Here are some of the best Spanish wines and sherries you can find on the high street

Have you booked your flights yet? As the world’s tourist hotspots gradually open up, there is still the nagging doubt that this new-found freedom might all come crashing down.
Pruning the vines in Jerez for sherry.Pruning the vines in Jerez for sherry.
Pruning the vines in Jerez for sherry.

And even if you manage to get your flights at a price that still allows you to eat when you get to your destination, there is the added worry of proving that you do not constitute a health risk to the rest of the population.

Jab certificates, tests on departure both ways plus the threat of quarantine might make this summer the one when most of us decide to stay close to home.

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But just because you can’t go to your favourite summer destination, there is no reason why you can’t make the destination come to you.

Albariño is perfect for sunshine drinking.Albariño is perfect for sunshine drinking.
Albariño is perfect for sunshine drinking.

If you normally head off to the beaches of Spain, then all it takes is a little imagination and the right food and drink.

First of all you’ll need a paddling pool, a sunlounger and maybe a straw hat. A nice day is also essential so it might be a good idea to assemble all the ingredients in advance and wait for the right weather forecast before planning your “escape”.

Spain is one of the best places to go for great food and wine, but you may not want to spend your time trailing round a supermarket to get the right ingredients. We are fortunate to have one of the best sources of authentic Spanish food right here in Yorkshire.

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Basco Fine Foods operates from the Thorp Arch Trading estate and is run by Javier de la Hormaza, who is originally from the Basque country.

He gets deliveries direct from Spain every week so you can stock up with jamón Ibérico, spicy chorizo, Manchego cheese and those huge Carabinero prawns that you get in Spain.

They even do a complete paella pack which takes all the hassle out of buying the individual ingredients. Basco mainly works by mail order, but also does click and collect. Check its website www.bascofinefoods.com.

Basco also has some excellent wines, but if you prefer to pop into your local off-licence or supermarket, here are a few favourites...

Sherry

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If you thought that sherry is drunk at only Christmas, then think again. Sherry is no longer the dull semi-sweet stuff your granny used to sip, and it is an absolute bargain.

Every household should have a half bottle of manzanilla in the fridge, specifically to be enjoyed on hot days. You will need to wait until the sun heads over the hills and then get out some slivers of jamón, salted almonds and an ice bucket to keep your manzanilla chilled. Serve it in tulip-shaped glasses, and a half bottle is just the right size for four people to enjoy.

I love the bitingly fresh, yeasty, almost sea-salty flavours of Solear from Barbadillo (around £7.99 from Latitude in Leeds and Martinez in Ilkley and Bingley).

For later in the evening, dry Oloroso sherry goes wonderfully well with cheese, and Morrisons “The Best” version, at just £6.25 for a half bottle, is terrific value for its rich raisiny, toasted nutty flavours.

Cava

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Cava is moving up in quality as the regulations are changing to allow more regional designation. These new wines will take time to work through the system, but meanwhile, to get the best flavours from your cava head to Roberts & Speight in Beverley for Roger Goulart Gran Reserva Cava 2012 (£15.99). This has spent fours years on its lees developing complex fruit flavours, edged with toasted nuts and a silky, rounded palate.

White wines

If there is one grape that Spain has made its own, it is Albariño. Easy to say and definitely easy to drink, Albariño is a light, refreshing, white peach and apricot-edged wine that is soft enough to drink on its own or can easily accompany fish, shellfish, salads and, at a push, chicken and vegetarian dishes.

It comes from the wet and breezy top left-hand corner of Spain known as Rías Baixas where it is grown on pergolas to catch the breeze and resist disease.

Head to Tesco for Paco and Lola Albariño 2019 (£12) for its blossom aromas, pink grapefruit and lime flavours and a crunchy, minerally finish. If you like those flavours, trade up to Mar de Frades Albariño Atlantico 2019 from Field & Fawcett, in York, (£17.95).

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This wine is not just good, it even tells you if you are drinking it at the right temperature. After a few minutes in ice, a boat appears on the label which accents the nautical feel of its blue bottle and the picture of Atlantic waves.

It has crisp apple, peach and lemon notes with a rounded, mouth-filling texture and a touch of sea-salt on the finish. Totally refreshing.

Red wines

Rioja is always an easy choice when selecting a Spanish red. There are so many that offer terrific flavour for money.

Try Cune Rioja Reserva 2016 for its silky, smooth red fruits and coconut spice (Waitrose, down from £13.49 to £9.99 until June 1).

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And since this day in your garden is probably replacing an expensive holiday, then splash out on Contino Rioja Reserva 2016 (Roberts & Speight, £19.99) for sheer complexity and finesse.

One wine which has impressed me recently is La Bascula 2019, from Tarragona in southern Catalonia. Made from a blend of Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on a 28-hectare organic estate, this is part of a small range of limited production wines put together by Master of Wine Ed Adams and South African winemaker Bruce Jack. Both have close links with Spain and have worked together for several years.

The result is a vibrant, fruit-filled wine, with blackberry and raspberry fruit layered with savoury, earthy notes and a touch of smoky complexity.

It is perfect with sausages and meat straight off the barbecue. Voted one of Spain’s top 100 wines in 2019, La Bascula is a wine from a relatively unknown region, but it is packed full of character. Available from Martinez Wines, at £12.49.

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