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......

Adegga Christmas Wine Market 2016 – some photos

Adegga Winemarket @The Marriott Hotel, Lisbon

A vertical of Niepoort's Batuta (Douro): 1999-2014

a highlight of the Premium Room 

Deliocious chocolates filled with Port and Madeira
One of the Port chocs went well with Noval Vintage 1994 

giving it added complexity 

 

1999 the first vintage of Batuta  

2011 Mouchão Tonel No 3-4  

Tonel is an iconic Portuguese red  

Some lovely Ports:

 Calém 1961 Colheita 

 Burmester 1952 Colheita 

 Kopke 1957 Colheita 

 A tug of war or struggling with waxed capped bottle? 

Another star treat from Niepoort
1934 Colheita

A detailed report on the wines in the Premium Room will follow.

#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