Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Saturday 27 February 2016

A cold showery morning in Alvalade (Lisbon) + a gracious space


 The inside of Maria Granel – health food shop 

Today was unseasonably cold in Lisbon with temperatures down at 5˚ C and feeling colder than that in the piercing wind, especially during the frequent, sharp showers. We headed northwards to the suburb of Alvalade, which is close to Lisbon's airport. Here we visited a health food shop, the Alvalade market (Mercado de Alvalade) and a organic supermarket.   


 Plenty of fish in the Mercado: fresh, piles of dried cod and frozen


 Some salt cod...
 Attractive vegetables

 Early strawberries

 Grilling chicken in a local Alvalade shop

Bio chicken nuggets anyone....?

 Coffee and tea making apparatus – packets of tea


We chose a popular restaurant close to the market for lunch. Although the  food was excellent – both fish and meat – the wine offered was limited and of little interest. Happily the restaurant allowed us to head off to a fine nearby delicatessen where we bought this very good 2011 Valle Pradinhos Reserva from Transmontano region – very close to the Douro Valley – for 10€.   



Seeking warmth and some comfort we then headed south across town to the Pestana Palace Lisboa in the Santa Amaro district.   


 Place for a formal dinner with a few friends .....


 A more informal dining area ...
with a view over the garden 


 Stained glass and an elegant staircase

 The annexe....
View across to the stables 

 

 

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