Blend All About Wine Arquivo de José Silva - Page 5 of 6

In the Bairrada Region, a Producer With a Great Tradition

May 22, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

I remember many years ago, in cafés in Lisbon, it was customary to order “A bica (espresso) and a São Domingos!”

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Aguardente Bagaceira (Marc Spirit) Caves São Domingos © Blend All About Wine, Lda

This São Domingos was the brandy made by Caves São Domingos, and very popular as a high quality spirit. Times went by, drinking spirits became less and less popular due to a law that emerged in the meantime, but Caves São Domingos are still there and, among many other products, they produce this and other very high quality drinks.

Caves São Domingos are Still There © Blend All About Wine, Lda

The cellars still include the facilities in Anadia, but have been growing and have been producing not only more wines and spirits, but also a broader variety of products.

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Their Prestigious Brandies © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Although the main – and most renowned – product is the sparkling wine, their prestigious brandies have kept the traditional customers coming as well as broadening the range of consumer types, who search more and more for genuine products. Table wines, from the regions of Bairrada and Dão, have taken over the front page of the company’s portfolio.

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Modern Cellar © Blend All About Wine, Lda

All these developments make them want to stay up-to-date, which is why the company now has a modern cellar and all the technology available – especially the Cold Chain that enables them to make modern attractive wines. Furthermore, they can also keep producing sparkling wines distinguished by national and international experts, and by the end customers.

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In their cellars now age more than two million bottles of sparkling wine, of several categories, and which are released in the market according to demand.

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Traditional Riddling Wine Racks © Blend All About Wine, Lda

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They still rest in the traditional riddling wine racks, where bottles are turned by hand every day. Those racks coexist with the most modern method of remuage (turning bottles periodically) and allow for producing a larger amount of sparkling wine while ensuring the quality.

Thanks to great care in dissemination, participation in countless national or international fairs and wine tasting events throughout the country, sparkling wines are more and more consumed with the rich Portuguese cuisine, which goes far beyond roasted suckling pig – although a still very popular and very good natural partner.

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Demi-johns © Blend All About Wine, Lda

This is also where they store the liqueur demi-johns and the ageing casks for several brandies produced in those cellars. The latter are known in many markets as the best in Portugal. São Domingos wines are made of grapes from their own vineyards and other producers’ vineyards in Bairrada and Dão, who the company assists with technical matters, ensuring top quality raw materials.

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In the main room, the old wall clock reminded us that it was time to taste some wines. So we did, with Caves São Domingos white 2014, of floral aromas and some citrus lending the Maria Gomes and Bical varieties. In the mouth, it feels velvety, slightly citrusy, flavourful and very enjoyable. Next was Volúpia White, also a 2014, although comprising Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Maria Gomes varieties – a modern wine and very fresh, very mineral, with excellent volume in the mouth, very balanced acidity and filled with elegance. – For a more detailed insight of these white wines please check João Pedro de Carvalho previous article here.

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Velha Reserva Brut 2008 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

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Cuvée Brut 2011 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Then, the sparkling wines. First, Velha Reserva Brut 2008, made of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, very fresh floral notes in the nose, hay, brioche and a little hint of toast. The bubble is very fine and elegant, it was refreshing in the mouth with notes of nuts. Following, the Cuvée Brut 2011, with Baga and Sauvignon Blanc, had some complexity in the nose, it was fruity, with dry notes, a very refined bubble, very refreshing in the mouth with a hint of toast, very soft notes of almond – a very elegant sparkling wine.

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Lopo de Freitas Brut 2010 © Blend All About Wine, Lda

Finally, we tasted Lopo de Freitas Brut 2010, already a classic wine by this company. Cerceal and Chardonnay make an excellent match, their bubbles very refined, slightly fruity aromas, somewhat exotic. In the mouth, it has excellent acidity; it is full, creamy, with light notes of nuts and a lasting and pleasant finish.

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Present in the roast suckling pig was Blanc de Blancs Brut 2011: very fresh, mineral and with some citric suggestions, great acidity and battling the pork.

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To finish, “an espresso and a São Domingos”, of course…

Contacts
Caves do Solar de São Domingos, S.A.
Ferreiros – Anadia
Apartado 16
3781-909 Anadia – Portugal
Tel: (+351) 231 519 680
Fax: (+351) 231 511 269
E-mail: info@cavesaodomingos.com
Website: www.cavesaodomingos.com

AS – Cork, How corks are produced today

May 19, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Portugal is the greatest producer of corks (for bottles) in the world, as well as one of the biggest producers of cork.

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The relationship wine has with corks is self-evident and, although attention has been drawn to other materials, cork corks are still the reference when it comes to sealing bottles. Furthermore, producers all around the world have gone back to using cork tops as a result of the enormous development in the quality of this raw material.

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Some production units in Portugal have invested in high-end technology, which means corks of much higher quality and a big drop in production costs, which ultimately helps companies make a profit.

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This is the case with AS – Cork (Américo Sousa & Filhos Lda.), whose headquarters are in Santa Maria de Lamas. The company’s development has been steady, relying on a very well programmed investment policy based on the market’s demands. This growth brought them to invest in the Moroccan market, where their production unit has proven quite successful.

The family that own the company are local and have been connected to the cork industry for a long time. Two brothers dedicate their full schedule to the three factories, located quite close to each other.

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In the first factory, they receive the raw material, which is then selected, cut and stored. The selection process is a careful one, where any unsuitable cork will be separated.

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Then, the cork is disinfected using several processes that involve boiling in appropriate machines.

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Once dry, it is moved for the first stage of cork production, which will carry on in the second factory.

In the meantime, and maintaining quality control throughout the process, the cork shavings and the damaged cork, which cannot be used to produce corks but may be used for other purposes, are removed and sold to factories for other cork products – for decoration, for insulation, cork ballast, etc. They leave nothing to waste.

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In the second factory, quality control continues with the help of modern equipment, which allows for some innovation, whether in the production process or in the final products, such as cork discs – this company’s specialty – used to produce corks for sparkling wine and champagne. These are in high demand, and are sold to other units, seeing as that type of cork is not widely produced in Portugal yet.

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This fully automated unit prioritises cleaning, in order to make contamination impossible. Machines are more and more sophisticated; using cameras and even laser beams, they can read in 2D and 3D, and are highly profitable and very efficient.

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In the extremely well-equipped lab (which includes a chromatograph), a specialised team tests every type of end product, based on strict guidelines. No mistake can be made – one of the company’s principles.

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The third factory buys all the production off the first two and later sells it to countless clients – mostly foreign.

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This factory is where the corks are finished, as per the client’s order, whether national or foreign.

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Another laboratory continues the quality control, ensuring all Health & Safety guidelines are met, and according to international law.

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Finally, the finished corks and cork discs are dispatched. This stage also involves using packaging that ensures the end product is protected until it reaches its final destination. A few months or even years later, we will surely find many of these corks when unwrapping wine bottles of various origins, even if this means one of the greater French champagnes.

A genuinely Portuguese product produced in line with the best products in the world.

A couple from the North fell in love with Alentejo’s Arrepiado Velho

May 12, 2015 1 comment in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

One day, a couple from the North of Portugal decided to buy this piece of land near Sousel.

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All they had to do then was rebuild some buildings, especially the main house, making it comfortable enough to live in. Once the vineyards were planted, producing wine was only a baby step away, thanks to the precious help of oenologist and friend António Maçanita and an expert in wine growing, David Booth, who already left us.

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Although they want to build a new cellar, the current one has all the necessary conditions and modern technology. This is where grapes and wines are prepared, and where wine waits to be bottled.

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In the meantime, the couple’s son, António, and his wife Marta got busy selling the wines. Marta, who works in Design, designed the very unusual labels – really quite unique, and which make Arrepiado Velho bottles stand out in the crowd.

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They got so involved in the project, they decided to move to Alentejo and work full time on producing and selling these quality wines. Marta stayed linked to Design. Even though they have two small children, they get excellent quality of life, and have adjusted perfectly.

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The land has been developing; it now includes a lake, which stores all the water the vineyards need, but is also used for leisure, for instance the fun trips on the pedal boats. More than 75 acres of vineyards look very well kept and healthy, and the olive trees produce some quality olive oil. They want to plant more vineyards soon and add them to the existing varieties: Antão Vaz, Verdelho, Chardonnay, Viognier and Rieseling for white wine, and Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot for red.

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A number of rooms and a beautiful pool opens the doors to wine tourism in Arrepiado Velho, although they want to improve on it. Many local products are used to make breakfast and other meals served there. Other products come from the same region, offering a variety of Alentejo traditional items.

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On a walk around the land, we see vinyards all around, interrupted here and there by olive trees and holm oak.

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The traditional orange trees are present too, keeping visitors and playful dogs company.

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At dinner, by the crackling fire lit to prevent the evening chill, we relished a full table.

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Delicious regional bread came with olives, and tasted lovely dipped in olive oil.

Board of Different Sausages and Sliced Cheeses - Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

And a board of different sausages and sliced cheeses tempted everyone. Meanwhile, our glasses were filled with white Antão Vaz 2014, which surprised us with its freshness, aroma and some tropical fruits; although non-exuberant, it revealed a good body and very balanced acidity.

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Right after that, Arrepiado white 2014, refreshing in the nose, with some pineapple, something mineral, good acidity and quite balanced.

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Then, followed a very flavourful and rich stuffed tomato, which led to a surprising white Rieseling of very fresh citrusy notes, pineapple, grapefruit, and mango. In the mouth, it is very elegant and persistent, staying fresh – a very interesting wine.

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Then, it was time for Arrepiado Velho Rosé, made from Touriga Nacional and Syrah, slightly floral in the nose, very fresh, an intense and full mouth, notes of very elegant red berries, which paid excellent company to the delicious sautéed mushrooms, in turn meaty and well seasoned. The first red was Brett Edition 2011, with developed aromas, tobacco, leather and some spices, good volume in the mouth, round, elegant, persistent – a different wine.

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It accompanied a lamb roast and runny rice with greens and chouriço – excellent. We finished with a superb Red Arrepiado Velho Collection 2011 – full of class and dark fruits, notes of tobacco, slightly balsamic in the nose, a voluminous mouth, notes of smoke, chocolate, ripe dark fruits and a lasting finish.
And there was no room left for dessert.

Surrounded by peace and quiet, I had a long and deep sleep…

Contacts
Herdade do Arrepiado Velho
Tel: (+351) 256 392 675
Fax: (+351) 256 392 676
E-mail: amantunes@arrepiadovelho.com | mneto@arrepiadovelho.com
Website: www.arrepiadovelho.com

Ruy Leão and his Shiko establishment

May 5, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

There’s a new place for Japanese food in Porto near Batalha, another restless area buzzing with all these new hotels and tapas restaurants, all very popular. Plus, the majestic beauty of Teatro Nacional S. João, equally busy with cultural affairs.

Well, further ahead, on the way to the upper tray of D. Luís bridge and the Guindais funicular tram, on Rua do Sol, a new space has opened, where chef Ruy Leão prepares and serves Japanese food. He called it “Shiko”.

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Japanese food that goes far beyond sushi and sashimi, including a number of very interesting cooked meals.

Ruy Leão, a Brazillian from Recife born in 1981 into a family of musicians, came to Portugal some time ago to a restaurant in Guimarães, where he started exhibiting his talent and good taste for this type of food, which has lately become so fashionable in this area. While he was young and still in Brazil, he was more interested in drawing and painting. However, he already loved sushi at the time, so he attended a course and then began teaching his friends at home. Given the invariably positive result, he was encouraged to make a career out of it. He naturally began working in restaurants and even contacted chef Carlos Faustino, who encouraged him to get the course in the first place. And so the adventure began, with his full dedication to this passion, which indeed turned into a career. Once in Portugal, from Guimarães, he moved on to Matosinhos with chef Pedro Nunes, in restaurant 44; he took control of the sushi counter, where he became very successful. After a spell in Rua do Sol, in Porto, with his Portuguese wife, they found a vacant space a few hundred yards away.

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That was when they decided to take the leap and get their own space.

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Sleeves rolled, a very plain décor but very attractive, a small but very cosy space. Tables for two run along the left wall of the long corridor and bigger tables are on the right. Down at the end, the chef’s table sits four; here, Ruy serves special menus of his own creation, and the client has no say in the matter.

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On the left is the counter behind which Ruy and his assistant prepare the food before it’s served. In the table section, Alexandra Leão is the boss, spreading her friendliness about.

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The counter includes a display, where the fish shines through, almost all of it from the Portuguese sea, always very fresh and put on display only after being very well cleaned. Some are not so common types: blackbelly rosefish, wrasse, sole, red mullet, horse mackerel, mackerel – on display, no tricks. It’s a pleasure to watch both prepare the well-presented pieces – two by two or in creative compositions.

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Some are pieces of sushi, urumaki, nigiri and gunkan, others are sashimi of very well sliced fish of various types off the Portuguese coast.

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Using different types of seasoning is the rule, as are marinades, different seeds and even tempura, which resemble the Portuguese panados (breaded food, generally stakes).

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They can be made with shrimp, crab or chicken breasts.

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The food is served in several containers, from small two-piece canoes to dishes of all sizes made in Portuguese china or glass, and can be served in a group atop a huge slate – what an excellent effect.

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Out of a list of wines of original choices, on our last visit we tasted two wines: a white Azahar 2012, from Santo Tirso – very refreshing, good acidity, very pleasant dry notes, excellent company for this kind of food.

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And also a Douro red – and why not?! – Mafarrico, also 2012, very elegant, delicate although with good volume, leaving a good impression and keeping good company to many of the pieces we tried. Before we left, we scheduled another visit to this Porto “Shiko”…

Contacts
SHIKO – Tasca Japonesa
Rua Sol, 238
Porto
Tel: (+351) 223 239 671
Facebook: facebook.com/SHIKOtascajaponesa

Esporão, an Alentejo Classic

April 28, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

One of Alentejo’s greatest properties, with 4450 acres of land, 1100 of which have active vineyards and the other 200 acres have olive trees producing excellent olive oil.

If we add a very well designed countryside cellar, a restaurant making excellent food, a wine shop selling various items and a pool of water that helps mould the landscape and waters the entire complex, we will get one of the few wine tourism locations in Alentejo. One day is not enough to enjoy it properly.

Out of all of the above, the most attractive feature is the production of the wine– besides the breath-taking landscape of unusually endless vineyards, the quality and care they put into everything they do, and, of course, the wines of many levels, where quality is the standard and almost an obsession. This team is led by an oenologist who, although born far away in Australia, has become very Portuguese and was recently naturalised as a Portuguese citizen. David Baverstock can’t hide his passion for the work he does so well; besides, he is very well supported by the viticulture and oenology team in the hands of Luís Patrão. The results come in with every new harvest.

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In viticulture, the ampelographic area they keep is obviously of great importance, including 188 Portuguese species as well as many others from all over the world, where much of what belongs to Portugal is preserved, and its evolution and potential are analysed. Species with odd names, such as Tinta Pomar, Molinha Macia (soft and tender), Malvasia Cândida (Candid Malvasia), Corropio (Rush), Uva Salsa (Parsley Grape), Tinta do Bragão, Arinto do Interior, Larião, Amor-não-me-deixes (Don’t-leave-me-love), Carrasquenho and many others are proving their worth. But the most traditionally Portuguese species (Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Touriga Nacional, Verdelho, Antão Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro, Gouveio) and some foreign (Syrah, Petit Verdot, Semillon) are where they get the base for most of their symbolic wines.

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Some of these grapes are then prepared in a modern cellar that was recently renovated, to include new technical features.

Then, they rest in that incredible gigantic cask cellar. On our recent visit, we tasted a few of those and confirmed their potential, once again.

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The Duas Castas white 2013, made from Gouveio and Antão Vaz, proved to be very clean, with light vegetable aromas, very citrusy and delicate. In the mouth, it is very refreshing, intense and persistent, has fruity notes and some mineral – a youthful wine.

Private Selection white, also 2013, is a completely different wine. Modern and seductive, fermented in wood, which is apparent straight away in the nose, somewhat exotic, very elegant, some white fruits, smoky notes and lightly toasted. In the mouth, it’s plump, full, of buttery notes, some very soft chocolate – a very harmonious wine.

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Still within the whites, we move on to Reserva 2013, a classic wine, also fermented in wood and very clean, with a little fruity intensity – somewhere between citrus and white fruits – and light smoky notes. In the mouth, it’s full, ample, including very ripe white fruit, balanced acidity and some freshness combined with persistent minerality.

Private Selection red 2011 reveals all the potential of an extraordinary year. Complex spicy aromas, some red fruits, very soft notes of chocolate and tobacco.: in the mouth, it’s austere, full, with notes of cocoa and coffee, intense, good acidity and a long, flavourful aftertaste.

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We move on to Quatro Castas red 2013, the nose is somewhat floral, perhaps red fruits and very fun notes of spices. In the mouth, it’s ample, with excellent acidity, some complexity, very elegant with a very interesting medium aftertaste.

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We finish with a classic, Red Reserva 2012. This wine has an exuberant nose and includes some wild fruits, a little smoke; it is spicy and elegant. The mouth is simultaneously elegant and austere, full-bodied, slightly toasted, with dark fruits, good acidity for balance and probably good longevity. A beautiful wine.

On our way out of the estate, we had to stop at Esporão Tower, a commission by D. Álvaro Mendes de Vasconcelos built between 1457 and 1490. It was recovered in 2003 and, today, houses a museum of archaeology, where valuable items collected in Esporão and in Perdigões are displayed.

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Beside the tower is the Esporão Arch and a Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, which also belong to the history of this property, whose origin is lost in time…

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

O Antigo Carteiro, in Lordelo do Ouro, in the invicta city of Oporto…

April 7, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Helder Sousa comes from Santo Tirso. He moved to Porto to study theatre and later became a theatre producer. He worked in that field for quite some time.

One day, his interest in food and wine tempted him into a life-change. As a stroke of genius, he realised he wanted to run a restaurant, so he took over Carteiro, an already established eatery.

He named it Antigo Carteiro (meaning Former Postman) and moved into the square where the restaurant (originally a post office) was located. He knows people and places round the square; he visits the local café and people know him and respect his work. The restaurant used to serve traditional food in a homely environment. You can find it on Rua Senhor da Boa Morte, after Largo do Ouro, looking right over river Douro and winking at Aldeia da Afurada, on the other bank – in Gaia.

The kitchen is on the ground floor and, on the first floor, a tempting terrace is home to the original lettering for the Post Office.

Inside, there are two rooms, one of them facing the front of the building, with many windows and a tall mirror around the corners – an excellent effect. The back room is smaller, yet equally comfortable and well decorated using light colours – very refreshing.

Tables are expertly set – comprehensively. The staff is friendly, dedicated and very polite, including Helder, who is always there to serve and explain how meals are prepared, what ingredients they entail and what products they are made from. You can tell he is very passionate and truly loves his life’s project, which he has embraced with open arms and perseverance. Helder developed his own concept, by creating a more comfortable white-towel restaurant and serving the food he most enjoys. Wine is part of this project, with the owner looking to serve unusual wines that are not very well known, but harmonise with his cuisine. According to him, the kitchen should use high quality products, so that results are as intended. He tries to recover some things that have almost fallen into oblivion or that aren’t that common, such as ham-style tongue and pickling brine, some of his favourites. In his menu, he includes codfish and octopus, cow’s tongue and lamb shank, veel cheek, pork knee and rice with smoked sausages; as Helder usually says, food from head to toe.
He recently gathered some friends round and brought in two wine producers for a deliciously engaging journey on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

We started with some excellently presented and very tasty toasts with tomato or cured salmon.

This was followed by mackerel marinated in dry tomato. This kind of fish makes for fantastic meals; it’s quaint and well-tempered. The crunchy dry tomato is an excellent accompaniment.

The small sardines in pickling brine were fully eaten – head and all!

The ham-style tongue with pink pepper and rocket were also very elegant and rich in flavour.

Then, a risotto made with long-grain rice, fresh shitake mushrooms, penny bun mushrooms and green asparagus – a beautiful mix.

Quail in pickling brine is a traditional recipe; served cold with little toasts – delicious.

Next were the veel cheeks, which had been marinating for several hours and came with pumpkin mash and sautéed greens, such class.

The meal came to an end with the dessert, which was served on a charming three-sided plate for three different flavours: chocolate mousse, apple crumble with port and a juicy sweet made of eggs, toasted almonds and pink pepper. This entire feast was bathed in two white wines. Very different, yet excellent:
Solar dos Lobos from 2014, young, cheeky, cool and perfectly acid, consistent and well paired with the brine.

Also, a bottle of Casal de Santa Maria of the 2010 harvest, with a delicate touch of wood, deliciously complex aromas of asparagus and something soft and tropical, a beautiful structure and elegant acidity. It worked exceptionally well with some foods, for instance the ham-style tongue, the mushroom and asparagus risotto and the veel cheek.

A tawny from the house of Vieira de Sousa was the choice for dessert; very elegant with intense nutty aromas, round and deep, with great acidity, crunchy and lightly toasted. It made for a grand finale after a long afternoon.

Contacts
O Antigo Carteiro
Rua Senhor da Boa Morte, 55
4150-686 Porto
Mobile: (+351) 937 317 523
E-mail: oantigocarteiro@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oantigocarteiro

Quinta da Pacheca – The Essence of Wine Tourism

March 24, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

The history of this farm goes back a long way. It is part of the history of wine and has belonged in the Serpa Pimentel family for 4 generations.

The wines from this farm evolved quite a lot in the middle of the 20^th century, thanks to Engineer Eduardo Serpa Pimentel’s intense dedication. He is the grandfather of the current generation, and with whom I often had the pleasure of tasting wine. This man was highly educated, had a very open mind and made many experiments with Douro vineyards, which gave him great insight that he would share with any keen listener. I remember some whites he made from species of grapes such as Rieseling or Gewurstraminer, original ideas in a very conventional Douro at the time. As for the wines, they made it to our days; safe and sound. They are more modern, more accessible; I would even say more appetising. They have made a strong return to shop shelves and restaurants with a fresh new branding, yet still representing a well-renowned name with class. With thanks to recent investments made by the new owners, Maria do Céu Gonçalves and Paulo Pereira. They are Portuguese entrepreneurs who settled in France and have bought most of the company’s capital and are now running it alongside the Serpa Pimentel family.

In the tourism industry, the quality of the restaurant and hotel is such, that they have become a reference in Baixo Corgo and even across the Douro region.

This piece is very well integrated in the farm’s architecture, with 15 rooms whose beauty and comfort are undeniable. Caring and remarkable service may be another reason for the high rate of visitors all year long.

The restaurant is run in a room of great beauty and filled with light. Besides delicious breakfasts, exquisite meals are prepared to a high degree, using Portuguese and even regional products — when possible — to make simple yet scrumptious meals.

In our last visit, we enjoyed a lovely alheira and asparagus pasty (alheira is made of different meats and bread) over a bed of sautéd mushrooms in Pacheca olive oil – quite delicious.

Then, we had a piece of veel with portobello mushrooms and salpicão (pepperoni) from Vinhais – an extremely tender and delicious meat with earthy, meaty mushrooms and the perfect risotto, including a very Portuguese product: salpicão.

For dessert, a sweet made of cheese and coffee with pistaccio maccaroon and red fruit pannacotta. Excellent presentation.

These flavours were accompanied by Pacheca Colheita white, from the 2014 harvest; very elegant, very fresh and intensely acid, made of a very balanced plot of species of grapes – a fine wine. Later, we had the red, also a Colheita (harvest), but of 2012. Good fruit in the nose, balanced, good volume in the mouth and excellent structure. It goes well with food. For desert, we had Porto Vintage from 2012, also very fruity in the nose, very lively and fresh with intense notes of mature black fruits, chocolate and tobacco; a sublime complexity and a promising future.

We ended the evening with a new Tawny, very pleasant; with nutty aromas, a good structure, silky, intense and with excellent acidity. Naturally, both ports had been cooled…

In the morning, we took a walk down the winery and its granite walls, but most of the time, we spent around the farm and its surroundings, including the Douro river looking up at us.

The vineyards still bare, waiting out for Spring temperatures to bud. Their beauty is one of a kind and one I never tire of. They stretch out along the riverside and up the banks.

There are many houses on this farm, which strive on their antiquity; they still make very dignified hosts.

The various terraces and paths in the farm suggest reinvigorating walks to appreciate all that beauty, in a valley that stretches down to the river Douro.

As for the wines, they are resting in the winery until they are ready…

Contacts
Quinta da Pacheca
Cambres – 5110-424 Lamego
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 254 331 229
Fax: (+351) 254 318 380
Website: www.quintadapacheca.com

An Afternoon in Camarate With Domingos Soares Franco

July 15, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva

Domingos Soares Franco doesn’t need any introduction in the wine world. He belongs in the family that owns the firm José Maria da Fonseca, where he is also the master winemaker, but he is above all a wine lover and an investigator, someone discontented, always trying to do better and to do different. His work is for sure one of the main reasons of the success of one of the biggest Portuguese wine producers.

But he is also a funny person that loves being around a lot of people, and appreciates the good things in life. Every year, in June, Domingos Soares Franco invites a small group of wine writers who are also his friends, for a simple lunch at his house in Camarate, where the first rule is that everybody brings a bottle of wine, to which Domingos Soares Franco will add half a dozen other bottles of the house. Second rule is that there are no rules: we taste the wines (that in the meantime have been placed in champagne frapés with ice, so that they are at the right temperature), we exchange opinions, we draw comparisons, we remember other tastings, other wines, other styles.

Blend_All_About_Wine_An_Afternoon_in_Camarate_Wines

With all the guests present, plus Domingo’s wife and son, and his nephew António, we seat at the table, for a simple but complete meal. We had tasted before some dry fruit, some toasts, bread and a piece of Azeitão cheese, cured, dry, that Domingo’s wife didn’t want him to put on the table, due to its bad look!

But Domingos Soares Franco, knowing both the product and his guests, didn’t hesitate putting it on the table. And the cheese disappeared in an instant! Sparkling wines from Terras do Demo, Malvasia Fina and Touriga Nacional, had already been tasted, as well as Alvarinho Nostalgia 2013 and II Terroirs of the same year, and some white from Dão Quinta dos Carvalhais, and they all were very well, plain of vivacity and freshness, and they quickly disappeared.

Then came the first surprise from Domingos Soares Franco, a comparison between two white wines of the house, having spent some years in the bottle, that’s how the winemaker wants them to be: Pasmados 2009, a great structure an complexity, beautiful acidity and the wood very well integrated, that was compared with its “grandparent” Pasmados…1963, something very serious, advanced, soft, dry, brilliant! Giving good indications of the possibility of these wines to age. Through the table had already passed Casal Santa Maria Pinot Noir 2011, Mapa 2010, Casa da Passarela O Enólogo 2010 and Bairrada’s Painel 2001, all of them in very good shape, for our great pleasure.

Blend_All_About_Wine_An_Afternoon_in_Camarate_Wines_Batuta_05_Pasmados

Back to the lunch table, they served some big shrimps with mayonnaise, lettuce and asparagus, very tasty. And the wine tasting went on, now with the company of very good food. There was even Ribeira del Duero 2003, Mythos 2005 and Batuta 2005, still at a very good level, with that touch of the reds with some years and still going up. Shrimps were followed by a dish with great tradition in the house, a juicy pea soup, with smoked sausage and poached eggs, that we repeated as much as we could bear, always in the company of those fantastic wines.

Although all of them had been already tasted, at this point of the meal, Romeira 1987, Bairrada Vinus Vitae 1987 and Quinta das Cerejeiras 1995 came back, healthy, well-balanced, elegant. Then came the second surprise from Domingos Soares Franco a red from Colares, 1963, a classic, that elegance on the nose, smooth on the mouth, a great pleasure till the last drop.

Then a relic of the Portuguese wines, José de Sousa Rosado Fernandes 1940, an extraordinary wine, that Domingos Soares Franco had the audacity to open two bottles of! Hard to describe, absolutely amazing! I haven’t tried it for several years now, my God, how it is still exuberant and perfect!

Blend_All_About_Wine_An_Afternoon_in_Camarate_Wines_Trilogia

When dessert arrived, they were placed on the balcony – with the true Azeitão tart as a must – fortified wines appeared, and in Azeitão we have muscat wines. Also a vintage Port from Ramos Pinto. Through our glasses passed Alambre 20 Years (see here a Blend post about this wine), always safe, very pleasant, and a delicious Batardinho 30 Years, very elegant, an incredible acidity, fresh, smooth but with great structure, a great wine. And we even sang Happy Birthday to Domingo’s son.

But Domingos Soares Franco prepared a last surprise for the evening: a bottle of Trilogia, an exoteric wine, incredible, superb. A meditation wine! After this, we were done, shouting nasty words at Domingos and remembering the ugly duckling from the cartoons when he said: “It’s an injustice, it is!”

The friendly smile of Domingos Soares Franco went home with us, with pleasure.
See you next year Domingos in Camarate…

Contacts
José Maria da Fonseca, S.A.
Quinta da Bassaqueira, Estrada Nacional 10
2925-542, Vila Nogueira de Azeitão, Setúbal, Portugal
Phone: 351 212 197 500
info@jmf.pt
www.jmf.pt

At the isle of Faial, Azores, a new restaurant appears…

June 30, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva

The Azores archipelago has become recognized all over the world as a fantastic destination, both because of its landscape and the environmental and ecological policy. It´s a group of nine islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, where the green color prevails, and a protected sea where unusual kinds of fish are abundant.

It is one of the largest tuna world reserves, along with other species like grouper and red sea bream. But there you can also find two mammals that can offer delicious and funny performances: dolphins and wales.

It is even the only place on earth where you can watch all the known species of whale. More recently, between the islands of Pico and S. Jorge, the trend is to dive with the sharks that are also abundant.

Traditional vineyards from Pico are world heritage sites.

And there are fantastic products in every island, mainly fish, some shellfish, excellent cow meat and a great cheese variety, besides delicious fruit, the pineapple from S. Miguel being the most famous. The Azores are the only place in Europe where tea is produced, in the island of S. Miguel.

Restaurants in the islands have developed a lot, making good use of these products, mainly the great variety of fish and the table wines that are more and more a constant presence.

The isle of Faial is well known for having had the last active volcano, in 1957, the Capelinhos vulcano, and the famous Peter’s Café, but it also has a citizen that twice completed a trip around the world, alone in his boat “Hemingway”.

It’s Mr. Genuíno, a man of the sea and the fish, one of the best fish experts in Azores, they say, who has brought thousands of souvenirs from those epic trips and that happened to get married in Brazil. Now calmer, he decided to open his own restaurant, in his native island, Faial. He chose a fantastic place, the small Porto Pim beach bay.

An architect friend designed the project and it was born, originally, as a place that wishes to spread the word about Azores’ shellfish and fish, through some traditional recipes with some innovation, discovering new pairings, new propositions.

It has two rooms, one below and the other on the first floor, simply adorned, in light colors, well-set tables, a relaxed scenery with large windows that opens into the beautiful landscape, Porto Pim beach. Calmness is everywhere. In this “Genuíno” they only serve fresh fish and some fresh shellfish in an appealing and modern menu.

Tasty bread, cheese, cottage cheese and earth pepper to start with. There are two possible soups, Hemingway soup and vegetable soup. As starters a delicious shrimp “Genuíno” style, fresh tuna salad, octopus salad very well-seasoned and Cape Horn sward-fish sticks.

Using fish from the islands, they propose names from places that Mr. Genuíno has visited in his trips, some of them even including preparations and seasonings from those faraway places: sward-fish filets with its rice, Rapa Nui tuna in the oven, Polinesian hot fish racket, genuine fish rice, coast octopus rice (at dinner time).

On the grill we can have Guernica grouper, sward-fish with local banana, Timorese tuna, middle canal red sea bream and Vanuatu red snapper. There is a menu for children, a vegetarian menu and they also have take-away.

At the end, Genuíno’s dessert, Gorreana tea pudding, fruit salad, Pico yam pudding, pineapple and cheese dish. Wines from Azores, mainly from Pico and S. Miguel are very present as are Lajido and Ksar, both from Pico and very special. The restaurant is always open, and we can eat at any hour of the day, every day.
Just in front, that fantastic sea is always very calm…

Contacts
Restaurant Genuíno
Areinha Velha, 9 Horta
9900-067 Ilha do Faial, Açores
Tel: +351 292 701 542
Email: genuino@genuinomadruga.com

Wine Fest at Quinta da Boeira

June 6, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva

Although with a significant delay, as it should have been ready almost a year ago, it was finally inaugurated the one that is considered the biggest wine bottle in the world. It was built in fiberglass at Quinta da Boeira’s garden, in Vila Nova de Gaia, it is 32 meters long and 9,5 meters in diameter and has a capacity to accommodate about 150 people inside.

It is part of an event called “Portugal In A Bottle”, which will take place till the 27th September 2014. Inside that bottle, that wants to be a living tribute museum to the Portuguese wine, we see the wine-growing country through a 3D film and the promotion and sale of wine, gastronomy and handcraft that will attract an interested audience, both national and foreign.

Inside the giant bottle there will even take place wine tastings from some regions. “The Quinta da Boeira Natural Park – Art and Culture” is the result of the recovery of an old farm which belonged to an old Port wine warehouse, now adapted to new purposes. The area is controlled by the stately home, raised in the middle of a fantastic garden, surrounded by a big wall that gives a very peculiar privacy to that place.

A beautiful, rare and quiet place, with a small lake and luxurious wood, to enjoy free time, a restaurant opened every day and a space for bigger events, always with access to the whole touristic area, including a parking place.

And it was in this fantastic place that happened, between the 30th may and the 1st of June, the “Portugal Wine Trophy – Portugal Grand Gold”, an organization of the Deutche Wein Market. It is a world competition that has got two annual editions, one in Berlin, Germany and another in Seoul, South Korea: the “Asia Wine Trophy”.

Now it came to Portugal, by the hand of Quinta da Boeira’s administration. This renowned contest has the sponsorship of OIV and UIOE, well known by the rigueur they put into those kinds of organizations. In this first “Portugal Wine Trophy” there was a panel of 60 judges, 40% of them Portuguese, who tasted 1.012 wines from all over the world, whose results will be known latter.

The international judges were received by the traditional Portuguese hospitality; they visited the Port wine cellars and some wine producers. They could watch the huge tourist movement in Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia towns, in funny leisure moments, where traditional food from the north was always present.

Wine tastings took place at Quinta da Boeira’s old warehouse, that offers great conditions of peace and temperature for this kind of events, supported by qualified personnel that were up to it, both opening and taking care of the bottles – right temperatures are essential – and in the wine service to the judges, where timing is precious. Wines from all over the world were tasted, including Portugal and many silver and gold medals were assigned and some in the grand gold level, revealing the quality of the wines in the competition. The result, in the general opinion of the foreigners invited and the German organization leaders, was very successful, and it shows that next year Quinta da Boeira will receive again this prestigious competition, probably with even more wines to be tasted.
Meanwhile, the biggest wine bottle in the world will still be there, unveiling the quality of Portuguese products.

Contacts
Rua Conselheiro Veloso da Cruz, nº. 608
Rua Teixeira Lopes, nº. 114
440-320 Vila Nova de Gaia
Tel: (+351) 223 751 338
Mobile: +351 961 360 897
Email: quintaboeira@sapo.pt
Site: www.quintadaboeira.pt

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At the isle of Faial, Azores, a new restaurant appears…

Wine Fest at Quinta da Boeira