It seems like only a year ago that I was writing about our Albariño being, not only one of Spain’s best white wines, but also one of the best value …… just a minute, it was only a year ago!
So here are the Guia Gourmets results for the last 5 years:

A lot is written in tourist guides about Galician gastronomy, more especially about the wonderful fish and seafood that can be found. Well, of course this is all true – to visit a local fish market is a real joy – to see the bright-eyed fish still flapping on the counter, whilst the crabs and prawns plot to make their escape! It goes without saying that such fresh produce does not require much culinary intervention, and is probably best enjoyed in its most natural state, grilled, pan-fried or ‘a la Gallega‘. This is perhaps the best known and most widely available type of cuisine in our area, but there is now however, an alternative……

Over recent years, Spain has quite rightly enjoyed a growing reputation for imaginative cooking, spurred on by a generation a young, up-and-coming chefs, and inspired perhaps by the most famous of them all, Ferran Adrià (El Bulli)

Galicia is no exception, and the food revolution is lead by a group of highly talented young men and women who call themselves the Grupo NOVE. Exploiting our wonderful local produce they create memorable dishes with great flair and imagination, sometimes by simply taking traditional Galician dishes and giving them a more modern twist.

My local favourite out of this group (of about 20 restaurants) is Pepe Vieira, now situated in the hills above the road between Pontevedra and Sanxenxo. Not exactly a location that you would stumble upon by accident, but in my opinion, certainly worth a detour. Excellent food, efficient and unobtrusive service, an extensive wine list that includes quite a few non-Spanish wines, and not to mention, some spectacular views of the Ria of Pontevedra!

I should close by saying that my comments are purely objective, borne out of my passion for great food and wine. As yet we do not supply our Albariño to these restaurants, but I am however convinced that with our growing International reputation, that it is simply a matter of time….

The Ribadumia/Cambados interchange

It is almost exactly a year ago since I mentioned on our blog that the local ‘Via Rapida‘ is being upgraded to full motorway status. In keeping with long standing Spanish tradition the work remains ongoing – making slow but steady progress. How is it the saying goes?…. They might not be efficient, but at least they’re slow! (With apologies to my Spanish readers)

For those of you who have seen the direction map on our main website you will know that it is a little simplistic to say the least, and it has therefore been my intention for some time now, to update it and make it a bit more sophisticated. In current circumstances I have, however, resisted the urge, as the shape of the road and it’s junctions changes on almost a daily basis.

For the time being at least, the current map still works, and so if you are planning a trip to sunny Barrantes this year my only advice would be – try not to destroy too many bollards, and take care not to miss the temporary signs as you admire the Galician countryside.

If, however, your in-car SatNav blows a fuse, or you find yourself at the bottom of a big hole, then please do give us a call, and we will be happy to guide you in.

I like keep our blog topical if nothing else, so in deference to this Sunday’s election in Spain, I thought I should share with you a moment of my own stupidity relating to said subject.

Robert Parker Jr – the Wine Avocado

Over the last year or two I have sometimes been quite outspoken regarding certain types of tasting, questionable competitions and even the odd wine critic. Well, now is the time to retract everything…… We have just been awarded 90 points by possibly the most famous of them all!!!

Jay Miller, the Spanish wine reviewer for the Wine Advocate, has kindly made the following comment about our Albariño:

The Times newspaper boasts some of the best food & wine critics around – Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumental, the wonderful restaurant critic A.A.Gill, and one of my personal favourites, Jeremy Clarkson (albeit that he writes about cars!).

Following the recent retirement of Cuba’s infamous leader, I thought it quite an appropriate moment to clear up and misunderstandings that there might be relating to our name.

Firstly, I should say that there is of course no connection whatsoever between our Bodega and the aforementioned Cuban gentleman! The name ‘Castro’ relates to a former partner of Angela’s father who left the business many years ago (for some reason, of which I am not clear, his name remained).

OK, so now the real point of my story…… In the Rias Baixas denomination there are at least three other Bodegas that carry the name ‘Castro’ in their title. Only today I passed one of the others on my way to work and remarked upon the shiny new logo attached to the front of the building – suspiciously like our own lettering, I thought to myself!

Now, I don’t wish to blow our own trumpet (well, actually I do) but we are certainly the best known of all the Castros around these parts, so I guess that it might just be possible that the others are trying to cash in on our success by using their similar name, and linking it to a similar logo? Certainly, many, many years ago I knew some consumers who used to think that anything with Mouton or Latour in the name must be a great quality wine….. as if they could somehow confuse Mouton Cadet with Mouton Rothschild for example!

So, whilst we acknowledge that imitation is really the most sincere form of flattery, there is, and only ever will be, one Bodegas Castro Martin.

We thank you for your Fidel-ity…… (sorry)!