Alvaro tasting 2009 white from tank

We had an interesting visit to Alvaro de Castro yesterday afternoon. This included a bone-shaking ride in a little truck along rough tracks to see some of his vineyards and the old family house. Then tasting both 2009s from tank and barrel (400 litre) and some finished wines.

I thought the whites were particularly successful, while the reds were more variable. Castro has 65 hectares of vines, which include some over 100 years old. We tasted the 2008 Branco Reserva from Quinta de Saes with its lovely combination of quite rich fruit and minerally acidity in the long finish. This was followed by Primus (a field blend) from Quinta de Pellada, whose fruit is more opulent with a touch of sweetness in the finish. This also has some minerality but it is less marked than the Saes. For this reason my preference is for the Saes but, of course, it would also depend upon what you were eating.

 

For the reds my preference was for the 2007 Saes Reserva (10-12€) and the 2007 Pellada. Both are field blends, which will include Alfred Shearer, which is probably related to the now retired Newcastle footballer, Alan. Saes has some Touriga nacional and Tinto Roriz added. The last wine we tasted was the 2008 Doda, which is a blend of wine from Alvaro in the Dão and Dirk Niepoort in the Douro. I found this 2008 to be a little too green at the moment.

Alvaro's daughter

Alvaro's son in law

Their winemaking dog supervising barrel tasting

Barrel of Touriga Nacional with 100 points or from 100 year old vines  (you decide!)

Some of the stock

View from old family house across to the hills

Alvaro

Never known the sea to be calm@Praia Adraga

I've written about this restaurant before but worth doing so again as I think it is one of the great fish restaurants of the world. It's not sophisticated, although there is, I think, Barca Velha, on the wine list but it does brilliant grilled fish as well as clams in garlic and delicious crabs. Reasonably priced, the restaurant is the only building of any substance in a wonderfully unspoiled cove and beach. Furthermore the staff are friendly and welcoming. If you get a table by the window you have an uninterrupted view to the USA.

The unglitzy Restaurante Adraga from the beach: window looks out over the ocean

Today three of us had Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams in garlic and coriander), a crab and then a perfectly cooked sea bass accompanied by a bottle of 2008 Alvarinho. In Brittany or Nantes, Muscadet would be the ideal choice but here in Portugal, Alvarinho works extremely well. Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato is a speciality in these parts and is cooked in a similar way to moules marinières except there is less liquid. You need plenty of bread to mop up the juice.

Very fresh crab

2008 Alvarinho Quinta de Gomantz

Restaurant Praia da Adraga: tel: 21 923 00 28

1 November 2009

Entrance to the Fonseca cellars

From the Bacalhôa winery it was just a short drive to the old, historic cellars of José Maria da Fonseca in the centre of Vila Nogueira de Azeitão. However, our reception was a world away from that we were accorded at Bacalhôa. Instead of the chief winemaker and commercial director and others at JM Fonseca we were shown round by the winery guide – charming and well informed but not the same. Perhaps they saw us a group of arriviste bloggers but Charles Metcalfe was in our midst and in these parts Charles is as close to vinous royalty as you can get.

Decorative detail on an outside wall of the Fonseca premises

The company was founded in 1834. It remains in family hands with the seventh generation at the helm. JM da Fonseca now produces some 30 million litres a year divided into 33 brands. As well as the old cellars the company has a new winery close by.

After a tour of the old cellars we tasted four wines, which with exception of the Moscatel were not exciting. The two reds (2007 Pasmodos 9€ and 2004 Domingos Soares Franco 17.50€) were decidedly old style with dry, grainy tannins, especially the Pasmodos. Bacalhôa's Anfora knocks both wines into a cocked hat and is cheaper. The 1998 Domingos Soares Franco Moscatel Roxo 17.50€ saved the show with its concentrated nutty and marmalade flavours with apricot and sweet peach in the long finish. Slightly old style but here it works.

Lancers Free

On the way out we paused in the shop. I noticed a display of Lancers Free. Lancers rosé is one of Fonseca's best known and best selling brands and in July they launched an alcohol free version. Apparently this is Portugal's first alcohol free wine. I have to admit I'm bemused: what is point of drinking Lancers if it leaves you stone cold sober? Why not just opt for a nice glass of orange juice?

For lunch we headed to the Restaurante Alcanena in Palmela, which is obviously a local institution with its substantial, varied and copious buffet. We had various local wines to try over lunch including a couple from Bacalhôa but none from JM da Fonseca – another trick missed! Of the new wines on show the most impressive was the 2007 Ermelinda Reserva, Terras do Sado from Casa Ermelinda Freitas. This made from a blend of Castelão (40%), Touriga Nacional (40%) and Syrah (20%) with the vines planted in Fernando Pó, which apparently is a good site in the Palmela region. While the Touriga and the Syrah are from recently planted vines, the Castelão vines are over 50 years old.

Charles Metcalfe@the recent Circle of Wine Writers tasting given by Miguel Torres (seated)

Just to underline Mr Metcalfe's celebrity status, the owner of the restaurant asked to have her photo taken with Charles. Doubtless if I ever go back to Alcanena– certainly worth looking out if you are in the area, especially if you are feeling hungry – a framed photo of her and Charles will hanging in pride of place.

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