The Insider - March 2025
March madness is upon us. The white rabbit is checking his watch. The tea party is set. The red queen has lost her head. At least there’s one thing you can rely on: The Wine Fellas’ monthly delivery!
We’re sticking with a winter theme with some hearty reds and unctuous white wines. Great for dressing up as the Mad Hatter or Alice in Wonderland for your Carneval party.
As always, 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.
Luis Pato, Vinhas Velhas Branco
[grape/vintage] Bical, Cercial, Sercialinho / 2023
[region] Bairrada
Luis Pato says that this is his personal interpretation of a typical Bairrada white and who are we to argue with the master!? On the palate, this is like lying in an orchard on a dusty, late summer afternoon with a gentle breeze brushing the tips of one’s toes.
Pairs well with itself as an aperitivo, but imagine it washing down a lighly-broiled sea-bass or a bowl of steamed mussels.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Musgo, Alfrocheiro
[grape/vintage] Alfrocheiro / 2020
[region] Dão
Have you ever had “summer pudding”? Classic British dish of stewed raspberries, blackberries, red and black currants, filling a deep bowl of thick farmhouse bread, then pressed and chilled, flipped onto a big platter and served with thick, rich double cream. It’s full of spice and fruit and earthy flavours. This Alfrocheiro is like that: intense berries, great balance of acid and tannins, complex layers, and a nice long finish.
Pairs well with a whole bunch of dishes. You could try a pork roast, a spicy curry, a mushroom ravioli or squid ink risotto. Get creative!
Check it out in The Cellar.
ZOM, Grande Reserva Touriga Nacional
[grape/vintage] Touriga Nacional / 2020
[region] Douro
Sophisticated and expressive and full of life. This is James Mason meets Helen Mirren meets Lester Young among the port barrels and cobblestones of Vila Nova da Gaia. It’s a complex burst of fruit, spice, old stone walls and a long conversation into the depths of the Porto night.
Pairs well with a roast wild pigeon with rosemary and thyme, an eggplant parmigiana, a well-seasoned juicy steak or a slow-roast leg of lamb.
Check it out in The Cellar.