Vi Novell 2015

vila viniteca

November 26th, 2015

Since November 1994, Vila Viniteca has organised an annual festival of young wine in Barrio del Born, Barcelona. This year they present the new 2014 vintage from more than 30 prestigious Spanish vineyards, accompanied by tapas and other dishes from neighbourhood restaurants.

preu copa

After a marvelous long lunch at El Racó del Mariner, we walked back to El Born and the annual new wine festival. One pays €5 for a glass and after that all the tasting is free. I was delighted to bump into a few old friends (no, not the wines!) unexpectedly.

cauldron

Feeling somewhat mellow, my camera stayed in it’s bag until I reached the steaming cauldron of beans provided by top Barcelona restaurant, Llamber.

crab and beans

Llamber’s offering (for €3) was a crab ball with beans in a hearty crab stock. Full though I should have been, this was bloody marvelous!

ca n’estruc

Suitably restored, we enjoyed a local rosado by Ca N’Estruc,

joseph drouhin

followed by Beaujolais Nouveau (an unusual wine in Spain) by Joseph Drouhin. I wondered what the Catalans made of the distinct Beaujolais banana flavour…

botifarra

Opposite the French interloper was a very local dish – botifarra  cooked over an open fire. This is a traditional Catalan sausage, possibly dating back to the Roman occupation – it reminds me slightly of Cumberland sausage, which makes me wonder if they might have a similar ancient origin.

murmuron

A hearty Rioja was needed after the sausage – this Murmuron from Sierra Cantabria was just right with strawberry and raspberry flavours.

la tinaja

Jamon Serrano, sliced wafer thin is obligatory at any Iberian festival – aside from tasting La Tinaja’s delicious ham, I watched intently as it was expertly carved.

calle dels agullers

We were in Calle dels Agullers (street of needles) at this point and looking up at the street sign I saw a wonderful pig’s head, which I dearly wanted to take home.

espatlla de porc

I think it was relative to the shoulder of pork being sold in buns, below – apparently cooked Texas style in a wood burning oven.

castillo monjardin

I went back onto rosado wine at this point, with a Castillo Monjardin, from Navara. This one was a pale pink colour and tasted of wild berries.

extra virgin

I tried some fantastic extra virgin olive oil.

olis baragalló

Olis Baragalló drizzled their oil onto thin slices of bread and gave it away free.

fuertaventura goat cheese

Similarly, the oganisers Vila Viniteca handed out pieces of Fuertaventura mature goats cheese to cleanse our palates.

parató

We finished where we’d started, with wines by Parató – these were our favourites – Oli liked the white so much he tried to buy some, but they couldn’t sell it because it was in sample bottles only.

Feeling weary and in need of a sit down, we went to a bar with tables outside, at the end of Passeig del Born. Another bottle of rosado was consumed along with a plate of patatas bravas and pa amb tomàquet. By this time we were a little peckish (no really!) and thought a visit to Romesco was in order.

cabeza de cordero

Another bottle of rosado, croquetas, astonishingly good deep fried baby artichokes, allioli, bacalao and a lamb’s head (above) later and I was finally ready for the sleep of the dead!

Vila Viniteca is at: Agullers 7. 08003 Barcelona

Romesco is at: Carrer de Sant Pau, 28, 08001, Barcelona