Day 12 Wednesday, March 13th: Do you like Roman ruins?

Another beautiful sunny warm morning in Ronda. High expected of 18 degrees. We update yesterday's blog and just take it easy. Our Bodega appointment for today is at 12:00 and it is about a 20 minute drive from our apartment. We have some food to eat in the apartment so that will be our pre-lunch. Lana is wanting a sit down 'regular' Spanish meal tonight rather than another visit to a tapas joint. Me, I still love tapas! We are hopeful to make reservations tonight at Casa Maria, a highly rated place we found on Trip Advisor and another website about the top ten restaurants in Ronda.

Stunning online picture of Ronda taken from below the El Tajo gorge

We arrive just before 12:00 at Bodega Vetas. Out of the many Bodegas I could have chosen, this one stood out as it is the smallest in the area but with a very respected winemaker. Very weird route to get to the Bodega but our iPhone app showed us the way. The gate was locked but Maria Elena (wife of the winemaker/owner) opened the gate to confirm we are her 12:00 appointment. Very gracious lady who was born and raised in France and speaks French, Spanish and English. 

Their story is he was a winemaker in the Margeaux region of Bordeaux. His boss was approached by an aristocrat from Ronda asking for a red wine to be made in his region. There were no red wines made until they arrived. The husband worked for a number of Bodegas, but finally they decided to start their own very small Bodega with a parcel of one hectare. They decided to use French grapes and use natural methods to make their wine. They first planted in 1999. In 2010 they purchased another one hectare vineyard but not near their residence. Her husband has continued to work for some of the other Bodegas but only for one other winery.

My notes from Maria Elena:

• maximum sulphites they will have in their natural wines is 20 mg
• their Bodega is slightly more than 700 metres in elevation
• in winter it can get as low as 0 degrees
• in summer it can reach 45 degrees and 20 degrees at night
• 80% of their crop is Petit Verdot and the other two grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
• in Bordeaux their wines would have no more than 10% Petit Verdot
• they found that in this area of Spain they can grow excellent Petit Verdot due to the heat/sun and colder night temperatures -- much superior to Bordeaux region for Petit Verdot
• the climate here is good for wine without chemicals
• plus, the Petit Verdot grapes get a good level of beneficial acidity
• Vetas is her husband's surname
• the maximum number of bottles produced in a year would be 7000 but that would be with perfect weather and then picking season
• smallest winery in the Ronda region
• normally their Petit Verdot harvest is in the last weeks of September
• the two Cabs are picked about two weeks earlier
• they only pick in the mornings as it is too hot in September in the afternoon - pick between 08:00 and 14:00 and then quit for the day
• unlike other Bodegas they put their picked grapes straight into stainless steel tanks and control the temperatures
• this is where their grapes macerate and ferment (natural yeasts only)
• the fruit becomes concentrated within 10 -16 days in the tank (young red wines)
• the older red wines are three to four weeks in the tank
• the best juice goes straight into the barrels and the the remains go into the press for their younger wines
• they may use some of this wine juice later
• they can keep their Petit Verdot in the bottle for 10 to 12 years if that is the best for the wine
• for their Petit Verdot (flagship) wines they only use new French Oak barrels as they impart less acidity
• their young wines get 6 - 10 months in the barrel as they want more fruit in the wine
• the older wines get 16 - 24 months in the barrel
• no chemicals are used to clean their barrels
• they do not filter their wines
• from the barrel straight to bottling and stay in cellar until they think they are ready for sale
• young wine two years in bottle and Petit Verdot many more years
• she showed us a selection of wines in their cellar on shelves that have been there since 2001 and are now perfect
• their hectare beside their home produces better wines/grapes due to the soil conditions
• the second vineyard is not as full-bodied
• cork only and their wines are for aging
• they do not export their wines as when they did they were being priced very high ($100/bottle) which was too expensive
• their goal is to make "special wine"
• their natural wines can age for many years unlike many other natural wines on the market

Wine Tasting:

BOTTLE 1:  Junior title. Blend of 35% Cab Sauv 35% Cab Franc and 30% Petit Verdot. We drank their 2016 vintage. Six months in oak barrels. We enjoyed this lighter and fresher red wine.

BOTTLE 2:  Seleción 2011 blend similar numbers above but using better grapes and 24 months in barrels. Produced only 1200 bottles that year. Fruity, elegant and hint of leather. Elegant tannins. Very nice high status wine. We purchased one bottle.

BOTTLE 3:  Petit Verdot 100% 2011 vintage. Grapes not pressed. 24 months in new French Oak barrels. Rest of the time in the cellar in bottles. Pair with meat and cheese. Tannins are strong and need some fat in food to balance the wine. Dark colour. Black fruit/sherry/prunes on the nose. Have won a number of gold medals with this wine. Very balanced wine. Only 1000 bottles produced that vintage. Vines planted in 1999. We purchased three bottles. 

Petit Verdot vines in their one hectare lot beside their home/winemaking.

Stainless steel tanks that they use for the original fermentation - very unusual. 

Maria Elena explaining something in either English or French. Quite often she slipped into French given she knew we were Canadians so might understand a little and we did. 

Collection of antique French wine bottle openers.

Another antique French wine bottle opener. Lana thought these were quite interesting. 

Our wine tasting array. 

This is their home and it is surrounded by their one hectare vineyard. 

This is a real cool tool. This device slightly punctures the cork and then the wine comes out. There is a gas pellet in the handle that replaces the air in the bottle with a gas that keeps the wine stable but doesn't cause it to oxidize. You can keep this opened wine for up to two weeks! Plus, you can keep the opened wine standing up.  Cost for device = 250 Euros! You can remote the device and the cork "reseals" itself to some degree. 

We really loved this wine tour/tasting and the enthusiasm of Maria Elena and her husband for high quality natural wine. We would recommend this Bodega to anyone.

Next, our destination is the Roman ruins (Acinipo) about 30 minutes away. While driving through a couple of villages we decide to stop at a restaurant on the side of the road for our lunch. We are hungry. El Pilestre has ample parking and a patio outside so we can enjoy the fresh air and watch cars drive by and all the neighbours. The server is friendly but no english. This is not a problem as we have Google Translate and there is an english description with most choices. We order from the Karte (menu) and there are many good choices! We were at the restaurant around 13:30. Very windy here, but still sunny and warm. Palm trees dotting the perimeter. Our bill came to 19.45 Euros. Lots of locals here. Everyone seems to know everyone.

El Pilestre located in the town of Arriate.

Our bottled sparkling water order comes in real glass bottles. Order: "dos aqua con gas"

This is Lana's order of asparagus with egg soup. Turns out it's asparagus season here now. 4 Euro.

Randy's order of Conejo ala Ajillo (rabbit with garlic and vegetables/fries). Yup--the standard french fries again. The rabbit was very good although many small bones. 7.50 Euro.

We wanted to treat ourselves to a dessert. The server took me inside to a collection of desserts and I choose this strawberry cheesecake and it was very good. 3.25 Euro. 

Various food items behind the counter that are served tapas style. We see many people having small dishes of these items while drinking a beer. 

Back in the car and Lana driving us to the Ruins of Acinipo. Very windy road with many difficult curves as we ascend into the mountains. Lots of forests and farms in the area. Eventually on top of a hill you can see a Roman ruin. Not many people here. There is a school group and pretty much the two of us.

Map of Acinipo area. This is the route you are supposed to follow up the hill and back down again. There is free entry. You need some form of transportation to get here though as we are now in the middle of nowhere. 

All over the hill are these piles of stone/rubble. Apparently this rubble is not Roman ruins although it looks like it. Apparently this was put in piles to allow for 'cultivation' of the area. 

These are actually Roman ruins of a Roman residence (domus). 

Sign explaining the above ruins. You can see a school group and their teacher. 

Same ruins but from a different angle. Yup, I am a sucker for Roman ruins!

This is the very top of the hill and adjoins the Roman Teatro (amphitheatre). This must have been spectacular almost 2000 years ago. 

Roman amphitheatre that is apparently still being used?

Randy's panorama shot. "friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears!"

Yup, I can't resist more Roman ruins pictures. 

Another angle on the amphitheatre. 

Part of the wall on the huge front structure you can see from kilometres away!

An angle on the amphitheatre from one side. I am getting paid by the picture. Lana has wandered off to check the view so can't take the phone away from me to stop me :)

I couldn't resist this picture as it has the sign with the description.

Roman wall at the very apex of the hill. On the other side is a steep vertical drop-off so this would have been a fortification to defend from attack from that angle. 

More proof that the Romans made stuff that actually can survive 2000 years. 

This is where the Romans had their baths, exercise rooms, relaxation areas etc. 

Maybe water ran along here to the thermal baths?

The Romans had some pretty good engineering to get water up to the top of the hill. 

More Roman ruins that stand the test of time. 

A really cool aspect of this is that there are ruins from cultures which pre-dated the Romans by many centuries. 

Conical homes that were round huts! 

Randy drives back to our apartment. Need to load the many many pictures and get started on the blog. Lana tries to nap, but she isn't very successful. She is keen on a particular hike where you can see the Ponte Nuevo and cliffs from below. The directions are not very clear though. Plus, we don't have too much time as we have a dinner reservation for 19:30 and it is a 20 minute walk. Off we go and with my leadership we don't find what we are looking for as it was on the opposite side. We do get to see the older span bridge and some areas on one side of the city we wouldn't have seen otherwise. 

Yup, this is the sign to where we are not trying to get to... doh!

Fortifications to protect the old part of Ronda from invaders. Very strategic as you would need to attack from below so a huge disadvantage. 

Old Arabic baths built when the Moors dominated this part of Andalucia. 

Pretty cool angle of the older span bridge. 

Check out H&M in Ronda. Hmmm, not...

Advertised in the store window as the world's greatest bocadillo (sandwich). It does look incredible. 

We both love Horchata so took the opportunity to try a Spanish version. Tasted totally different than the Horchata we have tasted in Mexican restaurants in Vancouver. Very good, just different. 

Like I can't resist pictures of Roman ruins, Lana cannot resist taking pictures of gigantic tomatoes!

Back to our room and we are now at 10,000 steps. We have two Spanish pastries for breakfast tomorrow. Very quickly change and then head out for our dinner reservation at Restaurante Casa Maria. The reviews are top notch and Lana is keen on a sit-down meal that does not involve tapas. She has been hinting again that she might head for Chinese food! There are four tables only in this small place. We head for the very back of the restaurant. Very unique approach to dining. It is prix fixe but the chef/owner decides on what you will be served. There are no menu choices. We are good with that. 

They ask you if there's anything you won't or can't eat. We tell them Randy is allergic to clams "almejas". Very beautiful interior with an incredible wood and very low ceilings. Lana orders her usual Tinto de Verano and I order my usual uno copa vino blanco. There is a sleeping cat under a table near the bar. We love the ambience and for the first 30 minutes it is just the two of us. Service isn't great, but the server is very friendly and asks if we like the food. Poor service is what we expect in Spain. 

Our total bill is 62.70 Euro so very expensive for us, but full value. An incredible meal. We were getting full after the third plate and in fact we rarely finished any of the plates given we needed to save some room. We think our stomachs have been shrinking with the tapas meals? A memorable dining experience in Ronda. 

Online picture of the facade. 

Plate 1: Bread with tomato and salt

Plate 2: Artichokes with Iberian ham salad

Plate 3: Prawns

Plate 4: Hake with Potatoes and Peppers

Plate 5: BBQ Sirloin with salsa and potatoes

Plate 6: Dessert of chocolate & custard with lemon cookies

Sorry, but I am getting some anxiety as it is just 21:00 and we have not left the restaurant. We get our bill and then out the door. We have a 20 minute walk back, but much of the walk is uphill and I am on a mission. Poor Lana as she doggedly tries to keep up until I realize my pace is way too strong. It is a chilly night out late although much less foot traffic. I am still gobsmacked by the number of cars on these streets! They never stop. We are back to our room around 21:20 and Lana's knees are killing her! 

On arrival at the apartment is to get our suitcases ready and load the many bottles of wine into the three suitcases and then our clothing. Plus, the blog needs to be updated. We will need to leave fairly early tomorrow morning as we have a full day of driving and checking out both Gibraltar and then Cádiz. 

DAILY STATS:   15,000+ steps  11+ kms  68 floors