A Wine From Portugal.

by Andrew Barrow, Posted Aug 26th 2005 @ 4:55PM

Casa Santos Bin 1386 Casa Santos Lima is a family-run winery in Alenquer north of Lisbon. They maintain 160 hectares of vineyards which are planted with local native varieties including Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and the three grapes that go into this blend – Castelão, Tinta Miúda and Camarate.

For those who love those obscure grape varieties - Tinta Miúda means ‘small red grape’ there is some speculation that it could be the Spanish Graciano, which in turn is knwon in France as Morrastel. Camarate is a synonym for Casteláo Naçional, about which I know little and I assume Castelão is Castelão Frances (aka Periquita the ‘small parrot’). This should impart a raspberry flavour to a wine that gains more tar like qualities as it ages.

The wine itself has a subdued aroma – an interesting mix of summer fruits and fresh peas. Odd, but it was there. Sweet blackberry fruit dominate the palate gently slipping away to bring in rustic, gravely tannins on the finish. That rusticity remains when tried with food (something equally rustic required here) but overall the wine was more rounded, as it was designed to be, with food. In the UK this wine retails for around £6.

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Filed Under: Drink Recipes
Tags: british isles, mediterranean, portugal, wine