Phil Gregory and wife Eileen could
be found sailing boats around the world
before they bought the plot that is now
hometotheirwineryandboutiquestay,
Vena Cava.Philexplainsthatthecellar
door’s iconic upturned boats reflect
hispast.However,thecomplexityof
Vena Cava’s sparkling rosé belies the
winemaker’snovicestatusandcementshisplaceon
terra firma.Asulphur-free,naturalsparklingthatis
turned by hand, it has a rich, yeasty nose and flavours
ofappleandripepeach.Enjoyitatsunsetfromthe
remote glass box that resembles an ice cube sitting in
theopen desert that is the estate restaurant,
Corazón de Tierra.Thefive-coursetastingmenu
here is paired to Gregory’s renegade, minimal-
interventionwines, which include sauvignon blanc,
chenin blanc, an experimental orange wine, and
audaciousblendsoftempranillo,grenacheand
cabernet sauvignon that would have the purists
squirming in their seats.
There’sa traveller’s maxim: ‘Bad road, good
tourists.Goodroad,badtourists’,andsoitisat
La Cocina de Doña Esthela,aValleinstitutionthat
lies at the end of an extremely bouncy, pot-holed dirt
track. Chef-owner Esthela’s feast has been dubbed
the“bestbreakfastintheworld”,andyou’llneedto
book in advance and buckle in, as it is one hell of
CLOCKWISE (from top
left): dirt roads and
untouched landscapes
are part of the valley’s
rustic appeal;chef Sheyla“EXPECTINTENSEWINESTHATPACKAFRUITIERPUNCH
THANOLDWORLDCOUNTERPARTS,ARESULTOFCLIMATIC EXTREMES AND DRY-FARMING TECHNIQUES.”