Winexpectations

I am currently on a mission to get hold of as many Portuguese wines I can here in London. You'd think that it shouldn't be such a mission, but trust me, it isn't that easy either.  Everywhere you go, the usual suspects are always there, and by all means, I love them too, but its refreshing when I came across a "new" producer. I found Adega Mayor through an Instagram post @the_Portuguese_cellar and decided to place an order with them.  Caiado Red was my first pick.  Aromas:  It packs quite a  punch! The colour is of a dark ruby almost violet and the first swift is of pure red fruits. Its a young wine and you can almost feel its vibrancy. It reminds me of that first smell when you open a jam jar, all of those red fruit aromas, pure and concentrated. On the palate it has a silky texture and high acidity, which balances really well the fruit. The blend is of 50% Aragonez (also known as Temperanillo), 30% Trincadeira and 20% Alicante Bouchet (teinturier grape, hence ...

In Portugal, pretty much like any other wine country in Europe, you tend to drink what's available in your region. I am from Montijo, a city on the south side of the Rio Tejo (Tagus River) and what we have available there is usually the big bold reds that most likely your grandad bought from a friend of a friend who makes wine and sells it in a 5 litre jug. Oh yeah... as good as you can imagine. Of course times have changed and this is not necessarily the case anymore. Thank goodness!!!  When I started my wine career 5 years (ish) ago in the UK, I was just gobsmacked by the variety of styles you get from the north of Portugal. I know it sounds terrible, but its the truth. Specially at my age, I moved to England when I was 21 so you can imagine what I drunk before that was that good old 'vinho carrascão' which pretty much translates to 'rough wine' and there's no abv control for that matter. Eventually I came across Baga, a grape varietal that grows predominantly...

I love Portuguese wines, but that's not all I drink.  Saboteur 2016 is a great example why you should always adventure into new experiences. On Sunday, that you feel extremely lazy, to the point that you skip Sunday lunch, a much needed ritual in this household, you know you need to pull something out of the bag to brighten your evening.  All we have in the fridge is leftover lamb from the previous Sunday (don't ask!) and a jamon de bellota that thankfully I felt generous enough to buy on an impulse, the day before.  Right, red wine it is!   Look at that bright red colour. You just know that that wine is going to make you feel gooood. A blend of 54% Shiraz, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Mouvedre, the wine is big and bold. 2016 was an extremely hot year which resulted in very ripe fruit allowing the cabernet to really show its tannins.  Winemaking process:   "The cabernet sauvignon and mouvedre were fermented in small batches in open bins with regular hand ...

Lets chat a little bit about Vinho Verde, a region that produces some of my favourite wines.  This is one of the biggest DOC (if not the biggest) of Portugal. Its just by the Atlantic coast, NW of Portugal, benefiting from a cold breeze and saltiness that gives so much character to these wines. The grapes grow on fertile granite soils but its ripening isn't so easy. Many producers use the pergola vine training method on their vineyards as this helps not only with the ripening of the grapes, due to the high exposure of the fruit,  but also helps preventing diseases by allowing air circulation in the vineyard. Disclosure: Contrary to what many people think, Vinho Verde does not mean its grapes are unripe, it is not a  grape varietal and it is not green coloured wine. Thank you!  Quinta de Azevedo is a favourite of mine, I have tried their wines many, many times and they never disappoint. The estate is dynamic and very advanced. It has been bought by Sogrape in the mid-...

I have come across Manz Wine a while ago and for some strange reason I haven't had any in, I can confidently say, years! So I was really happy when Max decided to bring home two of their wines. Contador de Estórias and Dona Fátima.  The weather really took a turn here in London and red wines are the theme currently, so lets start with Contador.  A blend of Syrah (60%), Touriga Nacional (30%) and Petit Verdot (10%). This wine really hit home for me, not being able to go home during these crazy times is making me really homesick so if I can put my hands on anything Portuguese, I will grab it and call it my own!  Winemaking process: Wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks with skin maceration for 3 weeks. Then 70% of the wine is aged in stainless steel vats (which allows the wine to keep its fruity character and freshness), and 30% aged in French oak (tannic structure, cedar notes) and American oak (vanilla, coffee, toast notes) for 12 months.  Aromas: From the regio...