A Portal to
Portuguese Wines
As Michelin-starred chef RICARDO COSTA returned to Portal, the restaurant in Clerkenwell where he previously worked as executive chef, it was only fitting that the wine also showcased the excellence of Portuguese produce.
‘Barbeito Verdelho Old Reserve 10 Years Old was chosen for its nutty, spicy notes with a hint of nutmeg, a perfect balance that brought some acidity and freshness to an otherwise sweet dessert.’
For the menu, which was carefully designed around the emblematic Portuguese ingredient, sommelier António Lopes of the CONRAD Algarve selected five exceptional labels that enhanced this special event and elevated each dish to perfection.
The evening began with a welcome cocktail, a Taylor's Chip Dry White Port and Tonic served with orange zest. A refreshing drink with floral characteristics, the tonic water brought out the citrus of the orange, a perfect tipple to whet the appetite for the meal ahead.
After the first course of crispy cooked Bísaro pork, the Portuguese Game Sausage from The Yeatman and truffled egg yolk was brought to the table, beautifully enhanced by the Principal Rosé Tête de Cuvée 2010, from Colinas de São Lourenço. Made from the Pinot Noir grape in the Bairrada region of Portugal, long known for its sparkling wines (espumantes), this elegant wine has a long finish and buttery notes that extended the flavours and added great complexity to the dish.
Selected to showcase how the same grape can behave in a different way, the Campolargo Pinot Noir Brut Rosé 2012 is another espumante from the Bairrada region, this time with fruitier notes of cherry and strawberries. Chosen to complement the Belly of Bísaro Suckling Pig with Cardinal Prawn slices and herb sprout salad, this sparkling wine helped cut through the fat of the belly of pork whilst also cleansing the palate.
A Douro wine was António Lopes' next pick, served with the Bísaro pork stew with caramelised pistachio and Madeira wine sauce. The Meandro 2012 from Quinta do Vale do Meão, a family estate in the famous Portuguese winemaking region of the Douro, is a blend mainly comprising Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. A well-rounded wine with smooth tannins, the Meandro 2012 features complex aromas – notes of dark fruits, particularly blueberries, and floral nuances –, which balanced the protein of the dish and further extended the flavours of this penultimate course.
Finally, the sweet egg-based pudding – the traditional Abade de Priscos – was offset by the Barbeito Verdelho Old Reserve 10 Years Old. António Lopes chose this dry Madeira wine for its nutty, spicy notes with a hint of nutmeg, a perfect balance that brought some acidity and freshness to this otherwise sweet dessert.
