The wines of Portugal

 

 

 

Oh God, I'll pack and take a plane

Off to the Algarve once again

The Algarve's the one place I know

Where those who love red wine should go

And of the many wines I drink

Cabrita is the best I think.

And the vintage most divine

Is by far two thousand nine.

        (Apologies to Rupert Brooke) 

 

Ron has asked me to contribute to his wine blog, and I have enjoyed the journey.  Ron and Betty have introduced many of their friends to the delights of wine-tasting.  Delectable, elegant meals at their home, accompanied by humorous observations about wine choices are informative and great fun. 

For the past nine years, my wife Effie and I have spent our winters in Portugal – and we joyfully praise all things Portuguese, particularly the wine.  For this task I have tried to focus on some of the acknowledged single varietal grapes unique to Portugal, with special emphasis on the Algarve.   The wines I have chosen are red  (though the whites are acknowledged of world-class quality); they are also non-sparkling and non-fortified.    

In any discussion of Portuguese wine, mention must be made, if only in passing, of Vinho Verde and the fortified sweet wines, Porto and Madeira. Vinho Verde is a light, petillant wine; its gentle fizz is not enough to be classified even as semi-sparkling. Various varietals of slightly under-ripe grapes are used in its production. Vinho Verde means green wine but is translated as young wine.  Port is produced in Portugal's second largest city, O Porto, from which the wine takes its name. (Recently attention has been given to Winston Churchill's favourite Port –Grahams' Six Grapes.  Of his own alcohol consumption, Sir Winston is said to have observed, “I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.”) O Porto is situated in the most famous wine producing region in Portugal, the Douro Valley.  Different varietals are used in the production of port, two of the most important now being Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesca (also Franca) which is responsible for a subtle perfumed bouquet in the best vintages.    The first time I tasted red wine with Touriga Franca was not in Portugal but at a dinner party at Ron and Betty Johnson's. 

Madeira, a sweet wine with a distinctive taste, is produced by a unique ageing process meant to replicate the effect of a long sea voyage on the wine casks.  Today there are various methods used to replicate this heat.  The vintage Madeiras are aged from 20 to a hundred years in warm naturally heated rooms. 

An incident involving Madeira was instrumental among the events leading to the American Revolution.   John Hancock's sloop Liberty carrying 3,150 gallons of Madeira (Ben Franklin's favourite) was seized by the British navy in 1768.  Hancock was required to pay import duties, which he refused to do.  The disagreement resulted in violence and riots in Boston.  Clearly more trouble than the Tea Party.

 

Canadians who choose Portugal for a “long-stay” usually settle in the Algarve, the most southerly part, because the Portuguese are welcoming; the weather is mild and sunny; and many restaurants, some of the best in the country, offer interesting meals at reasonable prices.  The table wine is consistently of a higher standard than in any other European country, and it is surprisingly inexpensive.  In the Algarve, a typical meal for two costs about 35 euros, including a bottle of wine, often Alentejo, but frequently Douro or Dao.  Canadians frequently visit the northern cities, enjoying the urban culture and learning about the history of Portugal, but they usually settle comfortably in one of the charming villages in the Algarve--which also has it own interesting culture, history, and of late, some extremely fine wines.   We spend our winters in Tavira, close to Spain.  Called the jewel of the Algarve, Tavira was an important coastal community before the disastrous 1755 earthquake. Today, though it retains little of its former commercial prominence, it is still a most elegant township, blending the ancient with the modern.

The Algarvian wines are new on the Portuguese scene, and they are recognized by the discerning as high in quality.  In other wine regions throughout the world, and in Portugal itself, this truth is acknowledged only reluctantly.  The Portuguese in Lisboa (Lisbon) and in O Porto tend to look down upon Algarvians, much as people from Upper Canada look down on Maritimers. 

The wine areas in the Algarve are familiar names to most long stay tourists: Tavira, Loule, Albufeira, Lagoa, Silves, Portimao, and Lagos.  The first time I appreciated that Algarvian wines were special was when dining (with daughter Cecelia and grand-daughter Madeleine) in a village near Tavira--Santa Luzia, considered the octopus (polvo) capital of the world.  I had a bottle of Cabrita 2009, produced in Silves.  This exceptional wine had numerous levels of taste--a surprisingly complex structure.  Unfortunately there are few bottles of the vintage remaining, and they are now very expensive.  When I tasted it in 2013 in a restaurant, it cost 10 euros.   It was this wine that started me on my journey to learn about Portuguese wines in general, and Algarvian wines in particular.  Hence the little doggerel parody of the Old Vicarage, Grantchester. 

This year Effie and I decided to take a wine tour--a new experience for us.  We were the only people on the tour.  Initially, we did not know how lucky we were to have Anibal (Hannibal) Neto as our guide and Marta Barbosa as our driver.  Anibal is a viticulturist and a wine expert, well-known and respected by the wine producers in the Algarve.  His advice is eagerly sought, and he is always a welcome visitor.  A great ambassador for Algarvian wines, he noted that when the phylloxera blight infected the Douro vineyards, Algarvian plants were used to replace the diseased northern vines.  Anibal is one of the key individuals active in the establishment of Algarvian wine routes.  Marta is industrious and well organized.  She and her husband own Marine Tours in Tavira.  Friendly and gregarious, both Marta and Anibal speak excellent English.  We visited five adegas: Jaap; Quinta do Frances, Odelouca River Valley; Cabrita; Joao Clara--all in the Silves area; and Adega Cooperative De Lagoa, in Lagoa 

Jaap, operated by its owner, Van Jaap, a big friendly man with a happy face and an unflappable demeanour, showed us the various fields, each with a different variety of grape.  The story of how he got into wine-making is one that I would hear again from other producers.  Initially these people were solely grape-growers;  however, bureaucratic complications or a failure to be paid for their produce caused them to start making wine themselves.  Jaap is an organic operation--no herbicides, no pesticides, and no added sulphites.  All grapes have natural sulphites, as they have natural yeasts. Sulphites are added to prevent oxidation—thus, wines without added sulphites have a short shelf life. 

I was keen to know about what work is done in the vineyards in January, and learned that this is pruning time. Jaap's vineyard was the smallest we visited and the owners did the pruning themselves.  To this end they had purchased state-of-the-art shears that would make anything at Lee Valley seem like a child’s toy.  The shears themselves, though bigger than most, were electrically powered by a battery attached to the body in a garment like a bullet proof vest.  I asked if I could cut some of the sprouts on the arms of the vines, and they indulged me.  I cut a few branches--cautioned to keep my fingers away from the blades because I was not wearing the special gloves that immediately stop the power to the shears.  The vines have either one major arm or two arms shaped like a tee.  Pruning, although more complicated and more arduous, is bit like cutting suckers off tomato plants.   

We tasted his Syrah and Rose, but the wine that most interested me was the Touriga Nacional. Jaap's Touriga Nacional, blended with Syrah, was as robust as I had as I had hoped--luscious and velvety. 

Throughout the day we saw other operations, but this was the one that most impressed us – perhaps because it was the first or perhaps because it was small and we could take everything in at a glance: the spotlessly clean tanks, the skillfully crafted oak barrels, and of course, the display of wine bottles all neatly placed in their racks – evoked timeless images from novels and paintings of centuries gone by. 

Next, we arrived at the Quinta Do Frances in the Odelouca River Valley.  Odelouca is the name of a familiar wine carried by stores and supermarkets in the Algarve.  Their more expensive wines have won numerous awards in European competitions.  As we entered the central area, we were struck by the fragrance of roses, and we noted that each row in the vineyard began with a rose plant.  The rose is the canary in the mine shaft.  A fungal-disease, fatal to the wine plants, attacks the roses first.  If the roses succumb to the fungus, the wine-makers know a fungicide must be applied at once to the vines.  We sampled and purchased some of their wines, all excellent--though I confess I was unable to distinguish between the moderate- and high-priced wines.   

Before continuing our tour, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant inside the famous Silves Castle, which dominates the village and provides a panoramic view of Central Algarve to the ocean.  Built on Roman and Visigoth ruins, this once splendid castle saw Christians and Moors exchange control over it many times during their four centuries of struggle in Portugal.  The Cafe Castelo de Silves on the castle's upper level is owned by Jose Sales and Miguel Vieira, and offers remarkably delicious food.  Their own herb-infused vermouth opened the feast, and was succeeded by dried cured tuna (muxama) served with a coriander sauce on a slice of lemon.  An entree of heated figs on a bed of goat cheese followed, and for dessert, an unforgettably moist orange cake, unlike any that we had ever enjoyed. The wine served had an intriguing bouquet and was described by our guide as leathery--a term I had not heard before.  All was memorable.

Our third winery, Cabrita, had no official representative on hand, but Anibal showed us the bottling operation and took us through the nearly finished facilities for wine displays--an impressive area much like a monastic refectory, overlooking a sweep of vineyards stretching along the river.  Cabrita makes its own wines but also processes wines for other farmers--its onologists are recognized as outstanding. 

At the Cabrita winery we met Dona Edite, owner of the adega Joao Clara, whose vineyards we would visit next.  Though Portuguese, she spoke with a precise, well-modulated English accent; her tour was clearly presented and expertly organized; and her wines have also won recognition in European competitions.  She has been especially praised for her determination in resurrecting and re-introducing the grape variety Negra Mole that had become almost extinct.  Her Joao Clara Negra Mole is unlike any Algarvian wine I have tasted--a captivating flavour that can be cultivated very quickly.  Dona Edite, unlike Japp, hires professional pruners from Lisboa.  These men were busy at work in the vineyards, moving like shadows in the failing light.  Again, we bought wine.

Wine tourists know that as time wears on, fatigue sets in.  When we left Joao Clara, we were pleased but exhausted.  It was raining and dark.  We were surprised when we pulled into a large warehouse in Lagoa--Adega Cooperative De Lagoa.  We entered the building together. The cavernous rooms went on forever; every now and then, a wine display, as if prepared for a reception; rooms with the largest wine casks I had ever seen; grates in the floor and ceiling revealing racks of wine bottles or barrels of moscatel. Anibal pointed to an immense passageway that was to provide space for a wine museum.  

I was introduced to the onologist, Joao do O, a compact, enigmatic, handsome man, with even features and a nose clearly designed for distinguishing subtle differences in bouquet.  We stopped at a large tank containing wine made by Anibal’s brother.  I thought it was delicious; Anibal said it needs more time before bottling.  I asked Joao if he liked the wine.  Deftly swirling the glass, he savoured the bouquet and allowed that it was quite good--fruity with nice tannins.

We left the warehouse and entered the small dimly lit reception area.  I purchased a bottle of moscetal, a sweet wine to be served with dessert. 

We drove back in the rain.  When we reached the outskirts of Tavira, the rain stopped.  Marta noted that it is always this way.  Take your car to Lagoa to get it washed in the rain, and then return to Tavira where it will dry.

Wine regions of Portugal:    

The Douro Region in the north.  Grape vines were introduced here by the Romans on the northern mountain ranges along the river gorge.  The Douro wine region is a UNESCO heritage site and is recognized as one of the finest wine producing locations in the world.  The boat trip on the Douro to the city of Peso da Regua or on the valley side by train is most enjoyable. We made the trip in 2011. The restaurant recommended at the information centre served the finest and rarest Chateaubriand we had ever tasted, and the Douro wine that accompanied it (Papa Figos, 6 euros) was superb. 

Still in the north, the Dao region includes and spreads out from the city of Viseu around the rivers Mondego and Dao in the north-central section of Portugal. The Touriga Nacional vine, first grown in  the Dao region, produces (as I said) the grape that is in Port wine.  Touriga Nacional is one of the most important and essential varietals in all Portuguese wines, be they expensive or inexpensive.  It might be said of Portuguese culture that Touriga Nacional is to wine what Fado is to music.  Its rich earthy fullness embodies the geography and history of the country. 

The North includes the Barhidda area where the Baga grape is grown.  Noted for its high tannin and acidity,  the wine made from this grape is either loved or hated.  Again, still considered north, though on the map it appears central, is the Lisboa/Setubal region which produces excellent red and white wines.  The primary grape variety is Castelao (known also as Periquita), and the area  is most famous for its Moscatel.  The labels Moscatel, Setubal, Periquita, and Palmela always signal that some or much of the contents will contain the Castelao grape. 

Alentejo in the south is the largest wine region in Portugal.  The wine of the Alentejo is very familiar to those who live in and visit the Algarve.  Apparently there are now two styles of Alentejo wines: the older, more traditional kind that could be called European; and more recently, a style that is New World–bolder tasting and full bodied.

Driving through the Alentejo by bus, we were struck by the lush vineyards and also by the number of cork trees.  I was made aware at Joao Clare's adega that not all wine bottle corks are equal; some are pure cork, and others are composite cork pieces, like chip board.  Portugal produces half the world's cork.  The cork is peeled from the trees by skilled workers called extractors.  It is removed every nine years, and harvest time is marked by large numbers, one to nine, painted on the trees.  The trees can live for hundreds of years, if the cork is correctly removed.  (I did not get a chance to try my hand at cork peeling—I could do real damage there). 

Two of the largest wine producers in Portugal are in this region: Cartuxa and Adega Cooperativa de Borba.  All wines in the Alentejo are entitled to bear the designation VR (vinho regional), similar to the French Vin de Pays; and many use DOC (Denominacao de Origem Controlada), much like the French AOP.  However  the designations do not really guarantee that DOC on the bottle indicates a wine superior to VR designation.

The Alentejo has many sub-regions--the most famous being Evora, a UNESCO heritage site, a stunningly beautiful medieval city.  Known to many as the city of the chapel of bones in the church of Saint Frances, the entire place of worship is composed of human skeletons.  Memento Mori. 

On being Ron Johnson.

Any one keen to know about unique Portuguese varietals needs to experience Baga, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, and Castelao.  So, we decided to host a small wine-tasting event with some of our

neighbours in Portugal (five in all) including one who does not drink red wine.  For her we purchased a bottle of Douro white.  Two agreed to participate, even though they insisted that they were not real wine drinkers and that both suffered from migraines.  Two were seasoned wine drinkers and had attended a wine-tasting supper only the night before. 

Apprehensive (as it turned out unnecessarily) that not much of the wine would be drunk, I chose only four wines:  from the  Alentejo, Herdade dos Grous, 2013;  from the Douro, Quinta Da Romaneira, 2009; from the Dao, Pedra Cancela, 2014;  and from the Beiras, Suis Pato, 2011.  The  varietal in this wine is Baga, a wine that I wanted to experience because it is said to have a distinctively big taste--but those who like it like it a lot.  A Portuguese friend who could not attend was confident that everyone would like the Douro wine best. 

This was not a double blind experiment. I knew all the wines--a comfortable and empowering situation.  The wines were marked A, B, C, and D and placed on a table on the balcony.  I would take each wine to the guests who only knew the letter designation.  Our friends with the migraines, as did the more experienced tasters, joined in the revelry with gusto. 

The results:  Four of five liked all the wines except the Suis Pato (Baga) but they preferred the Dao and ranked it number one--the least expensive wine by half.  Four of five disliked the Suis Pato, which I had ranked # 1.  Our grandson David Claxton might have described it as a passive-aggressive wine. 

Everyone loved the white wine, Fafide, Douro, 2014, Reserva Branco. 

Epilogue 

“The end of our exploring is to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time”

(T.S. Eliot). 

When our journey ended, we celebrated with a meal of rabbit stew and Negra Mole.  Somehow the wine tasted more delicious because we had briefly experienced the process that created it.  During our tour Anibal had expressed disapproval of what he saw as the excessive use of the term terrior, the total effect of unique climate and soil conditions.  As a viticulturist he had more right than most to his view.  I offered an alternative term—mystique.  “Maybe so,” he said and laughed.

 

Opimian Offering 239:  Although there are some Spanish and French wines in this offering that I could recommend, I think after reading Jim's essay you should try any of the Portuguese wines offered.  I am certain you will not be disappointed.