Fladgate Partnership Declares 2011 Vintage Port

"Port is the oil of good conversation."
--Adrian Bridge

Last month, I spoke with Adrian Bridge, the CEO of the Fladgate Partnership, which comprises the three major Port houses of Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft. During that conversation, he indicated that the decision whether to declare 2011 a Vintage or not had not yet been made but there was optimism that it would be. If it was declared, he was also unsure how much Vintage Port might be produced, though he suspected it would be a smaller amount than previous vintages.

Other Port Houses have already declared a Vintage for 2011, including Sogrape Vinhos (Ferreira, Offley and Sandeman) and Symington Family (Cockburn's, Dow's, Graham's, Warre's, Quinta do Vesuvio and Smith Woodhouse). For specific information on what led to such an excellent vintage for Port in 2011, check out the Vintage Port Site.

Fladgate Partnership has also now declared 2011 a Vintage Port year for Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft. They knew that the 2011 harvest was exceptional, but a declaration only came after they evaluated the final blends. "The blends from the three houses were carefully assessed over several weeks for quality, potential longevity and consistency of house style."

Adrian Bridge stated, "2011 has produced textbook Vintage Ports, classics in every sense.” The wines have a wonderful purity and elegance, but also plenty of structure and depth of flavor.” The Head Winemaker David Guimaraens also noted, “2011 was an excellent ripening season and produced a well-balanced crop. The 2011s stand out for the purity of the fruit and the quality of the tannins, which are silky and well integrated, but provide plenty of structure.”

This is the fifth great vintage in the past 12 years, which include 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2009. Bridge commented that, “Our 2009 declaration showed that demand remains strong for new release Vintage Ports, and we expect it to grow further as new fine wine markets develop. Wine consumers all over the world are realizing that Vintage Port continues to deliver astonishing value compared to many other classic wines.”

It is true that Vintage Port can be comparatively much less expensive than other great wines, from Bordeaux to Burgundy. Only about 2% of all Port is Vintage Port, and it is commonly said that a Vintage Port needs at least ten years of aging before it is optimally ready to drink. Some Vintage Ports can be drank earlier, but they all benefit from some aging. So be patient with your Vintage Port.

Which 2011 Ports will be available from the Fladgate partnership? First, they will produce a limited number of large formats, from all three houses, which will include double magnums and imperials. Second, the 2011 Vintage Ports from all three houses will be available later this year. Third, there will be a limited release of the 2011 Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port. The grapes for this special wine are selected from old vines on two terraced plots, Polverinho and Renova do Armazém, which are classified as World Heritage sites.  For more information on the Fladgate Partnership 2011 Vintage Ports, check out their website.

Will you be purchasing any 2011 Vintage Ports? If so, which producers? Do you usually purchase Vintage Port?

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Adrian Bridge, Fladgate & How Port Facilitates Conversation

"Port is the oil of good conversation."
--Adrian Bridge

After dinner, when people wish to relax and mellow out, is probably the most common time for Port to be enjoyed. Once it might have been just a group of men, ensconced in a library or study, smoking cigars and drinking Port while they discussed world events, as well as more personal matters. That probably still happens in some places however the general nature of Port consumers has changed, and both men and women now enjoy a glass of Port.

Sipping Port often accompanies good conversation, maybe a bit less inhibited than what would have occurred earlier at dinner. People might fear to discuss topics such as politics and sex over their apertifs, but at the end of the night, with a strong glass of Port, the walls start dropping. Few topics remain taboo and people are more apt to let their hair down, to be more willing to discuss anything. In that respect, it reminds me of an ancient Greek symposium.

Adrian Bridge, the CEO of the Fladgate Partnership, is one of the most important men in the Port industry and he was in Boston last week. I had the opportunity to dine with him and sip some Ports at The Top of the Hub. It was an enjoyable and informative evening, providing a glimpse into the Port industry as well as a deeper understanding of the man himself.

Adrian was born in Belleville, Ontario in 1963 and twenty years later, in 1983, he was commissioned into the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards. After serving in the military for five years, he took a much quieter position at an investment bank. However, in 1994, his career would take another drastic change, and he would embrace the world of Port.

Back in 1982, Adrian met his wife, Natasha, who is the daughter of Alistair Robertson, the owner and chairman of the Fladgate Partnership. Eventually, in 1994, Alistair asked Adrian to enter the family business so Natasha and he moved to Portugal. In 2000, Adrian became the Managing Director of the Taylor Fonseca Port Group which soon grew with the purchase of Croft Port and Delaforce Port in 2001. The company became reorganized as the Fladgate Partnership, with Adrian as its CEO. Natasha also plays a significant role in the company as the Chief Blender.

Adrian is not resting on his laurels and seems perpetually busy with new endeavors. For example, he created a new style of Port, Croft Pink, and other producers have since followed suit, producing their own pink Ports. In 2010, he opened a new luxury hotel, The Yeatman, which has already earned numerous awards for everything from their wine cellar to their spa. The photos on their website show an absolutely gorgeous hotel and the amenities include a Michelin star restaurant, a huge wine cellar concentrating on Portuguese wines, a compelling spa, and much more.

Their wine cellar includes over 1100 different Portuguese wines and I have reviewed their 2012 Winter Wine Edition, a list of 82 Portuguese wines that are available by the glass, priced from 5-100 Euros. Not many places have that many wines available by the glass. It is a fascinating list, broken down into interesting categories such as "The Groundbreakers" and "The Irreverants." Sparkling wines, Whites, Reds, Rosé, Port, Madeira, and Dessert wines. It is also cool that the hotel does not sell only Fladgate Partnership Ports, but also sells their competitors' Ports.

Though it might seem Adrian is a workaholic, he makes time to engage in one of his other passions, mountain climbing. That is a challenging pastime, and Adrian often brings Port with him to enjoy once he reaches the summit. He has even climbed a mountain in Antarctica, toasting the completion with Port, though his biggest worry had been the extreme cold freezing the Port so he needed to boost the alcohol so it could survive the harsh conditions.

In the U.S., the Fladgate Partnership dominates the Port market, accounting for about 28% of Port sales. Their Port shipments to the U.S. rose 11% in 2011 and partial numbers for 2012, through August, indicate another 5% increase. Aged Tawny Ports have seen very strong growth, especially to restaurants, as they seem to be an easier sell to patrons rather than Vintage Port. Port sales to restaurant have generally remained steady each month, indicating little seasonal variation. However, Port remains a niche beverage, one which many more people need to drink and explore.

Though overall, the Port industry has seen some numerical decreases, they have largely affected only the cheap, bulk Ports. The amount of quality Port has actually been increasing, though Adrian believes the Port business could still survive even without Vintage Port. While high quality vintage Bordeaux and Burgundy is made every year, Fladgate only produces Vintage Port approximately three times a decade. It is the fine wine collectors, those who collect Bordeaux and Burgundy, who purchase much of the Vintage Port as they are the ones willing to lay down their wines for years. In addition, the amount of Vintage Port is minuscule when you compare it to the amount of high-end Bordeaux and Burgundy that is produced.

Adrian especially noted a significant difference between Bordeaux/Burgundy and Port, summing up his position as "No fruit, no wine." Good Port, even Vintage, should still present a strong fruit component even when it is young. Sometimes though, when you have a young Bordeaux or Burgundy, those which are intended to be aged for a long time, they present very little, if any fruit. You are told you must wait to drink them, that they must be properly aged before they are drinkable. Adrian does not agree that is the way wine should be. All such wines should still present fruit, even at a young age.

What differentiates Fladgate Partnerhship Ports from other Port companies? There are a few different reasons and they can be significant. First, there is a different mindset at Fladgate, where they desire to produce Vintage Port from every grape. Thus, there is a careful attention to detail, a concern to treat each vineyard as if it were special. Some other companies view certain vineyards and grapes as only for their cheap, low quality Ports. And that may very well be reflected in how they treat such matters, never seeking to better the grapes, vineyards and Port.

Second, only about 1% of Port production is still done using the traditional practice of foot treading grapes in stone lagares. Of that 1%, about 60% of it is done by the Fladgate companies, and about 20% of their total production uses foot treading. All of their Vintage Port, about 5000 cases, is produced with foot treading. As they foot tread around 20,000 cases in total, some of that will end up in their nonvintage Ports.

They conduct the foot treading in six different ways, despite the fact it is very labor intensive and more costly.   Tests were conducted with mechanical treaders but they ultimately determined that foot treading worked best. They do not fully understand the reasons why foot treading works so well, and if they did, maybe they could replicate it. As long as it produces superior quality Port, they will continue this practice.

Third, an important element, often overlooked, in the production of port is the neutral spirit used to fortify it. Consider that 20% of a Port bottle consists of that spirit so it is obviously a significant factor. If you use cheap spirits in your Port, the quality of the Port can degrade with time, and sometimes quickly. Fladgate now acquires their spirit from a company in Bordeaux, a high quality and expensive spirit, but which they feel is essential for the quality of their Ports. Any item is only as good as the quality of its essential ingredients so that using a high quality spirit is warranted.

One of the biggest current challenges for Port producers has to do with spirits. Back in 2008, the European Union passed wine reforms which led to the phasing out of distillation subsidies. About 200,000 hectares of vineyards were pulled up in response. Without the subsidies, there has been a shortage of these neutral spirits and subsequently the cost has increased, and now may be close to 4 Euros per liter. Who will then pay for those increased costs?  It would be tough to place that cost on the shoulders of consumers, especially for the cheaper Ports. The higher end Ports are more capable of increasing prices without a significant reaction from consumers. Adrian seems hopeful that the shortage will peak in 2013, topping out the price increases.

As many wine regions seem to be concerned about climate change, I asked Adrian about how it affected Fladgate, if at all. Adrian doesn't believe it has much impact in Portugal, especially as Portugal is already a hot region. If anything, climate change might cause the weather to be a bit more unpredictable. Fladgate has not instituted any specific changes to their usual practices in response to concerns about climate change.

Their irrigation issues have more to do with cost than climate change. He explained that the Douro is actually a series of lakes and not a river. Runoff accumulates in these lakes so it is imperative to use less chemicals in the vineyards, so as to not pollute the lakes. In addition, all of those chemicals are expensive, another good reason not to use them. Adrian hopes to convince other producers to use less chemicals as well, though he wants to lead by example rather than just preach to his colleagues and competitors.

What does Fladgate plan for the future? Adrian indicated that they have no current plans to produce Douro table wines unlike many of their competitors. As they still see growth in high quality Port, they feel their efforts are best directed to continue producing great Port. He wouldn't rule out the possibility that could change one day, but it won't occur in the near future. They are continuing to develop new markets, such as in places like South Africa and parts of South America. On a smaller note, they have opened a new wine store and began creating wine clubs. Growth is coming in many different aspects of their business. In addition, as the Port industry consolidates, there is the possibility Fladgate could acquire more Port companies.

A question on the mind of many Port lovers is whether Fladgate will declare 2011 to be a Vintage or not. That decision has not yet been made though there is some optimism that it will be declared as a Vintage. Even if so, it is unsure how much Vintage Port would be produced, and it is likely to be a smaller amount than previous vintages.

On a more personal level, I asked Adrian about his usual Port consumption at home. Though he does not drink Port every evening, it is a regular element of his life and the most common Port he drinks at home is the Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny. That is certainly an excellent choice, one that would appeal to many Port lovers, and would probably convince many others to start enjoying Port. When Adrian holds parties at his home, he breaks out the Vintage Port, usually something from the 1960s or 1970s. So how do you get on his invite list?

After dinner, we tasted through five Ports, including three 2009 Vintage Ports (Croft, Fonseca & Taylor Fladgate), a 2007 Taylor Fladgate LBV and a Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny. The 2009 Vintage Ports were fascinating, as each was noticeably different. The Croft was bright and fruity while the Taylor was a bit more closed, though still with subdued fruit notes. The Fonseca impressed, a nice balance of fruit and spice, with a complex and seductive character. These are capable of being enjoyed now, though you might derive even greater pleasure after these have been allowed to age for a time. The 2007 LBV was pleasant, fresh and smooth, with tasty fruit. However, the winner was easily the 20 Year Old, a sublime Port which I have enjoyed greatly on prior occasions.

Grab a bottle of Port, gather together some friends and enjoy the conversation that flows.

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Rant: No Predictions For 2013, Only Wishes

Break out your crystal ball, look into its depths and envision the future. What food and drink trends do you see coming up for 2013? If you don't have your own predictions, you will find numerous articles making their own predictions. It happens every year but if you review the previous year's predictions, you will likely realize that most of the predictions probably never came true. Our prophetic powers seem to be lacking. It would be futile for me to predict a list of trends which might occur in 2013.

Instead, I want to offer my wishes for which trends I want to see, though it may be doubtful that these trends will actually occur. I believe my wishes address gaps in the local food and drink scene, and which present opportunities for adventurous entrepreneurs to capitalize on. Too many trends extend for far too long, becoming stale and trite, because they seem safe. I am hoping more people choose to take a risk by leading the way in a new trend rather than following others like sheep.

1) Bread Pudding: I am so tired of cupcakes, especially as it seems many are average or lower quality. A good bread pudding can put those cupcakes to shame, and bread pudding is so versatile, available in a myriad of tasty flavors. Maybe you would enjoy a moist chocolate bread pudding or a light bourbon bread pudding with caramel sauce. Why don't more restaurants offer this dish on their dessert menus? Why isn't there a local bakery that specializes in different bread puddings? Can you make a bread pudding out of all those mediocre cupcakes? My favorite dessert of 2012 was a Pineapple Bread Pudding and I would love to see more restaurants creating their own compelling bread pudding.

2) Meatloaf: I am also tired of burgers. I love a good burger but I think we are over saturated with burger joints, with even more coming in the near future. When is enough enough? Why not use all that ground beef and create some amazing meatloaf recipes? I admit that meatloaf never did much for me but The Painted Burro has changed my mind, showing me the potential of this comfort food. Their Yucatan Meatloaf was stunning, a blend of alluring flavors that won't remind you of the bland meatloaf you might have once had as a child. I want other restaurants to step up to the plate and create their own unique meatloaf recipes, recipes that will change the mind of even meatloaf haters.

3) Filipino Restaurants: There isn't a single Filipino restaurant in Boston and the closest restaurant appears to be in Quincy, JnJ Turo Turo. Where is the love for Filipino cuisine? This isn't just a Boston problem as there are less than 500 Filipino restaurants across the country. However, it can be a delicious cuisine, with a rich history, so it is very strange that there are so few restaurants. This is a great opportunity for a Filipino chef to blaze a trail in Boston. Bring on adobo, mechado, kare-kare and more!

4) Peruvian Ingredients: Peruvian cuisine is under represented in the Boston area despite the myriad of fascinating Peruvian ingredients which exist, from thousands of potatoes to numerous indigenous fruits. Chef Jose Duarte of Taranta, an Italian/Peruvian restaurant in the North End, has opened my eyes to the vast potential of Peruvian ingredients. He has created some superb dishes and I am perplexed why more chefs are not delving into the treasure trove of Peru, using such ingredients to enhance their dishes too. Let us see  lucuma, auyuma, panca pepper and more.

5) Sake: Sake seems to be growing in popularity, but very slowly. I want that trend to continue though I would prefer that the pace accelerates. It truly is a complex and wondrous drink with a rich history and culture. It is extremely food friendly and many more people would enjoy it if only they tasted it. I will continue my own campaign to spread my passion for Sake and hope others take up the effort as well. Come to one of my Sake dinners, tastings or classes in 2013 and learn why you should be enjoying Sake.

6) Fortified Wines: Sherry, Port and Madeira remain niche beverages, though they are worthy of far more attention. Consumers often possess misinformation about these wines and need more education to better appreciate them. For example, many think all Sherry is sweet yet a large portion are actually dry, like Fino and Manzanilla, and they are food friendly. Why not enjoy some oysters and briny Manzanilla? Port is great after dinner, yet it too can work well throughout an entire meal. Explore these fortified wines and learn the marvels they contain.

7) Spirit Paired Dinners: Wine and beer paired dinners have become commonplace but it is still a rarity to find dinners paired with spirits, such as bourbon, scotch, tequila, and rum. For example, Legal Sea Foods ran their first Scotch paired dinner this past year. I have attended several spirit paired dinners in 2012 and the pairings often worked quite well. People usually don't think of drinking spirits with dinner but they should give it consideration. Restaurants have the opportunity to present unique events by creating harmonious pairings with spirits. Show the potential to consumers.

What food & drink trends would you like to see in 2013?

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The Origins of Port: Part 4

"Sip your spirits and cure your cold, but I will take Port that will cure all things, even a bad character. For thee was never a Port drinker who lacked friends to speak for him.”
--William Makepeace Thackery

--19th century

Despite the change in the balance of power, English demand for Port continued into the 19th century, though the amount of wines imported from Portugal decreased. Between 1807-1816 AD, about 50% of the wines imported into England were from Portugal. This was a major decrease from when imports once reached around 66%.

War soon came to Portugal. In 1806 AD, Napoleon Bonaparte, the Emperor of France, issued the Berlin Decree, forbidding the importation of British goods into any European nation either allied with or dependent upon France. This was the opening move of Napoleon's Continental System, a plan to isolate his enemy England. England responded in kind, with the Orders of Council of 1807 AD, forbidding trade with France. Portugal refused to follow the Continental System, choosing to continue trade with England, which greatly angered France.

In 1807 AD, France crossed through Spain and invaded Portugal, thus beginning the Peninsular War. In November 1807 AD, the French army marched into Lisbon, reaching Oporto two years later. But, they were ousted from Oporto only three month later. France also eventually chose to attack their ally Spain, while England supported its ally Portugal. Fortunately, damage to the vineyards in the Douro was minimal as they were located in difficult terrain, not easily accessible to a marching army. France was eventually completely ousted out of Portugal and the Peninsular War would officially end in 1814.

Napoleon's great defeat would come soon after at the hands of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It is claimed that the Duke enjoyed some Port prior to the Battle of Waterloo, and as he was victorious the name of the 1815 Port vintage, which was an exceptional year, has become known as Waterloo 1815.

As an aside, the noted wine lover Thomas Jefferson drank Port, but he preferred his Port to not have any added brandy. As a consequence, as nearly all Port possessed added brandy, then Jefferson probably bought and consumed very little Port.

The Douro Wine Company, which had broken the English control of the Port industry, continued to operate until 1833 AD, though it was reinstated for ten year from 1843-1853 AD. Port production in the early 1840s reached a high of 100,000 pipes, with about 25% being exported to England. The Company's  monopoly on Port though started to irritate even the Portuguese so it was about time for a change.

In 1852, the Douro region was seized by Miguelites, who were loyal to the former King of Portugal, Dom Miguel. Dom Miguel had lost in a civil war and been exiled from Portugal in 1834. Yet he still had supporters within the country. The Miguelites held this region for about 18 months, destroying a brandy storage depot which also set fire to some Port warehouses as well. It is estimated that about 27,000 pipes of Port were destroyed, much of which flooded the streets and poured into the Douro river. The Douro Wine Company was broken up and other organizations took over its powers and responsibilities.

It was also in 1852, that odium, powdery mildew, started to affect the vineyards in the Douro, leading to decreased yields. Almost ten years later, potentially as early as 1863 though maybe as late as 1868, the devastating phylloxera arrived. Fortunately, the American root stock was introduced soon enough before too significant of damage could occur. Portugal weathered these adversities and the Port industry continued to supply Britain and other countries.

--20th century

It is interesting that during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was common for people to drink sweet wines, such as Port, with their meals and rather than just before or after dinner. That eventually fell out of fashion, though there are reasons why maybe it should come back, or at least be considered for some dinners.

The etiquette for drinking vintage port is also intriguing. Because of the likely sediment in the bottle, the Port is decanted, and many fancy decanters have been created for Port. The host will then first offer to pour a glass for his principal guest, who sits to his right. Next, the host fills his own glass and then offers to fill the glass of his guest on his left. The decanter then gets passed to the left, and each guest is expected to continue passing the decanter once they fill their own glass. If they fail to do so, they might be asked "Do you know the Bishop of Norwich" or "Do you know Jones of the sixtieth?" No one seems to know the origin of these questions but their purpose is to notify the person that they are supposed to pass the decanter.

The years directly after World War I were some of the best for Port. In Britain, Port demand was huge, with Port & Lemonade being the favored drink in many pubs. As an example, in 1919 AD, England imported a record of 7 million cases of Port. During the late 1930s, after Prohibition, U.S. started to become a market for Port while French demand was starting to increase significantly. But World War II changed everything, almost bringing the Port trade to a stop, and even after the war it took many years for the Port industry to rebound. In 1946 AD, England imported only 2 million cases of Port, a drastic reduction from its post-World War I levels.

As I noted in the first part of this series, in 2010, about 6.7 million cases of Port were produced, an amount which has been in decline. France is now the top importer, buying 28.5% while the U.S. only purchases about 3.9%, and it too has been in decline. It is time for Port to make a comeback, for a resurgence in popularity. It is time to consider Port as a wine for pairing with dinners, and not just chocolate and blue cheese. It is time to savor the delights of aged Port, from Vintage to Colheitas, from 20 Year Old to 40 Year Old. It is time to shatter the myths concerning Port and embrace this historic and delicious fortified wine.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

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The Origins of Port: Part 3

"Port is not for the very young, the vain and the active. It is the comfort of age and the companion of the scholar and the philosopher."
--Evelyn Waugh

--17th to 18th century

As relations between England and Portugal grew even closer, England began to acquire significant concessions from Portugal to help maintain good trade relations. This created an imbalance of power, allowing England to dictate many terms to Portugal. As an example, the Commonwealth Treaty, which was established in 1654 AD gave English merchants greater power in the the city of Oporto than even the native Portuguese. For one thing, the treaty stated that no Englishman in Portugal could be tried by a Portuguese court, effectively placing them outside of the law.

It is also during this century that some of the oldest Port houses were established, mainly by Englishmen. It is fascinating though that the earliest Port house was founded by a German and not an Englishman. In 1638 AD, Christiano Kopke of Germany formed CN Kopke & Ca Lda. It would not be until over thirty years later, in 1670 AD, that the Englishmen William Burgoyne and John Jackson founded Burgoyne & Jackson, which later would become known as Warre's. In 1678 AD, Mr. Croft from Yorkshire founded Phayre & Bradley (the name of its partners), later to be known simply as Croft.

During the final quarter of the 17th century, Port first started to become a fortified wine, similar to what we now know it to be. It is alleged that in 1678 AD, at a monastery in Lamego, a village in the Douro, monks first began adding brandy to their wine. This brandy helped to stabilize and protect the wine during shipping and was sometimes known then as "priest-Port." This should not surprise anyone as monks have made huge contributions to the creation of some of the world's best wines, from Bordeaux to Champagne.

The location of Lamego is also significant as that was where Afonso Harique's men first declared him to be King and he proclaimed Portucale to be a separate kingdom. Though some Douro wines would now start being fortified, it would still take a number of years before it became the norm. In addition, England still currently preferred French wines over Portuguese wines, though that would soon change.

In 1678 AD, England, despite its close ties to Portugal, was only importing about 108,000 gallons of Portuguese wine, compared to over 3.7 million gallons of French wine. That imbalance would drastically change during the next few years. Starting in 1679 AD, because of years of constant conflict between England and France, England decided to ban the import of French wines. This was partially in retribution for an earlier French policy that that had effectively closed French markets to English cloth. Bad news for France, as well as French wine lovers in England, but it would be great news for Portugal.

The initial ban of French wine remained in effect until 1683 AD and was then reinstated from 1689-93 AD. As a substitute for those French wines, England looked toward Portugal for replacement wines. So, in 1679 AD, England imported about 252,000 gallons of wine from Portugal, more than twice the amount of imports from the prior year. From 1682-85, total imports of Portuguese wines were over 3.5 million gallons, a huge increase. Even when the ban was lifted once again in 1693, a heavy tariff was still placed upon French wines, giving a significant advantage to Portuguese wines. It also helped that England was now acquiring Port, heavier red wines which met English tastes, and which they sometimes referred to as "blackstrap."

Thus, as the 18th century began, Port was becoming extremely popular in England and it would be a golden century for Port. The Methuen Treaty of 1703 between England and Portugal, a commercial and military treaty, helped to spur on the demand for Port. The treaty was signed during the War of the Spanish Succession, when England, Portugal and other countries united against a possible unification between Spain and France under the rule of a French king. The treaty lowered tariffs on Portuguese wine, as well as English textiles, mainly wool, and made it much easier for the English to acquire Portuguese wine while England was at war with France. But even when hostilities ceased, the treaty continued to provide those same low tariff benefits, making Portuguese wines more enticing.

The English power over the Port trade continued, and they used this power to control prices. In 1727 AD, English merchants formed a trade association and constructed the Factory House, also known as the British Association House, in Oporto. This was not an actual factory but a private gentlemen's club, where the merchants would meet to discuss how to control the wine trade. As one extreme example, it was said that some Portuguese growers, in an attempt to obtain good prices, had to prostitute their daughters to the English shippers.

During the period of 1717-1777 AD, Portugal shipped about 10-12,000 barrels of wine to England each year, constituting about 2/3 of all the wine imported by England. Spain was another significant supplier, constituting almost 25%. England only imported about 4% of their wine from France. So it is easy to see how much Portuguese wine was consumed in England, especially Port.

It became a sign of manliness of how many bottles of Port you could drink in one sitting, or during a day. It was a sign of pride to be a "three-bottle man," able to consume three bottles of Port at one time. There were even a smaller number of "six-bottle men." At an extreme, the classical scholar Dr. John Porter was said to drink thirteen bottles of Port every day. We should note though that port bottles were smaller then, had less alcohol, and usually plenty of sediment at the bottom of each bottle. As for alcohol levels, in the early 1700s, only about 3% brandy was added to Port though that percentage increased over time so that by 1820 AD, it had risen to about 22%.

Obviously Portugal was displeased with the power imbalance and would eventually find a way to wrest control back from England. Those changes had their origins in 1750 AD, when Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, the Marques de Pombal, returned to Portugal after having spent time as the Portuguese ambassador to London. Upon his return, Portugal King José I rewarded Pombal for all his good work, making him Minster of the Kingdom, essentially a Prime Minister. Pombal's position gave him much power, and used it for the benefit of the country in many ways, from abolishing slavery to significant economic reforms. In addition, he helped to bring about major changes in the wine industry. Obviously, not everything he did was welcomed or considered positive, but his impact cannot be ignored.

Because England wanted so much Port, the producers found themselves unable to meet the demand. Thus, some unscrupulous producers began to adulterate their wines, creating false Port, to meet the demand. Elderberry juice was a common additive. The English were smart enough to realize they were being scammed and there was much tension. Pombal knew that he had to remedy this problem and to do so, in 1756 AD, he formed the Companhia Geral da Agricultura e Vinhos do Alto Douro ("General Company of Agriculture of the Wines of the Upper Douro"), which was more commonly known as the Douro Wine Company.

The purpose of this company was to regulate the Port industry, to guarantee the quality of the wine, as well as to wrest control of the industry out of the hands of the English. The company also established the geographical boundaries for the Douro region, making it the third oldest protected wine region in the world after the Tokaj-Hegyalja region in Hungary and Chianti in Italy. But, it may be the first actual wine appellation, as unlike the other two regions, the Douro was also subject to government rules and regulations.

The regulations touched on many different aspects. For example, it helped delineate which areas could not produce grapes, generally those lands which were needed to grow corn, a vital food crop. The rules prohibited the addition of elderberry juice, or other adulterants, to Port and even required that all elderberry plants had to be destroyed in the Douro. Vineyards were divided into two main types: vinhos do ramo and vinhos da feitoria. Vinhos do ramo means "branch wine" and refers to the tradition of identifying taverns by seeing a branch hung outside of them. These are wines primarily intended for domestic consumption. The vinhos da feitoria were the higher quality wines, those destined for export, mainly to England.

All of the company's regulations helped to give Portugal back most of the control of the wine industry, which angered England yet there was not much they could do about it. They still possessed a great desire for Port so they dealt with the situation as best as they could.

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Part 4

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The Origins of Port: Part 2

"Port is deep-sea deep. It is in its flavour deep; mark the difference. It is like a classic tragedy, organic in conception. An ancient Hermitage has the light of the antique; the merit that it can grow to an extreme old age; a merit. Neither of Hermitage nor of Hock can you say that it is the blood of those long years, retaining the strength of youth with the wisdom of age. To Port for that! Port is our noblest legacy!"
--George Meredith in The Egoist

--The Moors to the Reconquest

When the Moors invaded Spain in 711 AD, they eventually made their way into Portugal, reaching the Douro by 716 AD. Yet, like the Romans before them, the Moors preferred to remain largely in the southern regions, maintaining only a few castles in the north. Despite the Koran’s prohibition against alcohol, the Moors continued to grow grapes and make wine. Though wine sales were technically illegal, it was still subject to an excise tax. Some wine was produced to distill alcohol for medicinal purposes but other wine was either sold or traded to Christians and Jews.

It is also evident, especially through their poetry, that some Muslims enjoyed drinking wine, despite the religious proscription. Numerous Muslims found creative ways to interpret the Koran’s words on wine, providing some justification for their wine drinking. Arabic wine poetry, called khamriyyah, originated in the 6th century but started to become more prominent in the 9th century. From the 9th through 11th centuries, wine parties became an honored tradition, very popular especially for the elite, the courtiers close to the Caliph. These parties were the origin and subject of many wine poems. It seems logical to conclude that the rulers were fully aware of these wine parties, yet apparently did nothing to impede them.

The Christians were eventually able to retake Portugal from the Moors much quicker than they did in Spain. The Christians started the reconquest in the north, taking back Oporto by 868 AD and Coimbra by 1064 AD, and establishing their own kingdoms in the north. It was during this time period that the seeds of modern Portugal were sown.

In 1093, a French adventurer, Count Henry of Burgundy married Teresa, the illegitimate daughter of King Alfonso VI of Castile and Leon. As part of the dowry, Alfonso VI gave Henry the County of Portugal, the region between the Minho and Douro rivers. Henry was an ardent wine lover but he was not satisfied with the existing wines of Portugal, which he found to be much too thin for his tastes. So it is alleged that he brought Pinot Noir grapes, which were later renamed Tinta Francisca, to Portugal. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that supports Tinta Francisca being related to Pinot Noir so this is probably merely a legend. The dissatisfaction with thin wines from Portugal though would arise again and again, eventually fueling the creation of Port.

When Henry died in 1112, his five-year old son Afonso Henriques was his heir, but due to his age, Henry's wife, Countess Teresa, governed as regent. It is during this period that the Order of Cistercians, Christian monks, established some of the first quintas in the Douro, including Quinta da Folgosa, Paco de Monsul and Quinta do Mosteiro. The Cistercians, also known as the White Monks, emphasized a life of manual labor and self-sufficiency so agricultural pursuits were very common. The primary purpose of the quintas was to supply local monasteries, though it is possible some of it was sold too.

Family drama and intrigue developed when Teresa remarried a Galician count, which angered some Portuguese lords, worried about strengthening bonds to Galicia. They did not want to be swallowed up by Galicia and it eventually, in 1120, led to some of those lords, including the Archbishop of Braga, to revolt against Teresa. Surprisingly, the young Afonso supported the rebels against his mother but the rebellion was unsuccessful. A number of those lords, including the Archbishop and Afonso, were then exiled, leaving Teresa in greater control.

Maybe she should have executed Afonso because he did not surrender his opposition to her rule. Two years later, when he was only 14 years old, Afonso started another war against his mother, hoping to reclaim his birthright. The battles raged on for several years until 1128, when during the Battle of São Mamede, Afonso finally defeated Teresa's forces. He then exiled her and became the Duke of Portugal. In April 1129, Afonso, later nicknamed the "Conqueror," was proclaimed as the Prince of Portugal, the leader of the County.

Afonso must have acquired a taste for war as he now turned his ambitions against the Moors occupying Portugal. In 1139 A.D., Afonso engaged a large force of Moors in the Battle of Ourique and won decisively. In the town of Lamego, Afonso's men declared him to be King and he proclaimed Portucale to be a separate kingdom, no longer connected to Leon-Castile. Obviously, King Alfonso VII was not pleased with Afonso's proclamation and four years of bitter conflict ensured. But, eventually Alfonso VII and Afonso reached an agreement and signed the Treaty of Zamora, which granted recognition to Portucale as a separate, independent kingdom.

Afonso Henriques, continuing to live up to his designation as "Conqueror," did not stop there and captured even more land from the Moors, reconquering Lisbon in 1147, and retaking Evora in 1166 and the Algarve in 1249. With the conquest of the Algarve, the Moors were effectively removed from Portugal. In comparison, Spain would not be able to oust the Moors until 1492 AD. Afonso had succeeded in his plans, now possessing control over all of the Portugal, ruling as its first King. Around 1179, Pope Alexander III finally recognized the new kingdom of Portugal.

--13th to 16th century

Britain, which would become so important to the development of Port wine, may have first started importing wines from Portugal as early as the 13th century, and those wines were likely white wines, possibly vinho verde. During this time, trade between Britain and Portugal became common and it eventually led in 1353 AD to a formal, commercial treaty between Lisbon, Oporto and King Edward III.

Within twenty years, ties between Portugal and England became even more solid. With the invasion of Portugal by Castile, and the Hundred Years War raging between England and France, the two nations had incentive to form a closer alliance. They then signed the Treaty of Windsor in 1373 AD, which is now the oldest diplomatic alliance which is still in force. This treaty has been reinforced multiple times through the centuries, the first time in 1386 AD with the marriage of King John I of Portugal to Philippa of Lancaster.

It was also during this century that England started trading a significant amount of fish, especially cod, for Portuguese wine. Cod, known in Portugal as bacalhau, was an important staple so Portugal became the primary market for England's fish. Bacalhau was even nicknamed fiel amigo, "faithful friend." Many of the Portuguese wines that were being traded to England were now red, but still very light, even though England preferred heavier wines.

In the latter part of the 16th century, a wine production center was established in Portugal at the port city of Viana do Castelo, with the objective of concentrating on the production of red wine for export to Britain. Soon after, Britain established a consulate there to protect their mercantile interests. In order to promote these Viana wines, British merchants even made the rather outrageous claim that the wines were prophylactic against the plague. Though they were certainly not the first or last to make such outrageous claims about the health benefits of wine and other alcohols. The only problem with the wines of Viana is that they did not travel well so the British begin to seek elsewhere, eventually finding the wines of the Douro.

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The Origins of Port: Part 1

"All wine would be Port if it could."
--Portuguese Proverb

When was the last time you opened a Port? Do you still believe that Port is primarily a drink for stuffy old Brits who smoke cigars? As Port consumption in the U.S. is very low, it is likely many of you rarely, if ever, open a bottle of Port. To increase its popularity, consumers need to know more about it, to understand its diversity, depth and deliciousness. The myths and misconceptions about Port need to be shattered. Why deprive yourself of such a fascinating wine?

Port, also known as Porto and Vinho do Porto, is a fortified wine (which means alcohol has been added to it) produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. The Douro is sub-divided into three official zones: the Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. The region contains about 90,000 acres of vineyards, and it is a very challenging area for growing vines. Most of the vineyards are located on steep slopes and the soil is a tough, rocky schist. Yet the region has a rich and complex wine history, extending back at least over 2500 years.

In 2010, about 6.7 million cases of Port were produced, a reduction of over 10% since 2007, and production has unfortunately been on a continual decline. It will likely surprise you that the largest purchaser of Port is now France, which buys about 28.5% of all Port production. In fact, France became the top buyer of Port way back in 1963 and has maintained its top position ever since. Holland, in second place, purchases about 14.2% while Portugal itself, in a close third place, purchases about 14%. Great Britain, which once was the primary consumer of Port, now occupies fourth place.

The United States occupies sixth place, buying only 3.9%, roughly 374,000 cases of Port which includes 107,000 Reserve Ports, 77,000 Ruby and 70,000 Tawny. U.S. purchases of Port have been generally declining from a high of 4.6% in 2006, except for a slight boost in 2010, up from 3.8% in 2009. So Port in the U.S. needs some support as obviously not enough people are enjoying the pleasures of Port.

A good beginning to your enhancing your comprehension of Port might be to examine the intriguing history of Portugal and the Douro wine region. In a short series of articles, I will explore some of the history of Portugal, the Douro and Port wine, from ancient times to the present. Obviously I won't be able to cover everything but I’ll try to describe a number of the highlights, along with presenting some interesting anecdotes and trivia. My hope is that you will get drawn into the history of this region and be inspired to try some Port.

Please note that some of this history is speculative, especially the more ancient history, and different sources may provide varied opinions on certain issues.

--Ancient Times

There were some native Iberians inhabiting the lands of Portugal when the first invading tribes, Celts, arrived early in the first millenium BC and these Celts later became known as Lusitanians. They settled mostly in the north of Portugal. In the south of Portugal, the ancient Tartessians settled, who also had created communities in southern Spain. Little factual is known about the Tartessians and there is some evidence that they might have been the source for the Atlantis myth. Legends also claim that the Tartessians possessed great wealth, acquired from rich silver mines.

Sometime between 1100 BC to 800 BC, the Phoenicians founded some small settlements in southern Portugal. For at least a few hundred years, the Tartessians became trading partners with the Phoenicians. But, the Tartessians abruptly and very mysteriously vanished during the 6th century BC. Though an explanation for their disappearance is unknown, there is strong speculation that the Phoenicians eventually grew tired of trade and decided instead to conquer them, claiming their vast fortune.

The Phoenicians may have brought the cultivation of vines to Portugal but that is still questionable. They were quite skilled at producing wine, exporting them across the Mediterranean and their wines were highly prized. They were not selfish with their viticultural and wine making knowledge, sharing it with numerous countries, such as Algeria, Egypt, Greece, and Italy. This enabled those regions to either start wine making, or hone their existing skills. If so, viticulture was mostly centered around the southern coastal areas of Portugal.

The Greeks and Carthaginians would later form their own settlements in Portugal and continued the winemaking in this region, though some claim that the Greeks, not the Phoenicians, were the first to introduce vineyards into Portugal. In any case, it is also thought that the Greeks and Carthaginians might have started to spread viticulture further north into Portugal, possibly even into the Douro region. But any such wine making was likely on a small scale, and it would take the Romans to ramp up production.

Around 146 BC, at the end of the Third Punic War, the Romans defeated Carthage, destroying their city, and later annexing their colonies. The Romans moved into Spain and around 137 BC, they crossed the Douro River from the north into Portugal and chose to name this region Lusitania. The actual derivation of this name is in question though the word "lusus" roughly translates as "game." There is a myth claiming that the name derives from Lusus, the son of the Roman god of wine Bacchus. If so, this could indicate the importance of wine production in Portugal to the Romans.

The Romans couldn't just walk into Portugal and easily claim all of the land. Instead, they met heavy resistance from the Celts, led by the warrior Viriathus. Sometimes referred to as the War of Fire, Viriathus was able to successfully resist the Romans for a number of years, having been defeated in battle by the Romans only once. He was one of the most successful generals to ever oppose the Romans, though many people today have never heard of him. Ultimately, the Romans resorted to treachery, and Viriathus was betrayed and murdered by a few of his own people. The Romans would then go on to conquer Lusitania though there would be scattered resistance for years to come.

As they did elsewhere in the foreign lands they conquered, the Romans spread viticulture through Portugal, though they preferred to settle in the south, which was perfect for growing wheat, olives, and grapes. Still, they planted at least a few vineyards in the Douro region to the north. Though much of the wine was consumed locally, some was exported as well to other parts of the Roman Empire. In time, all of these foreign provinces were so successful that Italian wine producers had difficulty competing.

In 62 AD, to protect the Italian wineries, Emperor Domitian enacted an order that half of the vineyards located outside of Italy, which would include the vineyards in Portugal, were to be destroyed. Fortunately, the order was largely ignored and was very difficult to enforce so few vineyards, if any, were eliminated. But it remained a law on the books until 282 A.D., when Emperor Probus finally rescinded it.

When the Roman conquered Lusitania, there was an existing settlement named Cale at the mouth of the Douro River. The origins of Cale are unknown, possibly having been founded by Celts, Greeks or others. The derivation of the name is also in question and one theory is that it might have come from the Greek word "kallis" which means "beautiful." The Romans renamed it Portus Cale, the Port of Cale, which is not much of a real change but it would turn out to be significant as it became the eventual derivation of "Portugal."

When the Roman Empire fell, a number of different barbarian tribes took the opportunity to invade Portugal. For example, the Suevi settled in the north, including the Douro region, making their capital Bracara Augusta, which is now known as Braga. They spent much time battling the Visigoths who had also settled in the area. Despite their battling, the various tribes maintained and protected viticulture in the region. As an example, in 850 AD, Ordoño, the Gothic king of Asturias, granted rights to own land and operate vineyards to a group of Christian monks.

Under the rule of these tribes, the region around the town of Portus Cale started to be known as Portucale, and sometime during the 7th or 8th century, that evolved into Portugale. By the 9th century, Portugale was expanded to refer to the area between the Douro and Minho rivers. Finally, by the 11th and 12th century, Portugale became known simply as Portugal. The actual city which had originally been Cale became known as Porto, to which it is still known today.

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Vintus Tour: Wines of Elegance

Is elegance the new black?

Vintus, founded in April 2004 by Michael Quinttus, represents a number of "family-owned, estate-based producers of hand-crafted wines." Their goal is to "assemble a diverse, international range of "wines of place" produced by passionate personalities driven to extract the maximum expression from their estates." Their producers are "are intensely attuned to their environments, emphasizing biodynamic, organic or sustainable viticulture and winemaking."

The Vintus Tour, a portfolio trade tasting, has been touring the country and recently made a stop in Boston at Catalyst Restaurant. The event presented 26 winemakers from all over the world, including France, California, Italy, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Australia, Hungary, and Portugal. Catalyst provided snacks, including oysters, delicious gougeres, cheeses and more. The tasting was well attended, and everyone I spoke to seemed to enjoy the event very much, finding plenty of excellent wine to enjoy.

My primary takeaway is that many of these producers are creating wines of elegance, not power. These are wines that seduce your palate rather than ravish it, that enthrall rather than coerce. These are wines that impressed me and which I heartily recommend.

Bruno Paillard, pictured above, owns a small Champagne House which I visited and reviewed last year. Bruno is a colorful personality, with strong opinions, and makes some excellent Champagnes. He poured four at the event, including the Brut Premiere Cuvee Champagne, Blanc de Blancs Reserve Privee Grand Cru Champagne, and 1999 Brut Millesime Assemblage Champagne. He also poured his Rosé Premiere Cuvee, which had been a stand out for me when I visited his winery. About  21% of the Champagne Bruno sells is Rosé as opposed to the 7% average for other Champagne producers. That speaks volumes about the quality of his Rosé.

Domaine des Baumard, which has been in the family since 1634, is located in the Loire Valley, in the heart of Anjou, in the town of Rochefort-sur-Loire. They produce several cuvees of Savennieres (which is Chenin Blanc) and they also owns vineyards in Coteaux du Layon from which they produce sweet wines, also made from Chenin Blanc. In addition, they produce a Cremant de Loire.

The Carte Turquoise Cremant de Loire is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, and sees lengthy aging on the lees in the bottle. It possesses a fresh, clean taste with dominant fruit flavors and a backbone of minerality. Rich, refreshing and with plenty of character. The 2008 Savennieres is their basic Chenin Blanc cuvee, which has a bit of a floral nose and a pleasant fruity taste, mostly peach and pear, with hints of honey.  The 2008 Clos du Papillon Savennieres, from a single vineyard site which resembles the shape of a butterfly, this elegant cuvee has a more prominent mineral taste, more wet stone, though there is an undercurrent of pleasant pear flavors. It is dry and complex, with a lengthy and satisfying finish. A very impressive wine. The 2008 Quarts de Chaume used late harvested grapes, with plenty of botrytis, and produced a seductively appealing, lightly sweet wine with high acidity, plenty of complexity and pure hedonistic pleasures. Another top recommendation.

Telmo Rodriguez, of the Compañia de Vinos Telmo Rodriguez, started in the early 1990s, seeking out to discover new vineyards, recover old sites and regions in Spain. His goal is to primarily use indigenous Spanish grapes and to farm biodynamically. He stated that he is more a "long distance runner" as his projects generally require 20-50 years to reach completion. In addition, he stated that he wants to be seen as a "taste of place" and not as a brand.

In Valdeorras, Telmo found an ancient vineyard called La Falcoeira, where he concentrated on growing Godello and Mencia. The 2010 Gaba do Xil Godello was very pleasing, crisp and refreshing with delicious citrus and melon flavors, some minerality and even hints of floral notes. It would be a nice seafood wine or a pleasant summer drink. The 2010 Gaba do Xil Mencia, which has a little Garnacha added, presents with lush black fruit flavors, spicy accents and hints of violets. The tannins are restrained and the finish is fairly long. A good choice for a summer BBQ, a burger or pizza.

From Rioja, the 2010 LZ is aged and fermented in cement, made with natural yeasts and sees no oak. Its rich, black fruit flavors are clean and compelling, with mild spice notes and a silky mouth feel. An elegant and delicious wine, showcasing the beauty of Tempranillo. From the Toro region comes the 2008 Gago, and the term "gago" actually refers to an "elegant bull." The 2008 Gago is made from 100% Tinto de Toro, a clone of Tempranillo, and was deep, elegant and complex, a powerful expression of the grape yet with plenty of restraint.

The final wine I tasted from his selection was the 2005 Matallana from the Ribera del Duero, a wine of which less than 300 cases are produced annually. The grapes are grown biodynamically, a careful selection from eight plots of old vine. The grapes are crushed by foot and fermentation occurs in open wooden vats. What an amazing wine, a silky, elegant, and complex creation which seduces your palate with its deep melange of enticing flavors and very lengthy finish. It is the type of wine that shuts down your logical senses and tells you merely to savor and enjoy. Highly recommended.

Another impressive producer was Ferrer Bobet, the project of Sergi Ferrer-Salat and Raul Bobet located in the Priorat region of Spain. In 2002, they constructed a cellar and planted vines in some of the coolest and highest altitude spots between the towns of Porrera and Falset. Currently though, they have been buying their grapes as their own are still too young. They choose old vine Carignan and Garnacha from organic farms and released their first wine in 2008. They consider themselves pioneer of a new style in the Priorat,  more elegance and finesse rather than the powerful, muscular wines you often find. I believe they succeeded in their attempt to produce such a style.

The 2008 Ferrer Bobet is made from 70% old vine Carignan and 30% Garnacha, fermented in small wooden and steel tanks and then aged in French oak for about 15 months. It was a more elegant wine, with delicious black fruit and spice flavors, silky tannins and subtle floral notes. It has an intriguing complexity that will tantalize your palate, and its lengthy finish will satisfy even the most demanding of wine lovers. After tasting a number of powerhouses from Priorat, it is a beautiful reprieve to find such a wine of finesse.

The 2008 Seleccio Especial is made from 100 year old Carignane with a tiny amount added of old vine Garnacha, and has been aged in French oak for about 18 months. It has a darker color, almost an opaque purple, and a deeper aroma. Thes black fruit flavors are more concentrated and its complexity shines forth, adding elements of earthiness, minerality, spice and floral notes. There is just so much going on in this wine, yet it too retains elegance and finesse. It might have been easy to turn this into a powerhouse, but the wine makers understood restraint. Both of these wines are highly recommended and this is a winery to watch in the near future.

Viña Errazuriz was founded in 1870 in the Aconcagua Valley, Chile, and they have received many accolades for their wines. I was impressed with their 2008 Kai, which is primarily Carmenere, from their best vines, and possibly a little Petit Verdot and Syrah. I enjoyed this wine as it lacked that vegetal/green pepper taste which some Carmenere possesses. Instead, the wine presented with delicious, ripe black fruit flavors and an intriguing spice palate, from cinnamon to black pepper. Complex, moderate tannins and a lenghty finish all made for an excellent wine.

Finca Decero is a relatively new winery located in Agrelo, a subzone of Mendoza, Argentina. The term "decero" means "estate from scratch" and all of their grapes are from the sustainably farmed Remolinos vineyard, which is named after its tiny whirlwinds. Located at an altitude of about 3500 feet, they have only planted red grapes and have an annual production of about 25,000 cases. A key concept for them is "amano" means "by hand," indicating their concern for their environment and the artisan nature of their endeavor.

Their 2009 Malbec offers good fruit flavors, some spice notes and plenty of acidity, retaining an elegant nature though the tannins are strong. Bring on some grilled meats. The 2009 Petit Verdot (Mini Ediciones) was impressive, with delicious blueberry, blackberry and jasmine flavors, more restrained tannins and a pleasing finish. It was suggested this wine would pair well with venison or lamb and I tend to agree. The 2009 Amano, their flagship blend of 65% Malbec, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 5% Tannat was superb, a complex and elegant blend with silky tannins, and a delightful melange of flavors.

The estate of the Disznókő Winery, located in the Tokaj region of Hungary, was classified in 1772 as a first growth property, and currently consists of about 250 acres. The wines from this region are world renowned, especially their sweet wines, though they do make dry wines too.

The 2001 Dry Furmint Tokaji is made from 100% Furmint, harvested before botrytis sets in, and presents with intriguing tropical aromas, delicious citrus flavors, some minerality and nice acidity. It has just enough exotic flair to make it more unique. My favorite of their wines though was the 2005 5 Puttonyos Tokaji, made from 60% Furmint, 30% Harslevelu and 10% Zeta. Golden amber in color, it presents with a mild sweetness, balanced off by a fine acidity, and the flavors are intriguing, with notes of honey, almonds, apricots, and more. Seductive and elegant, it would also pair well wiith blue cheese or spicy Asian dishes. If you want a superb dessert wine, then look no further.

Quinta do Noval, one of the oldest Port houses and dating back to 1715, has been a pioneer in Port production in several different aspects. They produce a full line of Ports, and you generally won't go wrong with any of their products. Their Noval Black is an intriguing blend of quality grapes that don't make it into their vintage ports. It is very approachable, yet with plenty of character, and excellent fruit and spice flavors. A great gateway Port for newcomers, or an easy drinking Port for those who already are enamored with Port. The Quinta also promotes the use of Noval Black in cocktails, and the Catalyst bartender created three cocktails with it, all which were delicious and well balanced. A versatile choice.

For myself, I was fully enamored with their 20 Year Old Tawny Porto, which is produced from foot trodden grapes. Such a hedonistic pleasure, with its silky flavors of nuts and caramel, exotic spices and dried fruit. An elegant Port with a lingering finish that seems to remain for you for quite some time. 20+ year old Ports just have such an amazing quality to them, and not enough people seem to appreciate them.

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Mohegan Sun Wine Fest: The Wines

Though I would have preferred more diversity in the wine selections at the Mohegan Sun Wine Fest Grand Tasting, I found some very good wines and I will share a sampling of my favorites below. Obviously, I did not taste every wine at the event so there could have been other worthy wines that I simply did not get the opportunity to sample. If you attended this event, and tasted some good wines that I have not mentioned, feel free to add your thoughts to the Comments.

The labels are eye-catching, especially if you are a music lover, though you might suspect they are mere gimmicks. The Wines That Rock, founded in 2009, is a collaboration between RZO Music, Inc. and the Mendocino Wine Company, and is "...all about pairing wine & music."  The Mendocino Wine Co. is very environmentally friendly, with sustainable farming, green power through solar & wind, eco-friendly packaging, carbon neutrality and more.

There are currently five Wines That Rock, including wines for Woodstock, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stone, The Police and The Grateful Dead. If you check their website, you can see the inspirations for these wines, the reasons why the music and wine are supposed to work well together. I have tasted several of these wines before, which generally retail around $15 a bottle, and they are generally good wines for the money and not merely a marketing gimmick.

Their newest release, in partnership with Grateful Dead Productions and Rhino Entertainment is the 2009 Grateful Dead "Steal Your Face," a  red blend. Their website states: "To capture the essence of the live energy of the Grateful Dead’s Steal Your Face, Winemaker Mark Beaman chose to meld several varieties into one. Just as the band members would segue through various musical styles, this wines far reaching flavors melt seamlessly from one to the next, blending Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel & Grenache. In honor of the band’s famous improvisational concerts that have brought joy to so many, this wine celebrates Mendocino County’s bounty of diversity and freedom of experimentation."

I enjoyed this muscular wine, with its prominent blend of black and red fruit, a spicy backbone and strong tannins. It had just enough complexity to make it interesting, especially at its price point. It is an easy drinking wine, excellent for BBQ or hearty meat dishes, or something to warm you on a chilly winter evening. As I am not a big Grateful Dead fan, I can't really say how this wine compares to their music. But maybe my friend, and devoted Deadhead, Adam of Wine Zag can comment on that.

I found two Spanish Albarinos, from Rias Baixas, each offering its own unique style. The 2010 Serra da Estrela Albarino ($16.99) is from a winery established in 2000, located  in the Condado do Tea subzone of Rias Baixas on the northern slopes of the Miño river. The chief winemaker is a woman, Cristina Mantilla, a common occurrence in Rias Baixas wineries. This Albarino sees no oak, and is crisp and clean, with more restrained fruit tastes, apple, pear and apricot. Its minerality is more prominent, kind of a flintiness, and it has a fairly lengthy and pleasing finish. A nice choice with seafood, from oysters to shrimp.

The 2010 Salneval Albarino ($11.99) is produced by the Adega Condes de Albarei winery, founded in 1988 and located in the O Salnès valley. It is a cooperative of 362 grower/owners, equipped with advanced winery technology. Again, this Albarino was crisp and clean, but its fruit flavors were much more powerful, a delightful melange of peach, pear and melon. Its minerality was more subtle, along with hints of honey and spice. It had a fuller mouthfeel, more voluptuous, than the other Albarino, and I would enjoy this on its own or paired with food, maybe something with a little spicy heat, like some Thai. If you are not drinking Albarino, then go find some to taste.

The 2007 Jose Maria Da Fonseca Periquita Reserva ($16.99) is a Portuguese red blend of 50% Castelao, 30% Touriga Nacional, and 20% Touriga Franca. It is aged for about eight months in new and used oak and has an alcohol content of 13.2%. A light red color and an alluring fruity nose with a touch of exotic spice. The flavors include blueberry, raspberry, black cherry, vanilla and spice. Easy drinking, delicious, and another reason to embrace Portuguese wines.

One of my overall favorite wines of the Expo was the 2005 Terre Rare Carignano del Sulcis Riserva ($14.99) from the Sella & Mosca winery in Sardinia. The winery was established in 1899 by two Piedmontese businessmen and it is currently owned by Campari. This wine is made from 100% Carignan, is aged for three years in French barriques and has an alcohol content of 13.5%. I found this to be a complex and interesting wine, a stunner at this price point. Spicy and bold, with delicious black fruit flavors, vanilla, a silky mouthfeel and hints of earthiness. I would pair this with pork, venison or lamb, or just savor on its own. This is a wine likely to end up on one of my Favorites List of 2012.

The Saintsbury Vineyard has long been one of my favorite California producers of Pinot Noir. The winery founders, Dick Ward and Dave Graves, made their first Saintsbury wine in 1979 and released their first Pinot Noir in 1981. Based in the Carneros region, they currently produce about 40,000 cases annually. Over the course of the Expo weekend, they poured five different wines, including four Pinot Noirs.

The 2009 Carneros Chardonnay ($21.99) is unfiltered, spends 8 months in French oak (20% new), and undergoes malolactic fermentation. The bottle is under a screwcap, and presents a tasty white wine with restrained fruit, spice and some minerality. This is a good example of how oak can enhance a Chardonnay, rather than drown it.

The 2008 Carneros Pinot Noir ($27.99) is a good starting point for their portfolio of Pinot Noirs. It might be their most muscular Pinot, with bright red fruit, a spicy backbone and hints of earthiness. A delicious taste, nicely balanced and a pleasing finish. Over the years, I have drank many bottles of this Carneros Pinot. The 2008 Carneros Pinot Noir, Lee Vineyard is a single vineyard that spends about ten months in French oak, about 29% new. It has less muscle than the regular Carneros though the fruit is still bright and there is plenty of spice notes.

Onto their more elegant offerings. The 2005 Carneros Pinot Noir, Stanley Ranch is an older vintage as the current one for this wine is 2008. This was a more elegant wine, very Burgundian in nature, which subtle red fruit flavors, plenty of spice notes and a strong backbone of earthiness. Its lingering finish was very satisfying, and this is certainly a wine to slowly savor, enjoying its complexity and style. A sublime wine evidencing the skill of Saintsbury. The 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir, Brown Ranch is equally as excellent, an elegant experience with less earthiness and spice. There is much subtlety in its complexity, reminding me in that respect of a fine Daiginjo sake. These are examples of some of the best California Pinot Noirs out there.

A squid picture on the label? And even a name based on squid?  Yes, it is catchy and kind of cool but is it a mere gimmick?  The 2011 Calamares Vinho Verde ($7-$8) is a Portuguese blend of 40% Arinto, 30% Trajudura and 30% Loureiro with an alcohol content of only 9%. The wine is from the single estate of Quinta da Devesa, and its name is intended to "...create an association with the unpretentious and relaxed nature of the region and its wines." This is an easy quaffer, a wine to drink and enjoy, without any need to think about it. Slightly effervescent, it has plenty of acidity and flavors of grapefruit and lemon, with some mild mineral notes. For under $10, this is a good choice, and pair it with light chicken dishes, seafood and maybe even cheese.

Moving onto Spain, I enjoyed the 2009 Tarima Hill ($15), produced by Bodegas Volver, S.L. and from the Alicante region. It is made from 100% Monastrell, the vines aged from 25-35 years, and the wine spends about 20 months in French oak. This is actually the first vintage of this wine. This is a big and bold wine, with lush ripe plum and blueberry flavors, strong tannins and hints of vanilla, cinnamon and raisins. It calls out to be paired with a big steak, and offers a good taste for the price.

Next up, a couple Grüner Veltliners from the same winery, Eder, which possesses 12 hectares of vineyards, in the town of Mautern in the Wachau region of Austria, and produces only about 20,000 bottles annually.These Grüners were very different from each other. The 2009 Eder Grüner Veltliner was very aromatic with prominent fruit flavors and good acidity. A relatively simple, easy drinking and fun quaffer. But the 2006 Eder Raubern Single Vineyard Grüner Veltliner (under $20) was anything but simple. The melange of flavors fascinated me with their complexity, with plenty of spice and floral notes, yet still with noticeable stone fruit components. Despite its age, this seemed still very fresh and it was a clear winner, sure to please any wine lover.

I found a couple nice Ports too. The 2001 Warre's Late Bottled Vintage was very approachable with plenty of cherry and plum fruit flavors, subtle spice and a smooth mouth feel. It was more an elegant style, with a lengthy and pleasing finish. The Ferreira Dona Antonia Reserve Porto was another elegant wine but its berry flavors were more restrained, and accompanied by tastes of dried fruit, nuts, spice and floral elements. It seemed more complex than the Warre's and was also smooth and very satisfying on the finish. Both Ports were enjoyable, and your choice of the two will depend on your personal preferences.

Australian wine has taken a hit in the last couple years, a backlash from wine lovers tired of overly fruity, high alcohol, and huge red wines. There is some truth there, that Australia produced a significant number of wines that met those qualifications, but there are also some very good wines coming out of this region. They just seem to get far less publicity and maybe it is time for wine lovers to return to Australia. A good starting point may be the Shingleback Winery, located in the McLaren Vale of Australia.

Kym & John Davey chose to develop a family estate that had been established in 1957. In 1998, they released their first wine, the Shingleback Shiraz, and their stated goal was to "produce affordable, quality wines that express the true character of McLaren Vale." I tasted their 2006 Shingleback Shiraz and was impressed with what I tasted. It certainly was not a fruit bomb and was a far more elegant and restrained wine, with plenty of complexity and a pleasant taste of black cherry, blueberry and raspberry combined with vanilla, subtle spice and even hints of chocolate on the finish. Good structure, nice balance, and pure delicious. It makes me want to further explore Shingleback wines, as well as seek out more of these type of Australian wines.

With the Wine Blogger's Conference coming to Portland, Oregon in August, plenty of attention will be coming to Oregon wineries. At the Expo, I encountered Jim Bernau, the founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards, who purchased the vineyard site in 1983 and planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. The winery and cellar are carved into an ancient volcanic flow and the soil is red from its high iron content. It is claimed that this soil is similar to "...the red clay soil found in the Grand Cru Pinot Noir vineyards of Romaneé-st-Vivant in Burgundy,.."  I cannot comment on that but I can state that their wines are impressive and I hope to visit their winery in August.

Their 2009 Pinot Gris ($17.99) was stainless steel fermented and permitted to sure-lee age for a time. It is crisp and clean with bright flavors of green apple, melon and pear with a slight herbal component. Delicious, refreshing and moderately complex. The 2009 Pinot Noir ($29.99), which undergoes about 11 months of French oak (22% new), is a delicious example of Oregon Pinot Noir. Ripe red fruit, hints of spice and orange peel, and a lengthy, satisfying finish. It is a more elegant style, offering a nice balance and good complexity.

The stunner though was their 2009 Estate Pinot Noir ($43.99), which is subtle and seductive, an elegant and complex Pinot which is sure to impress. The melange of flavors ranges from bright cherry to ripe plum, from cinnamon to black pepper. You need to slowly sip and savor this wine, to perceive all of the diverse flavors within. Well balanced, this wine provides an alluring finish that seems to caress your palate with silk, lingering long within your mouth. A killer wine, I highly recommend this one.

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