Text José Silva

After visiting the vineyards, enjoying the charming Douro river landscape and tasting Douro Superior wines, the hour had arrived to have some rest and to sit at the table. And that was what we did, in the superb Casas do Côro dining room, after an interesting guided visit to the touristic unit. The room is very well dressed, good taste everywhere, sober, very sheltering, even the light is soft, a cozy place.

Table very well-set, with everything that is needed for a quiet great meal.

And because Casas do Côro also have their own wines, they accompany the whole meal. And we were guided by the two owners: Cármen described the dishes, Paulo explained the wines. All of this with an excellent table service, both serving the food and handling the wines. These wines are made by two friends of the house, Dirk Niepoort, the winemaker of Douro Rosé and White Reserva, and Rui Madeira, the maker of Beira Interior White, Red and Red Reserva and Douro Red Grande Reserva. The Casas do Côro unit is located in the division line of these two wine regions.

We started with a white wine from Beira Interior, Casas do Côro White, already from 2013, a wine made from unfamiliar grapes varieties, still very interesting, mainly on the freshness they pass on to the wine. With a very pale citric yellow color, limpid, it reveals wild flowers aromas, very gentle and refined. On the mouth it is quite smooth, very well balanced acidity, some white fruit, pear, plum, intense citric notes and some minerality leaving a wonderful finish.

Meanwhile, bread arrived at the table, from the region, tasty, and we could appreciate a delicious olive salty cake with virgin olive oil and oregano, very well prepared, crispy but soft within, very good.

From the Douro region came this rosé made by Dirk Niepoort, Casas do Côro Rosé 2013, with a pale rose color, refined and dry notes on the nose, a few red fruit, presenting good acidity and delicacy on the mouth, large, velvety, involving and fresh.

As a menu entries we had codfish roll with a rough puré and vegetables on cocotte puree, very hot, a good match between codfish and vegetables, a creamy set, and on the top the contrast of a deliciously crispy cover, making contrast, excellent. We couldn´t miss a soup, a garden vegetable cream, aromatic and very tasting.

We still tasted another white wine, this one from the Douro region, Casas do Côro White Reserva 2012, where Dirk Niepoort puts in place all his well-known good taste, with a precious oak touch, very well matched, slight floral aromas and mild vanilla fragrance, beautiful mouth volume, very involving, a perfect marriage between freshness and acidity, an exotic wine with a long and smooth finish.

The main dish was a delicious small roast kid, boned, in small slices, with crispy roasted potatoes, and a very tasty vegetable roll.

Then we tasted Casas do Côro Beira Interior Red Reserva 2011, a year of great red wines. Good fruit on the nose, some barrel notes and a delicious mineral touch, performing great elegance. Persistence on the mouth, it reminds savage fruits, some black chocolate, slightly spiced and with some smoke notes along with some freshness, in a very well balanced wine.

While we appreciated this red wine, some homemade pastry and dry cheese with some crispy toasts made the end of the meal.
Then, it was time to leave, down the Douro river…

Contacts
Marialvamed – Turismo Histórico e Lazer, Lda
Largo do Côro
6430-081 Marialva – Portugal
Tel: (+351) 917 552 020
Fax: (+351) 279 850 021
E-mail: info@casasdocoro.pt ou reservas@casasdocoro.pt
Website: www.casasdocoro.pt