April 21, 2023

Take me to Portugal !

April 21, 2023/ Marjolaine GERES

Portuguese Tasting – 20 April 2023 – Raffles Hotel - Singapore

What a great afternoon I had yesterday at the Raffles, tasting Portuguese wines! I thought I would quickly go through the whites and move on to the reds which are more easily associated with Portugal… Big mistake: I found gems in both colour! Here a few of my favourite wines. Hopefully, we can start to see more of these on the Singapore market!

WHITES

CASA ERMELINDA FREITAS

**Vinha da Valentina Premium (Setubal) 2021**: delicately floral with pink grapefruit on the nose. Freshness and minerality on the palate: very interesting and refreshing !
**Ermelinda (Chardonnay, viognier, Verdelho)**: mineral nose with nutty and peach notes. Round and full-bodied.

CASA RELVAS

**Segredo de Sao Miguel Reserva, 2021:** Freshness, minerality and complexity with depth. Long and full. You could have mistaken it for a Chablis Premier Cru.

CAVES CAMPELO

**Tapada Do Marques, Arinto Vinho Verde:** fresh mint on the nose. Slight sparkle typical of Vinho Verde with freshness and fruitiness. Give me this for my Friday Aperitivo!
**Montelouro, Douro:** Delicate, floral and exotic fruits on the nose. The palate confirms the subtle aromas with flavours of peach, apricot and cream.

MANUAL COSTA & FILHOS

**Magnate Avesso Vinho Verde 2022:** Mineral and fresh with the slight Vinho Verde sparkle. Lovely.
**Rinha Avesso:** Depth with minerality, mint and a distinguished ‘almond glue’ (Colle Cleopatre) aroma that made me jump with joy!!! The palate is savoury, complex and full bodied.
**Rinha Alvarinho***:** The little sister of the former: Fresh, mineral and the almond glue again! Fresh palate with high acidity (lime), fresh almonds and long finish

PARRAS WINES

Herdade da Candeeira, Alentejo, 2021***: Stunning exotic fruits on the nose with lime and freshness on the palate.
**Quinta da Gradil:** Minerality with lemon and apples notes. Beauty!

REDS

CASA ERMELINDA FREITAS

**Dona Ermelinda Palmela Dao Reserva 2021:** Chocolate, blackberry and spice. A beautiful, complex, full bodied and high acidity wine with cassis and spice on the palate. Delighted. And the feeling goes on and one.

CASA SANTOS LIMA

**Quid Pro Quo, Alentejano:** Lovely and complex. Easy and yet complex. A beauty!

CAVES CAMPELLO

**Montelouro Reserva, Douro 2015:** Amazing and intense nose with sweet spice, dried flowers (dusty roses). On the plate, the sweet raspberry is mixed with cassis. It is full, intense and long but balanced.

HERDADE DO ROCIM

**Bela Luz, Douro 2021:** griotte red cherry almost as if preserved in alcohol. Soft and fruity. Beautifully light and yet complex. I saw the light!
**Racim, Alentejo, Clay Aged, 2019:** Blackberry and blackcurrant explosion with tobacco notes. Full bodied with medium + tannins. A beauty that lasts for ever on the palate.

J. PORTUGAL RAMOS WINES

**Marques de Borba Reserva, 2019:** Blackberry, savoury (Parma ham), black olives nose. The palate is full bodied, complex and long. Superb.
**Duorum, Douro Reserva, 2019:** Perfumed with Blackberries and cherries. It is as beautiful as its label: complex, full bodied with black cherries and long, long, long….

PARRAS WINES QUINTA DO GRADIL

**Quinta Do Gradil Alicante Bouschet, Lisboa 2019:** Black Forrest, Black cherry aromas. Beautiful
**Quinta Do Gradil, Tannat, Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet 2019 ***:** Stunning wine with huge depth, freshness and blackcurrant aromas. Palate is smooth and beautiful. Got premium Gold for Lisbon wines in 2022.

QUINTA DE S. SEBASTIAO

**Touriga Nacional, Lisboa:** Lovely nose of blackcurrant mixed with redcurrant. Light tannins with lovely touch of spice and preserved fruits. Long finish.
**Touriga Nacional and Syrah Reserva, Lisboa:** Depth with black cherries and black berries. The palate is complex with creaminess, black fruits and black olives. Lovely!

SWEET

Marjolaine Roblette Geres

A French national, Marjolaine Roblette Geres is the most recognised French wine specialist in Hong Kong. Holder of the WSET Diploma, she divides her time between wine education, wine communication and wine writing.

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Marjolaine Roblette Geres