Members of the Algarve Wine Society (AWS) met on October 23 at Quinta da Ria’s Ria Terrace Restaurant for a dinner accompanied by wines from Herdade da Mingorra. The restaurant’s interior has been completely renovated and work continues on further improvements to the building and its facilities.
Welcome drinks and canapés were served before a four-course meal was served with accompanying wines. The meal consisted of octopus carpaccio with lettuces, padrón peppers vinaigrette and puff pastry pearls, fired grouper flavoured with lemon-lime zests and baby vegetables perfumed with saffron, matured beef steak and stuffed potato with bacon. Homemade garlic mayonnaise and parmesan cheese and a cherry pavlova finished the delicious dinner.
Sofia Uva gave a wonderful presentation of a selection of wines from the Herdade da Mingorra winery located near Beja. These wines are mainly based on red grape varieties including Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro and Castelo (planted between four and 40 years ago) and white grape varieties including Arinto, Antão Vaz and Sauvignon Blanc.
Pedro Hipólito, the winemaker, is constantly striving for improvement by introducing small plantings of different varietals to establish lines for future expansion.
AWS members enjoyed a welcome sparkling white followed by a colheita white and then a white reserva, a red reserva, a prize-winning Petit Verdot and a late harvest white. The quality of all these wines shone through, particularly the Petit Verdot, which was the undoubted star of the selection that was tasted.
Sofia is the eldest of four sisters running the estate whilst her father, Henrique, now takes more of a backseat role in the business. The estate welcomes visits and offers small groups the opportunity to stay in the family home and experience winemaking life.
