A more reliable source for Serra de Estrela

[Roy Hersh]

I have a Portuguese friend who has lived in the USA and Portugal, that I met in 2003. Our family's became friendly and we've kept in touch over the years. He had some online businesses with Portuguese wine and food in the past, along with a brick and mortar shop too. His family is going to be moving back to the USA. I alerted him to the "other" thread on Serra de Estrela cheese. I know he knows the difference and would never even accidentally bait and switch. Having been involved with import and export for many years, he truly is a fanatic about the quality of his product. Now, he will be moving back to the USA ... once again, because of some opportunities with bringing in products. Here was his email to me re; the cheese ... and he has many from Portugal, not just great Serra!

Wow Roy,

I visited your Forum. There are certainly many people wanting to be clarified on the cheese. I could help in getting this resolved. My selection is delivered into NYC by air direct from Lisbon in perfect condition. I certainly recommend that all interested parties purchase it upon arrival to get it in perfect condition. I think I could inform you each time a new batch has arrived, and you could get an email shot out to readers and/or on the Forum. I sell to others but they do take longer routes and pass through different people before being sold and sometimes don't arrive in the best of condition (ripeness too) and with some off flavors due to handling. The cheese leaves the producer ready to be consumed and not to be further aged. It takes us 10 days or less to deliver to NYC our cheeses.

Thanks for your interest. I plan on working to promote and sell these cheeses on more intensive base while in the states.

Thanks again,
Victor

[Marco D.]

Fantastic find... I for one would love to get email alerts on this!

[John Trombley]

me too!

[Glenn E.]

Yum! Me three!

I'd really love to be able to get some of the ripe Serra da Estrela... it sounds like that might be possible!

[Roy Hersh]

This should prove to be interesting. I wanted to insure that 'ers could be guaranteed a steady supply of top notch queijo that was ripe and gooey upon delivery and none of the "I need to slice it" kind of stuff that I tasted from IGourmet a few months back. The other issues that John and others raised, made this a mission on my part and then I remembered my buddy Victor that has an export company that does just that.

So, as soon as I have more news, it will be reported here and in the newsletter.

[Eric Ifune]

I was tempted to smuggle some of this back to the states when I came back. Luckily, I didn't. Customs now puts all your luggage through an x-ray machine before releasing it to you. The guy next to me had a couple of sausages taken!

[Andy Velebil]

I was tempted to smuggle some of this back to the states when I came back. Luckily, I didn't. Customs now puts all your luggage through an x-ray machine before releasing it to you. The guy next to me had a couple of sausages taken!

Thats good to know, especially since I'll flying to the mother land in June. Any issues with bringing the Port back? I've only had one issue with a check in person, then I showed her my TSA printout about checking in alcohol I always carry and problem solved. But she wasn't going to let me check it in before i showed it to her.

[Eric Menchen]

What is this TSA printout? Can you send a link? I checked a bag with at least 7 bottles equivalent last year without issue, but I'd always like to be prepared.

[Andy Velebil]

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/ ... _1189.shtm

Print that out and carry a copy of it with you on all flights where you are checking wine/Port/Madeira/whatever into the cargo hold. It saved me once and I know from others on wine boards it has saved them too. Some airline employees think that Port, at 20% ABV, has a Liter limit. That is not true per TSA and their regulations.

Please note, you can’t take alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol content (140 proof), including 95% grain alcohol and 150 proof rum, in your checked luggage.

You may take up to five liters of alcohol with alcohol content between 24% and 70% per person as checked luggage if it’s packaged in a sealable bottle or flask.

Alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcohol content are not subject to hazardous materials regulations.

[Eric Ifune]

I had a 15 bottle styro shipper. With wine, it weighes exactly 22.5 kg.
Domestic flights within Portugal have a limit per person of 20 kg. for all baggage. If however, your flights are connected with your international tickets, then you are allowed the full weight. When we went to Madeira, I was overweight since I bought all my tickets seperately. Fortunately, because we were a group, they averaged the weights for all of us. When I went from Madeira to Porto, I showed my international itinerary for the next day, and they let me through. Going from Porto to Newark was no problem. It was in Newark where they now have the x-ray machine.
One other thing, I guess there is now a rule discouraging bringing wines from different regions all around Portugal. Mario had a discussion with the customs person in Madeira for a good 5-10 minutes about it because of mine and David's Port. Eventually, he got us through, but in the future, you will want to keep your receipts with you just in case.

[Andy Velebil]

One other thing, I guess there is now a rule discouraging bringing wines from different regions all around Portugal. Mario had a discussion with the customs person in Madeira for a good 5-10 minutes about it because of mine and David's Port. Eventually, he got us through, but in the future, you will want to keep your receipts with you just in case.

Can you elaborate on this? Since I'll be in Oporto in June I am most curious.


Yeah, I hear you about the weight. Stewart and I had some issues last year as we had seperate tickets to fly back to London after the Harvest Trip. Only problem is the lower weight limits applied. Not good with a suitcase that was almost 21 kilos, and a 12 pack full of Port that was 19 kilos. They started to charge us some massive overweight fee that was almost more than the cost of the POrt we had and more than the actual airline ticket itself. Luckily after some smooth talking and they not only waved all our overweight fees, they upgraded our luggage to "Priority" Thats what I call service...I do like TAP airlines!

[Eric Ifune]

Thats what I call service...I do like TAP airlines!

And they have 2003 Dows LBV in those little bottles. Of course, I asked for two!
One interesting thing was they had a Rioja as their white wine. Maybe we should invite their wine buyer on one of the trips to the Douro and he can try some of the nice whites from Portugal!

Regarding the wine from different areas, I don't know more details. Mario gave us the gist after his long conversation. Another reason to learn Portugese. Basicly it seems Portugese customs is discouraging transporting wines willy-nilly around. At least into Madeira. I guess if you have your receipts you can show they''re for personal use. Perhaps we can get more detail from Mario when he returns from Africa.

[Andy Velebil]

Ok thanks...I'll shoot him an email and inquire.

[Heather Hathwell]

I'd love an email blast on the cheese thing when the time comes. Thanks!

[Roy Hersh]

I followed up with my friend Victor, Heather. His importer is having some minor issues at the moment, but he promised to email me as soon as this is rectified as he would love to get the situation settled and start getting us some fine Serra!

If Andy or someone else can please email me with the URL of this thread, then I can send it to him and keep him aware of all the interest. Thanks.