This month's Wine Pairing Weekend that
I participate in the 2nd Saturday of month is hosted by
Christy Majors of Christy's
Palate and the theme is Portugal. Yes, I know, this is an
Italian wine blog, but it's nice to venture out every now and shake
it up a bit. Portugal, like Italy, has some very good values when it
comes to wine. The wine I'm sharing with you today, 2013 Agro Batoreu
Terre Silvestre, is from the Tejo region of Portugal, formerly known
as Ribatejo. The name originates from the Tejo River, also known as
the Tagus River, that impacts this region greatly. This region is located
closely to the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. The very fertile plains
of this area can be overly fertile so its up to the producer to
control the growth of grapes in order to provide quality wines.
According to the Wines of Tejo, “Tejo is known as the land of
vineyards, olive groves, cork forests, Mertolengo cattle, and the
famous Lusitano horses”.
Agro Batoreu was created in 1988, but
the brand is a combination of two families, Batoreu and Canteiro,
whom both have been making wine in this region since 1860. The 2013 Agro Batoreu Terre Silvestre is a blend of 50% touriga franca, 30% syrah and 20% alicante boushet.
This wine is grown within the Tejo province in their Aveiras de Cima
vineyards of the Bairro zone, 1 of the 3 wine production zones of the
Tejo. Deep in color with violet hues this was a full bodied, rich,
elegant and concentrated wine displaying blackberries. Retailing in
the low $20's
The touriga franca grape dominating
this wine is indigenous to Portugal and is widely planted in the
Douro Valley of Portugal, but is also found throughout other areas
including Tejo. It's typically blended with other grapes as shown in
this wine today. It's typically an aromatic grape, rich in dark
fruits, with good body and color. Growers appreciate this grape as
it's very hardy and easy to grow.
I paired this wine with an asian dish
made of teriyaki marinated pork tenderloin with roasted vegetables
and brown rice. I try to eat rather healthy in my house so I like to
eat lots of protein and vegetables. Plus, with the local farmshare
that I'm participating in this summer I'm getting bombarded with and
who doesn't love roasted veggies? I felt that the teriyaki marinade
was the right choice with this pork dish and wine, but it would
probably stand up even better to lamb or steak due to the
concentration and full body in the wine.
It was fun exploring and touching upon
this region as I'm very green to the wines, but from the ones I have
always sampled from Portugal I've always been impressed. Check them
out for yourself! Here are the rest of the bloggers from my group sharing their food and wine pairings of Portugal.
Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla is sharing “Vinho Verde Caldeirada with Pluot Port Granita”
Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva pairs “Poco Do Lobo Arinto with Seabass”
Constance from Vinhos do Alentego is featuring “Alentejano Black Pork with Clams”
David from Cooking Chat shares “Grilled Pork with Portuguese Potatoes and Kale”
Jade of Tasting Pour is pairing “Portugal's Green Wine with Stew Fresh from the Sea”
Jeff from food wine click shares “Perfect Pairing with Port”
Lori from Draceana Wines features “Portugal: Not just for Port. Who Knew?”
Martin of Enofylz Wine Blog tempts us with “Taste of Portugal:Grilled Fish Setubal Style and 2008 Torre de Tavares Encruzado"
Michelle from Rockin Red Blog shares “Portuguese Wines: Just Say Yes”
Nancy from Pull That Cork pairs “Amêijoas na Cataplana with Soalheiro Alvarinho”
Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere pairs “Piri Piri Chicken with Verdelho”
Wendy creator of A Day in the Life on a Farm shares “A Tawny Port from Portugal served with Grilled Figs topped with Goat Cheese”
Make sure to join us next month for Wine Pairing Weekend on September 12th as we feature volcanic wines hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Sources: Wines
of Portugal, Wines of Tejo
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