Scenes from a Hospital Window*

Colin Harkness

Remembering the formidable Matron, Hattie Jacques, and the seemingly hapless Patient, Sid James, who in reality was anything but!

Recent experiences have brought these two to mind, along with the rest of excellent Carry On Team, who made us laugh as much as our parents were made uncomfortable. Masters of the double-entendre and bordering on the bawdy their humour can still make us giggle today.

So, I couldn’t help smiling to myself when, on entering La Fe University Hospital, Valencia, we skilfully manoeuvred past security and stowed our contraband in the cupboards innocently provided for coats and clothes before Matron’s inspection hour! I’m joking of course, there is no such position in Spanish hospitals, probably no longer in the UK either, but I was sure that Sid, watching from the naughty step in the comedy set in the sky, would have been proud of me!

And the contraband? Well, I’m sure you’ll realise that I’m referring to wine, yes, smuggling alcohol into this paragon of good health, La Fe, internationally known centre of excellence for health care and for teaching good medical practice. In truth, I don’t feel entirely comfortable – but, how can it be expected that a wine writer, judge and critic should be without the tools of his trade for a good three weeks? I mean, in Denia’s fine hospital cans of beer are available in the canteen!

You see my lovey wife, Claire-Marie Soprano, has had the devil of a time since badly breaking her leg, halfway through June last year. Yes last June, that’s eight months ago today, at the time of writing. It’s a long story, but in short her case was referred to La Fe, internationally recognised as experts in infectious diseases and very quickly she was admitted.

Of course, those who have been in Spain for a long time will know that ‘she’ actually means ‘we’, as a family member is expected to stay in the same room as the patient to attend to some of the nursing jobs. Yep, that’s me! There’s a sofa bed, which is comfortable enough, the room is thoroughly cleaned every day, there’s ample room in the bathroom, and the shower boasts day long hot water. Not a bad gaff at all – then add a more than satisfactory inexpensive cafeteria whose staff are great, humorous, efficient and very helpful.

Also, we have been absolutely delighted by the standard of care provided here. The surgeons maintain contact with the patients and visit every weekday. The Physio Dept. also comes, with helpful rehab suggestions (well, orders actually!) Plus, though we’re not sure of the title of the department concerned but we like to think of it as the Welfare Dept., visits each weekday too – asking how everything is going, does Claire have any pain, discomfort, difficulties, can they make any changes** to make the experience better and so on!

Plus, of course, the nursing staff and auxiliaries, of course, men and women, including youngsters (some look like Year 11 pupils to this ex-teacher!) and some surely old enough to have retired – all, without exception have been excellent. And a real bonus, for all of us in our different communities in the Valencia region, this University Teaching Hospital is giving bright young minds such a wonderful learning experience.

Surely, from what we’ve seen, the student doctors and nurses who qualify and start work in our hospitals and medical centres must take with them, not only the required skills and knowledge, but also that essential attribute, a good ‘bedside manner’ – something sadly missing from several of the Medics I’ve seen over my 28 years here.

So, given all the above you may think it rather dodgy of me to go behind their backs and have an occasional illicit glass of wine. Well, I suppose I agree, but I’m sure that the smell of a freshly opened bottle of red hasn’t gone unnoticed by the staff, medical and ancillary, so I do believe there’s a blind eye turned. In fact, I’ve been asked to recommend some wines, local and national and there’s now more that one new reader of the 5Barricas magazine, for who I’m writing this article!

So, what of the wines I’ve tasted – well they’ve all been selected from the Sout East of Spain allowing me to blow the collective trumpet of the wineries down here where we’ve lived for almost 30 years and where quality can still be found at affordable prices.

First up was one we’d started a couple of days before arriving at hospital – it is therefore the only one which the lovely Claire has tasted. We both take the obvious no-alcohol rule very seriously when it coms to the patient! Rafa Cañizares is the founder and Head Winemaker of Bodegas Volver which has made a major impact in DOs Alicante and La Mancha. Success here has encouraged him to proceed with a personal project – Bodegas Rafa Cañizares.

We tasted his Rafa Cañizares Vinos de Paraje Syrah, DO Alicante, over the span of a  few days (this is a little trick for you to be able to guess how long a wine will age – if, after a day of being open the wine is becoming tired, it really has to be drunk within a year. A couple of days, suggests an unopened bottle will last for perhaps two to three days, given the right conditions an so on).

His 2024 has enjoyed its 10 months in barrel – there is a silkiness on the palate, but with balanced acidity and tannin. At 14% it’s quite high in alcohol and its lovely spicey blueberry and bramble fruit makes it very easy to drink – watch out!

DO Bullas is very much an underappreciated wine region here in Spain. I was lucky enough to be asked to judge their annual internal competition for several years and in so doing became a real fan. One of the bodegas in the Bullas vanguard is Lavia, one of the MGWines Group. It’s wrong, of course, to judge a wine before tasting, but I knew I was going to like this wine – it’s made by my wine friend and colleague, Sebastien Boudon.

Sebastien learned his winemaking in his native France, made his name at one of the DO Alicante bodegas and was headhunted by the Group to take charge of Lavia. The wine I tasted, please see attached photo is made with a blend of Monastrell and Syrah, as are many in DO Bullas. They are happy bedfellows anyway, and with the addition of some judicial oak ageing (French, of course – you can take the Frenchman out of France . . . .), well you have a winning combination.

I think I’ve just about managed to catch this wine before it starts to go down hill, probably quite rapidly now. Its bold fruit and high alcohol has kept it going for nigh on 9 years, but I’d go for younger vintages next time.

Las Mercedes del Cabriel was a lovely wine! The 2021 has had 15 months in French oak plus a further 8 in bottle. Made with the wonderful DO Utiel-Requena variety, Bobal, it is drinking exceptionally well now, with probably 5 more years in it – if you can wait that long! There’s no need, enjoy it now!

Bobal has distinctive black cherry notes, with some lighter cherry acidity too, it’s perfectly in balance, with high altitude acidity, active, ripe tannin and 14.5% abv and compelling fruit. Plus, there’s a secret note you’ll find after it’s been open a few hours. As the glass empties you’ll smell a lovely coffee note to finish the wine. It’s not a cheap wine, but it is certainly well worth the 25€ or so.

Barahonda Tinto Organic made by the eponymous Bodegas Barahonda (where, incidentally, I started my regional TV mini-series some years ago) is one of those wines that gives a ‘shout out’ for the Organic Wine concept. In the late 1980s through to 1997 when I moved to Spain I ran and owned two restaurants on the Wirral, UK. Amongst other responsibilities I was in charge of the wine list. We insisted on Organic Meat so it was clear to me that we also had to have at least a couple of examples of Organic Wines.

At the time it was quite bold – to be honest most organic wines were poor. I had a red and a white which were acceptable, just. Nowadays of course, organic wines are definitely ‘a thing’, and if you’re unsure about buying one, don’t be, the category is now as good as any other type of wine! Buy with confidence – including this Barahonda example, the one with the cleverly designed and rather attractive ‘bee’ on the label. It is a simple wine asking only to be enjoyed with friends and family and probably pasta, BBQ, pizza and so on. It’s fruity but not overly so and well balanced.

The final wine was an example of the most difficult wines to enjoy in hospital! You see, for some unfathomable reason, there are no refrigeration facilities in La Fe – and probably all other hospitals, of course! I love my white wines, particularly for aperitif time. Whites, including sparklers, as well as rosados and orange wines are just right for me – chilled, thirst quenching and fresh. Therefore, impossible in hospital.

Well, not if you’re prepared to buy a bag of ice, wrap it around a bottle of white, shove it in a cool box to enjoy that night and accept that the next day it’s going to be resting in chilled water. Ready, just about for a second night to enjoy white – but no longer!

The white I chose from our lovely wine chiller at home was the Bercial Vino de Parcela from Bodega Sierra Norte, DO Utiel-Requena. It’s an unusual blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Macabeo and it’s had time in oak barricas. The oak has been an essential part of its elaboration in this case as it’s now getting on in years. The oak has allowed it to develop in bottle.

Quite deeply coloured – age and oak – it has mature fruit, acidity and a quite high alcohol content. Rather than a wine to simply drink, it’s a far better bet with some tapas and with fish, vegetarian dishes and, because of its body, white meat too.

At the time of your reading I hope that we are out of hospital and able to reflect of the excellent, supportive and friendly care we experienced at La Fe – as well as those ‘Scenes From a Hospital Window’!

*Title inspired by Billy Joel’s brilliant ‘Scenes From an Italian Restaurant’ – to which I suggest you listen whilst sipping a glass of one of the above – the Bobal, would be best!

**My suggestion of wine chilling facilities for fizz, whites, rosados and orange wines wasn’t accepted!

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