Wine with Leslie: Marking a revolutionary anniversary with Portugese wine
Two Portuguese soldiers reading a newspaper to find out the latest on the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. (Photo by Henri Bureau/Sygma/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Regular readers will know I like a bit of cultural context for my wine drinking, so it is about time we celebrated the Carnation Revolution.
Fifty years ago on the 25th April 1974 a virtually bloodless coup occurred in Lisbon, overthrowing 40 years of authoritarian fascist rule.
No shots were fired and red carnations were worn by the celebrating citizens and placed into the barrels of the soldiers’ guns — I would expect some bottles of wine from the nearby Tejo region were consumed in celebration.
Tejo used to be called Ribateja (banks of the Tagus) and is to the North-East of Lisbon.
We are more used to seeing wines from Alentejo, Dão, Douro and Lisboa on our shelves but this week I tasted the full range from a new producer called Vale de Lobos (valley of the wolf) imported by Matsons.
The estate is run by the third generation of the Cândido family and focused (as all Portuguese producers should be) on indigenous grapes which are sustainably farmed on clay-limestone soils.
I recommend two Lobos wines below but the full range is worth exploring and starts at just €10 for the entry level. The standard and reserva wines priced at €13 and €16 are also great value, as is the sumptuous Grand Reserva 2017.
Matsons also have new exclusive Dom. Fabre Languedoc wines which I will review another time, and currently have Le Haut de Dauzac Médoc 2014 on offer for the bargain price of €24 (down from €30) — tell Nic Sicot in Matsons I sent you.
Also below is a newish wine from the Douro that is just 11.5% ABV, part of a new lower alcohol range imported by Grace Campbell wines; it is very rare to find red wines this low in ABV. All my suggestions are making their debut this weekend.
This is the entry level wine from V. de Lobos with both red and white currently on offer at €10. The white is from fragrant Fernão Pires with key-lime and exotic fruit aromas and a tangy textured palate.
The red (Aragonez-Trincadeira-Cabernet) has spice-tinged blackberry fruits and a black cherry finish. Excellent value.
The standard Vale de Lobos Tinto is just €13 but I preferred this delicious Touriga for €3 more - brimming with violet scented black fruits, ripe and supple with a lush creamy charm.
The Lobos white is also recommend (Arinto/Fernão-Pires) - textured and weighty with delightful tangerine and melon character.
From the oldest wine producer in Portugal (they also own Royal Oporto).
This is just 11.5% ABV and mainly from Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) plus Tinta Francisca and Viosinho, the latter for fragrance.
Vibrant red fruit aromas, especially raspberry and pomegranate — juicy and bright, supple and lively, serve cool on a warm day.
Irish craft brewers can’t normally compete on price with the macro brewers (you know the ones, they have HQs in London, Amsterdam and Chicago).
However you will find craft brews on special offer in supermarkets and Aldi commission beers from the likes of Dot Brew, Lough Gill and Dundalk Brewery (whose Brewmaster beers have appeared here before).
This pours a hazy pale gold with tropical tinged citrus aromas, orange peel and peach touches on the palate, rounded, balanced and characterful with a fruit-bitter hoppy finish.
