Blend All About Wine Arquivo de João Barbosa - Page 6 of 8

Port wine: a dog is a dog, a cat is a cat

July 22, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

I will not be writing about politics! However, I will cite the current Minister for Education in order to better illustrate the focus of this text. Nuno Crato, a very contentious ruler, is a renowned scientist and teacher at Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão (Lisbon Institute for Economics and Management), Maths and Statistics professor. He has an impressive resume, available online.

I heard Nuno Crato say, years before he became a minister, that learning doesn’t have to be fun. It doesn’t have to be tedious either, I add. It doesn’t have to be fun because educating goes beyond teaching numbers and letters at school, or learning how to use a knife and fork, and say “please” and “thank you” back home. Education should prepare a child/young person for adult life, during which he will not be comforted by colleagues or receive the headmaster’s kindness.

I have been told that the world of Port wine is complicated, too complicated, and the consumer does not understand it… there are too many categories and variations.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Port Wine-Vinho do Porto

Vinho do Porto in hipersuper.pt

I state that Earth’s seven billion inhabitants are all Homo sapiens sapiens, and thus gifted with intelligence and the ability to learn. Not every human is able to generate Cold Fusion, but if trained, they would very well be. Obviously, some are above average and others below it.

However complicated it may be, the world of Port wine is less complex than a PhD thesis about the role of aesthetics and conceptual ruptures in modern and Eastern societies.

The last time I saw somebody in shock, they had just been made aware of the “12” variations of Port wine… I can count 28. Therefore, I am joining the discussion short-handed. If the point is to simplify it, everything could be broken down to four variations: white, rosé, tawny and ruby. Or even three, removing the rosé, because it is actually a ruby.

Now, if a house cat is a Felis catus, a dog is a Canis lupus familiaris. However, both belong to the Animalia kingdom, Chordata phylum, Mammalia class and Carnivora order. They are, however, of the Canidae and Felidae families. Latin aside, even a toddler can tell a dog from a cat. The dog has owners, the cat has personal assistants.

Of course, a newcomer to the world of wine must not be expected to know everything, or almost everything, about Port… nor Bordeaux or Burgundy, etc.

Therefore, Port is complicated, right?! Right! Moving on to another wine region of the world:

In Bordeaux, there are six sub-regions (Blayais et Bourgeais, Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves, Libournais, Médoc and Sauternes), subdivided into 38 controlled protected designations of origin.

In 1855, emperor Napoleon III commanded the creation of a list for the Paris Universal Exhibition, where Bordeaux wines were to be laid out hierarchically. Thus, six qualitative levels were determined: Premier Grands Crus, Deuxièmes Grands Crus, Troisièmes Grand Crus, Quatrièmes Grand Crus and Cinquièmes Grands Crus.

This list encompassed only the left margin of the Garona river. On top were: Château Lafite (today including Rothschild), Château La Tour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, Château Mouton (today including Rothschild). That is, three from the controlled designation of origin of Pauillac, one from Margaux and the other from Graves (on its own; others were excluded in the meantime).

Seeing as they were left out of the list compiled in 1855, other specific tables were created. In Sauternes and Barsac: Premier Cru Supérieur, Premiers Crus and Deuxièmes Crus. In Saint-Émilion: Premiers Grands Crus Classés A, Premiers Grands Crus Classés B, Grand Crus Classés… Had enough yet? Don’t forget the Graves table, and the Médoc. Oh! And then, the generic Bordeaux.

Oh yes, indeed. It would be easier to join all the pieces together, analyse them, and create a single list of Bordeaux… never mind the whole of France. But no! I say this sarcastically: Pitiful! Well-informed Bordeaux connoisseurs know and debate wines from either side of the river and its micro-regions… the years and the weather, the brands… Those who know and those who want to know will know. If you wish to know only a little, you will study only a little; if you purchase based on the price, you will check the tag and then weigh your pocket. If you purchase based on the label design, you will pick the prettiest; if you purchase based on reputation, you will purchase what you are recommended.

Let’s work it out:

Whites – Lágrima (very sweet), Sweet, Semi-Dry, Dry, Extra-Dry, 10-year, 20-year, 20-year and 40-year.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Port Wine-Ramos Pinto Lágrima branco

Ramos Pinto Lágrima white in ramospinto.pt

Rosé – Rosé (Ruby-style – aged in the bottle).

Ruby – Lágrima, Ruby, Ruby Reserve, Ruby Special Reserve, Late Bottled Vintage, Vintage Single Quinta, Vintage, Garrafeira, (aged in demijohns) and Crusted (this lot includes different years).

Blend-All-About-Wine-Port Wine-sandeman-porto-vau-vintage-2011

Sandeman Port Vau Vintage 2011 in sandeman.com

Blend-All-About-Wine-taylors-terrafeita-vintage-port-1991

Taylor’s Quinta Terra Feita Vintage Port 1991 taylor.pt

Tawny – Tawny, Tawny Reserve, Tawny Special Reserve, 10-year, 20-year, 30-year, 40-year, Colheita (the year is specified) and Very Old.

Oh! And Quinado! Not quite a Port wine, but an association with kino (from “quinine”). Created for the population of the overseas colonies, seeing as kino is antimalarial.

Quinado Ferreirinha

The French are so complicated, yet so gifted with intelligence that they can tell a dog is a dog and a cat is a cat. In Portugal, we are, poor creatures, unable to understand – or try to understand – Port wine as much as any person from any other culture. The French know that seven billion inhabitants in the planet are all Homo sapiens sapiens. Around here, the concepts “cat” and “dog” need to be explained.

If the idea is to make things simpler, why not remove the protected designation of origin?… Having to know the region is a waste… and other countries care as much about that as they do about línguas-de-veado biscuits and lemon-verbena tea. Why even bother with the year? Will any trainee connoisseur or merely interested consumer want to know whether a wine is from 2009 or 2010? Will they know the natural difference between those two harvests?

I honestly want to know: does the common consumer outside the more traditionalist countries and the “Old World” want to know anything besides the variety? They like white or red, “just because”, and buy Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, or Tempranillo. That typical consumer from “The New World” or European countries where wine is not very renowned; will they want to know about the types of Port, or the classes of Bordeaux? If they fall in love with wine, will they search, taste, study, diversify… or other?…

Fernando Lopes Graça – one of Portugal’s biggest composers of the 20^th Century – refused to eat or drink while music was playing. To him, music was above all else, and he needed peace and quiet in order to listen to and enjoy every note. Do I understand?… Yes, although it seems a little much.

It is not snobbery. Just an observation. I can relate to car lovers, who can tell the age and the designers of a Ferrari by its wheel rims. I cannot tell a rod from a gearbox. It doesn’t matter to me, I don’t spend time on it. It’s just as valid for wine as for anything else.

In the 19th Century, somebody wrote that there are as many varieties of Port as there are ribbons in a haberdasher. Does that sound easy?! Discovering is both pleasurable and insightful.

Adega de Borba Garrafeira red 2009

July 15, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

When cooperative cellars emerged, they brought with them concerns about quality, which at the time were unheard of in Portugal. On the other hand, they allowed farmers to make a higher profit than that big companies make in sales, many of which were just warehouses where everything was mixed together.

In the 80s (of the 20th century to be specific), cooperative cellars in Alentejo aimed further, and brought oenology technologists in, thus enabling the creation of higher-level wines. João Portugal Ramos, now an independent producer and with business in many regions, was the first(!) Portuguese leading wine maker.

However, winegrowers started to crop up in the following decade. They believed in the quality of their wine, and that they deserved higher earnings than those produced by sales to cooperatives and big operators in the market dealing wine in bulk, or almost.

They had the courage to put their head on the chopping block, risking money, working furiously towards success, which cannot be done by somebody else. Some did not make it, but many more did, and that number has grown.
The market – that shapeless creature which appears in different costumes – was delighted, and punished cooperative cellars; sometimes fairly, and other times with no excuse. I think they all suffered with the deprecating label “the market” put on them.

I don’t know the whole story of Adega Cooperativa de Borba, but it mustn’t have been free of misfortune. The past doesn’t matter here, only the present. Today, that animal called “consumer” acknowledges quality and doesn’t care about the word “cooperative”.

This company’s success has to do with the competence of those in charge of the partners, those who assemble the lots in the cellar, and those who manage in a modern and competent fashion. All of the above makes the salesmen’s job much easier.

There’s a myth – perhaps with some truth to it – that Alentejo wines have no longevity. Two or three years ago, I tasted Adega de Borba Rótulo de Cortiça 1964 (red – there was no white) and it was “esmigalhador” (crumbling).

Blend-All-About-Wine-Adega-de-Borba-Vines

Vines in adegaborba.pt

April 24th 1955 marked the founding of Adega Cooperativa de Borba. At the time, there were 13 partners; today, there are about 300. Altogether, the land represents about 4942 acres of vineyards, of which 70% grow red varieties.
The Portuguese “consumer” is stubborn with wine – which is acceptable, just like their stubbornness in other aspects – and demands freshly made wines as much as freshly fished fish. This makes it unfair for wine, and consequently for the producer, and for the consumer, who does not drink wines that deserve more time to mature. One often hears the expression “wine paedophilia”.

The treasury of winegrowers and the opportunity to ship products are the reasons for the presence of young wines on shelves and in wine menus. A big establishment, such as Adega de Borba, finds an advantage in this, as long as it is well managed.

To create a wine for the rack, and to put it on sale five years after the vintage is practically a luxury. Adega de Borba released Adega de Borba Garrafeira red 2009 with its registered designation of origin as Alentejo – although they could have specified Borba as the sub-region.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Adega de Borba-Wine

Adega de Borba Garrafeira red 2009 in adegaborba.pt

This wine was made with grapes from the Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês and Trincadeira varieties, all of which have firmly established roots in calcareous and clay-rich soil. The lot rested in American and French oak casks for one year, then slept in the bottles for 30 months.

Opening them no longer falls within “wine paedophilia”, but I think they deserve to stay in store longer. How long? Just like with the lottery, there are always surprises – good or bad – when wine is stored for many years. I won’t put my word forward; I will, however, cite the oenologist’s advice: “up to ten years”.

When I am asked about the relationship between the quality and price of a wine – or anything else, really – I say I don’t know. The value we give money, the level of demand we place on a wine, financial availability, the moment, and
the purpose all form an equation only solvable by the individual himself/herself.

To me – this is only my opinion and should in now way be considered an answer to the question of the relationship between quality and price – Adega de Borba wines are priced prudently and present above-average quality as well as a lower price than others on the same level.

Adega de Borba white, Adega de Borba Rosé white and Adega de Borba red are sold at 2.89 euros, a price set by the producer. It’s easy to argue at this level given a more-than-affordable price. If what you really want is an Adega de Borba Garrafeira red 2009… it’s best to compare it to fellow officers in the same rank, preferably with the help of a winery keeper. The producer sells it at 15.75 euros.

Contacts
LARGO GAGO COUTINHO E SACADURA CABRAL 25, APARTADO 20
7151-913 BORBA, PORTUGAL
Tel: (+351) 268 891 660
Fax: (+351) 268 891 664
Website: www.adegaborba.pt

Palato do Côa wines – A dream in no rush

July 8, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

In 2008, Carlos Magalhães, an oenologist with experience in Alentejo and in Bairrada, discovered Quinta da Saudade, in Muxagata village, in county Vila Nova de Foz Côa. He knew well what skills were needed to produce quality wine, so he challenged four friends into buying the property. A fifth member joined them later on.

The six partners (Albano Magalhães, Bernardo Lobo Xavier, Carlos Magalhães, João Anacoreta Correia, João Nuno Magalhães and Manuel Castro e Lemos) set a tough goal: “to calmly create the best Douro wines“.

Blend All About Wine Palato do Côa Partners

The six partners in palatodocoa.pt

Obviously, many are those who share that wish, therefore targeting the top is simply the best way forward. If every person involved aims for excellence, and if healthy competition results from it, the result will be a continuous effort for raising quality in the brand, the region, and the country.

Douro Superior is not a piece of cake… It gets quite cold in the winter, and in the summer, it opens its gates to hell. However – perhaps because vines are masochist plants – this sub-region breeds wines greatly acknowledged among consumers, and national and international critics.

Blend All About Wine Palato do Côa The Vines

The Vines in palatodocoa.pt

Carlos Magalhães claims he is in love with Burgundy, and he has a dream that his wines will gain the same pattern. It doesn’t look easy to me, looking at the natural conditions found in that French region and those found in Douro. But he is the oenologist, and he knows his grapes, the farm grounds, and the climate of the place.

In Quinta da Saudade, 18.5 acres of vines are a few decades old. Another 21 acres have recently been planted in addition. The white varieties are Rabigato, Viosinho and Códega de Larinho, traditional of the Douro region. The red varieties are Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Alicante Bouschet.

Blend All About Wine Palato do Côa The Grapes

The Grapes in palatodocoa.pt

The truth is Palato do Côa wines turn out very refreshing. The low-end wines in the range proved refreshing; they are well made and do not present any unjustified vanity. They go well together with a family meal, where no formalities take place, or in a meal with friends, where bubbly friendship won’t kill the wine, nor will the latter disturb any conversation tending towards oenophile critique.

Palato do Côa Reserva red 2011 demands a little more of your attention; bring it out when the in-laws come for dinner.

Blend All About Wine Palato do Côa Reserva

Palato do Côa Reserva in palatodocoa.pt

Saving wines for special occasions is often unfair to both the wine and to the oenophile. However, some wines must be drunk straight away, before, on “the day” the cork is finally pulled out of the bottle, the joviality evaporates to leave only the ashes.

Palato do Côa Escolha red 2011 and Palato do Côa Grande Reserva red 2011 are at a hard-to-reach level. Both make a beautiful thank you gift for a surgeon, or for the in-laws, when you are invited to first meet them. The latter requires moderation, in order to avoid “spoiling” them.

Blend All About Wine Palato do Côa Escolha

Palato do Côa Escolha in palatodocoa.pt

Blend All About Wine Palato do Côa Grande Reserva

Palato do Côa Grande Reserva in palatodocoa.pt

There is a saying in Portuguese – I’m not sure if it translates into other countries or languages – that Christmas happens whenever man says it happens. So, they can be drunk for Christmas, with extra care regarding the serving temperature and the accompaniment on the plate.

Jokes aside, Palato do Côa Escolha Red 2011 and Palato do Côa Grande Reserva Red 2011 must be put away during hot weather, in countries where the sun really burns. They require substantial food and air conditioning… Well, Christmas can take place whenever man wishes, just not in hot weather. Both deserve to rest for some time, in the dark and in the right temperature.

Contacts
Quinta da Saudade
Muxagata, Vila Nova de Fóz Côa

Albano Kendall Magalhães
E-mail: akmagalhaes@palatodocoa.pt
Tel: +351 939 363 890

Carlos Magalhães
E-mail: carlosmagalhaes@palatodocoa.pt
Tel: +351 964 246 161

Website: www.palatodocoa.pt

Wines by Monte da Raposinha

July 3, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

Once upon a time, a fox – an omnivorous animal – walked under a vineyard from which beautiful bunches of grapes hung. Vulpes vulpes was hungry; she tried hard to grab some grapes, but couldn’t reach. Defeated, yet proud, she said:

“They’re green!”

That is Esopo’s story. However, there are more foxes, and more grapes. In Montargil, the fox gets vines all for itself. The property is called Herdade da Raposinha. That is, however, a recent place name and a tribute to the real owner, Rosário Sousa Ataíde.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Wines-by-Monte-da-Raposinha-brnad

Monte da Raposinha in montedaraposinha.com

This territory is 370 acres big and has been in Rosário Ataíde’s family since the 18th Century, although only recently have they begun farming it. As a matter of fact, according to Nuno Ataíde, a judge in the Court of Appeal in Porto, there are only two producers in Montargil; he made his father-in-law’s oenophile dream a reality.

Pedro Sousa, a physician in Coimbra, never got to taste Raposinha wines. Up until 2004, Monte da Raposinha was used for celebrations, although there was an orchard, an olive grove, an oak wood and a pinewood. Nuno Ataíde ordered for the plantation of five acres, then another twelve, and a further seventeen in 2014.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Wines-by Monte da Raposinha

Monte da Raposinha in montedaraposinha.com

The farmhouse is managed by João Nuno Ataíde, one of the couple’s three children. The head of oenology is Susana Esteban – a steady hand, of course. The 2007 harvest was the first to be released, in 2008.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Wines-by-Monte-da-Raposinha-2

The vineyards in montedaraposinha.com

In the first five acres, they planted Touriga Nacional, Aragonês and Trincadeira in equal parts, João Nuno Ataíde specifies. The following varieties are currently in production: Touriga Nacional (3.70 acres), Syrah (2.5 acres), Aragonês (2.5 acres), Trincadeira (1.25 acres), Arinto (3 acres), Chardonnay (1.85 acres), Antão Vaz (1.5 acres) and Sauvignon Blanc (1 acre). The varieties planted last year were Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional and Syrah. About 40% of the wine is made with purchased grapes.

Nuno Ataíde says he “started with practically only chicken feed, and after crunching the numbers”. He says he still isn’t ready to crunch the numbers. The quantitative goal is to reach 100,000 – the cellar’s capacity. Today, it exports 60% of production, and all the wine is classified as being from the Alentejo region.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Wines-by-Monte-da-Raposinha-winery

The Winery in montedaraposinha.com

Alentejo is hot almost all over, but Montargil is in a water-abundant part, an advantage for producers who need to quench their plantation’s thirst. Until 2014, the harvests always started in August.

Regarding the wines:

In a nutshell, they have Susana Esteban‘s steady hand. Now and then, the question of whether a female oenologist’s wines are feminine… or if men can make feminine wines… The behaviour will certainly be different; I think the differences lie in gender, not in personality.

Does Susana Esteban make feminine wines? I don’t know. I know she makes them steady, enjoyable, elegant and differentiated. This oenologist doesn’t use a specific way to make wine. She makes her blends based on nature’s moulds. I don’t mean terroir – which could easily turn into Post-Graduate dissertations and long conversations on winter evenings – but nature.

Susana Esteban’s hat trick is not to have one. However, there is a signature. I reject the term “feminine”, but perhaps “elegant”. I insist on believing that an author’s work tends to reflect their personality. I hardly know the oenologist, but the feeling I get is that she is a woman who knows what she wants, with the characteristic peace-of-mind of someone with class.

Elegance can be found all along, from Monte da Raposinha (red 2012 – Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Aragonês – and white 2013 – Arinto and Antão Vaz), to Athayde Reserva White 2013 (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), Athayde Grande Escolha Red 2011 (Syrah, Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet), to Furtiva Lágrima 2010 – name of an aria, “Una Furtiva Lagrima”, from the opera “The Elixir of Love” by Gaetano Donizetti – a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Touriga Nacional.

Contacts
Estrada do Couço, S/N
7425 – 144 Montargil, Portalegre
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 919 860 902
E-mail: geral@montedaraposinha.com
Website: www.montedaraposinha.com

Esporão's history and its wines

July 1, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

Reguengos de Monsaraz is a town 170 kilometres away from the ocean coastline. For centuries, even millennia, fog in that area of Alentejo would be an extremely rare phenomenon. Building the Alqueva dam in the Guadiana river led to creating the biggest artificial lake in Europe – despite some people disagreeing – and made the fog more common.

I won’t even begin – not even briefly – to list the advantages and disadvantages of building the dam in Economic, Environmental and Social terms. However, I will mention that the water has proven useful for watering the vines, which multiplied all over Alentejo. The property development was discussed for the first time in the mid-60s, and the business project for Herdade do Esporão was “launched” in 1973 – so to speak, because it was postponed for years for reasons other than the businessmen’s will.

Esporão started as Joaquim Bandeira’s “fantasy”, whose insight was quite progressive; he wanted to plant a great vineyard in Alentejo. He challenged José Roquette, who left banking behind to embrace the new company.

The dictatorship fell in 1974, and in 1975, the Government reinforced the plan to build the dam even though they had decades to go before it was to be erected. Also in that year, Herdade do Esporão was occupied as part of the Agricultural Reform. In 1978, the property was returned, albeit under the obligation of selling the grapes to the local cooperative.

ADN containing not only wine

Before I go into wine poetry, I would like to mention something I consider highly relevant in the business world, which is social responsibility, in a broad sense. Be it in direct support of the arts or human heritage, to culture and the environment, it’s written in the DNA of Herdade do Esporão that the place wants to be more than a winery.

The first vintage, which would turn into the first own-brand wine took place in 1985; it would later be released in 1987. The first child was Reserva Tinto and, from the first edition, the labels have always included a work of art. The consecrated John Hogan was chosen for the premiere, but, unfortunately for the company, the painting is not included in the collection.

For the sake of culture, I must mention the preservation of the Tower of Esporão, a small medieval fort, and with that the preservation of an archaeological discovery in Herdade dos Perdigões (the land was bought in 1995, and the discovery was made in 1996). The discovered place dates back to some time between the third and fourth millennia before Christ. Countless businessmen would have supported, both actively and financially, what was considered an undesirable setback.

In 2006, João Roquette took over the manager role, having started a restructuring and replantation of the vineyards, and having adopted an environmental policy with the aim of recovering and recreating habitats, putting Nature to work, and using less treatments with pesticides.

Another act of the mission to put things in order is the new cellar, which was recently completed, and built out of rammed earth – an abandoned and almost forgotten method. In the old days, many cellars in Alentejo were built that way, and for a reason: coolness. The earth, gravel and wood enable continued airing and regular temperature… i.e. saving energy.

The main actors

Wine isn’t the company’s excuse. Concerns are the answer to the impact caused by agricultural or industrial activity. This brings up two reds – wearing Alberto Carneiro’s work – and two whites.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Esporão-Reserva-red-2011

Esporão Reserva Red 2012 is a cannon ball, with its 14.5% alcohol. Come to think of it, that makes it sound heavy. Wrong! It’s a refreshing wine. In fact, the company’s experience and the success of this reference keep it up there on that level of reliability and prestige. It was made with Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Cabernet Sauvignon, Trincadeiras and other grapes. The fruit and wood are balanced, and it shows promise of living for a good number of years.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Esporão-Private-Selection-red-2011

Esporão Private Selection 2011 is on a higher level, also in terms of longevity. This wine aged longer in wood, which was 70% American oak. It has bold tannins and elegance, depth of mouth, a pleasant ratio of freshness and heat, and a lasting finish.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Esporão-Verdelho-2014

Blend-All-About-Wine-Esporão-Duas-Castas

Esporão Verdelho 2014 brings freshness and a bite. I’m sure it will bond very well with the lighter foods. If the previous wine expresses its variety, the Esporão Duas Castas exposes more than varieties; it illustrates the places where the Arinto (60%) and Gouveio (40%) cultivars are rooted. Once again, it contains that freshness and really grabs the oenophile.

Contacts
Herdade do Esporão
Apartado 31, 7200-999
Reguengos de Monsaraz
Tel: (+351) 266 509280
Fax: (+351) 266 519753
E-mail: reservas@esporao.com
Website: esporao.com

Esporão’s history and its wines

July 1, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

ADN containing not only wine

The main actors

Contacts
Herdade do Esporão
Apartado 31, 7200-999
Reguengos de Monsaraz
Tel: (+351) 266 509280
Fax: (+351) 266 519753
E-mail: reservas@esporao.com
Website: esporao.com

Fresheners: José Maria da Fonseca’s 2014 Wines

June 26, 2015 2 comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

I am so tired of the heat, even though the summer has barely started. The street where I am as I write this is cool… Well, as cool as a fridge in Hell. In my mind – somebody has to stay behind in Lisbon, minding the city while everybody is out and about – I stretched my towel out on the sand and took a few dives in the ocean to cool my head and freeze a few bad thoughts.

I’m writing this in the faint light, at twilight. As always, this season and this moment take me to a moment in time I can never return to. I’m listening to GNR (a Portuguese rock band) and as the song says, I remember how, “at 16, one feels so close to 86”. This is factual, not melancholy.

Some facts bring discomfort. When I think about when I was 16, I remember several beaches, because the summer holidays were really long. In June, I would visit Sesimbra and I can still retrace the route in my head; “the present” stops my invisible vehicle in Azeitão, on the way.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Jose-Maria-da-Fonseca-New-Wines-2014

Because it’s summer time. Because that is the place the new 2014 wines I was sent come from. These wines ready to face the heat and enjoy the season. Refreshing and easy to drink. In Colecção Privada Domingos Soares Franco Verdelho 2014, Colecção Privada Domingos Soares Franco Moscatel Roxo (Rosé) 2014, Quinta de Camarate white Seco 2014, Quinta de Camarate white Doce 2014, Periquita white 2014 e Periquita Rosé 2014 – besides BSE, which was previously written about.

The presentation took place in By The Wine José Maria da Fonseca, a place that reminds me of a few old “Casas de Pasto” (traditional simple eateries) – something between a tavern and a restaurant. By The wine is on Rua das Flores, parallel to Rua de Alecrim, between Cais do Sodré and Camões Square, very popular with tourists. This place is worth mentioning because they exhibit images that reveal this historical company’s past.

The year 2014 is one to remember, at least in Portugal; it was the year Eusébio died – that 60s football hero – and, in the rest of the world, for Scotland being denied its independence from the UK. People in the wine business will remember it as an “oops” year! Everything was going so well until the rain came.

However, it was no catastrophe. One positive outlook is the freshness of the wines whose grapes were harvested before the rain. It’s the case of those presented by a company in Azeitão. Everything has its pros and cons. In this case, whatever is usually most frowned upon is subjective. More substantial are the freshness and how accuracy the summer is shot in the heart.

Quinta de Camarate Seco white 2014 is a blend of Alvarinho and Verdelho grapes; it’s sensual in the nose and reveals freshness, suggesting food. Good on summer nights.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Jose-Maria-da-Fonseca-Branco-Seco-2014

Blend-All-About-Wine-Jose-Maria-da-Fonseca-Branco-Doce-2014

Quinta de Camarate Doce white 2014 does not appeal to me. The problem is precisely the sweetness. It was made from grapes of the Alvarinho and Loureiro varieties. However, it stands as an alternative to generous whites or vermouths, taken with entrées.

The two Periquita may attend the same party. Periquita White 2014 gathers Alvarinho, Viosinho and Viognier, and must be placed on the table along with the summer’s traditionally light foods. Before that, friends in shorts and flip-flops will have enjoyed some Periquita Rosé 2014.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Jose-Maria-da-Fonseca-Periquita-Branco-2014

Blend-All-About-Wine-Jose-Maria-da-Fonseca-Periquita-Rosé-2014

One shouldn’t sleep on the job, and JMF certainly doesn’t. There are no “serious wines” or “pretend wines”. I mean I have to say that the remaining two wines are “more serious”. It’s a case of rhetoric.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Jose-Maria-da-Fonseca-Domingo-Soares-Franco-Verdelho

Colecção Privada Domingos Soares Franco Verdelho 2014 is a highjack on the summer…

– Go away, heat! Get out of here!

Colecção Privada Domingos Soares Franco Moscatel Roxo 2014 has been frightening the temperatures away, as were its previous editions. Still, I wouldn’t say it’s “my wine”. I have to mention something, though: Colecção Privada Domingos Soares Franco Moscatel Roxo wines have been very revered, whether by critics or the general public. Aside from that, I take my hat off to it, and presume the problem must be me; I don’t believe in sidereal conspiracy… especially against a mere mortal’s palate.

Blend-All-About-Wine-José Maria da Fonseca-Domingo-Soares-Franco-Moscatel-Roxo-Rosé-2014

Always generous, even in the summer

Moscatel de Setúbal wines aren’t so popular, unfortunately. Most are consumed in their own region. It’s a shame, really, because they are quite different from the world-famous Port and Madeira.

The company, José Maria da Fonseca, introduced Alambre 2010, which aged in used wood. It got the taste right, whether to start with or to finish dessert. The company suggests using it in cocktails; either just with ice, or with ginger ale and a lemon zest, or with sparkling water.

Contacts
Quinta da Bassaqueira – Estrada Nacional 10,
2925-542 Vila Nogueira de Azeitão, Setúbal, Portugal
Tel: (+351) 212 197 500
E-mail: info@jmf.pt
Website: www.jmf.pt

I promise this is the end of my walk around Dão!

June 16, 2015 1 comment in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

I had planned to write about only three Dão wines, but pulled by the current, I made an addition, because the region started off well, then weakened, and is currently (still) being reborn. I end where I wish I had begun.

Quality has improved, and it does justice to Nature and to human skills, because Dão is one of the best wine regions in Portugal. By listing the region’s virtues and ugliness, I will provide three examples that illustrate my thoughts exactly. Dão Sul, Sogrape and Casa de Mouraz. Any of the above knows that success and victories never happen by chance. One I describe in black and white, the other two in colour.

In colour: when, in 2004, I started working on the TV show “Da Terra Ao Mar” (From Earth to Sea) – on Sundays at 11am, RTP 2 – one of the first reports was about Casa de Mouraz. A young couple had recently moved from Lisbon to plow a vineyard biologically; these days, it’s biodynamic. They had 10 acres; today, Sara Dionísio and António Lopes Ribeiro operate in more areas of the country, their heart still set on Dão.

In black and white: Dão Sul (Global Wines) was founded in 1989 and the region’s rebirth owes much to that company after it replaced the region on the map. Their strategy consists in ensuring extraordinary quality and a pocket-friendly price.

Quinta de Cabriz gained popularity among the masses. Its overwhelming success marked the arrival of grapes from other lands of that area, and the brand became simply Cabriz. Quinta dos Grilos – gossip says another producer was running it, although it belonged to someone else – was used to create a competitive dynamic. Another popular case, although not as visible. Now, it’s simply called “Grilos” for the above reason.

Unfortunately, the quality in Cabriz and in Grilos decayed. To make a big amount, and do it well, is almost like making the cycle square – extremely hard. Casa de Santar, which was once a lot more popular, met the same fate. However, hiring oenologist Osvaldo Amado has yielded better results. On a side note: Cabriz vinegar is excellent!

Global Wines doesn’t make only low-end wines. Paço dos Cunhas de Santar and Pedro & Inês – the latter evokes the tragic love story involving Prince Dom Pedro, later Pedro I of Portugal, and Dona Inês de Castro – are some of the best in the region.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-dos-Carvalhais-Dão-Vineyard

The original purpose was to tell the story of three wines by Quinta dos Carvalhais, property of Sogrape. It’s the biggest Portuguese company in the sector – a multinational family business – and it doesn’t sleep on the job. It makes world-class wines in Dão, and has created three “individuals”. Personality and, in a local term, terroir.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-dos-Carvalhais-Dão-Cellar

Touriga Nacional comes from Dão, and that regional variation offers a scent of violets. Lacking the aromatic caricature – a growing exaggeration in the region lately – its character proves quite polite. Quinta dos Carvalhais Touriga Nacional 2012 is educational; it truly expresses the variety and elegance that made its birthplace famous.

The yellowish nectar doesn’t fall far from the above; it results from the flashiest variety of that area – very refreshing and mineral. Quinta dos Carvalhais Encruzado 2013 will also educate on what a variety is and on what best Dão has to offer.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-de-Carvalhais-Encruzado-2013

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-de-Carvalhais-Touriga-Nacional-2012

Blend-All-About-Wine-Quinta-de-Carvalhais-Reserva-2010

Portugal has a rule that wines must result from a blend of several varieties; however, the company website doesn’t reveal which varieties colour the wine. Quinta dos Carvalhais Reserva Red 2010 gathers the true character of the Dão region.

They feature something hard to find nowadays: longevity. They were made to last, but can be drunk immediately. Given the years ahead of them… buy a few bottles, drink some and save the rest. Make notes to compare and remember.

My legs aren’t tired from walking round Dão yet

June 12, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

I started walking along the Dão, but because the roads are so long, I didn’t make it to my destination without taking a weeklong break. As I mentioned earlier, my second revelation was a party with many high-ranking officials.

That took place in 2010, when João Tavares de Pina threw an event attended by many producers of great quality wines. This farmer called it “Dão – The Next Big Thing”.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Walk-Around-Dao-Expressions-1

Dão Expressions in cvrdao.pt

I have nothing to teach the managers of Comissão Vitivinícola Regional do Dão (Dão Regional Viticulture Commission), but I think this moment should be repeated in order to create a wave of acknowledgement… perhaps with a contest, debates and international critics.

It was some rendezvous. A true gathering. A proper gathering, due to the variety and quality presented. If I did take notes, I can’t remember where I placed the list of all the producer’s details, but there were many. As with everything else, I have memorised some of them because I liked them.

One example was the wine by the host and organiser. The wines of Terra de Tavares; very vibrant, authentic, with a “terroir” character – this word is bound to become common due to constant usurping, which is not the case here.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Walk-Around-Dao-Terras-de-Tavares-Joao-Tavares-Pina

Another great find were the wines by Casa de Darei, more elegant than the former, but also very special and true to their roots. But the greater spectacle happened in the quaint Clube de Viseu, in its ball room.

The best moment was when wines from Centro de Estudos Vitivinícolas do Dão (Centre for Dão Wine Growing Studies) were served. This centre is found in Quinta da Cal, in county Nelas. The old whites, namely those of 1980 and 1981, were fit as fiddles. Reds from the 70s felt even younger.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Walk-Around-Dao-Solar-do-Vinho-Dão-CVR-Dão

Solar do Vinho Dão (CVR Dão) cvrdao.pt

A good friend told me he drank a few “century-old” nectars by UDACA (“União Das Adegas Cooperativas da Região Demarcada do Dão”, Union of the Wine Growing Co-operatives of the Dão Demarcated Region), which made him rethink his earlier assertion that only liked young wines. Unfortunately, those make it down my throat.

My memory of Dão was formed almost of thin air, as I revealed in the first part of this trip down memory lane. Until very late, I only knew about old brands of Dão wines, such as Porta de Cavaleiros, Dão Pipas, Grão Vasco, Meia Encosta, São Domingos, Messias and Borges… I think that’s all.

Blend-All-About-Wine-Walk-Around-Dao-Expressions-2

Dão Expressions in cvrdao.pt

Once in the 90s decade, I was introduced to excellent nectars, boasting farm names where they grew, a natural process due to the decline of the region’s cooperatives. Since then, the list has expanded. Knowing I will be unfair by involuntary omission, I must cite – besides the already mentioned – red and white pearls: Quinta dos Roques, Quinta da Vegia, Quinta da Passarela, Paço dos Cunhas de Santar, Quinta de Carvalhais, Casa de Mouraz, Quinta da Falorca, Duque de Viseu, Pedra Cancela, Pedro & Inês, Quinta da Fata, Quinta de Saes, Quinta da Pellada, Quinta do Perdigão, Quinta de Carvalhais and… “Inexplicably” sorted by memory, not hierarchy.

As with everything else, there aren’t only wonders. Still, the darkness of it isn’t absolute either – fortunately. One day, embraced by the Dão charm, I stumbled upon a wine by Adega Cooperativa de Penalva do Castelo. It was a terrible experience. Emphasys on “was”. Currently, what that cooperative cellar has been producing makes up for its past.

I had a mentor in journalism who never tired of complimenting my ability to summarise. In these articles, though I don’t need to keep the news short… I’m not able to say everything I would like to say about Dão.

Please be patient, there’s more to come next week.

An incomplete walk around Dão

June 10, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Barbosa

Text João Barbosa | Translation Jani Dunne

There’s a topic my family keeps going back to, which is memory. It’s a stubborn term, a byzantine discussion… it’s become a mere trigger for smiles, because everybody has said and explained their thoughts. In my view, photos aren’t necessary to build memories.

Someone once strategically placed a book so that I would stumble upon it because the author says in it that books or images are necessary for making memories. Well, in thousands of years of evolution, mankind has always had memories, and photography only came about in the 19^th century, around the 20s. Even painted portraits are only “a few” centuries old, but are secondary to Homo Sapiens Sapiens’ lifetime. Besides, neither photography nor painting – especially the latter – were available to most people. Furthermore, memory can also be falsified and reinvented, even made up.

What I’m getting to is Dão, three of its wines, to be specific. My memory of the Dão region consists of a photograph in which I am seen building a train out of the chairs in my house with the children from Campo de Besteiros. However, my most clear memory is a centipede drowned in the sink – isn’t that odd?

Blend-All-About-Wine-A-Walk-Around-Dao-Viseu-Old

Arco dos Cavaleiros (old) in visoeu.blogspot.pt

Blend-All-About-Wine-A-Walk-Around-Dao-Viseu-New

To me, Dão – from Viseu – brings back a bad memory of a disagreement I had in a so called “restaurant”, where my stake was served with a string of hair. I am still not a fan of Viseu, with all due respect for its inhabitants, whether born or latecomers.

“Dão” doesn’t say much to me. And yet the wine is standing there, on a shelf in front of me. My dad often bought wine from that region. I’m 45 years old, but while I was a child, Douro “didn’t exist”, Alentejo “didn’t exist”… I have no recollection of Bairrada… there was Vinho Verde and a few wine brands, mostly from super productive vineyards, probably Estremadura and Ribatejo.

Because my dad almost always had red wine, to me Dão is red. And still today! Doctor Freud could explain that. However, it’s much more than just red. It’s a region of wonderful nectars, and a good number of diligent producers. The problem with Dão is the size of the land with a very typically Portuguese characteristic – and probably enhanced in that area –, discord.

There are two special moments of when I first discovered Dão. One is a bottle, the other an event. In the first episode, I remember being surprised to discover a ballroom Chuck Norris and, in the other, I met a group of senior officials in ball wear.

Blend-All-About-Wine-A-Walk-Around-Dao-Porta-dos-Cavaleiros-Colheita-1983

Porta dos Cavaleiros Colheita de 1983 in garrafeiranacional.com

I call it Chuck Norris because it’s strong and resistant, but elegant… you might think that “James Bond” would have been a better suit, except 007 is a man of the city. Here’s the story: in my parent’s house, there was a bottle of Cavaleiros Colheita de 1983. I don’t know how exactly it was still there down, but, because it survived, my father gave it to me in February 1994, when I moved out and started my life as a single man. However, the bottle still lived another decade. One day, in 2007, I thought it had to be opened. Incredible! Amazing! So young, so elegant… What does it have to do with Chuck Norris, you ask? Well, the bottle (or wine) was in the sun, spent its life in the daytime, it wasn’t stored horizontally and it moved a few times. Colossal in every sense!

Stay tuned for the next episode.

Posts Tagged : João Barbosa

Port wine: a dog is a dog, a cat is a cat

Adega de Borba Garrafeira red 2009

Palato do Côa wines – A dream in no rush

Wines by Monte da Raposinha

Esporão's history and its wines

Esporão’s history and its wines

Fresheners: José Maria da Fonseca’s 2014 Wines

I promise this is the end of my walk around Dão!

My legs aren’t tired from walking round Dão yet

An incomplete walk around Dão