Tag Archives: vineyard

Portugal Please: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova

Posted on 2014-04-21 by tikichris

My Portuguese adventure coming to a close, I was left with only one more night to savour before flying back to Blighty. Good thing my last night was in an absolutely fantastic setting! Otherwise, I might have started to doubt for a second the hospitality show to me throughout this lovely little country as well as the foodie expertise that’d gone into the execution of my Festival of Food itinerary. As the trip unfolded though, I never once questioned the restorative benefits of my adeptly planned week-long ramble through Portugal. Indeed, I arrived back home eager to share the stories of my time abroad. The story I’m sharing today is one of a luxury homestead that’s an easily recommendable destination: Herdade da Malhadinha Nova. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Luxury, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Travel, Wine | Tagged alentejo, Alentejo Festival of Food, beja, Chef Joaquin Koerper, crème brûlée, Drink, farm, Festival of Food, Festival of Food and Wine, Food, Herdade da Malhadinha, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, hotel, Hotel Flor da Rosa, Hotel Pousada Flor da Rosa, hotels, Joaquin Koerper, luxury, Malhadinha, portugal, Portugal Please, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, pumpkin ice cream, quinto, red wine, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, sunvil, Sunvil Festival of Food, Travel, travel blog, vineyard, wine, winery | 2 Comments

Portugal Please: Morgadio da Calçada

Posted on 2014-04-16 by tikichris

Situated atop a plateau yielding (yet more) beautiful panoramic views of the Douro River and its undulant valley, the tiny ancient village of Provesende was my final stop in the area. Here I took a quick wander round the village and a proper snoop inside 17th century mansion (with contemporary accommodations) Morgadio da Calçada. Continue reading →

Posted in Design, Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Travel, Wine | Tagged discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, hotel, hotels, Morgadio da Calçada, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, provesende, Quinta, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, village, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery | 2 Comments

Portugal Please: Even More Douro Valley Quintas

Posted on 2014-04-16 by tikichris

No, I didn’t just lounge around at a couple of scenically situated hotels while in the Douro (although, that would be a terrifically recuperative way to spend one’s time). When I wasn’t enjoying my stay in the luxury laps of Quinta do Vallado and Quinta Nova, I was bopping all over the rest of the valley trying to visit as many different vineyards as possible – and loving every minute of it. Here are a few brief notes about the rest of the Douro Valley quintas I visited, including Quinta do Crasto, Quinta da Pacheca, Quinta do Panascal and Quinta do Seixo. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine | Tagged 30 Year Old Tawny, discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Fonseca, Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port, Fonseca Port, Food, hotel, hotels, Late Bottle Vintage, LBV Port, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta da Pacheca, quinta da pacheca 30 Year Old Tawny, Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Panascal, Quinta do Seixo, Quinta do Seixo Wine Centre, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, sandeman, Shopping, Tavora River, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winecaching, winery | 1 Comment

Portugal Please: Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo

Posted on 2014-04-16 by tikichris

A lovingly restored 18th century manor cum 21st century four star hotel and the centrepiece of a lofty patchwork of vineyards rolling down to the Douro River: Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo was my home for a night. Leaving Vallado for a full-on day of winery visits around the Douro, my second evening in this idyllic valley wound down in equal parts elegance and comfort. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine | Tagged Chef Jose Pinta, Clã Special Reserve Port, discover the origin, douro, douro river boat rides, douro valley, douro wines, Food, geocaching, Grainha Reserve, Grainha Reserve 2012, hotel, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta Nova, Quinta Nova Reserva 2012, Quinta Novo de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, red wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine caching, wine cellar, wine maker, winecaching, winery | 1 Comment

Portugal Please: Sniffing Around Quinta do Vallado

Posted on 2014-04-15 by tikichris

After a quick sightseeing jaunt and overnight stay in Porto, I was off to the Douro Valley for a few days of scenic sipping. My first night there, I had the ultra-luxe pleasure of spending some time – and a very restful night – at Quinta do Vallado. To put it plainly, I loved everything about this place. It hurt a little to have to leave and I’m aching to return for another chance to admire in situ this wine hotel’s blend of tradition with modern design; savour more of its homey food; and, of course, enjoy its fabulous wines. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine | Tagged Adelaide Vintage Port, Antónia Ferreira, discover the origin, Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, Francisco Ferreira, hotel, Muscatel Galeg, o porto, O Vale do Douro, port, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, Quinta, Quinta do Vallado, red wine, Reserva Branco, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Sausa, Shopping, tawny port, Travel, travel blog, Vale do Douro, Vallado, vineyard, vintage port, white wine, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery | 3 Comments

How to Manga like the Modenese (OneTravel)

Posted on 2013-12-17 by tikichris

With a population of fewer than 200,000 people, the list of icons associated with the northern Italian city of Modena is impressive. Pavarotti, Ferrari, Maserati, Balsamico, tortellini … whatever floats your proverbial boat, odds are you’ve been inspired by someone … Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Italy, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged Acetaia Pedroni, aceto balsamico tradizionale, albenilli market, balsamic, balsamic vinegar, Balsamico, balsamico tradizionale, bar schiavoni, bottega storica, bottega storica di modena, Drink, emilia romagna, farm, Food, gavioli, Gavioli Cantinieri, gavioli winery, Italy, lambrusco, lambrusco di modena, mercato albinelli, Modena, modenese, Nonantola, northern italy, OneTravel, panini, pasta, pedroni, province of modena, restaurant, restaurants, sandwich, Shopping, sparking wine, street markets, tortellini, tradizionale di Modena, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, trebbiano, vinegar, vineyard, wine, winery, Италия, イタリア, 意大利 | Leave a comment

Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Balsamico and Lambrusco

Posted on 2013-12-13 by tikichris

During my day in Modena, I made a postprandial excursion to the nearby village of Nonantola (still within the provincial boundaries of Modena) where I visited a balsamic producer and a winery. Finding out what makes aceto balsamico tradizionale such a prized delicacy and why local quaff Lambrusco is a lot better than many wine snobs seem willing to realise added up to a wonderful way to spent an afternoon. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel | Tagged Acetaia Pedroni, aceto balsamico tradizionale, balsamic, balsamic vinegar, Balsamico, balsamico tradizionale, cars, DOP, Drink, emilia, emilia romagna, Extravecchio, farm, ferarri, ferrari, Food, gavioli, Gavioli Cantinieri, gavioli winery, ham highway, Italy, lambrusco, Lambrusco Ancestrale, lambrusco di modena, Maserati, Modena, modenese, museum, Nonantola, northern italy, osteria, pedroni, po river, province of modena, restaurant, restaurants, Shopping, sorbara, sparking wine, sports cars, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, tradizionale di Modena, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, trebbiano, vinegar, vineyard, wine, winery | 2 Comments

Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Antica Corte Pallavicina

Posted on 2013-12-11 by tikichris

Just outside the blink-and-miss-it village of Polesine Parmense, Antica Corte Pallavicina is a gorgeously restored 14th century castle situated on the banks of the Po that’s been transformed into a six room boutique hotel with Michelin starred restaurant. As refined as it is rustic, the venue is the result nearly two decades of dedication by local chef Massimo Spigaroli (whose other Michelin starred restaurant, Al Cavallino Bianco is located in the same village). Dining at Pallavicina was a sumptuous affair, yielding one of the loveliest meals I’ve had this year. Knowing that practically everything I put in my mouth came from here and was made onsite made all the more tasty. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Parma, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine | Tagged Al Cavallino Bianco, antica corte pallavicina, Antico Corte Pallavicina, boutique hotel, chef, Chef Massimo Spigaroli, culatello, culatello di zibello, Drink, farm, Food, ham, ham highway, hotels, Italy, Massimo Spigaroli, michelin, northern italy, parma, po river, Polesine Parmense, province of parma, restaurant, restaurants, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, vineyard, wine, zibello, Италия, イタリア, 意大利 | 3 Comments

Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Delectable Collio Goriziano

Posted on 2013-12-07 by tikichris

With the charming Udine as my base for a couple of days, I spent an afternoon in the nearby wine country of Collio Goriziano visiting a wine producer and cheese maker, both of whom had been recommended to me … along with finding out about a local ham maker whom I wish I’d had the chance to meet. Here’s the scoop on what makes this little nook of northern Italy such a yummy destination. Continue reading →