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Eugenio Merino of Bodegas Crescencia Merino in the family vineyards in Corcos del Valle (Valladolid) 
that he works so hard to tend, allowing him to produce on of the truly great rosados of Cigales.  
Photo by Gerry Dawes©2011 / gerrydawes@aol.com

 

Gerry Dawes with members of La Asociación de Bodegas Artesanas (Artesan Bodegas) of Rías Baixas, more than a dozen small grower-producers, who use native yeasts to ferment their Albariño wines. These Galician bodegueros make Albariños the way they think the wines ought to taste and each of their wines is as distinct from the other as they are as individuals.  At the end of July, these artisan producers hold their Feria del Vino de Autor, to show their wines, with an “author” behind each one.   
Photo: Gerry Dawes©2011 / gerrydawes@aol.com

We do not represent wines that conform to the conventional canon, i.e.,  wines so dark that you can’t see the bottom of the glass; wines with jammy, overripe fruit; wines low in acid; “dry” red or white wines with pronounced residual sugar; wines that taste more of oak than wine; or wines with high levels of alcohol  higher that 13.5%.   We prefer 13% and lower, but will consider wines of 14% and, on very, very rare occasions 14.5%, but only if they seem particularly well balanced, which is a sleight-of-hand performed by very few maestros.

 

 

A No-Can-See-Bottom-of-Glass Wine of the Inky Monster School.

Photo: Gerry Dawes©2011 / gerrydawes@aol.com

We see no virtue in wines so extracted and concentrated in color that you can’t see the bottom of the glass. Depth of color is no indicator of a great wine in the glass, it merely a very dark wine, which usually means it has very high alcohol, very extracted wine made from overripe grapes.  Such wines are often made to please reviewers during the two minutes they may have to evaluate one wine among the 30-100 wines they will taste that day.  We don’t believe that is the criteria by which really good wines should be judged. 

We don’t mind if the wines are lightly filtered, since we don’t put much stock in the unfined, unfiltered wisdom, nor do we believe in exaggerated concentration of flavors as a virtue. 

 

We do not seek wines that rely on harvesting overripe grapes and submitting them to long macerations to achieve dark color, high alcohol and so-called “flavor.”  We discourage the abuse of battonage, barrel fermentation in new oak and aging wines in improperly prepared new oak, either French or American, all of which tend to obscure both the taste of the grape variety and any sense of place or terruño (terroir) that the wines may possess.  

 

We believe that wines subjected to the harshness of too much improperly conditioned new oak 
taste more like a the product of a saw mill than of a vineyard.  Photo: Gerry Dawes©2009 / gerrydawes@aol.com

 

We prefer to work with wineries that use only hand-harvested fruit.  In the case that we may begin to work with a producer who machine harvests, we will urge that producer to begin hand harvesting the fruit as soon as possible for the wines we import.

 

Harvester monument, Cacabelos, Bierzo.

Photo: Gerry Dawes©2009 / gerrydawes@aol.com

 

We do not represent wines with artificial closures, i.e.,  screw caps, plastic “corks,” and composite corks with chemical binders.  We will be working with a major Portuguese cork supplier, who will guarantee our producers’ wines against cork taint and we will say so on our labels. (To be implemented by all our suppliers by the second year of their Spanish Artisan Wine Group association.)

 

Carlos de Jesus of Amorim in Portugal explains the process of preparing cork that will be made 
into natural cork wine stoppers.   Photo by Gerry Dawes©2010 / gerrydawes@aol.com

 

We recognize that some vintage years are better than others, but we put our stock in small producers who make every effort to get the best of any vintage, even if it means throwing out half their grapes.  From long experience, we believe true wine lovers should follow producers, not vintage years.  When when a great producer harvests an exceptional vintage truly great wines can be made.  In a so-called great vintages, many mediocre producers make as much wine as possible to take advantage of the fame of that vintage year.  Such wines are seldom as good as those that conscientious producers make, even in an off year. 

We believe that there is a substantial market for wines that express our philosophy.  - – Gerry Dawes©2011.

Jean-Marie Pratt of TerraVin on Weinalimit

Historically, Portuguese cuisine has been food for the people. David Leite, author of The New Portuguese Table, says, “Classic Portuguese cooking is honest, straightforward food that was created to nourish hard-working laborers in the fields and on the sea.”

At the height of its reign as a colonial and mercantile power Portugal had an extensive reach in almost every part of the world, down the coast of Africa, India, and to the Far East. This created an exchange of techniques and ingredients. For example, High Tea in England was introduced by Catherine of Braganca, a Portuguese princess who married King Charles II in 1662. She had learned about tea when the Portuguese merchants brought it back from their trading posts in Macau, China. Tempura was introduced by Portuguese missionaries to Japan in the 16th century. Additionally, it is believed that the Japanese word for thank you, arigato, is derived from the Portuguese word, obligado.

The Portuguese pastry angel hair, which is thin strands of egg yolks boiled in sugar syrup is seen in Spain, Brazil, Japan, Cambodia, and Thailand. The Portuguese egg tart pastry, pastel de nata, is eaten all over the world. The dish originated from Catholic monastery outside of Lisbon. Pasteis de belem, a very popular Portuguese bakery, still bakes the pastry using the original recipe.

Of course the opposite effect of this cultural exchange is true as well, with ingredients and techniques coming into Portugal. Curry imported from Goa, India is a common ingredient in Portuguese households, as is piri-piri, an African hot red chili sauce.

The egg and nut based desserts common in Portuguese baking came from the Moors, who occupied the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century. Today, throughout Lisbon’s Chiado and Bairro Alto districts are restaurants featuring the food of Cape Verde, Mozambique, Angola, Brazil and other Portuguese speaking nations. Of course, the question remains, what kind of wine should you drink with these dishes?

The staggering number of Portuguese varietals can make pairing a wine with your food seem intimidating, but old advice tends to be the best advice, and that is to pair wine and food from the same region. The Baga grape, from the Bairrada region, is a quintessential Portuguese varietal, but one that has a bit of a reputation as a difficult grape to work with since it can be quite tannic. Bairrada is well known for roast suckling pig. The high acidity and tannis of Baga pair excellently with a rich and salty dish like this.

As Portuguese wines continue to rise in popularity, there will inevitably be an increased interest in Portuguese cuisine. However, Portuguese food is traditional and family or community oriented. There tend to only be Portuguese restaurants in Portuguese neighborhoods (in the US at least). As a result, the food remains traditional and can be intimidating to the uninitiated. For example, fresh (read: raw) sardines and octopus are staples, as well as salt cod and tripe. During a food shortage the citizens of Porto ate tripe to survive. Tripe made its way into the regular diet of Porto, and ever since they have proudly referred to themselves as tripeiros, or tripe eaters. But don’t be scared. Portuguese food is most certainly delicious, after all they have been in the kitchen for centuries. Of course the best to experience Portuguese food culture is go there yourself, but if that’s not an option, there are several Portuguese restaurants that are easily accessible in Manhattan. Alfama, located at 214 E 52nd between 2nd and 3rd avenue, is an authentic choice and will give you a clear conception of Portuguese cuisine. For the curious and adventurous foodie it is certainly worth a visit.

Today, Portuguese cuisine is a part of the spirit and atmosphere of the country. An authentic experience to be savored while you explore their shores. To build off an old cliché, when in Porto, do as the tripeiros.

Special thanks to David Leite, Alfama NYC, and Pasties de Belem.

AOC Fine Wines: What are some of the typical aspects of Portuguese cuisine?  What are some of the more unique or nuanced aspects of it?

David Leite: Portuguese cuisine is at its heart peasant food. Classic Portuguese cooking is honest and straightforward and was created to nourish hard-working laborers in the fields and at sea. Only recently, in the past 20 years or so, has a lighter touch and non-indigenous ingredients (brought to the country by immigrating chefs and cooks) been seen. The explosion of molecular gastronomy in nearby Spain has inspired Portuguese cooks to think differently. But in the end, it’s the classics that nourish body and soul.

AOC: What is your preferred aspect of Portuguese cuisine to work with?  How would you describe your culinary style?

David: I like to mix things up in the kitchen. My cooking is deeply rooted in the traditions of my mother, grandmothers, and aunts, but I enjoy finding ways of using Portuguese ingredients–such as its marvelous sausages and hams–in other dishes. A perfect example is a recipe in my book for Portuguese pizza. It’s made with Portuguese-style tomato sauce, chouriço sausage, and sheep’s cheese.

AOC: How evident is the influence of the cyclical exchange of ingredients, culinary techniques and styles between Portugal and its former colonies?  Is there more of an influence coming into Portuguese cuisine or more of an influence going abroad?

David: The outgoing influence of Portuguese cuisine is centuries old. It happened with the influx into the colonies of military personnel, settlers, and missionaries. That’s why today you can find such things are pastéis de bacalhau (salted cod fritters), pastéis de nata (cream custard tarts), and caldo verde (kale soup) scattered all over the world. Even Indian vindaloo has Portuguese roots. It’s believed to be a bastardization of “vinha d’alhos,” a wine and garlic marinade that’s a far milder meat preparation used primarily in the Azorean islands.

Nowadays, a tourist would be hard pressed to walk through Lisbon’s Chiado and Bairro Alto districts and not see restaurants featuring Cape Verdean, Mozambican, Angolan, Brazilian, and other colonial dishes and influences.

AOC: Some Portuguese grapes, such as Baga, tend to be very tannic.  What types of dishes or ingredients pair well with these wines?

David: They always say it’s best to pair wine and food from the same region, as they share the same terrior. Baga grapes are grown in the Bairrada region, which is famous for its roast suckling pig. The high acidity and tannins of Baga are a good complement to rich dishes such as roast suckling pig, hearty stews (preferably ones made with red wine), boar, venison, and other game.

AOC: What would be your perfect Portuguese food and wine pairing?

David: Well, I break tradition here by pairing my favorite Portuguese dish, porco à Alentejana (pork and clams served over fried potato cubes) with Douro wines, which I’m just mad about. Something like a Quinta da Crasto Touriga Nacional. It’s a muscley varietal, and one of the several used in the production of port.

AOC: Where do you see the future of Portuguese cuisine as Portugal’s wines rise in popularity?

David: It’s a circuitous route that will take time, at least in this country. Part of the reason for this circuitousness is, unlike Asian immigrants who opened restaurants and food shops in America as a way of surviving, Portuguese immigrants headed to the docks and fields as sailors, fishermen, and farmers. The women found their way to fabric mills and embroidery factories on the east coast, as my family did, and often times to canneries on the west coast. Our food remained in our homes. The result is few Americans are familiar with Portuguese cooking. I think the best introduction to our food and wine is through travel. That’s when people discover the amazing variety of our wines and the honesty of our food. Once home, they’re far more likely to tuck into a Portuguese dish coupled with one of our excellent wines–almost all of which are among the best values on the market.

Special thanks to David Leite.  Be sure to visit his website and pick up his book, The New Portuguese Table.

Have you ever tried to buy a real book about Portugal? I am not talking about a Lonely Planet type guide; I concede that they have covered just about every square foot on earth.  I am talking about a book on Portugal’s history or architecture or literature or gastronomy, or as might be expected of me, Portuguese wine. I poked around in the few good book stores left in the city, and must say I was rather disappointed. There are a seemingly infinite number of books about Italy, Spain, France, Russia, and the Caribbean; I even found a book about the gastronomy of New Zealand, but nothing, absolutely nothing, about Portugal.

Why is it that a country with such a rich heritage, which has had such an impact on Western civilization, and has a language spoken by about 200 million people on three continents,  a country responsible for introducing into Europe such basic products as clove, nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon and the potato, is now so completely ignored?  Why is it that their delicious food is far under the radar and that their inexpensive and good wines have no shelf space at wine stores?  The Portuguese have a word that aptly expresses their melancholy about the splendor of the past compared to the current era; they would call it Saudade. As Francesco Manuel de Mello defined it, “saudade” expresses “a pain that you enjoy, and a pleasure from which you suffer” and it is sung in the magnificent art of Fado.

Portugal is a very different place from its neighbor and long time enemy, Spain. In fact Spain and Portugal do not live side by side, but back to back. They have superbly ignored each other since the very day Portugal declared independence from Castile in 1139. The music, food, architecture, even bullfights, everything is different. As a matter of fact, Portugal has closer ties to France than it does to Spain.

I recently re-discovered Portuguese cuisine in Montreal at the well-known Ferreira restaurant, an address I highly recommend looking up the next time you’re up that way. The food is festive and the wines sophisticated. Montreal enjoys a very large and dynamic Portuguese population, who brought their gastronomic traditions with them when they crossed the Atlantic. It is a simple cuisine that respects the natural properties of their native products, with soups rich in seafood, hearty breads and plenty of pork.

It is well worth your time to rediscover Portugal. As their great poet Miguel Torga wrote: “I’ll tell you about a wonderful Kingdom. Although many people may say the contrary, there always were and always will be great kingdoms in this world. What we need to see them are eyes that have not lost their original innocence in the face of reality, for then the heart does not hesitate.”
Finally, two great books about Portugal:

• The New Portuguese Table – David Leite – Potter.  Visit David’s website, Leite’s Culinaria, here.

• Living in Portugal – Anne de Stoop – Flammarion

Alfama is an authentic Portuguese restaurant located at 214 E 52nd Street in New York.  Partners Tarcisio Costa and Miguel Jeronimo, with Executive Chef Francisco Rosa, seek to bring classic Portuguese dishes, as well as those inspired by Portugal’s global presence, to Midtown in a relaxed and elegant setting.  If you can’t make it to Lisbon, Alfama is your best bet.

AOC Fine Wines: What are some of the typical aspects of Portuguese cuisine?  What are some of the more unique or nuanced aspects of it?

Alfama: Portuguese cuisine can be best described as “rustic” cuisine. In other words, simple, honest flavors with hearty ingredients, such as salt cod, sardines, broa, a peasant corn/wheat bread, lots of stews (depending on the region they can be of sausages or game or seafood), flavorful, fruity olive oil, garlic, onions and cilantro and bay leaf are typical condiments.

AOC: How evident is the influence of the cyclical exchange of ingredients, culinary techniques and styles between Portugal and its former colonies?  Is there more of an influence coming into Portuguese cuisine or  more of an influence going abroad?

Alfama: The influence of former colonies is very present in the way people eat in Portugal and such influences have become part of everyday life. For example, curry from Goa in India – the Portuguese average household is accustomed to eating curry seafood or chicken dishes on a fairly regular basis. The same goes for the Piri-Piri sauce, an African hot red chili introduced into our cuisine to marinate chicken and prawns. Cilantro, which is widely perceived as Vietnamese and/or Mexican is very much used in Portuguese southern cooking from the Alentejo region. Eggs and nut-based desserts, are an influence from the Moorish presence in Portugal, when they invaded the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century.

On the other hand, Portuguese cuisine influenced most of its former colonies, mainly the African countries (Angola, Mozambique, Guiné-Bissau, São Tomé & Príncipe and Cape Verde) and Brazil, with the introduction of salt cod dishes, olive oil and the egg-based desserts.

“High Tea” in England, was introduced by Catherine of Bragança, a Portuguese princess who introduced the habit of drinking tea to the British court when she married King Charles II in 1662. She, of course, had learned about tea from the Portuguese presence in Macau, China.

In 1543 Portuguese trade ships reached Japan and introduced refined sugar, valued there as a luxury good. Japanese lords enjoyed Portuguese confectionery so much it was remodeled in the now traditional Japanese kompeito candy and kasutera sponge cake.

Portuguese missionaries also introduced tempura to the Japanese in the 16th century. It is believed that the word for thank you in Japanese, “Arigato,” comes from the Portuguese word, “Obrigado,” which means “thank you.” A literal translation into English is “much obliged.”

Angel hair, called in Portuguese fios de ovos (“egg threads”) is a traditional Portuguese sweet food made of eggs (chiefly yolks), drawn into thin strands and boiled in sugar syrup. They are a traditional element in Portuguese and Brazilian cuisine, both in desserts and as side dishes. The preparation is also known in Spain as huevo hilado (“spun egg”), in Japan as keiran somen (“hen’s egg noodle”), in Cambodia as vawee, and in Thailand as foi thong.

All over the world, Portuguese immigrants influenced the cuisine of their new “homelands”, like Hawaii and parts of New England. Portuguese sweet bread or pão doce, malassadas (fried donuts), bean soup (sopa de feijão), and sausages (linguiça, chouriço) are eaten regularly in the Hawaiian islands by families of all ethnicities.

AOC: What is your preferred aspect of Portuguese cuisine to work with?

Alfama: Our mission at Alfama is to showcase different regional specialties and to work with seasonal ingredients, highlighting whatever is freshest and most available here to reflect the different trends and recipes of the different regions of Portugal, including the islands of Madeira and the Azores.

AOC: Some Portuguese grapes, such as Baga, tend to be very tannic.  What types of dishes or ingredients pair well with these wines?

I personally LOVE Baga, as it is to me the quintessential red varietal of Portugal.  It pairs well with roasted salt cod and baby goat stews, as well as some cured goat cheeses.

AOC: Where do you see the future of Portuguese cuisine as Portugal’s wines rise in popularity?

Slowly but surely, more and more people are discovering and falling in love with Portuguese wines and the flavors of Portuguese cuisine. For example, our chicken gizzards in a savory tomato sauce, have, much to our surprise, become one of our best selling appetizers. We would have not seen that 10 years ago. Also, people are far less “afraid” of eating fresh sardines or octopus or our daily salt cod special, all of which are staples of Portuguese cuisine and signature dishes on Alfama’s menu. For our upcoming Winter menu, we will be featuring a very traditional northern dish: Feijão Branco com tripas e Morcela, which is a white kidney bean stew with trip and Morcela, which is blood sausage. Why? In surveying our clientele, 90% said they’d be open to trying that.

Special thanks to Tarcisio from Alfama.

The pastel de nata is a traditional Portuguese egg tart pastry originating from the Jeronimos Monastery.  Pasteis de Belem was the first bakery to sell the pastry after the monastery closed in the 1820s.  And they are still going strong.

AOC Fine Wines: Is breakfast an important meal in Portugal?  What does a typical Portuguese breakfast consist of?

Pasteis de Belem: Breakfast is important in Portugal as in any other place, I think. The most common in Portugal is toast with coffee and milk.

AOC: What would your perfect morning meal consist of?

PdB: My perfect breakfast would be orange juice, toast, some fruit and coffee with milk.

AOC: What are some of the typical aspects of Portuguese baking?  What are some of the more unique or nuanced aspects of it?

PdB: Most Portuguese cakes were born in monastery’s such as Jerónimos in Belém where the recipe of the “Pastel de Belém” came from. Our most common cake in the pastel de nata witch is similar to the “Pastel de Belém” but with a different recipe.

AOC: What is your preferred aspect of baking to work with?

PdB: I enjoy fresh products and we bake everything for the day and especially the pasties are baked all day long. This way the products are always freshly made and have a lot more quality.

AOC: Does the baking tradition come from a foreign influence or has it always been part of Portuguese culture?  Has it influenced the baking traditions of other cultures?

PdB:We have always had a tradition of baking in Portugal.  We have influenced and been influenced by the different cultures we visited throughout our sailing history.

AOC: Is the business family owned?

PdB: This business has been in the same family for almost 5 generations.

AOC: Do you still operate on the same premises from 1837?  How has the operation changed since then?

PdB: Yes.  The bakery has grown a lot we now have 160 employees and more rooms have been built throughout the years. The recipe remains the same and the hand made baking process is the same. We have introduced some changes in the way we work to improve quality and to be able to bake an average of 20,000 pastéis per day.

AOC: Any travel tips for Lisboa?

PdB: Lisboa has a lot to offer. Pasteis de Belém for instance is one of the most historic and cultural places that one must visit when in Lisboa. Nice food and wine and weather and a lot of history.

AOC: Is there anything else you would like to add?

PdB: The secret recipe for the pasties is only known by 5 people, the owner and the chefs that bake the pastéis. In 2012 we celebrate 175 years.

Special thanks to Miguel from Pasteis de Belem.

A Madeira wine is a fortified wine made in the Portuguese Island of Madeira, about 350 miles off the Moroccan Coast. In order to endure the long journey around the world, the wines for exported had to be fortified with Brandy. After one of these lengthy trips around the world in rather warm temperatures, it was discovered that the wine had actually improved! Nowadays, in order to duplicate the aging process of the long journey on a sun-drenched boat, the wine spends 3 to 6 months in heated tanks and then is aged in barrels. Once in the bottle, Madeiras can age forever.

The Madeira for cooking, which represents about 40% of the production is made from Negra Mole. The 4 noble grapes used to make fine Madeiras are:

Malmsey or Malvasia, the sweetest of the four. It will taste fantastic on Banana beignets flambéed with Rum.
Boal, which is medium sweet. Magnificent with Stilton cheese.
Verdelho, on the drier side. Try a roasted duck with figs.
Sercial, the driest: Serve with seafood, perhaps crab cakes on a bed of sautéed leeks.

The label will usually indicate:

Finest, which is 3 years old.
Reserve: 5 years old.
Special reserve: 10 years old
15 years old or more.
Vintage Madeiras.

One last word, Madeiras are of course much better when sipped on the island.

Links:

-AOC’s selection of Madeiras

-Madeira Travel Tips

Known as The Floating Garden or The Pearl of the Atlantic, Madeira is part of an archipelago in the Atlantic ocean, about 323 miles off the coast of Morocco.  The island was a regular port of call and stopping point for voyages headed to the East and to the New World during the Age of Exploration.  It was an important maritime and agricultural center for Portugal during this period, and an important source of sugarcane and fennel, items that were quite rare and valuable at the time.

Today, Madeira is a Portuguese autonomous region and technically considered part of Portugal.  It is the 2nd richest region of Portugal, with a GDP 103% above the European Average.  Although known primarily for its wine, Madeira is a beautiful destination offering mountains, beaches, and azure waves only a few hours by plane from mainland Europe.  It is certainly worth stopping by to relax and sip some Madeira wine.

Most journeys will begin and end in Funchal, the capital city of Madeira, if for no other reason than this is where the airport is located.  But there are a few compelling reasons to spend some time in Funchal.  Begin with the Madeira Botanical Gardens, located only 3km from the center of Funchal and accessible by cable car.  The gardens offer panoramic views of the Atlantic and the island below and 2500 different species of plants throughout its 35,000 square meters.  The gardens also play an important role in the conservation of the unique species of flowers and plants only found on Madeira.

The Mercado dos Lavradores, which means workers market, is a lively open air market.  It is worth a visit to appreciate the sights and smells of the island, as well as to purchase the exotic fruits and flowers of Madeira.

For fine dining try Il Gallo D’Oro the first and only Michelin star on Madeira.   Located at the Cliff Bay Hotel, Il Gallo is known for its Iberian and Mediterranean cuisine made with local fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices and the unique black scabbard fish.

The black scabbard fish is a staple dish of Madeira and an important economic export.  Despite its fearsome appearance (pictured below), the scabbard fish is quite delicious and synonymous with Madeira cuisine.  Scabbard fish tends to be flaky, tender, and similar to halibut.  While you’re there, try scabbard fish with banana, espada com banana.  This dish is common throughout the island and usually served fried.

With over 600 miles of hiking trails Madeira is a great place to get out and walk around.  Many of these trails follow the Levadas or aqueducts.  The Levadas are unique to Madeira, and were constructed to bring water from the north-west to the drier south-east, which is more conducive to agriculture.  Levadas were constructed from as far back as the 16th century, all the way up to the 1940’s.  Today, they still supply water and hydro electricity.  While you’re off roaming the island, be sure to make it to Ponta de Sao Lourenco, a nature preserve in eastern Madeira.  There you will find beautiful views of rock formations and the sprawling Atlantic.  Below the trailhead, at the bottom of cliff, is the secluded black sand Prainha beach, don’t miss it.

Links:

-Botanical Garden Cable Car

-Il Gallo D’Oro

-Scabbard Fish with Fried Banana Recipe

-Madeira Levada Walks