Approximately a year ago, the Secret Sherry Society appeared on our radar. An attempt to preach the wonders of sherry to a new generation of wine drinkers, its podium is a shroud of secrecy, well…sort of. The about page on their website states:

THE SOCIETY WAS FORMED BY A GROUP OF individuals whose primary concern was the artful dissemination of the secrets of their favorite beverage, Sherry. They believed that anyone could be privy to the secrets of Sherry, so, naturally, forming a Secret Society posed a challenge. A Secret Society composed of millions of people? The task seemed daunting, but the founders preserved and formed the Secret Sherry Society.

Since anyone could become a member, the bizarre initiation rituals of most secret societies didn’t exist. That slightly disappointed the founders, since bizarre initiation rituals are rather entertaining to witness, but they were more than compensated by the knowledge that there was now a forum for all things Sherry

Please note that we suggest you insert “marketers” in place of “group of individuals”, but don’t let that turn you off. Anyone who helps sherry to sell more wine is aces in our book! However, although the idea is interesting, and the parties look great, will this help the common wine drinker turn to sherry? I’m not entirely convinced. I know this approach is directed to a generation of young wine drinkers, but where is the promotion for the 40 and above crowd? My parents are a great example! They came to sherry much later in life than most, and now are mini sherry evangelizers to all their friends. That said, I see the idea and I like the effort. The main site is still content light and contains a few bugs, but there is plenty of potential if they can get some people to engage.

Now, let’s move onto their original site, which has me a bit flummoxed. Currently named, the “Secret Sherry Society Headquarters“, it’s a flash infested mess of mystery and suspense. If you have the patience and desire to see some cool graphics, this is a wonder to behold. I think they realize that this is far from practical, but if you aren’t familiar with sherry wines, it might be interesting for you. By navigating the twists and turns of the site, you can discover sherry history, recipes and other treats. You might want to open a bottle of sherry while you surf, as the load times are quite slow. Plus, if the sherry is good enough, it could potentially take the edge off while you wait.

I don’t want to be a downer. The Secret Sherry Society is doing a great job of trying to engage new wine drinkers to this often overlooked beverage. For this, we say: Cheers! Job well done!

However, I’m also of the opinion that for sherry to really take off, we might need to find a superhero, or advocate of sorts, to really spark its return to greatness. Looking at the site with its steampunk motifs and mysterious rincons, I hoped to encounter a rejuvinated Sherlock Holmes, or even the lastest James Bond.

Soon to be Bond Conquest: “James can I offer you a drink?”

James Bond: “Yes, make it a Fino, dry Fino…”

Ok, maybe not, but the idea is right: we need a Sherry advocate!

We met with Sonia Smith, programming director of the Secret Sherry Society, at the North American Wine Bloggers Conference a few weeks ago, where she kindly agreed to a short interview. The video is a little dark, unintentionally adding to the “mystery”, but the audio on Sonia is good and provides a better idea of what they are trying to accomplish.

However, before we posted this article,? I sent Sonia a quick note asking for a favorite drink for summer to which she replied, “In Spain’s hot summer days, the perfect way to cool down with the evening breeze is a crisp cool glass of fino or manzanilla. But I also love the rebujito cocktail: fino with Sprite or 7Up, fun and refreshing.” So why not mix one up before pressing “play” to find out all the secrets of the Secret Sherry Society!

Sonia Smith – Secret Sherry Society from Ryan and Gabriella Opaz on Vimeo.

A quick interview in the dark with Sonia Smith who is helping sherry to explode in the US market!

A quick interview in the dark with Sonia Smith who is helping sherry to explode in the US market!

Cheers,

Ryan Opaz

Related posts:

• Sherry Questions – Answers – Ideas
• Sherry to invest €2.8m in marketing sherry to new markets! Will they get it right?
• We're Sherry Educators
• Sherry Wine, is it a dying breed?
• Sherry at the London International Wine Fair (LIWF)

A few years ago, we visited a small wine shop hidden in the back roads of Lisbon. Having perused the bottles, we decided to enjoy a little wine tasting in the deli across the street, nibbling on a few stinky bits of cheese on the side. The waitress, who also worked in the wine shop across the street, asked us what we were interested in exploring beyond the traditional menu. Now, if you know us well, then you’re aware that we always ask for recommendations, preferring the more unusual and unique wines.

Having told her our thoughts, she responded with a tone of curiosity, “Ok, so do you like old Vinho Verde?” Whaaa? Huh? Hello? You mean that light fresh at times slightly effervescent wine from the north of Portugal, which is meant to be drunk young! But no, she meant old Vinho Verde. We drank wines going back 7 years, multiple lifetimes for Vinho Verde! Read about old Vinho Verdes here.

So why recant a story we wrote about back in 2007? Last month, I spoke with a Rias Baixes producer who argued that Albariño’s needed time to develop and mature. Having recently fallen in love with the 1989 White Rioja from Viña Tondonia, made with Viura, I could see her logic. If a white wine made from a grape as plain jane as Viura could elaborate drop dead killer wines, I could conceivably imagine that Albariño, with its intense acidity and expressive bouquet, could easily craft a similar wine.

Having tasted old Loureiro, Alvarinho, and Trexeidura in Portugal, I wants to believe, but to date, I have yet to taste an old Albariño from Spain. However, I did place a few bottles in our cellar to age, a trying a long process for someone who’s dying to dip into the bottle today.

A recent discussion at Jancis’s Purple pages, reminded me that I need to explore more aged whites out there (subscribers can read it here). Victor de la Serna, perhaps the most knowledgeable individual in the world about Spanish wine, argues that while it’s rare to see a wine age for more than a decade with success, there are examples. He claims that the “1999 Pazo de Señorans Selección de Añada is singing right now.” A wine that is definitely on our wish list!

When I lived in the states, my geek friends and I would talk about wines we had bought for the future such as a Bordeaux, an old Sauterne or a Chablis. The process of convincing my crew to experiment with aged Spanish wines wouldn’t be difficult, but this isn’t the case for the broader public. Old wine is a treat for the privileged few, something that the average wine buyer rarely gets to experience. Spain honors the tradition of releasing wines at the time of drinking; hence you can find old Rioja that is new to the market. I believe the current vintage of Viña Tondonia’s white wine is 1991, and they are about to release the 2000 red. This is wonderful, and if you look at the prices, also quite affordable.

But times have changed, and we lack patience for aging wine. Our impulsive, quick to satiate nature has also brushed aside varying flavors in the glass, history, lineage and storytelling. Savvy wine retailers who are not struggling to keep the doors open may be able to help, but the idea of buying a wine to store for 4, 5, 6 years before selling is not an all together desirable idea in the current economic climate. Personally, I suggest buying an extra bottle of something white the next time you choose a party wine! Throw it in the basement cellar, or behind the clothes in your closet, and try to forget about it. Maybe set a reminder to yourself (here’s one cool way to do that) to excavate the lonely bottle from a pile of shoes you’ve been meaning to donate to the second hand clothes store.

This debate about aging whites reminds me of my Grandma. She loves candy canes, vintage candy canes that is. She even has a candy cane cellar, believing that they’re not “ripe” or ready for consumption until the sugars have broken down sufficiently. She enjoys her canes slightly chewy, while still retaining its candy cane zest! Ironically, I see her point, but not everyone does. So now back to wine.

Why lay a wine down? In whites that age well, you often find a lovely cream and caramel nose. Think fruits that are dried, or baked, until the sugars begin to caramelize. In the best whites, you’ll often find a mustiness, like an attic full of old leather bound books, rich and layered in history. However, I also like the fresh zippiness of a new wine that’s barely spent time in the bottle, full of fresh fruit, flowers and acidity. Both are appealing depending on what you’re attracted to!

If you haven’t had an old white, you might not know if it’s worth it until you try it, but you will never know if you don’t take the chance. So go to your local wine market, look for a white with a full body, high acidity and/or sugars. Buy 3 or 4 bottles and lay them down. Now wrap a piece of paper around the first one with a rubber band. When you open it in a year, write your impressions down on the paper, and put it around the next bottle. Next year, repeat. Buy the end of your stash of bottles, you’ll know what has changed or hasn’t.

It’s fun, it’s simple, and it’s something you might not have done otherwise. Let us know if you try it!

Cheers,

Ryan

Related posts:

• Iberian Links Around the Web and Catavino’s September Newsletter
• Welcome Star Tribune Readers to Catavino, Our Humble Iberian Home!
• A Pitch for "Iberian Wines" – Not that Spain or Portugal will care to listen
• Catavino Jumpstarts the 2+1 Iberian Wine Survey
• Iberian Links Around the Web – EWBC, Peñín, Bierzo, and Portuguese wine!

Although we have written over a dozen articles on what you should experience in Lisbon, we have yet to focus on its monuments. As an Iberian wine and food focused website, whenever we visit a location, our palates tend to sway towards homemade recipes passed on from grandmother to granddaughter over generations; innovative culinary dishes; festivals highlighting regional delicacies; and of course, their vast and diverse wine culture. Historical landmarks generally fall off our radar when given only a few hours or days to explore an area, despite their key importance in telling a story about a people and their culture.

Consequently, when we received a video in the mail called, “Os Misterios de Lisboa: What a Tourist Should See“, we couldn’t resist sharing it with you. Based on writings by the acclaimed Portuguese author and poet, Fernando Pessoa, and directed by the famous Portuguese director, Jose Fonseca e Costa, the video takes you on a romantic tour of the city providing not only historical references of monuments in Lisbon, but also back stories on famous neighborhoods.

Born on June 13, 1888 in Lisbon, Fernando Pessoa came into the world with the rare ability to express himself fluidly. While the majority of us struggle with self expression, Fernando at the ripe young age of 15, won the “Queen Victoria Memorial Prize”, for his admission paper into the University of Cape Town. He published his first poem at 16, under the name of Charles Robert Anon (Anon was short for Anonymous), and left the following year to live indefinitely in his beloved hometown of Lisbon until his death in 1935. Fernando is renowned for his poetry, but was also deeply devoted to writing prose, drama, literary and political criticism, and philosophy.

The movie begins on the river Tejo, with a gorgeous view of the city from the choppy, clear waters. The colored houses blanket the horizon, with brilliant splashes of yellow, pink, beige, pale blue and white with bushy sprigs of green sprouting through the concrete scenery. The opening scene alone makes me want to go back, wishing I was lounging on a terrace along the coast with a fresh glass of espumante in hand. But over the course of the next hour, the pace intensifies, teaching me about 44 different monuments, churches, parks, castles, plazas, sculptures, museums and neighborhoods. Some, were simply mentioned as unique and interesting places, while others were explained in detail, with amazing footage of its interior and exterior. And what makes this video incredible, at least for me, is that I now know a series of locations that I desperately want to visit. For example:

• Camara Municipal: This is Lisbon’s city hall, also called the Paços do Conselho, which is absolutely stunning. Situated on the east side of the Praça do Municipio, and was originally built in 1774, but was completely burned down in 1863 and rebuilt in 1875. What makes this incredible, for one, are the ceiling decorations, created by famous Lisbon artists such as José Malhoa and Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro. The walls are wood paneled and covered in part with breathtaking wood carvings that only accentuate the lavish chandeliers and 30+ ft ceilings. Unbelievable!
• Convento do Carmo: Although I have visited this church once, I fail to remember the 16th century blue tiles, which I would love to see.
• Campo Grande: Over 1km in length and over 200m wide, to date, I’ve never seen this palm covered space dotted with rowboat filled ponds.
• Campo Pequeno: a bull fighting stadium that requires that the bull not be killed, but merely, thrown OVER the bullfighter onto its back through the mere strength and leverage of the bullfighter. Amazing to watch!
• Sao Pedro de Alcantara: Located on a hill in the NE part of the city, this park not only has a killer view, but it looks like a place I would love to have a picnic with a Dao red and linguiça.

On the negative side, there are a few aspects of this film that grated on us. First and foremost, the language makes a used car salesman sound tame. Comments such as: “3 majestically impressive naves”, “it offers animated scenes of lively interest”, “sumptuous organs”, “lavish woodwork”, are great when sprinkled conservatively in a film. However, because every sentence is a grandiose one, amplified with the dramatic tones of the string orchestra in the background, the movie can get rather tedious. I sort of felt as if at any moment, a drama would break out, and 13th century buildings would come alive with extravagant parades and acts of showmanship.

The second criticism is that the movie only highlights the old and never the new. Having visited Lisbon a half dozen times, I can honestly say that the new is just as enticing and incredible as the old. Take the Parque das Nações, which went through a massive transformation in the 1990′s as a result of the 98 World Expo, and is one of many new sites in Lisbon we love to visit. Mind you, we understand that the movie is based on the visions of Fernando Pessoa, which was clearly dated in the early 19oo’s, but we also think its important to at least mention the massive transformations that revamped the city over the last half century.

What’s absolutely brilliant about the project, however, is that they had the forethought to include a booklet that lists each area discussed in the film, along with places to visit around each monument, such as famous record stores carrying vinyls from beloved Fado singers, vintage clothing and shoe shops, restaurants highlighting traditional dishes, book stores devoted to poetry, hidden natural parks and so much more. All texts are provided in Portuguese, Spanish and English. In addition, you’re given a fold out map of the city listing every monument discussed in the video, along with an interior map of the metro system.

Dramatic script aside, the film is well done. So if you’re looking for a funky gift for that traveler or historian in your family, this just might hit the mark! You can order directly off their site through paypal, with shipping and tax included; or if you would like to win a FREE SIGNED COPY by the director, simply leave a comment telling us about your favorite experience in Lisbon. If you haven’t been to Lisbon, simply leave a comment

Cheers,

Gabriella Opaz

Related posts:

• Festival of Santo Antonio and Festas de Lisboa: Lisbon’s Biggest Party of the Year
• A Week Exploring Lisbon in Preparation for the EWBC
• Planning A Trip To Lisbon? A Food and Wine Lover’s Perfect Day
• Day Trips From Lisbon by Train & Bus: How to Explore Wineries and Quaint Seaside Villages
• Garrafeira Alfaia: A Classic Wine Bar in the Heart of Lisbon

Bacalhau is Portuguese for dry, salted cod, and referred to as Bacalao in Spain or Bacala in Italy. Today we take a look at it from a Portuguese perspective. Historically, Bacalhau was the staple for these three predominately Catholic countries during Lent, when meat was considered a forbidden food. And although the recipes have diversified and evolved, it can still be found on the dinner table of Portuguese, Spanish and Italian families in all its glorious forms today.

Although the fiercely independent Basques, from the northern region of Spain called Pais Vasco, lay claim to first curing cod, the Vikings had traveled to the Newfoundland in the 12th century and were said to have hung it in the brutal winter air until it lost four-fifths of its weight becoming durable as plywood. The obvious lack of refrigeration at the time warranted the drying and salting of meat and fish but this technique was also an ancient way for preserving nutrients in the codfish, whereby making it more palatable. Nicknamed fiel amigo, or faithful friend, the cod has remained an integral part of the Portuguese cuisine for centuries.

Yet, for a nation with a significant coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, and access to bounty of fresh native fish, it’s a bit perplexing as to why the non-native Bacalhau remains the star of the show! But as a result of its fame, I demanded it be the first meal I enjoyed when I first visited Portugal over a year ago. Interestingly, since my residency, I’ve only partaken a handful times over the past year. Why?  Because very few Portuguese I’ve met seem to like it! From young to old, there are those who downright detest Bacalhau, while others will just eat it out of tradition (or more like obligation) on holidays. I’ve had mothers and grandmothers prepare Bacalhau for a gathering, but fail to partake in their own creations; whereby leaving me with the delicious leftovers. It’s the American version of the Christmas fruitcake that nobody wants!

On the other hand, cod is a very strong flavored fish, only intensified by the curing process. But despite its strong flavor, I have to imagine that there are a considerable amount of Portuguese who actually enjoy this traditional dish considering there are 1,001 different ways of preparing it. Either the Portuguese were just trying to find ways of making salt cod more palatable, or they do truly believe it’s a wonderfully versatile food. I browsed over the website that features  “1,001 receitas” and there’s a version dedicated to every holiday and geared to every taste. You can boil it, fry it, stew it, grill it, roast it, make it into meatballs or mash it into a pulp! They have regionally specific Bacalhau recipes, “healthy” Bacalhau preparations and recipes featuring fresh, unsalted codfish.

If you visit Portugal, I suggest the following 3 dishes, both because they’re easy to find on any Portuguese menu, and because I find them to be the tastiest:

Bacalhau à Brás: This Bacalhau dish is by far my favorite, and the one I first enjoyed when first stepping upon Portuguese soil. The codfish is cooked up in a “fried rice” style with strips of potato, onion and scrambled egg and garnished with some delicious jumbo Portuguese black olives. The flavor is sumptious and far from overpowering.

Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá: This dish uses virtually the same ingredients as Bacalhau à Brás, but the fish is soaked in milk beforehand and roasted in the oven as a casserole with diced potato and hard-boiled egg. A little on the lighter side in flavor but still tasty and healthier!

Bacalhau com Natas: “Bacalhau with Cream” Literally a potato gratin of Bacalhau made with both cream and béchamel. So if you’re a potato gratin lover, you may like this stronger flavored seafood version, which sometimes includes whole shrimp. Heartwarming and rich.

In the end, although I want to suggest that everyone try the traditional Portuguese bacalhau, I can’t help but ask you to remain cautious, as the codfish, due to overfishing, has decreased in numbers by massive amounts. Today, it’s estimated that offshore cod stocks are at one per cent of what they were in 1977.  If we are to preserve the Portuguese heritage, I can only ask that you do a bit of research beforehand, finding the best place to enjoy this delectable dish, but to then savor the myriad of other dishes Portuguese has to offer beyond Bacalhau; whereby allowing everyone to enjoy the same experience well into the future!

To Portugal’s Fiel Amigo,

Andrea Smith

Editors note: If you want to learn more about Bacalhau’s history DO NOT MISS the book Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the Worldby Mark Kurlansky one of our favorites.

Related posts:

• A Belem Lunch with a Portuguese White Wine
• The Foundation of Portuguese Table Wines
• Publicize Spanish and Portuguese Wine Events in Your Neighborhood on Catavino's Calendar!
• Suck it Up and do What the Portuguese do, Eat Caracois!
• Catavino Tasting Portuguese Wines in Oporto at Essencia do Vinho

If I say “D.O. Arribes“, what comes to mind? Most likely, very little, especially when considering that few Spaniards have even heard of this region. D.O Arribes is one of a handful of new D.O.s in the north central political region of Castilla y Leon, Spain, which has taken on a “quality wine region” status only in the last few years. And until I took a brief jaunt through this unbelievably beautiful wine region, did I actually give it the attention it so rightfully deserves.

In total, there are 750 hectares of vines planted in D.O. Arribes, which spill across both the borders of Salamanca and Zamora provinces at altitudes between 150-700 meters. Here, the land defines itself by two very distinguishing factors: high flat ground and steep terraced land sweeping down into the majestic Duero and Tormes rivers. And interestingly enough, it was at the intersection of these two rivers where I had the opportunity to lay my hands on the powdery fine granite and quartz soils, inhaling the floral scent of blossoming almonds trees, in the 2,000 year old town of Formoselle, when I truly fell in the love with D.O. Arribes.

Maybe it was the small stone walls sweeping across the region like a maze, some of which housed the sheep famous for the region’s elegant and soft artisanal cheeses that caught my heart, or even the old gnarly vines stretching across the miles upon miles of stark, infertile land. But more than likely, it was the passionate and devoted farmers and winemakers who have worked this soil for ages, believing in its potential as quality winemaking region, which truly made an impression on me.

Like most of Castilla y Leon, D.O. Arribes has been known as a red wine producing area, championed by the indigenous grape to the medieval town of Fermoselle, Juan Garcia. Benefiting from smaller yields and modern winemaking practices, this grape generally produces young light reds that tend to take on a flavor profile truly unique onto themselves. Other principal red grapes include Rufete and Tempranillo – also called, Tinto Madrid and Tinta Serrana, while Garnacha, Mencia, Bruñal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah and Bastardillo Chico are considered complementary grapes. Aging requirements for Crianza wines are 2 years with a minimum of 6 months in oak; Reserva wines are 2 years with a minimum of 1 year in oak; and Gran Reserva are 3 years with 2 years in oak.

Rosados must be produced of at least 60% Tempranillo, Rufete and Juan Garcia grapes, with the remainder comprised of either white or red grapes authorized by the Denominacion de Origin.

As for the whites of D.O. Arribes, they are absolutely worth your time. All wines must be produced with a minimum of 60% Malvasia, and may be blended with Verdejo, Albillo and Puesta en Cruz. For me, these wines tended to be fresh, crisp white wines with a lovely mineral and tropical fruit profile that provide the perfect accompaniment to the traditional foods of the region.

This region also boasts of one of the largest protected parks in Europe called, Parque Natural Arribes del Duero, covering 191.255 hectares of land! And although I didn’t have the opportunity to explore this park, or every one of the 14 wine producers in the region, my curiosity has been sparked, and will hopefully inspire another trip in the near future!

Cheers,

Gabriella Opaz

Asociación ‘Vino de Calidad de Arribes’
Address: c/de la Almofea, 95   37175 PEREÑA DE LA RIBERA (Salamanca)
Telephone: +34 923 573 413
Fax: +34 923 573 209
Email: vtarribesduero@verial.es
Web Page: http://www.vinoarribesduero.com

Related posts:

• Ribera del Duero to become DOCa – WHOooPEEE
• Castilla y León: A Rather Unsuspecting White Wine Region
• A 4 Day Whirlwind Wine Adventure Through Castilla y León
• What does Rioja, Jancis Robinson and 65 DOs have in Common?
• Our Visit to DO Montsant and the Spanish Bodega – Laurona

Wine events and young children aren’t a natural mix most of the time, but there are exceptions.  The recent XXI Mostra de vins, caves i licors i XVIII d’aliments tradicionals de la Comunitat Valenciana certainly was.  (Nice short title for it, don’t you think?)  This hefty name in the Valencian dialect of Catalan simply means: The twenty-first sampling of wines, sparkling wines and liqueurs, and the eighteenth sampling of traditional foods of the greater Community of Valencia.  The good thing is that the drinks and food being sampled were easier to swallow than the event’s name.

The setting for this event was the area commonly referred to here as el río – the river.  For those of you who haven’t visited Valencia, it will be hard to imagine just how fantastic the dry riverbed of the Turia is.  After a severe flood in the late 1950s, the river that had surrounded the city for centuries was diverted, leaving a vast tract of land exposed where once the waters had flowed.  Although I’m sure that there were some people who grieved for the loss of the river, the gigantic park that has replaced it truly is a wonder.

Katie, Oscar and I have spent hours wandering through the meandering riverbed.  it’s wide enough to house two football pitches with ample room for pedestrian and cyclist traffic between them, though the majority of its 7km are not dedicated to sports fields.  There are children’s parks, fountains, sculptures and beautifully landscaped gardens.  And from the 2nd to 5th of April, there were also hundreds of local producers of wine and food offering their wares for a token fee.  Who could ask for more?

Spoiled for choice

While Oscar, age three, made friends and played with the selection of toys we had brought from home, Katie and I selected the stalls that most appealed to us.  For 10 Euros we were each provided with a small dish, a wine glass, and five tickets each for food and wine.  With so many wineries from the region present, it was difficult to decide what to try.  In the end, we went back again and again for a total of three visits to the four-day event.  On the fourth day we just couldn’t do it, even though there were still dozens if not hundreds of wines that we hadn’t yet sampled.  Too much of a good thing…

The food offering wasn’t quite as interesting as the wine; most options revolved around typical Valencian deli meats which were enjoyable but not varied enough to inspire real enthusiasm.  There were some good cheeses on offer as well and a bakery with both sweet and savoury options and – Oscar’s favourite – a chocolatería.   Some stalls were dedicated to olive oil as well, but our focus remained the wine.  (I couldn’t even part with a ticket in exchange for some anis from Alicante, which I was curious about.)

I couldn’t possibly describe all of the wines that we tried here, but I will say that we did end up spending a lot of time in front of the Bodegas Los Frailes stand.  We even managed to sample their Moma wine (50% Monastrell and 50% Marselan), which wasn’t available to try, only to purchase.   (Thanks Miguel!)

Impressive

We’ve been to a number of public wine events but were quite impressed with this one.  Despite the rain on the first evening (there were coverings, but things got crowded) everyone seemed in good spirits.  That makes sense given the consumption of vino, but the restraint that almost everyone displayed was refreshing to see compared with similar occasions in Canada, for example.  Sure, there were a lot of tipsy people, but it all seemed quite civilized and controlled, which was great. (Flickr Photo by Anne Mead)

We also preferred the structure of this event to that of a similar festival in Barcelona last summer.  The Catalonian wine event was quite similar (stalls where you could trade tickets for wine and food) but there, the number of tickets for a sampling of wine varied from one to four.  Here in Valencia we only saw one stall that asked for two tickets for their high-end red and a friend of ours managed to get his for just one ticket regardless.  An open environment like that makes it easier for people to try the wines without prejudice, at least in my opinion.

In a wine region that is working hard to reinvent itself, this kind of event seems the perfect way to inspire locals and visitors alike to investigate the area’s vinicultural offering.  Since coming to Valencia I have been learning more and more about the hidden gems that its wineries offer.  I don’t think that they will remain hidden for long.

Saludos,

Ivan Larcombe

Ivan loves wine and food almost as much as he loves writing about them. Next on the list is hearing from interested readers: he welcomes comments and visitors to his blog, Ivan In Valencia.

Related posts:

• Wine Bloggers Dinner during Alimentaria in BCN, Hosted by Bodegas Tintoralba
• Cien Vino's Tapas Bar
• Spanish Wine Tasting, Part 2: A Welcoming, Friendly Affair in Valencia
• Catavino is Attending the II International Conference on Climate Change and Wine
• The Foundation of Portuguese Table Wines

Last week, we mentioned a fun little wine shop called Vinhos & Coisas, which happens to be located not a block away from yet another fantastic wine shop called Wine O’Clock. Founded in 2006 by wine enthusiast, António Nora; wine collector, Francisco Freitas; and soccer player and wine lover, Pedro Emanuel, Wine O’Clock is a super swanky two tierred wine shop lined with dark hardwood floors, large flatscreen TVs and computer monitors for you to peruse their website at your leisure.

Wine O’Clock consists of 3 stores located in Matosinhos – just north of Porto, Aveiro – just south of Porto, and Lisbon, with plans to open two more shops in 2010 in both Lisbon and the Algarve, if the economy permits. There is also whisperings of further expansion into the UK, Angola, Holland, Belgium and Spain.

The mission behind Wine O’Clock is to provide a wide range of international wines at, or near, supermarket prices, which is savvy strategy considering the current economic situaton. Stocking over 3,000 wines, of which 70% is Portuguese (primarily from the Douro and Alentejo) and 30% is foreign (primarily from Argentina, Chile, Australia and Champagne), Wine O’Clock aims to provide the customer attentive customer service, a wide range of tastings and ample information on wine, as seen by their impressive website, which is easy to maneauver, simple and attractive. Although currently limited to Portuguese, feel free to email the store with any questions you have in either English or Spanish, as the staff is said to be well versed in both languages.

Another interesting and unique feature of Wine O’Clock is their rotating sponsor section, allowing wineries to contract space within the store to use it as they see fit. Neither Ryan, nor I, have ever seen a wine retail shop use their space in such an innovative manner. Depending on how the winery uses the space, it has the potential of educating the consumer about the winery in a very unique and personalized way.

If I had one complaint of the store, it would be their focus on Douro and Alentejo wines of Portugal. Although I can’t argue with what market demands, as a wine educator, I can always hope that retailers want to exploit all the fantastic regions and styles of Portugal. Like Rioja within Spain, the Douro and the Alentejo get the majority of the limelight, which shadows fantastic regions like Vinho Verde, the Dao and the Bairrada.

However, this shouldn’t dissuade you from visiting. Fun, modern and interactive, Wine O’Clock is absolutely worth a visit on your next trip to Porto.

Enjoy Ryan’s interview of António Nora below!

Cheers,

Gabriella Opaz

Wine O’Clock
Rua de Sousa Aroso, 297
4450-298 Matosinhos
Tel: +351 229 363 127
Fax: +351 229 397 269
contacto@wineoclock.com.pt

Wine o’Clock – Matosinhos, Portugal from ryan opaz on Vimeo.

Catavino visit the wine shop, Wine o’Clock, and recieves a couple of recommendations.

Related posts:

• Vinho & Coisas: A Unique and Innovative Wine Shop near Porto, Portugal
• Catavino’s Favorite Trips of 2008 – It’s been a great Iberian Wine Year
• Vinarium: A Novelty of a Wine Shop Utilizing Social Media in Madrid
• Book Review – The Wine and Food Lover's Guide to Portugal
• Great Wine Capitals – Spain has Rioja, Portugal has Oporto – A few questions answered by Thomas Perry

Best part of doing this job is the people you meet. Winemakers, wine writers, fellow bloggers, and so many others, Gabriella and I feel blessed to have a chance to discuss wine, life and anything else that comes to mind with such a diverse group of people.This past week we had the true pleasure of hanging out with a new friend, Sarah Ahmed (aka ”- The Wine Detective). She has recently been chosen as the Portuguese Wine Awards, Wine Writer of the Year 2009. What this means is that next year, she will be selecting the top 50 Portuguese wines as she sees them for a special tasting to be held in London. Last year’s winner was Jamie Goode, who’s top 50 Portuguese wines sounded quite nice.

She write’s regularly for: The World of Fine Wine, Harpers (the Wine and Spirit Weekly), Decanter, Imbibe and Wine & Spirit and have contributed to the wine publications The World Atlas of Wine, Hugh Johnson‘s Pocket Wine Book, Oz Clarke’s Pocket Wine Book and Hugh Johnson’s & Neil Beckett’s “1001 Wines you must drink before you die.” But beyond that she’s incredbily sharp, and fun to talk to. The most exciting part is that we think we have her somewhat, almost, pretty darn close on the idea of jumping on twitter and starting a blog. If she does wine lovers will be better informed because of it.

Below is a short interview I did with her at the end of Essencia do Vinho, purple stained teeth and all!
Cheers,

Ryan Opaz

Sarah Ahmed, The Wine Detective on Portuguese Wine from ryan opaz on Vimeo.

Catavino sits down with Sarah Ahmed to learn her thoughts on Portuguese wines.

Related posts:

• Catavino Tasting Portuguese Wines in Oporto at Essencia do Vinho
• The Foundation of Portuguese Table Wines
• Interpreting the Portuguese Wine Label
• Portuguese Wine Retailer, Vitor Mendes, and his Passion for Portuguese Wine
• 2 Fantastic White Mono-varietal Portuguese Wines

Founded in 2004, Vinho & Coisas is a small and intimate wine shop situated along the Portuguese coast in Matosinhos, nestled just north of Porto near Parque de Cidade. Managed by Ivone Ribeiro, an individual whose passion is visceral and expressive the minute she walks in the door, with toddler in hand, Vinho & Coisas speaks of a delicate mix of both professionalism and education.

“Our goal is to get people excited about wine. For example, we have free tastings where everyone brings a bottle priced between 5 to 10 euros. And regardless as to where bought the bottle, after we all taste one another’s contribution, everyone can take home a bottle from our shop valued at the same price as the bottle they brought. In the end, we not only get to try something interesting and new from our customers, but our customers equally challenge themselves to take home something intriguing as well.”

An innovative and exciting idea highlighted in the diversity of wines available on her 2,500 bottle shelf. Ranging throughout Portugal and into France, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, and even Spain (note my giddy excitement here), to name a few, the selection is notable. “We want to customers to trust us, and break out of their norm. And if they don’t like the bottle, they are welcome to return it to us in exchange for something different.”

Although not a surprise coming from the Rioja laden land of Spain, most of Ivone’s customers are primarily focused on the currently popular Douro and Aletejano wines. However, what did send me a for a loop was the fact that not only did her customers tend to use sherry wine for cooking (I think I covered my ears at that point and curled myself into a ball in anguish), but that they tended to have a rather curious sweet tooth. “We sell many more sweet wines from the Douro and Setubul, than we do of Port or Madeira wines. There just isn’t a market for it right now.” Knowing very little about Madeira, as we have yet to make a trip to the famous island, I’m sympathetic to their preferences, but port wine?! In the town of Porto, how could it be that local wine lovers aren’t interested in their very own regional drink?! The blasphemy I say!

Fairly priced, well organized, and propped next to an incredible restaurant called Degusto, where you can bring in any bottle from the wine shop to pair with your meal, it is a worthwhile visit. And if you’re interested in a Portuguese wine tasting in either the wine shop or the adjoining restaurant, Ivone is happy to organize tasting for you.

As for an English speaking staff, according to Ivone, everyone has a relatively good grasp of the language, which is a definite plus as this is far the from the norm in Iberia.

Check out our interview with Ivone below, and if you’re passing through Porto, or have a question for Ivone, please don’t hesitate to drop her a line.

Cheers,

Gabriella Opaz

Vinho & Coisas
Rua de Sousa Aroso, 540-544
4450-287 Matosinhos
Tel: 22 9364362
Fax: 22 9364361
e-mail: winecenter@vinhoecoisas.pt

Map of Location on Catavino Portugal Map

Related posts:

• Visiting Barcelona? Check Out A Brand Spanking New Wine Shop!
• Porto.Punto.
• The Scot, the Spanish Cheese Shop and the City of Barcelona: Formatgeria La Seu
• Garrafeira Alfaia: A Classic Wine Bar in the Heart of Lisbon
• Vinarium: A Novelty of a Wine Shop Utilizing Social Media in Madrid

Editors Note: Our Correspondent Justin Roberts had the chance to do something both Gabriella and I wish we could have. Living in Jerez, he made a quick trip over to Bodegas Tradicion to give you a bit more background on this intersting winery that we talked about a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy.

You don’t usually find an art gallery inside a sherry bodega, but that’s exactly what you’ll find at Bodegas Tradicion. In 1998 this small bodega was set up by a Spanish property magnate and in a special gallery alongside the sherry he likes to rotate part of his large collection of paintings. On the day I visited these included the striking oil on copper called “Bandolero Torero” by Jose Jimenez Aranda (left).

Joaquin Rivero is on the Forbes billionaire list and apparently worth about 1.7bn US dollars, so the first thing that springs to mind is that Bodegas Tradicion is simply a rich man’s play-thing, but scratch the surface a bit and it gets interesting. It turns out Mr Rivero is a member of the family who owned the sherry producer J.M. Rivero. The Rivero bodega sold their wine under the “CZ” brand and although they faded away many years ago they are of blessed memory in the trade. They were also one of the first bodegas on the scene, starting up in about 1650. It seems the whole history and tradition of sherry really does course through Mr Rivero’s veins.

Pepe Blandino, the capataz, showed me around the bodega. Capataz translates as “foreman”, but in the sherry trade this word means a lot more – more like a cellarmaster or “maitre de chai”. Pepe explained the goal of Bodegas Tradicion is to specialise in very old wines: the VOR (20+ years) and VORS (30+ years) categories so only Oloroso, Palo Cortado, Amontillado and PX wines are made. They also age some Brandy de Jerez and have few butts of vintage “añada” sherry. A representative from the Consejo has to be present when the añada wines are drawn off for bottling – the butts are sealed with wax and ribbon at all other times.

The Tradicion soleras were built up by securing butts of very old wine, many of them from Agustin Blazquez (which was owned by Pedro Domecq). Pepe knew the Blazquez wines very well as he had worked at Domecq from 1963 until helping to set up Tradicion in 1998. Now that the Tradicion soleras are up and running, Pepe keeps them topped up with 14-15 year old wines, which he selects and buys in. Pepe aims to procure clean, well-made, almost neutral wines which will take on the characteristics of the liquid already in his soleras. All their wines run through seven stages in the solera. For the last three stages the scales are run by hand, in the traditional way. Pepe even gave me a demonstration using the traditional tools of the trade – the sifon, jarra and canoa.

The most remarkable thing is how crystal clear and shiny the wines from the last solera are straight from the butt – the local description for a wine like this is “rompecopas”. There is no need for filtration before bottling. One of Pepe’s biggest challenges is securing old butts, which should be at least 40 years old, and he likes to try the wines which they have held before buying them – to ensure they impart the required characteristics onto the Tradicion wines. To do this he has to work closely with a local cooper and the process can take many months. This does make reaction to changes in the market difficult. For example interest in PX wines has increased in recent years, but securing more butts and increasing the PX solera will take time. The whole Tradicion business is small, traditional and the quality top end. The wines are hand-bottled and numbered. Something which caught my eye in their sample room: Tradicion make the house Sherries for Fortnum & Mason in London, another mark of quality!

Finally, a video of Pepe Blandino demonstrating how to fill a sherry copa from a “venencia”, the traditional tool used to draw wines out of the butts. Pepe does this with nonchalant ease, I can promise you, it’s a lot more difficult than it looks – when I tried the wine went down my shirt sleaves and onto the floor!

Hasta la proxima!

Justin Roberts

How to use a Venencia

Related articles by Zemanta

• Pedro Ximenez: A Wine to Savour Over a Candlight Dinner (catavino.net)
• La Xarcu – Unexpected Culinary Treat Hidden Where You Would Least Expect It in Barcelona (catavino.net)
• Bottle-aged Sherry? (catavino.net)
• My name is Brandy and I come from Jerez (catavino.net)

Related posts:

• Sherry to invest €2.8m in marketing sherry to new markets! Will they get it right?
• Bodegas y Viñedos Castiblanque
• The Manzanilla of the North
• My name is Brandy and I come from Jerez
• Sherry in London