As a child, family summer holidays were often taken in Portugal, a delightful little town called Sesmarias, some way outside of the package holiday hotspot of Albufeira.
One of the restaurants we used to dine at was called Torre Velha (literally Old Tower) where - as part of a cover charge - they used to bring a small ceramic pig to your table.
This little pig had a flattened back, with bars across the top from each side to the other, forming a grill. The 'belly' of the pig was part filled with some spirit and there, at the table, they grilled these delightfully smoky, spicy sausage - a linguiça - a Portuguese form of Chorizo. In my early teens, I loved the 'theatre' of those little sausages being grilled on my table, the occasional flame dancing above the grill of the pig's back.
Those linguiça were often my favourite part of the meal, and I recall the disappointment I felt that they weren't available as a menu option. I mention that little story for, I just wanted to have my own little ceramic pig with some grilling sausage and this wine to smash down with it.
Beautiful smelling wine - really fresh, get yourself a handful of plums and cherry and squish them between your palms - then you might get the idea. It's just so attractive, enticing.
Joven in style, a juicy little sucker, light of body and a touch tangy. Spice, fruit - blue and black - sufficient to hold its own with a bit of a chill, how I preferred it actually.
Dom Torzi, you've done it again. And thank you for that brief return to a time gone by. 91
Tasted on: Tuesday 30th December, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $18
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.oldplains.com/
Follow me: http://twitter.com/TheVinsomniac
No comments:
Post a Comment