Marquês de Borba: new harvests of a great Alentejo classic arrive on the market
31/10/2023To toast the rentrée, producer João Portugal Ramos suggests the most recent harvests of two wines belonging to one of his most emblematic brands – the Marquês de Borba Colheita white 2022 and the Marquês de Borba Colheita red 2021. The Marquês de Borba brand combines Alentejo tradition with enormous quality, present since the first harvest in 1997, having become, over the years, an unavoidable symbol of the region and ambassador outside the doors of Alentejo wines. Today, it is present in more than 40 countries.
Coming from the Arinto, Antão Vaz and Viognier grape varieties, the Marquês de Borba Colheita white 2022, featured a manual harvest, where the grapes were harvested early in the morning, into small boxes, with the aim of preserving freshness, and then cooled in a chamber refrigerator before being vinified. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with temperature control. With an open citrine color, the aroma also highlights citrus notes with a slight minerality. In the mouth, it has a good structure with well-marked and balanced acidity, with a long finish. Regarding pairing suggestions, this white wine can be served as an aperitif or to accompany fish, vegetarian, egg and salad dishes.
Marquês de Borba Colheita red 2021 is the result of a blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet, Petit Verdot and Merlot grape varieties. With manual and mechanical harvesting, in the winemaking process, the grapes were de-stemmed, crushed and cooled. After pre-fermentation maceration, part of the grapes were fermented in marble lagares and the rest in stainless steel vats with controlled temperature. The internship took place for six months in second and third year French and American oak half barrels. In the glass, it presents an excellent aromatic concentration. It is an intense fruity red, with aromas of blackberries, cassis and jams. Its tannins are soft and it has a good balance between fruit, acidity and tannins.
The iconic line of wines also includes the references Marquês de Borba Vinhas Velhas Red, Marquês de Borba Vinhas Velhas White, Marquês de Borba Espumante Rosé, Marquês de Borba Late Harvest and, finally, Marquês de Borba Reserva.
Now available on the market, the pair of wines are for sale in specialized wine stores from North to South of the country and on the Horeca channel. It is on sale everywhere, including supermarkets from north to south.
José de Sousa invites you to go to the “Adega to taste the wine, in the month of São Martinho”
30/10/2023“On São Martinho’s Day, go to the winery and taste the wine” is the program that Adega José de Sousa proposes for the entire month of November. Because tradition must be maintained and fulfilled, this winery, located in the Alentejo plains of Reguengos de Monsaraz, invites its visitors to taste new wine, vinified in the wine cellars, and two other wines produced by José de Sousa, accompanied by tasting some of the regional products, including chestnuts, of course, or if this weren’t the month of Saint Martin.
Watch the complete program of Adega José de Sousa and “Go to the Cellar and Taste the Wine”:
Dates: November 1st to 30th 2022, at 11am or 3pm
Minimum 2 people and maximum 16 people
The program includes:
– Guided tour;
– Tasting of new wine;
– Tasting of 2 wines (Monte da Ribeira White and Puro Talha Red);
– Tasting of regional products: sheep cheese, sausages, Alentejo bread and olive oil.
– “São Martinho Kit” offer: a bottle of wine and a small bag of chestnuts to roast at home for every two people.
Price per person: €26
Price per child: €7.50
Price per family (2 adults + 2 children): €60
(includes tasting of 2 juices and gift box of pencils and drawings for children)
Reservations:
Tlm: +351 918 269 569 / Whatsapp available: +351 918 269 569
Email: josedesousa@jmfonseca.pt
Abreu Advogados recognized internationally
26/10/2023Abreu Advogados, one of APENO’s main partners (and which has greatly supported the fight for legislation for Wine Tourism), was one of the winners of the Financial Time Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe 2023, which took place recently in London.
In a ceremony that rewarded the most innovative and disruptive projects and companies in Europe, Abreu Advogados received the ‘Innovation in Skills Development” award for the work developed by the Abreu Advogados Knowledge Institute, led by Professor Luís Barreto Xavier.
Founded in 2012, the Knowledge Institute is one of the first knowledge centers incubated in a law firm and is one of the most important milestones in Abreu Advogados’ strategy. The company’s mission is to be an innovative society open to the community, which is why it believes that the production and sharing of relevant knowledge is fundamental, which is done through collaboration with companies, universities, research centers and other institutions.
This morning, the FT Law Firm Index 2023 was also published, where Abreu occupies the 16th position in the ranking, thus becoming the most innovative company operating in Portugal, according to the annual survey that gives rise to the Financial Times ranking, which highlighted the 50 most innovative law firms in Europe.
«These are results that we are very proud of, especially in the year in which we complete our 30th anniversary, and to which we owe, in the first instance, to our Customers and Partners, who trust us and challenge us daily to do more and better, and to our people, who put all their energy and knowledge at the service of clients, in the search for solid and disruptive solutions in each project» says the Abreu Advogados statement. And he concludes: «Our mission is to put the future into practice, anticipating challenges and implementing the necessary changes, so despite the great pride we feel when we look at the past, we know well the responsibility that this award entails and we are even more focused on prepare what is to come, with determination, ambition, audacity and humanism».
Halloween spirit invades Cockburn’s cellars for ‘Fright Night’
24/10/2023For the second time, Cockburn’s Cellars opens its doors to fearless visitors on the scariest night of the year. To mark Halloween, ‘Fright Night’ is back at the historic Port wine aging warehouse – owned by Symington Family Estates –, in Vila Nova de Gaia, providing the unique opportunity to discover that space in the silence of the night, at lantern light. The addition of a second date is one of the new features this year, with sessions scheduled for the 28th and 31st of October, at 9:30 pm.
Discover the scariest stories from the Cockburn’s warehouse – this is the suggestion of the renowned Port wine house, which invites participants to discover a different side of the Cellars. The experience begins with a guided tour of the lodge, illuminated by the gentle light of lanterns, which will reveal all the details – even the most hidden ones – of the history of Cockburn’s, the warehouse and the wines that age there. Cockburn’s warehouse is the largest in the historic area of Vila Nova de Gaia, holding more than 6,500 barrels of Port wine in aging and the equivalent of more than 10,000 barrels in vats, which allow it to maintain traditional aging in wine-filled oak bark. .
At the end, visitors will be taken to the tasting room, where a tasting of three of the brand’s renowned wines awaits them: the irreverent Tails of Unexpected Ruby Soho, Cockburn’s Late Bottled Vintage and Cockburn’s Special Reserve.
Participation in the ‘Fright Night’, at Cockburn’s Cellars, costs 18 euros per person and is subject to mandatory reservation, at least 48 hours in advance. For the guided tour, registrants must bring a flashlight or cell phone with them. It should be noted that the activity depends on a minimum of 10 registrations. More information is available on the Cockburn’s website (www.cockburns.com/visit-us), via email (cockburnslodge@cockburns.com), or by telephone (913 007 950).
About Symington Family Estates – The Symingtons, of Scottish, English and Portuguese descent, have been producers of Port wine in the north of Portugal since 1882. For five generations they have combined their passion for producing wines, especially Port wines, from high quality with its strong commitment to the region and its people. Today, ten members of the Symington family work in their four famous Port wine houses – Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s – as well as in their Douro wine projects: Quinta do Vesúvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altano, Prats & Symington (Chryseia) and, his most recent, Quinta da Fonte Souto, in Alto Alentejo. Symington Family Estates is one of the main producers of premium Ports and the family is the main owner of vineyards in the Douro, with 26 farms covering 2,420 hectares, of which 1,114 are vineyards. The vineyards are managed under sustainability principles, with 130 hectares having organic certification – the largest area of organic vineyards in the Douro. The family has made significant investments in R&D in viticulture, to adapt to climate change, and promotes an ambitious sustainability plan called ‘Mission 2025’, which integrates a set of goals. In 2019, the company achieved B Corporation certification, becoming the first wine company in Portugal to take this important step, joining a global business community audited according to the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility, with a commitment to use business as a force for good.
Wine Stone wants to belong to the TOP 3 of wine production by 2030
23/10/2023For some time now, the Mello Group has been investing in the wine sector, especially in Monte da Ravasqueira, its property in Arraiolos, Alentejo, and also demonstrating a desire to acquire new land and take on new challenges. It has been increasingly present in the wine market with its different brands, aimed at different market segments. With always ambitious financial objectives in mind, the Group has now created a new business platform – Wine Stone – which will serve to reinforce its business activities in the wine sector and grow in different areas of economic activity.
With these new investments, the holding combines the production of Alentejo wines (Ravasqueira, Guarda Rios, Coutada Velha and Dona Vitória) with the management of assets in the Douro (Quinta do Retiro Novo and Quinta do Côtto) and in the Vinhos Verdes region (Paço de Teixeiró), expanding its production and export capacity to conquer new markets and segments. The acquisition of Krohn, a centuries-old Port wine brand, also inaugurates the Group’s entry into a new wine category: «Our portfolio has diversified brands, which we have developed and managed professionally across the commercial, premium and luxury segments, and Let’s continue with this work. Some brands are rooted in their segment, others we want to move up the pyramid, but we always want to be present throughout the pyramid, reaching out to all consumers”, explains Pedro Pereira Gonçalves, Executive President of the Group, in recent years lead the process of development and affirmation of Ravasqueira. (In the entrance photo, Pedro Pereira Gonçalves (on the right) next to Salvador de Mello, Executive President of the José de Mello Group).
With this strategy, Wine Stone clearly assumes the ambition of becoming one of the main operators in the wine sector in Portugal. «This holding fits into Ravasqueira’s business evolution, which in the last decade has had very positive results. Hence the increased attention to the wine sector in the Group’s strategic plan”, Pedro Pereira Gonçalves also confirmed at the press conference on Wine Stone’s new strategy that took place at the Bairro Alto Hotel, in Lisbon. «We are now investing in the sector even more focused. We aspire to be in the top 3 in wine production by 2030, with a turnover of more than 60 million euros. To achieve this, we must continue the dynamics of our DNA, which is double-digit annual growth. We will also invest in internationalization, which is essential for us to grow through the diversification of markets, creating relevant relationships that can culminate in a percentage of 60% of export sales in relation to total sales. And, of course, this also includes solid and considered investment in the diversification of new national regions that will help create the basis for desired growth», he concludes.
No less important will be the central axis of Wine’s strategy, sustainability; and growth vectors such as talent: «We need competent and qualified teams, talent retention is a catalyst for innovation and project development», he concludes.
Wine tourism will also play a leading role in promoting brands and having a positive impact on local communities.
José Maria da Fonseca promotes Halloween at the Winery
23/10/2023Casa Museu José Maria da Fonseca will launch for the first time a Halloween Wine Tourism program for kids and adults! On the scariest night of the year, October 31st, we will hold nightly guided tours of our wineries, wine tastings for adults and juices for children accompanied by regional cuisine.
October 31st – Time: 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Price per adult: 27 euros – Price per child (3 to 17 years old): 13 euros – Family price (2 adults + 2 children): 70 euros.
The entry price includes a guided tour of the wine cellar, tasting of 3 wines (adults) and juices (children) paired with regional products (cheese, sausages, olive oil and bread) and a “Halloween Kit!” offer: a bottle of Moscatel de Setúbal per adult and one bag of goodies per registered child.
For more information and reservations contact us at: Casa Museu José Maria da Fonseca – enoturismo@jmfonseca.pt | +351 212 198 940
This Halloween discover the secrets of Quinta da Aveleda
20/10/2023On October 29th, Aveleda, in Penafiel, invites wine tourists to take part in a special Halloween activity for the little ones, starting at 3:30 pm.
For €12.5 per child and €17.5 per adult, visitors can participate in a pumpkin carving workshop, a children’s cinema session and a nighttime visit that will reveal the scariest and best-kept secrets of the Quinta da Aveleda gardens. . If you prefer, you can just opt for the night visit, which starts at 6:30 pm, and costs €7 per child and €12 per adult.
To book the activity at Quinta da Aveleda, please contact the Wine Tourism team via the website www.provasbyaveleda.com, email enoturismo@aveleda.pt or phone +351 255 718 200.
Aveleda was founded in 1870 by Manoel Pedro Guedes at Quinta da Aveleda, in Penafiel. Today in the hands of the fifth generation, Aveleda S.A. is the largest producer and exporter of Vinho Verde in Portugal, being present in more than 70 countries with its extensive range of products. Producer of brands such as Casal Garcia, Aveleda, Adega Velha, Quinta Vale D. Maria, Quinta d’Aguieira, Villa Alvor and Mandriola de Lisboa. In 2020, Aveleda S.A. celebrated 150 years of a history of family and innovation. Aveleda Website – Where Dreams Are Cultivated: https://www.company.aveleda.com/pt
Beira Interior is the stage for the tenth Regional Wine Tourism Forum APENO – Ageas Seguros
19/10/2023The Portuguese Wine Tourism Association (APENO) and Ageas Seguros, in partnership with the national Regional Wine Commissions (CVR), continue their journey in favor of Wine Tourism, opening the doors to economic agents from the various Portuguese wine regions to discuss problems and solutions in a sector that grows year after year at a national level. These are the Regional Wine Tourism Forums that have traveled to various parts of the country. After the first nine successful forums that took place in the Lisbon region, the Tagus region, the Setúbal region, the Alentejo region, the Algarve region, the Dão and Bairrada region, the Vinhos Verdes and Távora-Varosa and in the Douro and Trás-os-Montes region, November is the month to host the Regional Wine Tourism Forum of the Beira Interior Region. It’s on the 14th, at Solar dos Vinhos da Beira Interior, in Largo das Freiras, in Guarda.
Decentralizing has been the keyword of APENO and Ageas Seguros to do more and better for Wine Tourism in Portugal. Therefore, the mission, this time, is to open doors to cycles of debates, in which the focus is to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of national wine tourism, with the aim of finding solutions to further grow a sector already in its own right. frank expansion, but with much more to give in Portuguese territory.
As the first national association dedicated exclusively to the sector, APENO, in partnership with Ageas Seguros, invites economic agents from the various national wine regions to debate Wine Tourism on the same stage, in sessions open to the general public. APENO will travel from land to land to listen to the main problems of different regions and to find, together, new approaches to achieving the best Wine Tourism.
«It is with great enthusiasm that we join, once again, an initiative with APENO. We want to reinforce our positioning in the Wine Tourism sector, among these professionals, contributing to a safer and more sustainable sector. It is our commitment to be present in the lives of Companies in a relevant, close and emotional way», reinforces Gustavo Barreto, member of the Executive Committee of the Ageas Portugal Group.
Objective: create solid foundations for Wine Tourism
«APENO – Portuguese Wine Tourism Association was born just two years ago but already brings together among its members the best wine tourism players at national level, and we continue to grow every day. There is a lot of talk about Wine Tourism, but no one yet has definitions or numbers that help to understand it, among other issues that need to be debated. And, obviously, APENO has been focused on resolving these issues and creating solid work bases so that Portugal is considered a reference region in Wine Tourism worldwide», states Maria João de Almeida, the President of APENO.
«Obviously, this also involves the attention we want to give to each of the national regions, where we will identify and debate existing problems in Wine Tourism, try to present solutions and publicize the work we have been doing since we were born. In these sessions, which we do together with Ageas Seguros, our partner company, and with the CVRs in each region, we will also have a training session related to Risk Prevention and Management as a key to efficiency in Wine Tourism, as well as a round table which will bring together economic agents with space for debate. I’m sure the result will be very positive», concludes Maria João de Almeida.
The tenth of these Regional Forums is dedicated to the Beira Interior region, on November 14th, at 2:30 pm, at Solar dos Vinhos da Beira Interior, in Largo das Freiras, in Guarda.
«Wine tourism is a strategic tourism product for Central Portugal, differentiating and with high growth potential. I am certain that the Beira Interior Regional Wine Tourism Forum will be a privileged stage for important reflections on the sector’s strategies and challenges, similar to similar forums that have already been dedicated to other wine regions. Beira Interior is a region where there is a close connection with vineyards and wine and which provides rewarding experiences for visitors. It is a territory that allows, as little as possible, the combination of good wines and the discovery of the magnificent nature and exceptional human heritage surrounding it», as stated by Raul Almeida, President of Tourism in the Center of Portugal.
For Rodolfo Queirós, President of the CVR of Beira Interior, «this forum is very important for our CVR, not only for the development that Wine Tourism has brought to all regions, but also for the identification of new ideas, new paths for sector that APENO can bring to the Beira Interior region specifically. Furthermore, this is a territory that differentiates itself from all others, as it has more than a dozen historic villages, shale villages, the Serra da Estrela Geopark, the Tagus International Geopark or the Mondego Walkways. Given our proximity to Spain, we also receive more and more Spanish wine tourists, who have sought us out not only for these local attractions, but also for our gastronomy and wines and who have done a lot, together with national tourists, for Wine Tourism in the region».
This is a work session where Wine Tourism in the Beira Interior region will be discussed, with the following program:
2:30 pm – Opening of doors and reception of guests.
3:00 pm – Presentation of the Portuguese Wine Tourism Association APENO (mission, benefits and activities) – Members of the APENO Board of Directors
3:45 pm – Risk Prevention and Management as a key to efficiency in Wine Tourism – Francisco Erse – Responsible for SME & Corporate at the Ageas Portugal Group.
4:30 pm – Presentation of the APENO Wine Tourism Guide (a project already in development that aims to establish itself as the reference Wine Tourism guide at national and international level) – Adelino Abrantes – APENO Commercial and Editorial Consultant.
17h00 – Debate: Reflections on Wine Tourism: The needs of the sector – a brief conversation about the region’s main challenges for wine tourism in the Beira Interior region.
Speakers:
Pedro Carvalho – Commercial Director of Quinta dos Terms;
Raul Almeida – President of Tourism of Central Portugal;
Rodolfo Queirós – President of the CVR of Beira Interior;
Tiago Cristóvão – Commercial Director of Quinta do Cardo.
Every moment will have space for questions and answers
Thank you in advance for signing up using the link https://enoturismodeportugal.pt/forum-regional-de-enoturismo-regiao-da-beira-interior/
Graham’s Harvest 1952: latest edition celebrates coronation of Charles III
17/10/2023Graham’s – one of the most recognized Port wine houses, owned by Symington Family Estates – has just launched a commemorative edition of the Single Harvest Tawny 1952 Port, to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III of the United Kingdom. This will be the last edition of Harvest 1952, the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne, after the commemorative editions in honor of the late monarch’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilees.
Seven decades of aging in oak casks in the Graham’s cellars gave a unique breadth and complexity to the Single Harvest Tawny 1952 Port. The remarkable freshness and concentration of the wine make this the perfect choice to drink, slowly, after a meal, as if what a dessert it was. This commemorative edition is also ideal to accompany desserts made with cream or dried fruit.
With aromas of honeysuckle, bitter orange, almonds and caramel, this Port has exceptional vitality for a 70-year-old wine, whose venerable age is reflected in a coppery gradation, with subtle tones of pale orange and green in the halo. The citrus touches in the mouth, together with the notes of caramel and marzipan, create the perfect balance between concentration and freshness. It is recommended to serve the wine chilled and, once opened, consume it within 8 weeks.
Charles Symington, director of production at Symington Family Estates, says: “We are very proud to announce the restricted and commemorative release of our 1952 Single Harvest Tawny Port, in honor of the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III – the last bottling we will make of this exceptional wine». He adds: «Produced in the year the late Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne and previously released to mark her Diamond and Platinum Jubilees, this wine was specially selected as a moving symbol of continuity across generations».
With a price of three thousand euros, there are only 30 75cl bottles of the wine, available for sale, exclusively, in the Graham’s Cellars store. Tasting this special edition by the glass will also be an option for visitors to the Lodge and also to the Vinum at Graham’s restaurant, which will serve the wine directly from a jeroboam – a 4.5 liter bottle.
3rd edition of CR&F XO Fine & Rare: exclusivity in a bottle
12/10/2023From the Vinhos Verdes Demarcated region comes the 3rd edition of the CR&F XO Fine & Rare brandy. Considered one of the best Portuguese spirits, CR&F has a long legacy in its DNA with more than a century of tradition. This third edition, bottled in 2023, has just 5,496 bottles in exclusive packaging. For connoisseurs, it is now possible to find it in wine cellars from the north to the south of the country.
In a constant search for perfection and the best batches of national spirits, the desire to create this brandy was born. For its creation, a long process of selecting old batches was necessary, from which spirits of various ages were selected, with the main batch being over 40 years old. This final blend results from the distillation of several spirits from grape varieties from the Vinho Verde region, all stored over time in French oak and carefully selected. Each batch is different, with the aim of achieving and offering all connoisseurs a unique and incomparable product, respecting the aromatic versatility of its terroir.
CR&F XO Fine & Rare is a modern spirit, with a style created and marked by difference. In this third edition, CR&F XO Fine & Rare presents shades of ocher punctuated by soft highlights of green and bronze. On the nose, it is possible to notice hints of light sweet notes of fruit, which merge in complete balance with aromas of wood to produce soft and delicate perfumed notes. In the mouth, it presents itself with a deep palate, of elegance and moderation, which evokes spices in their splendor. It is a well-structured spirit with a silky final freshness.
Whether in the bottle or in the packaging, all elements represent CR&F’s care for detail – an artistically bold and irreverent bottle, slowly silkscreened in gold; a necklace, numbered to mark the exclusivity of this moment; and a case complemented by the strings and seal that have always sealed the CR&F brand’s commitment to quality and excellence.
Ideal for giving as a gift and enjoying with those you love most. Because, as tradition dictates, it is these reunions and these moments of sharing, around a good glass of brandy, that become the stories remembered in the future.