In the November 2011 issue, Wine Enthusiast selected 10 Portuguese wines in their list of TOP 100 BEST BUYS, all of which have a suggested retail price of $15 or less. There are two that appear in the top 10, and seven in the top 50.  Six different wine regions are represented.

• #4: Quinta do Serrado 2007 Serrado Colheita Portuguese Red (Dão): 90 pts, $7
• #9: DFJ Vinhos 2010 Grand’Arte Alvarinho (Lisboa): 91 pts, $11
• #14: Wines & Winemakers 2008 Azul Portugal Portuguese Red (Ribatejo): 91 pts, $10
• #20: Quinta do Portal 2007 Mural Reserva Portuguese Red (Douro): 91 pts, $10
• #30: Luis Duarte 2009 Rapariga da Quinta Branco Portuguese White (Alentejano): 92 pts, $13
• #36: Bacalhôa Wines of Portugal 2008 Tinto da Anfora Portuguese Red (Alentejano): 92 pts, $13
• #38: Dao Sul 2009 Palestra Portuguese Red (Douro): 89 pts, $9
• #46: Casa do Valle 2010 Grande Escolha Portuguese White (Vinho Verde): 91 pts, $15
• #88: Quinta das Arcas 2010 Arca Nova Colheita Portuguese White (Vinho Verde): 88 pts, $9
• #98: Messias 2008 Quinta do Penedo Portuguese Red (Dão): 90 pts, $15

Wine & Spirits Magazine spotlighted Portuguese wines in three different categories in its Winter 2011 issue (“25^th Anniversary Buying Guide”):  “2011 Wineries of the Year,” “Best Wine of 2011” and “100 Best Buys.” Here’s the list of winemakers and wines:

2011 Wineries of the Year

• Quinta das Bageiras (Bairrada)
• Niepoort (Douro)
• Quinta do Noval (Douro)
• Aveleda (Vinho Verde)

Best Wine of 2011:

• Best Bairrada White: Quinta das Bageiras (Bairrada): 1994 Bairrada White, 96 pts, $20
• Best Vinho Verde:
  Afros: 2009 Vinho Verde Loureiro, 93 pts, $16
  Soalheiro: 2010 Vinho Verde Alvarinho, 93 pts, $19

• Best Alentejo Red: J. Portugal Ramos, 2008 Alentejano Marqués de Borba Reserva, 94 pts, $80
• Best Douro Red: Niepoort 2008 Douro Charme, 97 pts, $100

100 Best Buys

• Aveleda: 2010 Vinho Verde Quinta da Aveleda, 92 pts, $9
• Cabriz: 2008 Dão Red, 88 pts, $10
• Quinta de Ventozelo: 2008 Douro QV Tinto, 90 pts, $14

For more information about Portuguese wines, contact

info@dunnrobbinsgroup.com

The first event took place in New York City, at Alger House, 45 Downing Street, and included a guided tasting seminar by Vasco d’Avillez, President of CVRL. The seminar featured five historic and rare wines poured, including two from the region of Colares, one from Oieras, one from Carvabelos, and one from Encostas d’Aire. The second event took place in the National Room of the Hotel Palomar, 2121 P Street NW, Washington, DC. Mr. d’Avillez conducted the seminar there as well.

The wineries represented include: Casa Santos Lima, Companhia das Vinhas, S.A.; Companhia Agrícola do Sanguinhal, Lda; Companhia das Quintas-Vinhos, S.A., Quinta do Pinto – Sociedade Agrícola e Comercial, S.A.; Adega Regional de Colares, Câmara Municipal de Oeiras; Filipe Gomes Pereira-Herdeiros, Medieval de Ourém.

Previously known as Estremadura, the IGP (Indicações Geográficas) of Lisboa, or Lisbon, was renamed in 2009, for the capital city of Portugal. Not only is “Lisbon” easier to pronounce and remember, but it also prevents confusion with the “Extremadura” region of Spain. Located northwest of the capital city, its climate is influenced by the extensive western exposure to the Atlantic, with its winds, fog and ample rainfall.

This is the third largest wine-producing region in Portugal. It contains three of Portugal’s earliest denominated regions: Carcavelos, Colares and Bucelas.  The wines from Carcavelos are very special; they were the favorites of the Duke of Wellington, who first tasted them when he came to Portugal to fight against Napoleon in 1805. Colares is famous for its phylloxera-free soils, due to the sandy beach dunes in which the vines are able to thrive. Bucelas is famous for both its whites (made primarily with the Arinto grape, along with some Fernão Pires) as well as its sparkling wines. The rare medieval wine of Ourém is produced in Encostas d’Aire. Its viticultural and vinicultural techniques remain the same as those developed by the Cistercian Monks in 1200 AD.

The other main DOCS include Alenquer, Arruda, Torres-Vedras and Obidos. Considering the variety of soils, climate, varietals and the personal styles of traditional and cutting edge winemakers, Lisboa is able to produce a wide range of wines, and given its proximity to the vibrant and increasingly modern capital city, it is a region well worth visiting.

For more information, contact arobbins@dunnrobbinsgroup.com or v.avillez@cvrlisboa.com

This year’s Plenary Session, which covered the first three hours of the Conference and was attended by all Conference-goers, covered a wide range of fascinating topics relating to the 2011 theme of “Wine and Food”

Lucia Freitas, Winemaker at Quinta da Cabriz, and Manager of the Senior Winemaking team for Dão Sul, opened the program. The topic of her presentation was “Women Winemakers,” in which Lucia explained the revolution among young winemakers in Portugal today, of whom a surprising number are women. While respecting their centuries-old history, these women are producing distinctive, delicious wines, based on some of the unusual indigenous varietals, unique to their country. Lucia poured 6 wines: Esporão Reserva White, 2009 from Alentejo; Quinta da Alorna Arinto, 2010, from Tejo; Cabriz Encruzado, 2009 from Dão Sul; Casa de Santar Reserva, 2007 from Dão Sul, Conceito Red, 2008 from the Douro, and Pintas Character, 2008 from the Douro.There were 25 different wines from all other major wine-producing regions, which were available during luncheon. The companies represented showed wines from the Douro, Bucelas, Lisboa, Vinho Verde, Alentejo, Bairrada, Dão, Alenquer, Península de Setúbal and Ribatejo.

The luncheon was prepared by one of Portugal’s finest new avant-garde chefs, Henrique Sá Pessoa, proprietor of one of Lisbon’s best restaurants, Alma. He arrived two days early to prepare a modern menu, based on traditional Portuguese ingredients. The first course was a Chilled Tomato Soup with codfish tartare; the second was Lamb tenderloin with Migas, Asparagus and Clams; and dessert was Creamy Rice Pudding with Caramelized Apples.

There was a Dessert Wine Seminar, offering 5 wines to accompany the delicious dessert. The first speaker was Francisco de Albuquerque, the Chief Winemaking Director of Blandy’s Madeira Wine. He gave an overview of Madeira, and poured Blandy’s Colheita Malmsey, 1994, followed by Blandy’s Vintage Bual, 1968.

The final speaker Vasco Magalhães, Wine Educator for Sogrape Vinhos, who spoke about the very popular subject of Ports. He guided the tasting of the final 3 wines: Moscatel de Setübal from Venâncio Costa Lima; Sandeman Founders Reserve, Ruby Port and the Sandeman 20 YO, Tawny Port.

As Robin Kelly O’Connor, head of Wine Auction of North America for Christie’s, North America, stated, “These fortified wines were among the most delicious ones of the entire Conference. The inclusion of the Moscatel de Setúbal broadened our knowledge and appreciation of this exceptional category, while the Madeiras and Ports reminded us of the extraordinary products that Portugal has been producing for centuries. They were well contrasted by the iconoclastic wines which opened the luncheon session, and proved how far Portugal has come in the last few decades, producing distinctive contemporary wines, and showing how much it deserves its place on the world wine stage.”

For more information, contact arobbins@dunnrobbinsgroup.com or sonia.fernandes@viniportugal.pt

THE INTERNATIONAL WINE REVIEW’S TOP 50
PORTUGUESE WINES

As always, the SWE Conference covers wine and spirits from all corners of the globe, including traditional and cutting edge wines from Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Chile, South Africa, Greece, Canada and the US.  In addition to guided tastings, which include spirits, specialty cocktails, beer and tea, there are also sessions on the art and science of teaching, wine writing, marketing, social media, wine classification.

Here’s a sampling of our almost-sold out sessions:

The Legend of Sassicaia

The emergence and rise of Sassicaia in the world of wine has been mercurial, to say the least. Furthermore, its impact on the Italian wine scene is legendary.  It has been called the original Super Tuscan and is often credited as being the catalyst of that movement in the Italian wine industry at large. But Sassicaia’s impact exceeds the borders of Italy. Its triumph over the world’s most acclaimed Cabernets in a Decanter magazine blind tasting in London in 1978 placed it among the world’s elite wines. This session will tell the story of this iconic wine, from its birth in Bolgheri in the 1940s to its present day magnificence, tasting from the following vintages: 2006, 2003, 1996, 1993, 1989, 1980.

Presenter: Don Kinnan, CSS, CWE

After serving 20 years in the US Army, Mr. Kinnan then worked as a retailer and supplier in the wine industry, remaining active for the past 25 years. He conducts 40 multi-day wine seminars for distributors each year, and was the founding president of the Society of American Wines in Canada. He is a Board member of the Society of Wine Educators, and Vice President of Corporate Education at Kobrand Corporation.

Lafite Around the World

Château Lafite Rothschild has been part of the Rothschild family since 1868, and is the cornerstone of this renowned portfolio.  Since 1962, other prestigious Bordeaux properties have joined, and in 1988, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) began its expansion by acquiring exceptional vineyards: Viña los Vascos in Chile; Bodegas Caro in Argentina, and most recently, Château d’Aussieres in the Languedoc. We will take a journey of Lafite around the world, visiting their properties to see how their key principles of “Excellence, Finesse, and Elegance” weave their way from the vineyard through the bottle.

Presenter: Stephen Kelley

With a diploma from the French Culinary Institute and the American Sommelier Association, Stephen brings over 18 years of experience in the food and wine business to his role as National Portfolio Manager for Domaines Barons de Rothschild. After 10 years in the culinary world, Steve became NYC Director of Sales for Southern Wine & Spirits’ Lauber Division, where he helped to develop their in-house education program. During his 5 years on the Executive Committee of the American Institute of Food & Wine, he developed scores of educational events. For Domaines Barons de Rothschild, he currently travels throughout the US, telling the “Lafite Around the World” story to distributor stales teams, restaurant service staff and the general public.

Rules of Engagement

A presentation is likely to be the most important business communication tool you have. Subject matter is mastered, products are purchased, and ideas are changed, all with the help of presentations. None of this can occur, however, if your audience is not actively interested, attentive or even awake! To succeed, a presentation should take attention and actively nurture it into engagement. In this session, you will learn the difference between attention and engagement, and why the latter is more valuable. Everyone needs to know Miss Jane’s Top Seven Rules of Engagement, to keep their audience involved and excited.

Presenter: Jane A. Nickles, CSW

Jane Nickles is a Chef Instructor, Wine Educator and Faculty Development Coach for Le Cordon Bleu Schools, North America. She was named the Career Education Corporation’s “Educator of the Year” from a field of over 90 colleges and 6,000 faculty members. In 2009, she was named “The Nation’s Ultimate Culinary Educator” by the Food Educator’s Learning Community, and is a three-time nominee and finalist for the Career Colleges and Schools of America “Educator of the Year” award.

Blanc de Blancs Champagne

Blanc de Blancs Champagne, made from 100% Chardonnay, is really the newest style of Champagne, first promoted by Eugenia Salon in 1913.In the US, it first became known when Taittinger released its 1952 Comtes de Champagne in 1958. Today, almost every major Champagne producer makes at least one. This is the most elegant style of Champagne, a must as an aperitif, and surprisingly long-lived. Some of the very best Champagnes produced today are Blanc de Blancs.

Presenters: Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW, CWE and Ed McCarthy, CWE

Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Master of Wine, is a leading wine educator, columnist and author. She was the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and one of 26 MWs in the US. She is President of the International Wine Center in NYC, founded in 1982, and is Executive Director of the US programs for WSET. With her husband, Ed McCarthy, she has co-authored the best selling Wine For Dummies and nine other wine books in the …For Dummies series. She and Ed are columnists for winereviewonline.com.  Ed’s articles also appear in Decanter, and Quarterly Review of Wines; he is also a contributing editor of Beverage Media.

Benvenuto Brunello

Bill Whiting welcomes you to Montalcino, home to Italy’s best known and most prestigious wine, Brunello di Montalcino. In 1980 this silky, seductive red was the first Italian wine to be awarded DOCG status. Farmers in Montalcino had been making wine for centuries. Success for the zone followed, and world-class wines from international varietals also found a perfect home here. Join Bill on a tour through many vineyards, vines, and wines of historic Montalcino, the once sleepy town which has become synonymous with iconic Italian wines.

Presenter: Bill Whiting, CSW

William J. Whiting is Wine Education Director of Banfi Vintners, Old Brookville, NY, America’s leading wine importer, and a major producer of premium offerings from Italy.  Mr. Whiting implements educational programs for the staffs of Banfi wholesalers, as well as sales personnel of key on and off-premise accounts, throughout the US and Europe. He also helps to create wine education tools for industry professionals, students in the hospitality field and the general public. He is the grandson of John F. Mariani Sr., who founded Banfi in 1919. Castello Banfi of Montalcino, Tuscany, has won Italy’s highest honor four times: the Premio Gran VinItaly—as International Winery of the Year.

Wines of Germany: Grosses Gewächs (Grand Cru) Riesling & Pinot Noir

Since its founding in 1910 the VDP Prädikatsweinergüter—today comprised of 194 estates all over Germany—has been committed to setting high standards in German wine culture. They cultivate the best vineyard sites, focus on traditional grape varieties, limit yields and stand for style and personality. Join Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser as he explores the current state of top-quality German wine, and gain a thorough understanding of VDP designations and laws.

Presenter: Tim Gaiser, MS

A noted educator, consultant, and Master Sommelier, Tim Gaiser is the Director of Education for the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, as well as an adjunct professor for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley.  His previous posts include Napa Valley’s Heitz Wine Cellars, Bix and Cypress Club restaurants in San Francisco, and Wine.com, where, as senior wine merchant, he 

This promises to be one of the best Conferences ever, with top sessions filling up quickly, so go to www.societyofwineeducators.org and register today!

For more information contact Executive Director, Carla Williams

cwilliams@societyofwineeducators.org or call 202-408-8777

Scholarships for Students

One CSW scholarship will be awarded yearly to a student at each participating school. This is open to students of non-profit educational organizations with hospitality and/or wine and spirits programs that offer the CSW exam.  For 2011, the participating schools are:

• Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI
• Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, CA

Faculty members at the approved schools will nominate a deserving scholar one month before the annual conference. Since these scholarships are determined by the faculty of the school, no application is necessary. Schools that are interested in participating in the scholarship program may submit their schools for consideration by contacting Linda Lawry at l.lawry@internationalwinecenter.com. SWE’s Scholarship Committee will review and approve submissions and institutions. Scholarships are valid for one year following the conference. All decisions of the Committee are final.

Scholarships for SWE Members

Three CSW scholarships will be awarded to members of SWE each year.  Any current member of SWE may apply. Application forms are available by request; all those interested in applying should use the above email. The deadline for the application is July 8, 2011 for 2012. Each application must include:

• a 500-word paper addressing the applicant’s goals as part of the wine and spirits community and why they wish to pursue their wine education
• two professional or academic letters of recommendation
• a resumé

The mission of the non-profit Society of Wine Educators is to advance wine and spirits education through professional development and certification. Founded in 1974 by a group of wine professionals at the UC Davis campus, the Society is now headquartered in Washington, DC. The Society has over 2,600 members in 13 different countries. The Society offers three types of certification: 1) Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), geared to the intermediate wine professional; 2) Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS); and 3) Certified Wine Educator (CWE), recognizing a higher level of achievement, and requiring a written exam, sensory evaluations, and a teaching presentation. In addition to gaining a depth of knowledge, people who achieve certification are viewed as prize candidates for jobs in the wine, spirits and hospitality industries.

For more information about the Society of Wine Educators, please visit www.societyofwineeducators.org

The Conference will feature multiple types of pairings: wines and spirits with complementary foods, as well as the pairing of the Society of Wine Educators and Johnson & Wales University. This institution is the largest educator of hospitality professionals in North America. Both pre-conference and conference activities will take place on their campus. In addition to high-level cooking classes taught by their Chef/Instructors, covering four major cuisines, the International Wine Tasting will take place at the recently completed Culinary Arts Museum. There’s also the pairing of imaginative ingredients in the “Creative Cocktails” event.

This year’s Plenary session will focus on Portugal. There will be three different topics covered: The New Wave of Women Winemakers; Modern Portuguese Cuisine– a multi-course luncheon paired with Portuguese wines, prepared by Henrique Sa Pessoa, Lisbon’s leading Chef; and a comparative tasting of fortified wines, including Port, Madeira, and Moscatel.

The SWE Conference is unique in its coverage, offering over 50 sessions, presented by experts in their fields. These guided tastings and lectures include “The Legend of Sassicaia,” “Benvenuto Brunello,” “Lafite Around the World,” “Rules of Engagement,” “Blanc de Blancs Champagne,” “Wines of Germany” and “Raising Cane: A Deep Dive into Caribbean Rum.” This year’s Conference will offer sessions on beer and tea. Sponsors include Planet Bordeaux, Wines of Navarra, Wines of Portugal, Nestle Waters and Wines of South Africa.

In the two days preceding the Conference (August 1st and 2nd), certification exams for the CSW, CSS and CWE exams will be given. And following the Conference, there will be a Winery Tour of Rhode Island.

If you are not currently a member of the Society of Wine Educators, you can still get the member rate to the full Conference by using the code PRCON11, by registering before June 30th, a savings of $70. Visit www.societyofwineeducators.org to register.

The mission of the non-profit Society of Wine Educators is to advance wine and spirits education through professional development and certification. Founded in 1974, the Society is now headquartered in Washington DC, and has over 2,600 members in 13 different countries.