Photo 1. The tree you see stripped of it's bark is a "alcornoque" or "Oak Cork" tree. The cork used to seal wine bottles actually comes from the bark of this oak tree. The bark is stripped every 10 to 15 years.
Photo 2. This is very expensive, and absolutely delicious, "jamon iberico", or, cured ham, from the same region, the pigs here are fed on glands from the holm oak tree and the alcornoque tree.
Photo 3. One of two Irish pubs in Jarandilla, population of only 3,000 people, and the same town emperor Carlos V spent his final years.
Photo 4. Vidal Del Saz and Carlos Diez Sanchez of Bodegas Del Saz.
Currently back in Bordeaux getting ready for the France v Ireland rugby game this Saturday. Expecting to see lots of Irish out here for the free vineyard visit/wine tasting events the "Wine Buff" are organizing.
A week of Spanish food and wine was the perfect, and absolutely necessary, warm up for this important event!
Cheers, Paddy
By the way, Portugal produces 50% of the world's cork.
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