Text José Silva

Situated very close to Montemor-o-Novo, in the open Alentejo, this hotel is much more than that. Bathed by the typical landscape of Alentejo, benefiting from that quietness, that peace, it is a very modern hotel that has been developing, almost for three years now, a new concept, where wine production is an integral part of the whole unit. In the central building are all the services that L’And can offer: restaurant, living rooms and spa that includes a swimming pool, and a nice swimming pool on the outside.

And, under this building is, imagine, the cellar. But it is a small cellar, with very small stainless steel tanks, a lilliputian version of the Alentejo cellars. In charge is Paulo Laureano, a winemaker with great experience, who accepted this challenge. Outside, in front of the building are the vineyards, but there are also vineyards just besides the swimming pool, next to the first hotel suites. They are only two level buildings, as are all the others, in an environmental integration that was a great concern of the owners from the beginning.

An artificial lake is there only to keep the water to irrigate the vast lawn and, when it is the time, the vineyards. Although cars can park near the suites, the hotel personnel always rides in electrical buggies all around the property. There we cannot find the traditional hotel rooms, but suites with at least two bedrooms, with huge living rooms, full of light and very well equipped, with mini-bar, Nexpresso coffee machine, tv with all the available channels, video and Iphone and Ipod support, air conditioning and an completely private interior yard.

There are even straw hats, which can be very useful, I would say even fundamental, to face the energy of the Alentejo sun. Outside each suite there is a nice fireplace, where you may light a fire to be outside, at night. There are also some villas that were sold to private persons, but that are part of the entire compound, even benefiting from some of its services. It is a place to rest and have some wonderful walks, but that is still very near to Montemor-o-Novo, with all you may need easy to find.

In the spa, as in all the suites, they use Caudalie beauty care products, prepared with grapes and wine, and a variety of applications, massages and wine therapy treatments proposed by the spa, with nice results. But the body has to be well treated also on the inside, and there is an excellent restaurant, where every morning a full breakfast is served. Although it is closed Monday and Tuesday, the restaurant has got a wonderful service, tables very well dressed and professionals that look after every little detail, and that includes the service of a sommelier, who proposes appealing trips to our wine world.

And those are the support of a menu prepared each day by Chef Miguel Laffan´s team that has got great experience and good taste that got them in 2013 the assignment of a star in the renowned Michelin guide, as a matter of fact well-deserved. It´s the search for soft and sophisticated tastes and textures where they use continuously genuine Portuguese products, with brilliant results, and that bring many visitors there, with a high percentage of Portuguese that are giving more and more value to our products, our wine and our professionals.

The tasting menu that we shared is a good solution to taste starters, fish, meat and dessert, to which you can add many wines served by the glass. We began to nibble on caramelized almonds with curry, till a delicious fish from the vicentina coast soup arrived, with roasted crayfish and creamy oyster croquette, followed by the tuna tataki in millefeuille, purple onion jam and mango chutney and horseradish, coriander, bergamot and wasabi salad.

Also a delicious red mullet on the stove with cockle bread panada, salted squid and fish stew and crispy salad.

Then the meat arrived with pork loin from Alentejo, roasted slowly, texturized cauliflower gratin with salted asparagus, pea and regional black pudding, a party to our taste.

For desserts we tasted pistachio tiramisu with white chocolate and glacé cherry, coffee ice cream and crispy tainori chocolate, to end with a carrot duet on pistachio earth with saffron foam and ginger and honey ice cream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposed wines were white sparkling from Herdade do Esporão, very elegant, soft but with persistent bubble and creamy string, the two grapes from the same producer, with Roupeiro and Arinto, from 2012, fresh, very elegant, wonderful acidity and some evolution, excellent wine.

Then came the red from L’And Vineyards Reserva 2010, plain structure, round, pretty much elegant bouquet, velvety but with the strength of red fruit, tannins well connected, a wine to remember. For desserts the sommelier proposed a Port Wine White Reserva Rozès and the Grandjó 2008 Late Harvest, and he proposed very well.

Served at the right temperature and glasses, they were the excellent epilogue for a wonderful meal in this L´And Vineyards.

Contacts
L´And Vineyards
Estrada Nacional 4
Herdade das Valadas
Apartado 122
7050-031 Montemor-o-Novo
Évora
Tel: (+351) 266 242 400
Fax: (+351) 266 242 401
E-mail: reservas@l-and.com or info@l-and.com
Site: l-andvineyards.com