June 10, 2010: Tasting A9 Fenedegas Group Portuguese Wines

The Time and Date: Thursday, June 10, 2010  12:30PM – 6PM
The Event: A tasting showcase for the wines of Portugal's A9 Fenedegas
Group.
The Venue: C5 at the ROM
The Target Audience: wine media for lunch, trade later in the day.
The Availability/Catalogue: there were agents for most of the wines,
but current availability is a mixture of consignment and private
orders.
The Quote/Background: John Szabo, Zoltan Szabo, and the Chef all spoke
on the foods and wines. The Fenadegas represents wine cooperatives, a
total of 27 associated companies that cover about 20% of Portuguese
production. For several years now they have been modernizing their
cellars. About 15% of their dollar value is exported.
The Wines: I did not try all the wines. Prices were sketchy at best,
but were reasonable.

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Favaios Moscatel 1989 Douro, $30 FWP agency
-Favaios Moscatel 1980 Douro, $60 FWP agency
-Caves Santa Marta CSM 50 2005, $29  Vergina agency

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Arruda Dos Vinhos Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
-Favaios Favaito Moscatel 2006 Douro, $14 FWP agency
-Favaios Moscatel Reserva Douro, $19 FWP agency
-Favaios Espumante Robal Bruto NV, $15  FWP
-Caves Santa Marta Montes Pintados 2005  Vergina agency
-Caves Santa Marta Reserva 2005  Vergina agency
-Caves Vale do Rodo Port Reccua 10 Years
-Caves Vale do Rodo Port Reccua Tawny
-Adega de Pegoes Arinto Chardonnay 2009 Reserva
-Udaca Touriga Nacional Red 2007 Dao, $18   Vergina
-Udaca Irreverente Red 2005 Dao, $11 Vergina

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Arruda Dos Vinhos Lote 44 Red 2006
-Favaios Moscatel 2006 Douro, $14 FWP agency
-Favaios Moscatel 10 Years Douro, $29 FWP agency
-Caves Vale do Rodo Tellu's Moscatel
-Adega de Pegoes Arinto Chardonnay 2009
-Udaca Pora do Fontelo Red 2005 Dao, $9 Vergina
-Adro da Se Reserva Red 2006, $16.95 Vergina

 

The Food: the wines were matched with food from Chef Ted Corrado of C5
ROM. At the lunch we had appetizers of prawn terrine, blue cheese ball,
and a foie gras torchon, accompanied by an off-dry muscatel Favaios
Favaito Moscatel from the Douro. It was perfectly in tune with the
fatty apps. This was followed by BC wild halibut cheek and scallion
pancake. Veercoope Via Latina Alvarinho 2009 Vinho Verde (slightly sour
and tartish) and Adega Pegoes Arinto Chardonnay Reserve 2009 from
Setubal (a better choice for its body and slight vanilla tones). The
main course was a thick cut of Cumbrae 60 day aged ribeye with a potato
hash, green beans, and piri piri sauce of modest heat. The heavy wine
guns were an Arruda Dos Vinhos Extra Madura 2008 Lisboa (syrah, Touriga
franca, and aragonez), a Vale do Rodo Cabeca de Burro Reserva 2007
Douro with a sour cherry flavour, and a Udaca Adro da Se Reserva 2008
Dao that exhibited deep earthy mushroom tones on the finish. Dessert
was a chocolate cheesecake with rhubarb and strawberries, finished with
a chocolaty Santa Marta Port 2004. Later food for the tradeshow
included first rate cheeses at room temperature, breads, and house
charcuterie and sauces.
The Downside: it was crowded and slow at lunch, apparently from a huge
crowd of latecomers. We ran over the time.
The Upside: a chance to try some lovely muscatels in a vertical
arrangement.
The Contact Person: william.delgado@portugalglobal.pt
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 88.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com