GASTRONOMY
FROM SEED TO PLATE
Our open kitchen shows transparency and simplicity, which are essential values in our work. Since our beginnings, we have worked towards self-sufficiency and sustainability. From the farm, we grow fresh produce in our biointensive gardens (which supply all of the vegetables and salad greens used in the kitchen), milk and eggs from our goats and chickens; meat from our lambs, Wagyu cows, guinea fowl, and geese; honey from our bees; wine from our vineyards; and olive oil produced from our own trees.
Under the guidance of our dedicated chefs, Manuel Vargas and Nerea Ortiz de Urbina, each dish is crafted with care and creativity, celebrating the freshness and quality of our homegrown ingredients.
In our commitment to sustainability, we source any additional food from a trusted network of nearby producers who share our values.
By producing a good portion of our own food and cultivating a diverse network of like-minded farmers and artisans in our bioregion, we aim to support local producers, minimise our carbon footprint, and encourage practices that foster healthy soils, healthy ecologies, and healthy bodies.
“Food is a welcoming and universal entry point into the rest of life, including the human web. It’s the easiest place for people to see their direct connection to nature and each other.”
From vine to glass
All the wines served at La Donaira come from organic agriculture.
In our own vineyard, we grow Petit Verdot and Blaufränkisch grapes and collaborate with winemakers across Andalusia as part of the Roca Viva Wines project. Together, we focus on preserving old grape varieties and practicing sustainable viticulture.
Our wine collection features over 350 labels from across Europe, offering a range of styles and flavors, including unique Orange Wines, Ancestral Wines, Sherry Wines, and more. We aim to surprise and delight our guests with new and memorable wine experiences that go beyond the usual.
Every day at lunch, we offer light, fresh, and fruity wines, focusing mainly on national selections. For dinner, our sommelier, David Raya, carefully curates wines to perfectly complement each dish. These include rare and top-tier wines, with only a few bottles available, each served with a story that adds a touch of prose and poetry to the experience.
Medicinal herb garden
In our medicinal garden, inspired by ancient monastic herb gardens and beautifully designed by Gerhard Bodner, herbs and edible plants are carefully picked for your meals, while 300 medicinal plants and flowers are lovingly tended to, often used to adorn the house. Fresh herbs and captivating scents are also gathered to enhance wellness treatments.
This garden serves as a source of natural ingredients for our creams and beauty treatments, infusing its essence into the Cortijo throughout the seasons. Its perfumes create a haven that elevates the senses.