Tag: gourmet experience

New Look for La Goya Manzanilla

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This week (September 24), I was invited to the presentation of the new look La Goya manzanilla by Bodegas Delgado Zuleta, marking the brand’s centenary year. Organized by the boys at Probando Probando, the event was held on the terrace of the Corte Inglés Gourmet Experience in Sevilla, looking out over the city. It was a nicely low key event, with not too many speeches or too much marketing razzle.

A brief introduction of the new label was given by Jorge Pascual (general director of Delgado Zuleta) and José Federico Carvajal (commercial director of Delgado Zuleta) to some 150 people including bodega shareholders, wine distributors, hoteliers and specialised media.

The result was a very pleasant evening meeting up with old friends, enjoying some tasty snacks of jamón, cheese, oysters and mojama (cured tuna) provided by @MANCHENIETO @PanaderiaObando @OstreasurSG @QuesosPajarete @HerpacBarbate. And of course, sampling plenty of perfectly chilled La Goya (which hasn’t changed – still the same excellent sherry it’s always been).

Thanks as always to the organisers and hosts for a great evening.

A Maridaje Made in Heaven

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chocolate sherry (1)

Well, it is getting towards Christmas, so what could be more natural than a pairing (maridaje) of those two Christmas essentials, chocolate and after dinner drinks? This was the inspiration for last week’s tasting event put on by sommelier Silvia Flores at Gourmet Experience Duque.

The chocolates were supplied by Belgian luxury chocolatiers Neuhaus, who have been making chocolate since 1857, when founder Jean Neuhaus arrived in Brussels from his native Switzerland and opened an apothecary’s shop in the Galeries Royales in Brussels. Initially the chocolate was used to mask the taste of the medicinal products, but gradually the confectionary business took over, and in 1912 grandson Jean II invented the Belgian praline (or praline bon-bon), a hard chocolate shell with a nut and cream filling.

chocolate sherry (3)Apostoles/Feuilletine, Matusalem/Sappho, Nomad/Divine, Lepanto/Gallerie, Noe PX/Jean

Drinks were supplied by renowned Jerez bodega González Byass. These included:  Aposteles, an aged Palo Cortado drawn from a solera created in 1862, two sweet sherries, Matusalem Cream and Noe PX, and two spirits. Lepanto is the company’s flagship brandy, made from Palomino grapes and matured for 15 years in Fino casks, while Nomad is a blended Scotch whisky that is finished in Jerez in PX casks.

These were paired with selected Neuhaus chocolates ranging from hazelnut and almond milk chocolate pralines (Feuilletine and Sappho) to caramel fillings in light and dark chocolate (Divine and Galerie) and finishing with an intense dark chocolate ganache (Jean – 64% Peruvian cocoa). The tasting was led by Neuhaus representative Anabel Leirman and Juanma Terceño from Gonzalez Byass, with poetic interludes provided by G-B’s master wineblender Antonio Flores. A sweet and sensual tasting experience.

chocolate sherry (2)Our hosts: Silvia Flores (Gourmet Experience sommelier), Anabel Leirman (Neuhaus), Antonio Flores (González Byass master wine blender), Juanma Terceño (González Byass sommelier).

Gourmet Club Sherry & Food Pairing

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hidalgo

Another day, another sherry tasting. Which is not a bad thing, of course. This one was held last week at the Gourmet Experience Duque in El Corte Inglés, which has become an important venue for such events since opening in December 2013 . The featured bodega was family-run Emilio Hidalgo, with three of its special aged dry sherries, in pairings with Riofrio Caviar, mojama (cured tuna) and melva canutera (frigate tuna) from quality fish processors Herpac, and hand-made Zamorano cheese from Vicente Pastor.

hidalgo collageFirst up was La Panesa, a fino from a solera that is bottled sparingly, and has consequently aged longer than a standard fino, paired with two varieties of caviar. Both of these had a delicate, subtle buttery flavour that worked well, neither masking the other. Next was a pairing of much stronger tastes. El Tresillo 1874 is a well-aged amontillado, complex and full-bodied, with a particularly excellent “nose”, that added its richness to the strong flavours of the fish. The last pairing brought together an aged oloroso sherry, Villapanés, and an artisanal cured Zamorano sheep’s cheese. I think this was my favourite of the three pairings, with an exceptionally rounded, full flavoured sherry that was perfect for the quite chewy, salty cheese.

I have to say that I think this was one of the best tastings I’ve been to, very well organized by sommelier Silvia Flores, with the excellent sherries and exquisite food products introduced and explained by their respective owners. Many thanks for the invitation, Silvia, and I look forward to future Club del Gourmet experiences.