This is the follow-up to one of my favorite posts ever, which might be of relevance to those planning to travel to the Azores or Portugal in 2018. The original post is about my experiences at the Wine in Azores festival in October 2017. This event has been a truly special experience, those 3 days with lovely people, divine wine, and other gastronomic treats – and all this on Sao Miguel island.
On the first day of the event I decided to make a little contest within the small group of Hungarian friends. Everyone in the group had to choose his or her favourite wine and favourite wine label. My goal is to help my readers and fellow travellers with a list of wines and wineries worth trying and visiting when in Portugal or in the Azores. Those doing a round-trip in Portugal, or doing city breaks in Lisbon or Porto have now a list of wonderful wine suggestions at their disposal. For those traveling to the Azores the following information might even inspire a wine-trip on Sao Miguel, or even trying the exceptional volcanic wines of Pico.
Once the list of „winners” was complete, I contacted these favourite wineries and asked them to answer a few questions about their wineries and wines. You can read these interviews below.
Results
Favourite wines selected by The Hungarian „Judges”
- BRACARA WINE – SOCALCOS DO BOURO
- AZORES WINE COMPANY – ARINTO DOS ACORES
- ROSA SANTOS FAMILIA VINHOS – EXPLICIT PASSITO
- RUI ROBOREDO MADEIRA – VINHOS DO VALE DOURO – BEYRA ALTITUDE RIESLING
- PARRAS WINES – QUINTA DO GRADIL RESERVA AND SAVIGNON BLANC & ARINTO
Favourite wine labels selected by The Hungarian „Judges”
- BOAS QUINTAS – HERDADE DE GAMBIA RED LABEL
- ROSA SANTOS FAMILIA VINHOS – EXPLICIT PASSITO LABEL
Bracara Wine – Socalcos do Bouro Branco
This white wine has been our favorite from the beginning, even though we have found the other wines of BRACARA WINE to be also excellent. Our winner, however, is this very light, fresh white wine with its fine acidic balance. Based on the interview below you can find out even more about the winner wine and the winery. The Socalcos do Bouro Branco has been apparently awarded with several gold medals already. Based on the recommendation it is best enjoyed with white meat, fish, crabs, salads, and Asian dishes.
The questions have been answered by Manuel Pedrosa da Silva, one of the owners of the winery.
Which is your favourite wine from the sortiment?
My favorite wine is the Socalcos do Bouro Blend.
Why? Any background information of funny story is welcome here?
Because this is how it all started. The label was designed by a friend who is an architect, and we really love this label.
Please describe the wine we have chosen (Socalcos do Bouro Branco), including the grape(s) used.
It is a very rich, round wine with flowery and tropical aromas. According to our recommendation this wine is perfect to enjoy with white meat, and Asian dishes.
The vineyards are arranged in terraces, a feature that gives the name to the wine (Socalcos means terrace in Portuguese), facing East and South. The excellent sun exposure, the features of the soil and the microclimate of the region contribute to the production of a unique Vinho Verde.
How would you introduce the winery to the readers and your future customers?
The winery is small and familiar. This wine was produced from a selection of grapes Loureiro, Arinto and Trajadura, of the best parts of the vineyard known as Vinha do Cruzeiro Vineyard, located in the parish of Bouro Santa Maria, municipality of Amares, district of Braga.
More information can be found here:
Website www.bracarawine.pt
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bracarawine/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bracarawine/
Twitter https://twitter.com/bracarawine
Azores Wine Company – Arinto dos Acores
Out of our winners, this is the only wine originating from the Azores, namely Pico island. What makes this wine very interesting and special is that it is made from grapes grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil, which results in a very characteristic, mineral taste. This wine reminded us of the wines from the Somlo region, Hungary.
My questions were answered by Filipe Rocha, one of the founders of Azores Wine Company.
Which is your favourite wine from the sortiment?
It’s difficult to choose a favourite wine. Enjoying a wine depends on the moment, on the persons you are with, on the mood, etc… even though Arinto dos Açores is probably the one I prefer the most.
Why? Any background information of funny story is welcome here?
Arinto dos Açores is a unique grape variety in the world. From the Azorean grapes it’s the one with the highest acidity, characteristic which I love, combined together with volcanic terroir and closeness to the sea, makes really a unique and fantastic wine.
Please describe the wine we have chosen, including the grape(s) used.
Arinto dos Açores by António Maçanita, from Azores Wine Company, has a mineral profile with high and salinity. I love drinking this wine with seafood, especially with the local “cracas” (barnacles). This is a unique grape varietal that doesn’t exist in any other part, including the mainland Portugal and Madeira. People can think it’s the same as Arinto, that one can often find in many regions in Portugal, but it’s a totally different grape, genetically coming from very different families.
How would you introduce the winery to the readers and your future customers?
Azores Wine Company it’s a young project, that started in 2014 by 3 friends: the winemaker António Maçanita, Paulo Machado – 4th generation in Pico of viticulturist and also winemaker, together with myself. In the past 2 years we recovered 65 hectares of abandoned vineyards in Pico, all of them with currais (the stone walls) that are World Heritage by UNESCO. Our project is to produce around 150.000 bottles within the next 4 years. We are working at Paulo’s winery, that we already improved in construction and equipment. We plan to build a new winery until 2020. Today we produce around 30.000 bottles, 20% exported to mainland Portugal and 60% to Europe and North America. Our clients are top restaurants and wine shops, that are looking for high quality wines.
More information can be found here:
Website www.azoreswinecompany.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/azoreswinecompany/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/azoreswinecompany/
Twitter https://twitter.com/azoreswineco?lang=en
Rosa Santos Familia Vinhos – Explicit Passito
The family winery who got the bronze medal in our little competition has both excellent wines and beautiful wine label design. This wine has been pretty much the only dessert wine we tried, but we found it exceptionally tasty. It by all means no coincidence, that 2 ladies from our group ranked this wine as number 1. What we also loved about the label is that it contained all information about the wine in a very elegant fashion.
My questions were answered by Federico Rosa Santos.
Which is your favourite wine from the sortiment?
That’s almost like asking me what’s my favourite children from my offspring! I like all my wines in different ways. All of them have something great to give and deliver at some point or occasion. What I mean is that they’re capable of adapting and to provide amazing sensations in the right circumstances. Ones on a very informal barbecue with friends (ex. Implicit red), and others on a very important event (ex. Explicit red or Rosa Santos red).
Why? Any background information of funny story is welcome here
But if I must choose one, I would go for Explicit Passito (sweet wine) because it’s the one that was harder and most difficult to “deliver”. This is a slow making wine with a previous four week process of passerillage (process of drying grapes), followed by a very lingering but supple pressing operation and a two month extremely slow barrel fermentation.
Please describe and tell the story of the label we selected
The name of the wine derives from our winemaking philosophy. With minimal intervention farming and oenological practices. We make use solely of the local terroir and the native grape varieties. EXPLICIT meant, in Medieval Latin, something that had just been unveiled. Reflecting our guiding philosophy we want to say, by means of its name, that this wine reveals in a genuine way all the attributes of our vineyard.
Please describe the wine we have chosen, including the grape(s) used
On the nose it has aromas of prunes, carob and dried blackberries, walnuts, honey and puffed slate rock. On the palate it has big complexity, but notes of glacé fruit and honey can be highlighted. Very well balanced in acidity, sweetness and alcohol, with an extra component of silky tannins which gives the wine several different gastronomic facets. Well structured, with great length and harmonious.
How would you introduce the winery to the readers and your future customers?
On the rocky slopes of the foothills of Serra d’Ossa , where once there was dust, rock roses, small oak trees and arid land, are now planted four hectares of vineyards. A vineyard that resulted from the effort, dedication and perseverance of all those that, under the Alentejo relentless sun, rewarded us with their work and sweat. With strong links to farming, from times stretching back to the period of Marquis de Pombal, it has in the present generation the main driving of this „small project”. By the hand of the Rosa Santo’s Family and three winemaker brothers, the EXPLICIT and IMPLICIT wines were born.
More information can be found here:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rosasantosfamilia.vinhos/
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Boas Quintas – Herdade de Gambia vörös címke
Marketing manager Rita Nunes was so kind and answered my questions.
Which is your favourite wine from the sortiment?
Boas Quintas is a multi-regional project with wines from some regions of Portugal – Setúbal, Dão, Bucelas, Douro, Porto, and Alentejo. Boas Quintas winemaker’s philosophy is simple: “to respect the unique identity of each terroir”. This way, each wine has its own personality and it is impossible to choose a favorite. Although, we might choose a specific one for a particular moment or food accompaniment.
Please describe and tell the story of the label we selected
Azores is all about nature, but in Portugal there are other fantastic places to observe nature in its wild state. Herdade de Gambia is an example of that, located on the banks of the Sado estuary, where an authentic sanctuary of migratory birds exalt the landscapes of this region and of the vineyards where Herdade de Gâmbia wines come from.
Each wine of Herdade Gâmbia represents a bird that could be found there.
Herdade de Gâmbia Red label has an illustrated black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), a bird that can be quite common in this region, arriving to form concentrations of a few dozen individuals, in times of migratory passage. This wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Syrah and Aragonez. Rich and flavorsome red, with spice and perfume combined with red berry fruit, this is a wine with supple tannins and fresh fruit flavors. It is ideal for grilled meat, pasta and spicy dishes.
Herdade de Gâmbia Rosé is illustrated with a grey heron (Ardea cinérea). At nearly 1 meter in height, it is the largest of the herons that occur in Portugal. This wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional and Syrah. With pink color, strawberry and raspberry aroma, this fresh and elegant wine goes well with appetizers, mediterranean, asian food and salads.
Herdade de Gâmbia White has a greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) illustrationon its label. Huge, rosy, with long legs and with a thick beak, the flamingo is an unmistakable bird and can be recognized from a great distance. It is not uncommon to observe concentrations of many hundreds of individuals. This wine is a blend of Moscatel graúdo and Fernão Pires. Green colored, with an exuberant floral aroma and tropical notes, it’s creamy, persistent and perfect for starters, seafood and grilled fish.
How would you introduce the winery to the readers and your future customers?
Boas Quintas was born in the year of 1991. It all began when Nuno Cancela de Abreu, representative of the 4th generation of a family with farming and winemaking tradition of more than 130 years, decided to devote all of his experience and all of his knowledge in viticulture and oenology, to the service of the project that would allow him to create high quality wines, full of character and personality.
In 2016 Boas Quintas won the “Best Company 2016” award by the most important wine magazine in Portugal, Revista de Vinhos and Nuno Cancela de Abreu, the winemaker, was considered “The Winemaker of The Year 2016” by Aníbal Coutinho, one of the most important wine critics in Portugal.
Herdade de Gâmbia is a brand from Setúbal region, but Fonte do Ouro and Agenda da Vinha are other brands, from Dão, that you probably would like to taste (among other brands from different regions).
More information can be found here:
Website www.boasquintas.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/boasquintas
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/boasquintas/
It’s possible to make reservations for a wine tasting experience and guided visit to the winery in Mortágua (Dão Region).
If you want to have a different and pleasurable day, surrounded by magnificent birds, we suggest you to visit www.herdadegambia.com, where you could experience bird watching and taste Herdade de Gâmbia Wines.
Rui Roboredo Madeira – Vinhos do Vale Douro – Beyra Altitude Rizling
This wonderful wine got our attention on the first day of the festival already, probably because its taste is similar to one of my favourite Hungarian wine. There were only a few rieslings showcased at the festival.
A spokesperson of the winery, Flavio Machado answered my questions.
Which is your favourite wine from the sortiment?
We have more than 50 wines, it’s very hard to say which is our favourite, maybe “Beyra Grande Reserva Red Wine 2015, it’s from Beira Interior region.
Why? Any background information of funny story is welcome here
Because it’s our first “Grande Reserva” in Beira Interior region, and the most scored one, and it is from a old vines with 40 years.
Please describe the wine we have chosen (Beyra Altitude Riesling), including the grape(s) used
100% Riesling grapes from a plot of vineyard at 750 m altitude, located in the village of Vermiosa, in the sub-region of Castelo Rodrigo, with schist soils with quartz veins.
Aged with fine lees stirred ‘batonnage’ until bottling in the end of January, followed by bottle ageing during 5 months at the Winery. This grape is not a usual type in Portugal.
How would you introduce the winery to the readers and your future customers?
“In one of the most remote areas of the Iberian Peninsula, on the border between the Douro Superior and Beira Alta regions, it was among the family that my passion grew for the aromas and smells of this land that shapes our character. After coming into contact with many cultures of living and making wine, in various parts of the globe, I returned to the great Douro valley convinced that we have the potential to make the best wines in the world. Out of respect for nature, due to the way we cultivate our vineyards, my wines reflect my experiences, which smell and taste of my land, of schist, damp granite, rock rose, wild flowers and fruit. It is in my winery that I make wines with the character of our ‘terroir’, expressed through native grape varieties, which I instil with a style of their own and an international profile. This is my passion: wines from the great Douro valley.” (Rui Roboredo Madeira, winemaker).
More information can be found here:
Weboldal www.ruimadeira.pt
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RuiMadeira.pt/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rrmvinhos/
Parras Wines – Quinta do Gradil Savignon Blanc & Arinto
This white wine has been the favorite of several members of our Hungarian Jury. This wine is made from Arinto grapes – which is different from the Arinto dos Açores grape, from the Azores Wine Company. Apart from the excellent taste of the Parras Wines, I would like to highlight the high quality of showcasing the wines and the wine tasting experience itself. This was one of the wineries where after the tasting – apart from having had the chance to try the exceptionally good wine – we have also felt we learned something new about the wines. It was wonderful to have a real “wine expert” attend to us and answer all our questions with care and genuine interest.
Frederico Bicho, the CFO of Quinta do Gradil was kind enough to answer my questions.
Which is your favourite wine from the sortiment?
My personal favourite is Quinta Gradil – White Reserve Chardonnay & Arinto!
Why? Any background information of funny story is welcome here
It’s a very fun and complicated wine to make what with all that’s involved (bâtonnage, different sorts of oaks, fine blending, etc) and it’s incredibly elegant on the nose and mouth!
Please describe the wine we have chosen (Quinta do Gradil Reserva and Sauvignon Blanc & Arinto), including the grape(s) used
Better in 3 words: smooth, fresh, mouthful! While Chardonnay is a world class grape, the Arinto is one of the finest wine grapes from Portugal, It’s huge acidity makes it a very useful blending grape, particularly in the Lisbon region. We also make a fine espumante from the same blend of grapes.
How would you introduce the winery to the readers and your future customers?
Quinta do Gradil is a 300+ year old estate that makes some of the finest wines in the region. It was awarded the wine company of the year in 2016 and our chief winemaker – António Ventura – was the winemaker of the year in 2015!
We produce incredibly fresh whites and serious reds, among which the Syrah and Tannat grapes rule,
Try our Aguardente XO, over 40 years old, and be amazed at what a winemaker can do when it’s time for the heavy stuff!
More information can be found here:
Website http://www.quintadogradil.wine/pt
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/quintadogradil/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/quintadogradil/
Summary
I have spent a very enjoyable 3 days at the Wine in Azores (Sao Miguel) in 2017. I would love to have an even bigger Hungarian Jury joining me in 2018. You can join our team to visit this event on the Eden Azores Facebook page. I absolutely recommend this event to everyone who would like to enjoy a very special experience surrounded by lovely people, divine wine, and other gastronomic treats – and all this on Terceria island between the 25th – 27th of May 2018, and on Sao Miguel island between the 19th – 21st of October, 2018. For more details please refer to the website of the event Wine in Azores.
Hereby I would like to thank the members of the Hungarian “Jury” – Dori, Fruzsi, Andi, Krisztan, Judit, and Szabolcs – for their help in choosing the best wines and labels. I am very grateful for their enthusiasm during the first Eden Azores wine competition.
Of course many thanks for the participating wineries for their help and cooperation.
The original article about our visit to Wine in Azores 2017 you can find HERE.
Related posts from the blog: Festivals, Gastronomy, Experiences.
If you would like to find out more about Azorean events please follow the Eden Azores Facebook page and the Edenazores Instagram account.