algarvearticles

Author: David Hughes

As Port remains king, stunning still red wines and improving whites strive to be noticed in the market place
They all came, bringing their vines, the Phoenicians, the Greeks and of course the Romans who named their new province Lusitania, what we now call Portugal, and from where much of the wine produced was exported to the Roman Empire.

Portugal has hundreds of indigenous grape varieties – many attributed to Henry The Navigator who bought back vines from his many nautical journeys.

Records show that wine was exported to England as early as the twelfth century and a treaty in1353 allowed Portuguese craft to fish in English coastal waters against favourable and increased importing and consumption of Portuguese wine (remember, it was not done to toast our monarch with the wine of his enemy !)

Today Portugal has, on the one hand the established Port Houses, the testimony of historic co-operation, where English names abound: Taylors, Croft, Graham, Cockburn etc., then there are the ubiquitous but successful rose wine of Mateus and the thin, acidic wines called ‘Vinho Verde’.   Latterly Portugal has made huge, successful strides to improve the quality of its wines which was consistently apparent at the Wines of Portugal tasting I attended within a huge marquee at Lords during mid April.

Vinho Verde is a region, where once more red was produced than white – either of questionable quality.  Today the planting and pruning of higher quality vines such  Alvarinho, Loueiro and Trajadura varieties (often blended) has moved the white wines of the region right up the ladder. Look for two really good Vinho Verdes :

Soalheiro, Primeiras Vinhas 2008 lovely crisp acidity with stone fruit and melon textured flavours (around £13/14.00 in good wine shops) and Quinta de Azevedo 2009 (£6.69 Waitrose) a ‘patio aperitif’, spritzy, light and crisp with citrus & minerals – both will blow the old stigma out of the window. 

Other excellent white wines are grown throughout the regions down to the south with Alentejo, the closest main region to the holiday rich reports of Algarve.  Here Arinto and Antao Vaz produce dry yet aromatic whites with hints of nuts and peaches (seek Fundacao Eugenio de Almeida, Pera-Manca, Alentejano 2007 expensive but excellent from good wine shops).  

Best advice with Portuguese wines really is to pay that extra £2-£3 per bottle – it should be worth it.

Red varieties are now exploding, for as well as making Port way up north in the searing heat of the slopes of the Douro Valley, where the grapes are still trodden by the pickers and volunteers in ‘the old way’, those same grapes are producing red wines of wonderful complexity. The top variety of the region is the stunning Touriga Nacional which is blended with other excellent varieties Touriga Franca, Tinta Barocca and Tinta Roriz (known as Aragonez in the south and Tempranillo in Spain).  Try to find the excellent Douro wines from Quinta de la Rosa. Waitrose stock ‘Altano’ 2007 (£6.49) a good ‘fooie’.

In the regions to the south, Dao (same varieties as the Duero), Barraida (also Baga variety) and Estremadura (soon to be changed to VR Lisboa) are producing excellent options.  Alentejo’s main red varieties are Aragoez (‘Tempranillo’) and Trincadeira and right now I am seeking out Adega Cooperative de Portalegre’s wonderful Quinta da Cabaca 2006 (red) and their Conventual Reserva 2008 (white) – if you come across them – snap them up – you won’t be disappointed.  Waitrose have the delicious Tinto da Anfora, Alentejano – great value at £7.29.

Rose wine, on the back of the still popular Mateus Rose, is very much on the increase with many having that slight spritz which is so refreshing when you’ve pulled the cork in the heat of summer.  However, a range of styles abound and again you generally get what you pay for.  Also, some more than fair sparklers are also coming out of the Alentejo.

Last and not least I must mention the fortified wines of Madeira which belie the perception of elderly well-to-do English with fruit cake on bone china. I have enjoyed tasting quite a few recently, the variance of styles of the four white grape varieties : Sercial (dry and pale), Verdelho (medium), Bual (medium-sweet) and Malmsey (Malvasia) the richest – all with their degrees of smoky, burnt sugar aromas and sweetness as they age, some up-to minimum 20 years in oak casks.

You can pop into your local Morrisons and try the fairly good Point West 2008 red and a fairly quaffable, horribly-named Pink Elephant rose 2009 (£5.00) and there’s the good-value Tagus Creek range (widely available).

And if you’re Cliff Richard fans there are good white, red and rose offerings from his Adega do Cantor winery in the Algarve.   If you are there and he’s there and it is raining at Wimbledon – you may even get a song !

David Hughes – “The Wine Enthusiast”
David opened his family wine bar and restaurant in the heart of the City of London where he was formerly a shipbroker.

Now, 25 years later, through the profession and by invitation from vintners, David has explored many of the world’s wine growing regions.  These experiences enabled him to introduce exciting new and unusual varieties and regions to his eclectic wine lists.

Since June 2009 David has concentrated on his principal enthusiasm to share his knowledge and pleasure in the world of wine. He also acts as a consultant to wine bars and restaurants seeking to balance and innovate their wine lists, and has for years advised and supplied clients and individuals with wines for ‘that special occasion’.

For more information on David Hughes, please visit his website: The Wine Enthusiast

Originally published in About my Area Website (Essex) Food and Drink Section.