Every Thursday, the BottleBlog will feature an update on various exciting things going on at Joe Canal's: Reports of our travels, special event coverage, and more! Today we're back in Portugal with Brandon Bartfalvi and the gang.
All of our Managers and wine staff travel at least once a year to important wine growing regions. Visiting these wine regions is one of the many aspects that sets Joe Canal's apart from other wine shops. We know that by meeting the wine makers, walking the vineyards and tasting the wine directly from the barrel, we can see first-hand the passion that goes into each bottle. We can then convey that commitment to quality to our customers. Rather than have you just look at a label or a score, we believe that it is our responsibility to bring you closer to how the wine was made and to the people who made it.
In June 2010, Brandon Bartfalvi, Wine Manager of the Lawrenceville store, had the privilege of traveling to Portugal and immersing himself in Portuguese food, culture, and most importantly, wine!
Day Four - Quinta de Roriz and Graham's Malvedos
Today was going to be very relaxing and I couldn't wait to get started. We left Bomfim and walked down to the river. Today there was no train in our plans and we were going to go up the Douro by boat. We met our pilot for the day and started our cruise to Quinta de Roriz. The breeze is cooling, the scenery is spectacular and your worries sink into the Douro, not to be heard from again until the plane lands back in Jersey. I really can't believe how beautiful this little voyage was. We passed several different vineyard properties, old ruins, a luxury hotel, and several almond trees (I forgot to mention that almonds are common around here and everywhere you go there is a bowl of slivered almonds setting there).
We finally arrived at Roriz and I noticed that this wasn't going to be an easy trek. No walking here, it was back into the rear of the trucks again. These trucks were similar to the ones that we rode in the other day except the roads here were much worse and the ride was much longer.We reached a spot toward the top of the mountain that overlooked this entire section of the valley. What a view!! We were in the hands of the winemaker today and he took us for the grand tour. We spent some time in the vineyards discussing the various grape types and what they bring to each blend. We also spent some time talking about the specific vineyards and about the emergence of red wines versus Ports in Portugal.
It’s agreed that Port will always be king but the DOC wines are in their infancy and will make a major impact in the future. Port sales are continually declining but the table wine sales are increasing. Soon Portugal is going to have to make some serious decisions about the future.The winery was in the middle of construction with the entire building being modernized with new tanks, new storage areas and better drop zones. From the outside the building retained its classical façade but inside was a different story. This winery is readying itself to take its next big step and I can't wait to witness it.
After the tour we were directed to a room upstairs where we were going to sample some amazing wines. I am familiar with the Prazo de Roriz but the Chryseia wines were new to me. After brief explanations we tasted the Prazo de Roriz and the Reserva. Then we had the chance to taste the new Post Scriptum 2008 which was wonderful and its big brother, the 2008 Chryseia. This wine was unbelievable. We did have the chance to taste other vintages of this wine but the 2008 was remarkable. I was also impressed with the Post Scriptum and Prazo. I will recommend these wines to everybody after this delightful tasting. These are wines that I think California red wine drinkers will appreciate. They still retain that good acidity that you come to find in Portuguese reds but they are very modern with lush fruit tones and silky tannins. Just call me a convert but I think these wines are extraordinary.
Once the tasting was finished we made our way back to the boat. We had one more stop today and that stop had lunch ready. We jumped back on the boat and went to Graham's Malvedos property.
A beautiful house sits above the winery overlooking the Douro River and the little bit of traffic that may pass by. The weather was perfect and we sat on the lawn eating olives, almonds, cured meats and drinking Graham's White Port and Tonic (with a squeeze of lemon). The day was perfect and so was this trip despite the fact it was ending shortly. We had a relaxing break on the front lawn then proceeded to the dining room for lunch. We helped ourselves to huge portions of fish and vegetables and just enjoyed the experience. After lunch we took a leisurely stroll around the vineyards and sat by the pool.Some people took short naps while the rest of us lay on the lawn talking about life and all its intricacies. Once we were rested we made our way to the winery to take a quick tour. Graham's Malvedos also utilized the same mechanical lugare that we saw at Dow's. A few minutes later we were on the boat and on the way back to Bomfim.
Tonight we ate inside for the first time and it was a welcome change of pace. We ate plate after plate of delicious home cooking and then drank several of the wines that we tasted that day, Chryseia 2004 this time and plenty of Post Scriptum.This ends my trip in Portugal. There was a day five but it was free time for us and we got to spend almost the entire day in Oporto. It was a day spent buying souvenirs and watching World Cup football. The night was spent at a little bar... and this is where the story ends.
Brandon's Greatest Hits: Prats & Symington Chryseia 2004
"One of my new favorites! This modern-styled wine will compete with the high end offerings from California. Ripe currant, plum and cocoa on the nose. The palate mirrors these flavors with additional notes of spice and tobacco. Well-structured yet elegant and silky. A nice surprise from the Douro!!" -Brandon Bartfalvi, Wine Manager, Lawrenceville 
"The second label of Chryseia and a nice alternative to California red blends. This ripe, modern-styled wine is an amazing value! Ripe, dark fruits and spiced oak on the palate. An elegant style highlighting the dark fruit notes. An approachable style with lush tannins and a persistent finish. Grab a case!" -Brandon Bartfalvi, Wine Manager, Lawrenceville
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