Blend All About Wine Arquivo de José Silva - Page 4 of 6

Quinta da Touriga-Chã, the Douro Superior at its fullest…

July 28, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Not only did Jorge Rosas inherit this beautiful piece of land, but an entire genetic heritage, as well as the story of a family with ties to Douro, and to the production of quality wines.

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His great grandfather, Adriano Ramos Pinto, was the founder of Ramos Pinto in 1880; his father, José António Rosas, was a visionary in Douro Superior, having become infamous for buying lands where Erva Moira land now stands. Later, in 1990, José António Rosas bought Quinta da Touriga, in Chã, Foz Côa, also with the goal of producing wines. Once again, just like in Erva Moira, there was nothing but stones, schist.

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But that man’s vision and his wisdom and depth of knowledge of the territory, vineyards, and the climate in this region proved him right once again. Thus, red wines by Quinta da Touriga-Chã were born, and have evolved so well, they are among the best Douro reds. They are now in Jorge Rosas’ hand, who is still managing Ramos Pinto, however still giving a small part of his time and a lot of passion to continue his father’s work.

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The land includes a very interesting house; the work performed on it was not very invasive, allowing that extraordinary landscape to speak for itself.

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Even the swimming-pool already seems part of the scenery, alongside a few rustic buildings still standing, intact.

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Besides a few surrounding trees, the vineyard slithers around the place, in the typical serpentine shape of plateau vineyards.

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In the beginning, Jorge Rosas made wine in an outsourced cellar, very far away from Touriga-Chã. In 2000, he started building his own cellar, now a reality and a winning bet.

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Sketched by the same architect who had designed the house, this cellar uses traditional materials, such as schist, but is mostly very functional and versatile, as a cellar should be. The must, and later wines, are very thankful. The wines from this land have constantly been evolving within the profile projected by the producer, in such a way that they are recognised and awarded anywhere they go. This happened besides his small production, of a little over 6500 bottles split into two levels of wine: Puro and Quinta da Touriga-Chã, the latter ranking highest. Jorge Rosas firmly states that he wishes to continue making wines which are good when released, but after 5, 10 or 15 years, they become excellent due to their strong ability to age.

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It seems that time has proved him right, which we had the opportunity to confirm in a friendly vertical tasting of a few harvests still in his cellar.

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Quinta da Touriga Chã 2010 presented a dark garnet colour; very deep, with purple shades, very intense. The nose is still closed, austere yet displaying the typical elegance these wines carry. Fruity, refreshing, with complex aromas of dark chocolate, wood, smoke and spices; it opens slowly, and needs time in the glass. In the mouth, this wine’s strength is impressive, with the tannins still very evident, yet still evolving, full of dark fruits, blackberries, plums, blueberries and some wild flowers. Light smoky notes, very refreshing, and good powerful acidity bring the blend together, and provide a lasting finish. It lasts a long, long time.

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Next was Quinta da Touriga Chã 2011, an exceptional year; its colour a heavy garnet, very dark and shiny. It reveals several aromas of dark fruits, full of freshness, a little smoke and notes of tobacco. In the mouth, it’s powerful, full, intense, with a perfect combination of acidity and freshness, notes of dark chocolate, blackberries, figs, plums; however, this wine reveals a profound elegance; very seductive.

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Quinta da Touriga Chã 2012 also presents great wines from this region. This example had the same shiny, very deep shade of garnet. In the nose, an explosion of complex aromas of wild flowers and fruits of the forest, notes of humus, very elegant, silky. The mouth reveals its entire dimension; very intense, velvety and at the same time powerful, the dark fruits very ripe, notes of dark chocolate and lightly spiced, revealing its great elegance in a very long finish.

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Finally, Quinta da Touriga Chã 2013 was served (still unlabelled). The youngest in the family, which revealed precisely that above all else: its youth. It’s a very dark, opaque, shiny garnet. A powerful nose, full of dark fruits and wild flowers; very refreshing, even a little peppery. In the mouth, once again the very intense fruit, freshness and very good acidity; a promising delicious wine. With some more bottle time, it will certainly delight us.

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That done, and because of the suffocating heat, we slowly submerged in the pool, surrounded by all that beauty lining the horizon…

Contacts
Quinta da Touriga
Apartado 17
Vila Nova de Foz Côa , 5151-909 Guarda
Tel: (+351) 279 764 196

Álvaro Costa and NH Hotel Batalha

July 21, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Álvaro Costa was born in Pousada de Saramagos, Famalicão, in 1978. He studied there, and then started working as a teacher in Vila Verde. He loved to go pick vegetables from his garden and handle fish and meat; his grandmothers, his mother and his aunts passed traditional skills onto him. In Vila Verde, he graduated in cuisine and patisserie. Then, he worked for about a year in Hotel Meridien, in Porto. After that, he went to work in a hotel in the Island of Corsica, having stayed for another year. On that island, he seized the opportunity to work for six months at Cala Tossa hotel, of two Michelin stars. For the following six months, he got an internship at Hotel Bulgari in Milan, and in Paris, in the also two-Michelin-star hotel Le Grand Cascade. From there, he opened Sheraton hotel in Porto, with Chef Jerónimo Ferreira. Then, Café Bogani and República da Cerveja in Gaia, as an executive chef. In 2006 he took over the Carlton Pestana hotel in the Ribeira area, Porto, until 2012. He was also responsible for the gastronomic development of inns in the North. He moved on to manage the Pestana hotel in Porto Santo (Madeira), to later return to Porto to open Pestana do Freixo. He even taught in Portucalense University and moved on to Braga, to manage the Bom Jesus hotels.

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However, he could not resist the invitation for Head of Gastronomy at the new hotel NH Hotel Batalha Collection, where he has been developing a modern and interventive cuisine.

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This is a modern hotel, and very well decorated, full of light. It’s in a symbolic area of Porto, right next to the old Batalha cinema.

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The decor comes in light tones, revealing some granite, also characteristic of the city.

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The restaurant is at the entrance, the bar to the left, where one can eat in an unpretentious yet welcoming environment; whether in-house-marinated salmon, daring oysters, dark tagliatelle with king prawns, or a very fresh lime risotto.

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At the bar, very interesting happy hours take place, featuring an irresistible offer: oysters with gin.

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The service is remarkable, and the chef’s expertise proposes different appetisers and more consistent courses, strongly rooted in our traditions. For a long time, Porto was due a place like this. On a recent visit, we had the chance to enjoy an excellent meal, including some of the suggestions on the restaurant’s menu; very well presented, introducing a few traditional courses in a row, although with the chef’s own interpretation, inventively and pleasantly presented.

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We began with the marinated oyster, still tasting of the sea.

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After that, acorn presunto with melon caviar, whose tiny greenish spheres released a fresh taste of melon; modern techniques serving tradition.

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The very popular traditional sardines made an appearance, in a cured version with strawberry couli, incredibly refreshing.

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Representing a soup, a shitaki cream was served in a disconcerting test tube, very hot; an excellent mushroom soup!

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In the meantime, we were sipping a very interesting Alentejo Pouca Roupa white 2014.

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The extremely tasty king prawn curry with apple preceded “My Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá” (codfish casserole), a very successful version of this traditional meal by a man born in Ribeira do Porto, Gomes de Sá. The original flavours were all there.

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We ended with a peculiar version of oven-roasted chicken with vegetables and potatoes; fun and delicious. We had already moved on to Curvos Alvarinho wine; modern and consistent, with great acidity, very gastronomic.

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As for desserts, there were two very good moments: firstly an apple pie with S. Jorge cheese and ice cream; very well combined, creamy, a delight; then, a very elegant red-fruit verrine.

A great finish!

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Outside, the 22 tram passed by, reminding us of times gone by…

Contacts
NH Collection Porto Batalha
Praca da Batalha, 60-65. 4000-101, Porto, Portugal
Tel: (+351) 227 660 600
Booking: (+351) 210 020 848
E-mail: nhcollectionportobatalha@nh-hotels.com
Website: www.nh-collection.com

Hotel M’ar de Ar Aqueduto – Degust’Ar Restaurant

July 14, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Chef António Nobre was born in 1969 in Beja, where he also studied. His mother was an excellent cook and, with her, he discovered the aromas and flavours of Alentejo cuisine. However, it was not before he was in the navy that he learnt he enjoyed cooking, so he took a course in cuisine and worked in the mess for the navy officers in the Cascais line. When he returned to Beja, he began working in a restaurant called “Muralha”, where he stayed for four years. Then he applied to work at the inn, got accepted, and stayed for also four years. After that, he worked at hotel “Melius” for another four years. Ever since the director at “Cartuxa” hotel heard about him fifteen years ago, he has been in that group, which transformed the hotel in the mean time, and opened the two M’ar de Ar hotels: Aqueduto and Muralhas, with António as the head of catering.

Chef António Nobre

Although he often travels throughout the country and also abroad – because he believes it to be important to stay up-to-date with current affairs in other countries, and what the latest trends are – he feels most at home in Alentejo. He promotes regional cuisine, because he thinks we should keep the flame of tradition alive. His motto is “Innovate tradition, all the while respecting the scents and flavours of the Portuguese cuisine, because they are part of our culture.” He does enjoy presenting his traditional Alentejo cuisine with sophistication and in different clothing, sometimes looking better and thus more appetising.

That said, our expectations were high when we recently visited “Degust’ar” restaurant, in hotel Mar de Ar Aqueduto, for a peaceful dinner in the most comfortable environment.

The restaurant is very well decorated; its refined simplicity put us at ease. In the entrance, we were welcomed by a counter, where a “sushi man” prepares a plethora of pieces of that cuisine, which has definitely taken over the country. Then the room, of a decent size, with charming corners, very well-set tables, and a good choice of ornaments. The service is remarkable, very competent and friendly. Also friendly was chef António Nobre when he came to the table to ask whether we were in a rush or not. Of course we were not, and so he gave the kitchen the green light for a very comprehensive meal he was already in the process of preparing. We started with appetisers including olives marinated with oregano, orange, lemon, olive oil, farinheira butter and bread.

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We carried on dipping and grabbing until the little delicacies arrived: an interesting “botifarra” from Azaruja (a sort of longer breakfast sausage) with homemade tomato jam; delicious figs with Alentejo pork ham, chicory and honey vinaigrette from Serra de Portel; a few crunchy Alentejo risolle filled with pork scratchings and a salad of green asparagus, cherries and Amareleja raisins.

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Figs with Alentejo pork ham © Blend All About Wine, Lda

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Crunchy Alentejo risolle © Blend All About Wine, Lda

We moved on to the soups – absolutely compulsory in Alentejo: chickpea soup with bóia (“ring float”), which consists in the fat from the pig’s belly – very tasty, and an excellent purslane soup with cottage cheese and poached quail egg.

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Purslane soup © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Our stomachs were already quite satisfied, but the main course was still to come. Although respecting the peace and quiet, it did not take long, to keep the rhythm of the meal going.

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Conger eel soup © Blend All About Wine, Lda

As a fish course, we had Alentejo-style conger eel soup with mint from the riverbank; it was filled with aromas, very tasty.

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While we waited for the meat course, the pennyroyal sorbet did a proper job of cleansing our palate.

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Mertolenga beef neck © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Then came the Mertolenga beef neck stewed slowly with haricot pods and “sawyer”-style migas (“fried breadcrumbs”), which really brought the Alentejo plane flavours to the plate. Excellent!

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Trilogy of “conventual” sweets © Blend All About Wine, Lda

We were able to make some room for a trilogy of “conventual” sweets (originally made in convents) with lemon sorbet, which put the cherry on the cake on this trip down Alentejo flavours. With regard to wines, the challenge was to bring wines from other regions with us to see how well they would do with Alentejo food.

The white Alvarinho 2014 from Quinta de Curvos – very refreshing, with excellent acidity and balanced fruit – accompanied the appetisers very well; the most interesting was Gravato da Beira Interior palhete wine 2005 – very elegant, intense, refined – paid excellent company to the soups and the fish. Neck and neck.

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The Wines © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Lastly, an “old” Garrafeira Tinto 1988 from Palmela, by J. P. Vinhos. Although its strength was drained, it was a good match for the Mertolenga meat, and slowly but appetisingly, it evolved in the glass. It tasted so good.

Chef António Nobre returned to the table to find out how it had gone, and received a deserving genuine applause.

He must have caught a whiff of “M’ar de Ar”…

Contacts
M’AR De AR AQUEDUTO
Rua Cândido dos Reis, 72
7000-782 Évora
Tel: (+351) 266 740 700
Fax: (+351) 266 740 735
E-mail: geral@mardearhotels.com
Website: www.mardearhotels.com

Taberna Típica Quarta-Feira

July 7, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

In one of the many intertwined streets in Évora, we find Rua do Inverno (“Winter street”).

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But the eatery we are after radiates human heat all year round; it’s called Taberna Típica Quarta-Feira (Wednesday Typical Tavern).

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A small, rustic, charming space, a pleasant, tidy room, and a lovely counter with an arch made of ochre bricks, behind which is the kitchen.

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Tables are well set and Alentejo wine bottles are found all about. The air carries easily recognisable scents of Alentejo seasoning.

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Taberna Típica Quarta-Feira is run by José Dias – his friends call him Zé Dias –, born in Sabugal, Beiras, in 1948. In 1964, he travelled to Évora to work in a printer’s, and eventually settled. Later, 25 years ago, he opened up a restaurant (after having managed a café and a snack-bar).

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In the kitchen is D. Luísa. She came to live in Évora 24 years ago from Monte do Trigo, Portel. They met through one of her sisters and, given her talent for cuisine, Zé Dias wouldn’t let her escape the restaurant whose kitchen she has since been in charge of. In that kitchen, they practise traditional Alentejo cuisine. Oven-roast lamb and esparregado – a puree of green vegetables, flour and milk – are a reference. Zé Dias’ jovial and friendly character makes up the rest.

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In the restaurant, we enjoyed many of the exhibited wines; some have been out of the market for a long time, but Zé Dias keeps them and manages them, so that his many returning customers can enjoy them. The latter come from all over the country, including some foreigners, thanks to the restaurant’s popularity. Zé Dias takes us in, walks us to our table, guides us through what we will be eating, places orders in the kitchen, opens wine bottles and, most of all, amuses us with his many stories full of very interesting characters. However, Zé Dias treats everyone equally: kindly and hospitably.

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At the table, the amazing Alentejo bread arrived to accompany the very thin presunto (gammon) and delicious paio de porco preto (smoked black-pork sausage prepared with garlic, sweet pepper and white wine).

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Also, a huge stuffed mushroom, served very hot.

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Esparregado & neck of black-pork © Blend All About Wine, Lda

The dry rice and that fantastic esparregado with a hint of vinegar paid excellent company to the oven-roasted nape of the neck of black-pork with browned diced potatoes; everything was served very hot. The table went quiet. The house white and red wines, Paulo Laureano‘s responsibility (read Sarah Ahmed’s article about Paulo Laureano here), kept flowing through the glasses.

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Bolo de Bolacha © Blend All About Wine, Lda

For dessert, we had an encharcada (egg and almond pudding) and bolo de bolacha, made in-house – an irresistible treat. Lastly, we had some plump cherries from Fundão, freshly delivered.

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Cherries © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Diet starts tomorrow!!

Zé Dias’ farewell is always: “See you soon!”

Contacts
Rua do Inverno, 16 – 18
7000 – 599 Évora
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 266 70 75 30

Old Wines From Casa de Paços

June 30, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Casa de Paços’ tradition with Vinho Verde goes back a long time. Its production is split between the land in Barcelos and the land in Monção.

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Casa de Paços‘ main house, in Barcelos, has been remodelled with strict instructions to maintain the original design, although it now offers the right conditions for events such as group lunches and dinners, and wine tastings.

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For example, the Silva Ramos tasting recently organised by the father and son of the family was exclusive to a lucky few, among which I was included.

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Starting with a walk to observe the traditional beauty of the house and its surroundings, we could also peek at the new vines still being planted, view the thick granite walls, the porch and the road running by.

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Then, we sat round the table to begin a delicious trip across the different wine categories this house offers. This tasting was very unusual: they presented vintages that had been bottled for years. Those old wines were about to give us very pleasant surprises and a delightful tasting. A few more modern vintages joined them for comparison purposes.

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We tasted 39 wines of 7 different types – a true wine marathon. Some wines were close to expiring, some were very enjoyable, and others were still very strong.

The Casa de Paços Loureiro/Arinto 2005 range proved very clean, with an elegant nose, somewhat evolved, with notes of nuts and melon, fantastic acidity, round, a very pleasant drink. And it’s from 2005! But Casa de Paços Loureiro/Arinto 2008 surprised us most of all. Honey-yellow, more evolved, very elegant in the nose, silky, still very refreshing and revealing some fruit. Good volume in the mouth, excellent acidity, intense, with notes of honey, very complex and with a lasting finish; a great wine. The 2011 vintage presented a lot of minerality, good acidity, consistency, and the 2012 too: dry, with good acidity and a little fruit; very good.

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The two most recent vintages in Casa de Paços Loureiro/Arinto were in great shape: 2013 with a very refreshing nose, extremely floral, light tropical notes, vibrant acidity and excellent minerality; the 2014 showed very good fruit; it was very elegant and refreshing. In the mouth, it’s engaging, light, has good acidity; this is a very modern white. Out of the Casa de Paços Arinto range came one of the biggest surprises, the 2004; honey-yellow, amber coloured. Very evolved, elegant, with notes of kerosene. In the mouth, it was incredibly intense, with powerful acidity, nuts, honey, complex, remarkable for a 10-year-old Vinho Verde! Then, Casa de Paços Arinto 2011 showed soft notes of vanilla, some freshness; it’s extremely elegant. Very structured in the mouth, dry, excellent acidity, and more, vanilla, peach, and pear fragrance; very good.

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The three wines from Casa de Paços Superior presented in the tasting – 2010, 2011 and 2013 – performed very well, especially the 2013, which proved still very young, soft and refreshing. Very elegant in the mouth, with excellent acidity, somewhat tropical and round – a modern and fun wine. Next were Capitão Mor Alvarinho wines, the 2005 in an incredible crystal-clear-citrus-yellow, some evolution, elegant. Revealing some fruit, it was intense, of very good acidity and very enjoyable. The baby, Alvarinho 2013, tastes very floral, slightly tropical, intense and refreshing. In the mouth, it’s dry, has beautiful acidity, sweet notes, citrus and a hint of mineral; a very balanced modern wine.

Then, came Morgado and Perdigão Loureiro/Alvarinho. The 2004 and 2005 vintages were in good health, the first revealing a very clear honey-yellow, slightly evolved but elegant and refreshing, hinting at some fruit, notes of nuts, very balanced acidity and a very lasting finish. The 2005 wore a very clear, soft citrus yellow; it was refreshing, had slightly sweetened notes and excellent acidity, balanced throughout. The 2008 is delicious, intense, slightly evolved, with notes of nuts and a full, voluminous, dry mouth, excellent acidity, very complex; a great wine. Another funny curiosity, which was also a surprise, was Reserva Capitão Mor in magnum bottles.

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The 2008 vintage stood out, soft and fresh in the nose, exotic in the mouth, elegant, with very good acidity, notes of nuts, but still young for a wine of this age. The 2013 also performed very well, in a crystal-clear citrus yellow, with intense tropical aromas, fresh and lightly floral. In the mouth, it’s very elegant, maintains the kind of freshness you get with good acidity, it’s persistent and has a long finish.

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Finally, Casa de Paços Fernão Pires wines were served, bringing a few pleasant surprises. Starting with the oldest, a 2008, of a very handsome honey-yellow, with notes of evolution in the nose, albeit very quaint, including some honey and jam. In the mouth, it’s complex, with very balanced acidity, light notes of quince jam, a lasting finish, and a beautiful wine. The 2012 was also very well, very fruity and with notes of flowers and jam; it has volume in the mouth, notes of apricot and boiled pear, very balanced acidity; such a good wine. Finally, Casa de Paços Fernão Pires 2014 is a modern wine, with an intense nose of tropical aromas and flowers. Still very young, it shows beautiful acidity contrasting with some sweetness, it’s elegant and comes to an excellent finish.

In general, every wine was easy to drink and none was spoiled, even those at the end of their drinkable period.

An excellent, very well organised, very didactic tasting.

Contacts
R. José de Carvalho, 68
4150-439 Porto
Tel: (+351) 968 018 145 – Dr. Silva Ramos
Fax: (+351) 226 101 838
Email: quintapacos@gmail.com
Website: www.quintapacos.com

Despite the modern facilities, Santa Luzia maintains a traditional cuisine

June 22, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

The spirit of this restaurant in Viseu is very traditional and got us used to its traditional, regional and Portuguese recipe book. A couple of years ago, the owner opened a new restaurant quite close to the original one (now a wine shop). More and more customers come in every day, many of which celebrate birthdays, christenings and even weddings there. A visit to this place was an absolute must, so we hit the road to the new Santa Luzia. With an ample parking lot, very modern and smart facilities, including a separate party space.

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The sober decor matches tones of black, grey and brown, and white ceramic floor.

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Tables were expertly set, and with care. The staff are remarkable, very professional, kind and attentive, and they also offer wine service. The cellar is quite extensive; naturally, most wines were Dão, but you would find it offers wines of many other regions in the country.

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On a recent visit, besides enjoying the quality of the establishment, as soon as we walked into the room, we were welcomed by an astonishing counter covered in traditional local products: a giant head of kale, enormous garlic cloves and onions, a lively head of lettuce and a mountain of Bull’s Heart tomatoes!

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At the table, we were presented with a very good loaf of bread from the region, served with generous slices of the same “ox-heart” tomatoes, sprinkled with a generous amount of sea salt.

That set the tone for an excellent meal.

Then came the ham, salpicão (thick pork sausage) and cured cheese, fried petingas (small sardines) and marinated shad filets.

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Before we could take a breath, briefly barbecued smoked sausages arrived: chouriço, farinheira and morcela from Beira. While we tackled these delicacies, inside the hot ovens lay the much-awaited rooster in the traditional cabidela (fowl giblets and blood stew).

In our glasses, Pedra Cancela white was already flowing. It’s made with Malvasia Fina and Encruzado; very refreshing, of a beautiful structure, balanced acidity and excellent volume in the mouth, which made an excellent accompaniment for the entrées.

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Time for the big event: the cabidela rooster was served with rice. The pot is set right on the table, respecting tradition. The lid opened releasing a delicious aroma, and its perfumed included the perfect amount of vinegar – just a touch. The feast began. The rooster meat was tough and tasty, the kind you need to chew. It was very well cooked. The Carolino rice (Portuguese long-grain) was cooked au-point and very well seasoned, with a thick sauce and the ideal amount of vinegar. Everything was served very hot – delicious.

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So we had to have seconds, a full plate. We just couldn’t resist it. In the meantime, we had moved on to Pedra Cancela Reserve red 2012, a full wine, deeply red, with great acidity and some freshness, and voluminous, keeping the cabidela rooster good company.

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The meal ended with plump and juicy sweet cherries. It is their season after all. Old town Viseu expected us for a reinvigorating walk…

Contacts
Estr. Nacional 2
3515-331 Viseu
Tel: (+351) 232 459 325
E-mail: geral@restaurante-santaluzia.pt
Website: www.restaurante-santaluzia.pt

The Symington family’s new Vintages

June 17, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

The Symington family chose the renovated Casa de Chá de Boa Nova, in Leça da Palmeira – right on top of the cliffs and the sea –, to present its two most recent Port wines.

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Opposite the famous building by architect Siza Vieira stands the stone engraved with a verse by the poet António Nobre, who enjoyed musing for inspiration there.

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The place looks incredible, with light coming in from the sea, the restaurant now in charge of a team led by chef Rui Paula, who was able to not only provide an excellent flawless wine service, but also provide us with a delicious meal accompanied by wines from this Douro producer: the white Altanos full of freshness, elegant, of excellent acidity – modern whites. The Vesúvio reds are at a great level, full of structure, mighty yet elegant – very cuisine ready.

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The Symington cousins, Charles and Ruper, made a careful presentation of the wines we were about to taste. Besides the two new wines, we made a short but delightful trip through a few superb Port wines. Charles Symington also did a peculiar and very interesting talk on the use of new technologies for studying and controlling vineyards, using techniques that completely master the earth’s morphology and composition, its humidity, acidity and many other parameters. What’s the goal here? Well, to continuously improve the vineyards’ performance and obtain ever better grapes. The results are out.

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We begin with two extraordinary Tawnies: first, the Grahams Colheita 1972, of a dark amber, and gold and brown streaks, proved a touch dry in the nose, notes of orange-tree flower, walnuts, hazelnuts, tobacco, full of scents. In the mouth, it has complexity, dry fruits, caramel, incredible acidity, some dry notes, it’s slightly smokey, ever evolving in the glass to an endless finish… already a classic Port.

Next followed Dow’s Colheita 1974 – of an average clear amber, it’s very elegant with notes of orange, some citrus, very delicate, almond-like scents, with spices, an authentic perfume. Excellent elegance in the mouth, powerful acidity, persistent, orange peel, still very refreshing, nuts and almonds, some smoke, tobacco, a very lasting finish for an extraordinary wine.

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Next in turn were the Vintage; beginning with Dow’s Vintage 1975, they were served in an interesting fashion: poured from a sample Tappit Hen bottle of 2.1 litres, still used occasionally by the family. The wine is clearing up, revealing a pale hue of ruby. It’s extremely elegant in the nose, yet showing some fruit, jam and light notes of spices. Beautiful acidity, very engaging, some nuts, cherry, very elegant yet persistent, a lasting finish in a vintage that will continue developing for a long time. Next was Warre’s Vintage 1977, good-looking – a light average ruby. The austere nose, yet elegant, is smokey, still fresh, including notes of jam and fruits of the forest. In the mouth, it was deep, with amazing acidity, very complex, with notes of overripe fruit, still full of freshness, a lasting and flavourful finish. Finally, out came a delicious Graham’s Vintage 1977, a year of great Port for this producer. Unlike its cousins, the colour is amazing – a dark red, almost opaque. An amazing nose, deep, austere, but full of elegance, a lot of dark fruit, chocolate, very good. Very voluminous, very balanced but of mighty acidity, deliciously complex, some nuts, and an amazing, full, engaging finish; a great wine.

After a short break for a breath and two light talks by the two cousins about the new vintage wines, came the Dow’s Vintage 2013 by Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira. Opaque, almost black, and shiny. In the nose, it presented notes of dark chocolate, very ripe dark fruits, blackberries, plums, raisins, but was also very floral. Powerful in the mouth, sweet notes, chocolate, very ripe figs, tobacco, vibrant acidity, very involving – a beautiful interpretation of an excellent modern vintage.

Quinta do Vesúvio Vintage 2013 and Dow’s Vintage 2013 Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Finally, the tradition of Quinta do Vesúvio Vintage 2013. Very dark, almost black, and silky. A fully fruity nose, a lot of elegance, floral, smokey, tobacco, cocoa and spices. Incredible in the mouth, excellent acidity, powerful, very ripe dark fruits, slightly spiced, almost spicy. It takes over your mouth and never ends… the interpretation, near perfection, of a place, a piece of land, vineyards, Quinta do Vesúvio! And also of the tradition of grapes crushed by foot inside granite presses – the return to Douro’s primal memories. A great Port wine!

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Once at the table in the restaurant, after a glass of champagne al fresco, we started with some appetisers: smoked mackerel with peppers, fake tomato with cottage cheese, and an olive with olive-oil merengue served in a charming tin.

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Next was the fish: smoked eel with beetroot and marrow.

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For meat, we had rack of lamb with tupinambur and fennel.

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A selection of national cheeses introduced dessert, a disconcerting “take it away” (tiramisu).

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In the meantime, we got back to the Port… the sea still splashing against the rocks.

Contacts
Symington Family Estates
Travessa Barão de Forrester 86
Apartado 26
4431-901 Vila Nova de Gaia
Portugal
Tel: +351 223 776 300
Fax: +351 223 776 301
E-mail: symington@symington.com
Website: www.symington.com

Douro Superior and its Wine Annual Festival

June 9, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Douro Superior still remains a mostly inhospitable mountainous region, where river Douro provides truly astonishing views of an almost suffocating, breath-taking beauty.

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Miguel Torga used to say the Douro river was “at times, an excess of Nature!”

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The grounds are poor; schist is abundant and the weather bounces from burning hot summers with temperatures often exceeding 45 degrees Celsius to a cold long winter lasting many months. However, the scarce rain allows for watering the vineyards, which is all you need to make exceptional wines.

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In the last few years, the number of new vineyards has gone through the roof; the vineyard has completely taken over the land, where the view used to be mostly composed of olive and almond trees. Traditional horseshoe-shaped pigeon houses pop out here and there. So typical. That sub-region has been generating some of the best Portuguese wines of our time. This fact surely hasn’t escaped the organisation that threw the first Festival de Vinhos do Douro Superior 4 years ago, in its fourth edition this year.

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Revista de Vinhos has been performing very well. With its vast experience, it made a true interpretation of the vision behind this kind of festival, even though it takes place far away in Vila Nova de Foz Côa. The festival has indeed attracted wine lovers from all over the country in addition to people from the entire region, who take this opportunity to taste all the new releases and great classics – many of them awarded worldwide.

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Revista de Vinhos has proven able to organize an exciting programme for the media – and for many professionals in the wine business including local bloggers – with guided tours that include lunch and dinner meals in some of the most beautiful lands in the region. These professionals sit down and taste a few wines in the form of a contest of remarkably organised completely blind tasting. From this tasting, this completely independent and heterogeneous panel announce their best picks.

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After this event, people usually walk round the market to taste some wines and regional products – bread, cheese, sausages, jams, nuts, olive oil, etc. – or attend very interesting talks, led by some of the journalists from Revista de Vinhos.

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Although the railway is an excellent option, the roads to Foz Côa have changed a lot lately, and have become much better and faster, which makes it easier to pop up there for an interesting day, and get back home in the evening. Or to spend two or three days further exploring a region with so much to offer, especially landscapes, where being “green” is a natural thing, and visible everywhere.

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In this case, one must keep an eye out for accommodation, given the lack thereof, especially during the festival when everything is booked.

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Enjoying local cuisine is another good reason. Ranging from fried freshwater fish or marinated fish, olives, smoked sausages, cheese – Terrincho being a natural favourite – and beef, especially the Mirandesa kind; be it ribs, rodião (flank), or the traditional “posta à Mirandesa” (beef steak in the style of Miranda do Douro), all of them prepared in a simple manner: grilled with sea salt over charcoal, and cooked au point. On the plate, it’s served with a sauce based on olive oil, parsley and wine vinegar… you will find yourself eating with your eyes closed.

The group of journalists and bloggers always mingles on these occasions, exchanging stories in an environment of sheer camaraderie, which wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for these event managers.

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On the way home, everybody starts dreaming of next year’s edition, a good excuse for another visit to Douro Superior, its landscapes, food and wines, and ultimately to see the people who bring it all together.

See you next year!

A Winning Project in The Alentejo Interior

June 2, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

This exemplary rural unit is located in the Alentejo interior, south of Beja, and it belongs to a German group.

Herdade dos Grous Typical Alentejo Hotel

In Albernoa, the Philosophy consists in combining a typical Alentejo hotel with a rural environment, where ecological care is a priority.

Firstly, the very beautiful lake gathers the perfect conditions for Ornithology. This unit produces many different goods, and wine is one of the best, its wines constantly earning awards across the world. They are produced from very good quality grapes covering about 170 acres of vineyards, white and red.

Herdade dos Grous 170 Acres of Vineyards

Much more is produced here, such as herbs, vegetables and fruit, which grow all year in a bio regime, and are mostly consumed in both hotels: Alentejo and Algarve.

Cattle are another great produce, comprising cows, goats and pigs, whose meats are widely consumed in the group’s restaurants.

The jumping horses are another of the land’s ventures, some of them being thorough-breed, and claiming excellent results internationally. Furthermore, the company produces a very high quality olive oil, jam, honey and several biscuits.

The cellar operates in the main building. It was built from scratch and includes all the modern technical facilities for producing quality wine. This has been achieved continuously, also thanks to the leader of the entire team (not only dedicated to wine), Luís Duarte, one of the most awarded Portuguese oenologists. He has vast experience producing wines throughout Alentejo, and in the hotel he is also the Manager. Rigour seems to be the watchword, with every member’s tasks and responsibilities well outlined. Luís Duarte has succeeded in putting a clearly winner team together. The results speak for themselves.

All Herdade dos Grous wines belong to this brand, maintaining a sober image, which has grown on customers. Only its label’s colours change and, of course, the year of the harvests. On this visit, we tasted six superb wines with a delicious meal.

The 2014 White proved very refreshing and young, with beautiful acidity, some fruit in the nose, and the wine quickly fading out of the glasses.

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The 2013 White Reserva revealed a lot of elegance, soft woody notes, some freshness, very soft – quite velvety. To be drunk slightly less cooled – a beautiful wine.

The first red, Herdade dos Grous 2013, was solid, with a lot of ripe fruit, a lot of good acidity in the mouth, clean, round, a modern wine.

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Then followed Moon harvested, also from 2013, with good aromas of very ripe fruit, complex but very soft spicy and woody scents, beautiful volume in the mouth, consistent and full of elegance, with a very lasting finish.

23 Barricas, of 2013, is made with Touriga Nacional and Syrah; a very structured wine, with good character and a complex but fascinating and slightly floral nose. In the mouth, it has volume, excellent acidity, a lot of dark fruit; it is lightly austere, deep, and with a never-ending finish.

By the end of the meal, 2012 Colheita Tardia slipped into our glasses. Here, they prepare it with the Petit Manseng variety. Its grapes were injected with “Botritis Cinerea”, to create the necessary features for a very special wine. Where sweetness is strong, it is compensated with amazing acidity and somewhere in-between are complex spicy aromas, notes of honey, jam and ginger. However, everything is very balanced, and served cool. Delicious!

Herdade dos Grous Cured Chease Paiola Paio From The Neck

The meal, in the vineyard’s restaurant, started with bread from the region, olives, two different pates, normal butter and butter with herbs, tuna with black-eyed beans, cod with chick-peas, cured chease, paiola, paio (spicy pork sausage) from the neck and, of course, olive oil from the land in which to dip bread.

After some scrambled eggs with wild asparagus came the meats from the land: lamb, black Iberian pork and Alentejo beef. They had been grilled only in salt, and served with a side of (literally) punched potatoes and sautéed vegetables, all local produce.

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The mix of Alentejo sweets disarmed us all!

Outside, the peaceful Alentejo plane still reigned…

Contacts
Herdade dos Grous
Albernôa 7800-601
Beja, Portugal
Tel: (+351) 284 960 000
Fax: (+351) 284 960 072
E-mail: herdadedosgrous@herdadedosgrous.pt
Website: www.herdadedosgrous.com

Porto Cruz, an Ever Expanding Company…

May 26, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

It may belong to a big French drinks producer and distributor, but this is a very successful Portuguese company. It leverages its strong Port wine production and has been highlighted as one of the biggest producers of Port wine in Portugal, and more so abroad, where most of the products go.

Also in the portfolio, you will find C. da Silva, who produce Dalva wines, and are a reference in their own sector.

A couple of years ago, the company got hold of most of the capital from Henriques and Henriques, and the total capital from Justino’s – both companies produce Madeira wine. Porto Cruz has recently bought Quinta de Ventozelo, one of the largest extensions of Douro vineyards.

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However, it previously opened the latest cellar in Alijó, which relies on the most modern and most revolutionary technology in wine production.

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This cellar can hold 22 million litres of wine. It has 40 vats that can hold up to 360,000L, other vats of up to 180,000L, among many other smaller vats. Two huge filters feed the entire complex, as do the structures for nitrogen and compressed air. An innovative automatic cleaning and disinfecting system keeps all the vats spotless.

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The wine pumping system is also automatic. Everything is controlled via a sophisticated automation system.

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The stainless steel presses feed into the vats where wines will ferment and age. The wine is then moved into casks or directly into bottles. All the equipment paraphernalia impresses the visitors, whether due to quantity and quality, or due to the flawless hygiene.

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Every process takes place in this cellar, where all the company’s wines are made. They are stored there and dispatched from there.

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Many go to Vila Nova de Gaia, where they will be stored in giant stainless steel vats, or age in the biggest park of mashing tubs in the region, of enormous dimension.

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Equally grandiose, the old facilities were adjusted to modern needs and have seen continuous growth. Inside, the old cement vats still active and part of an efficient use of all the space.

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That is also where a sophisticated filling, labelling and packaging system takes place. It fills the enormous daily need for wine, in turn shipped worldwide. Efficiency seems to be the word of order as an announcement is made about improvements being done on the admin and lab sections.

The oenology team is supervised by Engineer José Manuel Soares, who has a lot of experience in wine growing and Douro oenology under his belt. Engineer Jorge Dias is in charge of project and strategy, and he has shown a talent in outlining a new profile for Porto Cruz wines as well as for the company’s branding, which is out for the world to see.

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All that visibility is concentrated further down the hill, in the imposing Porto Cruz building – already a landmark of that area – on the riverside avenue in Gaia. From an old construction, they made a space where, as the owners put it, “wine must be lived!” A bold and very modern décor is home to the many visual devices the company invested in as innovative solutions for presenting the wine, especially Port. All of this was very well combined with culture, which fills this space permanently as well as temporarily, and all for the sake of Port wine and its history.

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The top floor hosts a modern restaurant, under chef Miguel Castro Silva’s consultancy, but where chef José Guedes works his wonders with a consistent appetising cuisine.

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On the terrace, there’s a bar with a 360º view of Gaia and Porto, sitting right opposite. It’s open until late in the warmer months of the year. On S. João night (24^th June – a celebration of Saint John with riverside concerts and fireworks), we sit in the front row.

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By the end of a very comprehensive visit, we toasted with some Porto Dalva Golden White 1971.

The river Douro flowed by peacefully…

Contacts
Espaço Porto Cruz
Largo Miguel Bombarda, N.º23
4400 – 222 Vila Nova de Gaia
Tel: (+351) 220 92 53 40 / 220 92 54 01
Fax: 220 924 299
Website: www.myportocruz.com | www.porto-cruz.com

Posts Tagged : José Silva

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Old Wines From Casa de Paços

Despite the modern facilities, Santa Luzia maintains a traditional cuisine

The Symington family’s new Vintages

Douro Superior and its Wine Annual Festival

A Winning Project in The Alentejo Interior

Porto Cruz, an Ever Expanding Company…