Port wine is King in Portugal, thanks to Touriga Nacional.
APRIL 06 2011
Common Names: Touriga Nacional, Mortágua – A small berry varietal capable of producing dark tannic wines, rising to become the star player in the historic Port wines of Northern Portugal.
Port wine is typically described as having an inky, dense and dark color with a powerful bouquet of dried fruits and spices while having the ability to last decades when properly stored. This amazing wine’s ability to age effortlessly relies on the blend of many grapes, the most famous of which is Touriga Nacional. Anyone who has tasted a wine from the Douro valley in Portugal has most likely tasted Touriga Nacional, but few are familiar with its name. Why? Simply because Port wine does not have to list the varietals used in its production. However, you may be a bit more savvy of its existence in the red wine produced in the Dão region situated just south of the Demarcated zone of the Douro Valley, which at times is primarily composed of only Touriga Nacional.
Ask any wine expert and they will most likely acknowledge the importance of Touriga in the production of Port wine, but ask whether or not they should be used in table wines and you might get mixed results. Why is this? For the most part, I think it comes down to their intensity. Naturally high in tannins, and difficult to control in the vineyards, Touriga can give any winemaker a small headache. However, there are those who are persistent and look past the small difficulties in order to produce wines with intoxicating aromas and rich flavors of blueberries and violet blossoms.
This last point was illustrated perfectly the other night when a friend of Gabriella’s and I sat down to taste a bottle of Touriga from the Dão region. What made this interesting was the fact that without prompting, my fellow tasters found an herbal quality to the chocolate aromas of the nose, but were unable to discern exactly what the specific aroma was. It wasn’t until we introduced a piece of of a violet infused chocolate from our favorite shop in Madrid, [Sampaka->http://www.cacaosampaka.com/#Null], that they were able to pinpoint the exact aroma. However, picking out violet is not the easiest thing to do without having had a recent sniff of it, but what was interesting is that the wine and chocolate had so much in common. Not only did the violet come through the wine beautifully, but the dark chocolate with its rich tannins and earthy richness also paired wonderfully with the wine. Though having the chocolate infused with chocolate on hand was a coincidence it turned out to be an eye opener.
After finishing the chocolate, we continued to discern other flavors imprinted in our sensory memory, such as blueberry, earthy (loamy), violets, dark fruits and black chocolate. In the end this accidental experiment taught us a considerable amount, not only did we learn some of the traits of Touriga Nacional, but we also learned that it has the potential to produce very nice table wines.
Port wine is King in Portugal, thanks to Touriga Nacional, but I challenge you to step away for a moment and search out a table wine made only from this grape. I would suggest a bottle from the Dão region, or even further south into the Alentejo region, judging for yourself if this Grape can “go it alone”!
Source: http://catavino.net/grape-profile-touriga-nacional/
Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar
This fine dining restaurant is also famous for its low carbohydrates “low carb” dishes highly recommended for frequent diners who are on a low fat food and favor healthy food. This is a unique restaurant that can help frequent diners maintain a healthy diet and enjoy delicious fine dining cuisine at the same time. Vegetarian dishes are a specialty here also and so are “halal” cuisines also.
Favorites of frequent diners, foodies and wine lovers are steaks, Wagyu, Foie Gras, lobsters, venison, kangaroo loin, osso buco, veal chops, Kurabuto pork, escargots and a good selection of cheeses to enjoy with fine Vintage port and Sauternes. Cuban cigars such as Monte Cristo, Cohiba, Upmann, Partagas, Romeo Julieta and Trinidad are also available in the Magnum Room which is a wine bar and lounge for before and after dinner relaxation. A good selection of Armagnac, Cognac, Single Malt, Vodka and other liquor is served in addition to the wine vintage wines some served by the glass.
Recent opinion survey of frequent travelers heading north towards Subic and Clark Pampanga revealed that the number one most frequently visited fine dining restaurant in Pampanga is Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar located in Clark Philippines.
Inquiries and reservations
Restaurant@Yats-International.com
(045) 599-5600
0922-870-5178
0917-520-4401
Ask for Pedro and Rechel
Getting to this fine dining restaurant of Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga Philippines
How to get to this fine-dining restaurant in Clark Philippines? Once you get to Clark Freeport, go straight until you hit Mimosa. After you enter Mimosa, stay on the left on Mimosa Drive, go past the Holiday Inn and Yats Restaurant (green top, independent 1-storey structure) is on your left. Just past the Yats Restaurant is the London Pub.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5u5vLLIlNgw
Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar
Mimosa Drive past Holiday Inn, Mimosa Leisure Estate,
Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, Philippines 2023
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay
For assistance in hotel and resort booking in Clark, Philippines, log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com
For assistance in locating a suitable venue for wedding reception, log on to
http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com
