Page 43 - Code de Vino, #17/23, a/w 2018

42 Feature Story Code de Vino #17 Code de Vino #17
Restaurant Guests of Quinta do Portal enjoy haute cuisine while admiring
the vineyards and hills of the Pinhão valley disappearing over
Haute-cuisine connoisseurs from many countries the horizon. We must also mention the gorgeous interior of the
acknowledge the talent of chef Milton Ferreira. Even at his restaurant, with seating for over 100 guests. The walls are
young age he more closely resembles a far more mature decorated with paintings by Belgian artist Daniel Hompesch.
specialist. This is an excellent example of the crossover His works were inspired by Quinta do Portal Muscatel, which
between culinary art and music; the creations of Milton he enjoyed so much during his stay at the winery and work
Ferreira can be best compared to the harmony of Vivaldi and on the painting.
finesse of Debussy.
Company wines
Quinta do Portal wines are characterized by an elegance and
freshness coupled with a crispiness regardless of the wine
type. Quinta do Portal makes the following lines of dry wines:
Colheita, Reserva, Grande Reserva, Auru, monovarietal wines
(Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca,
Moscatel Galego Branco), and a double varietal wine with
Sovingon Blanc. Red Mural and Frontaria are also worth
mentioning, as is the late-harvest dessert white wine from
Moscatel grapes.
The white aged Quinta do Portal Reserva Branco deserves
a special mention, as its first edition (2015) won the gold
at the International Wine Challenge. It is a blend of several
white grape varieties from the Douro region planted in the
upper terraces (more than 500 meters high) in the Pinhão river
valley. Fermentation began in stainless steel tanks and was
completed in used oak barrels, where the wine was left to age
for 20 months. The taste is very fresh and minerally. The wine
can be opened right away, but can also be left to age for
longer in the bottle. 2,400 regular and 120 1.5-liter magnum
bottles were produced.
The chef uses traditional products and local ingredients to
impress guests with unique signature dishes specially selected
for the wine menu crafted by enologist Paolo Coutinho. Milton
Ferreira is constantly honing his skills during business trips
organized by company manager Pedro de Almeida Santos.
Quinta do Portal (Douro Valley) 43
Port wines by Quinta do Portal Institute (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto). These port
wines are of the highest quality and have excellent bottle aging
The Branco family has been making port wine in the Pinhão potential, where they acquire a more complex structure and
valley for over a century. Both the port and dry wines of Quinta flavor palette.
do Portal excel with their elegance and freshness. The company
is one of the undisputed leaders in elite port wine production; Quinta do Portal launched such wines from 1995, 1997, 1999,
Quinta do Portal produces almost all types of port wines coming 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2011, while in 2003, two different blends
out of the Douro region. were launched, one of which, Portal+2003, made it in the
world's top 100 wines according to Wine Enthusiast.
Porto Alegre. 3-year old port wines with budget pricing.
These quality wines are good for first getting acquainted with Late Bottled Vintage (LBV). Similar to Vintage but have a
the Porto style. Available in white, ruby and tawny. longer oak-aging period (4 years), age in a bottle and need
decanting to separate the wine from its sediment. These full-
Extra Dry White Port. Extra dry white port wines served bodied red port wines are paired with cheeses and complex
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as an aperitif. Sugars: 33 g/dm . A straw color, floral aroma and desserts.
citrus and floral notes. Apart from Malvasia Fina and Gouveio, Single Quinta Vintage. Wines from the Vintage category
which is traditional for white port wines, the blend also
contains Moscatel. representing one of the six wineries of Quinta do Portal.
Quinta do Portal 2004 was the first Vintage produced,
Lagrima White Port. The sweetest dessert white port but Quinta dos Muros 2014 is also worth mentioning.
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wines—150 g/dm . Made primarily from the Malvasia Fina
variety (80%). The label with its reproduction of old icons Barrel Aged Ports (Indição de Idade). Elite port wines aged
is of particular interest. in barrels for a long period of time. They come in five different
versions: 10-year old white and four Tawny versions (10, 20,
Fine White. Classic white port wine from Malvasia Fina, 30 or 40 years of aging). Ten Year Old Aged White deserves
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Gouveio and Viosinho. Sugars: 88 g/dm . Aged for 3 years in special attention. It is a complex wine with a balanced
oak barrels, where it acquires its honey color, rose and peach combination of deep aged wine character, and a freshness
aroma with orange peel and almond notes. This wine is served of taste with aromas of spices and floral and light fruity notes.
at 10 °С and is a popular aperitif for a hot siesta. The blend features a rare variety of Rabigato and has a long
aftertaste. Paired with cheeses, crème brûlée and also serves
Fine Tawny. One of the best Portuguese wines in its category. as a good digestif.
Aged for 4 years in small barrels for additional oxidation.
The freshness of fruity flavors is combined with ripe nutty notes. 30 and 40-year old tawnies are produced in limited series upon
This wine is mostly consumed as a cooled aperitif, but can also special demand. These expensive wines reveal the blending
be recommended as a dessert wine for fans of light port wines. possibilities of old aged port wines. It is the classics that cost
the most effort and money. 30-year old tawnies have a stunning
Fine Ruby. A "live" 3-year old port with a fresh taste; aftertaste with an expected complexity and richness of taste,
aged in big barrels to avoid oxidation. Ideal for pairing with light while 40-year old wines surprise with their minerality and
vegetarian dishes, aged cheese, chocolate desserts and fruits. freshness. These are truly balanced wines and masterpieces
of enologist Paolo Coutinho.
Portal Pink. A perfect aperitif for fans of red grape varieties.
Made primarily from Tinta Roriz, also known as Tempranillo
in Spain. Bright aromas of tropical fruits and berries make this
an inexpensive drink for dynamic surroundings. Tastes amazing
in cocktails.
Reserve Ports (aged). These port wines are produced as two
different types. 6 Barrels—a blend of specially selected 6 barrels
of tawny aged for not less than 7 years. 29 Grapes—ruby port
wine aged for 4–5 years from old vineyards where several
dozens of varieties are grown.
Colheita. Aged tawny port from grapes of a single vintage year;
aged for not less than 7 years (for example, 2004 is aged for 8
years). These wines made Quinta do Portal famous in the mid-
1990's and earned it a number of international awards.
Vintage. A category of the best vintage port wines specially
marked as the most successful. They age for a short period of
time in barrels. The amount of this wine released on the market
is regulated by a quota established by the Port and Douro Wine