Food & Drink in the Algarve, Portugal

what to drink during your stay in the Algarve

The Wines of Portugal - Our first Portuguese road show

Bom Dia

Is it really November already? You will certainly be thinking of winter sun on the Algarve!

I will remind again you next month but don't forget to come and see us, and taste an excellent range of wines with us at:

Cardiff International Arena 8^th & 9^th December

You will have to pay a small fee to get into the actual event but our tastings, 4 each day, are all completely free - and you can come to as many as you like! If you would like any more information, just email me at wineeducators@aol.com or call us on 01327 354480.

So this month, we will concentrate on the recent visit by our Portuguese road show to sunny Torquay - and it really was sunny on the Sunday as we overlooked a spectacular view of the bay and palm trees.

This then was the first of our new series of events on behalf of AICEP & ViniPortugal and on this occasion we even `imported' a Portuguese friend, who quirkily just happens to live in the South of France, to add authenticity to our `sampling' stand.  This weekend we are off to Brighton but that will fall too early for you to come along if this is the first time you are reading about it.

Wine - wise, our tutored tasting programme and stand featured the following wines:

Borges Fita Azul Reserva Seco

Segada Tinto 2004; Ribatejo

Ramada Tinto; Vinho da Mesa

Ramada Rosado; Vinho da Mesa

Ramada Branco 2006; Ribatejano

Jose de Sousa Tinto 2001; Alentejano*

Terra de Lobos Tinto 2004; Ribatejano*

Quinta de la Rosa Dourosa 2003; Douro*

Quinta de Simaens 2005; Vinho Verde*

Quinta de la Rosa `Tonel 12' 10 year old Tawny Port

Vale da Clara Rosado 2006; Douro

Some useful contact numbers if you are searching for these or similar wines are shown below but the four marked * above are all available from Waitrose stores or on-line at Waitrose Direct.

D&F Wine Shippers - 0208 838 4399; Fields, Morris & Verdin (part of the Berry Brothers & Rudd group) - 0207 921 5300 £

We had a superb location within this event at the very professional Riviera Centre venue (our big thanks to Laura & team).  The very attractive `theatre with a view' seated 58 people at each of our 8 tastings with all of the many & diverse wines shown across the sessions being received very enthusiastically by these audiences.

The feedback to the team was just great - many people had little previous knowledge and experience of the wines of Portugal even though some had been to Portugal, mainly of course to the Algarve.  There were a lot of general comments on how people enjoyed the friendliness and warmth of the Portuguese people, the food and of course the sun - oh, and drinking the wines! There was also a lot of general interest in Portugal culturally - including where to visit & stay.  And we just have to tell you our most favourite comment - 'It was very entertaining - highlight of the show!' So you really must try to get along to Cardiff in December and see for yourselves.

Specific comments from those attending our tutored sessions and talking to Maria Virginia on our stand included:

Vinho Verde - generally they thought it was a really different wine and enjoyed it a lot. They also made the connection that this would be a very good wine for a fish meal.

Red wine favourites, in no particular order - Jose de Sousa, Terra de Lobos, Ramada, Bela Fonte Jaen, Dourosa

Moscatel de Setubal - appreciated mainly by the ladies but also, grudgingly, by some men; many people thought of this as a perfect Christmas wine.

Rosados - very well rated Sparkling Wine - `Borges Fita Azul' very good.

So just to add my own perspective plus thoughts and comments on the individual wines.

The Fita Azul sparkling is a really excellent example of what is not always a great wine in Portugal `Espumante'.  Lots of flavour and a very elegant style.

Perhaps someone could let me know if the Segada is still the house wine at Nando's restaurants as I haven't been for a while.  If so it is just great for their menu and also great value.

The trio of Ramada wines are a revamped set, being technically only Vinho da Mesa in the case of the Tinto & Rosado & Vinho Regional for the Branco.  But they are ridiculously inexpensive not least as the winemakers there are just so talented.

Jose de Sousa being from the 2001 vintage has great maturity and style, is full bodied still having good, solid tannins.  As has the Dourosa from Quinta de la Rosa, a wine cuvée produced by this `Port' house exclusively for Waitrose.

Quinta de Simaens is a good commercial example of a Vinho Verde. Not quite the depth and richness of say, the Muros Antigos Alvarinho that we show a great deal and rate highly but considerably less expensive.  In Brighton we will unveil the 2006 vintage which I know from pre-tasting (it has to be done!) has good acidity and very ripe fruit.

And finally, two undoubted star performers.  The Rosado Val da Clara, again from Port grapes at Quinta de la Rosa - such a good example of why Rosé sales boomed this `summer' and then that producer's fabulous 10 year old Tawny Port. Just great for Christmas even at £20+!

Until next month, when I am hoping to have some up to date information as to what wines are to be found in some Algarve restaurants, as I am despatching a research mole there for a few days this week and will be printing their findings.  I can also tell you that I have recently been invited to visit a couple of top wineries in the Alentejo & Ribatejo regions, which I have arranged to do in December. So the first article of 2008 will carry a full write-up of my visits, the wines and winemakers.

Martin
Wine Educators International

www.wine-educators.com

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