This month the #WorldWineTravel group is discussing South Australian Reds. During an AdVINEture to Adelaide in 2019, we tasted several wines and a particular blend stood out for us: Cabernet-Shiraz.
Shiraz is Australia’s most planted viniferous grape variety and if popularity or reputation has anything to do with quality, it is also Australia’s best. But is that general truism really as accurate as many would think? Time perhaps to have a look at Cabernet-Shiraz, the blend that by certain rights might be more deserving of the Greatest Australian Red Wine title.
Last November we took our first international trip almost 2 years to the day of our last. We chose Portugal for two main reasons: its world-leading vaccination rate at the time combined with the fact that it was very near the top of our wine region bucket list. For years we had heard of the Douro Valley with its steep, terraced vineyards that are so unique the entire region is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. But until you see it in person, no photo seems able to grasp its staggering beauty.
The very first winery we visited was Quinta do Noval, situated in the very heart of the Douro Valley, with the most breathtaking winery view we’ve witnessed yet.
The Factory House in Portugal’s famed port-producing city of Porto is a stunning piece of architecture that was created to facilitate British businessmen conducting trade in Portuguese goods. While not generally open to the public, Iberian Wine Tours was able to arrange a private tour as well as a tasting of vintage port from their cellars and to learn more about the history of the port wine trade.
For the past 2 years, Zencore, the company known for its innovative small kitchen appliances, has been developing an Electric Wine Decanter. Yes, you heard that right ‘Electric’. And yes, it’s the first time we’d seen anything like it. The idea behind its unique design is to allow you to decant your wine quickly and elegantly. We took their D119 premium version for a spin and here’s our full review:
*The Zencore Electric Decanter was received as a media sample. We received no compensation for our review and all opinions are our own.*
A visit to the city of Port (sometimes called Oporto in Portugal) and Gaia, its sister city directly across the river, is more than just a beautiful must-see European destination. For Port wine lovers it’s the mecca; an essential pilgrimage to the birthplace of the deliciously rich, sweet wine fortified with Brandy. One of the oldest, and arguably most influential Port Houses, is that of Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman (more widely referred to as Taylor’s) which celebrates its 330th anniversary this year.
Port is a deliciously rich, sweet wine made from various grapes, grown in Portugal’s Douro Valley, that is fortified with brandy. It can make one of the most age-worthy wines, with top examples lasting half a century and beyond. It’s definitely a connoisseur’s wine, prized by collectors and laid down for decades in cool dark cellars, but there are also many excellent ports that are quite affordable and ready to drink now. Port is a delicious drink; one that is well worth learning more about. Though Port-style wines are made in many areas, we will focus here on just those wines made in Portugal.
Just a few hours upon landing in Porto it happened quicker than either of us imagined.
Portugal’s food scene is world-class.
We sat down for our first meal in Portugal made up of Bacalhoa (salted codfish) along with a sampling of local wines, and we were captivated…hook, line, and sinker. The food scene, while often overshadowed by the popularity of Port and the rising appreciation of the country’s still wines, is absolutely worthy of its own recognition. Portugal’s gastronomy is steeped in tradition, defined by variety, and has put the world on notice thanks to its popular Celebrity Chefs and abundance of Michelin-rated restaurants.
We’re kicking off 2022 with a video AdVINEture highlighting an incredible trip to Portugal we took with Iberian Wine Tours. We started in Porto, explored the Douro Valley, and finally ended up in Lisbon. The country is a fantastic travel destination whether you’re a wine lover or not that features a staggering amount of variety. Stunning scenery, terrific wine, a fabulous foodie scene and very welcoming people await…
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