Trinca Bolotas – Born and raised in Alentejo!

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

I tasted this wine for the very first time at a lunch organized by Sogrape, at the Largo Restaurant, right in the heart of Lisbon’s Chiado.

By the hand of Chef Miguel Castro e Silva, we tasted several different dishes well harmonized with wines from Herdade do Peso (Peso Estate).

The motto for this meeting was precisely the presentation of this new wine from Alentejo and the table couldn’t have been better decorated. It was full of bonsai shaped corktrees that, at the end of the lunch, were kindly offered to the guests.

Like the table, the name and image of the wine couldn’t have been better.

The color orange reminds us of the light and warmth of the plains in Alentejo and the name “Trinca Bolotas” pays tribute to the traditional “boloteiro” pig (acorn eating pig), the sole survivor of Europe’s grazing pigs.

Sure enough, the chosen dish by Chef Miguel Castro e Silva to harmonize with Trinca Bolotas, was a tender and delicious pig nape. Excellent match!

According to Luís Cabral de Almeida, the winemaker now at the head of Herdade do Peso after spending 10 years at Finca Flinchman – a Sogrape estate as well and situated in Mendonza, Argentina – given its exceptional quality-price ratio (€ 5,99), this wine is a serious candidate to becoming this region´s winemaking ambassador.

This is in fact a wine made from grapes produced in accordance with the integrated production guidelines for sustainable agriculture, and we can easily predict its great commercial success.

TRINCA BOLOTAS TINTO 2013 – DOC ALENTEJO
Actually this wine couldn’t be more from Alentejo! It does full justice to the region, in name, in image and also in its intrinsic characteristics. Made from the Alicante Bouschet (44%), Touriga Nacional (40%) and Aragonêz (16%) varieties, it aged in new French oak and Caucasian barrels for 6 months.

The charm of Alicante Bouschet made in Alentejo can be strongly felt in the color, in the volume and in the aromas of great quality black fruit. Touriga Nacional gives it its floral side and Aragonês closes the set with ripe red fruit aromas.

The mouth is quite fresh (yes, Vidigueira, even though many may disagree, is a heaven of freshness) and reveals also a good structure, the right acidity and tannins that, although present, are soft and very suited for the harmonization of this wine with different delicacies, such as the traditional and delicious meat dishes from Alentejo.

A wine that was missing from the Sogrape Vinhos Alentejo portfolio!

Trinca Bolotas. Da sua mesa vê-se o Alentejo | 2014 – (c) Sogrape Vinhos, SA

And because the best is always saved for last (at least I like to) here is a short video depicting the life of the Trinca Bolotas (and the pig itself!) in its natural habitat – the plains of Alentejo or better yet the Herdade do Peso.

Contacts
Herdade Do Peso E Anexas – Sociedade Agrícola, Lda.
Rua da Misericórdia 46
Site: www.herdadedopeso.pt

Niepoort – Batuta 2001

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

We are facing a wine that has generated some controversy when it came out to the market. For some, it promptly rose to the point of the best Batuta ever. For others, it became a source of disagreements and disputes. Does the producer have the right to change the profile of a wine in this segment, with its status and such a long line of followers?

Well, it seems to me like a subject of great interest for a lively debate. There are arguments for both sides. As far as I know Dirk Niepoort and his passion for wines, dogmas and the status quo are certainly not determining factors. Without compromising quality, his customers’ loyalty is more rooted in the permanent search for differentiation, in the willingness to go further, wanting to do more and better and to experiment to the point of exhaustion, in a never ending search for Excellency.

This Batuta has proved himself more challenging and irreverent. Maybe a bit more restrained at the beginning, but with time in the glass it became looser and revealed its entire splendor. Fruit and barrel in perfect balance as was expected. Wild fruits. Blackberries and blueberries highlighted. The toast is light and very well integrated. Balsamic hints show up here and there. Earthy and resin feelings mark their presence.

All of this in a very well drafted registry, without harsh edges. Its acidity is perfect and the tannins, although present, are already very smooth and silky. Its longevity appears to be a certainty, as well as its character and enormous balance.

Make no mistake lovers of testosterone, you will not find your “promise land” in here. A wine that without losing power is also very elegant, full of vitality and blaze, a wine with great depth and an ending ad infinitum!

Contacts
Niepoort (Vinhos) S.A.
Rua Cândido dos Reis, 670
4400-071 Vila Nova de Gaia
Tel. (+351) 223 777 770
Fax. (+351) 223 320 209
Email: info@niepoort.pt
Site: www.niepoort-vinhos.com

Quinta do Vallado – 30 and 40 Year Old Tawnies

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

Launched to market at the end of 2012, these dated Tawnies are confirmation of the quality of the wines produced by Quinta do Vallado. After the excellency of their 20 year old Tawny, this Quinta (Estate), previously held by the legendary D. Antónia Ferreira and currently in the hands of her fifth generation, presented to the market two old Ports of lovely structure and tonicity.

These are wines full of history. Wines kept by the mastery of oenologists, in this particular case, more than doing… it’s important not to mess up what time has already made! Noble wines, exalted by the strength of evaporation that gives them enormous concentration and transforms them almost into an essence.

TAWNY 30 Years
Of amber color, with strokes of orange, this Tawny is easy to like. From the charm of the “vinagrino” to the orange zest, from the toasted almonds to the nutmeg, from the dry fig to the pralines, everything is unveiled from its complex and seductive aromatic set. In the mouth it is glyceriny and viscous. With a very well measured acidity, it ends intense and with remarkable depth. An example of true mastery!

TAWNY 40 Years
Serious and severe looking, this dated Port has an intense and dark coppery color. In the nose, it shows inflated notes of caramel, nut, hazelnut and a lot, a lot of coffee. Very spicy, with evident notes of cloves and cinnamon, it is unctuous, voluminous and refined. Compact and elegant, it shows absolutely irreprehensible freshness and acidity. Perfect for moments of introspection and for meditating on life’s big decisions.

Contacts
Quinta do Vallado – Sociedade Agrícola, Lda.
Vilarinho dos Freires
5050-364 – Peso da Régua | Portugal
Phone: +351 254 318 081
Email: geral@quintadovallado.com
Site: www.quintadovallado.com

Quinta do Vallado – 30 and 40 Year Old Tawnies

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

Launched to market at the end of 2012, these dated Tawnies are confirmation of the quality of the wines produced by Quinta do Vallado. After the excellency of their 20 year old Tawny, this Quinta (Estate), previously held by the legendary D. Antónia Ferreira and currently in the hands of her fifth generation, presented to the market two old Ports of lovely structure and tonicity.

These are wines full of history. Wines kept by the mastery of oenologists, in this particular case, more than doing… it’s important not to mess up what time has already made! Noble wines, exalted by the strength of evaporation that gives them enormous concentration and transforms them almost into an essence.

TAWNY 30 Years
Of amber color, with strokes of orange, this Tawny is easy to like. From the charm of the “vinagrino” to the orange zest, from the toasted almonds to the nutmeg, from the dry fig to the pralines, everything is unveiled from its complex and seductive aromatic set. In the mouth it is glyceriny and viscous. With a very well measured acidity, it ends intense and with remarkable depth. An example of true mastery!

TAWNY 40 Years
Serious and severe looking, this dated Port has an intense and dark coppery color. In the nose, it shows inflated notes of caramel, nut, hazelnut and a lot, a lot of coffee. Very spicy, with evident notes of cloves and cinnamon, it is unctuous, voluminous and refined. Compact and elegant, it shows absolutely irreprehensible freshness and acidity. Perfect for moments of introspection and for meditating on life’s big decisions.

Contacts
Quinta do Vallado – Sociedade Agrícola, Lda.
Vilarinho dos Freires
5050-364 – Peso da Régua | Portugal
Phone: +351 254 318 081
Email: geral@quintadovallado.com
Site: www.quintadovallado.com

BARBEITO – The Time For Malvasias

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

To talk of Barbeito wines is to talk, first and foremost, of tradition with passion. It all started in 1946 with Mário Barbeito Vasconcelos, in a time when there were over 30 producers and Madeira wine exporters. Nowadays there are only seven.
In 1985, with the passing of Mário Barbeito, it was his daughter Manuela Vasconcelos who took up the management of the company, becoming the first woman to export Madeira wines. In 1991, Manuela passed the torch to her son, Ricardo Diogo Freitas. Although he maintained the respect for the traditional methods, Ricardo brought new energy and innovation spirit to the Barbeito Wines.

I like his cheekiness and “rebellious” way to face the production of Madeira. He made a difference by launching unique wines, from unique casks and unique vines. Furthermore, he was also one of the first to appreciate Tinta Negra (a grape variety that is not included in the so called noble varieties), by ageing it in the traditional Canteiro method.

I usually call him Madeira’s Dirk Niepoort, and this is what our country needs: people who think outside the box and who elevate Portugal’s name and Portuguese wines.

Producing wines and selling them in international markets is nowadays very different than what it was 30 years ago. We are up against great brands and big producing countries. This is the reason why we have to think differently, do differently and be different! We are very small, we’ll never be able to compete in terms of volume, but we can compete in terms of quality and singularity.

Singularity is something Madeira wines aren’t short of. They are emotional wines, intellectual wines that rely on time and the mastery of the ones who make them… wines that grow old smoothly and for which time is a factor of quality and distinctiveness!

Barbeito produces excellent wines that come from the different Madeira grape varieties, but now I will speak of Malvasia, because this grape variety has an intrinsic relationship with this producer, if not for anything else, because it was Manuela Vasconcelos favorite variety.

MALVASIA 2002 – Casco Único 260 D + E (Single Cask)
This wine was aged in French oak casks, following the traditional Canteiro method. Peach and nectarines prevail in its primary aromas. But it’s the caramel and the dried fruits that are most felt. I also tasted some stem and vegetal. The mouth is dense and voluminous, sweet as is typical of Malvasia, but still it felt drier than most Malvasias in the market. Good concentration, with hints of fig and orange zest. Elegant and, with remarkable acidity, it must be served and enjoyed at a temperature between 12ºC and 14ºC.

MALVASIA 20 YEARS – Lote 14050
It seemed to me like a very moderate wine, in the nose. Fine and delicate, elegant with great appeal. It enthralls by the olfactory contention that, afterwards, explodes in great feelings in the palate. In the mouth it is pungent, profound and powerful. This is where it shows its true colors.

I can imagine it being an enormous challenge for the producer to make such a wine. Practically made with a ruler and a triangle. Very well thought and executed. The mastery of the human mind is well felt here.
There were only 1020 bottles made and whoever has the opportunity to purchase it, will find it a good use of their money. Although being powerful, it can also be fine and well cared. Its final reveals all its finesse, complex acidity and enormous persistence.

MÃE MANUELA – 40 Years 
And we finally arrive at the crème de la crème of Malvasias! An apotheotic way to end this article. As Malvasia was Manuela Vasconcelos’ favorite grape variety, Ricardo Diogo decided to pay tribute to his mother, bottling 1050 bottles of this precious wine made from a blend of 40 year old Malvasia and some older wines from the family’s private collection.

With clear aromas of dried fruits and caramel, it’s still possible to taste the citrus and orange zest hints. You can feel almost everything in this wine, such is its complexity. Dried figs, tobacco leaf and old wood cues are also very notorious.

This wine has received enormous praise from the specialized press, national and international, and it’s easy to understand the reason why. Noble, structured and elegant, it shows a passionate mouth, with spicy acidity and a much focused final… almost endless!

Are there anthology wines??? Then this is one of them…!!!

See here and here Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective’s opinion. 

Contacts:
Barbeito Wines
Estrada da Ribeira Garcia
Parque Empresarial de Câmara de Lobos – Lote 8
9300-324 Câmara de Lobos – Madeira – Portugal
Phone: 00 351 291 765 832
Email: info@vinhosbarbeito.com.pt
Site: http://www.vinhosbarbeito.com

Vale dos Ares – A new Alvarinho by a new Wine Producer

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

“Vale dos Ares” is a brand inspired by the name of the old county of Valadares. “The old county of Valadares made its existence official in the year 1317, occupying to that date the majority of the geographical sub-region of Monção and Melgaço. Due to its dimension and wealth generating ability, as well as some inability from the Kings in controlling the irreverent populace, its autonomy had been continuously delayed since the establishment of Portugal. It’s this vivacity and enthusiasm of the people of Valadares that we want to assume as the brand values of “Vale dos Ares”.

This brand is owned by the company MQ Vinhos (MQ Wines), a young family owned company that, in the words of the wine producer Miguel Queimado, has embraced with all the passion, the concept of boutique winery, dedicating itself to the making of DOC wines.

MQ Vinhos is located at Quinta do Mato, right at the heart of the sub-region of Monção and Melgaço and has been owned by the family since 1683.

The enological responsibility is in the hands of a woman, Gabriela Albuquerque. The team’s main goal is to produce a unique wine, made with all the attention and care, with every step of the production process under control, be it the grape or the wine itself.

Steeped in a strong passion, they want to present to the market, a wine that expresses, in a very clear and evident way, all the characteristics of its terroir.

In reality, it’s this respect for the singularity of the Alvarinho variety and for the terroir that births it, that has allowed them to make a wine that is not just another Alvarinho! It was born to be a good reference of the Monção-Melgaço “latitude”!

I only tasted the 2013 vintage. Still, I can say that this is a debut of the wine producer, as this wine went to market with the 2012 vintage.

With a very fragrant profile, but without masks or excessive exuberances, it is very fresh, with a well-controlled acidity. Despite its tropical hues, with clearly evident passion fruit and pineapple, especially in the first taste, the truth is that throughout the tasting, the citrus and mineral hints are the ones that become more evident.

Elegant, balanced with remarkable mouth structure, it is the perfect pair for see food and grilled fishes. It ends in a serious, focused and harmonious way. The lack of history doesn’t allow us to assess its longevity, but I can predict a complex evolution in the bottle, from 3 to 5 years, as long as it is properly stowed.

A curious Alvarinho, that makes us curious to follow him closely by!

Contacts
MQ Vinhos, Unipessoal Lda
Quinta do Mato, s\n, Lugar do Mato
4950-740 Sá-MNC
Tel: (+351) 251 531 775
Mobile: (+351) 934 459 171
Email: info@mqvinhos.pt
Site: mqvinhos

Vale dos Ares – Um novo Alvarinho de um novo Produtor!

Texto Olga Cardoso

“Vale dos Ares” é uma marca inspirada no nome do antigo concelho de Valadares = Vale dos Ares. “O antigo concelho de Valadares oficializou a sua existência no ano de 1317, ocupando à data a maior parte da área geográfica da sub-região de Monção e Melgaço. Devido à sua dimensão e capacidade de gerar riqueza, bem como alguma incapacidade dos Reis em controlar a irreverente população, a sua autonomia foi continuadamente adiada desde a fundação de Portugal. É esta vivacidade e entusiasmo da gente de Valadares que pretendemos assumir como os valores da marca “Vale dos Ares”.

Esta marca é titulada pela empresa MQ Vinhos, uma jovem empresa familiar que, nas palavras do produtor – Miguel Queimado – abraçou com toda a paixão o conceito de “boutique winery”, dedicando-se à produção de vinhos DOC. A MQ Vinhos está localizada na Quinta do Mato, precisamente a meio da sub-região de Monção e Melgaço e está na propriedade da família desde 1683.

A responsabilidade enológica está a cargo de uma mulher, Gabriela Albuquerque, sendo o objectivo primordial da equipa produzir um vinho único, feito com toda a atenção e cuidado, com controlo a par e passo de todos os momentos de produção, quer da uva, quer do próprio vinho.

Imbuídos de forte paixão, pretendem apresentar ao mercado um vinho que expresse, de forma perfeitamente clara e evidente, todas as características do seu terroir.

Efectivamente, parece ser este respeito pela singularidade da casta Alvarinho e pelo terroir que lhe serve de berço, que lhes permitiu produzir um vinho que não se limita a ser apenas mais um Alvarinho! Nasceu para ser uma boa referência da “latitude” Monção-Melgaço!

Só provei a colheita de 2013. Ainda assim, poderei afirmar que se trata de uma estreia do produtor, uma vez que este vinho saiu para o mercado com a colheita de 2012.

Com um perfil bastante aromático, mas sem máscaras ou excessivas exuberâncias, mostra-se muito fresco e com uma acidez bem controlada. Apesar dos seus toques tropicais, com o maracujá e o ananás em perfeita evidência, sobretudo no seu ataque inicial, a verdade é que com o decorrer da prova, são as suas notas cítricas e minerais que se fazem mais sentir.

Elegante, equilibrado e com notável estrutura de boca, afigura-se o companheiro ideal para mariscos e peixes grelhados. Termina de forma séria, focada e harmoniosa. Não existe historial para que lhe possamos aferir uma adequada longevidade, mas poderei vaticinar-lhe uma complexante evolução em garrafa entre os 3 e os 5 anos, desde que devidamente acondicionado para o efeito.

Um curioso Alvarinho, que nos deixa a curiosidade para o seguir bem de perto!

Contactos
MQ Vinhos, Unipessoal Lda
Quinta do Mato, sn, Lugar do Mato
4950-740 Sá-MNC
Tel: (+351) 251 531 775
Telemóvel: (+351) 934 459 171
Email: info@mqvinhos.pt
Site: mqvinhos

LISBOA … a wine renewed region!

Text Olga Cardoso | Translation Teresa Calisto

The Lisboa wine region, formerly known as Estremadura, is situated northwest of the capital, in an area ​​about 40 km long. The climate is mostly temperate due to the Atlantic influence.

The vines that grow near the coast ripen more slowly due to sea breezes, while those located in the sunniest areas of the interior are well shielded by terrain.

The Lisboa wine region is presently one of the most important of the country in terms of production volume and includes 9 different designations of origin, thus recognizing the typicality, singularity and quality of its wines.

Alenquer, Arruda, Bucelas, Carcavelos, Colares, Encostas d’Aire, Lourinhã, Óbidos and Torres Vedras, are their Designations of Origin, and there is also a homonymous geographical indication ” Vinho Regional Lisboa “. See here for more details.

In the southern region, are the three designations of origin best known for its tradition and prestige: Bucelas, Carcavelos and Colares.

In its central part, we find the widest vineyard spots of this region, where apart from the Wine with Geographical Indication Lisboa, the Denominations of Origin Alenquer, Arruda, Torres Vedras and Óbidos were recognized for their high quality features.

Closer to the sea we find a wine producing area particularly suited for the production of quality spirits and deserving of the recognition of Denomination of Origin Lourinhã.

In an area a bit more to the North, an extensive wine region is seen, stretching from the mountain slopes of Candeeiro and Aires to the sea. There, wines entitled to the Denomination of Origin Encosta d’Aire are produced.

The region of Lisbon Wines embraces thusly an area of ​​30 000 hectares of vineyards, producing about 20 million certified bottles of wine, spirits (brandy), sparkling and liquer (fortified) wines.

The main white varieties are Arinto, Fernão Pires, Malvasia, Seara Nova and Vital, while the predominant red grape varieties are Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, Tinta Miúda, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira, beyond the contribution of international varieties such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

In the wine growing region of Lisboa, nowadays many whites of remarkable quality are produced. However, it is from Bucelas, demarcated in 1911, that their most famous and appreciated white wines come from.

Drawn mainly from the Arinto grape, these white wines have balanced acidity, soft floral aromas and are able to retain their qualities for years.

Regarding the reds, this region has been undergoing some changes in their overall outlook. If Colares and Carcavelos today assume a high historical importance, other designations of origin, the result of massive restructuring carried out in vineyards and wineries, are now producing harmonious and balanced wines, well known for their good quality/price ratio.

The region of Alenquer produces some of the most prestigious DOC wines of the Lisboa region. Its location favors the ripening of the grapes, resulting in more intense and concentrated reds.

Elsewhere in the region of Lisboa, red wines are aromatic, elegant, rich in tannins and able to age a few years in bottle.

The Result of modernization and investment in quality, the profile of Lisboa red wines began to change, and they’ve acquired more structure, balance, intensity and complexity.

And now I invite you to see a video of the city of seven hills – its wines, history and diversity.

CVR Lisboa | All Rights Reserved

LISBOA WINE REGION – wines of passion!