Eight Portuguese Wines - A Snapshot of Portugal  Add/Read Comments

The end of the month sees the wine-blogospheres attention focusing on the Lisbon Wine Bloggers Conference; it's one of those countries I've long hankered to visit. For years the wines have intrigued and delighted. I recall the arrival of a handful of new listings to the shelves of the wine merchants I use to run way, way back, the exploration of those oddly named grapes (the intense, firm Baga, the aromatic, herby, full-bodied Tourgia Nacional, the peachy Bical, the rich, honeyed Fonte Cal et al) and the subsequent enjoyment of those distinctive flavours and food-friendly styles.

If there is one thing that hasn't changed at all over the intervening years it is the dreadful packaging on many of the wines. What sells in suburban Lisbon really doesn't cut it on the shelves of Waitrose, Threshers or the independent. This may go some way in explaining why, despite the critics raving over the wines, Portugal remains on the lower rung of players in the UK wine scene.

A few days ago I plonked my arse down at a 'refresher' tasting hosted by Sarah Ahmed, Portuguese Wine Writer of the year 2009. Really aimed at restaurateurs and merchants the background given on the wines was a little perfunctory but with limited time I guess it was about all that could be imparted without the session becoming a fact-laden, eye-lid dropping, school lesson.

It was an opportunity to sample some great wines, some new, some previously enjoyed and offering an overarching snapshot of the styles available.

Also tasted was the Quinta de Covela Covela Escolha 2007, Minho (which makes the eighth wine of the tasting session) which was as delicious as when tasted back in September 2008.

A selection of superb reds, even those blessed with premium prices, each certainly worth hunting down but it was the whites that garnered most conversational interest post-tasting. The combination of freshness, pure drinkability and alluring flavours from those all those captivating grape varieties were a delightful surprise - who thought Portugal was merely red wine country? This imminent trip of mine is going to be exceptional.

After the tasting a meal where the Smoked Salmon starter was lovely with a glass of citric-fresh, lightly honeyed, Esporão Reserva Branco, 2008, Alentejo. The Roasted Belly Pork, Flageolet Bean Casserole for mains came with the robust Luis Pato Vinhas Velhas Tinto 2005, Beiras, delicious in its plummy depths. FInally the dessert, an Apricot and Fig Frangipane Tart with clotted cream, was a marvel with Blandy's Late Harvest Malmesy Madeira, 2001.