Blend All About Wine

Posts By : Olga Cardoso

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova’s Country House & Spa – A place where quality reigns!
December 20, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Bruno Ferreira

Located just a few miles from Beja, in Baixo Alentejo, Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is a place of leisure and pleasure. The quality is present in every detail, even in the simplest… well, or at least apparently simple.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Herdade da Malhadinha-Malhadinha

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Photo Provided by Herdade da Malhadinha Nova | All Rights Reserved

Design objects, chairs and lighting by Philippe Starck, Charles & Ray Eames or Mariano Fortuny are present everywhere, but are, nevertheless, perfectly integrated in a rural environment. The fusion between design, rurality, comfort and elegance, appeal to senses and feelings.

At Malhadinha Nova you can enjoy experiences, moments, feelings or details, which will most certainly lead to a second visit.

Cooking with a renowned chef, learning the art of photography or painting, or even discovering the world of wine in an intimate way… these are some of the experiences offered to the visitors.

During my visit to the Herdade I was received in princely fashion, having been able to participate in a showcooking given by the Chef Consultant Michelin-starred Joachim Koerper and the resident Chef Bruno Antunes.

Joachim Koerper is passionate about southern European products, about their flavors, colors, aromas and textures. His philosophy is simple, like are all good things in life, he uses only natural and fresh products and works them with art and creativity.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Herdade da Malhadinha-Malhadinha-2

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Photo Provided by Herdade da Malhadinha Nova | All Rights Reserved

For that reason, the restaurant Malhadinha – Wine & Gourmet, which is integrated into the building’s cellar, offers a signature cuisine that favors the land products in modern interpretations. In this restaurant they always make a selection of fine dishes with flavors and irresistible aromas, which are duly accompanied by excellent wines from the Estate.

The oenology is in charge of Luis Duarte (Winemaker Consultant) and Nuno Gonzalez (Resident Winemaker). The consultant winemaker Luis Duarte is also a family friend. His remarkable career is closely linked to Herdade do Esporão. With many award-winning wines he was considered twice winemaker of the year in Portugal. Today he is one of the most renowned winemakers in the country having  remarkable results in consulting to some producers in the Alentejo. Nuno Gonzalez has a degree in biochemistry and has been specializing in viticulture and oenology. He has been in Australia, New Zealand, United States and Italy. In Portugal, he has in his résumé big name houses like José Maria da Fonseca, Niepoort and Cortes de Cima, among others.

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova was born of a dream – the dream of producing a great wine, to produce the best wine in the world.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Herdade da Malhadinha-Outside

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Photo Provided by Herdade da Malhadinha Nova | All Rights Reserved

For such contribute the unique conditions of space and the experience of over 10 years in the production of wines as well as the passion of the team involved. From these arose a remarkable range of reds, whites and rosés. Each wine tells its story in its own way.

The difference and uniqueness are also marked by the labels, fruit of the creativity of the younger generation of the Soares family. The wines are named after the children and they also draw the labels.

Herdade da Malhadinha‘s intensely fruity and highly complex in the mouth wines are a reflection of a huge respect for nature and all of the passion and dedication with which they are created with.

If you want to read more about some of these wines, please see this article previously published on our website.

Regarding the hotel itself, it should be noted that this is an area that respects all the Alentejo matrix, the region where it is implemented. The sense of place is a core value at Mallhadinha.

Here we can get an authentic experience where the quality and refinement of simplicity prevail.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Herdade da Malhadinha-Room

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Photo Provided by Herdade da Malhadinha Nova | All Rights Reserved

The room decor is inspired by the Alentejo regional furniture together with a clean design, which provides comfort and tranquility. Upon arrival you will find a platter of season fruit, which is produced at the Estate, as well as the amenities of Bvlgari and air fresheners from the Portuguese brand Castelbel that emphasize all the luxury and refinement during the stay.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Herdade da Malhadinha-Fruit

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Photo Provided by Herdade da Malhadinha Nova | All Rights Reserved

The breakfast is an experience that cherishes and awakens the senses. Exposed in a “canopy table” are countless high quality products and a wide variety of flavors.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Herdade da Malhadinha-Spa

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Photo Provided by Herdade da Malhadinha Nova | All Rights Reserved

The activities offered to guests are many and very attractive. From moments of relaxation in the invigorating and flavored environment of their spa to a fun Jeep Safari through the Herdade or an exciting hot air balloon ride in the Alentejo dawn tranquility, all is possible in Malhadinha.

Being a wine tourism space there are different wine tastings available which are conducted by the winemaker, and also visits to the vineyard and the winery. Throughout the year, they launch various special packages subordinated to thematic experiences, such as radical adventures, gastronomy workshops or photography courses.

At the time of the harvest there are always special programs available that allow customers to fully live that special time. Equestrian tourism is also privileged by Malhadinha since they have their own stud farm, which is dedicated to horse breeding of the Lusitano breed.

I have no doubt that Malhadinha Nova has the pursuit of excellence as a guiding principle. Within just a few years of existence, it has become not only one of the best producers of domestic wine, as well as a wine tourism space with superior quality.

Contacts
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
7800-601 Albernoa. Beja – Portugal
Tel: (+351) 284 965 210 / 211
E-mail: geral@malhadinhanova.pt
Website: www.malhadinhanova.pt

Adelaide Tributa…a pre-phylloxera Port!
November 30, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Bruno Ferreira

If there are wines that resist time and magnify themselves over the years and even centuries, if there are wines that suffer absolutely extraordinary metamorphosis, if there are wines that touch perfection and leave the most unwary of oenophiles yielded … Adelaide Tributa is surely one of them!

This port has an intense amber color and a masterful complex aroma. Dried fruits such as figs, almonds and hazelnuts, various spices, especially nutmeg and cloves and, much, much cocoa, everything can be found in its richly aromatic and refined nose.

The palate is explosive. Dense, unctuous, deep, with a scathing and razor-sharp acidity and a perfect endless finish.

Its Baume degree (13.7) alone already indicates its old age. According to the producer’s records, this is a pre-phylloxera wine, which dates back to 1866 and comes from an original batch of five casks.

One and a half century of evaporation and a conservation in a favorable environment have reduced it to only two casks and gave the wine a vehement and colossal concentration.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Adelaide Tributa-D-Antónia

D. Antónia Adelaide Ferreira – Photo Provided by Quinta do Vallado | All Rights Reserved

Blend-All-About-Wine-Adelaide Tributa-wine

Adelaide Tributa – Photo Provided by Quinta do Vallado | All Rights Reserved

It was bottled in a limited series of 1300 unique crystal decanters, duly numbered and packaged in a wooden boxes designed by the architect Francisco Vieira de Campos. Its price, around € 3,000 a bottle, is the result of its quality and rarity, making it a product for collectors and wealthy connoisseurs.

A tribute of Quinta do Vallado to D. Antónia Adelaide Ferreira (its former owner and forever remembered as the Ferreirinha) around the time of the bicentennial celebration of her birth.

A unique wine, aristocratic, tremendously concentrated and complex. A great and sibylline port, full of shades and nuances, a true exemple of the vinous excellence that the Douro and Porto might reach.

Contacts
Quinta do Vallado – Sociedade Agrícola, Lda.
Vilarinho dos Freires
5050-364 – Peso da Régua | Portugal
Tel: (+351) 254 323 147
Fax: (+351) 254 324 326
Email: geral@quintadovallado.com
Website: www.quintadovallado.com

Madeira's Wine Institute – A Masterclass that made all the difference!
December 10, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Bruno Ferreira

The Madeira’s Institute of Wine, Embroidery and Crafts, IP – IVBAM is the responsible entity for the supervision of regional wine activities and by the certification and quality control of Madeira wine.

An entity which, with administrative and financial autonomy, efficiently cares for the consolidation and sustained growth of traditional and regional products, without however neglecting the effectively rising promotion and the quality conservation, whether at a national or international level.

Blend_All_About_Wine_IVBAM_1

The Madeira’s Institute of Wine, Embroidery and Crafts, IP – IVBAM – Photo Provided by IVBAM | All Rights Reserved

Madeira has about 400 hectares of vineyards. The agricultural lands are characterized by very steep slopes, generally in form of terraced fields. Madeira’s irrigation water is collected in the highlands of the island and is driven through channels called “levadas” that consist of an impressive 2150 Km channel system.

The most traditional conduction method is the “latada” (pergola), in which the vines are horizontally conducted. More recently there’s the espalier conduction method, which, however, can only be used in less steep slopes.

Normally the harvesting happens between mid-August and mid-October and it’s done in a totally manual way. The efforts are many, and the rituals mirror the difficulty relative to a whole smallholdings system spread over an extremely rugged terrain.

To speak of Madeira wine is like speaking of dramatism. Dramatism which is manifested not only in the overwhelming island’s view but also in its wines vinification method and long aging periods. Drama is indeed a well-defining word not only to Madeira but to everything that is portuguese. Yes, we’re a dramatic people… and it’s patent in the various aspects of our culture.

Our sound or national music is Fado – is there any other as strong, sad or deeply-felt? I can understand the difficulty that someone from the Northern Europe has, people that are usually colder, precise and devoid of such melancholic feelings. Or of someone from more cheerful and relaxed countries as are the South American ones. Indeed it must not be easy to understand all these exacerbated feelings of ours.

But, back to wine… It’s really a boast to be Portuguese. We’re young as concerns to still wines and yet we’ve won several international prizes and we’re already in publications of Wine Spectator and that confers us a place among the best world wines. However there’s still a long way to go in this area. That is if we want to maintain and increase this quality recognition.

We produce a little bit over 6 million hectoliters per year. To be on the top of the world in the quality matter, will demand a lot of us in the future. Spreading the word across the international consumers and not gird ourselves to the magazines’ recognition, will demand even more. Yes, because one thing is the magazines’ recognition and another quite different is the consumers’ acceptance and it’s that that will allow the Portuguese wines growth.

Does the press buy wines? No. Does the trade buy wines? Yes, but only to sell and while it’s financially justifiable. So, who do we have to attract? Naturally, the consumers.

Here I am, digressing again… Let’s get back to Madeira wine and IVBAM then.

This year I’ve been 4 times to Madeira and I’m about to board again. Really.. I just can’t get enough and I intend even to get more attached to the island in the future.

The last trip to Madeira, mid-November 2014, was remarkable. All of the Blend – All About Wine’s team members got quite impressed. We visited all of the Madeira wine producers and we also did a generic tasting of Madeira’s table wines.

We tried different and amazing restaurants’ and at the same time realized of its outstanding touristic potential… still so strangely forgotten when it comes to its wines.

Along the 5 trip days we tasted many high quality wines. New wines but mostly very old wines. Several of them with over 100 years, showing and proving, all of the island’s peculiarity. Some of them were tasted during the IVBAM’s MasterClass, very well led by the Head of IVBAM’s Chamber of Tasters – Rubina Vieira.

Blend_All_About_Wine_IVBAM_2

MasterClass, led by the Head of IVBAM’s Chamber of Tasters – Rubina Vieira © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

In addition this MasterClass was also nicely customized. Yes, it was a Blend – All About Wine MasterClass, born and bred for us!

We tasted twelve wines from different producers, years and varieties. Starting with a Colheita de 1996 and finishing off with a Verdelho de 1850. The ones that impressed me the most were the Sercial 1862 and the Moscatel 1875. Due to its difference and rarity, the Bastardo de 1927 didn’t went by unnoticed as well.

Complexity, concentration, deepness and balance. Those were the common characteristics to these two wines. The first one, obviously, drier and thinner than the second which reveals more viscous and molassed notes although showing itself very harmonious and with no drop of excesses. What a great wines!

But the important thing here isn’t to talk about the wines/producers and their particularities and/or differences. That’s a task to each one of my colleagues, to talk about each producer individually.

Here it’s important to talk about all of the plenitude and grandiosity of Madeira wine. Five are the noble varieties of said wine. In a sweetness crescent grading we have: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia and yes…the Terrantez!!!

In a sweetness grading matter we can place it between the Verdelho and Boal. But, being so rare and amounting only 1% of the island’s production can’t be even taken into account.

We’re talking about a variety that gives birth to amazing wines. Think for instance in the monstrosity of the Pereira D’Oliveira Terrantez 1880.. From the wines I tasted to this day it’s probably one of the closest to perfection.

Blend_All_About_Wine_IVBAM_3

Tasting table © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Even though not considered a noble caste, the Tinta Negra, is a variety widely used in the Madeira Wine. Nowadays the Madeira wines produced by this variety are already considerable, not only in quantity but also in quality.

The harvesting’s priority is:

  1. Verdelho;
  2. Boal;
  3. Tinta Negra;
  4. Malvasia;
  5. Sercial;

As regards the vinification process and/or aging, one of two processes may occur: Estufagem or Canteiro.

Estufagem – The wine is placed in stainless steel ovens, heated by a coil system where hot water circulates for a period not less than 3 months, at a temperature between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius. After the “estufagem”, the wine is subjected to an aging period of at least 90 days at room temperature. From this moment on it can remain in stainless steel or be placed in wooden casks, until it meets the conditions that allow the winemaker to do the wine’s completion, so it can be placed in the bottle, with the necessary quality assurance. However, these wines cannot be bottled and marketed before 31th October of the second year, following the harvest. These wines are mainly blends.

Canteiro – The wines selected to age in “Canteiro” (this denomination derives from putting the barrels under wooden beam supports, called canteiros) do so in casks, usually on the higher floors of the warehouses where temperatures are higher, for a minimum period of 2 years. It is an oxidative aging in casks, developing in the wines unique characteristics of intense and complex aromas. The “canteiro” wines can only go out to the market after a minimum of three years, counted from January 1st of the year following the harvest.

The fortification consists in the fermentation stoppage and the addition of wine alcohol at 96%. The timing for the fermentation interruption is scheduled accordingly to the sweetness level intended for the wine. This method allows the outcome of four wine types: dry, mid-dry, mid-sweet and sweet.

To me, speaking of Madeira wine is like speaking of passionate wines, engaging and thrilling. I confess myself completely rendered to its charms. I’m a Madeira wine Geek … it’s true!

Voluptuousness and seduction, lust and lasciviousness, hand in hand with a huge sensitivity, with finesse and wisdom. Who said these seemingly antagonistic characteristics cannot harmonize perfectly? Might all this telluric energy, all this authenticity and depth, encapsulate the foretaste of paradise?

Voltaire said that the Tokaji had the gift to spark up even the smallest fiber of their brains. Well, the he was an illuminist and I’m not … but I think that’s what really happens to me when it comes to Madeira Wine!

But while the Tokaji is considered the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings (so once said Louis XV while offering a glass of that wine to his lover Madame de Pompadour), let me say that, for me, for his triumphant acidity and its martyr winemaking process, conditions that make it almost immortal, Madeira is much more than a wine of kings … it’s truly a GODS’s wine!

And last but not the least have a look at this outstanding video on Madeira wine.

Video provided by the Madeira’s Institute of Wine, Embroidery and Crafts, IP – IVBAM

Contacts
Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira, I.P.
Rua Visconde de Anadia, nº44
9050-020 Funchal
Tel: (+351) 291 211 600
Fax: (+351) 291 224 791
E-mail: ivbam.sra@gov-madeira.pt
Site: www.ivbam.gov-madeira.pt

Madeira’s Wine Institute – A Masterclass that made all the difference!
December 10, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Bruno Ferreira

The Madeira’s Institute of Wine, Embroidery and Crafts, IP – IVBAM is the responsible entity for the supervision of regional wine activities and by the certification and quality control of Madeira wine.

An entity which, with administrative and financial autonomy, efficiently cares for the consolidation and sustained growth of traditional and regional products, without however neglecting the effectively rising promotion and the quality conservation, whether at a national or international level.

Blend_All_About_Wine_IVBAM_1

The Madeira’s Institute of Wine, Embroidery and Crafts, IP – IVBAM – Photo Provided by IVBAM | All Rights Reserved

Madeira has about 400 hectares of vineyards. The agricultural lands are characterized by very steep slopes, generally in form of terraced fields. Madeira’s irrigation water is collected in the highlands of the island and is driven through channels called “levadas” that consist of an impressive 2150 Km channel system.

The most traditional conduction method is the “latada” (pergola), in which the vines are horizontally conducted. More recently there’s the espalier conduction method, which, however, can only be used in less steep slopes.

Normally the harvesting happens between mid-August and mid-October and it’s done in a totally manual way. The efforts are many, and the rituals mirror the difficulty relative to a whole smallholdings system spread over an extremely rugged terrain.

To speak of Madeira wine is like speaking of dramatism. Dramatism which is manifested not only in the overwhelming island’s view but also in its wines vinification method and long aging periods. Drama is indeed a well-defining word not only to Madeira but to everything that is portuguese. Yes, we’re a dramatic people… and it’s patent in the various aspects of our culture.

Our sound or national music is Fado – is there any other as strong, sad or deeply-felt? I can understand the difficulty that someone from the Northern Europe has, people that are usually colder, precise and devoid of such melancholic feelings. Or of someone from more cheerful and relaxed countries as are the South American ones. Indeed it must not be easy to understand all these exacerbated feelings of ours.

But, back to wine… It’s really a boast to be Portuguese. We’re young as concerns to still wines and yet we’ve won several international prizes and we’re already in publications of Wine Spectator and that confers us a place among the best world wines. However there’s still a long way to go in this area. That is if we want to maintain and increase this quality recognition.

We produce a little bit over 6 million hectoliters per year. To be on the top of the world in the quality matter, will demand a lot of us in the future. Spreading the word across the international consumers and not gird ourselves to the magazines’ recognition, will demand even more. Yes, because one thing is the magazines’ recognition and another quite different is the consumers’ acceptance and it’s that that will allow the Portuguese wines growth.

Does the press buy wines? No. Does the trade buy wines? Yes, but only to sell and while it’s financially justifiable. So, who do we have to attract? Naturally, the consumers.

Here I am, digressing again… Let’s get back to Madeira wine and IVBAM then.

This year I’ve been 4 times to Madeira and I’m about to board again. Really.. I just can’t get enough and I intend even to get more attached to the island in the future.

The last trip to Madeira, mid-November 2014, was remarkable. All of the Blend – All About Wine’s team members got quite impressed. We visited all of the Madeira wine producers and we also did a generic tasting of Madeira’s table wines.

We tried different and amazing restaurants’ and at the same time realized of its outstanding touristic potential… still so strangely forgotten when it comes to its wines.

Along the 5 trip days we tasted many high quality wines. New wines but mostly very old wines. Several of them with over 100 years, showing and proving, all of the island’s peculiarity. Some of them were tasted during the IVBAM’s MasterClass, very well led by the Head of IVBAM’s Chamber of Tasters – Rubina Vieira.

Blend_All_About_Wine_IVBAM_2

MasterClass, led by the Head of IVBAM’s Chamber of Tasters – Rubina Vieira © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

In addition this MasterClass was also nicely customized. Yes, it was a Blend – All About Wine MasterClass, born and bred for us!

We tasted twelve wines from different producers, years and varieties. Starting with a Colheita de 1996 and finishing off with a Verdelho de 1850. The ones that impressed me the most were the Sercial 1862 and the Moscatel 1875. Due to its difference and rarity, the Bastardo de 1927 didn’t went by unnoticed as well.

Complexity, concentration, deepness and balance. Those were the common characteristics to these two wines. The first one, obviously, drier and thinner than the second which reveals more viscous and molassed notes although showing itself very harmonious and with no drop of excesses. What a great wines!

But the important thing here isn’t to talk about the wines/producers and their particularities and/or differences. That’s a task to each one of my colleagues, to talk about each producer individually.

Here it’s important to talk about all of the plenitude and grandiosity of Madeira wine. Five are the noble varieties of said wine. In a sweetness crescent grading we have: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia and yes…the Terrantez!!!

In a sweetness grading matter we can place it between the Verdelho and Boal. But, being so rare and amounting only 1% of the island’s production can’t be even taken into account.

We’re talking about a variety that gives birth to amazing wines. Think for instance in the monstrosity of the Pereira D’Oliveira Terrantez 1880.. From the wines I tasted to this day it’s probably one of the closest to perfection.

Blend_All_About_Wine_IVBAM_3

Tasting table © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Even though not considered a noble caste, the Tinta Negra, is a variety widely used in the Madeira Wine. Nowadays the Madeira wines produced by this variety are already considerable, not only in quantity but also in quality.

The harvesting’s priority is:

  1. Verdelho;
  2. Boal;
  3. Tinta Negra;
  4. Malvasia;
  5. Sercial;

As regards the vinification process and/or aging, one of two processes may occur: Estufagem or Canteiro.

Estufagem – The wine is placed in stainless steel ovens, heated by a coil system where hot water circulates for a period not less than 3 months, at a temperature between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius. After the “estufagem”, the wine is subjected to an aging period of at least 90 days at room temperature. From this moment on it can remain in stainless steel or be placed in wooden casks, until it meets the conditions that allow the winemaker to do the wine’s completion, so it can be placed in the bottle, with the necessary quality assurance. However, these wines cannot be bottled and marketed before 31th October of the second year, following the harvest. These wines are mainly blends.

Canteiro – The wines selected to age in “Canteiro” (this denomination derives from putting the barrels under wooden beam supports, called canteiros) do so in casks, usually on the higher floors of the warehouses where temperatures are higher, for a minimum period of 2 years. It is an oxidative aging in casks, developing in the wines unique characteristics of intense and complex aromas. The “canteiro” wines can only go out to the market after a minimum of three years, counted from January 1st of the year following the harvest.

The fortification consists in the fermentation stoppage and the addition of wine alcohol at 96%. The timing for the fermentation interruption is scheduled accordingly to the sweetness level intended for the wine. This method allows the outcome of four wine types: dry, mid-dry, mid-sweet and sweet.

To me, speaking of Madeira wine is like speaking of passionate wines, engaging and thrilling. I confess myself completely rendered to its charms. I’m a Madeira wine Geek … it’s true!

Voluptuousness and seduction, lust and lasciviousness, hand in hand with a huge sensitivity, with finesse and wisdom. Who said these seemingly antagonistic characteristics cannot harmonize perfectly? Might all this telluric energy, all this authenticity and depth, encapsulate the foretaste of paradise?

Voltaire said that the Tokaji had the gift to spark up even the smallest fiber of their brains. Well, the he was an illuminist and I’m not … but I think that’s what really happens to me when it comes to Madeira Wine!

But while the Tokaji is considered the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings (so once said Louis XV while offering a glass of that wine to his lover Madame de Pompadour), let me say that, for me, for his triumphant acidity and its martyr winemaking process, conditions that make it almost immortal, Madeira is much more than a wine of kings … it’s truly a GODS’s wine!

And last but not the least have a look at this outstanding video on Madeira wine.

Video provided by the Madeira’s Institute of Wine, Embroidery and Crafts, IP – IVBAM

Contacts
Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira, I.P.
Rua Visconde de Anadia, nº44
9050-020 Funchal
Tel: (+351) 291 211 600
Fax: (+351) 291 224 791
E-mail: ivbam.sra@gov-madeira.pt
Site: www.ivbam.gov-madeira.pt

Quinta da Romeira – quality and consistency!
October 27, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

Quinta da Romeira located in the heart of Bucelas, is one of the oldest exporting wine regions, famous for its white wines and for that mentioned by Shakespeare in his Henry VI play.

There is indeed a strong connection between this estate and the United Kingdom. In 1703, Luis de Vasconcelos e Sousa, third Earl of Castelo Melhor, was one of the main intermediaries in negotiating the marriage contract between Princess Catherine of Braganza and King Charles II of England. In honor of the Princess, he founded the Saint Catherina estate and in it included Quinta da Romeira.

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Manuelina Window © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

In the beginning of the XIV century, the noble Solar da Romeira offered stay to Sir Arthur Wellesley, who later became Duke of Wellington. From the manor’s Manueline windows he could see the famous lines of Torres Vedras that he had built on the outskirts of Lisbon, with the goal of preventing the invading (French) army from reaching the capital city of the Kingdom of Portugal.

Having tasted the Bucelas’ wines and becoming quite fond of them, he sent them to the English monarch at the time, George IV, who had also immensely appreciated these wines and started designating them as Wines of Lisbon.

Quinta da Romeira was recently bought by Wine Ventures, a Lisbon based company, led by Francisco de Sousa Ferreira, a high caliber manager, namely in wine and other beverages companies, like Unicer and Sogrape, where he was C.E.O.

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José SIlva, Maria Godinho and Manuel Pires da Silva © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

The leadership in the winemaking field in currently in the hands of Manuel Pires da Silva, with a long and proven career, namely at Quinta do Minho. Manuel counts with the collaboration of the promising oenologist Maria Godinho, who adds youth and creativity to the bunch, and counts as well with the collaboration of the well-known and prestigious oenologist Manuel Vieira.

It was this friendly team plus the professional and dynamic Marketing Director Catarina Rente, who welcomed Blend | All About Wine on 25 September last.

Blend_All_About_Wine_Quinta_Romeira_3

Tasting the Wines © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

In a very well organized tasting, we tasted a total of 7 wines. Five whites and two reds. The quality and consistency demonstrated by the different wines is in fact remarkable. The whites are fresh, with notable acidity and a delicious touch of sea air and salinity brought to them by the ocean close by. The reds, made from our Touriga Nacional and the French varieties Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, showed good body, good structure and gave us excellent signs of this company’s claim to also producing red wines.

Quinta da Romeira is indeed very close to the sea and the vast Tejo estuary. It has the largest continuous Arinto vineyard – around 75 hectares – and is, in my opinion, the producer of the best Arinto in the region, not just with regards to its typicality, but also to its unbeatable quality/price ratio. If you want to try a Bucelas Arinto, don’t hesitate to buy Quinta da Romeira!

I confess I am an unconditional fan of this house’s Arintos and so here are my personal notes on what I call the magnificent trilogy!

Blend_All_About_Wine_Quinta_Romeira_4

Prova Régia 2013 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Prova Régia 2013
It aged for a month on fine lees and shows an exuberant nose with tropical fruit notes, like pineapple and passion fruit, accompanied by delicate citrus notes. In the mouth it is very fresh, with a well-controlled acidity, on a quite mineral background. A versatile and consensual wine.

Blend_All_About_Wine_Quinta_Romeira_5

Prova Régia Reserva 2013 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Prova Régia Reserva 2013
Around 10% of this wine is fermented in new French oak barrels. Just enough to give it complexity without making the wood present and allowing it to show its whole varietal character. Very citrusy, lime and lemon dominating the aromatic set joined by the tropical notes and smooth salinity sensations. Mineral and fresh, it possesses a long and elegant finish. A living exemplar of the quality of Bucelas’ Arinto.

Blend_All_About_Wine_Quinta_Romeira_6

Morgado de Sta. Catherina 2012 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Morgado de Sta. Catherina 2012
The aroma is dominated by citrus notes in a slightly more jam-y version. The minerality is also felt, accompanied by light honey sensations and spicy touches. Due to its fermentation in wood, it displays a remarkable structure. Voluminous and gluttonous, it is also very elegant and full of personality. With an irreprehensible acidity and a quite persistent finish, it reveals itself as a haughty, noble and striking Arinto.

Contacts
Wine Ventures LDA
Quinta da Romeira de Cima
2670-678 Bucelas
Portugal
Tel.: (+351) 219 687 023 \ (+351) 219 687 071
Email: info@wineventures.eu
Site: www.wineventures.eu

Quinta do Sanguinhal – a real trip down memory lane!
October 20, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

The visit to Quinta do Sanguinhal was a real surprise for me. A rendezvous with the history of wine, with life stories from other times and in this particular case, with an impressive life dedicated to entrepreneurship.

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Quinta do Sanguinhal © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

I’m talking about Abel Pereira da Fonseca, founder of the Companhia Agrícola do Sanguinhal that administered the properties he owned in the Bombarral region.

At that time, the Abel Pereira da Fonseca Commercial Society – also his – held and explored the biggest network of sale to the public establishments in the country, with around 100 stores in Lisbon. Fernando Pessoa was “caught” in those stores several times, in flagrante, as he used to say.

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Quinta do Sanguinhal © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

The company was always dedicated to the production and commerce of wines. To this effect, they would make the wines separately for the estates Quinta da Cerejeira, Quinta do Sanguinhal and Quinta de São Francisco in their own wineries, possessing in total, a capacity of around two million liters in wooden vats and “balseiros” (huge wooden casks) made of mahogany and oak, used for fermentation, storage and ageing of table wines, liqueurs and brandies.

The Companhia Agrícola do Sanguinhal explored 3 Óbidos Designation of Origin Estates making up 95 ha of vineyards: Quinta do Sanguinhal, Quinta das Cerejeiras and Quinta de S. Francisco. The names of these estates represent the most prestigious DOC wines of this family owned company.

More recently, the company has decided to invest equally in the tourism and events areas, in order to take full advantage of all of their spaces. So, they recovered wineries, “lagares” (the stone tanks used for treading grapes), and the distillery turning them into very interesting locations for any wine tourist.

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Quinta do Sanguinhal © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

At Quinta do Sanguinhal it’s the family Pereira da Fonseca itself that welcomes guests. We were greeted by Ana Pereira da Fonseca Reis, responsible for the wine tourism area and with vast knowledge of the wines produced in the estate, who provided for a very pleasant and professional visit.

The family decided not to conduct the visits and wine tastings in a conventional manner, making known a 100 year old history in the Portuguese wine making industry and providing visitors with an alternative to traditional circuits.

Besides tasting different styles of wine, the guests will be able to walk the XIX century gardens as well as the gorgeous vineyards of the Estate. Visit the completely recovered old distillery, where in the old days they would produce wine brandy and “bagaceira” brandy. Visit the old “lagar” with rod presses, dating back to 1871 and an ageing cellar with 36 vats. An experience I strongly recommend!

The Companhia Agrícola Sanguinhal portfolio is quite vast and diversified. It’s impossible to mention all the wines here and now. For that reason, from the tasting I highlight the following wines:

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Quinta das Cerejeiras White Reserva 2012 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

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Quinta de S. Francisco White 2013 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quinta de São Francisco White 2013
Coming from a clay soil and made from the Vital, Fernão Pires and Arinto varieties, it is elegant in the aroma, with highlighted citrus notes. In the mouth it is fresh, harmonious and balanced. It has a delicate final and medium intensity.

Quinta das Cerejeiras White Reserva 2012
Made from Chardonnay, Arinto and Vital varieties it has a slightly golden yellow color. The aroma is austere and reveals some complexity. Mouth with good structure and emphasized orchard fruit. Ripe apples and some peach. The wood is well integrated but has shown work, by giving it light vanilla sensations. Elegant and intense finish.

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Casabel Rosé 2013 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Casabel Rosé 2013
From Aragonês, Castelão and Syrah varieties, this rosé shows an exuberant nose, with predominant red fruits, like strawberries and raspberries. In the mouth it is dry, fresh and with a delicate ending. It works well as an appetizer, but it has also shown good gastronomical aptitude.

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Quinta do Sanguinhal Red 2009 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

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Quinta das Cerejeiras Reserva Red 2008 © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quinta do Sanguinhal Red 2009
In the nose it reveals forest fruit aromas and some ripe black fruit, like blackberries and plums. Some vanilla and spicy touches are also evident. In the mouth it has good structure, present but soft tannins, good acidity and elegant final.

Quinta das Cerejeiras Reserva Red 2008
This wine has the oldest label in Portugal, unchanged since 1926. It’s one of the crown jewels. From the Castelão, Aragonês and Touriga Nacional varieties, it shows a restrained but complex nose. Black, jam-like fruits are immediately clear. Some pine needles, slight smoke and spicy notes complement its olfactory pallet. The mouth is voluminous and dense, but also soft and velvety. Balanced and harmonious, has an elegant and persistent finish.

Contacts
Quinta das Cerejeiras
Apartado 5
2544-909 Bombarral
Tel: (+351) 262 609 190
Fax: (+351) 262 609 191
Email: info@vinhos-sanguinhal.pt
Site: www.vinhos-sanguinhal.pt

Chryseia 2012 – a nova coqueluche da Prats & Symington!
October 13, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Texto Olga Cardoso

No passado dia 11 de Setembro, a Prats & Symington apresentou o seu Chryseia 2012 no restaurante portuense Pedro Lemos, situado na Foz do Douro, mais precisamente na chamada Foz Velha.

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Vinhos Provados © Prats & Symington, Lda.

O Chef Pedro Lemos, que empresta o nome ao seu próprio restaurante, foi o autor do fantástico menu que acompanhou não só a prova do Chryseia 2012, como também das novas colheitas do Post Scriptum 2012 e do Prazo de Roriz 2011 – as outras duas referências da casa.

Importa referir que o Chryseia nasce de uma parceria entre as famílias Prats & Symington para produzir um dos Vinhos Douro DOC mais reconhecidos em Portugal e no estrangeiro ao longo dos últimos quinze anos, tendo sido o primeiro vinho tranquilo português (a segunda colheita datada de 2001) a configurar no ‘TOP 100’ da conceituada revista Wine Spectator, colocado na 19º posição com 94 pontos. Em Janeiro de 2013, o Chryseia 2011 obteve 97 pontos da referida Revista – Wine Spectator, a segunda nota mais alta de sempre atribuida a um vinho tranquilo Português.

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Bruno Prats & Rupert Symington © Prats & Symington, Lda.

A Prats & Symington nasceu em 1999 de uma parceria estabelecida entre as famílias com os mesmos apelidos. A parceria entre Bruno Prats, produtor de Bordéus, antigo proprietário do Château Cos d’Estournel e a família Symington, uma das maiores proprietárias de vinhas no Douro (cerca de 27 Quintas com aproximadamente 1.000 hectares de vinha e com marcas como a Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s, Quinta do Vesúvio e Altano no seu portefólio), combina as tradições e o conhecimento de duas das maiores regiões de vinho do mundo, aplicando este conhecimento às castas únicas e ao terroir do vale do Douro.

O evento foi apresentado por Bruno Prats e Rupert Symington, responsáveis da Prats & Symington, e nele participaram alguns dos mais conhecidos elementos da imprensa e do trade português. Ninguém parece ter querido perder a apresentação deste vinho notável!

O almoço iniciou-se então com um prato de pombo com salsifis e ervilhas, devidamente harmonizado com Prazo de Roriz 2011.

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Pombo © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Seguiu-se uma barriga de atum rabilho que combinou na perfeição com o Post Scriptum 2012.

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Barriga de Atum Rabilho © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Para harmonizar com a estrela da companhia – o Chryseia 2012, o Chef Pedro Lemos criou um prato de vitela envelhecida com feijão maduro e toucinho fumado. Fantástica!

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Vitela Envelhecida © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Para acompanhar a sobremesa, foi servido um excelente Porto Vintage 2003 da Quinta de Roriz. O Porto era sem dúvida muito bom…mas o Chryseia 2012 também, pelo que deixar de o ter perto de nós parecia impossível!

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Sobremesa © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Prazo de Roriz tinto 2011
Boa presença aromática, com notas de fruta preta como ameixas e cerejas negras a surgir de imediato. O seu lado balsâmico também se mostra evidente, com notas de menta e eucalipto a complementar a fruta. O corpo é de médio volume e todo o vinho se mostra pronto e harmonioso. Os taninos bem presentes vaticinam-lhe alguma capacidade de envelhecimento. Portugal: €8,90 em Portugal – Reino Unido: £12.

Post Scriptum tinto 2012O seu nariz é charmosamente floral, com vincadas notas de esteva amparadas pela fruta vermelha madura de muito boa qualidade. Na boca apresenta-se fresco, com uma acidez muito correcta e um corpo elegante bem proporcionado. O seu final é longo e a sua capacidade de perdurar no tempo é um dado adquirido. Portugal: €13,50 – Reino Unido: £18.

Chryseia tinto 2012
Foi produzido a partir de uma selecção criteriosa de uvas (72% Touriga Nacional e 28% Touriga Franca),  provenientes das vinhas localizadas nas Quintas de Roriz e da Perdiz, e estagiou durante 15 meses em barricas de carvalho francês de 400 L. A Quinta da Vila Velha, propriedade de um membro da família Symington e vizinha de Roriz, também deu o seu contributo. Combina poder e elegância em absoluta perfeição. Complexo no aroma, com notas de frutos silvestres, sensações especiadas e um fundo muito mineral. A boca revela a utilização de uma madeira de luxo e irrepreensivelmente bem integrada. Equilíbrio, harmonia e sintonia são as palavras que melhor descrevem este vinho. Um tinto colossal! Portugal: €45,00 – Reino Unido: £48,00.

Contactos
Prats & Symington, Lda
Quinta de Roriz
São João da Pesqueira
5130-113 Ervedosa Do Douro
Portugal
Email: info@chryseia.com
Site: www.chryseia.com

Chryseia 2012 – the darling of Prats & Symington!
October 13, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

Last September 11, Prats & Symington presented their Chryseia 2012 at the Oporto restaurant Pedro Lemos, located at Foz do Douro, more precisely at Foz Velha (Old River Mouth).

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Tasted Wines © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Chef Pedro Lemos, who lends his name to the restaurant, was the author of the amazing menu that accompanied not just the Chryseia 2012 tasting, but also the tasting of the new harvests of Post Scriptum 2012 and Prazo de Roriz 2011 – the house’s two other references.

It’s important to mention that Chryseia is born from a partnership between the Prats & Symington families, to produce one of the most recognizable Douro DOC Wines in Portugal and abroad, of the last fifteen years. This was the first Portuguese still wine (the second harvest dated from 2001) to be on the “TOP 100” of the well-known magazine Wine Spectator, ranking at number 19 with 94 points. In January 2013, Chryseia 2011 received 97 points from the afore mentioned Wine Spectator, the second highest grade ever given to a still Portuguese wine.

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Bruno Prats & Rupert Symington © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Prats & Symington originated in 1999, from a partnership between the families, with the same surnames. The partnership between Bruno Prats, Bordeaux producer, former owner of Château Cos d’Estournel, and the Symington family, one of the biggest Douro vineyard owners (around 27 Quintas – Estates – with approximately 1.000 hectares of vineyards and with brands such as Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s, Quinta do Vesúvio and Altano on their portfolio) combines the traditions and the knowledge of two of the largest wine regions in the world, applying this knowledge to the unique varieties and terroir of the Douro valley.

The event was hosted by Bruno Prats and Rupert Symington, directors of Prats & Symington, and was attended by the best known Portuguese press and trade members. Nobody wanted to miss the presentation of this remarkable wine!
The lunch began with pigeon with salsify and peas, properly harmonized with Prazo de Roriz 2011.

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Pigeon © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Followed by “rabino” tuna belly, that matched perfectly with Post Scriptum 2012.

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“Rabilho” Tuna Belly © Prats & Symington, Lda.

To harmonize with the star of the company – Chryseia 2012 – Chef Pedro Lemos created a dish of aged veal with ripe beans and smoked bacon. Fantastic!

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Aged Veal © Prats & Symington, Lda.

To accompany dessert, an excellent Quinta de Roriz Porto Vintage 2003 was served. The Port was, no doubt, very good… but so was the Chryseia 2012. It seemed impossible to stop having it near us!

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Dessert © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Prazo de Roriz red 2011
Good aromatic presence, with black fruit notes, such as plums and black cherries, coming up immediately. Its balsamic side is also evident, with notes of mint and eucalyptus complementing the fruit. The body has medium volume and the wine shows itself ready and harmonious. The clear presence of tannins predicts some aging capacity. Portugal: €8,90 – United Kingdom: £12.

Post Scriptum red 2012
The nose is charmingly floral, with marked notes of gum rockrose supported by the ripe red fruit of very good quality. In the mouth it is fresh, with the right acidity and an elegant and well proportionate body. The finale is long and its capacity to endure in time is a given. Portugal: €13,50 – United Kingdom: £18.

Chryseia red 2012
Produced from a careful grape selection (72% Touriga Nacional and 28% Touriga Franca), from the vineyards located at the estates Quinta de Roriz and Quinta da Perdiz. It aged for 15 months in 400 lt. French oak barrels. The Quinta da Vila Velha, estate owned by a member of the Symington family and its neighbor Roriz, have also given their contribution. It combines power and elegance in absolute perfection. Complex in the aroma, with notes of wild fruits, spicy sensations and a very mineral background. The mouth reveals the use of luxurious wood, irrepressibly well integrated. Balance, harmony and syntony are the words that better describe this wine. A colossal red! Portugal: €45,00 – United Kingdom: £48,00.

Contacts
Prats & Symington, Lda
Quinta de Roriz
São João da Pesqueira
5130-113 Ervedosa Do Douro
Portugal
Email: info@chryseia.com
Site: www.chryseia.com

Chryseia 2012 – the darling of Prats & Symington!
October 13, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

Last September 11, Prats & Symington presented their Chryseia 2012 at the Oporto restaurant Pedro Lemos, located at Foz do Douro, more precisely at Foz Velha (Old River Mouth).

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Tasted Wines © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Chef Pedro Lemos, who lends his name to the restaurant, was the author of the amazing menu that accompanied not just the Chryseia 2012 tasting, but also the tasting of the new harvests of Post Scriptum 2012 and Prazo de Roriz 2011 – the house’s two other references.

It’s important to mention that Chryseia is born from a partnership between the Prats & Symington families, to produce one of the most recognizable Douro DOC Wines in Portugal and abroad, of the last fifteen years. This was the first Portuguese still wine (the second harvest dated from 2001) to be on the “TOP 100” of the well-known magazine Wine Spectator, ranking at number 19 with 94 points. In January 2013, Chryseia 2011 received 97 points from the afore mentioned Wine Spectator, the second highest grade ever given to a still Portuguese wine.

Blend_All_About_Wine_Chryseia_2012_the_darling_of_Prats_&_Symington_2

Bruno Prats & Rupert Symington © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Prats & Symington originated in 1999, from a partnership between the families, with the same surnames. The partnership between Bruno Prats, Bordeaux producer, former owner of Château Cos d’Estournel, and the Symington family, one of the biggest Douro vineyard owners (around 27 Quintas – Estates – with approximately 1.000 hectares of vineyards and with brands such as Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s, Quinta do Vesúvio and Altano on their portfolio) combines the traditions and the knowledge of two of the largest wine regions in the world, applying this knowledge to the unique varieties and terroir of the Douro valley.

The event was hosted by Bruno Prats and Rupert Symington, directors of Prats & Symington, and was attended by the best known Portuguese press and trade members. Nobody wanted to miss the presentation of this remarkable wine!
The lunch began with pigeon with salsify and peas, properly harmonized with Prazo de Roriz 2011.

Blend_All_About_Wine_Chryseia_2012_the_darling_of_Prats_&_Symington_3

Pigeon © Prats & Symington, Lda.

Followed by “rabino” tuna belly, that matched perfectly with Post Scriptum 2012.

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“Rabilho” Tuna Belly © Prats & Symington, Lda.

To harmonize with the star of the company – Chryseia 2012 – Chef Pedro Lemos created a dish of aged veal with ripe beans and smoked bacon. Fantastic!

Blend_All_About_Wine_Chryseia_2012_the_darling_of_Prats_&_Symington_5

Aged Veal © Prats & Symington, Lda.

To accompany dessert, an excellent Quinta de Roriz Porto Vintage 2003 was served. The Port was, no doubt, very good… but so was the Chryseia 2012. It seemed impossible to stop having it near us!

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Dessert © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Prazo de Roriz red 2011
Good aromatic presence, with black fruit notes, such as plums and black cherries, coming up immediately. Its balsamic side is also evident, with notes of mint and eucalyptus complementing the fruit. The body has medium volume and the wine shows itself ready and harmonious. The clear presence of tannins predicts some aging capacity. Portugal: €8,90 – United Kingdom: £12.

Post Scriptum red 2012
The nose is charmingly floral, with marked notes of gum rockrose supported by the ripe red fruit of very good quality. In the mouth it is fresh, with the right acidity and an elegant and well proportionate body. The finale is long and its capacity to endure in time is a given. Portugal: €13,50 – United Kingdom: £18.

Chryseia red 2012
Produced from a careful grape selection (72% Touriga Nacional and 28% Touriga Franca), from the vineyards located at the estates Quinta de Roriz and Quinta da Perdiz. It aged for 15 months in 400 lt. French oak barrels. The Quinta da Vila Velha, estate owned by a member of the Symington family and its neighbor Roriz, have also given their contribution. It combines power and elegance in absolute perfection. Complex in the aroma, with notes of wild fruits, spicy sensations and a very mineral background. The mouth reveals the use of luxurious wood, irrepressibly well integrated. Balance, harmony and syntony are the words that better describe this wine. A colossal red! Portugal: €45,00 – United Kingdom: £48,00.

Contacts
Prats & Symington, Lda
Quinta de Roriz
São João da Pesqueira
5130-113 Ervedosa Do Douro
Portugal
Email: info@chryseia.com
Site: www.chryseia.com

Graham’s – Ne Oublie … Very Old Tawny Port
October 8, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

The Symington family has launched a wine from 1882 to celebrate the arrival in Portugal of the family’s pioneer. The name couldn’t have been more exemplar. Ne Oublie – meaning unforgettable or do not forget! Ne Oublie is more than an extraordinary wine; it is a family jewel, a historical and cultural relic.

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Ne Oublie – © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

These expressions in French originated many centuries ago. We have Honi soit qui mal y pense as an example, a French phrase meaning Shame on him who thinks this evil, much used in educated circles. It is also the motto of the Order of the Garter, the British Order of Chivalry, created by King Edward III, in the days of the Crusades.

Legend has it that in 1347, during a ball, the Salisbury Countess, mistress of Edward III, dropped her blue garter. The king promptly placed it back, under the (complicit) gazes and smiles of the court nobles and shouted (in French, the British court’s official language) “Messieurs, honni soit qui mal y pense! Ceux qui rient en ce moment seront un jour très honorés d’en porter une semblable, car ce ruban sera mis en tel honneur que les railleurs eux-mêmes le rechercheront avec empressement.” The following day he created the Order of the Garter – having as symbol the blue garter on a golden background – to this day the most prestigious order in the United Kingdom, with just 25 members and the British monarch as the sole Grand Master.

I couldn’t have tasted this wine in better company… so British! Even the weather was appropriate! In Portuguese soil, at Quinta do Bomfim (Bomfim Estate), Pinhão, Douro, under a huge thunderstorm and with two Brits. Paul Symington current director of the Symington Family Estates and Sarah Ahmed, the British writer currently most focused on Portuguese wines. I thank both for this experience!

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Ne Oublie – © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Many consider the price prohibitive – around € 5.500,00. However according to Paul Symington we are talking of not just a drink, but a luxury item, rare and exclusive. “… If Port wine isn’t able to have a product at the level of Hermès, Cartier or Louis Vuitton, this means we are at a second level…”!

And we are certainly talking about a superior level product. An end of the XIX century Port, presented in a numbered crystal-blown decanter, handmade by master glassmakers of the Portuguese Atlantis factory, with three silver rings molded and engraved by Scottish goldsmiths Hayward & Stott and kept in a specially designed leather box, hand produced by the famous British brand Smythson, of Bond Street.

Symington is nowadays the main Port wine family. Sales leads in the special categories, they hold the Graham’s, Warre’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s, Smith Woodhouse, Quinta do Vesúvio, Martinez, Gould Campbell and Quarles Harris brands and possess more than 1000 hectares of vineyards in Douro.

The empire and emotional connections the family has with Douro, really began in 1882 when Scots Andrew James Symington, then 19 years old, arrived in Portugal to work at Graham’s, another Scottish family, long established in this country and that, at the time, was dedicated to cotton mills.

And because I love history and stories, I always run the risk of becoming tedious to those who read me. To abbreviate that part… now it’s important to talk about the wine and the tasting itself. [If you wish to read more about other Grahm’s tasted tawnies by this site please see our previous article]

This is a wine enclosed in just three barrels, one of which originated the 656 bottles now on the market.

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Ne Oublie – © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

As a wine, it fits the purest Douro tradition, the Tawny tradition, as the “generous” wine it is, kept in barrels and passing from generation to generation. It is along the lines of Scion, the 155 years old wine Taylor’s launched in 2010, at € 2.500,00 per bottle. Despite its high cost, the wine was a success and created a copycat effect in the sector. In a short period of time, several very old Port wines appeared on the market, at never before seen prices. The last one to be launched was Taylor’s Single Harvest 1963, one of the wines this company inherited with last year’s purchase of Wiese & Krohn, a small family house specialized in Port Colheitas. Also enveloped in a luxury case, each one of the 1650 bottles was available for sale at three thousand euros.

With Ne Oublie, Symington set the bar even higher. But taking a closer look, €5500 is – more or less – the price of a Porto Vintage Noval Nacional 1963 bottle (no luxury case included). And there are much younger French wines, Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy – not as good – and equally expensive. Ne Oublie is then far from being an eccentricity.

It is wines like these, exclusive and luxuriously presented, that elevate Port Wine to the highest standard.

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Ne Oublie – © Blend All About Wine, Lda.

Graham’s – Ne Oublie … Very Old Tawny Port
Deep and hermetically concentrated, it showed precision like no other. I have tasted other old Ports, but none has impressed me like this one. All good, no doubt, but some reveal too much concentration, excessive molasses, a few exacerbated characteristics or perhaps too much stuff. This one shows everything in its place. To say that you can feel the dry fruit, such as nuts and hazelnuts, is a cliché… of course they are all there! Orange zest, some notes of old wood, a little honey and caramel. Everything exists in this complex wine. Besides that we have iodine and pharmacy notes. The mouth is remarkably overwhelming. Damn… so much finesse… never before tasted. Al dente acidity, well measured concentration, depth and complexity… in the right measure. This wine’s prime characteristic is the precision. The most “accurate” Tawny ever tasted… maybe even one of the greatest examples of the excellence of Douro!

Contacts
Symington Family Estates
Travessa Barão de Forrester 86
Apartado 26
4431-901 Vila Nova de Gaia
Portugal
Tel:  (+351) 223 776 300
Fax: (+351) 223 776 301
E-mail: symington@symington.com
Site: http: www.symington.com