses glimpsed through palm-trees looking like the set­ ting for a Nalivity scene There has been a lot of alteration and expansion recently And there is a lot of golf The hotel has tv;o courses, and provides unalloyed pleasure for golf fanatics Furthermore, it is just a stone's throw from Puerto Baniis 5 single rooms-l.OOO-B.OOO ptas 65 doubles rooms: 14,000-16.000 ptas 6 suites 28,000-30,000 ptas Rooms have TV, private balcony and air- conditioninq. Additional facilities: parkmg. bookshop, garage, swimming pool hairdresser, perfu­ mery, golf (2,000 ptas.). garden

28 COURMETOUR SPAIN Hotel La Reconquista (Oviedo).

Hostal La Gavina. S'Agaro (Gerona)

Half board: 2,700 ptas, tennis (1,000-1,200 ptas), 3 convennon also the hotel used by visiting digmtaries Na Xamena Restaurant rooms for up to 130 people, garden, 14 single rooms: 5.725-6,850 ptas. Chef: Jos6 M Centeno fioom service from 07 30 to 24,00 117 double rooms. 8,025-9.450 ptas, Maitre: Francisco Ortiz. Breakfast in rooms: connnental 750 ptas fi double rooms with sitting-room: .Wenti of the day-2,500 ptas Half board 4,000 ptas 11.500-13.200ptas Wines Villa d'Este Restaurant 4 suites: 13,800-27,600 to 16.000-32.000 Vifia Ardanza (1,300), Vina Tondonia Chef Joaqufn Oriol, ptas (1,200); Marques de Riscal (1,100), House Ma/fre: Diego Herranz Rooms have minibar. TV, air-conditioning. wine: Carta de Piata./Monistrol (300) Smoked salmon and caviar rolls (1,950): Additional facilities: parking, bookshop, Credit cards Amex, Diners, Eurocard, Hot asparagus with duck pai6 and vinai- garage, hairdresser shops, 8 convention Master Card, Visa gretle (1.450); Sole with salmon mousse rooms for up to 600 people. (2,100), Gratinado of fresh-water crabs Full board: 4,300 pias (1,300): Filet en croute pSrigurdine (1.730); Half board: 2,923 ptas Pear pastry (650), Oranae caramel Hostal Breakfast in rooms: contmental 523 ptas (675) Grill-ParriUa HOSTAL DE LA Wines: ChefSr Lopez GAVINA ***** Chateau Mouton Rothschild (23.000), Vega Maitre: Sr Pando Sicilia (16.530); Vina Tondonia 6."^ af^o Menu of the day 2.400 ptas Plaza de la Rosaledad, s/n. S'AgartS (1,625) Wines (Gerona), Tel,: (972) 32 11 00, Telex: Menu of the day: 3.250 ptas. Monopole (1.323); Vina Ecoyen rose (350): 57132. Established: 1932. 2 km from Credit cards. Amex, Diners. Eurocard. Muriia 3,° ario (800); House-wine: Vina MasterCard, Visa. Eguia (490). the town centre. Nearest airport (Ger­ Credit cards: Amex, Diners, Eurccard. ona)- 38 km' Master Card, 6000. Visa Proprietor: Jose Ensesa Monsal- vatge LA RECONQUISTA ***** Manager: Gustavo Jean Mairet. Closed from 1st November to 1st Gil de Jaz, 16. Oviedo (Asturias), Tel: GRAN HOTEL LA April, (985) 24 11 00. Telex: 84328 OASA E. TQJJ^ ***** Established m 1973. Nearest airport: Certainly Spam's most luxurious hotel, the 40 km. Nearest beach; 28 km Isla de La Toja, El Grove (Ponteve- ultimate in elegance and good taste It Proprietor: Hosteleria Asturiana, has been constantly updated since its on- dra) Tel: (986) 73 00 35. Telex: 88042. ginal opening to keep its service up to S A (Hoasa) Totally renovated m 1972. scratch Its situation and furnishings are Manager: Luis Fernandez Sauco, 2 kill from the centre of El Grove superb, though perhaps the hotel has lost Staff 153 employees, Nearest airports Santiago. 85 km, Vigo: something of its former exquisite perfec­ 65 km. Nearest ski resort (Cabeza de tion The breakfasts nowadays are not a A luxurious five-star hotel, tending towards Manzaneda): 150 km, patch on what the used to be the opulent. It is a restored 17 th century Propietor: La Toja, S A, 2 single rooms. 9,000-14,000 ptas, hospice with a lovely fapade Good ser­ 56 doubles rooms 12.000-17.500 ptas. vice A piano IS played in the evenings m Manager: Antonio Franco Cantos. ;flsui/es: 15.000-20,000 ptas the covered cloister which forms Ihe Staff 116 employees. Rooms have private balconies foyer, where drinks are served (also ac­ Additional facilities parking, bookshop. cessible to non-residents) Conventions The Gran Hotel is a classic example of the hairdresser, jeweller's, fashion shop, golf. and congresses are held here, and it is Belle Epoque and compares well with its y^ \5J ^xPc^f # yy i

equivalents in the famous Euroepan re­ sorts, even surpassing them when it comes to location. There are all sorts of extra ahractions — golf, clay-pigeon shooting, sporting and cultural events (the motor-show, folk festival) — and the whole environment is comfortable, luxur­ ious, and supported by exquisitely pro­ fessional service. This is the place to go to relax and enjoy oneself in enchanting surroundings, or to throw caution to the winds in the casino. The terraces over­ looking the sea. the murmur of the pines, the impeccable service all combine lo make one feel as if one is in a film 22 single rooms: 4,500-9,300 ptas, ISO double rooms: 6,000-12.000 plas. 59suifes 8.000-16 000 ptas Las Salmas Sheraton, Lanzarote (Las Palmas). Rooms have TV and private balconies- Additional facilities parking, garage, Breakfast in rooms: continental 375 ptas. pool, heated swimmmg-pool, hairdres.ser. s-^vimming-pool. heated swimming-pool, Landa Palace Restaurant shops, tennis, sauna (600 ptas. per hour), hairdresser, golf (weekends 1.000; week­ Chef Basilio Perez gym, disco, convention room for up to 200 days 730). tenms (300). sauna (800), gym .Maitre: Vicente Ines Ramos people, subtropical park, and patio gar­ (1,000), disco (300), six conference rooms Olla podrida (823); Asparagus tips in puff dens with waterfalls and fountains. for up to 500 people pastry (725); Sea-bass in Burgundy (1,300); a Atl^ntida Restaurant Half-board: 3,300 ptas. quarter roast lamb (2.200); veal chop Chefjos^ LuisGtlmez. Breakfast in rooms continental 530 ptas, Parmesan (1.100), Millefeuilles (3S0), Mafire.- Antonio Vieites. Candeeiro Restaurant Wmes: Menu of the day: 2,750 ptas. C^efjuan Llave Viria Salceda. 4." alio (850); Vma Ardanza Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Master Card, Maitre: JosS Luis CasUro. '78 (1,500). Valbuena 5 ano (2,800); Reserva Eurocard, Visa. Menu of the da/: 2,300-4,100 ptas Especial Castillo Landa (325). Wines, Ribeiro Especial Gran Hotel (550); Albar- ino La Toja (1,100); Local red (530) LOS LEBREROS * * * * Credit cards: Amex, Diners. Eurocard, LAS SALINAS Master Card, 6000, Visa, SHERATON * * * * * Luis de Morales. 2. Seville, Xel: (934) 57 S4 00. Telex- 72772, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote (Las Pal­ Established in 1978, 1 km. from the LANDA PALACE ***** mas). Tel.: (928) 81 30 40. Telex: 96320, centre of town. Nearest airport: 6 km. Established in 1977, 7 km. from the Nearest beach: 85 km. Carretera de Madrid, km. 236. Bur­ centre of town. Nearest airport: 16 km. Proprietor: Sol Hotels. Nearest beach: 150 km. gos Tel: (947) 20 63 43. Ma/3ager--Rafael Gdmez Garrera, Established in 1958. 2 km, from the Proprjefor.-Banca Worms. Staff 325 employees. centre of Burgos, Manager: Gabriel Felip, Proprietor: Landa Palace, S, A. Staff 320 employees. Situated neat the Sevjle foolball ground ' Manager: M,'"> Victona Landa Vi­ and the exit from the IWadnd road. Effi­ cente, An extraordinary hotel whose architeclure cient service. The best facilities in Se­ Staff 69 employees. is very modern and original, highlights ville, and in constanl use as a venue for being its amazing terraces and marvel­ congresses and conventions. Run by the One of Spain's most attractive hotels, this is a lous swimming-pools It is held to be one Hotasa Group A new restaurant, specia­ 14th century castle which its late owner, of the best hotels m the world, despite the lising in meat, has just opened and looks Jesus Landa, had transported here The fact the the cuisine is not up to the stan promising, decor is in keepmg with the building. All dard of the rest of the establishment II is 46 single rooms: 5,500-8,500 ptas sorts of facilities are provided, mcluding to be hoped that the new proprietors do 387 double rooms: 7.S00-13.000 ptas. a covered swimming-pool reminiscent of something to remedy this It offers all the I suites; 20.000-23,000 ptas. Roman baths Top class service Member usual facilities of an hotel m this bracket Size of beds singles 090 x 2 m; double? of Relais et Chateaux 31 single rooms: 9,700-10,500 ptas, I,e0x2m. 3 single rooms: 1.000-7,400 ptas. 253 double rooms: 12.500-14.375 ptas 29 double rooms: 9,000-9,800 ptas, Mini-bar in suites, TV and air- 24 suites 20.000-25,000 ptas. conditioning m rooms 7suites: 14,300 ptas. 2 master suites: 30.000 ptas. Private terrace and air-conditioning Additional facilities: parking, swimming- Size of beds: singles 2 x 1 OS m; doubles 2 pool, bookshop, garage, hairdresser, sauna Additional facilities parking, swimming- X 1 30 m. pool, garage, conference, room, garden (600 ptas), gym, disco (430 ptas.). confer­ FuWioard. 3.700 ptas Mini-bar, TV, private balcony, air- ence halt for up to SOO people, garden with Half board: 3,200 ptas conditionmg Animals allowed m rooms. swimming-pool, terrace and chiidrens' Additional facilities: parking, swimming- amusements. Banda Azul Rioja (700); Banda Dorada ers whose mfiuence is visible from the LOS MONTEROS ***** (700); Sangre de Toro (930) firse bouqainvillea at the entrance, down Menu of Ihe day: 2.500 ptas. through the arches of greenery leading Credit cards: Amex, Diners. Eurocard, to the beach, passing bungalows Carretera de Cadiz, km, 194, Mar Master Card, 6000. Visa adorned with hibiscus and frangipani. bella (Malaga). Tel.: (952) 77 17 00, Te­ There are single storey pavillions giving lex: 77059. Established in 1962, Com­ out onto the garden and Ihe swimming- pletely renovated in 1982. 5 km. from pool, and bungalows m such a lovely set- the centre of town. Nearest airport tmq that It takes a true effort of will to ven­ (Malaga) 50 km. Nearest beach: 800 ture any further. The kitchen has been re­ LUZ PALACIO * * * * * cently moved and extended and the stan­ metres. dard of cuisine has risen accordingly. Proprietor: Hotel Los Monteros, S, A. Paseo de la Castellana, 57, Madrid This is one of the few hotels on Ihe coast Manager: Gonzalo Lasso. Tel,: (91) 442 51 00, Telex: 27207. to which people como kust lo eat. Staff 200 employees. Renovated in June, 1982 (carpets, 38 double rooms: 13.000-18.000 plas. curtauis and painting). Nearest airport 20 suites: 18.000-23.000 plas That the hotel itself lives up to the reputa­ Mmibar. private balconies, aircondihon- (Barajas): 20 km. Nearest ski resort ing Animals allowed in rooms tion of Its restaurant is something one can (Navacerrada): 50 km. tell before even passing the reception Additional facilities: parkmg, swimming- area with its glimpses of charming Proprietor: Hopesa. pool, heated swimmmg-pool, hairdresser, flower-filled patios, just a forestate of the Manager: Manuel Alvarez. boutiques, golf, tennis, garden, bungalows garden whose swans, pools and rustic Staff 150 employees. with private garden, bridges lead on to «La Cabane», the Waf/^board-4,400 plas Beach Club, There, Ihe combination of Situated m a residential area, a few minutes Breakfast in rooms 900 ptas. sea palm trees and giant cactuses, espe­ from the commercial centres and the Pa- Buffet: 3,500 ptas cially at twilight, are like something out of lacio de Congresos Established in 1953 Menu of the day 3,500 p tas. Ball Los Monteros la part of a large com­ and modernised in 1981, it is run directly Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard, plex which also includes several condo­ by the owners IVlasier Card, Visa. miniums and the Incosol. 47single rooms; 8.700 ptas. 13 single rooms 12,000-17.000 ptas 121 double rooms 13,100 ptas. 152 double rooms: 13.400-22,700 ptas 14 suites: 19,300 ptas. .Suites: 27.{'i00-;'5ti.n0Q ptas. Size of beds: .singles 090 x 1,80 m. dou­ Special suite: 48.000-60,000 ptas, bles 183x1 80m Minibar and rv on reque.^l. Rooms have TV and air conditioning m rooms, ininibar private balconies and air-condiuonmg in suiles- Additional facilities: parkmq. bookshop, Addilional facilities, bookshop, garage, four swiminning-pools, hairdresser, shops, hairdresser, drugstore, sauna (830 plas). 6 golf (free to residents), temus (free to resi­ convennon rooms for up to 600 people. dents), gym, disco with band, convention Full board: 5,200 ptas room for up to 30 people. Exonc gardens Wa/f^board: 3,360 ptas with recently-installed Jacuzzi. Breakfast in rooms: 600 ptas Full board 3,300 plas Sal6n Espafta and Salon Chile Restaur­ Breakfast in rooms: continenlal Buffet ants breakfast m main restaurant Price is includ­ Chef Angel Lanchares. ed in the room price. Maitre Francisco Mdrquez. £1 Corzo Restaurant Menu of the day 2,730 ptas. Chef Gregorio Camarero. Wines: Maitre. lldefonso Denia. Vifia Pomal (1.400); Marques de Murrieta Salmon mousse with caviar (1,250); Sea­ (1,350). Solar de Samaniego (1.100); House food crSpes with tarragon cream (3,300); wine Siglo AGE 1982 (650) Carr6 d'agneau aux fines herbes (2,900), Credit card: Amex. Diners. Eurocard, Calves' kidneys and sweetbreads with mus­ Master Card, Visa. tard (2,000); pears in white wine with sUaw- berry sauce (750); Mandarin or raspberry souffle ice with mango and raspberry sauce (1.100). Wines. Gran Vmasol Etiqueta Verde (2,000); Vifia MARBELLA CLUB * * * * Tondonia (2.100); iviarques de Romeral red (2,373). House wme: Los Monlero red Carretera de Cddiz. km. 125. Mar- (1,373). bella (Malaga), Tel.; (952) 77 13 00. Te­ Credit cards: Amex, Diners. Eurocard. lex; 77319. Master Card, Visa, Established In 1954. Latest renova­ tion 1980-81 3 km. from the town centre. Nearest airport (Malaga); 54 Full board: 4,440 ptas km. Half board: 3,050 ptas Proprietor: Marbella Club Hotel, Breakfast in rooms,-conunenial 330 plas. S. A. Butfel Breakfast 500 ptas.; lunch and din­ ner Z.500 ptas Manager: TomAs Carrera. Trident's Restaurant Staff 156 employees. Chef Abundio Serna Fernandez. Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe was the great Maitre: Agustin Jos6 Ponce pioneer of the Costa del Sol. and he it was Clams with pasta (830). Partridge with who founded this hotel The present pro­ beans (650); C^diz-style fish and .sea food prietor has kept up Ihe tradiuonal stan­ soup (830). Leg of lamb (1,130); Tiny fillets of dard in this establishment which functions cod in batter (800). Ox-tail a la Sevillana in partnership with its neigh bour. Puente (800); San Leandro candies (230); pears in Romano One gets the impression that red wine (230) there are far more staff than guests and Wines: one particularly appreciates the garden­

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 31 (800 ptas,), sauna (1,000 ptas), disco, 3 con­ vention rooms for up to 350 people, 30,000 sq metres of garden with semi-tropical and exotic plants, Fu/; board, 6.460 ptas Half board: 4.300 ptas. Breakfast in rooms: 800 ptas. Buffet: 2.900 ptas. Principal Restaurant Chef Manuel Atienza Ma/tre C6sar Benito, Prawn and spinach pancakes (1.150); CrSpes with brains and tuna (970), Dame of stid-bdss Willi .spaikliiiy winy (2.093). El MELIA DON PEPE ***** Grove langousiines with asparagus au gra- tm (970). Braised guinea-fowl with black truffles (1,785); Don Pepe sorbets (530): Im­ Finca las Merinas, s/n. Marbella perial puch (330). (Malaga), Tel. (952) 77 03 00. Telex: IVines: 77035 and 79553, Established in 1964. Vifia Tondonia white (2,475); Olarra ros^ 5O0 metres from the centre of Marbel­ (1.323): Vega Siciha (6.530): House wine: la. Nearest airport (Malaga): 55 km. AGE 4," ano (850) Nearest ski resort (Sierra Nevada); 300 Credit cards Amex, Diners, Eurocad, km. Master Card. Visa Proprietor, INEXTUR, S. A. Manager: Conde de Perlac. Staff 300 employees. MELIA MADRID ***** The high standard set when the Don Pepe was first opened are sfill maintained to­ day, and It is one of Marbella's star hotels Princesa. 27 Madrid. TeL; (91) Hotel Miguel Angel Its locanon is an important factor, given 241 85 00, Telex: 22537, Established in (Madrid). that It IS easily accessible entering the 1968 and completely renovated in town from the direction of Puerto Baniis, 1984. Nearest airport (Barajas): 17 km. and looks onto the "beach and the ses Nearest ski resort (Navacerrada): 60 from the front and Ihe snowtopped Sierra km. Rooms have minibar, TV, air-conditioning. from the back. Furthermore, one can get Additional facilities: parking, hair­ to the mountains by the ring-road, without Proprietor: Realtur, S, A. dresser, shops, sauna (700). gym (1,100), having to go through Marbella Manager: Javier Perales Marcelino. Full board: 5.500 ptas. 18 single rooms 8,400-11.500 ptas Staff 230 employees. Ha/f (board: 2,980 ptas, 170 double rooms: 12,600-18,000 ptas Prtncesa Restanrant 7siii(es.-30,000-38,000 ptas Chef Francisco Lucas Piqueras Imperial suite: 49,000-55,000 ptas First link in the Meha chain in Madrid, 100 Maltre: Adolfo Arribas Jimenez, Size of beds: single 1 x 190 m.; doubles metres from the Plaza de Espafia. Its bars Sliced goose-liver on toast (2,600); Sella l.SOx 1,90 m and lounges are nearly always full of life smoked salmon (1.330); Turbot tlamtDS with Rooms have mmibar, TV, private balcony 13 single rooms: 9.350 ptas. Calvados (2,500); Calves brains with black and air-condiaonmg. 248 double rooms: 11,700 plas, butter (830). Steak Tartare (1,650); Cheese Additional facilities: parkmg, swimming- 5 suites; 29.000 ptas. board (375): Crapes Suzene (375), pool, bookshop, heated swimming-pool, Size of beds: single 0 90 x 1 80 m: double Wines: hairdresser, shops golf (1,300 ptas ), tennis l,35x I,80m Imperial CVNE (1,328): Viiia Ardanza (1,530); Vina Tondoma (1,400). Melii Don Pepe, Marbella (Milaga). Menu of the day: 2,400 ptas. Credit cards Diners. Eurocatd. Visa.

MIGUEL ANGEL * * -'^ * *

Miguel Angel. 31, Madrid, Tel.: (91) 442 00 22, Telex 44235. Established in 1977 Nearest airport (Barajas); 10 km Proprietor. Hotel Miguel Angel. S. A, Manager Jose Luis Fernandez Staff 250 employees

This is the latest luxury hotel to be opened in Madrid It is situated near the Paseo de la Castellana, and u.scs the latest techno­ logy in the running of Ihe hotel Outstand­ ing decor, with the lounges in different styles 71 single rooms: 8.300-9.300 ptas 211 double rooms: 13.900 alas 22 suites: 24.100-61.000 ptas. Rooms have minibar TV, private balcony and air-condiuonina Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard, Mas lei Card, Visa.

MONTARTO * * * *

Baguiera Beret, Salardii (L^rida). Tel.: (973) 64 50 75, Telex: 57707. Renovated in 1972. 14 km from the centre of Viella, Nearest airport (Toulouse) 166 km. Nearest beach (Salou) 250 km. Proprietor: HOY ASA Manager: Manuel Espatiol Aventi'n. Staff 100 employees.

A road side hotel. )ust at ihe fool of Ihe ski slopes Regional cooking in the res­ taurant Pleasant decor and effictent ser­ vice 32 single rooms: 2.400-3.500 ptas 134 double rooms: 4,400-7.000 ptas 6 suites-6.900-9.500 Minibar in suites, private balconies Ani­ Hotel mals allowed in rooms. Mijas. Additional facihties parkmg, swimming- Mijas pool, heated swimming-pool, garage, two (Mdlaga). shops, tennis (300 ptas.), free disco, 2 con­ vention rooms for up to 600 people, gar- den solarium in summer Additional facilities Swimming-pool, Rooms have private balconies. La Borda Lobato Restaurant bookshop, heated swimming-pool gar­ Additional facilities- parking, heated C/ie7 Joan Puig Gros age, hairdresser, disco swimming-pool, three convention rooms, Maiire: Javier Deobarro, Breakfast m rooms: 700 ptas. golf (3,000-4,500), tennis (300 pias per hour), Menu of the day 1,300 ptas Florencia Restaurant sauna (1,000 per hour), free gym. Wines.' Half board 2,875 ptas. Che/' Juan Agudo Eizaguirre. House wine: Santa Daria 81 (700). Mar­ Restaurant Manager CZailos Castro Breakfast in rooms: 723 ptas. ques de Caceres (1.975); Vifia Arana 73 Cream of pumpkin soup (600); scrambled Restaurant (1,200). Chef Francisco Pinto egg with truffles in puff pastry (1,300): Credit cards: Amex, Eurocard, Master Principe de Aslurias sole (1.600); Esca­ Maitre: Jos6 Antonio Munoz Card, Visa, lope Isabel de Farnesio (1.800); Noisettes - Number of tables: SO of sirlom with wild mushrooms (1,700), Rainbow salad Fresh stufied artichokes, Mango sorbet (300) Miguel Angel tulip Supreme of salmon with mou.sseline sauce; (6O0) Pan de angel (300) Medallion of sea-bass wit, Calvados and Wines green pepper; Cheesecake with nuts and Vifia Tondonia 6 " aiio (1.600), Viha Real honey. Raspberry bavarois with rasptierry Planta (1.130) Imperial CVNE (2.300); sauce Tele de Cuv4e (3.930). House wine: Cas­ Wines tillo Palacios 4" ano (600) Alto Ebro 3.<" aiio (623). Monopole (1.796); Menu of the day 3.100 ptas Siglo 4" aiio (880). Vega Sicilia (price ac­ Credit cards Amex, Dmers, Eurocard, cording to vintage). Master Card, 6000, Visa,

MIJAS * * *

Urbanizaci6n Tamisa, Mijas (Mala­ ga) Tel.: (952) 48 58 00 Telex: 77393 30 km from Malaga. Nearest airport (Malaga): 18 km. Nearest beach 10 km Nearest ski resort (Sierra Nevada): 128 km. Proprietor: Hotel Mijas, S. A. Manager: Peter P. Bartmann. Staff 90 employees

With Its marvellous setting, this is the ideal place to which lo retreat for a relaxing time, since it has none of the bustle of vast establishments Csnfortable. built in the Andalusian style Tea is served daily at 6 o'clock, with a good assortment of cakes and pastries Hotel 1 lOst'nglerooms:4.930-5.610 ptas. Monte ae double rooms 6.573-7.375 ptas. Real 1 Ssuites: 19,280-20,530 ptas (Madrid).

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 33 MONTE REAL * * * * *

Arroyofresnc, 17. Madrid Tel.; (91) 216 21 40 Telex: 22089 Established in 1969; bars and restaurants most re­ Casino cently renovated in 1984 5 km. from Monte the city cenlre. Nearest airport (Bara­ Picayo jas), 14 km. Puzol. Proprietor: Mavel, S. A, (Valencia) Manager Juan Fernandez Garcia Staff 70 employees Proprietor: Jesali, S, A. Chefs delights (823); Picayo salad (600); Manager: ]QS6 Marfa Aranda. Paella valenciana (800). sea-food rice Staff 103 employees. (1.500), fish all I pebre (1,425); orange souf- Near to Monte del Pardo, this is one of the (425), Picayo boat (713). quietest parts of Madrid, mst 20 minutes Wines. from the centre. The Puerta de Hierro Luxurious country hotel situated on a moun­ golf club IS one kilometre av/ay A very tain-side and surrounded by pme and Alto Turia while (400); Sanlerra (1.155); tranquil and select atmosphere Member orange trees, overlooking the panorama Vii^a Cubillo 3,"' aho (873); Cavas de Mur- of the Relais et Chateaux cham. Down­ of Valencia and its agricultural land Only viedrored 1980(650) stairs disco IS rmnutes from the city centre by Ihe Menu of the day: 1.800 and 2.300 ptas. Surrounded by gardens Mediterranean autopista. Ideal for con­ Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard. 8 single rooms: 9,000 ptas, ferences Gaming casino Master Card, 6000. Visa 65 double rooms 14.400 ptas 5 single rooms: 8.140 ptas. Size of beds: smgle 90 cm.; double 1 30 m 70 double rooms: 10.175 ptas Room service 7,30 a.m. - 12 00 noon 6 suite 13,400 ptas, Rooms have minibar, colour TV. private Si^e of beds: single, 0 93 x 2,10 m : double. PALACE * * * * * balcony and air-conditioning Animals al­ 2 10x2 20 m lowed. Room service: 7 a m to midnight. Plaza de las Cortes, 7 Madrid. Tel.: Additional facilities parking, garage, Rooms have minibar, TV. private balcon­ (91) 429 75 51 Telex: 22272 Estab­ s7.'imming-pool. hairdresser, sauna, gym, ies and air-conditionmg. lished in 1912; most recently renovat­ disco 4 convenfion rooms for up to 200 peo­ Additional facilities: parking, sv,jimming- ed in 1984 Nearest airport: 15 km. ple, garden with swimming-pool and pool, gift-shop, golf (1.300 ptas. per hour), Nearest ski-resort (Navacerrada): 60 lavmed garden for baquets of 100 to 350 tenms (300 ptas per hour), sauna (300 ptas,), oeople, disco, 3 convention for up to 300 people, km. Fu;yi>oard 7.000 ptas over 3 km of garden walkways in Mediter­ Manager.-Juan J. Berg^s Sunsunegui. Ha;/board: 3.475 ptas ranean and tropical vegetation Staff 27^ employees. Breakfast in rooms: contmental 690 ptas. Full board 4.335 ptas Azul-'Verde and S-ummer Restaurant Breakfast: continental 500 ptas, One of Spam's great classic turn-of-the cen­ Chef Andres Sierra Monte Picaro Restaurant tury hotels, of special interest for Us ar­ Maitre Julio Herraiz C/3e7-Jacinto Mares. chitecture, d^cor and atmosphere All Tosta holandesa (600): Omon soup au Maiire: Alfonso Cantero. sorts recepUons, up to top-level, are held gratin (600); Monte Real sirlom steak (1.800); Casserole of hake (1.800). Basque-style chicken (1,000): Monte Real souffle (2.000 for EL MONTIBOLI * * * * Minibar, private balconies and air- 2 people) flamb^ fruit salad (1.000) condinonmg. Animals allowed in rooms for Menu of the day 3.400 ptas. Partida Montiboli, s/n. Villajoyosa a fee. Additional facilities: parking, swimmmg- Wines: (Alicante). Tel, (965) 89 02 50 Telex: House-wine Vifia Eguia'78 (l.lOO). Vina pool, garage, hairdresser, convention room Ardanza 76 (2,200): Monopole (1,200); Vina 68288 3 -km. from the town centre for up to SO people, garden Pomal (1,600) Nearest airport (Alicante): 35 km. Si­ Full board: 4,300 ptas. Credit cards: Amex. Master Card. Dmers. tuated on the beach. Half board: 2.700 ptas. 6000, Eurocard. Visa Proprietor: Slim, S. A. Breakfast m rooms:continental - 600 plas, Manager-Jos^ Manuel Castillo Alia- MontiboU Restaurat ga Chef Angel Sanchez Martin Staff 50 employees, Maitre; Fernando Patra M^rquez. CASINO MONTE Tropical cocktail (950), Tosta danesa (950): Medallions of salmon in champagne ^ PICAYO * * * * * A modern, luxunous hotel, opened m 1968, (1.430); Propiteroles (425); Crapes flamb^es right by the sea It has a heated pool and (for 2 people, 1,230) Urbanizacidn Monte Picayo. Puzol an ideal beach for v/ater-sporis The de­ Wines: (Valencia), Tel.; (96) 14201 00. Telex cor is fimctiona! and practical Good ser­ Campo Vie)0 '73 (1,100); Rioja Bordon 62087 Established m January. 1968. vice Member of Relais et Chateaux (1,300); Vifla Albina '72 (1.500), House wine 5 smgfe rooms: 4,000 - 7,000 ptas Campo Viejo (SOO). and most recently renovated (carpets 3S double rooms: 7.800 • 12,000 ptas and paintvi/ork) in 1984 18 km. from Menu of the day: 2.400 ptas. ^2sw/es:9.500 - 17,000 ptas. Credit cards: Amex. Diner.s. Eurocard, Valencia Nearest airport: 25 km Room service from noon to midnight. Master Card. Visa Nearest beach: 3 km 1 derns, functional decor, v/ith all the usual services 40 single rooms: 9.800 ptas, 332 doubles rooms: 12,230 ptas .36 suites: 24.000 ptas. Size of beds: single, 2 x 110m; double. 2 X l.SOm, Rooms have minibar, English and Spanish video, TV, and air-oondifioning. Additional facilities: parking, garage, hairdresser, sauna, disco, 6 conference rooms for up to 800 people, garden. Breakfast in rooms: 690 ptas, Margarita Restaurant Chef FlorenUno S^ez. Mattre; Vicente Esteban Menu of the day: 3,120 ptas. Credit cards Amex, Diners, Eurocard, Master Card, Visa

PRINCESA SOFIA ***** Plaza Pfo XII. s/n. Barcelona. Tel.; (91) 330 71 11. Telex: 51032 Sofi E. Established m August 1975. 4 Im, from the city centre. Nearest airport (El Prat); 12 km. Nearest beach (Cas- telldefels); 19 km. Proprietor: City Grand Hotels, S, A, Manager: Alfonso Jordan. Staff 360 employees. Hotel Palace (Madrid)

here. Its lounges are known as the Plaza Propnefor.-HUSA. Princesa Sofia (Barcelona) de Catalufia since it has many Catalan Manager: D. Juan Tena. clients. Staff 100 employees. 40 single rooms: 10,400 ptas. 450 double rooms: 13,700 ptas. 20 suites: 16.000 - 38,000 ptas. Centrally siluated m the upper pEirt of the Size of beds: single. 2 x 1,10 m,; double, 2 city. Modernised. Very attentive service, X 1.65 m. 20 single rooms: 9.025 ptas. Minibar, TV, Air-condiUoning. animals al­ 141 double rooms: 11.660 ptas. lowed in rooms 4 suites: 15,800 ptas Minibar, TV and air-conditionmg in • Additional facilities: parking, bookshop, garage, hairdresser, haute couture and gift rooms shop, 10 conference rooms for up to 600 Additional facilities: parking, swimming- pool, garage, shops, convention room for up Full board - 6,630 ptas. to ISO people. Haf/board: 4,300 ptas. Full board: 3,900 ptas. Breakfast in rooms,-conbnental, 800 ptas. Half board: 2.650 ptas. Palace Club Restauiant Breakfast in rooms: continental, 423 ptas. Chef Francisco Rubio Hotel Presidente Restaurant Maitre: Manuel L6pez, C/ie/Juan Lopez. Fresh pasta with creamed prawns (I.SOO Maitre: Jose Lopez, ): stuffed artichokes (950); noisette of lamb Menu of the day: with braised endives ''1.973), steak tartare 2.200 ptas. Belle Epoque (2.250). hake with sea-food Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard, (2,100), assorted desserts (450) Master Card, 6000. Visa Wines,- Blanc de Blancs, Marqu6s de Monistrol (1.100); Vina Herminia '75 (1.100), Vega Sici­ lia. Reserva Especial (13,000); House wine: PRINCESA PLAZA ***** Marques de Monistrol dry white (800) Menu of the day: 3^00 ptas Serrano Jover, 3. 28015. Madrid. Tel.: Credit cards: Amex, Diners, Eurocard, (91) 242 2100. Telex: 44377. Estab­ Master Card, Visa. lished in 1976. most recently ranovat- ed in 1984 Neartisl airport (Baiajas): IS km. Nearest ski resort (Navacerra­ PRESIDENTE***** da): 50 km. Proprietor: Explotaciones Urbanas. Avda. Diagonal. S70 Barcelona, Tel.; Manager: Angel P6rez Prieto. (93) 200 21 11. Telex: 42180, Estab­ Staff 260 employees. lished in 1963 and most recently reno­ vated in 1984, Nearest airport (El Prat): Situated in the Argiielles district of Madrid, 15 km near major commercial centres Mo­ 78057, Most recently renovated m cent complete renovation m 1983-34, 1975. 1 km, from the town centre. Near­ 60 km, from the town cenlre. Nearest est airport (Malaga); 135 km. Nearest airport (Ganda): 21 km. Nearest beach; beach; 3 km. a few metres. Proprietor: Trusthouse Forte Hotels. Proprietor: Hoteles Canarios, S. A, Manager: Jos^ A. Melgar. (HOCASA) Staff 80 employees. Manager: Pedro Diaz Hernandez, Staff 210 employees. This IS one of the loveliest hotels in Spain It IS beautifully situated, overlooking hotels The Hotel Reina Isabel is right on Ihe fa­ in Spam The Bay of Algeciras and the mous Playa de l.as Cameras and in the Rock nf Gibraltar Its rif^cor is traditional commercial centro of town. It is an Eng­ This is one of Barcelona's mosl modern ho­ but distinctive and it has a very evocanve lish-style modern building on the edge of tels, American-style, and flamboyantly atmosphere. There is a beautiful and ex­ Las Palmas beach. luxurious ll has several restaurants, spa­ tensive garden and terrace where there 51 single rooms: 5.600 ptas, cious lounges and various rooms for IS live music in summer. It was originally 60 double rooms: 18,400 ptas meetings and conferences. It is situated bull to accommodate passengers from 19 .suites: 17,000 ptas. in a residential area, away from the the great transatlantic lines sloppmg off Room service; 24 hours. centre of town in Algeoiras Good restaurant with inter­ Rooms have colour TV, private balcony 98single rooms: 10,500 ptas. national cuisine. Good Professional ser­ and air-conditioning 345 double rooms 13.200 ptas vice. Additional facilities: parking, bookshop, Suites 28 OOO • 40 000 ptas 21 single rooms: 4,100 - 5,425 ptas swunmmg-pool. heated svinmming-pool, Size of beds: single. 0,90 x 1,90 m, double. 132 double rooms: 7,080 - 8,993 ptas. hairdresser, shops, sauna, free gym. disco l.SOx 1.90 m 2 suites: 10.293- 13,025. (300 ptas); 4 convention rooms for up to 400 Rooms have minibar. TV and air- Rooms have private balconies and air- people), covered garden with terrace; dir­ condinoning. conditioning. ect access to Las Cameras beach. Additional facilities: heated sv.rjmmmq- Additional facilities: bookshop, swim- Full board: 4,250 pta.t; pool, hairdresser, sauna, gym, 14 confer­ ramg-pool, heated sv/im.ming-pool, hair­ Half board: 2.830 ptas. ence rooms up to 1,000 people. dresser, shops, tennis (250 plas, per hour), 3 Breakfast in rooms: continental, 600 ptas Full board: 5,800 ptas. convention rooms for up to 130 people, sub­ La Parr ilia Restaurant Half board 4,000 plas. tropical gardens Cne^' Angel Moreno Erviti Breakfast m rooms continental. 830 ptas Breakfast continental or buffet, 300 ptas Majtre: Emilio Mend ano. Le Gourmet Restaurant 10 % extra served in rooms. Scrambled egg with spinach and king Chef Salvador Saiz Hotel Reina Ciistina Restaurant prawns (830); Smoked fish with avocado. .'V/ai(re:Sr Ferrcin. Chef Mariano G6mez, (1.300); Coguille ol sea-food Costa Canaria Sole in puff pastry with smoked fish sauce Maitre: Ernesto P^rez Gil, (1.200); Fillets of sole in champagne (1.200); (1.300); Supreme of hake with gariic (1,200), Avocado vinaigrette (600); Cream of lob­ Pheasant with whisky (1.800); Filet mignon Sirloin steak (1.300); Entrec6te with red ster soup (400); Lobster and chicken cas­ Reina Isabel (1,400), Kiwi sorbet (330); Reina wine suace (1,400); Pheasant with raspber­ serole (1 300) Grilled quails (960). Sirloin Isabel oranges (430), ries (930) Polish cake (475); mint sorbet steak (1,200); Cheese board (500); Grand Wines,- (450). Marnier parfait (400). Monopole (1,430); Marquees de C^ceres Wines Wines; 1973 (2.SS0); Faustino 1 Gran Reserva '73 Vina Sol Torres (855); Vina Real Plata Vina Real 4.° ano (900); Sangre de Toro (2,750) CVNE (963); Vitia Tondonia (i ,775). (800); Vifia Real (1,300). Credit cards: Amex, Diners, Eurocard Credid cards: Amex, Carte Blanche, Dm­ Credit cards: Amex. Diners, Eurocard. Ivlaster Card, 6000, Visa. ers, EuTooard. Master Card, Visa, Master Card, Visa.

REINA CRISTINA * * * * REINA ISABEL * * * * * REINA VICTORIA * * * *

Paseo de las Conferencias, Algecir- Alfredo L. Jones, Las Palmas. Tel.; Jerez, 25. Ronda (Malaga). Tel.; (952) as (C4diz), Tel: (956) 65 00 61 Telex; (928) 26 01 00 Telex; 95103, Most re- 87 12 40. Established m 1906; most re­ cently renovated in 1969 Nearest air­ port: 120 km. Nearest beach. 60 km. Proprietor: Caja de Ahorros de Ron­ da. Manager: Pedro Arroyo Palomares, Staff 85 employees

This hotel has a sensational view especially if you manage to get a corner room lok- ing down onto a great drop as well as commanding a panoramic vista One ima­ gines It to have been a source of inspira­ tion to the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who lived here in the winter of 1912/13 Inside the hotel, it is as if time had stood still and it IS easy to imagine oneself in bygone days in the salons whose original decor remains intact There is a small, pleasant garden with pine-trees and a swimmmg- pool Single rooms: 3,500 - 3,700 ptas Reina Double rooms 5.500 - 5.000 ptas Cristina. Suites 7,000 - 7,300 ptas Algecira. Si^e of beds: smgle. 90 cm; double, 180 (C^diz) cm

36 COURMETOUR SPAIN Credil cards: Amex. Diners, Master Card, Proprietor Trusthouse Forte. Eurocard, Visa, Manager: John M. Macedo, Staff 234 employees.

Opened in 1910. this is probably the hotel in Madrid which is be.stknown internauonal- ROYAL MASPALOMAS iy It has diplomatic associations since OASIS * * * * * this IS where newly-appoinled ambassa­ dors stay. Surrounded by lovely gardens Excellent standards of service Its pres­ Plaza de IQS Palmeras, Maspalomas tige IS universally recognised, and tl was (Gran Ganaria) Tel (928) 76 01 70, Te­ recently declared the eleventh best hotel lex; 96104 Established in 1968; mosl m the world At the lime of going to press. recently renovated m 1982 6 km from It was undergoing inapr alterations Very the town centre Nearest airport 36 attractive restaurant with very good food, km Nearest beach, 100 metres. used by non-residents too its delightful terrace is used in summer Member of Proprietor Marenma, S A Relais et Chateaux Manager Hermmio PortiUo. / / single rooms. 18,000 - 20,000 ptas. Staff 300 employees. /19 double rooms: 22.000 - 25.000 ptas 26 suite 32,000 - 60,000 ptas Funcnonal and simple yet luxurious, this ho­ Mmibar, TV. air-conditioning Animals al­ tel hast beautiful gardens with a huge lowed in rooms variety of subtropical and indigenous Additional facilities: parking, garage, Canary Islands plants The hotel has a hairdresser. 5 conference rooms garden, mural by the well-known painter Manei breakfast, lunch, dinner and aperitifs MiUares This is the perfect place to re­ served outside from spring to mid-autumn. lax, with all possible .comforts and enter­ Breakfast 1.100 ptas tainments provided without moving from Ritz Restaurant Ihe hotel Very close to the beach The Chef Tachi Becedas; Patrick Buret. breakfasts buffet-style are truly gastron­ .Waitre Vicente Ferran omic, offering a •tilde range of local foods Duck pat6 with pistachios (1,100); Green including a good selection of cheeses In bean and pat6 salad (1,800); Paupietie of terms of facilities offered, this is one of the salmon witti oysters (1.900); Supreme of sea best hotels in Spain. bass with anchovy butter (2,300), Roast 33smgte rooms-5.900 - 9,200 ptas carr6 d'agneau with thyme flowers (1.900); 284 double rooms. 7,600 - 13,400 ptas, RITZ MADRID * * * * * Ice-cream, sorbet and fresh fruit (950), 2 double suites with sitting-room: Ivlillefe utiles (900) 19.300 - 34,300 ptas Plaza de la Lealtad, 3. Madrid. Tel. Menu of the day. lunch only. 3.000, ex­ Rooms have mmibar, balcony and air- cluding wme conditioning. (91) 221 28 57 Telex 43986 Ritz E. Wines, Additional facilities parking, swimming- Established m 1910; most recently ren­ Marques de Caceres wtnte (1.200). Monte pool, heated swimming-pool, hairdresser, ovated in 1984 Nearest airport (Bara- Real red (1.100); Gran Reserva '70 red tenis (950 plas), convennon room for up to jas): 14 km. Nearest ski resort (Nava­ (3.000), 190 people, 65.000 sq metres of tropical cerrada): 32 km. Credit cards. Amex. Diners. Visa. THF gardens. Half board 3.500 ptas Le Jardia Grill Chef Sr de Vera !6 rooms have private balconies and air- Hotel of Barcelona In the old classic style Ma/tre;Sr Tadeo conditioning Il is snll being modernised, including ren­ Lobster and broccoli pat^ with straw­ Additional facilities parking, swimming- ovation of guesi rooms, which viete cer­ berry sauce (1.775); Smoked salmon (1 325), pool, park and garden tainly in need of it*Exceptionally attenfive Sea-bass green pepper (2.100); Shorthorn Full board 3.100 ptas service. sirloin steak (1,075); Crapes Marta (375); Breakfast m rooms conhnental, 400 ptas 15 single rooms: 12,000 ptas Strawberries in champagne (530) Hotel Reina Victoria Restaurant 185 double rooms 16,800 plas Wines Chef Enrique Pauteite 6 suites. 40,800 ptas Vifia Pomal (1,500); Banda Azul (1.000); Maitre: Luis Candelas, Doub/e room with Roman bath: 20,160 Cerro Afidn Reserva (3.450) Wines plas Credit cards Amex, Diners. Eurocard, Marqu6s de Murrieta (1.250). Campo Vie- Air-conditioned, Small anim.als allowed in Master Card, Visa )0 (730); Sangre de Toro (900): House wine: rooms 2 " afio (300), Additional facilities: parking, bookshop, Menu of the day: 1,750 ptas. hairdresser, 6 conference rooms for up to Credit cards: Diners, Visa 1,000 people HaJ/board: 5,250 ptas SANTA CATALINA ***** RITZ ***** Breakfast in rooms: continental, BSO ptas, Ritz Restaurant Gran Via C. Gataianes, 668 Barcelona, Chef Sebastian Gotanegra, Ledn y Castillo. 227 Las Palmas Tel. Tel.; (93) 318 52 00, Telex 52739 Near­ Maitre: Jorge Batet. (928) 24 30 40. Telex; 96014 Estab­ est airport (El Prat): 10 m Nearest Prawn and palm-heart cocktail (1,325); lished in 1952 Bathrooms, carpets, fur­ Fish soup (J,200); Lobster cooked on a fire beach 1 km. Nearest ski resort (La nishings and public areas most recent­ of vine-shoots (4,100): Entrec6te prado ly renovated in 1983, Nearest airport Molina): 150 km Established in 1919, verde (1.373); Chicken with lobster (1.975); currently undergoing renovation. Suquet of cod with prawns (1.375). Ritz tart (Gando); 20 km Nearest beach: (Las Proprietor. Inmobiliana Sarasate. (525). Crema caialana (custard with burnt Cameras') 3 km Manager Jose Bascompte, sugar) (525), Proprietor: Las Palmas Local Auth­ Staff 183 employees Wines: ority, Vma Esmeralda (900); Vifia Ardanza Manager. ]os6 Manuel G Rueda. Very centrally situated, this is Ihe «grand» (1.830). Imperial CVNE (1.6S0) Staff 132 employees. c

/;

After 11*0 years of major renovations, this monumental hotel has reopened Its Can­ ary architecture, gardens and decor put It in the «special interests category In is retmniscenl of the upper-class hotels of the Cote d'Azur, and. indeed, this is where heads of state, royalty, famous po­ liticians and celebrities slay 20 single rooms: 3,000 - 6.000 ptas. / 74 double rooms: 7.700 - 8,300 ptas 12 suites: 19.000 ptas. Size of beds: smgle. 1.93 x 107; double, 192x1,40. Some rooms have minibar, private bal­ cony and air-conditionmg Ammals allov/ed m rooms. Additional facilities parking, swimming- pool, lewellery, bazaar, tennis (230) 4 con­ Valparaiso ference rooms, tropical gardens Palace. Half board: 2.550 ptas. Palma de Breakfast in rooms: connnemal, 550 ptas. IWallorca. Buffet: at lunchtime, near the pool, 2.300 • 3.000 ptas La Parrilla Restaurant Sotog E. Nearest airport (Malaga); 110 Sotogrande Restaurant Chef:jos6 Vila. km. To Marbella: 45 km. To Gibraltar: Chef Agustin Cano Maitre: Sr. Fernandez 22 km. Established in 1965. Maitre: Francisco Marin Menu of the day: 2,000 ptas Proprietor: Posts Hotel and Inns Ltd. Menu of the day: 1,950 ptas. Wines- Wines.- Manager.-Juan Rodas Aguallo, Marques de Riscal (1,300). Vifia Tondonia Coronas (673); CVNE 3." afio (823); Siglo Staff 50 employees. Seco 4 " afio (630) House wine: Vifia Egufa, (1.700); Viiia Real (3,000). Faustino Ribero (600) Credil cards: Amex, Diners, Master Card, Situated m one of the best and most exclu­ 6000. Visa, Credit cards. Diners. Eurocard. Masted sive developments on Ihe Costa del Sol, Card, Visa though technically it comes under the province of Cadiz, 44 double rooms: 7,700 - 12.000 ptas. 2 double suites: 10.500 - 16,000 ptas. TAMARINDOS ***** TV and air-conditioning. Animals allowed SOTOGRANDE * * * * * in rooms Retama, 3, Playa San Agustm, Las Additional facilities: parking, swimming- Palmas. Tel.; (928) 76 26 00. Telex: Carretera Nacional 340. km, 132 (Ca­ pool, tennis, golf, disco, hairdresser, sauna, 95463, Established m 1974. Swimming- diz). Tel.: (956) 79 21 00. Telex; 78013 water-sports. pools and gardens renovated in 1984. 5 km, from the town centre. Nearest airport (Gando); 30 km. SON VIDA would make a visit to this hotel worth­ Proprietor: Tamarindo, S. A. SHERATON ***** while. Manager: Faustino Sedano. 12 single rooms: 6.800 - 11,300 ptas. 144 double rooms 8,500 - 14450 ptas Staff 270 employees. Castillo Son Vida, PaLna de Mallor­ 14 suites-18.300 - 29,000 ptas ca (Balearics), Tel,: (971) 45 10 11 Te­ Royal Suite-21,500 - 45,000 ptas. Situated in the residential area of San Agus- lex; 59300, Established in 1961; most Mmibar and TV in de luxe rooms and tfii. near the Playa del lngl6s Surrounded recently renovated in 1984 5 km. from suites. Video m suites Private balcony and by tropical gardens Canary architec­ the town centre. Nearest airport 16 air-conditionmg. ture, colonial style, with luxurious and km. Nearest beach 16 km. Additional facilities: parking, swiniminq- well-attended accommodation It has the Proprietor: Son Vida Sheraton Ho- pooi, heated swimming-pool, bookshop, island's only casino leles, S. A. hairdresser, shops, golf, tennis., sauna, Tur­ 43 single rooms: 7,000- 10,000 ptas kish baths, Health Club, conference bat!, Manager: Jose Ramon Mendez Car- S4B double rooms: 9.000 - 13,000 plas garden 2Ssii/{es: 19,000 - SS.OOOptas. ri Ft;//board: 3,400 ptas • 1 Presidential Suite: 30,000 ptas. Staff 220 employess. Size of beds single, 2 x 0.90; double. 2 x Half board: 3.600 ptas I 3Sm, Built on the site of a 13th century castle in Breakfast in rooms: continenlal, 800 ptas Minibar in suites. Rooms have TV, private splendid isolation on a hilltop, the Son Buffer 1.250 ptas balcony and air-conditioning. Vida IS very prestigious and much fa­ Panoramic a Restaurant Additional facilities: parking, swimming- voured by the jet-set Very luxurious, Menu of the day: 2,800 ptas. pool, heated swjmmmg-pool, hairdresser, with matching service Splendid position Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard: shops, tennis (SOO). sauna, aerobics, disco, 2 overlooking a beautiful bay This m itself Master C^rd. Visa convention rooms for up to SOO people, gar­ den L

38 GOURMETOUR SPAIN fu/f board 6,430 ptas. 6 family suites 26,600 - 28,850 ptas. Established m 1972. Nearest airport Half board 4,300 ptas. Rooms have minibar TV, private balcony (Barajas). 12 km Breakfast in rooms oonhnental. 300 ptas. and air-condilionmg. Proprietor Nerja, S. A. Buffet 800 ptas Additional facilities- parkmg. swimming- Manager: E Martin, pool, heated swimmmg-pool, garage, hair­ Aranjuez Restaurant Staff 210 employees. Chefjose Fernandez Garcia dresser, boulique, tennis (free), sauna (700 Maitre: Mariano Sucirez ptas), gym (free), disco (free), 3 convention Menu of the day: 3,300 ptas rooms for up to 250 people; 22,500 sq. One of Madrid most luxurious hotels, set m Credit cards Amex. Diners. Eurocard metres of gardens with artificial lake and lovely gardens. Its interior is decorated Master Card, Visa fountams m the style of Charles IV, contrasting with Half board. 4.300 plas. the frankly modern exterior of the build- Breakfast in rooms: continenlal, 830 ptaa mg. Select and cosmopolitan atmosphere 8u/re/; 1.600 ptas Managed directly by the ovraers Normandia Restaurant 16 single rooms: 13.300 ptas. VALPARAISO 168 double rooms: 21.500 ptas PALACE * * * * * Chef Antonio Tugores Serra Maitre Pascual Reus Martinez 8 junior suites and 2 presidential: 33.000 Cream of almond soup (700); Almond and ptas Francisco Vidal. 23 La Bonanova. brains souffle (1,050); Salmon in puff pastry Size of beds 1,95 x I 20 m Palma de Mallorca (Balearics). Tel.: (1,473); Caviar-stuffed trout with mushroom Rooms have TV and air-conditioning (971) 40 04 11. Telex; 68754. Estab­ sauce (1,230); Langoustine tails a la mallor- Additional facilities parking, bookshop lished in 1974 3 km. from the town quina with cider (1.700): Escalopes of sirlom garage, hairdresser shops, 3 convention centre. Nearest airport; 10 km Nearest with herbs (1.730); Cottage cheese crapes rooms for up to 120 people beach: 2 km. flamb^s with Chartreuse (825). Potato pie Breakfast in rooms: continental, 980 ptas with almond ice-cream (330). Rue Ro-yale Restaurant Proprietor-Valparaiso, S A. Chi. f Miguel Trueba Manager: Santiago Mantecdn Alba. Wmes: Blanc de Blancs Monistrol (1,200); Mar­ Maitre: jos6 Maria Canencia Staff 164 employees. ques de caceres ros6 (1,200), Carlos sorres VUla Magna U^uflle soup (923); Magda 5.° afio (1.900) scrambled eggs (800), Fillets of sole (2,160); Situated on a hill by the bay. the hotel over­ Credit cards: Amex. Diners. Eurocard. Saut^ sirloin (2.600); Supreme de volaille looks the harbour and the town and has Master Card. Visa, (1.300); Villa Magna Tulip (770); Azcres pin­ splendid views. Opened m 1974, this is a eapple with kirsch (890); Selection of pas­ luxury hotel with suitably high standards tries (800), of accommodation and service II is mo Wines: dems and well-appointed, with large, Gran Vma Sol (1,425); Pescador white comfortable room.s VILLAMAGNA * * * * * (1,180); Viiia Zaco 1976 (2,080); Vma Real 6single rooms. 7,150 • 7,750 ptas Oro 1970 (4.810), Imperial Gran Reserva 120 double rooms: 12,550 - 13,630 pias. Paseo de la Castellana. 22. Madrid. 1973(3.440) 6 Royal Suites: 32.800 - 35,600 ptas Tel; (91) 26149 00. T61ex: 22914 Credit cards Amex, Dmers.

Luis Olarra, recovers an old winemakins tradition. Bodef^as Bardon. Corel la-Navarra-Spain THE TRANSCANTABRIAN EXPRESS FOLLOWING THE COAL ROUTE

1983 brought a new lease of life to the railway which travels the Cantabrian corniche. Exactly 102 years after work started on the La Robla railway, the Transcantabrian's locomotive is back on the rails and runs from Ledn to Ferrol, passing through the splendour of Vizcaya's verdant rural landscape, purely for pleasure. Jos^ Carlos Capel took the train, and tells us all about his trip.

40 GOURMETOUR SPAIN The new Coal Train. Below, a sample of different architectures.

n 1891, after the usual transported this vital railway in Europe, In distant past, oil took over feasibility studies source of energy, all the 1894, the locomotive coal's role and pro­ Iand formalities, work way from Le6n to the Leon took to the rails for duced the coal crisis, began on building a na- mouth of the Cadagua ri­ the furst time, and from the old freight tram's de­ rrowgauge railway ver m Bilbao. that time on. La Robla's cline became inevitable. which was to travel the Inevitably, it became engaging steam engines There was a decline, length of the southern known as The Coal- puffed like steel giants too, in the number of slopes of the Cordillera Train. The scheme, de­ under the weight of their passengers usmg the Cant^brica mountain signed by the architect grimy but noble cargo. line. The Coal Train, fas­ range. Its official name Jos6 Manuel Ora^, was For many years, these cinating though Its jour­ was the La Robla rail­ to be a model of techni­ trains, preceded by ney was, had never at­ way. The purpose was cal simplicity and econ­ great plumes of smoke, tracted a parhcularly il­ to provide a train to ca­ omy, the track accomo­ were the only distur­ lustrious class of pas­ rry coal from the Le6n dating the irregularities bance to the hallowed senger; no high-ranking coalfield to the insatia­ of the terrain like a steel silence prevailing m the diplomats, sinister spies ble forges and foundries snake. Its tfiree hundred remote ins and outs of or glamorous seduc- of the Basque steel in­ and forty kilometers of the Cordillera Cantabn- tresses. The La Robla dustry. An iron way, track made it the longest ca. was a coal train, pure along which could be stretch of narrow-gauge When, in the not-so- and simple.

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 41 In 1983, realising the tourist potential offered by the or.ginal route, FEVE (Spanish Narrow Gauge Railways) rein­ troduced a weekly train, its route extended to in­ clude the remote Canta­ brian coast. Thus the Transcantabrian came into being, and it now runs from Le6n to Ferrol, from April to October, a weekly trip of 1000 km. along one of the longest stretches of narrow gauge track in the world. Comfortable and func­ tional rather than luxur­ ious, four sleeping-cars, three historic saloon coaches and two wa­ gons combine to pro­ vide us with one of the last glimpses of the le- qendary Golden Age of Rail, There are no silken blinds, teak and rose­ wood panels or deli­ cately mlaid mahogany on the Transcantabrian. Nor indeed the fine china and silverware and other refinements that contributed to the atmosphere of the great European expresses of days gone by. But pas­ diesel. People were sengers will find it a rushing about nearby. It The sea, always the sea, reigns all over. modest, charming sort of was nearly eight - only a train which, in the few minutes to go. course of its slow jour­ A sudden jerk and we ney, passes through were off The progres­ some of the least- sive iron clankmg of the explored landscape in coaches gave us all a the whole of Spain. momentary thnll. «Theres nothing to beat», we LEON-LA VECILLA thought at the time, «the view from a moving We arrived at Ledn tram*. Houses with grey, station as it was just get­ peeling walls gave way ting dark. Barely visible to allotments alongside behind a quaint, leafy the river Tori'o. square, the nostalgic old The river, calm and building, half-empty and dark, ran parallel with sleepy, seemed resigned the railway, bordered to the suffocatting with poplars, their leafy weather. branches filtering the Alongside the plat- last rays of the evening fprm, where the dusty sun and casting pic­ glazed wrought-iron turesque shadows on canopy ended, a tiny meadow and water. The beige and blue train train passed gently and shuddered at the distort­ rhythmically through the ed bellow of a powerful station at San F61ix. then

42 GOURMETOUR SPAIN Mashzooms, ham, clams, mnssels, squids, are the favourite ingiedientE.

Matueca, PedrtJn and Honorio gave a blast wealth of examples of Pardav^. on the whistle every few the Romanesque, in Car- As the mountain seconds, sending out ri6n de los Condes, Vil- reaches get higher, the brash arpeggios which lalc^zar de Sirga and passes get narrower echoed off the hillsides Fr6mista. a.nd the approach whilst the tram tilted ele­ It was evening when tighter. An hour into the gantly back and forth to we rejoined the train at journey, the wheels negotiate the cambered Cervera de Pisuerga screeched and the tram curves. At last, the hori­ From the nearby inn at drew to a halt. We had zon opened out to reveal Fuentes Carnonas, the arrived at La Vecilla, the magnificient view of vast mountain range and night was falling. the valley of the Esla, seemed etched in blue Dinner awaited us at a Ledn's chief river. We against the rosy splen­ local inn. Delicious mar­ crossed the river by a dour of the sky. It was inated trout! stone brigde before en­ cold. tering Cistierna, cross­ LA VECILLA- roads of the old coal- CERVERA- CERVERA routes. SANTANDER We had met Honorio At the station, Honorio on that first evening. A slowed down for just After two days of tra­ gentle, kindly old rail­ long enough to grab a velling, the Transcanta- wayman, who had re­ parcel hastily handed in brian couchettes tired, some kilometers to him by a woman. «That's seemed somehow wider ^Comfortable earher, to Valmaseda. my wife», he explained, and more comfortable. This man who had spent «Now that I'm retired, We were getting used to and functional, so many years as stoker we live here. It's lovely them already. The train four on the Coal Train chose and quiet. It snows a lot had stopped, as it did sleeping-cars, to make a few last trips in wmter, but we love it.» every night, in a siding. as engine driver of the The Transcantabrian It was a 8.15 the next r three historic Transcantabrian. entered Palencia at the morning when the ting­ saloon-coaches We chated. and he in­ highest point of the line, ing of a bell announced vited us to join him in the 1,190 metres, at La that the saloon coaches and two driver's cab. The morn­ Espina. Still quite early were open. We were on vi/agons ing mists lent the land­ in the morning and und­ the move again. Those combine to scape a mysterious eth­ er a lingering mist, we breakfasts to the accom­ ereal quality. Astride the stopped at Guardo, By paniment of the carria­ provide us with rail, the Transcanta­ road, along the Ribera ge's rusty creaking sent one of the last brian snorted rhythmical- del Carridn, we came to us off into stOl-sleepy ly as it climbed the the Castilian plain. A vi­ fantasies, to be brought glimpses of the spurs of Ledn's sierra. sit to the spectacular down to earth by some legendaryry - Through pasture and mosaics in the Roman practicality of daily life. ploughed fields, oaks town of Olmeda en Sal- An hour later, we had Golden Agejeo X and poplars we passed, dana was followed by arrived at Cillamayor. Rail.» the occasional clump of lunch at an old water- After a visit to Aguilar honey-suckle brighten­ mill. Then a chance to de Campoo, a medieval ing the wayside. see some of Palencia's and biscuit-making

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 43 town, the bus took us back to Mataporquera. The track wormed its way through hilly terrain. This was a monotonous landscape, punctuated only by rickety wooden barriers put up as a rough protection against blizzards and drifting snow, Suddenly, what seemed a vast grey sea loomed to port. For the next 18 kilometers the Transcantabrian skirted the rough, foam-fleck ed and apparently bound­ less waters of the Ebro reservoir. Our mountam railway was suddenly transformed into a sea­ side one. After midday, we stopped at Espinosa de los Monteros. We were now in the terri­ tory of the ancient she­ direction abruptly, the pherds' guilds of Castile, train turning through an The land of the primitive angle of 180°. We had foramontanos people of reached the end of the Cantabrian and Basque old coal route. culture. Noisy and dishe­ After lunch in Medina velled, like a charger de Pomar, back to the champmg at the bit, the train by bus, to cross the Transcantabrian hurled fascinating Medina val­ Itself towards the Canta­ ley. With the dogged de­ brian capital. The entire termination of a cart­ Asdn valley, Maliafio, horse, the diesel set off on Muriedas, echoed to its the slow climb up the approach. Could we vast slope of Sierra de la have been runnmg late? Magdalena. Puffing and panting with effort, the train twisted and turned, S ANT ANDER-LLANE S this way and that, to deal with the incredible The journey so far had bends hewn out of the been a sort of introduc­ rock. Towering tory course to railway beeches, oaks and pines culture. The lonely nos­ almost screened from talgia of dilapidated rur­ view the great green al stations, the water- valley below, spreading tanks, the up-and-down out to touch the hems of signals, the points- the Ordunte mountams. levers, had been sad re­ We were travelling at minders of the still- cloud level. recent days of steam. As we headed down­ From Valmaseda on, the wards into Vizcaya, the railway started to look sun was shining brilliant­ altogether more ahve. It ly. After a few more kilo­ was 9.30' when the train metres with Cadagua drew into Puente San beside us, we changed Miguel. By bus to the his­ toric and artistic delights of Santillana del Mar, then The farallons, on to Cabezon de la Sal rocks jutting ont for a performance of of the sea. Canfabrian folk-:3cn:;j Left, Palacio de la Magdalena. Right, Picos de Enropa.

these links came in the form of a superb San­ tander cocido (a Span­ ish pot-au-feu), made by the lady from Gridiz who owns the Rfo Argoza inn where we had lunch. As we were leaving Bdrcena, the greyish cotton-wool clouds, the empty streets, and fe­ tishes and amulets we saw hanging in a semi- abandoned house gave the place a somewhat disturbing atmosphere. Under a light drizzle, we headed for the coast. Joining the train at Cabe- z6n de la Sal, we fol­ lowed the coastline up and dance. Cheeky and to Llanes. For dinner at suggestive, those cou­ the station restaurant, plets sung sweetly to the we were served a deli­ sound of the rabel, an cious and succulent ancient three-stringed hake in batter. instrument, were to echo in our heads for the rest of the day. LLANES- «En casa del sehor cura RIBADESELLA solo tiene unacama y si en ella duerme el Very early in the cura morning, and in persis­ iddnde "ridiu" duerme tent rain, we left the train el ama?» which we were not to (In the priest's house join agam until that night. There's only one bed «Not the best of days for And if the priest sleeps exploring the Picos de in that one, Europals quipped our I wonder where the guide. By the time we housekeeper sleeps?) got to Arenas de Ca- brales, the rain was tor­ By road along the nar­ rential. row Saja valley, we On enquirmg, we reach the beautiful vil­ were told where to find lage of B^rcena Mayor. the famous local cheese. Seeing two Seville taxis Rather sceptically and in such an out-of-the- hesitantly, we tasted way place took ui> one, It was wonderful. aback for a moment, After climbing up as far Then we worked it out; as Poncebos through the they were, no doubt, the startling beauty of the means of transport of Cares pass, we returned some JAndalos, natives to Arenas. of Santander who still ; A no better than mid­ nowadays make their dling fahada (Asturian living ift the south, bean stew), and the bil- perpetuating the tradi­ ter after-bum of an imita­ tional links between An­ tion Cabrales cheese dalusia and Cantabria. could not mar our enjoy­ Further evidence of ment of the spectacular

GOURMETOUR SPAIN 45 scenary through which ing to the mountain-side we travelled that after­ cast a dazzling whiteness noon: Covadonga and over the blue basin of the lakes, the harbour. From Cangas de Oni's The market was bus­ on, WG were heading tling with activity, Sce­ downwards, following nes around the port see­ the course of the Sella. med lifted straight out And we still had it in us, of paintings by Sorolla. when we reached the Going to Luarca, the sea, to appreciate how coast road was a verita­ the rays of the setting ble balcony over the sun gilded the deserted sea. The beaches and beaches, whilst in the breakers, viewed from Sella estuary a few this vantage point, boats cast their crystal­ seemed limitless: first line shadows. Ribadesel- Artedo, then Cabo, then, TRAVEL INFORMATION la is picture-postcard finally Luarca. material. The Transcantabrian is PRICES made up of 6 coaches LUARCA-VIVERO and 3 wagons, with a ca­ Seven days, m the high pacity of 48 passengers. season (Ledn-Ferrol or RIBADESELLA- vice versa): 85,000 pts, per We were getting The first three coaches LUARCA close to Galicia now, and are sleeping-cars; the person. Supplement for an individual compart­ close to the end of the others are saloon-cars, They did warn us. The with a bar, piano, low ta­ ment: 18,000 pts, per per­ journey. From Luarca, bles and so on. whilst son. track on the way to the Transcantabrian ran some have armchairs and Seven days, in the low Oviedo was in a bad along the coast, scatter­ tables for writing or play­ season (Ledn-Ferrol or state and repair work in ing the last of the morn­ ing cards. They have air- vice versa): 70.000 pts. per progress, so we had to ing mist. As we skirted conditioning, heating, hot person. Supplement for go slowly. If all went the Ribadeo estuary, the water, a library, Video- an individual compart­ well, we would arrive at ment: 15,000 pts, per per­ train seemed about to TV and hi-fi equipment. the capital at about mid- plunge m. We left Astur­ Each sleeping-car has a son. shower. Breakfast is HIGH SEASON is the day. The saloon ias behind us, to be wel­ served on the train, and months of July, August and coaches, crowded with comed by Galicia with lunch and dinner are ea­ September. idle travellers were open arms. From Riba­ ten at historic inns, eating LOW SEASON is the abuzz with intermingled deo, Ihe view of Castro- houses or selected res­ month of June and the first conversations. Just pol was majestic. In the taurants along the route. two weeks of October. beyond Arriondas, as midday light, seagulls There is an optional we were fording a fluttered nervously in The journey lasts from motor-coach service for stream, there came a the silvery wake of two Saturday evening to mid­ the return journey from El loud grinding sound and fishing boats. day on the following Sa­ Ferrol to Le6n (at the end turday, travelling e ither of the LeOn-Ferrol trip). the train stopped. A hush Meadows, great fields from LeOn-Ferroi or. al­ Price: 1,500 pts. per fell un the cairige. Our uf maize, slale-xoofed ternatively, Ferrol-Ledn. person (minimun 10 peo­ worst fears had been barns and masses of eu­ The first trip is scheduled ple). realised! We had come calyptus trees made up for 1st June and will con­ For further mformation, off the rails! the landscape along the tinue every Saturday until contact any Spanish tra­ In fact, no-one was coast towards Foz, Cabo 12th October, vel agent. particularly upset by de Burela... and Vivero. this event. With relative It would soon be time speed and a display of to say goodbye. That alacrity, the crew of the night, the passengers Transcantabrian got us lingered in the saloon back on the rails. Some coaches until the early hours later, we arrived hours of the morning. at Oviedo. After lunch, a visit to Santa Maria del Naran- VIVERO- co and San Miguel de EL FERROL Lillo gave us a fascinat­ Slowly, the train tra­ ing glimpse into pre- velled the last few kilo­ Roman Asturias. meters to El Ferrol. The It was already nearly beauty of the Barquero six when we reached and Ortigueira estuaries Cudillero. In the after­ was the best our al­ noon brightness the fi­ ready enchanted eyes shermen's houses cling­ had seen yet.

46 GOURMETOUR SPAIN SANTONA, LAREDO, COLINDRES THE ANCHOVY TRIANGLE

Three centories after here are three The first entrepren­ Leon wended their pre­ the process of salting seafaring and fish­ eurs to establish them­ carious way over the ^sh began in these T ing villages m selves in Laredo m the mountains, carrying salt­ parts, the Italians Cantabria —Laredo, middle of the last cen­ ed sea-bream, tuna, came and set np the Santona and Colindres— tury, were Sicilians, hake, cod, conger-eel first anchovy-salting which, despite the tour­ amazed by the quality and sardines back to industry. After trying ist invasion both from and quantity of the an­ Castile. Orwell, in The various other methods, within Spain (from the chovies fished in these Road to Wigan Pier. they are nowadays Basque Country and waters. One of these Ita­ mentions that Charles V canned in oil, and what Madrid) and abroad lians, Vella (or Veglia) expressed the desire to used to be an entirely (Britain, France and Ita­ by name, set up busin­ erect a statue to the her­ artesan industry is ly), have retained their ess preserving ancho­ ring, Bearing in mind now largely identity better than most. vies first in salt, and later that here m Spain we of­ mechanised. This northern part of trying pork fat, butter ten misapply the word Cantabria is known for and, eventually, refined arengue (herring) to its salt fish and ancho­ olive oil. mean our delicious bar­ vies semi-preserved in There is ample docu­ rel-salted sardines, it olive oil, though nowa­ mentary evidence to seems quite Likely that days they are also show that fish- these were what so de- canned in vegetable preserving in Cantabria tighted his majesty when oils, something which dates back to the six­ he landed at Villaviciosa has to be stated on the teenth century and even in 1517. For health rea­ can or its packaging. before. Muleteers from sons, he stayed some

COURME-TOUR SPAIN 47 time in San Vicente de la SANTONA, LAREDO, COLINDRES Barquera, Trecefio and Reinosa. Given his repu­ THE ANCHOVY TRIANGLE tation for gluttony, it is easy to imagine that he would have done exten­ sive sampling of these fish, which he would have heard called aren- ques. But this is just spe­ ANCHOVIES IN OIL culation. Things have deve­ backbone and laying the loped quite a bit since the fillets symmetrically in THE VENEZUELAN aforementioned Vella, tins. The tails have al­ ANCHOVY just over a century ago, ready been removed. thought of filleting and The anchovies are then It has to be said, how­ skinning the anchovies, covered with oil. If they ever, that the ancho­ cleaning them of salt im­ are to be packed rolled, vies processed in the purities, and putting them the ladies roll them up in Uttle tins. First of all, he triangle nowadays are with the aid of a little for the most part not tried covering them with implement then arrange pork lard, later with them prettily in the tins. caught off the Canta­ mountain butter, and fin­ Skinning is no longer brian coast. Would that ally with olive oil. done by hand. It is now they were! In fact, less Nowadays, once the done by scalding the fish than 6 % of them are lo­ you what time it was anchovies have been in hot water, Ihen cooling cal. The rest are from when the last grapes skinned, they are passed them rapidly. Draining is Venezuela, Argenfina, were picked before go­ through a brine bath, still a manual operation Morocco, Needless to ing to the press. Why wrapped in sacking and as is the filleting and ar- not, then, an equivalent ran0ng in tms. say, this is because of drained. The drained fish the excessive over­ expertise in matters re­ are then taken to work- Other oOs than olive lating to the engrauHs tables where ladies deli­ fishing which went on for are also used nowadays, encrasicolus? For thus cately dig a fingernail into though It IS obligatory that years in Spanish waters. the anchovy's back and this should be stated on The cognoscenfj are they know scienti­ open It out. removing the the packaging. claim to be able to tell a fically, according to my Cantabrian anchovy good friend and youn­ from one from foreign gest member of the waters, even after can­ Academia de Castrono- ning, I, a mere mortal mia. Jos6 Carlos Capel, and Philistine in these in his Manual del Pesca- matters, find this some­ do (Fish Handbook). what far-fetched, but Salted anchovies are then there are those largely unknown to the wine-buffs who can tell

FEMALE SUPREMACY In Colindres, Laredo Their manual dexterity is and Santoiia. over 90 % of extraordinary, and to see those employed in the an­ them at work is an unfor­ chovy factories are wo­ gettable sight. men. In the 3S or 36 fac­ Tradition demands an­ tories in the area, includ­ chovies canned in olive ing Castro Urdiales, Tre- oU, to, Reinosa and Argonos. the female labour-force is vital and irreplaceable.

48 COURMETOUR SPAIN which they are subjeted IS amazing To stop them from squeezing out of the tops of the tins, heavy blocks of salt are 1 THE UNITED placed there, then the STATES. tins are stacked on top GERMANY AND of one another, adding to ITALY ARE OUR the weight. The position BEST FOREIGN of the tins is changed periodically until the an­ COSTUMERS chovies are ready, WHILST THE then they go off for auto­ BIGGEST matic lidding and seal­ WITHIN SPAIN ing. ARE The Umted States, CANTABRIA Germany and Italy are our best foreign custom­ ITSELF. THE ers, whilst the biggest BASQUE withm Spam are Canta­ COUNTRY ANDi\u . bria itself the Basque CATALUNA Country and Catalufia. As one would ima­ gine, the preserving process has changed considerably over the 1 years. The wooden bar­ rels into which the an­ chovies were packed in the olden days have dis­ appeared, as have the workers who prepared It is a fact, the cans and finally sol­ though, that dered their lids on by to this day, hand. the anchovies Italy was, and re- preserved within the mams, the main consum­ triangle made er. But gone are the wo­ np by Laredo, oden barrels, the coop­ Santofia and ers. Uie solderers... the Colindres are anchovies are now salt­ considered to ed in concrete vats. be the best, E. Domingo not just in Spain but in Europe and America. general pubhc since, as name for this triangular well as being exported, area of Cantabria, in considerable quanti­ ties, they go, for the most part, to wholesalers or ARTESAN restaurants and bars, where they are then de­ The preparation of salted and sold in por­ salted anchovies is en­ tions at pretty high tirely artesan. The fac­ prices. It has to be said, tory-owners buy the an­ too, that tinso f salted an­ chovies as they land in chovies are generally port, then take them to rather large, and not the factories to be head­ very practical for the ed, cleaned and co­ average family kitchen. vered with salt. Then, in Nevertheless, any good great cakes, they are gourmet will recognise tightiy pressed into tins the finequalit y of the fish of up to 10 kilos. The de­ which has made such a gree of pressure to For 8-10 people For 6-8 people Ingredients: Ingredients: 1 tail-piece of salmon 1 1/2 litres milk; weighing approximately 3/4 kg.; 3 cartons plain yoghurt; 1 branch fresh dill; 2 cucumbers; 1 teaspoon white 1 lemon; peppercorns; salt, white pepper and 15 gr. salt; chopped chives. 15 gr, sugar For the sauce: Method: 2 teaspoons mild made Boil the milk and add the peel from the cucumbers mustard; Leave to infuse unul the 1 1/2 dl double cream; milk has cooled to luke­ 1 teaspoon honey; warm Add the yoghurt, salt, pepper and chopped and strain. Leave overnight dill. in a vacuum flask (the To a semble the canapes: yoghurt needs a consistent shced black bread, warm temperature to fer­ 50 gr. butter; ment). Remove the pips 2 dozen guails' eggs. from the cucumbers and slice the flesh thinly. Sea­ Method: son the creamy mixture, Crush the white pepper then pour into bowls with a pestle and mortar among which ymi have and mix it with the salt and shared out the cucumber sugar. Spnnkle the salmon slices. Sprinkle with with tliis mixture inside and chopped chives and a few out. Tuck the dill branch in­ drops of lemon juice before side, then place the fish in a servmg. plastic bag Allow it to mar­ inate, with a light weight on top of it, for 3 days and mghts, turning it every 12 hours. Whip the cream until it doubles in volume, then add the mustard, chopped dill, honey, salt and pep­ per. Using a pastry-cutter, cut out shapes from the bread and the sliced salmon Poach the quails' eggs in water to wtuch a little vme- gar has been added, then set them aside in a bowl of cold water. Butter the bread shapes, adding a slice of salmon to each one. then a teaspoon of sauce topped with a quail's egg and a little garnish

50 GOURMETOUR SPAIN } TWO GASDEN MENUS

For 8-10 people For 4-6 people

Ingredients: Ingredients: For the pastry: 3 dl fresh orange juice; 1 /2 kg, strong fiour the peel of the oranges; 2 egg-yolks; 100 gr. butter; 4 teaspoons sugar; 1 dessertspoon orange 1 /2 dl, sweet oloroso liqueur; sherry; 200 gr butter; lOgr cornflour; pinch of salt. forest fruits: blackberries, wild strawberries, For the filling: raspberries. 3 chicken breasts and 3 pigeon breasts; Method: 1/2 kg, minced pork. Clean the fruit Heat up 1 /2 kg, minced veal; the orange juice vinth the 2 large onions; 3 carrots; orange peel and when it 3 cloves garlic; comes to the bod, add the 1 glass dry oloroso sherry; cornflour dissolved m a 200 gr, raisins; teaspoon of water. Allow to 200 gr, pine nuts; thicken. Remove from the 2 eggs; 1 dl. brandy. heat, and add the butter, lit­ Method: tle by little, beating con­ stantly. Leave to cool, then Rub the butter, sugar add the orange liqueur. and salt into the flour. Make Keep the sauce warm in a a well and add the sherry bam-marie. Arrange the and the egg-yolks, then mix fruit on a plate, leaving part to form a dough. Put it in the of It empty for the sauce. fridge to rest for an hour. Serve immediately Make the filling by sof­ tening the chopped onions in a little oil over a low heat Add the chopped carrot, chopped garlic and mmced meats then, when the meat has browned, the brandy Flamb^ it. then immediately afterwards add the sherry and a quarter litre of stock. Let it cook over a low heat for half an hour. Add the chic­ ken and pigeon breasts, cut up. and allow to connn- ue cooking as before for another half hour. Finally, add the rasins and pine- nuts. Once the mixture has cooled slightly, add the beaten eggs. Line a deep dish with pastry. Fill and top It, then bake the pie in a medium oven for 30 mm­ utes

COURMETOUR SPAIN 51 For 4-6 people Ingredients: For 8-10 people 1/2 litre gelatine; 6 eggs; Ingredients: 1 dl. vinegar; 3/4 kg. king prawns; a few chives; 1 kg, cleaned monkfish. 150 gr. tin of pat6; 3 1/2-4 tablespoons cream, 6 black olives. 2 egg whites, 100 qr, pine nuts; Method: salt, pepper, nutmeg. Poach the eggs m boiling For the sauce: water to which a little vine­ The heads of the king gar has been added. Set prawns; aside. Cut the pat6 into six, 2 dl dry white wine; and set aside 3 dl double cream: Heat up the gelatine, a shallot. then pour a thin layer into the bottom of six individual Method: moulds. When this has set, Whizz the monkfish and decorate with chives and egg-whites together in a olives, then place an egg blender or food-processor, on top. Cover with gelatine then press through a sieve and allow to set. Repeat the Chill m the fridge for an operation with the pat6. hour. Add the unbeaten Allow any remaming ge­ cream and mix well, mak­ latine to set, then chop it for ing sure that the mixture use as decoration. Turn out stays very cold. Season the moulds with the aid of a with salt, pepper and nut­ hot cloth. Decorate the meg and mix in the pine- serving dish with the nuts. chopped gelatine, water­ cress, tomato, mint, etc. Boil the prawn tails and Serve at room tempera­ peel them ture. Butter all/2 litre terrine and fill It with the monkfish mousse, placing the prawns in the middle. Cook it in a bain-marie for 1 hour in an oven pre-heated to 170° C, Allow to cool be­ fore turning out The sauce Toss the chopped shallot in a knob of butter and add the prawn heads. Before they start to change colour, add the white wine and cream Allow to reduce to hair Ihen strain. Correct the seasoning and serve m a sauce-boat.

52 GOURMETOUR SPAIN For 4-6 people Ingredients: 200 gr. flaked almonds; Ingredients: 185 gr. sugar; 200 gr cubed sugar; 30 gr. flour. 1 teaspoon glucose 3 egg whites (110 gr.); powder; 40 gr melted butter. 1/2 litre milk; 100 gr. sugar; Method: 6 egg yolks; Mix the almonds with the 1/4 litre double cream sugar, flour, egg-whites and melted butter. Place the mixture in the fridge to Method: chill for at least an hour. Place the sugar cubes Place a teaspoonful of the and glucose in a saucepan mixture on a baking tray with a tablespoon of water, and flatten firmly with a and cook over a medium fork until it makes a thin cir­ heat until it takes on a nice cular biscuit shape Repeat caramel colour. Add the until all the mixture is used heated milk and stir, so thai •up. Bake in an oven pre­ Ihe caramel dissolves com­ heated to 180° C for 10 to 15 pletely (cover your hand minutes Remove from the with a cloth as you add the bakmg tin and mould each milk since the caramel biscuit around a rolling pin might spit). using a palette-knife, whUsf Beat the yolks with the they are still warm and sugar until they whiten. Lit­ pliable. Leave them there tle by little, add the cara­ to cool, so that they form mel miUc beating constanUy, crisp curved tuiles. then stir the mixture with a These will keep for up to wooden spoon over a low six days in an air-tight con­ heat until it thickens. Allow tainer. to cool, then add the cream. Freeze in the freezer for half an hour. Serve with al­ mond tuiles.

Method: Bake the aubergines whole and in their skins m a PUREE: hot oven until soft. Blend the flesh with the lemon For 8-10 people juice and crushed garlic. Add the oil, little by little, Ingredients: beating constantly so that 6 large aubergines; the mixture emulsifies. Sea­ 1 lemon; son, and serve the pur^e 1 wine-glass olive oil. with thin toast. Pictures: Francisco 1 clove garlic; Ontaildn salt, pepper, cayenne. Recipes: Bel^n Llamas Feature: Bel^n Diaz Caleio

GOURMETOUR SPAIN '13 CANARIES-CUBA-CAN/LRIES THE MUCH-TRA VELLED QGAR

Cuba or the Panduca, who Canaries? The formed a chicken or the egg? partnership with a The first tobacco Canary Islander. planters were This was around the Canary Islander, year 1S41. Four and as were the first a half centuries Cubans to turn their later, their tobacco-handling descendants, some skills to making more direct than cigars. The first others, produce up Canary Islander to three hundred was Daniel Pela, different varieties and the Hrst Cuba of cigar... back in was one Erio-Xil the Canaries.

The Canaries played Sumatra, The Philip­ ies, came to be known as He also states that while a vital role in Spain's co­ pines..,). vegueros. The veguero Canary Islanders spe­ lonisation of America. The Caribean Islands, was a small farmer who cialised in growing and An important port-of-call especially «Gran Antil- worked with his family manufacturing tobacco, for Spanish ships sailing Ia» or Cuba, absorbed at cultivating tobacco in it was handled commer­ the American route, the many cultural and socio­ the vegas, areas of fer­ cially by Catalans, a Islands provided a link logical influences from tile soil generally along trade which flourished, not only between Eur­ the Canaries and these river banks. from the 17th century on, ope and America, but have remained incor­ In the last years of the with Spain, other Euro­ also with the equatorial porated into the char­ 16th century, tobacco- pean countries and the route which brought to acter and customs of growmg, organised and American colonies. Europe the products of their people. practised by Spaniards, the Far East (Indonesia, In 1510, Diego Velaz­ for the most part natives quez conquered the is­ of the Canaries, spread PANDUCA land of Cuba and de­ from eastern Cuba to the AND PELA clared it a colony of the centre and west of the is­ Spanish Crown. Various land. The Cuban histor­ There is even more accounts dating from ian, Jos6 Rivero Muniz, precise information in those early days men­ in his book Tabaco. Su existence about the first tion the arrival and set­ Hisloria en Cuba (To­ islehos who settled in tling of colonies of Can­ bacco, Its History in Cuba and took up tobac­ ary Islanders on the is­ Cuba), writes about co-growing. We find it in land. The vast majonty cultivation m Cuba; «It is the work of another Cu­ of them were humble la­ the hardworking sons of ban writer. Doctor Jorge bourers who set about the Canaries who show Garcia Gallo, In his book cultivating tobacco. The a preference for this Biografia del Tabaco isieHos (islanders), the crop, and it can be said Habano (A Biography of name they were given of them that they have Havana Tobacco), he when they arrived, be­ been the true propaga­ tells of one of the first ing natives of the Canar­ tors of it in Cuban soil». Canary Islanders to tra-

54 COURMETOUR SPAIN These workshops where cigars are han rolled in exactly the same way as in Cuba are caUed chine hales. vel to Cuba in the early lines in what are really days of colonisation. factories equipped with This was Demetrio Pela. modern machinery. This native of the !s!as Afortunadas wrote a let­ ter in 1541 which sur-, THE INDONESIAN vives to this day, and LEAF whose contents de­ scribe how he learned The leaf used as the with the Cuban Indians basic raw material to plant and cultivate to­ comes nowadays only in bacco. He befriended small part from the is­ an Indian named Erio-Xil lands themselves (less Panduca and from him and less in Tenerife, he learned, among other though still a certain thmgs thai for growing amount in Las Palmas), tobacco «two good the greater part being showers a month are imported from other quite enough, for too countries. The tobaccos much water robs the to­ used in cigar-making bacco of its honeys. must have certain spe­ It was these islehos or cial characteristics and vegueros who grew and qualities not needed in manufactured tobacco cigarette-making. They in Cuba that transported must be dark, cured in its cultivation and manu­ the open air and fer­ facture back to the Can­ mented by a slow pro­ aries, Particularly after It IS hardly surprising, workshops, where ci­ cess which helps con­ Cuba's independence then, that Canary Island gars are hand-rolled in vert the natural compon­ in 1898, many families of tobaccos are of a quality exactly the same way as ents of the leaf into aro­ Canary origins who had comparable to the Cu­ in Cuba, are called matic substances They settled m Cuba returned ban, since the growing chinchales. again as in should burn slowly with­ to their roots, disen­ and manufacturing tech­ Cuba, and their owners, out going out and should chanted, but taking with niques are the same. On who usually sell their produce an porous whi­ them their know-how the island of La Palma, a own products, are called tish-grey ash which does and the seeds of the by very high proportion of chmchaleros. In Santa not fall easily from the now famous Cuban to­ cigar manufacture is Cruz de Tenerife some end of the cigar. Of the bacco, all set to spread done m small family manufactiirers have or­ three component parts its cultivation and allied workshops with very lit­ ganised production of the cigar — the industry to the Canaries, tle paid labour. These along more technical «filler», the «binder»

COURMETOUR SPAIN SS WHERE TO FIND YOUR CANARY ISLAND CIGAR

Recently, Tabaca- to the extra large ci­ Havana wrapper (from For those who prefer lera (the Spanish State gar, at prices from 7 130-170 ptas. each). a small cigar, Alvaro Monopoly) has formed ptas. to 379 ptas. La Fama. currently offers 10 economical two companies in con­ apiece (official prices with 4 vitolas (though vitolas (from 12 to 40 junction with a large issued by Tabacalera they have been knovm ptas. each); Victoria proportion of the Can­ last July). They mclude to offer 10), at between currently manufacture ary Islands tobacco cigars made by hand, 12 and 118 ptas. each. 4 vitolas ranging from 8 manufacturers: Taba- by machine and a com­ Condal, another to 12 ptas. each and canaria and Cigarcan- bination of the two, and Canary Island classic Reig offer II, from 10 aria. The former manu­ with natural or recon­ with 7 vitolas at bet­ to 60 ptas. each, these factures and markets stituted wrappers. ween 130 and 226 ptas. being made with In­ cigarettes and the lat­ But let's take a look each, contaimng over donesian tobacco. ter cigars. Some manu­ at some of the best- 30 % Havana filler and facturers have re­ known brands and vi­ with dark wrapper. Montecruz, making mained outside Cigar- tolas, and those which classic Havana-type ci­ canaria, most impor- offer the best value for gars (it is really Monte- tantiy Compafifa Can- money: cristo made in the Can­ ariense de Tabacos and Penamil, with 7 vito­ aries) IS the brand with Tabacos Capote. A few las, hand-made with the highest priced vito­ others still make ci­ las offering corre­ gars, but m relatively spondingly good qua­ small quantities. lity and size. The variations in Tio Pepe and Don quality, presentation Julian have a typical and price available Canary Island flavour mean that Canary Is­ but with a hint of Cen­ land cigars can meet tral European about the needs of the most them which attracts demanding or capri­ many smokers. Their cious smoker. Current­ impeccable manufac­ ly, about 300 vitolas or ture and materials varieties of cigar are (mamly Sumatra leaf) produced m the Can­ place them high among aries by 35 brands, the best cigars made \n ranging from the mini the Islands.

(strips of leaf which bind with selected Indone­ TOBACCO up the filler) and the sian tobaccos. The Can­ «wrapper» (a section of ary Island cigar shares CANARY leaf wrapped around most entirely with leaves certain characteristics the outside of the cigar). imported from other with these Central Euro­ It is this last, the wrap­ countries with a reputa­ pean products and with per, which needs the tion for the fine quality of Havana ones because of most specific qualities. their crops. Besides the manufacturing techni­ The leaf must he fine- Cuba, they are Indone­ ques and quality of leaf textured and elastic, the sia, Honduras, Came­ used. secondary veins running roon, The Philippines, That being said, ho­ through the leaf should Brazil, Nicaragua and wever, the Canary Is­ not be prominent, its co­ the United States The land cigar has its own lour should be clean, highest proportion of to­ personality which is and it should burn per­ bacco used in Canary mmmediately recogni­ fectly. Few tobaccos Island cigar manufac- sable and is much offer these characteris­ tirre comes from Indone­ appreciated by the con­ tics and they are only sia (Sumatra) and Cen­ noisseur smoker. Its fla­ produced by the right tral America (Cuba). vour and aroma are combination of soil, ch­ Central European to­ rather smoother than the mate. cultivating techni­ bacco products (Dutch. classic Havan, but its que and curing and fer­ German, Danish, Bel- character or strength, menting process giam and Swiss, for the allied to its nicotine con­ Nowadays, Canary Is­ most part) are also tent. IS generally higher land cigars are made al­ made to a large extent than the European cigar.

56 GOURMETOUR SPAIN A practical guide for wine professionals and all lovers of the

WINES PART ONE Methods of elaboration of the various types of wine (white, ros6, clarete, red, sparklmg, fortified, etc). Grape varieties grown in Spain. SPAIN Wine labels and how to read them. Wine-tasting and tasting-sheets, A dictionary of wine language. Vintage chart. Wine festivals and fairs. Buying guide, with details of the best wine shops.

PART TWO

— 574 bodegas and 2,652 wines classified according to Autonomous Community. — Tourist wine route of each area, with details of its restaurants, hotels, bars and bodegas. — The 574 bodegas classified by Denomination of Origui, Specific Denomination Provisional Denomination of Origin, Winegrowmg Area, etc. The following information is given about each bodega featured: address, telephone number, telex number, year estabhshed, eqmpment used, source of grapes, by-products, market distribution of wines, visiting times, whether or not it sells directly to the public, a list of the wines produced and their characteristics. Brands exclusively for export are also mentioned. Each wme is described in terms of: year, grapes, alcoholic strength, type of bottle and price at the bodega. The best are indicated by the 2.675 wines from bodegas, symbol of one or two wine-glasses. cooperatives and bottlers, with — Full-colour fold-our map showing all the Denominations of Origin and comments and prices Winegrowmg Areas.

ORDER FORM

Forename Surname Add ress ., , „....„_..__ „ „ , , , Please send me copy/copies, price £8 including airmail p, & p. for Europe, and US$ 23 for the U,S,A. and the rest of the worid, to be paid by* • C.O.D. • Postal Order No • Credit card • American Expre^ • Visa No ...... Expiry date,..„ _ „ Si gned _ _ „._ ^ ,, * Please ikck Ihe appropriate box

CLUB DE GOURMETS (WINE GUIDE). Velayos. 4, ba]o. 28035 Madrid. Spain. Tel.: (91) 209 10 42/42, TORRECILLA. 2,° ano SOCIEDAD VINICOLA NAVARRA, LAS CAMPANAS (White) (Red) COOPERATIVfl S. A. ALAIZ (Ros6) BODEGA SAN Ctra BANDEO (Ros6) PEDRO ARMENDARIZ FRANCISCO JAVIER Pamplona-Zaragoza, km CASTILLO OLITE (Ros6) ALVAREZ Rio. 60. Peralta (Navarra) 14. Campanas (Navarra) LAS CAMPANAS (Ros6) Calvo Sotelo, 19, Faices Tel. (948) 75 02 85 Tels,: (948) 36 00 08 and ALAIZ (Red) (Navarra) CANTERON. 1983 (Ros6) 36 01 51 BANDEO (Red) Tels.: (948)73 41 35 and CANTERON ANEJO, 1981 ALAIZ (White) CASTILLO DE TIEBAS 73 40 21 (Ros6) BANDEO (White) (Red) ARMENDARIZ. current MONTENEGRO, 1983 CASTILLO OLITE CASTILLO DE OLITE year (Clarete) (Red) (White) (Red) ARMENDARIZ, current LAS CAMPANAS (Red) year(Red) VINA HERGABIA Blanca de Navarra, s,/n, Murchante (Navarra) Tel,: (948)86 10 59 VINA HERGABIA (Ros6) VINA HERGABIA, 1978 (Red) VINA HERGABIA, 1976 (Red) VINA HERGABIA, 1973 (Red)

DENOMINATION OF ORIGIN: Rioja

BODEGAS COOPERATIVA SAN ADRIAN Santa Gema, 61, San Adrian (Navarra) Tel.: (948) 67 00 55 VINA VALCAVA (Ros6) SANSANDE (Red) VINA SANSANDE (Red)

BODEGAS MUERZA, S.A. Plaza de Vera Magalldn, 1, San Adrian (Navarra) Tel.: (946) 67 00 54 Telex: 37995 RIOJA VEGA, 1983 (White) RIOJA VEGA, 1983 (Rose) GRAN RESERVA BODEGAS MUERZA, 1978 (Red) RIOJA VEGA CRIANZA, 1981(Red) RIOJA VEGA RESERVA, 1980 (Red)

BODEGAS CARRICAS. EspamoBoa Riia Roman 1.11. Olite (Navarra) Tels.: (948)74 01 16 and 74 00 05 GRAN RESERVA KARRY, 1983 (Bru cavas) GRAND ROSE KARRY, 1983 (Dry cava) KARRY, 1983 (Dry cavas) LE ROI, 1983 (Dry cava)

se GOURMETOUR SPAIN rio PEP£

SERVE CHILLED

Mm

JEREz-x^RES-SHERRY DRIMPORTEY SHD