29.3.16 GB Shows Bloggers Retinto Beef; Solear en rama Spring Saca

González Byass organised a trip for food bloggers to learn about the unique Retinto beef, its various cuts and how well it matches with Sherry. The event took place at a large farm called El Jardinillo in the La Janda area near Jerez where the visitors could admire the Retinto cattle in their natural habitat accompanied by the farmer, the vet, the president of the association of Retinto farmers and the manager of El Alcázar meat products. Various Retinto themed dishes were presented and matched with GB wines by oenologist Antonio Flores. For example steak tartare with Viña AB, meatballs and hamburgers with Oloroso Alfonso and roast loin of beef with Palo Cortado Leonor.

Barbadillo has announced the spring release of the Manzanilla Solear en rama bottled during Semana Santa after a cold dry winter. It will be available for the feria season with a few weeks in bottle. According to oenologist Montse Molina it is full with complex aromatics with marked notes of flor and salinity and on the palate it is silky smooth developing flor bitterness and has great length. As usual there will be 2,500 half bottles available.

Carne de Retinto

Everyone has heard of the famous Spanish jamón (even though they muddle Ibérico with Serrano) but few seem to have heard of the wonderful Retinto beef. It comes from a breed of cattle of that name which lives mostly in Andalucía and is named after the dark colour of its hide. An important number of these magnificent beasts are reared in the beautiful dehesas (pastureland) in the sierras and forests of Cádiz, where they live freely and form a part of the ecosystem, feeding on a diet of grass, acorns, shrubs and branches. Feed is rarely needed here.

Magnificent Retinto cattle in the dehesa

The quality of the meat is such that in 1993 a national association of Retinto breeders (ACRE) was established and thereafter the official Carne de Retinto brand was recognised by the government and the European Union. There are Rutas del Retinto in Zahara de los Atunes (September) and Conil de la Frontera (December) in which one can try all sorts of Retinto dishes. The most popular Retinto beef is añojo, from an animal of between one and two years of age which provides tender, juicy and tasty meat with 50% more protein and a less insipid colour. While the beef is delicious in any recipe, it is perhaps at its delicious best straight from the barbecue – with a glass of good Oloroso.