We don't usually feature white wine in the winter, but this discovery is such a compelling, interesting, and delicious wine, that I couldn't resist. Made from Portugal's native Arinto varietal (along with tiny amounts of Fernão Pires and Chardonnay), this unoaked beauty is quite fragrant with vibrant, rich fruit and a great deal of character. The Arinto grape is known for maintaining solid levels of natural acidity even in warm climates. This example is quite dry, but it shows fascinating flavors of peaches and honey with refreshing hints of lemon-lime and grass. Unusual among inexpensive wines, it also features a long finish of citrus and almond butter. Serve this great find with seafood (especially smoked salmon), Asian cuisine, and sweet en sour dishes. It would be perfect with Portuguese Sea Bass! The winery recommends a serving temperature between 46 and 50 degrees.

Almost alone among the top ten wine producing countries, Portugal continues to make mostly traditional wines using mostly traditional, indigenous (there are some 500!) grape varietals. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Greeks introduced wine making to the Iberian Peninsula, but it was to the Roman Empire that Portugal first exported wine. Modern exports developed with trade to England after a treaty in 1703. France's AOC and Italy's DOC are better known, but Portugal was the first country to institute an appellation control system.

Although maintaining Portuguese tradition, Quinta da Cortezia has modernized with a new and well equipped facility. Cortezia is experimenting with some international grape varieties (Merlot and Chardonnay among others), but the focus is on traditional Portuguese red (Touriga Naçional and Tinta Roritz - the local name for Tempranillo) and white (Arinto and Fernão Pires) varietals. We featured Coretzia's delicious Vinha Conchas Special Selection in September.

Quinta da Cortezia is located near the Atlantic coast 30 miles north of Lisbon near Alenquer. Owned by the Catarino family since the early 20th century, it is managed by Miguel Reis Catarino who graduated from both Lisbon University (in Agriculture) and École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Montpellier (in Viticulture and Winemaking). Madalena Biancard is the resident winemaker, and Portuguese Winemaker of the Year António Ventura is their consultant. The property consists of 137 acres of vines divided into three separate hedged vineyards and 91 acres of forest. The soil combines clay, stone, and Jurassic fossil seashells.

Previous Selection

E-Mail: beekman@conversent.net

Website Design ©Maron Marketing Consultants, Inc.