WINE:Holiday trips are the ideal time to try new wines where they're made. We're off to Portugal, writes John Wilson.
AS WE DRINK more wine, so our tastes should diversify. That is the theory, at any rate. Yet there are many countries, mostly our partners in Europe, that we continue to ignore. It can be very difficult, and usually impossible, to find a decent range of wines from Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria or Germany in this country. We are talking here about countries with a long tradition in wine, making some wonderfully different wines. Our consumption of New World wines has continued unabated, while our fellow Europeans are left out in the cold.
Whatever your opinion on the European super-state and Lisbon Treaty, it makes perfect wine-drinking sense to explore the wines produced right on our doorstep. The ideal time to try out new wines is when we are on holiday. In this regard, sales of Portuguese wines should be booming.
I have never been to the Algarve, but half of Ireland seems to head to the sunny beaches and verdant golf courses, and most consume wine of some sort. Do they go native over there, and then revert to the comfort of Australia and Chile as soon as they return to these shores?
There are welcome signs that things have started to change. Most independent wine shops now have a decent range of Portuguese wines. O'Brien's has expanded its range considerably, and have some very exciting wines. Portuguese wines have changed out of all recognition over the past decade. Where once the local taste was for very dry, earthy wines, aged in dirty old oak barrels for years, you will now find a fantastic range of well-made, attractive fruity wines.
Better still, although you will find the ubiquitous Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay, Portugal by and large has held on to its own unique grape varieties. Some of them make sensationally good wines, and not just the reds either; there are some delicious, fresh, dry whites to be had.
If you do visit the Algarve, and find yourself bored sitting out in the sun every day, then why not spend a day or two visiting the wine regions of Portugal? Parts of the biggest vineyard of all, the Alentejo, are only an hour's drive away. Wine tourism is still in its infancy, but some of the larger wineries welcome visitors. The region also has some beautiful old villages to visit. If you plan on staying, there are a number of pousadas, the Portugal equivalent of the Spanish paradores - historic old buildings renovated to become luxurious hotels.
Other regions, such as Palmela and Estremadura are a short drive from Lisbon, while the Douro and Dão lie further north, and may require some planning. I would suggest arming yourself with a copy of The Wine and Food Lover's Guide to Portugal, by Charles Metcalfe and Kathryn McWhirter. This is an excellent guide to all the country has to offer in terms of wine, food and places to stay.
If you prefer to stay put beside the pool, most of the wines below should be readily available in the Algarve. Three of the wineries are owned by Soares, which has 17 shops in the Algarve, as well as a number of restaurants.
Even if you have never set food in Portugal, it is well worth trying out their wines. Below are six wines, from five different wine regions of Portugal.
Monte da Peceguina 2007, Alentejo, 14%, €18.99:Classic Alentejo with a modern twist; big, powerful earthy wine with oodles of ripe cassis fruits, and some spicy new oak. Perfect with roast or barbecued red meats. Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; The Wine Shop, Perrystown, Dublin 12; Fallon and Byrne, Dublin 2; McCabe's, Blackrock and Foxrock; O'Brien's Wine Off-licences; Mitchell & Son, Rathfarnham; Bin No9, Clonskeagh.
Pegos Claros 2000, Palmela, 13.5%, €14.99:A more traditional style of Portuguese red with some very attractive leathery, earthy flavours to complement the piquant dark fruits. This would really shine with grilled or barbecued lamb. Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; The Wine Shop, Perrystown, Dublin 12; Fallon and Byrne, Dublin 2; McCabe's, Blackrock and Foxrock; O'Brien's Wine Off-licences; Mitchell & Son, Rathfarnham; Bin No9, Clonskeagh.
Dom Martinho 2004, Alentejo, 13.5%, €12.99:This has been a favourite in the Wilson household for some years now. The rich, gutsy, dark fruits are perfect with all manner of red meats or pork. Try it with grilled Toulouse sausages or dishes featuring chorizo. Stockist: O'Brien's Wine Off-licences.
Quinta de Pancas 2004 Selecão de Enólogo, Estremadura, 14.5%, €14.49:Firm, dark deeply concentrated blackcurrants and figs, with some drying tannins on the finish. A stylish wine with real intensity; decant an hour or so ahead, and eat with robust dishes featuring red meats. Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; The Wine Shop, Perrystown, Dublin 12; Fallon and Byrne, Dublin 2; McCabe's, Blackrock and Foxrock; O'Brien's Wine Off-licences; Mitchell & Son, Rathfarnham; Bin No9, Clonskeagh.