MEMBERS OF the Algarve Wine Society recently attended the society’s annual Gourmet Dinner at the Orangerie Restaurant, at the Vila Monte Hotel in Moncarapacho.
A total of 73 members enjoyed pre-dinner drinks on the terrace, where everyone got into the party mood sipping glasses of well chilled Covela Palhete secco rosé wine, called “simply the best Portuguese rosé” by Wine International.
Michael Berger, event organiser, welcomed the guests and explained that the wines for the occasion were being offered by a producer called Quinta de Covela from the Entre-Douro-e-Minho region. The proprietor of Covela, Nuno Araújo, was guest of honour and gave a short talk explaining his particular philosophy of wine making in Portugal. Quinta de Covela produces five wines, each of which were available for diners to taste.
Dinner was a five-course affair that began with a starter of scallops with champagne vinaigrette, accompanied by the fruity and refreshing Covela White Escolha 2005. This was followed by an onion soup with queijo da serra, and a fish course of golden bream fillets with thyme olive oil and saffron sauce. A more rounded White Colheita Seleccionada 2004, which had spent six months in French oak, was served with the fish.
The main course featured loin of wild boar with a calvados sauce and celery smash potatoes. A Covela red Escolha 2001 was served alongside. Pudding was a mango puff pastry with vanilla ice cream perfectly set off by a Porto Krohn Colheita, a tawny port matured in wood for seven years, from the same producers.
Next up in the Algarve Wine Society’s calendar will be a trip to the Loire wine producing region in late May, followed by a summer party in mid-June.
The AWS currently has a membership of just over 200, and a waiting list for entry. If you wish to obtain more information about the organisation, or to enquire about membership, contact the Secretary Larry Hampton at [email protected]
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