Jim's Loire: Porto

Showing posts with label Porto. Show all posts

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Porto + Douro #winelovers – some more pics from 22.9 - 26.9

The view from Burmester's reception room

After an early flight from Porto to Tours we are now back in the Loire to catch up and take stock of how the 2016 Loire vintage is going. Certainly there is a well established fine spell of weather here forecast to continue for some time, so good conditions for the moment to harvest what is left – sadly small compensation for those hardest hit by frost and mildew. Harvest updates to follow but today a few more pics from Porto and the Douro.

Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia: ridiculous photogenic!

#winelover – Jürgen Schmücking

and Giannis Krassaki @Burmester

Jürgen Schmücking

Luiz Alberto: the master blender....

Some seafood at O Gaveto – great seafood restaurant

in Porto close to the ocean

2015 contacto – another Alvarinho treat from Anselmo Mendes

2002 Viña Gravonia from Tondonia

evidence that it is just Portugal

that makes good whites on the Iberian Peninsula .....

Dirk Niepoort

2012 Reserva Douro, Duorum

One of my favourite wines from the Adegga

mini-wine market on Saturady

Saturday, 24 September 2016

#winelover Port immersion trip – Barros, Burmester, Cálem and Kopke Colheitas

Views from Burmester

#winelovers gather

Atmospheric shaft of light in Cálem cellars

Tasting of Colheitas at the Cálem cellars

Yesterday we were treated to a remarkable tasting of colheitas starting at 2000 and going back to 1941. We were told about the need to air these wines from time to time and to add a little more spirit just before the wines are bottled. All of these wines had been recently bottled.

Brief notes of the tasting of colheitas – Barros, Burmester, Cálem and Kopke – from the Sogevinus Fine Wines Group:

Cálem 2000

Quite deep walnut colour, dense, richly textured, quite noticeable spirit some spice here., length, fig and raisin character. Spicy character said to come from from mahogany used in a proportion of the bottles.

Burmester 1989

Slightly less dense colour, softer less powerful than Calem attractive complexity and length.

Barros 1974

Again paler, very attractive texture, spice, nuts, light rainsiny character, length. Very fine, stylish wine.

Kopke 1966

Quite dense colour, power and wood spice, texture - mouthfeel, power and length, less complex than 1974 but more colour. CRM - a butch number.

Cálem 1961

Walnut colour, aged wood spice, concentration and spice, length and power, still needs time. Less expressive than some. Long spicy finish. Dried fruits.

Kopke 1957

Deep walnut colour, richly textured, mouthfeel, power, spice in the finish, length. Still youthful but great complexity. Great length although wood spice becoming dominant in finish. Along with the 1974 this was my favourite of the tasting.

Burmester 1952

Mid-walnut colour, wood spice on nose, quite sweetly textured, power and length, spicy power

Kopke 1941

Deep walnut colour, wood spice nose, very richly textured, power, still big potential but wood spice becoming more dominant in the finish.

Characteristics as viewed by Sogevinus group:

Cálem: spicy and powerful rustic

Kopke: more balanced integrated

Burmester: more complex

Barros: easy, rounder, a little sweeter more residual sugar

Thursday, 22 September 2016

Porto – for #winelovers' seminar and Port immersion event

São Bento Station and beyond late afternoon

Pleasant Ryanair flight!

We flew from Tours to Porto this morning on Ryanair. We haven't travelled on Ryanair for a while and I was amazed as the staff were very welcoming, friendly and helpful. I kept thinking I must have got on the wrong plane or was flying with another company......

Here for a #winelovers event #IWS2016 – posts to follow.

Around São Bento

(above and below)

Porto in a Bottle

small, friendly wine shop in Rua das Flores

Smoking a pipe
while holding up the ceiling of the Tropical Café

Sunday, 21 June 2015

Faces from a conference in Porto – December 2010

Sorting through some photos this evening I came across these from a Wines of Portugal conference held in Porto in December 2010, which stirred memories.