Excellent #winelover dinner @Enoteca de Bélem

 

 #winelovers on a roll @Enoteca de Bélem

Wall of the Enoteca's WC 

Last night, the day after the Adegga Christmas 2016 Wine Market a group of us had an excellent and very enjoyable dinner at the excellent Enoteca de Bélem – another link here. This small enoteca opened in 2009 adding a kitchen in 2011. 

Nelson Guerreiro is the front of house and Ricardo Gonçalves rattles the pots and pans to great effect. We had a delicious 35€ tasting menu. As there are just a few tables booking is strongly advised.

2015 Reserva (Branco) Quinta da Boa Esperança

Early arrivals limbered up with this new discovery – the 2015 Reserva (Vinho Regional Lisboa – white) from Quinta da Boa Esperança. This is a blend of Arinto (60%) and Ferñao Pires (40%). We were very impressed by this well balanced white with sensitively used oak. This estate has recently been discovered by the Enoteca, who are also decidedly impressed.     

 2015 Sauvignon Blanc, Quinta da Boa Esperança

 We also tried Esperança's attractively mineral Sauvignon Blanc, although as always I wonder why Portuguese producers bother with international varieties like Sauvignon Blanc when they have such a treasure trove of indigenous varieties. 

Delicate meat pie as a mise en bouche 

 Goats' cheese and apple pastries with grilled walnuts 

 2015 Verdelho Original, Azores, Antonio Maçanita 

Lovely pure, crisp precise wine from the Azores 

The rest of the wines were kindly supplied by Andre Ribeirinho. They were tasted blind. 

Brilliant octopus dish
– just perfectly cooked
 

dominó, Monte Pratas, by Vitor Claro made 

in association with Dirk Niepoort

2006 Charme, Douro, Niepoort 

One wine I did recognise 

or at least it was Niepoort due to its 

finesse and delicacy.

Made from a blend of Tinta Roriz, 

Touriga Franca and others

from 
Vale de Mendiz in the Pinhão Valley   

2007 Charme, Niepoort

We should have had the 07, which is a very good Douro vintage 

but André decided that it wasn't showing well – rather short 

so substituted the 06

We tried the dominó and the 2006 Charme with the octopus dish (above) – my preference was was the Charme – the delicate red matching the dish better.  

Veal with sweet potato duchess and chestnuts

– another fine dish

2013 Abandonado, Douro, Alves da Sousa

With the meat course we had two fine wines from Alves da Sousa. Firstly the 2013 Abandonado from a Douro vineyard that had been abandoned followed by the fine 2011 Quinta da Gaivosa. I thought the softer, more opulent Quinta da Gaivosa was a better match for the veal than the Abandonado with its higher acidity.    

2011 Quinta da Gaivosa, Douro, Alves da Sousa

 

An amazing treat and high note to finish on: 

1941 Colheita from Kopke 

Magic!!

#winelover Magnus Reuterdahl 

with Ricardo Gonçalves and Nelson Guerreiro

 

Magnus composes another tweet...

... still on a roll......

#winelovers in Jerez: the highlights of the 4th anniversary

The coronation of King Magnus (Saturday 13th February 2016)

King Magnus with Luiz Alberto, a co-founder and high priest of #winelovers
(Left jab to be followed by right hook!!)

We are now back in Lisbon with time and space to reflect on the excellent #winelover trip to Jerez to celebrate the 4th anniversary of the group's founding. Time to list the highlights in chronological order of our busy programme during which we tasted and drank many excellent Sherries. 

The welcome dinner at Restaurante Bocarambo (Tuesday 9th February 2016)

This was fun and very good to meet up with old friends and meet new #winelovers. To enjoy a Cava before moving onto more serious wines – a wonderfully fresh Tio Pepe and the Río Viejo from Lustau. 

Introduction to Jerez by Beltrán Domecq, president of the Consejo

(Wednesday 10th February 2016)

Beltrán is one of the great figures of Jerez and his introductory talk on the wines of Jerez was excellently concise and clear.

 

Visit to Gonzalez Byass
(Wednesday 10th February 2016)

This was a brilliant visit and very professionally organised, from the visit to vineyard with José Manuel Arana, the viticultural manager, to the tasting of the Las Palmas range with Antonio Flores, their Sherry Blender. We also enjoyed a very good lunch starring a main dish of oxtail. 

Visit to Lustau
(Wednesday 10th February 2016)

We were treated to a detailed explanation of Amontillado by Sherry Master Manuel Lozano followed by a magical dinner in the impressive Bodega la Emperatriz wonderfully accompanied by guitar maestro – Miguel Salado.
  

Visit to Barbadillo

(Thursday 11th February 2016)

This was another very good visit learning about what makes the wines from Sanlúcar de Barrameda different from those of Jerez – in essence the bodegas' close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Montse Molina, their oenologist, and Armando Guerra, in charge of special projects, led us through the wines. At the end of the visit we enjoyed some wonderfully modern and delicious tapas.  

Visit to Delgado Zuleta     

(Thursday 11th February 2016)

Another highlight with a guided visit led by Salvador Real, the oenologist, and a tasting of some excellent and very reasonably priced Sherries – so good that we brought some back with us to Lisbon. Another very enjoyable dinner. 

Visit to Gutiérrez Colosía

(Friday 12th February 2016) 

This was a delightful visit to a family bodega - Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Colosía (owner & sherry blender), Carmen Pou (owner) and their daughter Carmen Gutiérrez Pou - in El Puerto de Santa Maria with some brilliant Sherries. If we hadn't already bought from Zuleta, we would have been sorely tempted to buy here.

Lunch at Bodegas González Obregón

(Friday 12th February 2016)

It was great to enjoy a traditional lunch with hearty dishes at Manuel González' very atmospheric bodega. 



Signing barrel at Osborne 
(Friday 12th February 2016)

Signed #winelover barrel @osborne_es

Añada tasting@ Williams & Humbert
(Saturday 13th February 2016)
This tasting of single vintage Sherries, presented by Paola Medina,  proved to be quite controversial with some #winelovers finding them unattractive. Several years back I tasted a similar experiment with George Sandeman at the Sandeman Bodega. I think these single vintage Sherries are interesting but will surely always be a small niche but one that is interesting to the adventurous wine-maker. I particularly enjoyed the 2012 and 2001 Añadas.  

 Montse Molina, oenologist at Barbadillo     

Female winemakers 

It was good to meet two female winemakers:  Montse Molina, oenologist at Barbadillo, and Paola Medina, oenologist at Williams & Humbert. 

 

  Paola Medina, oenologist at Williams & Humbert

The coronation of King Magnus 
Due to needing to spend more time with his timber business, co-founder Luiz Alberto handed over his responsibilities to Magnus Reuterdahl at the end of our BYOB event (13th February 2016). Magnus has been promoted to King with Ted Lelekas, who has organised the #winelover 4th annual celebrations in Athens, as prime minister. I understand that a board of directors will be appointed, so the #winelover group is becoming more formalised. 

Note to King Magnus – for the next #winelover trip we need name tags so we can remember who we are!

Valeska Idarraga and Fernando Parades
Many thanks to Valeska and Fernando for organising everything so well! 

  

What is the #winelover community?

It was founded in February 2012 by Luiz Alberto and André Ribeirinho some four years ago. This Facebook group has now grown to just over 20,000 members. The criteria to join is simple – to love wine. Events (#winelover hangouts) are organised so members can meet up and share wine and usually good food as well as have trips to wine regions. Every year on the anniversary of the group's foundation there is a celebration in a wine region. In 2013 it was Umbria, followed by Friuli in 2014, Lisbon in 2015 and Jerez this last week. The 2016 celebrations haven't finished as there is also a celebratory trip in Greece now in progress. The #winelover group (#winelovers against cancer) campaigns to raise money to fight cancer.

The #winelover group and its success is a product of our times as the group would not exist if there was no social media. 

    

Barrel from 1947 above that of Julian Jeffs

author of the classic work in English on the wines of Jerez  

#winelover @ Jerez: fishy goings on @Williams&Humbert

 

 A posse of #winelovers

Magnus – the heir apparent 

(above and below)

 Sinisa Curavic

 Franck Merloz

 

Circles within circles

 Cellars @Williams&Humbert

Ricardo Bernardo

 André Cid 

Jane, Ignacio and his partner 

 

Adegga Family Christmas Party @Alfaia Garrafeira wine bar

André Ribeirinho – the chief evangelist of Adegga  

A day after Adegga's most successful Lisbon wine market to date – 1000 #winelovers came, the Adegga family and their guests met up on Sunday evening at the wonderful Alfaia Garrafeira, run by Pedro Jorge, in the heart of Lisbon's Bairro Alta district. 

People wondering why and how Adegga has been successful would, I think, find some clues at this family party. The team, which has grown organically, clearly get on well together and there does not appear to be any dissonant egos at play here.    

 Beatriz Silva i/c of Chief Evangelist

Magnus Reuterdahl still remarkably bright eyed 

after 48 hours in Lisbon

 Roger Kolbu 

 In the red sweater – André the detective – one of the trio that run Adegga 

Fabien Lainé looks on

 Paulo Pontes – a complicated tash and Pedro's assistant at Alfaia Garrafeira

 The many facets of Ricardo Bernardo – above and below

 Have I got this the right way up? 

 

I'll try the iPhone it's easier!

 Adegga family and guests 

 In the white shirt – Daniel Matos – the third one of Adegga's lynchpins

Centre front: Hugo Fernandes – Creative Director

 Present opening 

Standing: Michael Wising – organiser of Adegga Stockholm 

in September 2015 – with his two daughters

Finding a port for some wine....

Le Roi Magnus – suitably garlanded