Portuguese Red Wines - Cardeal and Monte Da RavasQuiera

Portuguese table wines are gaining in popularity. In my younger days I drank my share of Mateus. I really liked the bottles. Mateus is a sweetish, carbonated wine that is still sold ubiquitously around the world. But Portugal has come a long way and has moved beyond not only Mateus but the also the traditional Port and Madeira wines for which it has been known for many years. Good Portuguese wines are grown in both the north and south. The northern regions consist of Douro, Dao and Barraida. In the south there are Estremedura and Ribatejo, which includes Peter Brights very interesting efforts. Of course, there is Madeira known for its port wine.

Today I want to talk about two Portuguese wines from the north. The first is Cardeal Reserva 2007. This wine is produced from the Touriga-Nacional grape. Although this grape is used largely for port wines of the Douro, it is also being used for good quality table wines. The Cardeal was very pleasant to drink. The color was not a fully deep red but quite attractive. The legs were copius with a 13.5% alcohol content. The nose was lively and full of berries and I think plum. I immediately had the feel of an earthy, rustic element. I had the sense of really smashing those grapes with my feet. It was down home. The wine lingered on the tongue but not overly long. There was the hint of oak although I'm not sure how it is produced. The wine overall seemed to lack a certain integration. It also seemed a tad too simple. It is a very enjoyable red but not all one would want in a great wine.

The second wine is Monte Da RavasQuiera 2007 from Alentejo-Catavino. From the estate of the same name this wine is a very nice blend: 40% Trincadeira, 20% Touriga-Nacional, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Tempranillo, 10% Touriga Franca and 5% Alicante Bouchet. The color was deep and red with a nose of cherry, blackberry and spice. It had great balance, fullness and some complexity. The tannins were smooth. The finish was long and enjoyable. Although not as complex as it might be the smoothness and the balance were very enjoyable. There was a regal, upper class feel. I felt like a member of the royal palace. Not bad at all. I found that with some time the wine grew more enjoyable. In fact, the second day was superior to the first. It takes quite a bit of time for this wine to find itself and open up to higher potential.

Both of these wines are very enjoyable, if not the most complex. They are worth the time and effort to purchase and are reasonably priced.

Wine Friends Reunited - Pomerol, Vouvray and Saint Peray

Together Again

Recently, Mary and I were invited to the home of Phil and Mary Gallagher. Phil is a professor at Brooklyn College while Mary splits her teaching and research between Queens College and Columbia University. The occasion was a reunion of sorts with our dear friends Adele and Eric Steinberg, who now reside in Florida. Both Adele and Eric worked formerly at Brooklyn College, Eric as the Associate Provost and Adele as a financial aid adviser. Our gracious hosts, Phil and Mary shared their home with us for a most enjoyable gathering. All of us are lovers of wine. However, it is Eric who is our guru and spiritual wine master. Eric has been a collector of fine wines since the 1970s. He is superb judge of wine with a generosity of spirit that would make the most dense of palates feel comfortable and willing to learn, as I can attest.

Appetizers, Saint Peray and Vouvray

The day started with appetizers from assorted olives to superb cheeses. Mary and I brought a bottle of Saint Peray, Tardieu - Laurent 2007 from Young's Fine Wines. This was a very pleasing wine with a hint of honey and oak and a delicate minerality, in addition to great balance and sophistication. According to Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages "The fruit is all from very old vines of at least 40 years or so, with much of it 80 years old more more. There is natural concentration without over-extraction, which results in powerful yet balanced wines with real poise." As we finished off the Saint Peray, Phil brought out a 1997 Domaine Sylvain Gaudron Vouvray (Loire Valley). This was a superb wine. Chenin Blanc is a favorite of mine and I was very pleased when Phil started pouring. It had wonderful body, a mild sweetness, overall great texture and was thoroughly refreshing. The color was an astounding, deep yellow which stood out next to the pale Saint Peray. In fact, the color reminded me and Eric of a well aged German wine.

Risotto

The first course consisted of a lobster risotto. I may say this was the best risotto I have ever enjoyed. Bravo, Mary. Never have my wife and I had a risotto of such refinement and subtle complexity. It was as they say "like butter." We've been talking about it ever since. Phil was nice enough to send me the recipe. Superb!

The Main Course with Chateau Latour a Pomerol

The main course was braised quail on a bed of palenta, stuffed with cotechino sausage and accompanied with fresh asparagus. Not having had quail before we didn't quite know what to expect. Needless to say, it was superb. The palenta was a perfect compliment. The asparagus was perfectly done with a mild flavor that did not over power the quail or palenta. All of this was served with a 1982 Château Latour à Pomerol; a perfect match. Phil insisted the Pomerol was not as good as it was a year ago. However, to my taste it was an exquisite wine. Wine Advocate put it best: "WA 93 (6/2000): A mature dark plum color with considerable amber at the edge is followed by copious aromas of caramel, coffee, jammy cherry fruit, and sweet herbs. Fleshy, succulent, and low in acidity, this seductive, sweet, fat Pomerol has reached its peak of maturity, where it should remain for another 5-8 years. It is an impressively complex, delicious wine, although not a blockbuster." What more can I say.

The pleasure of seeing our good friends, the Steinbergs from Florida, and our generous hosts Phil and Mary Gallagher was extraordinary and uplifting. Phil and Mary created a wonderful and exciting meal, the quality of which is rarely experienced. Adele and Eric added a warmth and humility Mary and I find so enjoyable. Good friends all. We left the dinner basking in enduring friendship. We are looking forward to meeting again.

Kudos to all!!!