Algarve wines: what to drink and when. Tricky problem?
Not any more, because...
Since I am definitely not a wine buff (although I do like
the Portuguese reds), I am happy
to pass on Lesley's tips regarding what's on offer in the
local bodegas that's worth a sip or two...
Portuguese Wines – Personal Choices
Vinhos Tintos (Reds)
Duas Quintas
Marques de Borba
Monte Velho
Castelinho
Tinta de Talha…………….
Listed above are favourite reds we order in restaurants and drink at home. Always specify ‘red’ or ‘tinto’ as there are also white versions of some.
Prices of wines can vary, but are a good guide as to their popularity and drinkability. You get what you pay for, generally.
‘Garrafeira’ denotes a superior winemaking technique, similar to a
‘gran reserva’ in Spain.
I've listed some others below, which are acceptable…. But you can’t go far wrong with any of them. Generally speaking, the Alentejo wines are a little fuller bodied, as the weather is hotter in the south.
Romeira
Periquita
Marques de Marialva
Esporao Reserva (can be pricey)
Reguengos (regional wines from the Alentejo)
Bairrada (region)
Vinhos Brancos (whites)
Planalto
Joao Pires
Marques de Borba
(We don’t drink much white other than espumante, so
the list is short….)
Espumantes (Sparkling, champagne-style)
Lancer’s Espumante Brut
Marques de Marialva
Freixenet (Spanish) in the familiar black bottle
Vinho Verde (Green Wine)
(Like white but young, fresher; some are slightly sparkling)
Casal Garcia
Mateus
Vinho Rosé
Lancers (stoneware bottle)
Mateus (on a hot day)
Try a red or white Sangria for a refreshing change.
Drinks and More
For an apéritif, try a vinho do porto, branco seco. Dry white port, well chilled. After dinner, red port; or a Portuguese brandy, like
Maciera.
The local firewater is medronho, made from the strawberry (arbutus) tree; not for the faint-hearted, and there’s a nice, aromatic liqueur called
Liquor de Beirao. Of course there are drinks from all over the world, cheap and in large measures.
Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy them from
Apolónia** supermarket in 75cl bottles than to wait for the
airport duty-free shop. Make sure you
take some home; even malt whisky is cheaper here!
Medronho firewater -
bottled and ready to go!
Beer is ‘cerveja’, shandy is ‘shandy’. Beers are cold, gassy and refreshing. An ‘Imperial’ is a smallish glass. A ‘caneca’ is less ladylike, if you want it big, ½
litre.
Some places have machines for making fresh orange juice. Fabulous. Ask for ‘natural’ orange juice,
sumo de laranja natural or ‘fresca’.
‘Agua’, water, comes ‘com gas’ (with) or ‘sem gas’ (without gas). Drink bottled mineral water. Tap water is great for making tea and
coffee; it’s quite safe.
‘Café com leite’ or ‘meia do leite’ is
white coffee and is very good. Ask for
‘descaffeinado’ if you prefer it decaf. You can normally get
cappucino if you prefer, but beware that they might sprinkle cinnamon on
it, instead of chocolate. There are many, many forms of coffee, it’s a big ritual with the Portuguese, and it’s excellent. A ‘bica’ is a tiny espresso. A ‘pingo’ or a ‘Garoto’ is an espresso with a drop of milk. A ‘bica cheia’ has a little water added. A
‘Galão’ is a long milky coffee a bit like a latté, served lukewarm in a glass. The list goes on….
If you're staying in a villa or an apartment, you'll
likely find a cafétière in the kitchen: buy some ‘Delta’ or ‘Sical’ ground (‘moido’)
coffee; it’s great. You can buy teabags locally, if
that's your choice of beverage. Bring along your own decaffeinated
teabags though, as they're almost impossible to find in
Algarve.
Tea is normally served weak and black. ‘Chá Inglés com leite’ or ‘English tea with milk’ might get you a tea with milk, but it may not be to your taste. It was, after all, the Portuguese who introduced tea-drinking to England, with Catherine of
Bragança, so who are we to complain? You can normally get camomile or
mint flavours.
With your cup of ‘chá’ or café, you must try a ‘pastel de
nata’, which is a little custard tart that can sometimes look burnt on top.
You can see them anywhere, but very good ones are from the bakery counter in
Apolónia Supermarket, and they also serve them in their café. The plural, if you were ordering or buying two, for example, is
‘dois pastéis de nata, faz favor’. A crispy, flaky shell with soft egg custard inside… to die for!
Bom Apétit!
