Continuing our mission to highlight every wine that will be tasted during The Big Tasting with Oz Clark on April 12th, we’ve now moved on to the 5th wine: Tinto da Ânfora 2007 Alentejo, Portugal.

Now when we think of the Alentejo, we tend to think of cork forests, vast stretches of undulating hills blanketed in wild flowers, and of course, pigs! These little black footed guys are famous for Portuguese cured ham, presunto. However, the Alentejo is also famous for their intense and aromatic wines.

Most of the region’s 22000 hectares of vine are consolidated inthe eight sub-regions of the Denomination of Origin of Alentejo: Reguengos, Borba, Redondo, Vidigueira, Évora, Granja-Amareleja, Portalegre and Moura. You’ll typically find white wines made with Roupeiro, Antão Vaz and Arinto. The red grape varieties Trincadeira, Aragonez and Castelão also hold court in this neck of the woods.

Tinto da Anfora by Bacalhôa Vinhos is a blend of 6 grape varieties, and is an excellent medium-bodied red. It has a highly rustic palate showing notes of cherry, bramble and black-currant fruits with a mouth filling texture and smoky, slightly oaky finish.

It can be enjoyed with red meats or stews and also barbecued meats.

That said, what are your favorite grilled dishes to pair with rustic red wines?

Share with us what you think of the wine!

Continuing our mission to highlight every wine that will be tasted during The Big Tasting with Oz Clark on April 12th, we’ve now moved on to the 4th wine: Vida Nova Syrah / Aragónez 2007 Algarve, Portugal.

Known as the “the tourist destination” of Portugal, the Algarve is located in the sunny and beach laden south occupying 5,412 square kilometers. And though wine only takes up a small percentage of their exports,  producing much less than its fish, seafood, orange, carob bean, fig and almond production, it has become a hotspot for high end gastronomical delights.

Historically, wine took a greater precedence, but tourism has been the bane of its existence; substituting hotels, golf courses and shopping malls for large swaths of lush, green vineyards. In the last couple of years, investments have been made to revitalise the wine sector, but very few wineries have come out as true champions, such as Vida Nova.

Vida Nova, the Cliff Richard wine, is situated in Guia, a few kilometres northwest of Albufeira in the middle of the Algarve. The winey is situated at the top of Quinta do Miradouro and was built to produce high quality wine from three surrounding Quintas: Quinta do Moinho, Quinta do Miradouro and Vale do Sobreiro.

The wine is spicy and intense and goes superbly with Iberian pork fillets grilled with salt and lemon.

Another option is to go off the beaten path and pair this wine with octopus, a traditional and very appreciated ingredient in the Algarve. Although we traditionally might not suggest seafood with red wine, the tomato risotto may have enough richness to compliment it.

This receipe was taken from the “The Algarve Buzz“:

Risotto de Polvo

Source: Adapted from – Cozinha Tradicional Portuguesa
Serves 2 generously, and can be doubled easily

• 1k polvo – cleaned
• ½ med. sized onion, whole
• 3/4 cup risotto rice
• ½ med sized onion, finely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves- finely chopped
• 1/2 can diced tomatoes (or use fresh)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2tbsp tomato paste
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp paprika
• pinch pepper
• 4 tbsp cilantro
• pinch of sugar
• ½ cup white wine
• fish stock, reserved from octopus
• boiling water

Prepare Octopus
Place octopus in med size pot halfway full of boiling water (aprox. 4 cups water), add ½ whole onion, and let boil for 10min, on medium high heat.

Drain octopus and reserve onion

Fill pot half full again and let come to boil place octopus back in with onion and cook for another 25 min. Until fork pierces tentacles easily.

When cooked, separate octopus from stock, place octopus on plate to cool and reserve stock. You can discard the onion.

When Octopus has cooled, chop into small chunks. Set aside.

*Note. Octopus is a bit slippery when raw but will firm up nicely once cooked. It will be rubbery when cooked for only a few minutes, it needs to cook until tender about 30min. It may also have a thin purplish skin, most of it will come off during the first blanching, any remain bits are fine and don’t need to be removed unless you prefer.

Prepare Risotto
In a sauté pan, add olive oil and garlic, let oil cook for a couple of minutes to infuse with garlic, then add chopped onion and cook until onions are transparent.

Add diced tomatoes in juice, tomato paste, bay leaf, a ½ cilantro, pepper, paprika and let tomatoes cook into sauce for about 10-15 minutes on medium heat.

Add pinch of sugar, this helps round out the acidity on the tomatoes, blend well into the sauce.

Add rice and coat well with sauce, then add half of the stock and gently stir. Keep hot water close by to add when rice begins to dry. Make sure to taste sauce with each small addition of water, you can substitute stock for water if you prefer a stronger seafood flavour.

Follow package directions for rice and add water as needed unit rice start to become tender, keep stirring to ensure creaminess of rice.

Just as rice becomes slightly tender, add chopped octopus, mix well, then add white wine, mix well again. Taste for salt. Octopus stock may already have enough salt so taste before adding more.

Risotto is best served immediately, sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve.

*Note. For a less fishy flavour you can substitute the octopus stock for a knorr seafood stock cube. Melt cube in 1 cup hot water and substitute for octopus stock.

Continuing our mission to highlight every wine that will be tasted during The Big Tasting with Oz Clark on April 12th, we’ve now moved on to the 3rd wine: Quinta de la Rosa Reserva 2008.

The Quinta de la Rosa vineyard is located in beautiful terraced vineyards carved by the winding Douro River. The region itself contains primarily schist soils and is surrounded by the Marão and Montemuro mountain ranges. Consequently, despite the 250,000 hectares in the Douro, only 40,000 of it has been dedicated to culturing vines. Working the vines is primarily done by hand as the combination of slippery and sharp soils in conjunction with incredibly steep terrain makes vine growing in the area more of an extreme sport than a romantic vocation.

The winery is run by the father and daughter team, Tim and Sophia Bergquist, along with the support of Sophia’s brother, Phillip. The winery was originally given to Sophia’s grandmother as a christening present over 100 years ago.

Sophia Bergquist describes this wine as big, juicy and surprisingly good. She recommends steak, stews, meats, cheese, and even chicken to go with this wine.

We thought a good recipe might be: Costelas Vinho d’alhos (Wine and Garlic Marinated Pork Ribs)

6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon molho picante (hot chili sauce)
1 cup wine
5 pounds meaty pork ribs

1. In a large non-reactive ceramic, glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the garlic, salt, lemon juice, chili sauce, and wine.
2. If you have the ribs in a rack, separate them by cutting between the ribs to separate them. Place all the ribs in the bowl, turning them in the marinade to coat thoroughly. You can double the marinade recipe if needed.
3. Marinate the ribs 24 to 36 hours. Grill over medium hot coals or wood fire , turning as needed, cooking until the meat is nearly falling off the bone.

Variation: You can also toss them in a roasting pan, marinade and all, braise the ribs in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degree F. and then transfer them to the grill for the finishing touch.

What kinds of foods or music would you pair with this wine?

Share your thoughts on the wine!

Continuing our mission to highlight every wine that will be tasted during The Big Tasting with Oz Clark on April 12th, we’ve now moved on to the 6th and final wine: Arco de Esporão 2008.

Like the Tinto da Ânfora 2006, Arco de Esporão is from the Alentejo region, where the villages are rural with majestic sunsets. Evora and Monsaraz are medieval forested towns with world heritage status. If you’ve never visited the open markets or the quaint family run shops in the Alentejo, mark it under your “must visit” list.

The Arco de Esporão is a new multi-varietal blend made specially for Waitrose by top Portuguese winemaker David Baverstock. Made with the indigenous grape varieties: Aragónez, Trincadeira, Castelão, Syrah, Touriga Nacional and Alicante Bouschet, it’s a stunning wine. The judicious use of well-integrated oak adds a spicy, herbal quality to this gorgeous red, with its rounded palate and soft tannins. Ideal for drinking now with pasta or meat dishes, alternatively cellar for 3 to 5 years for more mature style.

As for where to visit in Evora? Follow Go Lisbon’s suggestions and check out:

1. Temple of Diana: Dating from the 2nd century, it is one of the Iberian Peninsula’s best preserved Roman monuments, raised on a 3m (10ft)-high stone platform, with 14 of the original 18 granite Corinthian columns still standing. The whitewashed houses, arches, and twisting alleyways that characterize the town reflect the Moorish presence.
2. Praça do Giraldo: Located in the main square, this is the best place to start a visit. It was an execution ground during the Inquisition, but is now filled with shops and cafes, and surrounded by attractive townhouses with wrought-iron balconies.
3. Loios Convent: The convent is now a splendid pousada but anyone can visit its Gothic church founded in 1485.
4. Towers of the Sé (cathedral): This was built in 1186 (and where the flags of Vasco da Gama’s ships were blessed before his voyage to India), are seen from here. It is a blend of Romanesque and Gothic, and on the portal are 14th century sculpted Apostles. The Gothic interior has one of the longest naves found in any cathedral in the country, measuring 70m(230ft), and has a large Renaissance organ, thought to be the oldest in Europe.
5. City Museum, representing Evora’s long history through Roman columns, 16th-century paintings, and modern sculpture. Among the paintings is a 15th century Holy Virgin with Child by Alvaro Pires (he is one of the earliest identified Portuguese artists although a number of his paintings are displayed in Pisa and Florence in Italy).
6. Church of São Francisco. It is a Manueline-Gothic structure completed around 1510, and legend has it that Portuguese navigator Gil Vicente is buried in it. Not buried, but on display, are the bones and skulls of some 5000 people covering the walls and columns of the church’s Chapel of Bones

Do you have any additional suggestions as to where one should visit, or eat, in Evora?!

With The BIG Tasting promotions in full swing, we felt it was high time to learn about each of the wines, starting with the region from which they’re born to the foods that bring a different light to our palate. Over the next six days, we’ll be highlighting each of the wines, with the hope that you’ll share your thoughts as to additional recipes you might pair with them, places you suggest drinking them, and if you’ve tried this wine in the past, what thoughts came to mind?!

So, without further adieu, let us begin with the Vinho Verde region of Portugal where the Quinta de Azevedo 2009 comes from. This lush, green wine region, which gives Vinho Verde its name, is located in the northwest of Portugal and has a strong Atlantic influence which results in a temperature climate of not very cold, but rather rainy winters, and relatively dry and cool summers.

This 12th century winery is housed between the rivers Lima and Cávado, in the Barcelos parish, and is surrounded by exclusively white varieties. Since 1982, this estate has been apart of the Sogrape portfolio, and considered one of the best Loureiro producing quintas in Portugal.

Vinho Verdes are known for their fresh, fruity characteristics, making them the ideal pairing for seafood, salads and grilled fish. They also have been known to be fabulous picnic wines for lazy days spent at the beach or lounging at the park. Then again, who’s to say that these aren’t wonderful winter wines when your summer nostalgia needs a little support.

Where is your favorite place to drink a Vinho Verde?

Share your thoughts about the wine.

Continuing our mission to highlight every wine that will be tasted during The Big Tasting with Oz Clark on April 12th, we’ve now moved on to the 2nd wine: Tagus Creek Cabernet Sauvignon/Aragonez 2008.

The Tagus Creek vineyard is located in a very unique wine region called, the Tejo. The landscape is dominated mainly by thick and majestic cork trees and expansive vineyards, which are protect by the Atlantic Ocean climate by small regal mountains.

The Tejo originally gained its reputation for producing large quantities of wine that would supply restaurants and taverns in Lisbon. However, in the last 15 years, the region underwent massive changes in the vineyards, in the wineries and not surprisingly, in winemaking with more young blood pumping through the region. Many vines were transferred from the fields near the sea to the ones in the interior. This lowered production, but increased quality.

The Tagus Creek Cabernet Sauvignon/Aragonez is described by Roque Cunha Ferreira, the new export manager at Falua, where Tagus Creek is made as elegant, full-bodied and balanced. And what does he savour with such an expressive red wine? Like many of us, she seeks out grilled steak, game, spicy foods and strong cheeses.

He has provided a recipe for stewed wild boar which matches the wine perfectly…

Stewed Wild Boar   (Serves 8 people)

Ingredients:

1 kg wild boar
salt and pepper
12 garlic cloves
2 soupspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cumin
2,5 dl white wine
4 onions thinly sliced
1 dl olive oil

50 g margarine
1 soupspoon lard
80 g bacon strips cut into squares
7 bay leafs
1 cup brandy

Chopped up fresh coriander

Preparation

• Cut the wild boar into pieces and in a recipient season with salt, pepper, 6 garlic cloves mashed up, paprika, cumin and white wine.
• Mix well the meat with all the seasoning, close the recipient and leave it in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days. During this period, mix the meat from time to time.
• Peel the onions and the rest of the garlic cloves.
• In the stove, with medium heat, place a large clay pot, fry the onions and garlic cloves in the olive oil, margarine and lard. Add the bacon and bay leaves and let it get brownish. Drain the meat from the seasoning and place the bits in the pot. Let the meat get brownish on both sides. Add the brandy and a bit of the marinating gravy. Close the pot and let the meat cook slowly in medium/low heat. Go on adding the rest of the marinating gravy and some boiling water so the meat does not dry up. Once it’s cooked add the coriander and close the pot.

(That’s a recipe to impress your friends and family with!)

Would you pair wild boar with this Tagus Creek wine, or are you more of a duck confit type of person? Tell us your favorite pairings with Portuguese reds?!

As a sidenote, if you’re passing through Tejo, we highly suggest you check out the city of Tomar, the headquarters of the Knights Templar in the 12th century and houses some of the most significant Templar monuments in Europe.

Share your thoughts about the wine!

The BIG Tasting with Oz Clarke is fast approaching, and after weeks of endless meetings, e-mails, phone calls and decisions, the event is finally planned, all the promotional material is in place, the website is live….so let the countdown begin.

The employees at Waitrose Canary Wharf and John Lewis on Oxford Street have been busy with the technology side of things. They have the responsibility to ensure that all the live streaming works on the night, so test runs have been happening in store to ensure that it all goes smoothly.

We asked Nick Room the wine buyer for Waitrose how this fun and exciting tasting benefits Waitrose and the image of Portuguese wines.

He said “The event gives good exposure to Portuguese wine and the broadcast is fronted by an excellent host, Oz Clarke, who is well known to millions. The event  is good publicity for Portuguese wine, as soon as people try Portuguese table wines they’ll love them enough to want to go on to purchase, this is because of the diversity, unique flavours, structure, weight, fruitiness, superb balance – all good attributes and delivering excellent value for money!”

Well Nick we couldn’t agree more! If you want to learn more about the Big tasting Visit the site! Or send us a question!

See you all soon!

The blends of the earth

Wine Detective Sarah Ahmed took charge of this year’s 50 Great Portuguese Wines selection, in which native grape varieties and even white wines enjoyed some deserved recognition

The first thing that struck the guests at this year’s 50 Great Portuguese Wines tasting in London – apart from the mass of bodies scrambling to sample Sarah Ahmed’s selections – was the unusual nature of wines one to 14. They were all white.

It was an unprecedented figure for the annual event, which is curated each year by a different trade personality. Richard Mayson’s inaugural selection, in 2005, was entirely red. But as Ahmed was at pains to point out, much has changed in Portuguese winemaking.

Not only are producers achieving remarkable results with white wines – Alvarinho was singled out for particular praise on this front – but Portugal has a new belief in its traditional grape varieties, and its famously intricate blends. Rather than being embarrassments in a wine market apparently obsessed with international varietals, these are trump cards, emphasising Portugal’s uniqueness.

Ahmed took a major interest in Portugal thanks to a 2004 WSET bursary, and was already making regular visits as part of her contributions to leading reference books when ViniPortugal appointed her this year’s judge.

Her selections are a mixture of “heart-stopping wines” and “ground-breakers”, meaning the top 50 list contains some of Portugal’s most feted wines but also many which “surpass the regional norm”, including debutantes from the Algarve and Colares.

Ahmed is in no doubt that Portugal can crack the UK market, and is encouraged by recent figures pointing to a 14% rise in volumes and a 10% increase in value. Her optimism is based on two main elements: “winemaking bravado, wed to viticultural excellence” and a marked improvement in bottle presentation.

“There’s a growing confidence and pride among Portuguese producers, and that’s really reflected in the style of the wines,” she says.

“Portuguese wine bottles used to be a bit stuffy and old-fashioned but there’s some wonderful labels now.” Crucially, she adds, more back labels are appearing in English.

Ahmed likes the “modesty” of Portuguese wines, which she believes matches the personality of the nation generally. “They don’t shout at you; you’re drawn back to the glass and you discover more and more things,” she says.

“You have people like Raymond Reynolds and Nick Oakley, total evangelists at distributor level, pushing Portugal and slowly building some momentum. I’ve certainly noticed that a lot more people are discovering Portugal, especially at the independent level and in the on-trade. And that’s completely understandable because they’re not wines where people will necessarily understand the grape varieties or back labels.”

Ahmed is evidently delighted to have been able to include 14 wines within her selection. “Five years ago there were none, and for good reason,” she says. “It’s an area where Portugal has improved immensely. I think people are going to notice clean, fruity wines – beautiful fruit, with minerality as well.

“There are some fantastic whites out there. Vinho Verde is a really exciting region and I’m really hoping that people will start to understand that. Alvarinho for me is going to be the white Touriga Nacional. It has sheer class and also mass appeal. It’s got that peachiness and apricot flavour but also Vinho Verde freshness and acidity.

“Among the reds, the Douro has really good consistent quality across a range of price points. Other regions like Dao are coming up: Dao used to make wines with fabulous structure, but they lacked a bit of flesh on the bones. They now have that flesh on the bones, without losing their Portuguese-ness. There’s an edge of tannin and acidity to balance them.”

Portugal is, like France, a country where the region is often more important than the variety, Ahmed maintains. “I think Portugal has a fantastic legacy in the Douro and Dao: old vines, mixed vineyards that just bring their own natural balance into the wine, and integrated complexity. That’s a massive trump card, for sure.

“Portugal has gone through a phase of single varietals in response to a perceived market demand, but because of greater confidence and pride they’re saying, let’s do it our way a little bit more. There’s more confidence to use native grape varieties than there was in the past.”

It’s a point vividly illustrated by Cristiano Van Zeller, winemaker at Lemos & Van Zeller in the Douro Valley, whose CV and Quinta Vale Dona Maria were both included in the 50 wines showcased in London. Each contains more than 25 varieties.

“The Douro is the best example of the great mixture of different grape varieties,” Van Zeller says. “Any vineyards before 1970 were planted with a big mixture of different grape varieties. A few producers still keep some of these older vineyards to make something that has unique character.”

He dismisses the suggestion that growers often had no idea what was in their vineyards. “They knew exactly what they were planting,” he insists. “It was based on empirical knowledge: not every disease attacks every variety at the same time; some varieties produce more grapes some years, some less; there are also variations in acidity and structure; some varieties are floral, some fruity. So it was the blend that produced the consistency and the exquisite complexity in the wine. That’s what makes it different.

“I think we as producers are learning that we can make wines that differentiate themselves from the rest of the world. A lot of winemakers are understanding that they can produce better wines, more complex wines, by blending. In some cases, even blending before fermentation.”

But at the other end of the scale, Ahmed’s selection also includes Quinta do Monte d’Oiro Reserva 2006, a Vinho Regional Lisboa, made of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. Winemaker José Bento dos Santos is equally proud of his pure Viognier, which he is happy to compare to Condrieu.

His wines are in limited production but have won acclaim in the US, Hong Kong and even France. As yet he has not identified a UK importer, but is hopeful of achieving success here among discerning consumers.

“I think people understand that wine is either something that is singular – it comes from a certain area, it’s made with passion – or it comes from anywhere,” he says. “We are producing a gastronomic wine. All my life I’ve been involved in gastronomy. Wine for me only makes sense if it is drunk with a meal.”

Judy Kendrick, whose JK Marketing business organises the 50 Greatest Wines project – and other UK events  for ViniPortugal – is hopeful that a breakthrough is imminent.

“Portugal makes some fantastic wines and even at the top level they are great value for money,” she says. Importers like Raymond Reynolds and Oakley, long-standing supporters of Portugal, are reaping hard-earned rewards and brands are creating more consumer awareness.

“Waitrose, Majestic, the Wine Society and Direct Wines are doing an absolutely brilliant job – and others as well,” she adds. “They’re building their ranges, even in the recession. The UK remains Portugal’s second largest market – and our mission this year is to get even more distribution.”

article by Graham Holter