On the evening of Tuesday, April 9, Bianca Salden, owner of restaurant O Leão de Porches, and Tom Bilton, representing Howard’s Folly Wine, welcomed members of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Baillage du Algarve and their guests to the atmospheric surroundings of the Porches restaurant.
The event was billed as a wine dinner and was to feature five wines from the Howard’s Folly winery introduced and characterised by Tom and served to accompany the menu devised by Chef Marisa Alface, prepared by the kitchen brigade and served by the front of house team from O Leão de Porches.
The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs members and guests were seated in the elevated part of the restaurant and the ground-floor tables entertained members of the general public for the same wine tasting dinner.
The event commenced with salmon tartar accompanied by the winery’s Sonhador Rosé 2023, followed by the first course of lamb’s lettuce, nêspera fruit (loquat), cashew nuts, parmesan and orange with vinaigrette dressing which complemented Sonhador Branco 2022 wine.
In the short pause between the courses, Tom gave an insight into the history of his father’s winery and introduced the charitable arts trust which it supports. This, in turn, offers opportunities to underprivileged children in several countries both in Europe and the Far East as an art foundation. The colourful labels on the bottles of the different wine varieties are from this charity’s competitions won by the young artists it supports.
Sonhador Tinto 2020, produced with grapes grown and ripened at a slower pace at 650 ft altitude in the winery’s oldest part, was drunk with the spicy pasta dish combining mussels, bresaola and crunchy cheese, and for the fish course of golden bream and mini bell peppers on a smooth kale sauce with garlic butter the selected wine was a second white wine, Reserva Branco 2022.
A flagship red from the winery, Reserva Tinto 2018, was tasted with the meat course of cachaço pork with duchesse potatoes, snow peas and a lemon thyme sauce.
A date and caramel dessert, together with Vinho Licoroso Carcavelos 1995, brought the event to an end.
Marie-Anne Ferran, Chargé de Mission Algarve, thanked Bianca Salden, Tom Bilton, Chef Marisa Alface, the kitchen brigade and the front of house team for the enjoyable evening.
Should you wish to know more about the global gastronomic fraternity please see the website www.chainedesrotisseurs.com or contact Marie-Anne Ferran 965 874 807.
By VALERIE LANTAU
Valerie Lantau
Commandeur
Chaine des Rotisseurs
