Casal Santa Maria
The small Portuguese wine region of Colares is home to a family legacy that is so extraordinary, it must be seen (and tasted) to be believed. The story of Casal Santa Maria features all the themes that make for a great novel: war, bravery, love, heartbreak, loss, perseverance, and ultimately, triumph. In this case, however, every word is true.
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Late Autumn in the Douro Valley.
A recent trip that AdVINEtures took with Iberian Wine Tours through the wine regions of Portugal taught us that this is an important region for wine-lovers to know more about. The region offers a great diversity of wine styles, from white to red, still to sparkling, table to dessert, and all at very fair prices. It is also a stunningly beautiful region of steep valleys covered in terraced vineyards that fall down to shimmering blue rivers.
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Quinta da Bacalhôa.
Less than an hour from the city of Lisbon lies the Setúbal wine region, renowned for its sweet dessert wine, Moscatel de Setúbal. A visit to one of its most famous producers, Quinta da Bacalhoa, is not only a reason to learn about wine, but also an opportunity to walk through a piece of Portuguese history. The estate features a palace dating back to the 15th Century that houses an eclectic art collection including Portugal’s first painted tile, gardens fit for royalty, and vineyards with a most unusual trellis system.
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The stunning Douro Valley.
Portugal has quickly skyrocketed to the top of the list when it comes to destinations travellers are most interested in visiting post-Pandemic thanks to recently becoming the country with the world’s highest vaccination rate. But even before COVID-19 had its grip on the world, it was a country already viewed as an up-and-coming destination for a number of reasons including location, affordability, history, beauty, and of course…wine.
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A nice welcome from Lufthansa.
Two years. That’s how long it’s been since our last AdVINEture outside of North America. One of the last flights we took before the global pandemic ground international travel to a halt was a return flight from Europe on Lufthansa. As we anxiously prepared to travel outside the borders of Canada once again, navigating the myriad of requirements leading up to departure day proved the most challenging aspect: Are mixed vaccines accepted? Do we need a PCR or Antigen test and within what time frame? Is quarantine required? Where can we get our PCR test in destination? Do we need the new Federal Vaccine passport?
Almost two years to the day of our last overseas flight, we stepped aboard Lufthansa once again to find a much-needed steadiness amongst all the change swirling around us. One thing that has clearly remained steadfast since our travel hiatus is that Lufthansa hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to its five-star reputation.
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Champagne Ayala Brut & No. 7
The venerable Champagne house of Ayala is one of the region’s oldest, and for a time, one of the most dominant. But times change and the fortunes of businesses, like people’s, can change as well. Ayala has seen both ups and downs, but based on recent tastings, we can tell you that Champagne Ayala is definitely back on top. These are now top-quality Champagnes at very fair prices.
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