Today I crunched into some really toasty pretzels from Snack Factory, then opened a $14-bottle of wine from Huntington Cellars that is gorgeous enough for a Saturday night sip; then opened an email invitation to check out the newest properties and wines in Oporto, Portugal. I don't always have time to say "yes" to such invites, but when Portugal calls, I must.
Portuguese wines are some of the most under-recognized and under-appreciated wines in the world. They are most often sealed with top of the line material -- the country is the premier producer of cork -- and they have all the spice and complexity I love in a red -- thanks to the grapes grown on the steep hillsides of the Douro Valley. Most people know Portugal for its ports, which are unique and (mostly) entirely affordable (thank you!), but it turns out that the grapes grown in the rocky vineyards there can produce a wide range of wines. I promise to tell you more in October, after I've sipped my way through the tiny country and returned to my computer.
