There were multiple options for this beautiful day in May, and all of them sounded amazing, but one stood out. We signed up for a wine tasting at a vineyard in Toledo: Cigarral de Santa Maria, followed by a Michelin-rated lunch after at Restaurante Adolfo. One other couple joined us, so it was Jeremy and I, Todd and Susan, Oscar our driver and Jason our tour guide off on an incredible adventure.

We thought we were just going for a wine tasting and lunch, but Toledo had other plans. I have to preface this by telling you that this day has been the one I have been so anxious to put a pen to and I only hope I can properly convey through words and pictures even a small amount of how magical it was.

Oscar got us there early enough that we were able to stop along the way and take some pictures of the medieval beauty that is Toledo. I had no idea but before Madrid took over the role of capital of Spain in 1561, Toledo was the spot. Apparently King Philip II wanted to move the Royal Court to a more neutral spot, and remember the bird tomb?! Yeah, that’s his Grandson.

And then we arrived at the Vineyard…

Holy!

I mean we were just ready to move in… Give me a cup of coffee or a glass of wine next to my people with THIS view?!? That. Will. Do.

They were actually setting up for a wedding, that we were completely prepared to crash by the end of our day – we even chose our table – 28! (HA!) If we didn’t have a tapas crawl to get to… oh the stories that would have been told! Honestly we would have been so much fun, they would have loved us! LOL

Letting you know that in all seriousness if you are really wanting to host a fabulous party or wedding in Spain… I have found your venue AND your photographer! Call me and I will put you in touch with our new friend, Javier, and we will meet you in Toledo with cameras in tow! 😉

Or if you want us to come crash your wedding – we are a whole LOT of fun! HA! 🙂

Back to the wine!

We have attended tastings at vineyards before but this one was something special. We were met by Chef Javier Muñoz, and hearing the story about how his parents started the business in 1979 and how his father has two loves – his mother and gastronomy – we were instant fans. There is not much more of a fabulous thing than seeing a family thrive together with something they are passionate about – the fact that all THREE of their children are involved in the business – BRAVO!

He gave us a fabulous tour sprinkled with history, wine facts, philosophy and laughs. We never solved the mystery of how to avoid wine stains on teeth – anyone who wants to chime in on that one we are all ears LOL!

The roses sprinkled generously around the vineyard were so gorgeous and the olive trees were manicured (as per his mother’s brilliant aesthetic request) in the perfect shape – and no the shape doesn’t affect the production – again, brilliant. Those rose bushes at the ends of vineyard rows aren’t just for show, they’re the vineyard’s charming little alarm system, blushing first if trouble’s brewing among the vines.

They not only harvest their grapes, but they harvest their olives as well for olive oil (yes, we brought some home), they have delicious honey (brought that home too), AND the cactus growing? We enjoyed prickly pear sorbet that Javier created from that as well during our lunch later in the day…

In fact the tasting menu we would enjoy later in the day would feature herbs and vegetables from their insanely impressive estate – and if you need a place to stay in Toledo – they have a boutique hotel! No, this is not an ad for the Muñoz family lol but they are just THAT impressive with what they have created.

We sat down for our wine tasting drinking at a table overlooking the magnificent view, if you could see over the fabulous amount of wine glasses – ha! He shared that when he goes to anyone’s house for dinner he always brings a bottle of wine (I mean, of course) AND his favorite wine glasses for them to enjoy. (Both generously to his hosts and selfishly to enjoy himself) 😉

Have you ever seen anyone clean out a wine glass first by putting the smallest bit of wine in it and swirl it around and then pouring that out? A quick rinse with the wine you are about to drink clears out any lingering dust, soap residue, or cabinet funk, thanks to wine’s natural acidity and alcohol. It ‘seasons’ the glass so your first sip is clean, crisp, and exactly how the winemaker intended. Think of it as a little pre-party for your glass and now you now have your strategy if you change wines and want to use the same glass. Maybe pour it out into your mouth though and not a restaurant napkin 😉

We tried three different wines, all red, all in a fabulous glass, all very different.

I love wine, yes. I can pick out notes, yes. Am I able to sit and describe to you in intelligent detail each wine, no. LOL Jeremy is fantastic at it though and I am always happy to listen to him talking about the American Oak and piggy-back on his observations – teamwork! He is going to read this and claim it isn’t true, but we have sat at É by José Andrés and one of the chefs asked him if HE was a chef after hearing his assessment of a dish LOL so yeah his palette is far better than he will ever admit.

There is this fabulous Sommelier that we love to watch – André Hueston Mack – he does videos on Bon Appétit’s YouTube channel and has such great videos! One thing he has said about wine that is so true – something along the lines of – if you like it, drink it. Everyone’s palettes are so different and what one person tastes may not be the same as someone else. We can’t all be Sommeliers with these insane descriptive abilities, so I will stay in my lane and just tell you that every one of the three wines I would joyfully drink again! 11/10

Now can I tell you that each one got progressively better? Yep! AND gosh the small bites we had with them – wow!

Started out with cured deer (like a soft jerky) and Chef Muñoz sprinkled rosemary (can you smell that heavenly smell when you read that?) and drizzled their olive oil on top. Have I mentioned how obsessed with olive oil we are?! I mean, we have a shot of it each night. Maybe that is for another post… back to the wine…

We had that with the first wine and it was magical. Then the Manchego… Honestly I have never been a super fan of Manchego cheese, but that is the old me. New me is a super fan. If you are not familiar, it is perhaps the most representative product of the Castilla-La Mancha region, which Toledo is in. It is made with sheep’s milk and is firm and has a strong DELICIOUS taste. Paired with the wine it was perfect.

The last bite was a refined spoonful of tortilla española, Spain’s beloved potato and egg dish, topped with a delicate dollop of herbed aioli. A humble classic, elevated to perfection and paired effortlessly with the bold red wine.

Our wine tasting was peppered with more history talk, more philosophy, more life, more small bites. We had no idea but we were over two hours late for our lunch. (!!!) Thankfully our Chef was deep in these discussions with us, so we were good! We wrapped up our tasting with a toast by our fabulous host –

“To lie. To steal. And to wish. To lie for saving a friend, to steal the heart of a beautiful lady, and to wish to repeat this fantastic moment again. Cheers!”

“LOOK IN THE EYES!” Remember the eyes, people! Skol!

Oscar and Jason were ready to take us to our next spot – Restaurante Adolfo – but we had time to stop on the way for another quick photo 🙂

When we first arrived, our new favorite Sommelier, Michelangelo, who can definitely tell you any detail you would like to hear about wine, took us on a walk for a tour of the oldest urban wine cellar in all of Europe!

Beneath the winding streets of Toledo and under THREE locks lies a hidden treasure: a 9th-century Jewish wine cave, now transformed into what many call the “Cathedral of Wine.” With over 45,000 bottles and a global selection, Adolfo’s cellar is history and indulgence all in one subterranean sip. Oldest bottle inside? A priceless bottle from 1920!

Onto our tasting!

Adolfo is a Michelin-celebrated, family-run restaurant tucked in the heart of Toledo’s historic quarter, known for its seasonal tasting menu focused on herbs and produce from their private estate. When you walk in, the kitchen is on display and Chef Muñoz’s team was happy at work inside. You can tell a lot about leadership by the way their team presents themselves and everyone we came into contact with was a joy. And who should appear in his chef jacket around the corner through the kitchen – Chef Muñoz, himself!

Give me a tasting menu any day. A tasting menu that is seasonal and healthy, YES. Look, we signed the book after our meal and when you look for us, we are right next to Gwyneth Paltrow herself. So, yeah. Susan also found David Caruso signed in the back and also had a picture with him to put in the book (or that’s my assessment lol) super prepared guy! lol – whoooooo are my CSI Miami fans?!

Back to the food!

Our tasting, led with warmth and joy by Cecelia, began with a delicate Artichoke tea and ended with a Caramel Pomegranate – its shell ceremoniously cracked open as we made a wish together. Each plate and pour presented to us felt like a love letter to tradition and craft. A beautiful harmony of passion, precision, and heartfelt hospitality. If you find yourself in Toledo, you MUST go! I truly mean it, it’s unforgettable!

I could go on and on about this experience and the incredible people who shared it with us. It was pure magic, one of those rare moments that, if you knew in advance just how special it would be, it would have topped your bucket list.

Have you ever had a moment like that? The kind that catches you off guard, fills your soul, and stays with you long after it ends? They’re rare, but when they come, they feel like a gift – reminders that life still holds the power to surprise us in the most fabulous ways, with such fabulous occasions!

Fabulous glasses…

We bid a fond farewell to our new friends and joined Oscar and Jason for our reflective ride back to Madrid with full hearts and bellies and BAGS! We left with wine, vermut, honey and olive oil! Jason, our tour guide, went and got bubble wrap for us while we were eating and the team at Adolfo wrapped all of our goodies for our journey back to the states – I mean, y’all! Seriously amazing!

Last weekend we opened up one of the bottles of wine and it instantly took us back, and I used the honey this week when making sourdough soft sandwich bread. 10/10 recommend to bring home with you inspirations for food and drink, or the food and drink themselves!

We rolled into the hotel with just enough time to drop our bags, do a quick change, and dash back downstairs like we hadn’t just crossed a country! Because y’all, tapas waits for no one!

I’ll pick up there next time, diving into a delicious night of bites and laughs before wrapping up our Spanish adventure with one final look at magical Madrid.

Until then!

Peace, Love and Fabulous!