Blend All About Wine Quinta da Pacheca - The Essence of Wine Tourism

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

The history of this farm goes back a long way. It is part of the history of wine and has belonged in the Serpa Pimentel family for 4 generations.

The wines from this farm evolved quite a lot in the middle of the 20^th century, thanks to Engineer Eduardo Serpa Pimentel’s intense dedication. He is the grandfather of the current generation, and with whom I often had the pleasure of tasting wine. This man was highly educated, had a very open mind and made many experiments with Douro vineyards, which gave him great insight that he would share with any keen listener. I remember some whites he made from species of grapes such as Rieseling or Gewurstraminer, original ideas in a very conventional Douro at the time. As for the wines, they made it to our days; safe and sound. They are more modern, more accessible; I would even say more appetising. They have made a strong return to shop shelves and restaurants with a fresh new branding, yet still representing a well-renowned name with class. With thanks to recent investments made by the new owners, Maria do Céu Gonçalves and Paulo Pereira. They are Portuguese entrepreneurs who settled in France and have bought most of the company’s capital and are now running it alongside the Serpa Pimentel family.

In the tourism industry, the quality of the restaurant and hotel is such, that they have become a reference in Baixo Corgo and even across the Douro region.

This piece is very well integrated in the farm’s architecture, with 15 rooms whose beauty and comfort are undeniable. Caring and remarkable service may be another reason for the high rate of visitors all year long.

The restaurant is run in a room of great beauty and filled with light. Besides delicious breakfasts, exquisite meals are prepared to a high degree, using Portuguese and even regional products — when possible — to make simple yet scrumptious meals.

In our last visit, we enjoyed a lovely alheira and asparagus pasty (alheira is made of different meats and bread) over a bed of sautéd mushrooms in Pacheca olive oil – quite delicious.

Then, we had a piece of veel with portobello mushrooms and salpicão (pepperoni) from Vinhais – an extremely tender and delicious meat with earthy, meaty mushrooms and the perfect risotto, including a very Portuguese product: salpicão.

For dessert, a sweet made of cheese and coffee with pistaccio maccaroon and red fruit pannacotta. Excellent presentation.

These flavours were accompanied by Pacheca Colheita white, from the 2014 harvest; very elegant, very fresh and intensely acid, made of a very balanced plot of species of grapes – a fine wine. Later, we had the red, also a Colheita (harvest), but of 2012. Good fruit in the nose, balanced, good volume in the mouth and excellent structure. It goes well with food. For desert, we had Porto Vintage from 2012, also very fruity in the nose, very lively and fresh with intense notes of mature black fruits, chocolate and tobacco; a sublime complexity and a promising future.

We ended the evening with a new Tawny, very pleasant; with nutty aromas, a good structure, silky, intense and with excellent acidity. Naturally, both ports had been cooled…

In the morning, we took a walk down the winery and its granite walls, but most of the time, we spent around the farm and its surroundings, including the Douro river looking up at us.

The vineyards still bare, waiting out for Spring temperatures to bud. Their beauty is one of a kind and one I never tire of. They stretch out along the riverside and up the banks.

There are many houses on this farm, which strive on their antiquity; they still make very dignified hosts.

The various terraces and paths in the farm suggest reinvigorating walks to appreciate all that beauty, in a valley that stretches down to the river Douro.

As for the wines, they are resting in the winery until they are ready…

Contacts
Quinta da Pacheca
Cambres – 5110-424 Lamego
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 254 331 229
Fax: (+351) 254 318 380
Website: www.quintadapacheca.com

Partilhe: