Bodega Gross Hermanos

I wake to the sound of a cuckoo calling - birds are quite abundant here, these two swifts are nesting just above our door

It's a beautiful morning, cool but with the promise of heat to come as the sun climbs

I go with Lindsay and Dave as they take the dogs, Nero and Alfie, for their morning walk through the olive groves

Except for the higher mountains, there are olive trees as far as the eye can see, interspersed with Spanish oaks

Wild asparagus grows in the Campo

Then it's down into Iznajar to meet the rest of today's group. Dave has organised a wine and food tasting, and there is a minibus to take us on the hour or so journey to the bodega, or vineyard/winery. The last few kilometres are along a winding and undulating track that the minibus has to take very slowly and carefully 

Bodega Gross Hermanos is situated at an altitude of about 700m beneath a towering mountain. It's a stunning location. The vineyard is run by two brothers, but wine making goes back many generations in the Gross family. This location was set up in 2007, is totally organic, and low yield at about 1kg of grapes per vine. This leads, with the right treatment, to wines with intense flavour

It is scorchingly hot amongst the vines, and I am quite relieved when we move indoors to see

where the grapes are processed and wine fermented

and aged in French oak barrels with a further period of bottle aging

Then it's back outside for the wine tasting. Each wine is paired with different foods, canapes with salmon or anchovies with the rosé - a delicate wine with the merest hint of colour; cheeses and then cured meats with the red wines. I am not a fan of goat's cheese, but try the tiniest nibble. To my surprise it is good, not very goaty, and I eat quite a lot of it. It is a cheese infused with black garlic from Cordoba.

There is a lot of food, but we are all aware that there is a three course meal to follow….with more wine

It is a very happy group that makes the journey back to Iznajar

The two Daves and Alfie go for a swim upon our return

Vera gets her feet in the water 

Dave and Sue from today's trip also come round - you can never have too many Daves - and we spend the evening outside by the firepit, chatting and playing the name-game.

This is new to me, but very social and great fun

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