Portuguese Wine Fair

12th March – see Events Calendar

A great Portuguese wine

Portugal is one of Europe’s most exciting wine regions, now producing some stellar wines of which Malhadinha Nova (opposite) is one of the very best.

The presence of a number of native grapes – some with colourful nicknames like ‘Ewe’s Tail’, ‘The Bastard’ and ‘The Dog Strangler’ – ensures that you certainly won’t die of boredom through drinking Portuguese. One of my own favourites is Touriga Nacional, one of the principal grapes grown in the Douro where it is used to make port, but Touriga Nacional is  also capable, in the right hands, of making soft, aromatic, powerful red table wines of some class.

Venue for the fair is the Alexander Hotel, South Cumberland Street Dublin 2 and over 40 wineries have already signed up to take part.

Malhadina Nova and its likewise excellent baby brother Monte da Peceguinha are available from The Corkscrew, Chatham St. Dublin, Fallon & Byrne and good independents.