Portuguese wines in Hong Kong
often get a bad rap because of the perception that Portuguese wines are cheap
and nasty. This perception here is born of many people’s frequent visits to
Macau to drink the cheap imports of mostly average wines that are available on
the regular shop shelves there and in many of the restaurants. This perception
is thankfully, untrue and there are many great Portuguese wines available in
Hong Kong (and these days, Macau too).
The cheap wine perception
stemming from years of drinking in Macau comes from the fact that Macau, being
an ex-Portuguese colony, has always had a deal in place between the two
governments that many products, including wine, have been taxed at a very low
rate (and in many circumstances, none at all), meaning the Portuguese wines
there have always been much cheaper than here in Hong Kong and, with a
negligible rate of tax, much more competitive.
Portuguese wines have had some
good exposure in the last year or so here in Hong Kong, none more so than by
visits to the territory by the infamous ‘Douro Boys’ – showing that there is
quality made in the country – and also by the Vintage Academy of Port, not just
highlighting the versatility of Port wine but also, once again, putting the
spotlight onto products from Portugal available in Hong Kong.
Last week I was fortunate to have
a tasting of some Portuguese wines that are available here from the Howard’s
Folly winery making wines from grapes sourced in the Alentejo region of
Portugal. This region is situated in the southern half of Portugal and is known
not only for its quality wines, but has traditionally been a region of the
country famed for its production of cork.
Howard’s Folly wines are all
cultivated by hand and the reds are a blend made up of Syrah, Alicante Bouschet
and Touriga Nacional, whilst the white they produce is made up of 100 per cent
Alvarinho. Starting with the 2010 white it was evident that this wine should be
on every table on any hot day as its crisp, clean and refreshing nuances will
pair well with beautiful sunny summers days and, in my view, a great
alternative to the now some-what obvious and often mundane white wine choices
made these days of Sauvignon Blanc and other ‘crowd pleasing’ but safe choice
whites.
Wine Advocate’s Mark Squires gave
the wine 88 points which for a Portuguese white is pretty good and they
described the wine thus: “It is quite charming, with some finesse and
penetration. A bit lemony on the finish, still showing quite young, it is pure
and refreshing with adequate depth for its grape. Sunny and elegant, it is a
pleasure to drink, especially successful as a debut”.
The first red, the Howard’s Folly
2007 was savoury and elegant with hints of bacon and very much made in a Rhone
Valley style and has good finesse and elegance after only 6 months aging in
barrel. It’s extremely approachable and is good for simple drinking alone or
sharing with some friends over light tapas style food of an afternoon. Overall,
an enjoyable wine and worth investigating if you are interested in Portuguese
wines.
Their second red is a winner for
sure, the Howard’s Folly 2007 Reserva. It has a fantastic nose and a great
meaty body to it and is extremely addictive. Even though a reserva, it’s one of
those wines that I can envisage sitting at a table with mates late night and
polishing off a good five or six bottles. After the tasting I took the
remainder of the bottle to a local restaurant and we did finish it off pretty
quickly and, the wine even surprised the managers there with its complex yet
easy drinking and very moorish style.
The Wine Advocate has only given
it 87 points, which is not bad (I can find many Bordeaux growths with that
score which I loved too), and I think it maybe lost out on points because it’s
one that can be consumed now and not necessarily needs any cellaring to
improve. The magazine said the wine lacked depth, but this translates (to me)
as a wine that does not take too much thinking about to consume and enjoy –
just the kind of wine for people who like drinking wines rather than analyzing
them.
“A big step up over the
regular Tinto in purity, fruit flavor, depth and structure, this has some nods
to French Syrah in style. Rather tasty, it is clean and fresh, with a juicy,
flavorful finish. It is also a bit astringent on that finish, even now. Not
particularly concentrated at this point in its life, it has a certain sunny
elegance in the mid-palate. What this lacks in depth, it often makes up for in
charm and flavor”.
Overall, I think these wines
make good all-year-round drinking and would be happy to serve them to friends
and family on summer outings or even winter days at home after a good evening
slaving in front of the stove. They are available in Hong Kong from Howard’s
Folly Wines. For more information contact Vivi Weller on vivi@howardsfollywine.com
or call 2542-1177. More information on the wines can be found at their website www.howardsfollywine.com
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