PORTUGAL has been sneaking up on the UK wine market for a few years now. Quietly, and sexily, they are coming for us with their indigenous varieties, fresh young whites and powerful, intense reds.
Having said that, it’s still mostly those in the know who enjoy these wines. You’ll seldom see varieties like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon on a Portuguese wine label, so you have to change your perceptions and instead embrace Fernao Pires, Aragonez and Tinta Miuda.
Even the first option on a google search of "Portuguese W" is not Portuguese Wine but Portuguese Water Dog. An undeniably gorgeous breed, but hard to fit into the drinks cabinet.
Join the revolution this week, and you will help to put to rest the days when Portugal was only known for Port and their massive contribution to the cork industry. Part of the problem with Portugal’s (and Port’s) reputation in previous years was our reluctance to enjoy a bottle of this luscious liquid over a night or two. Instead, we would inexplicably have a tiny glass with cheese and then leave the bottle on the sideboard for months on end before coming back to it and being disappointed that it wasn’t up to par.
Port is there to be enjoyed with friends on any occasion … even if the occasion is just "Thursday". Also look out for the white and rosé Ports now readily available in your local wine emporium.
Offley Rosé Port NV (Waitrose, £11.99). This is delicious and very refreshing in a tall glass over ice before dinner.
Barros White Port NV (Inverarity One to One, £14.49). The Barros is incredibly complex with notes of spiced apples, cinnamon and fruitcake on the nose and palate. The finish is wonderfully dry and refreshing. Try this one with ice and tonic and a wee bit of orange zest in the glass.
If you’re after less fortification, but you’d still like a decent thwack of flavour in your glass, try a bottle of the Cottas Tinto Reserva 2011 (Waitrose, £15.99). This is a blend of Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, and it will sit quite happily alongside sausages, burgers from the barbecue or a nice bit of lamb.
Another fabulous red for this weekend is the Porta 6 2013 (Majestic, £8.99). James Martin crashed the internet recently by saying that this was the best wine he’d tasted in 10 years of filming Saturday Kitchen. It’s really tasty and it will change your opinion of Portuguese wine.
To match Shirley’s plaice, you’ll need an aromatic, refreshing white. The Tercius Alvarinho 2014 (M&S, £12) would fit the bill perfectly. This bottle comes from the Vinho Verde region and is squarely at the front of the Portuguese wine revolution. It’s exciting, tasty, affordable and deserves a place with the plaice on your dinner table.
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow inverarity121.com
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