The Sharecroppers
How do I explain Sanlúcar de Barrameda? It is difficult—indeed, it is impossible. Sanlúcar does not have the beaches of Bolonia or Zahara de los Atunes; Neither is the Barrio de La Viña or the Cathedral of the Santa Cruz in Cádiz or the wild tuna in Barbate. and yet nowhere like this beats the true pulse of Cadiz ; right here, on the edge of Doñana and the mouth of the Guadalquivir.
Sanlúcar is the ground zero of the Marco de Jerez and for that reason (and for many other things) it is for so many oenophiles the true capital of the Kingdom . Sanlúcar is mystery, Palomino and albariza; Sanlúcar is the dogfish of Casa Perico but also the payments of Miraflores, Mahína and Las Cañas. Sanlúcar is the sapidity of a Palo Cortado and the warm pulse of the Pastrana chamomile.
There is no way (I insist) to translate —here and now— the air that is breathed in the Uptown , so we go down to the arena of this Sanluqueña guide in the only possible way: doing whatever the hell we want. Let us (this time) avoid the common places (the shrimp omelette at Casa Balbino, the seafood at Casa Bigote or the artisan ice creams at Toni in the Plaza del Cabildo) and explore that other Sanlúcar that is, why fool ourselves, the one who has stolen our hearts.
The ice cream par excellence of Sanlúcar de Barrameda
**THE PARTNERS (Pozo Amarguillo Street) **
The Bermuda Triangle of Bairro Alto: Sharecroppers, The Asylum and La Herrería . It all starts at the Los Aparceros bar (mid-morning) with a glass of La Gitana and “la tapa” of campero garlic that (watch out) add up €0.70 . Behind the bar, Manolo Romero Arana; the “Paul Newman” from on High.
His Majesty, Garlic (Los Aparceros)
ACES OF ART: THE INSANE
Rafael "Poet and painter" commands behind the bar this unique tavern, essential . Where the most colorful of the Barrio Alto congregate: artists, flamencos, mayetos and bohemians . The best of each house in Rafael's house —if you go, ask him if he has a book of poems The madman who walked the rooftops .
THE BLACKSMITH OF PACO FÉLIX
Immeasurable Felix . Zen Master, wisdom from Sanlúcar behind every wrinkle (and he has quite a few) in what is probably the most exclusive place in this part of the hemisphere ( and what potatoes aliñás ) . La Herrería is a sect, a txoko, a clandestine club where you don't need a password or VIP lists; if you're here, you're in. So easy.
What art, in La Herrería
NAVARRE BAR
The house of Domingo and Rafael in Calle Menacho it is (despite the plastic chairs, the tube TV and the Duralex cups) the temple of frying in this deep Sanlúcar Pairing: marinated dogfish, fried prawns, acedías, moray eel or pavia; everything is embroidered here. Do not be shy and bring the morapium from home.
Frying at Bar Navarro
PERICO HOUSE
In La Jara de Sanlúcar, in front of the Guadalquivir and the Fairgrounds where every year gentlemen (and young ladies) from Jerez shine palm hearts in those Horse Races that are already national heritage. Behind the bar, **Perico (Pedro Hidalgo Angelin) ** embroiders two unique specialties: fried trembly and marinated anchovy.
Sunset in Sanlúcar (Casa Perico)
PEÑA BETICA
Be very careful with the Peña Bética "Doñana" by Carlos Juez de Sanlúcar in Callejón de Guía. Cabbage is essential (chickpea stew) , the fried cuttlefish, the cooked prawns (fair) and the tomatoes from the Sanlúcar garden —ecological, but without “labels”. They are not needed here.
ALFONSITO BEACH BAR
Don Alejandro Cortés, the "Ferran Adrià del Guadalquivir" . Until not so long ago (who will send me to speak...) the best kept secret of Bajo de Guía, and it is that the friend brings here every morning to swim (aha) the best bugs from the sanluqueñas barges . In few places am I as happy as at Leo's house (those sunsets...) and in short: what prawns, what grilled fish, what seasoned potatoes...
SALE THE MARSH
A recent discovery the one from Blanca Buzón's house and hers three children in this peculiar place on the outskirts of Sanlúcar, in La Colonia (in front of the gas station) where hunting works so well: thrushes, partridges or deer . Its stews, rice with royal duck and fried quail are essential.
**ALBA WINE GROWERS (Monteros, 3) **
Fernando Angulo, Miguel Gómez and Alejandro Muchada —and the “Capo Félix” (warehouse foreman) only intend to do honest work in the vineyard (two mythical payments, Mahina and Miraflores), live in peace and give your friends "wines that do not disturb".
But revolutions (no matter how much they weigh them) are the stuff of improbable madmen. And these three crazy people have planted the seed of change in Jerez. The future (survival) of the Marco passes through here.
DER WAR ** **
Incalculable all the good that he has been doing (so many years) Arming War for Sanlucar, through Cadiz and through the Jerez area. Like every summer, hundreds of wine lovers (without distinction) make a pilgrimage to Taberna Der Guerrita (in the Barrio Bajo) in search of the most coveted tastings on the scene: Víctor de la Serna, Álvaro Girón, Eduardo Ojeda or Luis Gutierrez. And at the bar —which you also have to eat— chickpeas with cuttlefish, pickled tuna and fried Sanluqueña.
A toast to the love of wine
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