The Connoisseur - August 2024
Whoohoo!!! Summer is finally here! And, as we promised, we’ve stacked your boxes with the perfect accompaniments for sun, sand and seafood. So, no excuses. Bust out the barbie, order some oysters and clams, and soak up the rays before work and school and life remember that you’re supposed to be behaving yourself.
Wine 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.
Anexo, Branco
[grape/vintage] Arinto dos Antão Vaz, Roupeiroo / 2021
[region] Alentejo
Love at first drop. A low-intervention white that takes it slow and easy on your tongue, teasing you along a gentle forest path dappled with sunlight. It’s fresh and crisp and floral.
Our sommelier describes it thus: Golden yellow colour, expressive nose with white fruit and some tropical fruits. Deep, mineral and clay – on the palette it presents with good acidity, a smooth attack and a balanced flavour profile. Overall dry and gastronomic.
Pairs well with white meats, cold salads, baked or grilled fish, pasta, risotto and cheese.
The Alentejo covers a large area and is characterized by its hot, dry summers and mild winters. The vineyards are planted on rolling hills and plains, and the soils are predominantly made up of granite, schist and limestone. Its wines are known for their full-bodied flavors and rich, earthy tones.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Ribeiro Santo, "Rabo de Ovelha"
[grape/vintage] Rabo de Ovelha / 2020
[region] Dão
Sheep’s tail. It doesn’t exactly make you think about wine, or vineyards or fine dining. But take a sip of this delightfully crisp, complex and gastronomic white wine and, we assure you, your mind’s little tail will be blown. It’s a “Fellas Fave” for a reason
Our sommelier’s thoughts: Delicate, crystal-green in colour, with an elegant, balsamicy nose with hints of wild berries and tobacco. Excellent body and structure on the palate, with a distinct minerality and bright acidity for a well-rounded but light finish
We suggest pairing this with a delicate white fish, grilled shrimp or lobster tail, a spicy ceviche, chicken picatta or tender pork loin.
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.
Ilha do Pico, "Terras de Lava" Rosé
[grape/vintage] Merlot, Syrah / 2022
[region] Ilha do Pico, Açores
Ok, we admit, wine tasting can be a bit of a magician’s trick. You ask someone if they taste apricot and that’s what they taste. But seriously, this rosé from Ilha do Pico really really does taste of the sea and the volcano and of strawberries and raspberries and wet stones. It’s layered and blended and full and round like sucking on a pebble. Drink slightly chilled, with or without food.
Our sommelier had this to say about it: Light salmon colour, with an elegant aroma combining notes of red fruits like raspberry and strawberries with a delicate minerality. On the palette, a captivating, aromatic freshness with well-balanced fruits and acidity, hints of seaweed and sea salt, and a long, smooth finish.
Pairs well with itself as an aperitif, a warm goat cheese salad, fresh Setúbal oysters with a single dash of hot sauce, pork sausage grilled on the barbecue.
The Açores is home to a small but growing wine industry, with vineyards planted in soils rich in volcanic minerals, imparting a distinctive taste profile to the wines.
Check it out in The Cellar.