For The Love Of Port

During dinner tonight my wife referred to the subject of a discussion earlier in the week when I mentioned that some people had suggested the possibility of Port with steak, at which suggestion she was quite appalled. She had recalled that we did once have Port early in a meal. I show the menu below. We had been in Portugal for only a few months so were somewhat restricted in the food we could produce ourselves. Providing for ourselves is a most important part of the way we live. My knowledge of Portuguese wines at the time was also rather scant. In Australia they did not exist, and in the UK they were, and are, hidden amongst the Spanish wines. Port tends to have a few inches of shelf space to itself.

With one exception I would like to know which wine(s) and preferably Portuguese, forum members would suggest for each of the courses in the meal. The exception being the Hors d'oeuvres, because the wine with that course has a most significant personal significance to both myself and my son - who else has picked the grapes and made the wine for part of his own 21st Birthday celebration?

The dinner party consisted of 4 people. My wife, who did the cooking, myself (helped a little with cutlery and crockery service as well as bottle opener), The Old Dragon (MIL) and Himself. The menu was printed out in proper form as a keepsake for the Dragon, but it is easier read as shown below:-

DINNER
FRIDAY, 26th DECEMBER, 2003

In honour of the 21st Birthday of Mr. Iain McDonald

At

Monte do Chão da Vã, Portugal



HORS D’OEUVRES

Monte do Chão da Vã Olives
From the Ribeiro Grove; with an assortment of home-baked breads; butter.
The Hors d’oeuvres will remain on the table throughout the meal.

Old McDonald’s Monte do Chão da Vã “Casco Um” 2003.

Note: The Guest of Honour picked and crushed the grapes with his hands to produce this wine - the first cask of the first vintage of the McDonald family at Monte do Chão da Vã. The cask will be broached for the Dinner.

SOUP

Triple Treat Pumpkin
Made from pumpkins grown in the Monte kitchen garden.

Gilbert’s Extra Dry Porto Branco.

FISH

Scottish Smoked Salmon
Cold sliced with Scottish Oatcakes.

Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial N.V.

ENTRÉE

Peru Senhor Iain
Turkey pieces in a sauce especially created for the occasion and handed on a bed of rice.

Grão Vasco 1998.

REMOVE

Bife do Lombo
Fillet steaks with a mushroom and onion sauce, accompanied by freshly harvested carrots and broccoli.

Caves Aliança Cabernet Sauvignon 1996.


SORBET


GAME

Roast Quail
With salad from the Monte garden.

Quinta de Cabriz 1992.

ENTREMETS SUCRE

Meringues Amendoa
Almond meringues with cream and cherries in syrup.

Vila da Galeira 1996.
Various Moscatels do Douro.

ENTREMETS SAVOREUX

A selection of Bonnes-bouches to be served with the Cheeses.

CHEESES
English Stilton and other cheeses with savoury, plain and sweet biscuits.

Osborne’s 1985.
Quinta da Vargellas 1998.

DESSERTS

The Birthday Cake; Fresh and preserved fruits from the Monte orchards; sweetmeats.

A choice of Portuguese brandies.
Coffee.

I don't think I'd change a thing. While I've not had some of those on your list, the line up of wines and food looks like it was a great evening.

I like your selection of Dao's. Have you had Quinta de Cabriz 1992 before? Never seen a bottle that old in my locale.

Andy, As I requested, I was hoping that members would see a particular course and tell me what their preferred wine would be to accompany that course - not necessarily their favourite for every course. I may be repeating a similar meal (perhaps not all the courses) and I thought it would be interesting to see if I could find members' favourites and give them a try beforehand.

Moses, The dinner was 10 years ago. I do not have any left. I have had other more recent Cabriz wines and I like them. The oldest table wine I have is a 1991 Caves St. João Poço do Lobo Cab.Sauv. I paid €4-49 for a few in 2005 which was a lot more than I would normally fork out in those days. It never settled down, still "spritzig" in 2005, and always seemed to offer more if it was left a little longer. The last one will be drunk in about a month when my son visits.