Portuguese Wine Masterclass

NORTHCOTE'S OWN head sommelier Adam Pawlowski and Portuguese sommelier Miguel Martins joined managing director and director of wines at Northcote, Craig Bancroft, on Friday afternoon, with one common goal: to promote the enviable variety and rich personality of Portuguese wines. The Portuguese Wine Masterclass at Obsession took place in the Louis Roederer Room at Northcote Manor, and showcased a careful selection of some of the finest nectars produced in Portugal. Thirteen people attended the masterclass, amongst which were fellow UK sommeliers, several journalists from London, wine distributor Raymond Reynolds (with a large portfolio of Portuguese wines) and guest sommelier and wine journalist from Poland, Patrycja Siwiec. Even some of the international chefs taking part in the festival were present, including Bangkok-based Indian chef Gaggan Anand, Japanese-born/Brazilian-bred Tsuyoshi Murakami, Italian Matteo Ferrantino from Portugal's Vila Joya and Portuguese celebrity chef José Avillez.

A fun, light but informative event with “lots of banter”, according to Northcote's Master Sommelier Adam Pawlowski, the masterclass featured the tasting of whites, reds and one fortified wine, each chosen to represent the country's main winemaking regions.

“With such a huge diversity of wines, we could only make a small selection for such a short space of time,” explains Miguel Martins, of the Sommelier Wine Shop in the Algarve region of Portugal. “We want this to pique people's curiosity and spark their interest.”

As well as a general overview of Portuguese wines, the group was also introduced to the various indigenous grapes of Portugal and the specific characteristics of each region, illustrated by the seven wines tasted at the event: Quinta Vale D.Maria 2010 red (Douro), Julia Kemper 2013 white (Dão), Soalheiro Alvarinho 2013 white (Melgaço, Viana do Castelo), Monte da Peceguina 2012 red (Alentejo), Porto Ramos Pinto 20 Anos (Douro), Peceguina Verdelho 2013 white (Alentejo) and Niepoort Poeirinho Baga 2012 red (Bairrada).

Essentially, this was a masterclass in which the variety of Portuguese wines was placed in the spotlight – much in keeping with managing director Craig Bancroft's own predilection for these nectars – and which, according to Adam Pawlowski MS, should be championed: “It's what makes them special.”

With part of the event taking on a discussion format, with Northcote's sommelier and Miguel Martins each sharing their unique perspective of Portuguese wines, both agree that their link to food is of the utmost importance. While Miguel Martins believes that the versatility of Portuguese wines means they are well-suited to any type of cuisine, MS Adam Pawlowski  notes: “Here at Northcote, we champion British cuisine with a modern twist. Portuguese wines have so much personality, and we find that matches our customers' palates to perfection.”