When most of us think about Portuguese wines, we think of either cheap rosés from the 1970’s or the sweet fortified ports from the Douro Valley. And that’s one reason many wine consumers ignore the wines of Portugal when they reach for table wines.
Another reason for Portugal’s lack of popularity is because many of the grape varieties are indigenous. Most of us haven’t a clue whether Touriga Nacionale, Trincadeira, or Roupeiro are white or red, let alone what they taste like.
Thanks to events like the Vancouver Wine Festival, consumers are being exposed to delicious Portuguese red and white table wines that are often excellent value for the quality. During this year’s festival, I was fortunate to attend a gourmet wine dinner at Wildebeest in Gastown where Portuguese wines of Herdade das Servas were served with a five-course feast from Chef Ian McHale’s kitchen.
To guide us through the wines was Herdada das Servas’ Export Manager, Marcia Farinha. Wildebeest’s Wine Director, Christina Hartigan, skillfully matched the cuisine with the wine.
Herdade das Servas was founded in 1998 but the family has been producing wine for 350 years and 13 generations. The winery is located in the Alentejo Region of Portugal, one of the largest of the DOCs (premium wine regions) in Portugal taking up most of the southern part of the country.
We began our Gastown journey to the Alentejo Region of Portugal with a Monte das Servas 2017 Rosé($20.49*) as the reception wine. It's a blend of Touriga National and Syrah to produce a pink wine with a fresh fruity character with cherry, strawberry, and raspberry notes and a dry finish. This still roséwas an excellent in refreshing the palate and awaiting the Portuguese wine and food adventure ahead.
Our first course was Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Parfait with brioche and preserved berries. Paired with this entrée was the Herdade das Servas 2015 ($27.49*) Sem Barrica Red.
Like most Portuguese reds, this is a blended wine with three grape varieties that are harvested by hand: Alicante Bouschet, a French import, Touriga Franca, an indigenous grape, as well as Syrah, another French transplant. Unlike most Portuguese reds, this is unoaked.
In the glass, the Barrica Red is a deep red with blackberry, plum, and cherry aromas. It’s a smooth, full-bodied rich red with a lingering finish. A very good match: a rich and smooth red wine meets a rich and smooth liver parfait.
The menu then switched colours and presented a white wine with Aged Gouda Ravioli, accompanied by black salsify, pickled alliums, and a fig leaf, to dine on .
The 2017 Colheita Seleccionada Branco is also a blend of four grapes: the indigenous Roupeiro, the French Viognier, the Spanish Verdelho, and the French Sauvignon Blanc.
It enjoyed a generous bouquet of lemon, apricot and tropical fruits and a crisp complexity ending with a dry finish; a great change of pace after the reds. And its acidity cut through the rich ravioli and Gouda and refreshed our palate for the next mouthful.
*Most of these Herdade das Servas wines are available at private stores like Everything Wine and Liquor Depot. Prices will be slightly higher than the hospitality price quoted.
Next week we conclude our review of an evening in Portugal at Wildebeest in Gastown. Till then try some Portuguese wine at an outlet near you.
