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| Port wine barrels at the cellars of Real Companhia Velha |
Hubby and I are not really beer-drinkers, but I am known to enjoy a glass of wine (or two). However, as many folks know, wine and beer are usual drinks to have with your meal, especially in Europe. Even pilgrim meals include wine or beer, so when in Rome (or Spain or Portugal)...
In Porto, before we set out on our Camino, we booked a Port winery tour at Real Companhia Velha at the Vila Nova de Gaia side. It is the oldest wine company in Portugal (over 265 years) so with all the choices for places to do wine tours, we decided to come here. And we really enjoyed this tour! We saw the cellars, got more info about the different types of port wine, got a bit of history and saw some centuries old bottles, which were actually covered in some sort of "safe" fungi. The tour was good and the tasting was even better! Hubby and I decided we liked the Tawny. Though we did not get a chance yet to try anything beyond 10 years, this will, of course, be the new goal!
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| quite the aged wines at Real Companhia Velha |
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| Port Wine Tasting at Real Companhia Velha |
In Portugal, along with cacchorrinhos (Portuguese hotdog sandwiches which were SOOO good!) that we enjoyed at Cervejaria Gazela, we discovered Super Bock for the first time. We had been seeing this brand logo all over the place and when we finally tried it, it made us converts! Maybe we acquired the taste of beer (finally), but we really liked the light, crisp taste of the draught. Now we understand why some folks enjoy a glass or two during meals or at the end of the day.
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| Cacchorrinhos with Super Bock draught at Cervejaria Gazela |
In Ponte de Lima, we tried a red Vinho Verde and the more famous white version in Rubiaes. This Portuguese wine originated in the Minho province and has a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) or Controlled Destination of Origin. So, of course, we had to try it in the actual area! We really enjoyed the light, crisp, "young wine" which had vibrant, fruity notes. Those we have tried had a subtle fizz, which was wonderfully refreshing.
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| red Vinho Verde at Ponte de Lima |
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| white Vinho Verde at Rubiaes |
And, as we were in the spirit :) of trying out food and drinks usually only available in the area we were in, we had to try the Queimada in Santiago. Queimada is a punch from Galicia, Spain, made with aguardiente, sugar, citrus peel, and coffee beans, set ablaze in a ceremony with incantations to ward off evil spirits. We booked a Queimada experience to cap our trip. Without taking to heart the words of the ritual, and especially after a religious pilgrimage, it was a unique experience and the drink was quite good! I am wondering if I can make this drink at home, without having to set things on fire to reduce the alcohol and without having to recite spells.
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| Queimada at Santiago |
So, naturally, one of the first things I searched while waiting for our flight home was to check out LCBO if we have access to these drinks! I am hoping the ones we have available will bring back all the wonderful memories of the trip. Cheers!
