India witnessed the biggest ever tasting of Portuguese wines last week with the first such event at the Portuguese Ambassador's residence in Delhi, where 14 producers were present with about 130 labels to charm the palates of its wine lovers before moving on to Goa and Mumbai, reports Liz MacMaster who was one of the invitees at the Tasting

While presenting wines, Subhash Arora, President of the Indian Wine Academy, opened his talk  at the home of the Portuguese Ambassador by asking his audience if they had heard of Mateus, Vinho Verde and Port. Of course the majority of the audience said yes.

He then went on to ask who had heard of Dao, Bairrada, Douro? And grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira and Alvarinho. Apart from the Portuguese guests there was a general shaking of heads at these names.  This was the journey we had in front of us, an exploration into the many different wines of Portugal; displayed by 14 wine producers and exporters who were keen to share their products with us and improve our knowledge of the great wines Portugal had to offer.

The Producers

Following Producers were assigned individual tables so the 200-odd invitees could taste the wines served in the proper wine glasses and ask them specifics about their region, winery or a wine, that included Ports but perhaps not Madeira:

Aliança Vinhos de Portugal
Casa Santa Vitória
Casa Santos Lima.
 Cortes de Cima
 D&F Vinhos de Portugal
 Dão Sul
 DFJ Vinhos.
 Encostas de Estremoz
 Henrique José de La Puente Sancho Uva
 José Maria da Fonseca Vinhos
 Kilburn & Gomes
 Vidigal Wines
 Wines&Winemakers

The Event

The event took place in the garden of his Excellency, the Ambassador of Portugal, Mr. Luis Mendes. The evening was a perfect autumnal cool. There was just a touch of summer left to make tasting the cold whites and roses a pleasure; but there was also a hint of colder days to come when a hearty red would be the drink of choice. The garden looked beautiful with dozens of fairy lights draped over the trees, tables and chairs dressed in rich, wine-red cloth and heavily laden food tables set up at one side. The centrepiece of the display though were the tables groaning with bottles of wines and proudly shown off by their producers.

The Tasting

Armed with a tasting glass and a nicely printed and comprehensive wine tasting brochure supplied by the organisers Vini Portugal we cruised the tables, tasting wines that took our fancy and making the acquaintance of the genial Wine Producers stationed behind and keen to share their knowledge with us. There were far too many to try all of them as each producer showcased 8 or so different bottles and there were fourteen different wine companies to visit. However we made an effort to visit everyone and ask what they would recommend.

I tasted some excellent white Vinho Verde, which was light and crisp enough to drink as an aperitif, and would be welcome with any light fish or lunch dish. I also tasted some really delicious rose made from a light pressing of the red Touriga Nacional grape and which went extraordinarily well with a fish tikka appetiser I happened to be eating at the same time.

It was the reds though that were displayed in abundance and which I found myself sampling from the different tables to get an idea of the complexity and different styles available. As well as the traditional Portuguese grape varieties, the Portuguese Wine Producers are also starting to produce wines made from internationally known grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinot Noir; mixing them with their own indigenous grape varieties to produce complex and interesting wines to startle and surprise the palate.

I tried a wine made with 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Pinot Noir which combined softer fruity notes you would experience with a Pinot Noir grown in a warm climate with structured tannins emanating from the Touriga Nacional and was happy I did.

The overwhelming experience of the majority of the reds I tasted were strong fruity flavours with firm tannins and a mouth filling richness. Some may have had overlying elements of the terroir in which they were grown (one had an earthy mint taste) and others bore the results of the medium in which they had lain for several years with strong 'oaky' elements pervading the flavour of the wine. There were a number of fine examples of red wines from the Dão and Douro regions where the grapes produced for port are also used for making fine table wines. These were definitely better suited for drinking with food, as the wines were full bodied and rich.

I returned to a rosé to accompany my supper of a selection of Indian vegetable and meat dishes. The slight off-dryness and delicious crispness of the rosé was the perfect accompaniment to my meal. With the dessert I could finally try the Port, Portugal's most famous export and utterly and totally delicious. I tried a couple of ruby ports, the richness and fruitiness of which went sublimely well with chocolate cake and also with moong dahl halwa!

All in all it was a memorable evening. The Ambassador and his wife were very gracious and warm hosts. The wines were assuredly the stars of the evening and the conversation flowed as we discussed the merits of different wines with the vendors, and with other guests. It was interesting to discover that the world of winemaking continues to evolve as tastes change and mature, but it was also reassuring to note that the Portuguese wine growers were staying truthful to their traditional grape varieties but finding new ways to display their talents.

Liz MacMaster

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