Day Eight----July6th----Porto and George Sandeman Plus Quinta Da Aveleda!!!

Portugal's Wine Start Journey Started Here! It was thrilling to be in Oporto or Porto, the city where the Douro met the Atlantic. This was where it started all! Ships carrying their cargo of Port to England. Finding out that the liquid in the barrel improved after being on a ship for so long. The British developed a taste for this precious and founded a number of companies which began making it and shipping it to the island. The rest as they say is history! Speaking of history, Porto was known as Portus/ Cale in the time of Rome and was captured by the Moors in the Eight Century. It was an important location and was the subject of many occupations through the centuries. Port is also famous for being he birthplace of Prince Henry or Henry the Navigator. According to history books, Port started shipping wine around 1678. The City Port does not just ship wine. It ships many other items such as cork, olive oil, fruits, building materials, cotton, silks and wool. It is a lovely place to visit with its many landmarks and also the many port houses along the Douro river. Port boats can be seen sailing around the river with barrels on board---simulating the trips to the port houses from the vineyard destinations. We could see the names of the houses across the landscape horizon as we looked across the river and also onto our side of the shore. Ferreira, Warres, Sandeman, Taylors and more were all prominently featured amidst the buildings and homes that made up the city. I was surprised to see how clean and well kept this port city was. I was also amazed at the effect of floods on the city had during the many years. We visited House of Sandeman and could see the levels that various floods reached during the years the building had been there. In extreme years the floods could get as high as 12 feet above the normal river level. Indicators on the walls of the Sandeman building "notch" the heights reached in various flood years. Flooding is not as much as a problem now due the the location of various dams up the Douro river. The climate of Porto is Mediterranean which means that summers are dry and hot and winters are rainy but mild. The temperature seldom reaches zero Celsius. Sandeman! The name Sandeman should be synonymous with "First". Sandeman, was probably the first person to make use of the Coffee Houses that littered London in the late 18th Century as a place to develop a Port Company. This Scotsman from Perth borrowed $300 pounds at Tom's Coffee House to begin the journey that still is going on now. Sandeman was also the first to use a Brand name on a cask using the GSC (George Sandeman & Company) in 1805. Sandeman became also the first company to register a trademark in 1877 and the first to export bottled labelled wines (1880). Advertising was the next. Sandeman was among the first to advertise in 1905 and in the late 1920's Sandeman commissioned an artist, George Massiot Brown, to paint a logo and the silhouette of "The Don" was born. It was the first iconic logo for a wine. In 2002, Sandeman joined the Sogrape Group and the story goes on! Tour Greg and I were met with by a lovely and charming young lady, Ligia Marques who gave us a tour of the facilities. The museum was quite interesting with an array of labels, stamps, documents and historical paraphernalia concerning the company. We then went into the Barrel Cellar where casks of port slept. The company library with bottles of Port, some over one hundred years old, were kept. Ligia then arranged a meeting and a tasting with none other than the Chairman of the House of Sandeman---7th Generation Sandeman---George Sandeman. The Tasting With George Sandeman The true expression of a person who is great is how gracious and humble he seems. We were very impressed by this persons "down to earth" attitude and easy, gentle manner. His main pleasure and pride is that his company has given so much pleasure to people. He went on to describe several of his ports and match them to various foods such as his Founders' Reserve with cheese or pecan pie On his Sandeman 20 Year Tawney, it is fruit such as peaches or blue cheese. Vintage Ports such as the fabulous 2000 or 2007 would be great with chocolate mousse or sweet fruit such as figs or salty creamy cheese or Stilton. A White Port is also available and is a pale yellow colour and can be served with such foods as cheese, creamy fish soups, white chocolate and fruit. There are various types of Port that are suitable to various tastes and budgets. Sandeman goes well with many foods. Other products such as Sherry, Brandy and Madeira are also produced. After the tour and meeting with Mr. Sandeman, we went to lunch at the Ar de Rio Restaurant and then we were off to the Quinta De Aveleda. Quinta Da Aveleda Quinta de Aveleda has been in the same family since the 11th Century. The estate has a unique garden with many interesting sites. Some of these sites are called "Follies" which are named for buildings and additions made by various members of the family through the years. There are gates, houses, ponds, statues, goat houses and even a window from the home of Henry the Navigator(Prince Henry) in the very large and spacious garden. (Soon, there will be a "folly" donated by yours truly in the form of red water lilies donated for the fish pond near the geese). The house is very large and also a historic piece. We had supper there and also tasted some of the fines wines of Aveleda with cheese that is made on the farm. My good friend, Francisco Guedes was a fantastic host and made sure that we were comfortable. Wines Casal Garcia:Is named after the 100 year old house from which the first grapes of the land cam from. The nice easy going wines are soft and approachable. It is the best selling Vinho Verde in the world. Her workers come and live in this house. Quinta da Aveleda:Nice very clear white wine with greenish yellow in colour and with a lemony taste. (Alverinho, Loureira, Trajadura). Alvarinho:White wine with great fruit flavours, the wine has elements of citrus and fruit. Full and soft on the mouth feel. Chambra: Is a blend of four grapes. Touriga nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz,Tinta Baroca. Nice fruit and pleasant even acidity. Follies: The follies are a group of wines based on the exceptional and very individualistic art of the Guedes Family. The wines are five in number: Alvarinho (The Four Sisters Fountain) The Fountain exists in front of the mansion and refers to the four sisters who carried on the tradition of the Guedes family. Their liknesses are on four sides of the fountain. Chardonnay/Maria Gomes(Goat Tower) The Goat Tower was made by a family member to act as a home for and also plant protection from the mountain goats that were allowed to roam the garden. They would eat everything in sight. The tower is quite high and the enclosure very large to keep the goats happy! Loueiro/Trajadura(Manueline Window) The home of Henry the Navigator was demolished in Lisbon but the family did not want this piece of history to perish so, they "rescued" the window that overlooked the Port. Henry must have been inspired by the view he got and now, his spirit can view the lovely gardens! Henry was also born in the same room. Cabernet/Touriga Nacional(Our Lady Of Vendome) dedicated to the patron saint of Opporto! Touriga Nacional(House of Aguieira) Based on the 19th Century house of a famous politician who discovered a remarkable secret for making wine! These "follies", are unique and excellent examples of what a great estate can do to its wine. We tasted these wine with cheese that is made on the property from the estates own cows! There are two brands: Amanteigado (soft) and Curado (semi- hard) Adega Velha: The estate also makes fine brandies such as the one discussed here which means "Old Cellar" Greg and I had the pleasure of spending the night at the estate which only does so by invitation. We all left the following morning after breakfast feeling very fortunate indeed! End Of Day Eight