While we are blessed to have thousands of grape varieties from which to choose, sometimes returning to an old favorite is a nice surprise. So, it you have been giving shade to Chardonnay lately, perhaps it’s time to turn your attention back to this great grape. And, Chablis is a perfect expression of this wonderful variety!
Located in the northernmost area of France’s Burgundy region, Chablis offers up fresh, pure fruit with predominant notes of citrus, green apple, limestone and other minerality. On the palate, it displays bright acidity, medium to full body and overall, well-made wines with balance and complexity.
The 2017 vintage was a classic one, but with smaller yields. Accordingly, there are fewer wines available, but those that were made are excellent. These wines are infinitely food friendly, ready to drink now, but will definitely develop more complexity with time in bottle.
The 2017 growing season’s weather conditions permitted the grapes to achieve full ripeness, but it was not overly hot, so acidity levels were retained – a hallmark of Chablis wines. Consequently, these wines are crisp, bright and fresh…. and perfect for the dog days of summer!
TASTING NOTES Domaine Chantemerle Chablis 2017, $27.00 Aromas of flint, apple and smoke greet the nose. On the palate, it is dry and full-bodied with high acidity, notes of apple, pear, a hint of melon and nuttiness, with long length.
Gilbert Picq et ses Fils Chablis 2017, $21.00 Displaying a shy nose with mineral and stone, this dry wine offers up high acidity, medium+ body, tidal pool and apple flavors, along with long length.
Chateau de Maligny Chablis 2017, $25.00 With an intense nose of minerality and green apple, this wine is dry, with very high acidity, medium+ body and flavors of green apple and flint, with very long length.
Domaine Vocoret & Fils Chablis 2017, $30.00 Notes of stone, gunmetal and green apple dominate the nose, giving way to more citrus flavors on the dry, bright full-bodied palate, culminating in long length.
Pinot Grigio can be challenging. There is a lot of insipid Pinot Grigio out there. As the grape became very popular, it prompted many producers to make cheap and cheerful wines that really don’t deliver on the quality and caliber that this grape has to offer. This wine is not one of those. Rather, Peter Zemmer’s Pinot Grigio is a delicious iteration of this great grape, that provides beautiful aromas and flavors and is wonderful on its own or with a meal.
Winemaker Peter Zemmer is a member of the third-generation of his family to take over the estate, which his grandfather established in 1928. Since that time, the brand has become widely recognized as a quality producer in Italy’s Alto Adige region. Previously part of Austria, this Italian region is known for its alpine vineyards, which see a significant number of hours of sunshine annually, ensuring that the grapes reach full maturity, but the high elevation means that they also maintain beautifully bracing acidity.
Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio 2018, Alto Adige, Italy, $18.00 Aromas of tangerine, citrus, mineral and hint of petrol greet the nose. On the palate, the wine offers up a hint of ripeness, but is generally dry, with medium+ luscious body, rich and concentrated, slightly oily texture unctuous, citrus, mineral, long length.
When you are in the midst of a heatwave in the height of summer, the last thing you want to do is turn on the stove or even leave the house. But, you still have to eat. Take-out is always a great option and the fresh and cooling flavors of sushi were exceedingly welcome this past Saturday night. We decided to mix it up a bit and opted for some more unusual rolls for a change, which provided a nice selection of flavors and textures.
To complement our delicious dinner, we opened up two Rieslings from Nik Weis’ St. Urbans -Hof estate in the Mosel. Both wines were the perfect pairing and we were hard-pressed to decide which one was better with which roll. So, we called it a tie. Either way, the wines were absolutely lovely and, at only $18.00 each, represented great value in high quality German Riesling.
TASTING NOTES
Nik Weis St. Urbans-Hof Estate Dry Riesling 2018, QbA, Germany, $18.00 While not new to the Nik Weis portfolio, this wine is new to the U.S. market; the Germans are finally ready to share their dry Rieslings with us! This wine showed pronounced aromas of floral, tropical fruit and peach, while the dry palate offers up high acidity with medium body, lime, zest, spice and minerality, culminating in long length.
Nik Weis St. Urbans-Hof Estate Estate Riesling from Old Vines 2018, QbA, Germany, $18.00 With a less pronounced nose, this wine displayed candied lemon and slight floral notes. Its off-dry palate was beautifully balanced with lively acidity, a fuller body, riper lemon fruit and long length.
There’s just something about rosé that invites in the fun! Perhaps it’s its pale pink hue which is a bit flirty and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Regardless, despite the rain, the Mondrian Park Avenue’s rooftop terrace bar still enticed with a selection of Provençal rosés from Château de Berne and Ultimate Provence on Thursday evening.
The former winery sits on a 1,235-acre estate and has been producing wine since 1776, with roots that date back to the Romans, and is home to a Relais et Chateau hotel. Despite having vineyards that were planted in 1956, the latter is a more recent addition to the Provençal scene, with its state-of-the-art, hospitality destination estate (think winery, hotel, tasting bar, restaurant, fitness center and concept store), making its debut this summer.
From romance and inspiration to a rosé for all seasons The three wines being poured provided a range of drinking options from a poolside quaffer (Romance) to a classic style rosé (Inspiration) and a more serious pink performer capable of pairing with sturdier fare.
In conversation with Bob Gaudreau, CEO of Provence Rosé Group, we spoke about the food-friendly nature of rosés and, in particular, their ability to match well at Thanksgiving dinner. He was especially bullish about pairing the Ultimate Provence wine with dark meat turkey.
Produced from younger vines at lower elevations, the Château de Berne Romance IGP Mediterannée ($14.99) is an easy to drink, fruit-forward option, getting color, structure and flavors from the inclusion of 15% Merlot, which is not permitted in the AOP wines.
With slightly more substance and structure, Château de Berne Inspiration AOP Côtes de Provence 2018 ($20.00) brings together 50% Grenache Noir, 30% Cinsault, 20% Syrah and is made by the same winemaker, Alexis Cornu.
Finally, also produced by Cornu, the Ultimate Provence UP Rosé 2018 Côtes de Provence ($21.99) offers up less fruit and more mineral and spice characteristics, with good acidity and structure, making it a welcome addition at the dinner table.
Provence Rosé Group has teamed up with Park Mondrian to present a Rosé Terrace to give consumers an opportunity to become better acquainted with these wines in a festive setting that puts the emphasis squarely on the wines. They have also partnered with Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton, NY to create a similarly-themed Rosé Garden. Either location is a lovely environment in which to sit back, relax and enjoy some rosé!
As a more recent addition to the Israeli wine scene, Galil Mountain was established by Golan Heights Winery (which produces Yarden) as a joint venture in 2000. With its emphasis on entry-level wines, it serves as a lovely counterpoint to those produced at Golan Heights. But, make no mistake, these are still well-made, high quality wines, capable of aging, despite their wallet-friendly price points.
Keeping it within the family, Galil Mountain recently appointed Michael Avery as a winemaker for the brand, who had previously worked closely with Victor Schoenfeld at Yarden for more than a decade. Michael speaks very highly of his mentor noting that Victor is one of the biggest contributors to the industry and, more personally, acknowledges how much he learned from him, including how to make sparkling wine.
Before arriving in Israel, Avery was raised on the family farm in Mildura, Australia, gaining exposure to grape growing and winemaking, which he then pursued formally, earning degrees in winemaking from Monash University and the University of Adelaide. Upon graduation, he worked in McLaren Vale for Kangarilla Road/Gemtree Winery, then later studied with an Israeli and decided to do a vintage in Israel. Not long after, Victor offered him a seasonal position, which Avery jokes was a really long vintage, staying on with Yarden until 2018. After a brief hiatus in Oregon, Avery returned to Israel to take on a winemaker role with Galil Mountain.
Avery is excited about the opportunity to work at Galil Mountain, which cultivates five vineyards to the north of the Sea of Galilee. Here, the high elevation of the vineyards (the vineyards are at 2000 feet above sea level), volcanic soils, good diurnal variation, moderate temperatures, limited rain, no disease pressure, good light and great air circulation all conspire to provide very favorable conditions for grape growing. Consequently, they are able to grow various varieties, ultimately producing a wide range of wines.
Like its sister winery, Galil Mountain is focused on sustainable practices, which it has adopted from the Lodi Rules program. Avery explained that while some organic and biodynamic techniques have been implemented, the over-arching principle is to take the practices that work best for their situation. Among the more specific practices that are used at Galil include lots of compost and soil management as well as the reuse of materials such as the couches at the winery made from old pallets.
Under the Galil Mountain brand, the winery produces three main labels: Galil Mountain, Galil and its flagship wines, which are blends created from specific vineyards. The percentage of grape varieties change from vintage to vintage, depending on yield and growing conditions. Journalists were introduced to these wines (and to Avery) at a recent lunch, held at Gramercy Tavern.
TASTING NOTES
Galil Mountain Rosé 2018, $19.99 Produced from a blend of Barbera, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir and Grenache, this wine offered up nice fruit aromas and flavors of peach, berries/strawberry, with a slight grip and long length.
Galil Sauvignon Blanc 2018, $19.50 Aged on the lees for added texture, this wine was lean and mineral in character, with a pronounced nose of citrus and herbs. It displayed bright acidity, with a slight hint of ripeness on the palate, culminating in long length.
Galil Mountain Grenache 2018 This fresh and fruity, yet balanced, wine was medium-bodied, with lively acidity, aromas and flavors of berries and cherries, along with medium length.
Galil Mountain Merlot 2017, $15.99 This unoaked red showed notes of plum and coffee, giving way to flavors of red berries, sage and bitter chocolate. It had a more tannic structure than the Syrah.
Galil Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, $17.50 Notes of dark chocolate, menthol and black fruit greet the nose and persist on the dry palate, along with good acidity and medium+ body.
Galil Mountain Syrah 2017, $15.50 With gamey and leather aromas, this wine is fresh and full bodied, with red and black fruit and long length.
Galil Ela 2014, 19.99 A blend of Syrah, Barbera and Petit Verdot, this dry red wine spends one year in French oak barrels, but was quite delicate with smoke and red fruit aromas and flavors, medium+ body and long length.
Galil Alon 2014, $21.99 This wine is comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, which have been aged in French oak for 12 months. With darker fruit, spice, slight cocoa, well ripened tannins and well-integrated oak, this was an especially lovely wine.
Galil Yiron 2015, $35.00 Bringing together Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot, this dry red was intense and rich on both the nose and palate. It spent 16 months aging in French oak barrels and displayed an elegant structure, with lots of red and black fruit notes.
While the adage, “What grows together, goes together,” is a great place to start for food and wine pairing inspiration, if you don’t explore beyond it, you will miss out. As part of her Inaugural Lugana Dinner Series, East Coast Lugana Ambassador, Susannah Gold, proved the point in spades with a recent Chinese banquet accompanied by a variety of wines from the Consorzio Lugana DOC. Held at Jing Fong, Susannah and Pinny Tam, author of Chinese Wine and Food Pairings.com, put together an amazing meal that highlighted the flexibility and diversity of these wines.
Kicking off the event with a warm welcome, Susannah noted that the Lugana DOC had two souls in that it uniquely spans two Italian regions: Lombardy and the Veneto, depending upon which side of Lake Garda the winery is situated. This beautiful area sits essentially at sea level, with elevations of only 50-150 meters, on a glacial moraine with a range of sediment in the soils, including fossils.
This small winemaking region is on the rise, having increased production from 9 million bottles in 2015 to 18.9 million bottles currently. Today, there are 200 producers and, in addition to the increased volume, it is experiencing increased interest, notably by the Germans, who frequent the region as tourists, but also from American consumers.
At the center of its wine production is the Turbiana grape, which is also known as Trebbiano di Lugana. A biotype of Verdicchio, which is most associated with the Marche region, it, too, has the propensity to age. Although the wines are generally dry, the super high acidity is balanced with approximately 7 g/l of residual sugar, which permitted them to pair well with the Asian cuisine.
In business for 78 years, Jing Fong is one of the oldest Catnonese restaurants in the U. S. At the helm is Executive Chef, Kai Fung Lai, also known as Chef Fung who has been with Jing Fong for over 20 years.
The sumptuous banquet featured Catonese cuisine, which Pinny explained was known for a simple approach (not overly covered with sauces) and also a lot of seafood and fish, given the southern province’s proximity to the sea and river. Moreover, she further advised that stir-frying is the most common cooking method, resulting in clean, not overly greasy, food. Additionally, she cited frequent use of garlic, ginger, scallion, cornstarch and sugar, rice wine as the base for seasonings.
Referred to as a Happiness Dinner, our banquet was served family-style, with each course presented in the center of the table before being served on our individual plates. It was an elevated family meal, with flourishes added to celebrate birthdays and other festive occasions. And, boy were we happy! The courses kept coming, spanning from fried rice and fried fish to lobster and a platter of cuttlefish adorned with its own floral arrangement.
Moreover, the wines truly held their own. Although there was certainly a thread that ran through them, each of the wines had a distinctive characteristic that permitted it to match the next course. It was a wonderful evening of great wine, great food and great company… and lots of happiness!
Our full menu:
Baked scallops with crispy seafood rolls
Sautéed cuttlefish with vegetables
Sautéed shrimp and chicken
Assorted seafood in a basket
Oriental steak filet
Crispy whole chicken
Fried filet of fish with minced garlic
Steamed lobster with garlic over E-Fu Noodles
House Fried Rice
Dessert: Coconut Gelatin and Fresh Orange Segments
TASTING NOTES Cantina Bulgarini Lugana DOC 2017 This Lombardy-based, family-run winery is currently in the hands of Fausto Bulgarini, a member of the third generation to manage the winery and a collector of race cars. This wine was fresh, with floral and peach notes, a dry palate, high acidity, minerality and long length.
Le Morette Mandolara Lugana DOC 2017 Named for a popular bird native to the region, which was considered sacred during the Etruscan period, this winery was founded in 1955 and is in the Veneto. It was fuller bodied that the Cantina Bulgarini, with rich and concentrated flavors of peach and almond, culminating in long length.
The vibrant acidity and fresh fruit notes on these first two wines made them an especially excellent accompaniment to the fried and creamy dishes.
Cà Maiol Molin Lugana DOC Molin 2017 This wine takes its name from one of the estate’s old farms. It offered up lively acidity and was slightly frizzante on the palate, along with tropical fruit, citrus, minerality and long length.
Cesari Cento Filari Lugana DOC 2016 With 5% of Chardonnay added to the Turbiana, coupled with a long macertation, this wine had more structure and richness, displaying an almost a creamy note, with less fruit and more structure. As a result, it paired extremely well with the lobster dish. Ca
Dei Frati Brolettino Lugana DOC 2016 This Lombardy winery was founded in 1939. The wine possessed full body, with apple and toothpick aromas and flavors thanks to its oak aging, along with medium acidity and enough body and structure to match with the chicken and steak.
Tenuta Roveglia Lugana DOC Vendage Tardive Filo di Arianna 2014 Tenuta Roveglia was established by a Swiss businessman In 1930. This wine is harvested in late October/ early November, by hand, and then fermented and aged in small oak barrels, yielding a wine with depth, richness and concentration. Notes of honey and citrus dominated the nose and palate, joined with long length. It works well with dessert, unctuous cheeses or rich meats.
Looking for a perfect pair of wines to take along to your next picnic? Look no further than Domaine Bouquet’s Sauvignon Blanc and Rose wines from the latest vintage. This Argentine duo are made from organically grown grapes, in vineyards situated within the high altitudes of Mendoza’s Uco Valley. Produced by the Bousquet-Al Ameri family, the winery has made wines for the past 15 years.
First established by Jean Bousquet, Anne Bousquet took over in 2011, joined by her husband Labid Al Ameri. The husband and wife team brought in consulting winemaker Paul Hobbs to improve their viticultural practices in 2015 and are presently working on their newest planting project, which features Grenache and Cabernet Franc.
However, their overarching goal is simply stated by Anne, “We just want to make the finest wines possible and sell them at prices people can afford.” What more could you want?
Tasting Notes Domaine Bousquet Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Tupungato Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, $13.00 A pronounced nose of tropical fruit, citrus and pineapple, with a dry palate of fresh fruit and a slight herbal note. It is easy to drink (perhaps a bit, too easy? 😊), and very refreshing with long length.
Domaine Bousquet Rosé 2019, Tupungato Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, $13.00 A blend of 45% Malbec, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Pinot Gris, this rosé is pale salmon in color. It is dry on the palate, with ripe raspberries, cherries and a hint of herbs, with medium acidity, medium body and long length.
For over two decades, Régis Camus has been at the helm of Piper-Heidsieck’s winemaking, garnering admiration, accolades and awards (as Piper’s Chef de Caves, he has been named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year eight times by the International Wine Challenge jury). But, after 24 vintages devoted to the Cuvée Brut NV, it was time for a change.
Since 2000, Camus has included the company’s prestige cuvée, Rare, under his purview and was responsible for the creation of its rosé counterpart, Rare Rosé, first released in 2016. While Rare was initially the tete du cuvée, the wine has now become its own brand with increasing substance and status. Accordingly, as Camus turns his attention to all things Rare, Piper-Heidsieck has brought in new talent to take over its Cellar Master spot: Émilien Boutillat.
Admittedly, given Camus’ experience and expertise, these are not easy shoes to fill. However, the youthful Boutillat is no stranger to Champagne, having grown up in the region to a Champagne-producing family. In fact, his father worked with Piper-Heidsieck as a grower and Boutillat fondly remembers visiting the Champagne house as a child to ride the train that used to be on the property.
Following in his family’s footsteps, he studied enology and agricultural engineering, and went on to work harvests both at home and abroad. After building up a solid portfolio of experience with stints in Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley, Southern France, Chile, New Zealand, California and South Africa, he returned to Champagne as Cellar Master for Champagnes Cattier and Armand de Brignac.
In late 2018, Boutillat joined Piper-Heidsieck, working closely with Camus to better understand the style of the brand and learn how to make the blend. He is committed to maintaining the same style and excellence of the Piper brand, but is also looking forward to making his mark. In this regard, he anticipates making subtle changes as he adds his own personal touch, all while respecting the DNA of the brand.
More specifically, Boutillat notes that details are very important, and plans to focus on the vineyards more so than on changes in winemaking, looking at factors such as harvest dates. He is also dedicated to sustainable agriculture, with the intention of adding to the efforts already underway at Piper-Heidsieck. In particular, he will encourage sustainable viticulture practices among Piper’s partners and will raise standards in the vineyards.
When not at work, he performs with a local Improv theater group and is an avid hiker. Closer to home, he grows his own vegetables and enjoys cooking, always seeking to find a balance between the wine and food. Thus, it was a perfect introduction to him and the art of pairing wine and food, when he made his New York debut after nine months of “study.” At lunch at Hudson Yards’ Wild Ink, the current crop of Piper-Heidsieck’s Champagnes showed beautifully with the Asian-inspired cuisine and we had fun trying out different wines with each course. Although none of these wines were made by Boutillat, it was clear that he is up to the challenge and that the future of Piper-Heidsieck is in good hands.
TASTING NOTES
Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV, $45.00 Based on the 2015 vintage, the Cuvée is made up of 50% Pinot Noir 30% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay. It is toasty and fruity with citrus and pear notes. The palate is rich and complex yet not complicated, with long length.
Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage NV, $60.00 The Rosé Sauvage uniquely drinks more like a still wine than a Champagne and is one of the darkest rosé’s on the market. It offers up dark red fruit and berries, along with smoke and sweet spices, with intense richness on the palate, along with great acidity and long length.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut 2012, $80.00 The 2012 is the most recent vintage; the last one was 2008. A 50-50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sourced among the best grapes from Grand and Premier Crus vineyards, this is an age-worthy wine that can keep in the cellar for up to 15 years. Aromas of yeast, tree fruit, toastiness and cherry greet the nose, while the palate is very complex, seductive, generous and creamy, with the added flavors of honey and spice, culminating in long length.
Piper-Heidsieck Sublime (Demi-Sec), $55.00 This demi-sec dessert wine has 35 g/l of residual sugar, but is very balanced and elegant, with bright acidity and a citrus note lingering in the fresh finish. Aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, vanilla, mango, gingerbread and coconut made it a perfect pairing partner to dessert as well as spicy foods.
While Americans heralded their historic founding on July 4th, the Portuguese celebrated similarly on June 10th — Portugal Day, which commemorates Portugal’s history and culture. The country’s poet, Luís de Camões, who died on June 10, 1580, was highly regarded for his epic poem praising and recording the accomplishments of the Portuguese Empire, and is now forever linked to this holiday.
Although Portugal Day is generally only observed in Portugal, this year, two wonderful wine events provided a great way to hail Portugal’s vinous culture: Esporão Day and a luncheon featuring wines from Vinho Verde’s Monção e Melgaço subregion. And, after tasting through glass after glass, it is evident that Portugal has reason to rejoice these days!
Situated in Portugal’s northwest corner, abutting Spain, the Vinho Verde region is one of the oldest in the country. This wine growing area was demarcated in 1908 and is dominated by a maritime climate thanks to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. While many people are more familiar with Vinho Verde as a whole, the recent lunch provided a more in-depth look at one of Vinho Verde’s subregions: Monção e Melgaço.
Of the nine subregions, Monção e Melgaço has garnered one of the top reputations for its wine and features a unique microclimate due to its location at the northernmost point of the Vinho Verde region. Here, because the mountain chain cuts off access to the ocean, there is less marine influence, resulting in hotter and drier summers than in the other subregions. Monção e Melgaço also boasts granitic soils that further influence the wines.
Although several grape varieties are grown in Monção e Melgaço, it is most prized for its Alvarinho (grown and known in Spain as Albarino). The variety was thought to have been introduced to Vinho Verde by the Cluny monks in the 12th century and has become one of Portugal’s highly respected white grapes.
There were three producers represented at the lunch: the family-owned winery, Soalheiro; Provam, which was established in 1992 by 10 winegrowers; and Adega Cooperativa e Regional de Moncao, which is 60 years old. As we tasted through a selection of their wines, we had the opportunity to explore their quality and caliber.
Overall, they possess more structure and complexity compared with more generic Vinho Verde wines. And, in fact, the consortium and producers confirmed that the trend has been to craft wines with more body, structure and complexity. To this end, some of the producers are utilizing barrel fermentation, oak aging and/or batonnage (lees stirring) in pursuit of adding depth and structure.
TASTING NOTES The Adega Cooperativa Alvarinho Deu La Deu 2018 is a fresh and fruit-forward wine with vibrant acidity and lots of citrus notes. It was a great aperitif to accompany the passed appetizers: shrimp ceviche and cucumber and lettuce cups and poached salmon and capers.
Once seated, we were served a beautiful dish of scallops and spring greens garnished with beet and pomegranate. This was paired with the Adega Cooperativa Alvarinho Deu La Deu Reserva 2015, which offered up lovely freshness, aromas of apricot and pear, with a rich and round, medium+-bodied palate, culminating in long length. In addition, the Soalheiro Alvarinho 2018 provided a classic style with tropical fruit, nice depth and concentration, with flavors of pear, spice and apricot.
The main course of grilled octopus, marinated tomatoes, pickled onions and herbs was outstanding and a terrific match for the two wines. First up was the Soalheiro Primeiras Vinhas 2018, which was one of the first wines produced by this company. They age 15% of the wine in oak for added roundness. It displayed bright acidity, with slight tropical fruit and tangerine notes, along with medium body and long length. It was rounder and more food friendly than the other Soalheiro wine.
Next, we tasted the Provam Portal do Fidalgo 25 Anos Reserva 2015, which is made from old vines and had been fermented and aged in oak. The resulting wine showed lovely oak and honey on the nose, with medium+ acidity, a fuller body, very integrated oak and slight citrus notes on the dry palate, along with long length.
Finally, a dessert of pound cake, strawberries and a yuzu-lemon jam delighted the palate, served alongside the Provam Vinha Antiga Reserva 2017, with its fresh, bright acidity, citrus, apricot and minerality, with medium body and long length. It was an unexpected, yet perfect, pairing.
While Americans observed their historic founding on July 4th, the Portuguese celebrated similarly last month. In particular, June 10 marked the occasion of Portugal Day, a celebration of Portugal’s history and culture, first championed by the country’s poet Luís de Camões. Camões, who died on June 10, 1580, was highly regarded for his epic poem praising and recording the accomplishments of the Portuguese Empire, forever linking him to this holiday.
Although Portugal Day is generally only acknowledged at home (in Portugal), this year, two wonderful wine events provided a great way to hail Portugal’s vinous culture: Esporão Day and a luncheon featuring wines from Vinho Verde’s Monção andMelgaço subregion. And, after tasting through glass after glass, it is evident that Portugal has reason to rejoice these days!
The fictitious, yet no less delicious, “Esporão Day,” was hosted in New York by Master Sommelier, Alex LaPratt, and included a guided tasting of six whites and six reds, expertly paired with two savory courses prepared by Hearth Restaurant in the East Village. The whites were accompanied by head-on prawns with spring vegetable ragu, butter and white wine, while the reds were served alongside beef and ricotta meatballs with “cacio e pepe” polenta.
At the center of the event was Portuguese wine brand Esporão. Established in 1973 with the aim of producing fine wine in the Alentejo region, its first foray into the industry was with the acquisition of the Herdade do Esporão estate. With 750 years of history, this storied land is home to three historical monuments – tower, arch and a chapel – as well as cork oak forests and 1710 acres of vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards. The vineyards are planted to 40 different grape varieties and there are four different types of olives grown. The cellars were built in 1987, with separate facilities for red and white production.
After achieving success in the Alentejo, Esporão set its sights on the Douro, purchasing the Quinta dos Murcas estate in 2008. Another historic property, Quinta dos Murcas has been growing grapes since 1714, with 383 acres spread over 8 diverse terroirs. In 1947, the estate was the first to be planted vertically, with high density to stabilitze the soil against erosion on the steep (42 degree) incline.
Both estates emphasize sustainability practices and a dedication to organic farming. In this regard, Esporão hopes to be fully organically certified by 2021.
Today, the company is presently comprised of the two wine labels, olive oil production and, since 2018, the addition of a brewery, Sovina, which was the first craft beer in Portugal when founded in 2008.
Esporao’s chief winemaker, David Baverstock, is originally from Adelaide, Australia and has been with the company since 1992. He was joined in his efforts in 2016 by colleague Sandra Alves who oversees the red wines. Meanwhile, in the Douro, wine production is directed by Jose Luis Moreira da Silva.
TASTING NOTES WHITES *Assobio Branco 2018 – Named for the word whistle due to the sound that the wind makes as it travels through this 2300-foot-elevation vineyard, the wine offers up aromas of floral and peach. The palate is dry, with concentrated fruit flavors, medium acidity, medium+ body and long length.
Monte Velho Branco 2018 – Produced with 50% estate and 50% purchased fruit, this wine features citrus, grapefruit and pith notes, and, while dry, there is a hint of ripeness on the attack; medium+ acidity, long length.
Esporão Verdelho Branco 2017 – With Verdelho being the 6th most planted grape in Alentejo, this grape has become much more well known. This wine displays smoke, richness and nuttiness on the full-bodied palate with medium acidity and long length.
*Esporão Colheita Branco 2018 – A beautiful wine with lovely freshness, salinity, medium+ body, flavors of pear and spice, culminating in long length.
Esporão Reserva Branco 2017 – This barrel-fermented, white blend shows spice, oak, bruised apple and nuts, along with its full body and long length.
*Esporão Private Selection Branco 2016 – Bringing together 95% Semillon and 5% field blend, sourced from a clay soil vineyard, this wine has a gorgeous nose, showing some slight development with hints of smoke, lees and oak. Full-bodied with long length, the oak lingers in finish of this very textural wine.
REDS *Assobio Tinto 2011 – This medium-bodied red offers up aromas of berries and smoke. It is fresh with lively acidity on the palate and can take a chill, making it an excellent choice for warmer weather.
*Esporão Colheita Tinto 2017 – With a dark and brooding nose, this wine delivers more red fruit on the palate, with slight oak, medium- tannins, bright acidity and long length.
Quinta dos Murcas Minas Tinto 2017 – Intense aromas of bramble fruit, dried herbs, and a hint of oak greet the nose, with these flavors persisting on the palate and culminating in long length.
Quinta dos Murcas Reserva Tinto 2012 – This wine spends one year in barrel and four years in bottle before its release. It displays notes of oak, smoke, black fruit, and meatiness. The palate is intense and concentrated with black fruit, granite/ mineral, firm tannins, full body and long length.
Esporão Reserva Tinto 2011 – This powerful, yet restrained, wine was first produced in 1985 and sports attractive artwork on the label each year. The nose and palate feature red and black fruit, well integrated oak, firm tannins, full body and long length.
*Esporão Private Selection Tinto 2011 – A pronounced nose of black and blue fruit, gives way to vanilla, oak, iron and meatiness on the dry, full-bodied palate along with very firm tannins and long length.
