Portugal Visit October 2007
Kristy Chatt, Manager, Majestic Putney
Last October I was invited to spend a few days enjoying the variety and wonder that is Portugal and it wines. My hosts, Vini Portugal, a trade association whose aim is to promote Portuguese wine had sent their trusted agent Ana Sophia to make sure we saw as much as possible in just a few days.
Our first visit was to Oporto Sala Ogival, a lively and interactive tasting room which offers the public a chance to taste a range of Portuguese wines from various regions and grape varieties. "A treasure trove of indigenous grape varieties" is how the Oxford Companion to Wine describes Portugal and here we were shown why. Showcasing everything from the well-known Vinho Verde to Chardonnay blends, and from Touriga Nacional to Tempranillo.
After our tasting we took a quick walk along the river Douro to check out the barcos rabelos, the old wooden sailing boats which once carried the wines down to Porto from where it is made, high in the Douro valley. Although no longer in use, the beautiful wooden boats create a magical sight along the river.
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Leaving Porto we headed to the Douro valley to Quinta do Portal. We arrived just in time to see a fresh batch of grapes arriving at the winery. It always amazes me how different a working modern winery looks compared to the romantic image of baskets and wine presses in my imagination. It’s a slick operation where every moment counts from vine to press and every bit of wicker has been replaced by plastic or stainless steel and efficient conveyer belts. At Quinta do Portal they had however installed in their new visitors’ room a small wine trough where visitors could tread grapes, just to feel part of the process (they did not however count on the millions of midges that would also like to take part!) Our hosts treated us to a lovely dinner of a traditional rice and duck bake served with a glass of Malvis, the rich fruit with a kick of sweet spice was a perfect match and really topped off an amazing day.
Day two and we moved on to the Dao and a visit to Sogrape. My favourite moment at Sogrape was not the tour of their ever-modernising winery or the extremely informative tasting of their diverse range but in fact sipping a slightly effervescent and well-chilled glass of VinhoVerde in the sun. I may be easy to please but I’d challenge anyone to find a better combo than sun, wine and the smell of a hot Barbecue.
Traveling through the beautiful Dao Valley and down towards Lisbon. A quick stop at Almeirim north east of Lisbon for a tasting of the Tagus Creek range and then into Lisbon itself. Vini Portugal have another tasting room here, so again we were treated to the broad spectrum of the wines of Portugal.
All in all the trip was an amazing overview of what Portugal has to offer. Beautiful scenery, versatile and diverse wine and fantastically friendly people who are passionate about who they are and what they do. I would recommend anyone who is visiting this beautiful country to visit the tasting halls of Vini Portugal and sample the "a treasure trove of indigenous grape varieties" that is Portugal.