Archive for January, 2014

Posted:
January 8, 2014
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Brunton’s Bars: Veracruz Mexico

Veracruz is a steamy, tropical city, hot and humid, sweaty and sleazy. At the packed tables of the Bar Palacio on the main square, a waiter delicately balances a tray stacked with tall, iced glasses of Cuba Libre, 95% rum with a dash of Coke. A fisherman’s wife hawks delicious plates of freshly caught prawns which she liberally sprinkles with fiery chilly powder and the sharp zest of a squeezed lime. Music is everywhere – merengue, salsa, rumba, mambo – as dozens of bands, marimba players, trumpeters and guitarists wander from table to table, vying for business.

vera cruz bw low-4

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Posted:
January 7, 2014
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South Africa’s Cape wine route: top 10 guide

The vineyards outside Cape Town offer superb value, with bottles for under £3. From sunset tastings against a backdrop of mountains to renting a thatched cottage overlooking the vines, we have the lowdown on where to drink, eat and stay.

Cape wine route, South Africa

The Cape wine route offers stunning mountain views, while you drink. Photograph: John Brunton
Just a half an hour drive outside Cape Town you are already at the beginning of the Cape vineyards, where cultivation of grapes dates back to the 1600s. Today this is the largest winemaking region in SouthAfrica, and organised wine tourism has become a big business. Estates are large, and every winery seems to offer cosy accommodation, fine dining, casual bistros, gourmet wine pairings and elaborate tastings, which in the more established regions are not free but still don’t break the bank at around R50 (£2.80) per session. Most importantly, there is a young generation of winemakers that are producing better and better wines, not just the classic chenin blanc and robust pinotage, but complex bordeaux blends, elegant shiraz and what the locals would call seriously “quaffable” bubbly.

The best plan is to travel independently, call wineries first so you meet the people actually making the wine, and spend time in established wine valleys, such as Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, then explore further afield, including the lesser-known but very welcoming vineyards in the Swartland, Wellington and Tulbagh. The South African rand is weak right now, which means that prices often begin at £2.80 a bottle, while restaurant prices are very affordable – dishes such as tender springbok braised in red wine or freshly-caught seared tuna cost around £5.50–£7.

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Posted:
January 6, 2014
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Sancerre wine route: top 10 guide

Wine from the Sancerre region of France is beloved by many – especially sauvignon blanc – but local wineries also offer the chance to try pinot noir, rosé and organic wines. We pick the best winemakers, bistrots and B&Bs in the area

Photos and words by John Brunton for the Guardian

Sancerre

The town of Sancerre, a grand medieval hill town with a rich winemaking heritage.

Sancerre is a firm fixture in restaurants and wine bars around the world and a trip into its vineyards – only a couple of hours drive from Paris – offers the chance to explore one of the most welcoming regions in Francefor wine lovers. Sancerre itself is a grand medieval hill town, with dozens of cafes, bistrots and “caves” to taste wine in. Set off into the countryside, and every winery is open for visits: as a sizeable part of their production is sold directly at the Domaine, with loyal customers often coming back for decades. Best known for its crisp sauvignon blanc, Sancerre has increasingly high-quality pinot noir and rosé too, and there is an exciting new generation of little-known vignerons to discover, many working to make organic wines. It is also well worth going to the adjoining Menetou-Salon appelation – whose vineyards are coming out of the shadow of their noisy neighbour and producing some outstanding wines.

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Posted:
January 3, 2014
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Top 10 guide to the Alsace wine route

Alsace marks the end of the grape harvest with a host of festivals in October, making it the perfect time to visit the vineyards and villages along France’s famous wine route

Alsace, France

Alsace is famous for its wine route through picturesque villages and countryside. All photographs by johnbrunton.com

Wine tourism is a tradition that has long existed in Alsace, and many villages along the region’s famous wine route celebrate the end of the grape harvest with wine festivals throughout October – there are very good ones in Eguisheim and Turckheim this weekend.

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