Otto's Portugal travelogue / winery visits

Otto_Forsberg · June 5, 2024, 10:51pm

After our visit to Taylor’s our group split in two for a moment: two of our group wanted to go back to our hotel, whereas Driver and I were thinking of going to a wine bar instead. Since the winemaker at Textura Wines had recommended the wine bar Prova on the Porto side, that was where we decided to head!

Instead of taking a cheap Bolt ride, we wanted to see the city (well, cities), so we walked to the wine bar instead.

Us approaching the Luís I bridge.

Here we are underneath the Luís I bridge; you can see Ponti Infante Dom Henrique further up the river.

Vila Nova de Gaia as seen from the Porto side. Here you can see lots of Port lodges at just one glimpse: Taylor’s, Fonseca, Ramos Pinto, Kopke, Barros, Cockburn’s, Ferreira…

At the wine bar we went for a bottle of white Colares. After all, splitting a half-liter bottle after two visits to Port lodges was probably more reasonable than going for a standard 0,75-liter one!

2021 Viuva José Gomes da Silva & Filhos Colares Genuino Branco - Portugal, Lisboa, Colares (25.4.2024)
100% Malvasia de Colares from ungrafted vineyards in the sandy soils of Colares. 12,5% alcohol. Total production 1100 half-liter bottles.

Quite intense and rather deep yellow-green color. The nose feels rich, ripe and somewhat tropical with aromas of sweet Golden Delicious apple, some nectarine tones, a little bit of honeydew melon, light floral nuances, a hint of cooked cream and a touch of vanilla. The wine feels broad, ripe and even slightly viscous yet relatively weightless on the palate with a quite full body and ripe yet a bit understated flavors of white peach, some saline mineral tones and notes of umami, a little bit of stony minerality, light tropical fruit notes, a hint of chalky bitterness and a touch of creamy character. The moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance to the wine, but it still lacking a bit in freshness. The finish feels ripe yet not sweet-toned but more savory with a rather long and slightly viscous aftertaste of white peach, some creamy tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light marine notes of crushed oyster shells, a sweetish hint of ripe greengage and a touch of savory umami.

This was an odd bird. I was expecting a white Colares to be a brisk, mineral and acid-driven white, but this turned out to be surprisingly broad, ripe and oily effort. Not really a crowdpleaser, though - just something very different from my previous experiences with white Colares. An interesting effort for sure, but not my favorite - the ripeness and breadth made the wine feel a bit tiring after a while. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 46€ for a half-liter bottle in a restaurant. (88 points)

Once we had polished about half of the Colares bottle, the other half of our group contacted us and informed that they were now ready and going to join us soon at the wine bar. After they arrived, we ordered a bottle of fizz.

2016 Quinta do Rol Grande Reserva Blanc des Blancs - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (25.4.2024)
100% Chardonnay. After the fermentation the wine is bottled with liqueur de tirage, then bottle-fermented and aged sur lattes for over 7 years. 12% alcohol, non-dosé.

Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. The nose feels nuanced and quite attractive with aromas of leesy creaminess, some honey-oats bar tones, a little bit of almond flour, light crunchy notes of star fruit, a hint of fermenting peach, sweeter touch of greengage and a whiff of apple jam. The wine feels crisp, fresh and quite characterful on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of nutty almond character, some ripe Golden Delicious apple tones, a little bit of steely minerality, light tropical fruit flavors of fresh pineapple and ripe greengage, a leesy hint of creaminess and a savory touch of umami. Bright, high acidity and ample, voluminous and silky mousse. The finish is long, dry and savory with a medium-long aftertaste of saline minerality, some incisive steely tones, a little bit of fresh peach, light nutty notes of almond, a hint of ripe apricot and a touch of leesy creaminess.

A nice, fresh and harmonious Portuguese bubbly. I was surprised how little autolytic character the wine showed after 7 years of aging on the lees, but I guess a tiny bit of dosage and some additional bottle aging might've helped with that. However, the wine showed good sense of balance, freshness and structure. Nothing too thrilling, but nothing to complain either. A tasty appetizer, if anything. Priced according to its quality at 36€ in a wine bar and great value at 19,90€ from the winery. (90 points)

After the bubbly it was time for us to transport ourselves at our restaurant, which was a place called Patio 44.

Gnocchis e cogumelos with a healthy addition of cheese.

Bochecha with mashed potatoes.

The food was pretty much delicious all the way through, but the restaurant’s wine list was a bit short with not a single recognizable name to us. As we were going to have all kinds of different dishes, we thought a lighter, brighter red would be a good allrounder and asked the waiter for a recommendation. He recommended one Dão red, which made sense to us, so we went with that. Well, the wine was pretty ok, but no big hoorays.

2018 Caminhos Cruzados Dão Colheita Tinto - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (25.4.2024)
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz and Jaen. Fermented in French oak barrels. Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro aged in oak barrels, Tinta Roriz and Jaen in stainless steel. 13,5% alcohol.

Luminous, translucent cherry-red color. The nose feels sweetly-fruited and youthful with quite primary aromas of sweet and soft dark berries, some fresh bilberries, a little bit of ripe cherry, light floral notes of violets and a hint of savory spice. The wine feels quite ripe, soft and round on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and somewhat sweet-toned flavors of ripe black cherries, some blueberry tones, a little bit of strawberry, light primary notes of candied dark berries and a brambly hint of raspberry. Quite modest acidity and very ripe, mellow and gentle tannins. The finish is ripe, moderately long and barely at all grippy with a soft aftertaste of ripe black raspberries, some black cherries, light strawberry tones, a little bit of bilberries, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of savory spice.

A very youthful and quite pleasant little red that feels a bit too ripe, soft and primary for my palate. Although the fruit department feels quite nice here, it is still way too young, despite the wine being almost 6 years old. Furthermore, the overall feel is a bit too solar with the very ripe and sweet-toned overall character, pretty modest acidity and super gentle tannins. The wine went nicely with food, but this was a wine I'm not going to return to. Priced according to its quality at 19€ in a restaurant (and 10,90€ at the winery).
(83 points)

After the dinner we returned to Prova for one more bottle - the only non-Portuguese wine on our trip!

NV Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (25.4.2024)
An assemblage based on the 2018 vintage with reserve wines from 2017 (40%) and 2016 (40%). Pinot Noir (70%) and Chardonnay (30%) from Montagne de Reims. Fermented spontaneously in oak. Aged in oak barrels until the summer following the harvest, bottled, aged sur lattes for four years. Disgorged in July 2023. 12,5% alcohol, dosage 1 g/l.

Quite pale greenish-yellow color. The nose feels ripe yet vaguely green-toned with aromas of yellow fruits, some fresh Granny Smith apple, light leesy tones, a little bit of green almond, a hint of zesty citrus fruit, a touch of sauvage funk and a whiff of sweet Golden Delicious apple. The wine feels dry, crisp and nuanced on the palate with a medium body and brisk flavors of steely minerality and tangy salinity, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of citrus fruit, light leesy tones, a hint of fresh greengage and a touch of cidery funk. The rather high acidity lends good sense of intensity to the flavors and the mousse feels modest yet firm and persistent. The finish is long, brisk and refreshing with a slightly wild aftertaste of saline minerality, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of leesy character, light zesty citrus fruit notes, a hint of slightly cidery funk and a red-toned touch of raspberry fruit.

A tasty and attractive Champagne, but ultimately lacking the thrill I've seen in many other Egly-Ouriet wines. This was just, well, good. Very dry due to the modest dosage, yet not too austere, thanks to the high yet not racy acidity. The balance is there and there is even a tiny bit of sauvage funk and a suggestion of wild cidery character to add some depth. However, there's nothing that would make me feel like this wine really is something special. Maybe with a bit more age the wine will develop some oxidative, nutty complexity and other, more interesting aspects? I sure do hope so. At the moment the wine is maybe a bit too pricey for its quality at 155€ in a wine bar.
(90 points)

Keith_A_k_e_r_s · June 6, 2024, 8:15pm

I loved Prova so much, I went twice between my two visits to Porto! I really dig the vibe and imo it’s earned it’s place as one of the top wine bars in Porto

Otto_Forsberg · June 12, 2024, 1:30pm

Day 6

This day was mainly reserved for the longest drive on our trip: after waking up, eating a breakfast and checking out from our hotel in Porto, we headed for Colares!

I guess many of you wine geeks are pretty familiar with the wines of Colares, but since I’m not sure if everybody here knows the region, I guess a small introduction might be called for.

Colares

phylloxera

Apart from growing grape vines, it wasn’t easy to run a winery in Colares, either. The region became renown for its wines when phylloxera decimated the vineyards in Portugal and elsewhere in Europe, and in order to “protect the production, quality and marketing of the wines”, a law was passed in 1934 that not only demarcated the appellation of Colares, but also decreed that Adega Cooperativa Regional de Colares - the local co-operative - was the only producer allowed to actually vinify the wines of Colares. It was possible to bottle your own Colares wine, but you had to a) buy that wine from the co-operative; b) be big enough (only producers with the minimum storage capacity of 20,000 liters were allowed to operate). I’m honestly amazed there are any Colares producers left!

Anyways, the beautiful sunny days were now officially over and we drove our 3½-hour drive to Colares in drizzle, rain and a few times in ridiculously heavy downpour. However, we finished our trip without any problems and finally arrived at the seaside town of Azenhas do Mar, located in the Colares region.

We were originally planning on having a lunch at the famed seafood restaurant Restaurante Azenhas do Mar (that brown wooden building down there in front of the beach), but even when we arrived at 12:45 - only fifteen minutes after the restaurant had opened its doors for the day - it was already chock-full with several groups of people waiting in queue for any tables that might free up. Since we didn’t have the time to wait, we headed for the somewhat more rustic Adega das Azenhas, which was fortunately only a stone’s throw away. Even this place was almost completely full at lunchtime and we managed to secure one of the last few free tables!

Some pastéis mistos as an appetizer.

What is a trip to Portugal without a big plate of bacalhau?

2022 Vinhos Borges Encruzado Dão Quinta de São Simão da Aguieira - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (26.4.2024)
100% Encruzado from the quinta that has the largest continuous vineyard in Dão. Average vineyard +30 yo. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. 13% alcohol.

Pale, rather neutral whitish-yellow color. The nose feels ripe yet bright and crunchy with clean aromas of citrus fruits, some sweeter Fuji apple tones, a little bit of white peach, light floral notes of apple blossom and a hint of leesy character. The wine is lively, firm and juicy on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of fresh white peach, some Fuji apple, a little bit of cantaloupe, light saline mineral tones and a hint of leesy creaminess. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is brisk, lively and enjoyably acid-driven with a dry, moderately long aftertaste of citrus fruits, some white peach tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light crunchy apple notes and a leesy hint of creaminess.

A nice, balanced and refreshing Encruzado. Nothing flashy or particularly special here, just good sense of balance, structure and freshness. This is a well-executed and harmonious effort that is still very youthful yet it doesn't feel one bit too primary - even if the wine is just 1½ years old. I'm not sure if this will age, but for a firm, nuanced and balanced weekday food white, this is a solid choice.
(89 points)

After the lunch we were scheduled to have our final winery visit of our trip, so we headed for Adegas Beira Mar, located about one minute’s drive away from Azenhas do Mar.

When we arrived to the winery, it seemed like nobody was present - even if we had scheduled a visit for this day! The doors were locked and nobody came to answer the doorbell. Finally we saw through a gate a small group of people exiting the winery from the other end, so we waved and were finally let in!

It turned out that there was another group as well (Norwegians and/or British, if I understood correctly) and I’m not sure if there had been some confusion between our groups and visits, but I guess this wasn’t a big problem after we introduced ourselves, so we were showed around the old winery building.

The history of this winery began with António Bernardino da Silva Chitas who inherited some land and wine cellars from the local wine exporter, Luís Augusto Collares. António Bernardino da Silva Chitas and his sons - Hermenegildo Bernardino da Silva, João Bernardino da Silva and António Bernardino da Silva Júnior, also known as the Chitas brothers - founded the Adega Collares Chitas winery in 1898 by acquiring small local wineries and selling the wines in Lisbon and exporting them to Brazil.

In 1944, António Bernardino da Silva Júnior built the current Adegas Beira Mar winery on the outskirts of Azenhas do Mar. At this time the law decreed that a winery should have the capacity of 30,000 liters of wine in reserves in order to be allowed to operate, so they brought vats, barrels and bottles from different wineries to this new adega to meet the requirements. This requirement was later in lifted from 30,000 liters first to 50,000 liters, then to 100,000 liters in 1955, then to 200,000 liters and finally to 300,000 liters in 1965. Somehow, the winery always managed to fill the required quotas and remain operational - even if it meant purchasing land next to the winery in order to expand the winery and its storage space!

The winery is still a family operation, run by the 96-year old (!) António Bernardino Paulo da Silva, the grandson of the founder. They own about 5 hectares (12,5 acres) of vineyards, of which 70% is DOC Colares, ie. Ramisco or Malvasia de Colares, planted on sandy soils. The remainder is on chão rijo, ie. vines grafted onto rootstocks on “hard ground”. The winery also purchases fruit from long-term contract growers. Fruit not from the sandy soils is used for the various IGP / VR Lisbõa wines the winery produces.

The wines are still made as they have been made since 1934, ie. the grapes are delivered to the Colares co-operative (in which mr. Paulo da Silva is a member of the governing body) where the grapes are vinified. We were told that this is quite typical in Colares due to the very small production of the regional wines: unless a winery is big enough to produce other wines than Colares wines, it is simply more affordable to vinify the grapes at the co-operative than to expand the winery and purchase all the winemaking equipment yourself. However, after the wines are vinified, they are transferred to age either at Adegas Beira Mar, or the Caves Visconde de Salreu, which is a winery mr. Paulo da Silva acquired in 1994.

The total production of Colares wines is pretty minuscule: the production numbers naturally change depending on the vintage, but on average, the winery produces about 1,500 bottles of white Malvasia de Colares and just 1,100 bottles of red Ramisco.

The wines are typically aged in ancient wooden toneis made of oak, chestnut and mahogany. Some of the casks are original casks from the mid-to-late 1800’s, acquired long before the winery was even built!

Some concrete tanks, barriques and stainless steel tanks, which are used for the IGP-level wines (notice the three hatches on the floor, in front of the barriques - there are also several underground concrete tanks which are built underneath the winery building!

The bottled wines are laid out in partitioned sections on the floor - apart from the very old vintages, which are kept separately in a locked cabinet. The whole winery storage is naturally cool without any temperature control.

Some older vintages of Colares Chitas in the cabinet of old vintages (note that the older vintages have been bottled as “Reserva Velho” whereas they now are labeled as “DOC Colares” - however, these are the one and the same wine, only the text in the neck label has changed).

After we had seen the winery (and this small vineyard behind the winery building) we tasted through these four wines:

2022 Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva Arinto Casal da Azenha Branco - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (26.4.2024)
100% Arinto from vineyards in and around the Colares region. Fermented with inoculated yeasts in stainless steel tanks. 13% alcohol, 3,1 g/l residual sugar, 5,3 g/l acidity and pH 3,31.

Youthful, pale greenish color. The nose feels youthful, fresh and somewhat green-toned with aromas of chopped herbs, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, light floral nuances and a hint of ripe citrus fruits. The wine feels youthful and balanced on the palate with a medium-to-moderately body and vibrant flavors of sweet Fuji apple, some creamy tones, light green nuances of chopped herbs and green banana, light saline mineral nuances, a hint of ripe white peach and a faint touch of vanilla. The medium-to-moderately high acidity lends some sense of balance to the wine, although the overall feel is a bit on the soft side. The finish is ripe, juicy and pretty fresh with a moderately long aftertaste of sweet white peach and Fuji apple, some creamy tones, a little bit of herby greenness and a hint of plantain.

A pleasant and enjoyable little white. In comparison to the Colares Chitas, this feels pretty soft and simple, coming across just as a fruity little everyday white. Nothing bad, but nothing particularly noteworthy. A nice and balanced weekday white that combines ripe fruit with somewhat green-toned nuances surprisingly effortlessly. Ridiculous value at 5,40€, though.
(87 points)

2020 Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva Colares Chitas Reserva Velho - Portugal, Lisboa, Colares (26.4.2024)
100% Malvasia de Colares from vineyards located less than a kilometer away from the Atlantic ocean. Destemmed and pressed, followed by a brief period of cold-soak with the skins before the fermentation. Fermented and aged for 12 months in stainless steel tanks, followed by at least 6 months in old casks made of mahogany, chestnut and oak. 12% alcohol.

Pale neon green color. The nose feels restrained and slightly reductive with fresh aromas of key lime, some smoky notes of struck flint, light floral nuances of apple blossom, a little bit of zesty lemon and a hint of stony minerality. The overall impression is surprisingly Riesling-like. The wine feels fresh, lively and pretty light on its feet with a light-to-medium body and dry, crisp flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple tones, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of key lime, light floral nuances, a hint of leesy creaminess and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The racy acidity lends impressive sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, fresh and lively with a long aftertaste of stony minerality, some tangy saline notes that only increase in intensity, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light sharp key lime tones, a hint of lemon zest and a touch of creaminess.

A very fresh, precise and promising white Colares that is all about freshness, acidity and minerality. Especially the saline mineral tones feel quite pronounced at times, only growing in intensity towards the end of the aftertaste. The wine is still super young and maybe the reduction is making the wine hold a little bit back. However, I have no doubts this wine will continue to evolve and improve over the years. Excellent stuff that is already accessible now - at least if given enough time - but will only get better with enough aging. I'd let the wine wait for at least another decade or so. At 43€ these ain't cheap wines anymore, but this still manages to deliver for the price.
(92 points)

2019 Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva Vinho Regional Lisboa Casal da Azenha Reserva - Portugal, Lisboa, Vinho Regional Lisboa (26.4.2024)
A blend of Syrah and Touriga Nacional from vineyards in and around the Colares region, partially destemmed. 14% alcohol, 2,3 g/l residual sugar, 4,9 g/l acidity and pH 3,54.

Completely opaque, deep purplish-black color. The nose feels ripe and dark-toned with aromas of blueberries, some plummy tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light blackberry tones and a floral hint of violets. The wine feels youthful, juicy and fruit-forward with a medium body and flavors of dark plums, some blueberry tones, a little bit of savory meaty character, light blackberry nuances, a hint of of ripe black cherry and a floral touch of violets. The overall feel is balanced but a bit on the soft side with its medium-to-moderately high acidity and ripe medium tannins. The finish is long, juicy and fruity with flavors of blueberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light black cherry tones, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of earth.

A juicy and balanced but also a bit soft and anonymous red. Good and enjoyable, but nothing particularly memorable. A pleasant and fruity Lisboa red that might evolve and improve with additional bottle age, but most likely won't turn into something interesting with aging. Excellent value at just 5,85€, though.
(88 points)

2015 Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva Colares Chitas Tinto - Portugal, Lisboa, Colares (26.4.2024)
This is the same wine as those labeled as "Reserva" or "Reserva Velho" before - the neck label has now changed to "DOC Colares Tinto 2015". Fermented and aged for 12 months in stainless steel tanks, followed by at least 6 months in old casks made of mahogany, chestnut and oak. 12% alcohol.

Youthful, luminous and moderately translucent plummy-red color. The nose feels nuanced, sweet-toned and wonderfully complex with aromas of dark plummy fruit, some volatile nail polish tones, a little bit of shriveled dark berry, light boysenberry nuances, a bretty hint of leather saddle, a touch of phenolic spice and a whiff of gamey meat. The wine feels dry, nuanced and crunchy on the palate with a rather light body and intense, not youthful nor evolved flavors of tart lingonberries and crowberries, some bretty notes of leather, a little bit of barnyard, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of balsamic VA and a touch of tart red plum. The wine is very high in acidity, whereas the supple tannins lend only a little bit of tannic grip to the palate. The finish is long, dry and lively with a little bit of tannic grip and crunchy flavors of tart lingonberries and crowberries, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of leathery funk, light peppery tones, a hint of tart red plum and a touch of acetic tang.

A rich, complex and very idiosyncratic wine that shows quite a bit of richness, depth and substance - yet comes across as remarkably light, spry and crunchy on the palate. I was actually surprised how rich, funky and volatile the wine was - noticeably more so than any of the older Chitas vintages I've tasted (2010-1955). Despite the somewhat volatile nuances, the wine never once came across as too volatile or acetic. Fine stuff that can and will evolve for years more, but is perfectly enjoyable already now. Priced according to its quality at 62€.
(92 points)

This concludes our streak of winery visits around Portugal! There are still a few more tasting notes coming up from our brief stay in Lisbon, so expect at least one update more after this!

Mikko_Tuomi · June 12, 2024, 9:23pm

Why is the region spelled “Collares” on that 0.5L bottle?
My OCD is going on hyperdrive here.

Otto_Forsberg · June 12, 2024, 9:27pm

Change in orthography. I’ve understood the name and the pronunciation is the same, but at some point in the early 1900’s the Portuguese started to write the sound with one L instead of two Ls.

So it’s for that sort of historical feel in that bottle, I guess? Hopefully @Tomas_Costa can give some insight!

Tomas_Costa · June 13, 2024, 8:05am

In 1911, the newly formed Portuguese Republic (1910 - 1926) had two main goals - secularization of the State and promotion of literacy among the population. Approximately 75% of all Portuguese were illiterate at this point, and this was seen as the main reason behind all of the country’s problems, whether economic or social. One of the first measures that sought to promote literacy was the adoption of a simplified, phonetic orthography; Portuguese orthography had been based on Latin and Greek etymology since the Renaissance, and so words like “pharmacia” (pharmacy) became “farmácia”, “abysmo” (abyss) became “abismo”, etc. as part of this revision, redundant consonants were eliminated, and so names like “Affonso” became “Afonso”. According to the same logic, the spelling of “Collares” became “Colares”. Given the longevity and historical importance of these wines, we have preserved label designs that precede the 1911 orthographic revision. The late film director Manoel de Oliveira, who was born before 1911, also kept the spelling of his first name “in the old style” throughout his long life, rather than updating it to the now standard “Manuel”.

phil.lukeman · June 13, 2024, 11:34am

Awesome post Tomas!

counterexample: how to pronounce the letter “X” in Portugese.

counter-counter example. this is written in english, the bastard language to bastard all bastards

see 1 (a short example)

see 2 (a great one) : The Chaos - Gerard Nolst Trenité

brigcampbell · June 13, 2024, 1:25pm

In Portugal at a small restaurant and I commented to the owner “your English is very good”.

He replies “thank you, it’s a little better than my Portuguese”

I ask “oh, how long have you been learning Portuguese?”

He dryly replies “all my life, I was born here”

Classic

Tomas_Costa · June 13, 2024, 2:18pm

As a native Portuguese speaker I often have to think twice about pronoun clitics. Those can get insanely complex; I don’t really understand the actual theory and rules that explain the way they operate.

Otto_Forsberg · June 14, 2024, 11:00pm

Alright, I guess it’s high time to conclude our travelogue. So here’s how our days 6 and 7 went!

After the visit to Adegas Beira Mar we drove back to Lisbon, checked in our hotel and did the most important thing every wino must do before the return flight, ie. everybody checked how much room there was for any additional bottles at this point in our baggage! (Thank heavens for the digital luggage scales!)

Once everything was nice and clear at the hotel, we agreed that our rendezvous was at Garradeira Estado d’Alma (the wine shop I referred to on my very first post as a place we’d return to by the end of the week). Then me and The Driver went to return our car to the car rental (luckily a place located almost next to Garrafeira Estado d’Alma) and soon afterwards met with the rest of our group at the wine shop.

Garrafeira Estado d’Alma - doesn’t look much from the outside, but is a real treasure trove on the inside!

As now we knew exactly how much more wine each of us could buy, we went pretty much crazy there. Originally I was planning on buying a few more bottles, but I guess everyone of us ultimately bought a case of wine or even more!

After we had finished our little shopping spree, we returned to our hotel, packed away our new purchases and then prepared for our final dinner in Portugal, which we had booked at Restaurante Fogo.

Tártaro de vaca

Arroz de pato

Vazia alta

Campolargo Bruto Rosé 2021

Valbom 2015 and Termos 2020

2021 Campolargo Bairrada Espumante Bruto Rosé - Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada (26.4.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from Bairrada. Aged for at least 12 months sur lattes. 12% alcohol.

Pale, slightly reddish peachy color. The nose feels dry and somewhat spicy with aromas of fresh peach, some spicy red apple tones and a little bit of earthy Pinosity. The wine feels dry, crisp and somewhat neutral on the palate with a medium body and palate-cleansing flavors of fresh red apple, some zesty citrus fruit tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light leesy nuances and a hint of saline minerality. The wine feels brisk with its high acidity and crisp, medium-long mousse. The finish is dry and somewhat neutral with a medium-long aftertaste of wet rocks and fresh apples, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of spicy Pinosity and a hint of leesy character.

A pleasant and refreshing little rosé bubbly. Not particularly big on character. Works nicely as a food wine, but doesn't leave a lasting impression. I doubt any amount of aging will make the wine turn more complex.
(86 points)

2015 Herdade dos Grous Douro Quinta de Valbom - Portugal, Douro (26.4.2024)
Made with fruit sourced from old interplanted vineyards. Vinified in granite lagares, aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.

Dense, fully opaque and slightly evolved blackish-red color. At first the nose is almost strikingly mute and inexpressive, offering very little if anything. However, after an hour or so in a decanter the nose has opened up to reveal aromas of ripe dark plums, some bilberry tones, a little bit of old leather, light brambly notes of fresh blackberries, a hint of tobacco and a woody touch of savory old oak. While more expressive, the nose still remains a bit shy. The wine feels ripe and juicy yet still dry and somewhat reticent on the palate with a full body and savory, slightly understated flavors of dark plummy fruit, some old leathery notes, a little bit of tobacco, light stony mineral tones, a sweeter hint of wizened dark berries and a touch of licorice. The moderately high acidity and rather grippy tannins lend good sense of structure to the wine. The finish is long, quite grippy and slightly warm with a dry, slightly understated aftertaste of dark fruits, some licorice tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, a hint of tobacco and a touch of sweet blackberry-driven fruit.

At first I was quite surprised how completely dull and closed the wine was, showing very few signs of fruit. I was a bit worried if the wine was corked, so things called for a decanter. However, the wine didn't turn out to be corked but instead just requiring tons of air to open up - at around 30-minute mark the wine was already showing a little bit of fruit, so we decided to wait for a bit longer. Fortunately we did, because this turned out to be a pretty nice wine after all. Definitely not a crowdpleaser and maybe nothing particularly impressive even with some air, but a good and enjoyable wine nonetheless. On its own the wine is maybe a bit on the stern and grumpy side, but as a food wine this did its job quite effortlessly. Maybe a bit pricey for its quality at 48€ in a restaurant, but nothing too prohibitive.
(89 points)

2020 Quinta dos Termos Beira Interior Reserva Vinhas Velhas - Portugal, Beiras, Beira Interior (26.4.2024)
A blend of Jaen, Marufo, Rufete and Trincadeira from old (+80 yo) vineyards. 13,5% alcohol.

Youthful, luminous black cherry color with light blueish highlights. Youthful, expressive nose with aromas of almost grapey primary fruit and raspberry marmalade, some strawberry tones, a little bit of blueberry juice, light perfumed nuances of elderflowers and other floral notes, a hint of vanilla oak and a touch of pouch tobacco. The wine feels juicy and moderately ripe with a rather full body and succulent flavors of boysenberries and blueberry juice, some soft dark plum tones, a little bit of sweet exotic spice, light green nuances of juniper, a hint of strawberry and a touch of vanilla. The medium acidity is on the soft side, so the structure relies mostly on the ample and quite grippy yet not tough tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and quite grippy with an intense and rather lengthy aftertaste of boysenberries and soft dark plums, some blueberry tones, a little bit of tobacco, light floral notes of elderflowers, a hint of vanilla and a touch of fragrant exotic spices.

A youthful and still very fruit-driven Portuguese red that sports a nice tannic frame, but comes across as a bit soft on the acid department. Maybe the wine is just too young and dominated by the sweet-toned primary fruit flavors, drowning some of that freshness from acidity. A nice wine, but at least for the moment the wine comes across as a bit of a soft crowdpleaser - hopefully the wine picks up some depth and firmness as it ages and (hopefully) drops those primary fruit flavors. Priced according to its quality at 30€ in a restaurant, solid value at its retail price of 11,95€.
(87 points)

After we had finished our hearty late-night meal, we thought it would be fun to go and grab some more drinks or beers at some place, so we asked the waiter for a few tips and ordered a Bolt ride to one of them.

However, once we arrived at the recommended place, not only we noticed that it was completely full (there was a proper queue at the door) but then, suddenly, a huge downpour of an almost ridiculous magnitude hit us; in mere minutes the roads were flooded and everyone not in cover were soaked wet in an instant! (Fortunately I was prepared with an umbrella! ) At this point half of our group was soaking wet, so we thought that instead of queuing in the rain we just ordered another Bolt ride back to our hotel.

At the hotel we came to the conclusion that we’d have enough time for another shopping round in the morning before we’d have to leave for the airport, so we decided we could make some room from our luggage (and at this point, after a quick check-up, I realized that even after all the earlier purchases, I still had room for another bottle or two)!

So we went to the reception, asked for some proper wine glassware and decided to drain these bottles for the sake of science, academic curiosity and necessary logistic reasons!

2022 Quinta do Noval Cedro do Noval Branco - Portugal, Douro (26.4.2024)
Named after the huge, old cedar growing in front of the winery building. A blend of Viosinho (46%), Gouveio (17%), Rabigato (14%), Fernão Pires (13%), Códega de Larinho (7%) and Arinto (3%). All grapes are first destemmed. Part of Viosinho and Gouveio is fermented and aged in oak barrels, otherwise the wine is vinified in stainless steel tanks. No MLF. Aged for 5 months in stainless steel tanks (80%), new French oak barriques (16%) and 2nd use oak barrels (4%). 13% alcohol, 0,6 g/l residual sugar, 5,9 g/l acidity and pH 3,12.

Pale, rather neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels youthful and slightly primary with aromas of ripe white peach, some sweet Golden Delicious apple, light candied notes of pear drops, a little bit of borderline underripe exotic fruit, a maritime hint of saline minerality and a touch of crunchy whitecurrant. The wine feels dry, fresh and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and youthful flavors of juicy golden apple, some leesy tones, a little bit of fresh white peach, light herby tones, a mineral hint of wet rocks and a faint woody touch of savory oak. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is fresh, quite acid-driven and a bit linear with a medium-long aftertaste of fresh golden apple, some sweeter notes of white peach, light herby tones, a leesy hint of yeast and a touch of stony minerality.

A nice but also very youthful, somewhat linear and a bit anonymous Douro white. Shows good sense of freshness and structure, but doesn't really leave a lasting impression. Maybe the wine is just too young at the moment and will develop some additional depth and tertiary complexity as it ages? Priced according to its quality at 15€.
(88 points)

2011 Telmo Rodríguez & Niepoort Douro OMLET - Portugal, Douro (26.4.2024)
A collaboration wine between Telmo Rodríguez and Niepoort. Rodríguez is the winemaker of his family winery, Remelluri, but he has made all over Spain. However, with this wine Dirk Niepoort gave Rodríguez access to Douro vineyards so he could make a wine in his own signature style outside of Spain. The fruit is sourced from several old (+60 yo) high-altitude (+500 m above sea level) vineyards in Douro mainly planted to Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (aka. Tempranillo), Sousão and Alicante Bouschet, but also having a little bit of other local varieties. The wine is fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine is racked into old 228-liter Burgundy pièces for MLF. Aged for 22 months in oak pièces. Bottled in 2013. 14% alcohol.

Still surprisingly deep, dark and opaque blackish-red color with a faint purplish hue and a rim that turns towards pomegranate red. The nose feels open, nuanced and attractive with slightly evolved aromas of ripe blueberries, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of old leather, light sweeter nuances of dried figs, a juicy hint of black raspberry and a touch of balsamico. The wine feels nuanced, savory and slightly evolved on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of juicy yet not sweet dark berries and fresh bilberries, some notes of meaty umami, a little bit of savory and earthy spice, light crunchy hints of fresh, tart red plum, a sweeter hint of dried figs and a touch of old leather. The wine retains great sense of structure, thanks to its high acidity and ripe yet moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy, nuanced and moderately tannic with a long, harmonious aftertaste of ripe blueberries, some tobacco and leathery funk, a little bit of dried flowers, light sweet notes of wizened figs, a hint of earth and a touch of balsamic richness.

A very harmonious and attractive Douro made in a very delicate and Burgundian style. Tons of finesse here. If one is expecting a 2011 Douro to be a big, extracted and bulky red wine, this is anything but! Immensely enjoyable stuff now and most likely over the next decade or so. I doubt the wine will continue to evolve much from here, but in all likelihood the wine is not going to fall apart anytime soon. Drink or keep. A terrific purchase at 30€.
(93 points)

Day 7

The next morning we woke up pretty early (not really), went for the healthy, appetizing hotel breakfast (well, um) and left to check out the Garrafeira Nacional shops located in the Lisbon old town. Instead of taking a Bolt ride, we decided it would be a nice change to just walk there.

Walking down Avenida da Liberdade to the historical downtown.

At the first Garrafeira Nacional shop we realized that they had a better selection of Buçaco wines than at the winery hotel (including the wonderful Buçaco Rosado Reservado!), so the very first thing we did was empty the shelves of any Buçaco wines.

Admittedly, the cellar of prestige wines at the larger Garrafeira Nacional shop was pretty impressive - but the wines were pretty pricey, too.

At the other Garrafeira Nacional shop (about a five-minute walk away) we didn’t purchase much, but they did have some wines by the glass on Vinomatic dispensers, so we had a glass or two while checking out the shop selection. This is what I had:

2021 Adega da Cartuxa Pêra-Manca Branco - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo, Évora (27.4.2024)
A blend of Antão Vaz and Arinto. Fully destemmed. Fermented and aged for 12 months in stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels. 13% alcohol, 1,3 g/l residual sugar, 5,7 g/l acidity and pH 3,26.

Youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels concentrated yet still somewhat understated with aromas of fresh golden apples, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light banana tones and a hint of sweet nectarine. The wine feels crisp, very intense and surprisingly bitter on the palate with a rather full body and quite focused flavors of extracted bitterness, some pithy lemon tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light apricot tones, a hint of savory wood and a touch of nuttiness. The brisk acidity lends great sense of structure and electric energy to the wine, but also seems to emphasize the bitter notes on the midpalate. The finish is long, crisp and acid-driven with an intense aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and sharp Granny Smith apple tones, some notes of creamy oak, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light woody nuances, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of almost unripe peach.

I expected the wine to be a huge, oaky blockbuster white, but it turned out to be a surprisingly crisp, lean and nervous wine that is dominated by somewhat extracted phenolic bitterness. The overall feel is very high-strung and somewhat unbalanced, but that's mostly due to the young age of the wine. With this much intensity, structure and acidity, I have no doubts this wine will continue to evolve and improve effortlessly for years. However, it doesn't feel that enjoyable at the moment. This is stuff you want to sit on for quite a while. A promising wine and an impressive effort for a white Alentejano - but I'm still not sure if the wine is really worth the 69,95€.
(91 points)

After our quick visits to these two Garrafeira Nacional shops, we returned to the hotel to pack our last-moment purchases - and realized that after our recent purchases there was now actually one extra bottle that we couldn’t fit in our luggage anymore. Thus we needed to empty that one bottle before we finally left for the airport!

2019 Textura Wines Dão Textura da Estrela Rosé - Portugal, Beiras, Dão (27.4.2024)
A blend of Tempranillo (50%) and Touriga Nacional (50%) from 25-30 yo vineyards planted at the altitude of 480 m a.s.l in Vila Nova de Azem. Fermented and aged for 11 months in used French oak barrels. 13% alcohol.

Deep, translucent and moderately dark strawberry-red color with a slightly evolved hue. The nose feels ripe and sweet-toned with juicy aromas of raspberries and wild strawberries, some creamy oak tones, light spicy nuances, a little bit of waxy funk and an evolved hint of shriveled cherries. The wine feels juicy and ripe yet very dry on the palate with a medium body and quite acid-driven flavors of sweet cherries and tart lingonberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of strawberry, light evolved waxy tones, oaky hints of woody spice, toffee and creaminess and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is long and juicy with a rather intense, acid-driven aftertaste of sweet strawberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of creamy oak, light stony mineral tones, a hint of tart lingonberry and a developed touch of toffee.

A tasty, harmonious and pretty serious rosé with good sense of structure and vinous substance. The ripe, slightly sweet-toned strawberry-driven fruit flavors and that somewhat austere mineral bitterness are elements that offset each other very nicely. Good, serious stuff. Although the wine drinks really well right now, I feel it still holds a bit potential for further development. Drink now or over the next handful of years. Very good value at 18€.
(92 points)

I guess our flight back via Amsterdam was so uneventful that there’s no need to add anything meaningful here. Well, apart from this photo of our delicious little afternoon lunch at the Schipol airport!

Thus, my travelogue on our week-long trip to Portugal ends here. Thank you all for commenting, interacting and in other kinds of ways being with me in spirit on our journey!

brigcampbell · June 14, 2024, 11:04pm

Otto, thank you.

I know the effort and focus required to post such quality information.

Greatly appreciated by all. Your contributions are valued.

Ravi_Raju · June 15, 2024, 4:31am

Otto,

That was amazing. Thank you.

Eric_Ifune · June 15, 2024, 11:20pm

Nice Otto!

Otto_Forsberg · June 16, 2024, 5:00pm

Thank you all for your kind words! I’m always happy if some people here find my lengthy ramblings interesting - or at least worth a read!

Kevin_JC · June 16, 2024, 10:50pm

I have visited Portugal 3 times in the last 25 years, one of my favorite destinations for extremely friendly people, incredible sightseeing, wonderful food, and some of the most interesting and varied wine anywhere, all at a reasonable price. I did not take as good of notes as you, and did not visit many wineries, but I drank through a large quantity of astounding wines.

Your notes brought back those memories, and got me interested in booking my next trip there. Bravo Otto! I will tip a glass of Portuguese wine to the incredible travels, tastings, and food you so deftly described. I look forward to reading more notes from your trips and tastings.

Greggld · July 19, 2024, 7:40pm

Thank you Otto, very inspiring. We will finish a long trip to Spain in the Fall with a three day layover in Lisbon. I traded a longer stay in the Azores for more wine time in Spain and, now Portugal. My palate was created in the US in the mid-80’s and early 90’s so I am very interested in trying more mature vintages (a luxury that was more common and affordable when I was a kid in the 80’s). I’ll be careful since there is a chance that one will be sampling leftovers, but that just allows me to buy a few good back up bottles in case the prime bottles are not survivors (given decent wine’s relative lower cost in Portugal). I can prepare for the trip with a few mature Spanish wines in NYC, but not for Portuguese wines, all your observations are great building blocks, so again, thanks.

adam.moors · January 16, 2025, 4:43pm

Great Otto, I really enjoyed reading your post.