Blend All About Wine

Posts By : Blend - All About Wine

Herdade da Comporta
January 13, 2016 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

Herdade da Comporta, a property located 1 hour south of Lisbon, on the Alentejo coast, between Alcácer do Sal and Grândola. The landscape is stroke by beaches, dunes, pine forests and rice fields which provide a unique beauty and very desirable to tourism.

With 12,500 hectares Herdade da Comporta is one of the leading national agricultural producers. Here you can expect to taste quality wine as well as horseback riding, golfing, beach, yoga, bird watching, among others. A world of experiences awaits you. The video below reflects some of the magic that you can find in this Estate.

Wines José de Sousa, prestige and history
January 6, 2016 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

The dream of producing Alentejo wine using traditional winemaking methods from an estate with history and prestige led José Maria da Fonseca to buy Casa Agrícola José de Sousa Rosado Fernandes, located in the heart of Alentejo, Reguengos de Monsaraz. A house that in terms of wine producing already knows the turning of 3 centuries.

For a more detailed information of the wines José de Sousa you can read the previously written article by João Pedro de Carvalho here.

If you’re looking to know more about other wines from José Maria da Fonseca you can also see the article written by João Barbosa here.

In the old wine cellar we can find clay amphoras where the wines spend some part of their fermentation process, an ancient technique of winemaking inherited from the romans. The modern wine cellar is equipped with cutting edge technology where a talented and demanding team gives life to wines with vibrant personality, sofistication and nobility.

The wines José de Sousa seek to combine modernity with the rigor of tradition, reflecting Alentejo’s light and sun’s heat.

All this with more detail in the video below:

Quinta do Crasto, in the heart of Douro
December 30, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

Quinta do Crasto, located in the heart of the Douro between Régua and Pinhão, is owned by the family of Leonor and Jorge Roquette for over a century. 70 hectares of a total of 130 have vineyards planted, which rise from the riverbank up to 600m attitude.

Besides the production of DOC Douro wines and Port wines, they also produces olive oil. The passion for work of the winemakers as well as all members of the team, along with heavy investments in cutting-edge equipment allows a concept that combines respect for tradition and at the same time, lifelong learning, improvement and innovation, which projected Quinta do Crasto in domestic and international markets.

The history of Quinta do Crasto is rich and vast, starting with the first references to this Quinta dating back to 1615. The Crasto name derives from the Latin word Castrum that means Roman fort.

All this and more in the video below.

Herdade do Esporão
December 16, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

José Roquette and Joaquim Bandeira bought Herdade do Esporão, in Alentejo, in 1973. Later, in 2008, Esporão bought Quinta dos Murças, in Douro. The company is presided by José Roquette and managed by João Roquette since 2006. With 2000 hectares Esporão‘s goal is to produce excellent portuguese wines and olive oils, and is one of the few Portuguese wine companies that hire a fixed team for the entire year and was the first one in the world to make a commitment with the environment and bio-diversity through international agreements. To make the difference in the world is the mission but without ever forgetting the company’s values – excellence, passion, responsibility, rigor, integrity, tradition and innovation.

Murganheira – Much more than a sparkling wine
December 10, 2015 2 comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

It’s in the Varosa valley (a region where the Douro and the Beira meets) that Murganheira grows the grapes to their wines and sparkling wines. Founded over 60 years ago Murganheira has 30 hectares of vineyard and monitors over 1.000 hectares. Taking up on the knowledge of the Cistercian monks, Murganheira‘s winemaking process makes use of ancient techniques that are constantly being improved and with state of the art technology and equipment. The wines and sparkling wines then age in their unique blue granite cellars. The next step is the remuage using a combination of traditional and present-day methods that culminate in a Champenois technique which Murganheira has mastered for many years now, the dégorgement à la volée. The end result is one of the most iconic, if not the most iconic, sparkling wine of Portugal.

Stay tuned for our upcoming article about Murganheira sparkling wines. Meanwhile stay with this institucional video of the brand.

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova – Wine Tourism of Excellence
December 2, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

It was with the dream of producing high quality wines, the best in the world, that in 1998 the Soares family (João, Paulo, Rita and Margarete Soares) acquired Herdade da Malhadinha Nova.

The first vines were planted in 2001 and in 2003 the Malhadinha’s wine cellar was inaugurated in which it was also integrated a restaurant that offers a signature cuisine with local and fresh products.

The vinification is made in modern refrigerated vats where the traditional methods of winemaking and the use of technology merge together. The labels of all wines produced at Herdade da Malhadinha Nova are drawn and designed by the younger generation of the Soares family.

In the property they also raise Alentejo cattle and black pig. We can also find and olive grove and a stud (that was born in 2008 that had right from the start 6 thoroughbred Lusitano mares).

The hotel, with an integrated Spa, blends tradition with modernity, merging design, rural concept, comfort and elegance together resulting in a complete wine tourism unit with a wide range capable to respond to all visitors, whether they are wine/gastronomy/nature/culture or tradition lovers. There’s also a broad range of activities and experiences such as visiting the estate and the winery, a number of wine tastings and wine tasting courses for beginners, thematic wine tastings, barrel tastings and lunches or picnics in the vineyards, horseback riding or ballooning.

Still not convinced?

Don’t lose the next piece about Herdade da Malhadinha Nova which will be published next Thursday (December 10). Meanwhile stay with this amazing video and João Pedro de Carvalho’s previous article about this estate’s wines.

Vídeo produced by ENCORE FILMES

Blend Teams Up For London’s Portuguese Wines Event
July 31, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

Blend – All About Wine seeks to promote and disseminate portuguese wines around the world and has that as its main aim and guiding principle.

It was based on that purpose that Blend teamed up (as partner) with Sip & Savour to carry out an event designed for oenophiles (consumers) that will take place next Monday, 3rd August, in London.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Sip-Savour

Sip & Savour “holds food and drink matching events at top restaurants in London and the UK, hosted by award-winning writers and producers”.

Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective -, a recognized authority in Portuguese wines (Chair of the Portugal panel at Decanter World Wine Awards) will present her hand-picked wine selections of six top portuguese producers from the wine regions of Vinho Verde and Douro, on behalf of Blend. Namely: Quinta do Ameal, Quinta de Soalheiro, Anselmo Mendes, Conceito Vinhos, Sogrape e Quinta do Portal.

The selected wines were:

Quinta do Ameal Loureiro 2013; Alvarinho Contacto 2014; Alvarinho Primeiras Vinhas 2013; Contraste red 2012; Vinha Grande red 2012; Quinta do Portal Moscatel do Douro Reserva 2004;

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Quinta-do-Ameal-Loureiro-2 Portuguese Wines

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Anselmo-Mendes-Conacto-Alvarinho-2 Portuguese Wines

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Quinta-de-Soalheiro-Primeiras-Vinhas Portuguese Wines

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Conceito-Wines-Contraste

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Casa-Ferreirinha-Vinha-Grande

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Quinta-do-Portal-Moscatel-do-Douro

The chosen venue for holding this event was the Sixtyone Restaurant, a restaurant in south Maylebone, London, which was awarded three AA Rosettes in September 2014 and is run by the Anglo-French Chef Arnaud Stevens.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Sixtyone

Sixtyone Restaurant in sixtyonerestaurant.co.uk

For this lunch Stevens has created an especially designed menu to complement the portuguese wines chosen by Sarah Ahmed.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Arnaud

Chef Arnaud Stevens in sixtyonerestaurant.co.uk

For a more detailed and complete picture of this event do not miss Sarah’s next article on Blend – The Online Wine Magazine, August 13, where she’ll provide a report of the event in its entirety.

Blend Teams Up For London's Portuguese Wines Event
July 31, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by

Text Bruno Mendes

Blend – All About Wine seeks to promote and disseminate portuguese wines around the world and has that as its main aim and guiding principle.

It was based on that purpose that Blend teamed up (as partner) with Sip & Savour to carry out an event designed for oenophiles (consumers) that will take place next Monday, 3rd August, in London.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Sip-Savour

Sip & Savour “holds food and drink matching events at top restaurants in London and the UK, hosted by award-winning writers and producers”.

Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective -, a recognized authority in Portuguese wines (Chair of the Portugal panel at Decanter World Wine Awards) will present her hand-picked wine selections of six top portuguese producers from the wine regions of Vinho Verde and Douro, on behalf of Blend. Namely: Quinta do Ameal, Quinta de Soalheiro, Anselmo Mendes, Conceito Vinhos, Sogrape e Quinta do Portal.

The selected wines were:

Quinta do Ameal Loureiro 2013; Alvarinho Contacto 2014; Alvarinho Primeiras Vinhas 2013; Contraste red 2012; Vinha Grande red 2012; Quinta do Portal Moscatel do Douro Reserva 2004;

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Quinta-do-Ameal-Loureiro-2 Portuguese Wines

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Anselmo-Mendes-Conacto-Alvarinho-2 Portuguese Wines

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Quinta-de-Soalheiro-Primeiras-Vinhas Portuguese Wines

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Conceito-Wines-Contraste

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Casa-Ferreirinha-Vinha-Grande

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Quinta-do-Portal-Moscatel-do-Douro

The chosen venue for holding this event was the Sixtyone Restaurant, a restaurant in south Maylebone, London, which was awarded three AA Rosettes in September 2014 and is run by the Anglo-French Chef Arnaud Stevens.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Sixtyone

Sixtyone Restaurant in sixtyonerestaurant.co.uk

For this lunch Stevens has created an especially designed menu to complement the portuguese wines chosen by Sarah Ahmed.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Blend-Teams-Up-London-Arnaud

Chef Arnaud Stevens in sixtyonerestaurant.co.uk

For a more detailed and complete picture of this event do not miss Sarah’s next article on Blend – The Online Wine Magazine, August 13, where she’ll provide a report of the event in its entirety.