The Connoisseur - April 2024
Hooray for sunshine! Is this finally, truly the beginning of our Portuguese summer? Let’s hope so! Anyway, whatever the weather, you can rely on The Fellas to provide some good news, and we’ve got some excellent wines to bridge the gap from winter to warmth.
Descriptions below, and if you run out, you can order more from The Cellar.
Don’t forget, you can look up past boxes in The Archive.
Infinitude Semillon/Chardonnay
[grape/vintage] Semillon, Chardonnay / 2022
[region] Lisboa
This is a real lover’s tiff, an amorous tit-for-tat, a passionate power play between two classic French grapes that are undressed and full of life from a year maturing in stainless steel. Stick your nose and palate in between these two and try and work out who is right, who is wrong: pungent, colourful Chardonnay with its guava and lychee and peach, or rootsy, earthy Semillon with its green pepper and forest floor and diesel.
Our sommelier describes it thus: An elegant wine, pale viscous amber colour, combining the tropical, fresh notes of Chardonnay with the more mature, vegetal notes from Semillon. In the mouth it’s easy, full and smooth without being creamy, with long finish.
Pairs well with itself or almost any meal, even red meat, but we recommend with a meaty grilled fish, some lightly fried calamari, or grilled jumbo shrimp dipped in lemon butter sauce. Don’t serve too cold!
The Lisboa region is located just north and west of Lisbon. The region’s diverse landscape includes coastal areas, hills and valleys, which creates a variety of microclimates and soil types, producing a range of wines, including red, white, and rosé, and is known for its high-quality and innovative winemaking.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Casa Américo, Jaen
[grape/vintage] Jaen / 2019
[region] Dão
Dry stone walls encircle deep banks of raspberry and blackberry creepers. A wild plum tree and a solitary, patient donkey, stand together silhouetted against a clear sky. Like this pastoral, let this bottle sit for a few breaths, allow the Jaen to work its magic and express the truth of its 50-year old vines.
Our sommelier’s thoughts: Open ruby color. Subtle aroma with notes of red fruits such as strawberries and raspberries which take a back seat to blackberry and plum in the mouth. Rich in tannins, it has a generous, elegant dryness with good acidity and a hint of bitterness.
We suggest pairing this with an aged manchego, braised lamb shank or even a Szechuan beef stir fry. Decant for at least two hours.
The Dão region, in the center of Portugal, is known for elegant, complex and full-bodied wines, with exceptional acidity and aging potential. The region’s vineyards are planted on granite hillsides, and the soil is predominantly sandy and well-drained.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Ribeiro Santo "Bastardo"
[grape/vintage] Bastardo / 2020
[region] Dão
The heat of mid-summer lives in this juicy, old-style baga, a heat that speaks of long naps under cork trees with that lovely woozy post-lunch feeling. They made this wine with as little intervention as possible, vinifying it in open “lagares”, allowing fermentation to happen spontaneously over a week or so, then letting it sleep happily in oak barrels for 10 months. Drink it the same way: relaxed, slowly and with no plans for using heavy machinery.
Our sommelier has this to say about it: Deep ruby colour, with a well-balanced nose, elegant with matching notes of red fruits and spices with hints of pine resin. On the mouth the red fruits come to the fore in a well-balanced body with a long, smooth finish thanks to its 18 months in oak.
Pairs well with grilled prime red meats like a juicy picanha or t-bone, or a hearty game stew.
Bairrada produces wines with high acidity and tannins, often aged in oak barrels to soften the tannins and develop complex flavors. The region’s soil is predominantly clay and limestone, which helps to retain moisture and gives the wines a distinct minerality.
Check it out in The Cellar.