Why does the wine-loving world have so little appreciation of Portuguese wines?

Simon J. Woolf; Co-Author of Foot Trodden

Book Review

Over the course of the last few years, thanks to media samples and friends who import Portuguese wine, I’ve tasted scores of Portuguese wines.

And you know what?

The quote attributed above to Simon J Woolf, is a question I’ve asked myself many times.

Foot Trodden – Portugal and the Wines that Time Forgot, authored by Simon J Woolf and Ryan Opaz, thoroughly and convincingly answers the question for me.

The book is purposefully light on technical details, but instead tells the stories of the people behind the bottles, buttressed by keen historic, political, and cultural context vital to understanding the evolution of Portuguese wine.

The beautifully written preface sets the stage for this narrative and visual exploration of the past, and present of Portuguese wine.

It is composed of eight chapters. The first chapter “Entrada” tells the story of a hastily organized, intimate gathering of 16 small scale producers that in retrospect would be a seminal moment for Portugal and its wines. It also provide much of the aforementioned context for understanding how the Portuguese wine scene is what it is today. It also introduces the reader to one of Portugal’s treasures, its diversity of indigenous grape varieties.

Thereafter the chapters are roughly organized geographically from north to south.

The book is a visual treat, from its beautiful hard cover designed by Eyal & Myrthe, and an especially commissioned hand-drawn map of Portugal by artist Zé Miguel, to the exclusive stunning photos of co-author Opaz, that transport the reader to landscape of Portuguese wine.

It is immensely informative across the board, but I especially appreciated learning more about the “unsung heroes and obscure corners” of Portuguese wine beyond big brands, and the Douro Valley; and talha culture. And there is very useful glossary that includes vinous terms germane to Portugal and winemaking in general.

Wine Pairing

After reading the book, I was inspired to try a wine from one of the producers noted therein. And in particular , one of the 16 producers who were part of the seminal Simplemento Vinho event.

I was fortunate to find the 2017 Casal Figueira “Tinto” from a local online “natural” wine shop.

The story of Casa Figueira is featured in Chapter 8 – Bom Dia – Lisboa and beyond”. It’s a compelling story of incomparable strength and resilience.

Casal Figueira is a project focused on neglected local cultivars. It was founded by Antonio Carvalho and his wife, Marta Soares.

The terroir is not especially sexy on paper. The vineyards are studded around the Serra de Montejunto, a mountain located just about an hour north of Lisbon. They take the IGP Vinho Regional designation rather than the more prestigious Óbidos explains Rock Juice, where I purchased the wine.

Opting for the ostensibly less prestigious IGP Vinho Regional classification over a “higher” DOP classification isn’t unusual in Portugal.

As explained in the book, “It has become a new norm that any winemaker who thinks out side the box or does what they think is best for the wine rather than the DOC, risks their hard work being thrown out from the appellation.”

Tasting Note

This alluring wine pours a ruby violet color with raspberry, plum skin, dry earth, and a hint of mint with a very appealing florality. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with vibrant, mouth-watering acidity and chalky tannins. It shows black raspberry, red plum, black cherry, black tea flavors with nuanced spice notes and a very appealing saline minerality. 13.5% ABV; 250 cases; SPR – $38

Vineyard/cellar stats: 100% Castelão. Organic and biodynamic farming; 70 year old, own-rooted vines on clay and sand soils; 200m elevation; whole cluster fermentation in stainless steel; short cold maceration, elevage continues in stainless steel with lees, no battonage or pump-overs; no chemical additives; bottled unfined/unfiltered and minimal So2.

________________________________________________________________________

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and for all things wine.  As a wino with latent foodie tendencies, you’ll also find plenty of food and wine pairings, and wine related travel stuff! Become a fan and join ENOFYLZ Wine Blog on Facebook. Cheers!

Copyright Notice: This entire site is Copyrighted 2010-2022. All Rights Reserved. No unauthorized copying of any section of this site is permitted. If you wish to use any part of this site, contact me. For information on Copyright Law, see the official U.S. Copyright Office home page.