Tarifa

I don't even know where to start with Tarifa. This place, to me, was pure happiness! After watching a bike race from my hotel window, I found my way to old town where I ordered a bottle of Freixnet Brut Barroco, a sparkling dry wine from the Cava region. As I sipped the dry bubbly wine in the sun, filled my belly with delicious tapas and watched the lively street life, I decided that I wanted to live here one day and wondered how I could quickly afford to come back.

Tarifa, Spain is located on the Southernmost Coast of Spain. If you are standing on one of the many beautiful (but windy beaches know for wind surfing) you can see the content of Africa.

While I sadly had only booked on night in Tarifa, I still had the change to go to the beach, explore old town and experience their active and exuberant night life.

From a bubbly standpoint, I highly recommend the Friexnet Brut Barroca. It was light with floral notes and seemed to accommodate my seafood tapas perfectly. Tarifa itself it located in the province of Cadiz, Andalusia. There is apparently a sherry grown in around Jerez de la Frontera and Sanucar de Barrameda in the province of Cadiz. I will keep this on my list of drinks to try in the future.

A non-bubbly beverage I finally got to try while in Spain was Sangria. It was full of lemon slices, cloves and cinnamon. It was more highly spiced then the Sangria's I have tried at home. I could see how it could be perceived as too "clovey", especially if you aren't used to it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Morocco

Fez

Finding alcohol, let alone sparkling wine in Morocco is not an easy task. Hotel bars seemed to be the most common source of beers and other beverages. Between Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez and Tangiers, I came across one single store located in Tangiers that sold liquor. I had given up the notion of trying a Moroccan produced wine until I came a across this wonderful store. I tried a white wine called Domaine De Sahari. It may have not been the most astounding wine I've ever tried but it definitely wasn't bad. It also prompted me to look up wine production in Morocco. I was surprised to learn that Morocco has a long history of growing wine. Their growing history and it's ups and downs is quite fascinating and worth spending your time looking into.

Domaine De Sahari wine

Aside from wine, there are two Moroccan made beers called Casablanca and Speciale Flag that I enjoyed on several occasions. There is apparently another Moroccan made beer called Stork that I never came across. While the beers I tried were enjoyable, I was just as happy drinking the very accessible sweet Moroccan mint tea.

Speciale Flag and Casablanca beer

Morocco as a whole left me with mixed feelings. It was overwhelming for a number of reasons but at the same time was beautiful, colourful, wonderfully cultural shock provoking and rich in history.

Fez Tannery

Fez wood museum

Casablanca

Valencia

My trip from Ibiza to Valencia entailed a six and a half hour boat ride. Nearing the end of trip, I went to get some fresh air and discovered the "Estrella Lounge" where nothing other then Estrella beer was being served. This was not the first time I had come across Estrella. In fact, Estrella appeared to be the dominant beer in Spain showing up in endless advertisements and gushing down the metal taps of almost every bar. This easy and fresh beverage tasted even better as I sipped it to a view of Valencia's approaching city skyline.

Valencia, like Barcelona was another deeply fascinating city, especially when it comes to the topic of food and beverage. When I think of Spanish cuisine, I think of tapas and large skillets of paella. Much to my satisfaction, these mouth watering foods were everywhere. What I didn't expect to continually run into was what appeared to be an obscure off-white looking drink. On the last morning, I went to the mercado central (central market) and decided to give this drink a try. It is called horchata, a traditional drink made from ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice barley or tigernuts. In Spain, it is typically made from ground tigernuts and is served with fartons, a sweet bread . I found the beverage to be very sweet, creamy and earthy. It was definitely an acquired taste but I personally was crazy for it. I also highly recommend dipping a farton into the horchata, letting it soak up the creamy beverage and then taking a huge bite. Unfortnately, I failed to produce any photos of my horchata experience.

Ibiza

Ibiza is located in a chain of Islands referred to as the Balearic Islands. These islands do produce wines but once again I failed to locate these wines. They were likely accessible but I didn't seem to find the time. As with Cinque Terre, I will make it my personal mission to locate a wine from each of these areas and post about it in the future.

I found Ibiza to be a lively and exuberant place. Electronic music seems to be playing in every corner of the island at every hour. I stayed in San Antonia near the sunset strip. The sunsets here were incredible! No matter how many photographs I took, they could not capture what I was truly seeing.

San Antonia, Ibiza

Barcelona

Moving on to Barcelona, I knew exactly what kind of sparkling wine I would be opening on arrival. My go-to sparkling wine at home in Canada has always been Segura Viudas (www.seguraviudasusa.com). Their brut which is readily sold in Canada comes with a nice price tag at around $17.00 Canadian for (in my mind) a quality taste. Segura Viudas wine is a Cava which is a sparkling wine produced in the autonomous community of Catalonia. This Cava is specifically produced in the wine region of Penedes located outside of Barcelona.

Aside from sipping sparkling wine in Barcelona, I ate some mouth watering tapas and revisited some of my favourite sights including Park Guell (www.parkguell.cat), the beach and the colourful rambles market.

After Belgium

I have had some issues with my internet connections during my trip so have been unable to post recently. Since leaving Belgium I have been to Amsterdam, Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre and Nice. There have also been stop offs to Pisa, Menton, Monaco and Cannes.

In Amsterdam I visited the Heineken Brewery. I would describe this experience as a bit "gimmicky" but fun and interesting. Along with videos and interactive games to teach you about the beers history and brewing process, there was a generous offering of beer tastings.

Following Amsterdam, I struggled to locate bubbly beverages from the areas in which I was travelling. I did notice however when visiting Cinque Terre in Italy that there were grapes growing in the hills. I plan to continue searching for a taste of the wines grown there.

During my last night in Nice I went out for dinner and noticed a friendly wine store beside the restaurant. After speaking to the man in the shop, he informed me that few wines are grown in this area. One of the wines grown calls itself Bellet. Although they do not produce my preferred sparkling wine, they make a white, rose and red. I enjoyed the sweet beginning and tangy after taste of the wine and would recommend giving it a try.

I have also been to Barcelona, Ibiza, Valencia and most recently Casablanca, Morocco. I will try to write more on these locations soon!

Bruges, Belgium

My next stop was Bruges, Belgium. This was my second trip to this city and it was just as magical as I had remembered. From swan-filled canals to streets adorned with chocolate shops and beer stores, I felt as though I was walking in a dream.

My bubbly focal point was a return trip to De Halve Maan Brewery (www.halvemaan.be). This is the only brewery in the historical centre of Bruges. The tour ends with a chilled glass of their golden-hued ale, the Brugse Zot. I was so in love with this beer that I had to stay at the restaurant for a second helping.

Brussels, Belgium

The first bubbly of my travels was Trappist Rochefort 10. This beer, along with Triple Karmaeliet and Delirium are not only very bubbly and strong but extremely delicious. They have arguably been described as some of the best beers in the world. If you go to Chill Winston in Vancouver (chillwinston.com) you will see the Trappist Rochefort on there menu with the description,  "Considered one of the worlds finest". From my experiences of beer, it was a definite contender. Sipping it with a view of Brussels breathtaking Grand Place (or Grote Markt) was a moment I will never forget.

Shawnigan Lake

         I was fortunate enough to squeeze in one more mini-trip before heading to Europe this Thursday. The trip to Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia began with a stop at the esthetically pleasing Unsworth Vineyard (http://www.unsworthvineyards.com/). Of the endless wineries on Vancouver Island, this one undoubtedly tops my list. The tasting menu included four varieties of wine. To my delight, a sparkling wine sat at the top of the list! I have a personal preference for white wines on the dry (less sweet) side. This wine perfectly matched that preference. Their website describes their 2010 Cuvée De L'ile as “Pale Straw in colour. Apples, citrus, hints of clove and crème fraiche on the nose is followed by green apple and orange peel on the palate, adding brightness to a dense and generous mouthfeel”. I truly couldn’t have said it better. Purchasing this sparkling wine after tasting was virtually instantaneous. 

 

tasting at Unsworth Vineyard

Unsworth Vineyard

           When I arrived at the lake, I promptly marched to the dock with my wine and glasses in tow. The wine was enjoyed overlooking the awe-inspiring lake, and the constantly changing sky. 

Shawnigan Lake

Hornby Island

Little Tribune Bay, Hornby Island

 Before I make my way over to Europe and Morocco on the 24^th of July, I had the privilege of taking a trip to Hornby Island. When I think of my fondest childhood memories, I think of this place. Adorned by white sand beaches, hiking trails, an orchard bakery and a carefree spirit, I was more than happy to return following an eight year absence. Speaking to locals, I learned that this island has over 1000 permanent residents. They have a fully functioning community with a grocery store, shops, restaurants, resorts, guest houses, markets, a health center and even a movie theater! This island is not necessarily simple to travel to (you need to take a ferry to Denman Island before getting a ferry over to Hornby island) but it is absolutely worth the trip! I warn however, that Hornby Island in dreary weather is not nearly as desirable. There is something about the sun hitting the ocean that gives an almost tropical blue water effect with a Canadian backdrop – truly spectacular!   

wine from the Little Tribune Winery

                                                                                                  
           My first wine experience on Hornby Island was not full of bubbles but the wine did have a clear effervescence. I tasted a wine labelled “bottoms up” from the Little Tribune Winery (http://www.littletribunefarmandwinery.com/wine.html) and my mouth was filled with a cool, fresh white wine with a subtle mini-bubble effect. The “bottoms up” bottle (with two bare bums on the label) is homage to Little Tribune, a nudist beach near the winery. 

Carbrea Vineyard

                    I then took a trip to the Carbrea Vineyard (http://www.carbreavineyard.com/carbrea_wines.html). They have a larger selection of wines than some of the other vineyards on the island. I was predictably drawn to the sparkling wine called “Intended Effervescence”. I only had a taste but it was fruity, sweet and delicious. 

  


             The last winery that I must mention was the Hornby Island Estate Winery (http://www.hornbywine.com/our-wines.html). They specialize in sparkling fruit wines! I was just a little excited to say the least. They had some interesting and powerful flavors such as the tantalizing cranberry chocolate sparkling wine. In the end, I opted for a bottle of the raspberry fruit wine. I decided to mix this with sparkling water, fresh lime juice and a dash of the vodka I purchased at Hornby Island’s own Island Spirits Distillery or “Phrog Distillery” (http://www.islandspirits.ca/).  

 

Hornby Island Estate sparkling wine cocktails

           
               Even though the distillery is not sparkling wine related, sampling and purchasing the quality liquor they produce was a definite highlight of my trip. They boast (and rightfully so) distilling their liquor over 600 times! And yes, that is not a typo…over 600 times! They offer an array of inventive flavors but the almost flowery tasting gin and subtle vanilla flavored vodka won me over. 

  Did I mention the wildlife isn't so bad either? I ran into this little guy while exploring Whaling Station Bay. 

Sea Otter, Whaling Station Bay

 

The Bubby Traveler

            It is no secret that I have an undivided love of both sparkling wine and traveling. Arrivals in destinations are often met with tired excitement. A crisp bottle of sparking something usually does the trick of cementing my excitement and removing my urge to lay face first on the hotel bed.

  A trip to Europe in 2010 was the beginning of a beautiful tradition: finally arrive at your destination and celebrate with a bottle of bubbly. This tradition died in Bermuda and Chile but was revived in Costa Rica. Costa Rica was undoubtedly appreciated and remembered the most. I choose to conclude that this is a result of the celebratory nature of the almighty bubbly. Its ability to provoke recognition and appreciation for my arrival to a new land and the adventure that waits.

I am endeavoring to continue this bottle popping tradition on my newest adventure. In July 2014, I will be traveling through Europe’s Mediterranean (with a week stop over to Morocco). Conditions permitting, I will be documenting my bubbly adventures, opening a new bottle per city arrival. 

Some brief notes:

• Whenever possible, I will be drinking sparkling wines from the country, region or city I arrive in and weighing in on my love (or unlikely dislike) of them.
• I am not a sparkling wine, prosecco or champagne (if I somehow end up in Champagne, France) expert. My opinions will be personal.
• I will typically be popping bottles under $30 Canadian. 
• I don’t condone drinking an entire bottle independently - I split the bubbly with my traveling companion/s. 
• On occasion, I may stray from the champagne, sparkling wine and prosecco varieties to explore other bubbly beverages. They may not go “pop” when the bottle opens but when I arrive in Belgium I'll probably be heading straight for a really yummy beer!