| If the subject of Portuguese wines conjures for you tired images of Mateus Rose and Quinta de Avelada, you will be as surprised as we were to learn what Joaquim Coelho of the O Marinheiro Restaurant at São Rafael near Albufeira has to say. |
| We asked Joaquim for his opinion on the latest trends in wine production in Portugal and were positively astonished by the selection he made to present to our readers. They are wines that you would certainly never expect to be produced from a Portuguese vineyard and yet they are as homegrown as a chicken piri-piri! |
| THE SAUVIGNON BLANC |
| Whilst its true origins have remained obscure, Sauvignon Blanc is internationally renowned as a French breed due to its traditional connections with the Bordeaux and Vale of Loire regions. Small yellow grapes produce a well-balanced, fine, elegant, dry, white wine with a very particular bouquet, especially in the first year, with hints of cassis, bux-tree and asparagus. |
| CHARDONNAY |
| Probably native to Burgundy, this is the most important of the French breeds and one of the most popularly cultivated grapes in the world owing to its quality and its capacity for adaptation to different latitudes. The grapes are small and golden and contain high sugar levels which produce an increased acidity. The result is a particularly well-balanced, full-bodied, strong, white wine. The bouquet is typically complex and intense; initially one may detect suggestions of dried and exotic fruits, hazelnuts and butter. Beneath these primary aromas there is, just detectable, the hint of vanilla resulting from fermentation in barrels of new French oak. |
| RIESLING |
| Riesling is the prince of the German breeds and is responsible in large part for the popularity and reputation of the wines of the Rhine and the Mosel. Some writers have advanced the, somewhat speculative, theory that these wines correspond to those of the Arinto in Portugal. The small, yellow grape yields a superior quality and highly aromatic dry white wine in whose bouquet one may recognize the scent of oranges mingled with acácia. |
| GEWÜRZTRAMINER |
| White Traminer, is native to the small town of Tramin in the Italian Tirol. This breed is cultivated in a number of European countries (mainly France and Germany) and also in the USA. The small rose coloured grapes are capable of accumulating high levels of sugar and in colder countries yield a moderately acidic, mature and full-flavoured wine with an intense bouquet reminiscent of roses and lichees. |
| CABERNET SAUVIGNON |
| Issuing from the vineyard of Bordeaux, this is without doubt the most famous red wine in the world. The small grapes with rich dark blue flesh and late maturation only yield their best when planted in soft, well drained soil, whilst the high tannin content of the grape's robust skin gives the wine its characteristic dark purple colour. With a powerful bouquet reminiscent of black currants and green peppers, the wine has the full-bodied flavour of wild fruits, having matured for a year in new barrels made from French oak. It is an excellent wine for enjoying in the moment, or for aging in the bottle to be savoured at a later date. |
| ABOUT THE AUTHOR |
| Joaquim Coelho is the owner/manager of the renowned O Marinheiro Restaurant which offers diners a wide selection of fresh fish amid a host of other superb gastronomic experiences. In fact, even before you get as far as reading the menu, his salad bar alone is worth the visit! |
| After enjoying an aperitif in the relaxing bar area you can take your seat either inside the restaurant itself, in the winter-garden or, if you prefer, outside on the shady terrace. A further great feature of this restaurant is that kids are very welcome, with a children's' playground with slide and swings in the garden and an area where paper and coloured pencils are always available. We were impressed. |
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For more information you can either visit the O Marinheiro website or simply telephone on 289 592350 and reserve your table. |
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