I first tried this wine a few months ago at the excellent Inevitável wine bar/restaurant in Armação de Pêra, a place that can always be relied on when it comes to off-the-radar wines and very tasty food with a touch of creativity and authentic Portuguese flavours.
The Herdade Papa Leite C-50 white comes from a 320-hectare estate in the upper “Alto” close to the town of Alter do Chão. Here, owner Filipe Barreiros Cardoso has created an agricultural business where cattle farming (he has a herd of 170 Aberdeen Black Angus and 80 of the local Alentejo breed) exists alongside the production of high-quality olive oil and wine.
I’m still to try any of the reds from this producer, but this white, made from an unusual blend of Moscatel, Chenin Blanc and Viognier, is very impressive.
On the nose, there are elegant notes of peach and honey, dry in the mouth with a smooth texture from six months of ageing on the fine lees in stainless steel.
This is a sophisticated and versatile wine, light and fresh enough to enjoy as an aperitif, but with enough structure to pair with light meals. It is not widely available in shops, but you can find it in Apolónia, costing €17.97.
By Patrick Stuart
patrick.stuart@open-media.net
