Jumilla is renowned for its wine – tipped by the American wine guru Robert Parker to be one of the stars of the wine world by 2015, outselling both Rioja and Ribera del Duero – so stock up now!
However Jumilla is also becoming well-known locally for its gastronomy, which is why, during last year’s Semana Gastronómica, so many people travelled from places like Murcia, Orihuela and Alicante to enjoy a gastronomic feast in Jumilla’s restaurants.
This year the 6th Semana Gastronómica takes place from Saturday 5th November until Sunday 13th November, giving you plenty of opportunities to visit Jumilla for a special meal in one of the nine participating restaurants for an inflation-proofed 30€ (the same as last year), which you will be pleased to hear includes your drinks. You can also enter the prize draw to win a weekend for two in the Balneario Vichy Catalan near Girona: I have my fingers firmly crossed!
Many of the restaurants will be featuring local specialities, which tend to be meat-based, so you might want to check out the menus before making your reservation if you are a pescatarian like me. Click on the link below to see the leaflet, which includes all the menus at the individual restaurants, as well as a list of establishments on the tapas route.
We plan to go to Restaurante Monasterio as six of their seven starters include fish or vegetables, and the good news is that you share the seven starters between you. I just hope that I have enough room for my main course and dessert!
If your budget doesn’t stretch to a meal out, why not come along and take part in the Ruta de las Tapas? You can try a tapa and a glass of Jumilla wine for just 2€, and there are eleven different bars and restaurants to visit, though preferably not on the same day – especially if you are the driver! If you go to four different venues, make sure that you get your leaflet stamped at each one so that you can participate in a prize draw to win a meal in one of Jumilla’s fine restaurants. We are hoping to visit at least eight of them – obviously on different days – which will give us two entries.
Other activities that will be happening during the Gastronomic Week are as follows:
For early risers who drive a 4×4, there is a guided route around the area on Sunday 6th November, leaving Bodegas BSI at 8 a.m. and finishing in Bodegas Viña Elena. Not having a 4×4, I won’t be there – at least, that’s my excuse! For more information, please contact: 693758933 (movil).
The tourist office is offering guided walks around Jumilla on Sunday 6th and Sunday 13th November. Contact them for further details at: oficinaturismo@jumilla.org. Please note that the guided walk will be in Spanish, though there are information boards in both Spanish and English outside the main sites. However, if you would like a personalised tour in English, you can contact John and me via the Walkers Tours of Jumilla page on this website.
Sunday 13th is the European Day of Wine Tourism, and where better to celebrate it than Jumilla? All of the bodegas on the Ruta del Vino will be open. Click on the links for each bodega on the Ruta del Vino website to get more information.
Finally, also on Sunday 13th November, there will be an artisans’ market in Plaza de Arriba, which sadly we will have to miss as we are running the Race for Life (Carrera de la Vida) in Los Alcazares on the same day. If you don’t know Jumilla, there is a street plan on the Jumilla official website to help you find your way to the Plaza, as well as all the bars and restaurants. However don’t worry if you do get lost – there will be plenty to see and do in Jumilla during the Semana Gastronómica and you are guaranteed a warm welcome in any bar or restaurant that you stumble upon.
Restaurante San Agustín, where you can enjoy a gastronomic meal as well as tapas y vino!
The Vendimia is in full swing in Jumilla – we can tell as soon as we leave the house and sniff the air! There is no mistaking the heady aroma of fermenting grapes, which will no doubt end up in a bottle of wine in a supermarket near you. We are lucky, as we can walk down the road to buy our wine from the local bodegas, which saves us a bit of money as well as being very convenient.
In some parts of Spain they are celebrating the Fiesta de la Vendimia right now, however we think Jumilla has made a wise decision in celebrating its Fiesta in August before the hard work begins, especially as the beginning of the harvest is a moveable date, rather like the Fall in New England.
Jumillanos always enjoy a good party, so I am sure they will find another excuse to celebrate once the Vendimia is over for another year. After all, where else do you find people celebrating their saint’s day as well as their actual birthday?
The Vendimia in Jumilla started a couple of weeks earlier than it did in 2010. We soon spotted the tractors and trailers heading down the road beside our house, and we also read about it on Facebook. I am a Facebook friend of many of Jumilla’s best bodegas, including Viña Campanero, Hacienda del Carche, Silvano Garcia, Martínez Verdu and BSI: it helps to keep in touch!
Which way to the bodega?
This year we have noticed lots of lorries carrying grapes, as well as tractors and trailers of varying sizes. We have also spotted several cars pulling smaller trailers full of grapes.
We were worried when we had some heavy rain recently, but fortunately it did not damage the crops as we had feared and it actually helped in the process of maturing the grapes.
You can tell that I am no wine expert when it comes to the technical details, in spite of having had several tours around local bodegas – but I do know a good wine when I taste it! We are lucky to be living in Jumilla, with so many excellent bodegas around us. The American wine guru Robert Parker consistently rates Jumilla’s wines highly, with many wines achieving over 90 points, and in particular for their excellent price to quality ratio.
Initial reports for 2011 sound very promising. The volume of grapes is down 20% but we have heard from several sources that the quality of the grapes is good and expectations are high that this will be another very good vintage.
We will report back once we have tried this year’s wines, although sadly the Tinto Joven 2011 won’t be available until 2012, so we will have to make do with the rosados and blancos until then. On the whole we didn’t find last year’s wines as good as those from 2009, however – from what we’ve heard on the grapevine – 2011 should be a winner. ¡Salud!
If you enjoy meeting friends for a few drinks but don’t have unlimited funds, Spain is definitely the place to be. I have been horrified by prices in London recently – even when meeting friends for a coffee – never mind the cost of a glass of wine! No wonder so many fellow Brits have decided to retire to Spain, where they can still afford to have an active social life.
The best value for money is having a menú del día in a Spanish bar or restaurant, but sometimes you want to go out in the evening just for a change. Spain again has to be the winner, especially as many places give you a free tapa with your glass of wine or beer.
Here, in no particular order, are some of the best bars in Jumilla if you fancy going out for some tapas with your friends. Although free tapas are rare here, prices are so low that we don’t mind paying a bit extra: two euros for a drink and tapa isn’t exactly going to break the bank!
1. Cervecería Borneo Avenida de la Libertad
Our dog Lisa recommends this bar. There are tables outside, so she can sit with us while we enjoy our coffees, or a glass of wine in the evening. The owner always makes a fuss of her too, so it is no 1 on Lisa’s list. Although they don’t do a menú del día here, the food is very good and reasonably priced. We tried their hamburgers (in my case it was a fishburger) and can confirm that it made a very tasty and filling snack for less than 3€, and they always have a good selection of tapas on display, which we all enjoy sampling.
Borneo – recommended by Lisa
2. Bar La Casa Avenida de Reyes Católicos 13
If you want to bump into lots of expats come here on Tuesday mornings at around 12 noon, and especially on the first Tuesday of the month when we have our English book swap from 11.00 to 13.00. If you want to avoid your fellow Brits, then give it a miss on Tuesdays!
Although the bar is tiny, there is a dining area behind where you can sit if the bar is full and – even better – a lovely walled patio at the back where we sit in the summer months, though sadly Lisa isn’t allowed in there. Cristina and her parents always give us a warm welcome – and in the winter months, when the wood fire is burning, it is lovely and warm in the dining area too!
Bar La Casa
3. Bar Central Plaza Alcoholero de Menor
This is a recent addition, situated in the Roque Baños Centre, although we understand that there was a Bar Central on Calle Canovas during the 60s. Their tapas are very good and their prices are very cheap, so not surprisingly it has become a favourite haunt, especially after our Spanish lessons in the nearby Adult Education Centre twice a week. Lisa also enjoys sitting outside this bar, watching the world go by, though she doesn’t find it quite as relaxing as Borneo.
4. Cafetería de Estacion de Autobuses Avenida de la Libertad
This is another venue with the Lisa seal of approval, especially during fiestas. We sat outside with friends, plus Lisa, after watching one of the processions during the Fiesta de la Vendimia and had the best sepia y champiñones ever. We realised that Lisa liked this bar when we tried to walk past it last week, and she pulled on her lead until we walked over to one of the tables and sat down to order coffee!
5. Nuestro BarLos Milanos
Incredible food at incredible prices: if we only lived closer to Nuestro Bar it would be our regular haunt. Faustino had a well-deserved excellent write-up onTripAdvisor, after two American visitors had eaten there a couple of times. Having shared the paella with Cathy and Ed on their second visit to Nuestro Bar, we can wholeheartedly agree with her comments!
Whenever we are near Nuestro Bar we pop in for coffee or wine and tapas, and always receive a warm welcome and very good service: the one time we thought they were being a teeny bit slow, we discovered when we left that dozens of people were sitting outside enjoying drinks and tapas as well!
Faustino joined us for the photo call in Nuestro Bar
6. Bar La Tapa “Rincon de Pedro” Calle Marchante, 8
A typical Spanish bar: small, always busy, usually noisy and with a good selection of tapas as befits its name. It used to be a regular haunt when we first moved here and were renting a flat in the centre of Jumilla. The biggest smile we have ever seen on Pedro’s face was reserved for John’s grandsons when they came to visit us: Pedro presented them with Kinder eggs and bags of crisps. Pedro enjoys good music and has been known to increase the volume when his favourite tracks are playing, drowning out all conversation.
7. Bar California Calle Canovas de Castillo
This is the exception to the unwritten rule that the floors of the best bars are always covered in litter. Whenever we go into Bar California it is busy, however the floor is always spotless, and it is renowned for being the cleanest bar in Jumilla. Their tapas are good and it is very popular with the locals – presumably because of the tapas rather than its clean floors!
8. Bar CanariasC/Jesús Sánchez Carrillo, 4
In our neighbourhood, and near the local market, Bar Canarias is one of our favourites. Lisa enjoys visiting it during the summer when tables are outside, and is always made to feel welcome. The owner speaks good English, though we always try to speak to him in Spanish. Depending on his mood, he will greet us in English, Spanish or a mixture of both! We took friends here for wine and tapas after going to a carol concert last year and they were impressed by both the food and the prices.
Bar Canarias
9. Bar Chaparral Avenida de Yecla, 75
A good place to go to with friends when you are very hungry but don’t want to spend a fortune: its tapas are excellent and unbelievably cheap, so you can afford to buy loads. Our best Christmas party ever was upstairs in Bar Chaparral, which the Adult Education Centre had booked for its students. The amount of dishes they produced was amazing, and all of them were delicious. Fingers crossed that we go there again this year!
10. Bar Gatico Negro Calle San Roque
Apparently the original bar wasn’t very salubrious, however it had closed down before we moved to Jumilla. After being completely renovated, it re-opened under new management about six months ago. It is a small, friendly bar with good tapas, plus they have a room upstairs for larger groups.
11. Cafetería Los Angeles Plaza Pablo Picasso
Recently opened and conveniently close to home, so we often stop here with Lisa for a coffee on the way back from the shops. She has her favourite table and looks very annoyed if somebody else is sitting there! Although they don’t do tapas here, if we stop for a glass of wine in the evening we ask for olives or almonds with our drinks. I don’t think I have ever seen local people have an alcoholic drink without something to nibble on, which is a healthy habit we have adopted since moving to Spain.
Cafetería Los Angeles
12. Heladería Cinema C/ Canovas del Castillo, 67
I know that strictly speaking ice-cream doesn’t come under the heading of tapas, but on a hot summer’s day, when you really fancy an ice-cream, this is the best place to go for one in Jumilla. All their ice-cream is home-made, there is a huge selection to choose from, and they are all absolutely delicious. Sadly they don’t sell ice-cream during the winter months, so John’s daughter-in-law Katy was bitterly disappointed when she visited us in February and couldn’t sample their ice-creams!
13. Restaurante San Agustín Avenida de la Asunción, 64
A long-term favourite of ours for their menú del día, we also enjoy going to San Agustín for tapas in the bar, though unfortunately they don’t have tables outside so Lisa has to stay at home. Popular with the locals, which isn’t surprising considering how good the food is, and there is always a lively atmosphere.
14. Bar las Delicias C/Lope de Vega-C/Hernando de Nuño
This is a comparatively new bar in our local barrio of San Juan. In recent years, sadly, we have seen many businesses close down or change hands, however we are confident that Bar las Delicias will be here to stay because of their good tapas and cheap prices. I am always on the look out for special offers on the facebook page of the manager, Ester Delgado Rodríguez.
Of course these aren’t the only places in Jumilla where you can find tasty tapas, and the following bars and restaurants are also good places to visit on your tapas trail: Restaurante Reyes Católicos; Bar Paraíso; Restaurante Monasterio; Duque de Lerma; Meson Jumillano; Bar Ave: Cervecería Castillo; Cervecería Levante. Plus many, many more!
Before you visit Jumilla, why not print out the street map to help you find the recommended places? Otherwise, just pop into any bar that takes your fancy: you are sure to have a good time. ¡Aproveche!
My intention for the last post in July was to give detailed information about the forthcoming Feria y Fiestas deAgosto. However trying to get advance tourist information in Jumilla is like trying to pull teeth – and isn’t helped by the fact that the Oficina de Turismo is closed until 2nd August!
There are colourful posters on display all around Jumilla, depicting the 40th Anniversary of the Fiesta de la Vendimia, the 30th Anniversary of the National Folklore Festival and the 25th Anniversary of the Moors and Christians, however there don’t appear to be any leaflets or booklets giving more specific details.
Research on the internet has given me a few key dates, but all I know about the Moros y Cristianos so far is that the Noche de las Antorchas will be at 21.00 on Saturday 6th August in the Castle – and the other main events will be taking place between 12th and 16th August.
Moros y Cristianos procession 2010
National Folklore Festival
Music and dance groups from Badajoz, Almerís, León, Tenerife and A Coruña will be performing, as well as the Coros y Danzas de Jumilla.
Saturday 13 August
22.00 Inaugural session in the Jardín de la Glorieta.
Sunday 14 August
13.30 Music and dancing in the streets. The groups will perform in the different barrios of Jumilla.
18.30 Traditional games. Paseo Lorenzo Guardiola.
20.00Sones de España – concert of traditional music. Julián Santos Auditorium
Monday 15 August
13.30 Music and dancing in the streets. The groups will perform again in the barrios of Jumilla, giving you the opportunity to watch a different group.
21.30 Procession of the participating groups from Plaza de Arriba to Jardín de la Glorieta, where the closing gala will take place at 22.00.
Festival Nacional de Folklore 2010
The complete programme, plus details about the participating groups, can be found on the FNF website.
Fiesta de la Vendimia
Friday 12 August
21.30 Inauguration of the Fountain of Wine (yes, wine will be flowing!), Jardín de la Glorieta
22.30 Inauguration of the D.O. Jumilla wine stand, Paseo Poeta Lorenzo Guardiola. This is where you go for your free samples!
Saturday 13 August
08.00 Gran Pitanza Fiesta del la Vendimia in the Plaza del Mercado. This is a new event, but I gather that it will be going on all day, allowing you to sample various local dishes.
12.00Miniferia del Vino, Jardín del Rey Don Pedro. Sshhh! So far I haven’t found anything in print or on the web, but my sources have assured me that this popular event will be taking place on Saturday, and it usually starts at 12.00, so we will be heading there hopefully. It is a great opportunity to try 2 or 3 different wines and discover your favourites. (OK, we usually try a few more than that, but we don’t want to be seen favouring a particular bodega!) The usual format is to buy a glass for a few euros then go round the many stands sampling different wines.
Tuesday 16 August
20.30 Cabalgata Infantil. The children’s procession starts assembling in Plaza del Rollo at 20.00, then goes along the main streets of Jumilla, finishing behind the covered market.
Wednesday 17 August
Día del Niño The day for children of all ages to go along to the fairground, where they are offering 2 x 1 on all the rides.
21.00 Offering of the grapes and first grape juice to the Niño de las Uvas, Jardín de la Glorieta.
Thursday 18 August
11.00 – 13.30 Exhibition of all the floats taking part in the annual competition, Paseo Lorenzo Guardiola.
Cabalgata tradicional 2010
20.30 Cabalgata Tradicional This is the traditional procession, for those of us who prefer to sample wines rather than getting soaked in the stuff! Again it starts assembling in Plaza del Rollo at 20.00 and follows the same route as the children’s procession. We can definitely recommend this one, as all our friends have enjoyed it.
Saturday 20 August
19.00 Gran Cabalgata del Vino OK. If you insist on getting drenched in red wine (don’t wear your best clothes) then head to Avenida de Reyes Católicos and Avenida de Murcia where the procession starts assembling at 18.00, going along the main streets of Jumilla. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
For more details about all the events in the Fiesta de la Vendimia, check the Federation of Peñas website. Watch this space for further updates, as there will be 4 concerts taking place, but so far I don’t know the dates!
Wow! That was the first word to come to mind when we entered the Jardín Botánico last night: José María of Los Chilines had surpassed even his high standards.
This was the third Gran Cata that we have attended since moving to Jumilla. We thought the first one in Jardín de Los Caños was great – lots of good food and lots of good wine – even though we were sitting on stone seats. We encouraged our friends Lesley and John to join us for last year’s Gran Cata, which proved to be even better, with live music from a local group, plus chairs had been provided for us all to sit on.
We all reserved our tickets for this year’s Gran Cata as soon as details appeared, which was lucky as they sold out almost immediately, such is José María’s reputation for organising excellent wine tasting events.
La Gran Cata 2009
La Gran Cata mark III was held in the beautiful surroundings of the Jardín Botánico however the first thing we noticed on arrival was a red carpet! We walked along the red carpet, stopped to have our photos taken by Fotocool and then headed for the lounge area. I was wearing flat shoes, suspecting that we might have to stand up all evening as it was a far bigger event than before, so it was a pleasant surprise to see that tables and chairs had been set out.
We were soon joined by a group of young people, one of whom introduced herself and said she was keen to practise her English on us. She was called Victoria, and we realised that she was the singer who would be providing the evening’s entertainment later on.
The whole evening was exceptionally well organised, especially considering there were two hundred and fifty people present. Bar Paraiso were in charge of catering again, so we knew that the food would be very tasty. The wine waiters timed things to perfection, so we all had the right wine to taste as the wine makers from the 10 participating bodegas introduced their individual wines.
Waiting with Lesley and John for the food and wine to appear
I think the four British pensioners were the only people present to appreciate the irony of one wine being named Crápula, though we tried to explain it to the chicos and chicas at our table. Our favourite wines were Divus, Gemina Cuvee, Calzas and Juan Gil 18 meses. Wine tasting is all about individual taste though as, in spite of us not rating Crápula, the wine guru Robert Parker gave it 90 points!
While we were tasting the first five wines, plates of delicious food kept arriving. Our Spanish companions were eagerly waiting for the jamón, which the champion Maestro Cortador de Jamón was carving, so I kindly helped them out with the seafood tapas and cheeses.
Victoria disappeared with Paco her guitarist just after we had tasted the fourth wine (she was being abstemious though, only drinking water and coke) and she then appeared on stage to perform her first set. Victoria had already told us that only three of her twenty five songs would be sung in Spanish, so not surprisingly we knew most of the words.
After tasting the final five wines we listened to Victoria’s second set, while more bottles of wine were being brought round, giving us a chance to taste our favourites again. By now several people were up dancing and, once I had twisted John’s arm, we joined them for a couple of lively numbers. After that Lesley and I discovered the Dulce Zone, where tiny desserts and chocolate truffles had been laid out, so we headed eagerly in that direction. Yummy!
We left at one o’clock, having had more than enough food and wine, however we noticed on the way out that Chaplin Bar was serving drinks to those with more stamina than us.
Many congratulations to José María and his team for organising such an amazing event – we are already looking forward to next year’s Gran Cata!
PS What do you think we had to pay for this great evening? Please leave your guesses in the comments box below, and I will post the answer next week.
Of course you should never generalise – and I guess a lot of what I am about to say will be true about Spaniards generally and not just those who live here in Jumilla – however these are my observations about our Spanish friends and neighbours.
1. They are direct and blunt, to the point of being almost rude. They see our dog Lisa and tell us she is gorda. Our little dog isn’t fat, we tell them, she’s just well-built. She has big bones. At least it keeps me on my toes and ensures I don’t over-indulge: I don’t want them turning round and saying that I am gorda the next time they see me! They also want to know how much money we paid for our house. No beating about the bush, just a direct request to tell them how much dinero we handed over when we bought it. John and I don’t mind this, maybe because we are both northerners (I’m from the northeast of England and he is Scottish) so we are used to people speaking their minds.
2. They are very helpful and caring. Not long after we moved into our apartment our trastero (storeroom) was broken into and some items were stolen. One neighbour we hardly knew offered to drive us to the Guardia Civil to report the robbery, and then said she would wait with us there. Another neighbour whom we had never met before rang our doorbell, said how sorry he was to hear about the break-in, and then said we were welcome to keep our remaining belongings in his trastero until our door had been replaced.
3. Jumillanos are very friendly and chatty. Whenever we walk down the road, children will call out Hola or sometimes Hello, and the adults will also greet us and ask us how we are or comment about the weather. I guess it helps that we have a dog, as we now know all the other dog owners in the area. Now when they see us without Lisa they ask us where she is. If they aren’t close enough to speak, for example on the far side of the road, they will call across and wave to us. If they are in a car they will toot their horn until we see them and wave back. Sometimes they will stop their car on a crossing so that we can have a conversation.
4. Jumillanos love to party and don’t need much of an excuse to have a celebration. In Spain you don’t just celebrate your actual birthday, you also celebrate your saint’s day. I like that idea, especially since I discovered that August 11th is the feastday of St Susanna, so I don’t have too long to wait. We had a party with our neighbours for the inauguration of our apartment block and another one for the anniversary of the inauguration. We invited them to our apartment for a party to celebrate the launch of my book. We live in the barrio of San Juan, so obviously we have a good time during the Fiestas de San Juan, with several days’ partying. August though is one of the best months for fiestas, with the Fiesta de la Vendimia, Fiesta of the patron saint of Jumilla (Our Lady of Assumption), National Folklore Festival plus Moors and Christians festivities.
Spanish friends and neighbours at the fiesta for my book launch
5. Jumillanos aren’t too worried about punctuality. Today we showed a group of about fifty people from San Pedro de la Pinatar around Jumilla. We had arranged with the town hall for the castle to be opened at 11.00, as it is usually only open at weekends. We waited outside the castle gates in the coach, looking at our watches a bit anxiously, as it was 11.00 and nobody was around. A couple of minutes later a car stopped beside us and a man got out, brandishing a large bunch of keys. He noticed the group leader looking at his watch and smiled as he said: “A las once!” By now it was five past but as far as he was concerned he was there by 11.00. Personally I was amazed that he had arrived that early, as the majority of events here start at least 30 minutes later than advertised.
6. Jumillanos are very proud of their city. When a local wine shop had a wine tasting evening: Rioja vs Jumilla, we weren’t at all surprised that everybody voted for the Jumilla wines. We like the local wines, and they have won many medals, but a couple of the wines from Rioja were very good as well. A couple of other people said the same, but when it came to the vote, Jumilla won. The greatest compliment that we have been paid since moving here is to be called Jumillanos, and to know that we have been accepted as one of the vecinos (neighbours).
So where do you live? What are your neighbours like? Please leave your answers below, but nothing too libellous please!
I don’t know how common it is in other parts of Spain, but we have noticed that many Jumillanos who live in town during the week will retreat to their home in the campo most weekends and especially during the summer months. Many of our younger friends have parents or grandparents who own a property in the countryside, others will buy (or maybe inherit) an older property and do it up gradually. Most of these second residences are located only a few kilometres outside Jumilla, some of them in pueblos such as Fuente del Pino or Torre del Rico.
Our good friends Juana María and Salvador share a small country property with Salvador’s sister Belen and her husband Pablo, and have kindly invited us to spend the afternoon there on several occasions. On Sunday they invited our English friends John and Lesley to come along as well, so Lesley unselfishly offered to be the chauffeuse, allowing her grateful husband John to enjoy a few glasses of vino tinto.
The bungalow is well off the beaten track – take a right turn off the main road, then left onto a bumpy road, right again onto a dirt track and you will see it just past the peach trees on the right. Last time we visited we saw the owner of the peach trees, who told us to help ourselves. Needless to say we didn’t hesitate!
Although the house is tiny, with just one main room and a bathroom, it has all the necessities to enjoy a summer day in the countryside: barbeque, swimming pool and tennis courts. Lesley and I have vowed to take tennis racquets the next time we get invited there, although on Sunday it would have been too hot for even a gentle game of tennis.
We had time to have a leisurely swim (paddle, in my case) and lounge around before lunch. Our dog Lisa had been invited, but she gave the swimming pool a wide berth, preferring to roll about in the grass and chase a few flies.
A lazy sunny Sunday afternoon
As I am a difficult guest (I don’t eat any meat plus I won’t touch tomatoes), I always take something suitable for me to eat, just in case. However Juana María is a very good friend and she always remembers my dietary fads: the tomatoes were on a separate plate, plus there was plenty of non-meaty food to suit me.
The table was set out with lots of different dishes as aperitivos: local empanadas (with tuna but without tomato!); nuts and dried fish; cheese on tostados; tomatoes; stuffed peppers; smoked salmon on bread. The two Spanish men had been busy outside dealing with the barbeque (yes, it’s very much a male thing, even in Spain!), so a huge platter of meat appeared, however they had thoughtfully grilled swordfish separately for me. We than had the most delicious fresh sardines that I have ever tasted: Lesley and I both had one then grabbed another one before they all went!
This was followed by fresh melon and watermelon, plus local pastries. John and I had brought some chocolate truffles from Mercadona, which went down well with the coffee and brandy. This type of feast isn’t unusual in Spain, as we have experienced it before when invited over to our neighbour’s apartment for lunch. No wonder the traditional siesta is still observed here!
Another necessity in Spain, even if it’s only a weekend pad, is a TV to watch sport. John and I had been wondering if it would be bad-mannered to mention the Tour de France and Formula One, however we didn’t have to worry, as Salvador turned the TV on. We tried not to look too pleased when Mark Cavendish won the green jersey and the Australian Cadel Evans won the Tour, with Spain’s Alberto Contador and Samuel Sanchez down in 5th and 6th places. However then Lewis Hamilton beat Spain’s Fernando Alonso – all I can say is that it’s lucky that we are all good friends!
That was Sunday lunch Spanish-style – so although we had plenty of food at home, we didn’t need anything else to eat that day. It makes you wonder why more Spanish señoras aren’t overweight, though that may be down to another Spanish tradition: in the mornings they are all busy sweeping and mopping their floors, then throwing the water into the street, whenever we go out to the shops or for coffee.
If you fancy visiting a Bodega in or near Jumilla you are spoilt for choice, however if you are specifically looking for a tour in English that will limit your choice a bit, as Jumilla is inland and therefore many local people only speak Spanish. This guide is intended therefore to point non-Spanish-speaking people in the right direction.
The bodegas situated within walking distance of the city centre are all very different, so this is also a resumé to help you decide which bodega is right for you. You may of course want to visit several bodegas, however you will need a lot of stamina if you intend visiting them all on the same day!
1.Bodegas Viña Campanero
This is the smallest bodega in Jumilla and if you speak a bit of Spanish it is definitely not to be missed. Pedro and his father are very welcoming: they enjoy showing people around and are very proud of their newest acquisition, a small bottling unit, which was only installed last year. There are great views of Sierra Santa Ana from the salón, a tiny wine museum, and they also have a reasonably priced shop on their premises. The bodega is behind BSI, so it would be good to combine a visit here with one at BSI.
The largest bodega in Jumilla is BSI, which is a co-operative. Tours in English are available, but please make sure you book in advance. They have some experimental vines on their site, however in the vendimia we see tractors queuing up with loads of grapes to deposit there, many of them from small vineyards, as well as trailers full of olives later in the year. They also have their own wine museum and a shop on their premises.
They have two members of staff who speak good English, and they do several different tours, including a visit to their aroma room. The visit to the aroma room costs a bit more but all our visitors have said it is worth doing, as it is not only educational but also fun.
If you don’t normally like sweet wine (I didn’t), I recommend forgetting your prejudices and trying their award-winning dulce wines. I am now a convert and particularly enjoy their Monastrell dulce, which is perfect with dessert at the end of a good meal.
More commonly known as Bodegas Alceño, we think that this bodega is so good because the chief winemaker is very particular about things such as the correct temperature, which is reflected in the quality of their wines. It is the oldest bodega in Jumilla, being founded in 1870. Some English is spoken, but remember to book in advance if you want a tour in English. Don’t forget to buy some wine before you go!
We were lucky enough to be guinea pigs for their first tour of the bodega in English several months ago. Antonio Bleda had only been learning English for two months at the time, and we were very impressed by how good he was: by now he probably speaks perfect English!
It is worth visiting this bodega for its location alone: situated about 2 kilometres outside Jumilla on the road to Ontur, and surrounded by vineyards. Not only that, but they have many award-winning wines, though my personal recommendation is their Castillo de Jumilla Blanco, which everybody who has tasted it rates highly – even the committed red wine drinkers! It is also very reasonably priced, so you can afford to buy several bottles to take home.
Slightly off the beaten track, but recommended for a visit because of its location in the Valley of El Carche and because at least one member of staff (Poñi) speaks good English. My daughter Kate was impressed by their branding, and said that she would immediately spot their wines in any wine-shop because of the distinctive black and white hoops around the neck of the bottle.
Another family business, which was originally called Bodegas Pacheco after the grandfather of the current generation. It is now named Bodegas Viña Elena after Paco’s youngest daughter Elena, who is being groomed to take over from him. You can see the original bodega as well as the smart new installations, and don’t miss the lovely garden at the back. The bodega is at km 52 on the N344, the main road between Jumilla and Murcia. Tours are available in English by contacting them in advance.
The local bodegas charge from 5€ per person for a tour, including wine tasting and nibbles, though you can negotiate a reduction for a large group. As mentioned above, it is advisable to book in advance, especially if you want a tour in English. All of them sell wine on the premises, so even if you haven’t booked a tour of the bodega you can pop in to buy a few bottles of your favourite wine.
Other bodegas well worth a visit are Bodegas Luzón, Bodegas JM Martínez Verdú, Hacienda del Carche, Casa de la Ermita and Bodegas Finca Omblancas. They are all out of town, which means you can see the vineyards as well as visiting the bodegas. More details can be found on the Ruta del Vino website – you need to scroll down their page to find links to all the bodegas.
We had such a wonderful evening last night that I don’t know how I can possibly condense it all into one post. We had two events to attend with our friends Lesley and John (thank you for chauffeuring us Lesley!) both of which were being held outside, so we were grateful that it was another lovely summer’s evening.
Our friend Cristina was getting married under a pergola at Salones Pio XII and we didn’t want to miss seeing her even though we had booked tickets for our final Música entre Vinos, which was due to start at the same time. The bride was traditionally late, though early by Jumillano standards – however she does come from near Barcelona, which probably explains it. Cristina looked stunning, in a very elegant understated way, as she arrived in an open-topped sports car.
Here comes the bride!
The occasion was enhanced by our friend Jaqui singing a couple of songs, and although the civil ceremony was in Spanish we could follow what was happening, more or less: the moment when they both said “Si”, the handing over of the rings, the new husband kissing his bride and finally the signing of the register. We witnessed the moment when they became husband and wife, before we discreetly slipped away. We had brought some rice to throw, however when we spotted at least two large boxes of rice sitting on a wall behind the pergola we reckoned there were plenty of other people willing to carry out this duty.
Bodegas Viña Elena were hosting Música entre Vinos for the first time, so we were curious to see how well they coped. We have visited the bodega before, so we weren’t too worried about missing the tour, and Loles had kindly confirmed that the concert wouldn’t be starting until at least 21.15.
The organisation of the whole evening was superb, starting with the moment when we arrived at 21.15 and were efficiently directed first to the car park and then to the collection point to pick up the all-essential wine glasses. Background music was being played as we headed towards the bodega, so we knew that Loles had been correct in saying that if we arrived at that time we wouldn’t miss any of the concert.
We had timed our arrival to perfection. We were trying the first of four wines – Paco Pacheco Blanco 2010 – and accepting some of the tasty food on offer, when the musicians started tuning up. The catering had been done by Media Luna, who brought out plate after plate of delicious food: including spoons of scrumptious seafood, chunks of Manchego cheese, plenty of jamón for the carnivores, and cubes of juicy melon. We were impressed by the Bodega’s Tinto Jóven, which we reckon is one of the best from 2010.
Bodegas Viña Elena
There was a great ambiance and I would say that this was one of the most enjoyable events we have attended during Música entre Vinos this year. Part of this was due to the fact that so many of our friends were there enjoying themselves, part of this was due to the friendly welcome we received from Paco Pacheco and his family and part of this was due to the music from Cantos Jazz Fusión, playing classics like “Bye Bye Black Bird” and “Autumn Leaves”.
We mentioned this to our friend Pedro, President of the Ruta del Vino, towards the end of the evening – adding that we preferred it when busloads of fellow Brits weren’t around, especially those who complained about the lack of chairs! Having said that, after standing up for well over three hours in my high heels, I was grateful when a couple of people left and we were able to grab their chairs to sit down for a while.
Our final verdict is that Música Entre Vinos 2011 was an outstanding success, with a winning combination of good wine and food accompanied by good music, and that each year it seems to get even better. We can’t wait until Música Entre Vinos 2012 – and promise to publish full details here, as soon as Pedro emails me!
Even before you see the welcome sign to Jumilla, the Ciudad del Vino, it’s pretty obvious that Jumilla is a wine producing area by the numerous vineyards on either side of the road. There are olive groves, almond trees, orchards of peaches and pears as well, but it’s the vine that dominates the landscape.
Vineyards at Casa de la Ermita
Wine has been produced in Jumilla since Roman times from which I gather – though history isn’t one of my strong subjects – that Jumillanos have been making wine for a very long time.
When phylloxera devastated vineyards in France in the middle of the 19th century, there was a resulting boost to Spanish winemaking and particularly in Jumilla where the monastrell grapes were unaffected. French wine-making immigrants brought their expertise to the area, which was a turning point for Jumilla wines, even though they too were affected by phylloxera at a later date.
Early exports of Jumilla wine were in barrels and, as they were taken by train to Alicante and shipped from there, the wine was designated as Alicante wine. The next important stage in the history of Jumilla wine therefore was on 22nd January 1966, when it was granted the right to have its own D.O. Currently there are 42 bodegas within the D.O. Jumilla and, contrary to rumours, John and I haven’t visited them all. At the time of writing our total is 13 – lucky for some!
The creation of the Ruta del Vino Jumilla, which is certified as one of the Wine Routes of Spain, was an important step for wine tourism in Jumilla. Twelve bodegas, two wine shops, one specialist food and drink shop plus seven restaurants are amongst the associates, who all work hard at promoting Jumilla and its wine.
Last year the Ruta del Vino won a special mention in the national awards for best enoturística initiative for its popular and successful Música entre Vinos events. Los Chilines vinoteria was also shortlisted, which didn’t surprise us after attending their many excellent winetasting events, including La Gran Cata, one of the year’s highlights, which we will be going to next week.
Times are hard, so Jumilla isn’t resting on its laurels. One of its biggest export markets is the USA, helped no doubt by the fact that Robert Parker has given 90 points or more to many Jumilla wines over the last few years. He has recognised that Jumilla wines are extraordinarily good value and commented on their superb price-quality ratio. Last year the main markets for Jumilla’s bottled wines were the UK, USA and Germany.
However there are new markets out there and local bodegas are also looking to increase their exports to other countries such as Japan, Russia and Canada. In spite of the world-wide recession, over 8 million litres of wine were sold in 2010, with a slight increase in the amount of bottled wine, although figures for bulk wine were down.
This year Jumilla celebrates its 40th Fiesta de la Vendimia, where wine flows from one of the fountains in the city centre, much wine is drunk by both Jumillanos and visitors, and on the last night lots of wine is thrown over the participants. Not surprisingly, John and I consider that a bit of a waste!
So let’s raise our glasses to Jumilla wine – Salud!
