Food & Drink in the Algarve, Portugal

what to drink during your stay in the Algarve

The Wines of Portugal - the basics & Vinho Verde

Hello and a warm welcome to the first in our series of articles on the Wines of Portugal. As mentioned in the December newsletter, I will be writing a monthly article on Portuguese wines which I hope will enhance your understanding and enjoyment both when on holiday with Algarve Retreats and also at home in the UK. In the coming months I will feature different wine regions and areas, as well as explaining the differing styles and types of Portuguese wines, which I fully understand can be a little confusing for us, to say the least, unless you understand the technicalities and laws, etc.

By the way, I am Martin Ward of Wine Educators International, a full time wine educator and lecturer, and I have the very good fortune to have worked very closely with the Portuguese Trade Office promoting and publicising the country's wines through a series of tutored tastings, wine weekends and regional show theatres around the UK.

I am writing this sitting by the side of a beautiful, Algarve-like, island coastline, just to put me in the mood; purely in the interests of research I am sure you will understand. So we can imagine being in the Algarve and commencing our journey of discovery of the Wines of Portugal.

First of all this month - the basics. Portuguese red wine is Tinto, whites are Branco and Rose is just that or Rosado (as in Spain). Portugal in wine is, as with many other aspects of its lifestyle and culture, a country that relies on its own native, indigenous products; so I am afraid that you Chardonnay and Cabernet drinkers will in the main have to become members of the ever-growing `ABC' club (you work the acronym out and email me your answers!) when enjoying the local wines in the Algarve or elsewhere. As the series goes on, I will try to help you learn about the many and varied indigenous grapes of the country, where tradition and history is king and experimentation is kept to a minimum. `If it ain't broke don't fix it' is a very good adage to apply to Portuguese winemaking (vinification) and vine growing (viticultural) practices and philosophies.

It has always puzzled my colleagues and I that as a nation we don't actually drink that much Portuguese wine, despite the history and commerce that links the two countries - The Treaty of Windsor many centuries ago then The Methuen Treaty at the very beginning of the 18^th century. I always start any lecture or presentation on Portuguese wines by asking the audience to link the two words Portugal & wine with a single product or thought. The answers in varying order are nearly always a). Port, b). Mateus Rose & c). Vinho Verde. Well we will explore all of those responses in detail in the coming months but we will also see that there is also an awful lot more to Portuguese wines than the three stock answers.

Also, as the series continues, I will recommend a couple of wines for you to try, purely to illustrate our writings and which we regularly show in our tutored tastings. There will also be suggestions as to areas and wineries to visit when in Portugal, providing of course you are able to tear yourself away from the pool or bar at your villa.

So partly for fun and your thoughts on it, beginning where else but the Algarve, seek out Vida Nova from your local Waitrose store (if you have one); one of the few examples of Algarve wine available in the UK. It's not inexpensive, but bear in mind that it is made by an excellent winemaker called David Baverstock. David, although obviously not being native Portuguese, has lived and worked in the country for many years, making some excellent local wines. Unusually you will find a percentage of Syrah (a.k.a. Shiraz) in this wine. Oh, and by the way, this is the estate and wine of Sir Cliff Richard! Again your thoughts and comments on the wine will be welcome on an email (wineeducators@aol.com).

We will, as I mentioned earlier, include the great fortified wines of Port, emanating only from the Portuguese wine region of the Douro Valley. Also we will rediscover the Portuguese island and wine region of Madeira with its remarkable, stylish wines - again usually fortified but perhaps forgotten by many of us. Like Sherry in Spain, it is possible to drink different styles of Port and Madeira right through your Portuguese dinner. I have done it - apparently!

In the alphabetical world of wine, V is for Vinho (pronounced veen-yo) - also Vin & Vino in France or Spain. Here Vinho for the purposes of this newsletter is `Vinho Verde' and to set the scene for next month, a few words about one of Portugal's most famous wines and exports.

Of course Vinho Verde translates simply and literally to `Green Wine', but this is not, as many people believe, because the wine often has a greenish tint! Whilst this may well often be the case with the Vinhos Verdes Brancos, you will find Rosado and also the fantastic Tintos versions of the wines. Indeed one of the true treats of eating and drinking in Portugal can be summed up in my closing story of a recent research trip to the regions.

After a gruelling 7 day visit to producers in the Northern half of the country, where we had been regally entertained to 14 lunches and dinners, consisting of 14 versions of bacalhao, we were all desperate for some rustic food. Having the Saturday free in Lisboa before catching the flight home on Sunday, we all set off to the old town and found a street cafe serving nothing but freshly grilled `Sardinhas' which we washed down with some well chilled Vinho Verde Tinto. Ah, bliss!

I look forward to continuing our story and journey next month and sincerely hope that you have enjoyed the first chapter. If you would like to attend one of our Wine Weekends or other tasting events, please visit our website via the link or at www.wine-educators.com and you are very welcome to email me on any subject. One of our next events will indeed feature Portugal, both its wines and foods - Friday 24^th to Sunday 26^th March in the Lake District.

Bom dia

Martin Ward

Wine Educators International

January 2006

If you would like to know more about Portuguese Food and Drink, why don't you dip into our Restaurants in the Algarve section and our series of articles on Portuguese Wines and Ports.  We also feature some Traditional Portuguese Recipes and a glossary of useful Portuguese food & drink words and phrases

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