A BLIND tasting of Portuguese red wines was recently organised by the Algarve Wine Society at Browns Sports Club in Vilamoura. Guest of honour was Portuguese Ambassador to New Zealand Daniel Cunha e Silva. A group from the society will shortly be visiting New Zealand to tour the wineries and sample top quality wines from the land of the kiwis.
Members sampled Quinta De La Rosa 2003 and Grand’ Arte Trincadeira 2003, among an exciting range of good quality reds. Undoubtedly the star of the evening was Cortes de Cima “Incognito” 2002, an exceptional wine with a cult following and the price to go with it.
The evening was completed with the surprise tasting of the recently bottled Quinta do Miradouro 2004 Vida Nova Reserva. This was the first public tasting of the wine and Nigel Birch, the winemaker, was on hand to describe his latest creation. Opinion was clear – this is undoubtedly the best red wine produced in the Algarve and, after a few years in the bottle, it will be stunning.
The next Algarve Wine Society function is Christmas Lunch on December 15 in Almancil. Anyone wishing to know more about the Society should contact the Membership Secretary Larry Hampton on Tel 289 843 811, Fax 289 843 825 or e-mail [email protected]
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