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Dogs alert to walk possibilities
For years I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to persuade friends to think of Valencia as a place they can come to on a whim, rather than laboriously organizing summer holidays or half-term jaunts. Finally, after six years, a friend did just pop over. A once-bibulous scriptwiter turned sober barrister, Chris had just won a significant (and exhausting) case, and came over for some R&R on the Tuesday morning easyjet flight from Gatwick, returning to LGW on Thursday evening.
So, I was on my mettle to do Valencia and ourselves proud over three days and two nights in the face of a highly discerning wine lover, who was pretty much born with glass in hand. Chris’s father ran Harvey’s of Bristol in its pomp, and his godfather was Harry Waugh, “the man with the million-dollar palate”. Luckily, my friend is an open-minded enthusiast rather than a sneering snob about wine and pretty much everything.
Here is what we did:
Tuesday
12:30 met Chris at Valencia airport, metro to our place. Bottle of L’Olivera Blanc de Roure 2010 (from Costers del Segre not Valencia, but what I had in fridge) .
14:30 Bus to Malvarrosa, aiming for our favoured beachside paella place Casa
barcas de la malvarosa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ripoll. Shut, so went to La Alegría de la Huerta next door. Clóchinas, tellines and esgarrat, washed down with Dominio de la Vega Cava Brut. Next arrived our paella valenciana (came sans snails), and we went for a Maduresa 2004 from back when it was just making its name, and long before moving to the new winery, which had evolved into a really quite opulent Mediterranean gent, some of its youthful verve having rounded out into a well-upholstered clubman.
17:30. Me: walk dogs. Chris: siesta.
20:00 Daiquiris (several) at old favourite Aquarium on Gran Vía Marqués del Turia
22:00 Altura de Vuelo craft beer Suc de Lluna Mercado Colón.
23:00 Many and varied dishes outside at Pepe Pica looking at Cathedral. Bottle
Catedral de Valencia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
of Olivastro Bobal 2008. I like this wine, but whether it was the effect of the daiquiris or that the wine maybe hadn’t been kept that well, it lacked a little of its usual spark.
After midnight: As Chris reminds me in his comment, he did walk the dogs with me on this first night. We stopped at a local bar whose only Spanish brandy was Terry Centenario. Being the plaything of drinks industry multinationals (it is currently part of Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc., having passed through Pernod Ricard, Allied Domecq and more) hasn’t improved Spain’s best-selling brandy established long ago by Fernando A. de Terry. However, it was appropriate in a way, as Beam Global also owns Harveys Bristol Cream, milch cow of the company run for years by Chris’s late father.
Wednesday
11:00 Orxata de Chufa from seller by the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe. For health and energy.
El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
13:00 Vipa (Valencian India Pale Ale) and Riu Rau de Benissa craft beers at Bar Sant Jaume, c/ Cavallers 51.
14:00 Lunch at El Refugio (BYOB). Enchanting Bodegas Baviera recommended Lonecesario Bobal 2008 (DO Valencia), so we took that. Funnily enough, it’s made by the same guy who makes Altura de Vuelo beer (see above). We had Refugio’s zingy Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure L’Abbaye Monbazillac sweet wine with pudding.
17:00 Me: walk dogs. Chris: siesta.
20:00 Tasting of Juve y Camps cavas at Bodega de Alicia.
22:00 Supper at excellent and always surprising Nostre Bar, Russafa. Mestizaje 2010. This chunky yet complex wine is all too often overlooked as the cheapes of Bodega Mustiguillo‘s wines, but I have always found it highly rewarding and great value.
00:30 Me: walk dogs. Others: bed.
Thursday
11:00–14:00 Culture. Museo de Bellas Artes, then Casa-Museo Benlliure.
El Greco - San Juan Bautista (detail) Museo de Bellas Artes Valencia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
14:00 Olga picks us up in car after treating acupuncture client at Expo Hotel. She says that she needs to eat near her treatment centre as she doesn’t have long for lunch, and that we’re going to the port area classic Casa Montaña, with its fabulous wine list and sardines and such. Louro do Bolo 2010 Godello (DO Valdeorras) and Dominio de Tares Cepas Viejas 2008 Mencía (DO Bierzo).
17:00 Me: walk dogs. Chris: siesta.
18:00 Whirlwind present-buying for Chris’s family.
20:30 Farewells at airport cafeteria. Limited choice — 1 draft Amstel beer (Chris), 1 mini Viña Sol (me).
22:00 On getting home drop bottle of Alges 2009 on floor (shatters) and get the message and go to bed.
You forgot to mention the 1am glass of Terry’s brandy on Wednesday morning at your local bar.
Of course. Probably best blocked out in quality terms, but I failed to give you due credit for joining me on dog-walking duties. Just got back from the Wine Fair, which was jolly, but I think I’m more cut out for sitting around a table with a bottle or two and putting the world to rights. Come again when you can.