Day 22: Porto
We were running a little late to our first port wine tour. Google maps directions can be a little off in foreign countries, especially a city like Porto with all the hills and elevation. We ended up adding 10 minutes to our walk because we misread the decline down and across the bridge. Plus it didn't help that we were taking a bunch of selfies along the way. Before reaching Cockburn's, there was a massive hill we had to conquer, similar to the ones you see in San Francisco. We were so thankful for the air conditioning in the facility by the time we arrived.
Cockburn's is one of seven brands apart of the Symington Family Estates. Some other popular ports in the same company include Dow's and Taylor's. We learned the initial stages of port production are essential the same as wine making. The difference is instead of promoting an extensive fermentation process, they stop it completely with the addition of brandy to the mixture. Although this kills the yeast, it creates the signature sweetness and higher alcohol by volume you see in port wines. You have variations such as ruby, pure white, tawny and vintage.
The ruby is a young wine that is stored in wooden casks, concrete or stainless steel tanks for a couple years, then blended and filtered. This is how it retains its red color. The pure white is the same process but the mixture doesn't come in contact with the grape skin, thus maintaining the white hue. The tawny is different, as it's aged in barrels for a longer period, changing to more of a brown color. The taste is more complex than the basic ruby and pure white wines because of the unique characteristics of the oak wood barrels they sit in. As for the vintage wines, they are only in the barrels for about 2 years then bottled unfiltered, left to age for 10 or even 40 years. Unlike the rubys and whites, the vintage wine's flavor improves over the years. It's only if everything goes well and you have perfect conditions that contribute to extraordinary taste, is when a vineyard declares a vintage year. I found all the wines to be excellent and unique in their own way. On the other hand, Jackie gravitated more to the ruby, white and vintage wines, as she was not a fan of the tawny's strong oak taste.
After the tasting, we were led outside to a beautiful space with some picnic tables, plants and a little water fountain. We had a basket full of little goodies like olives, nuts, bread, different spreads and fruit. Wineries can learn a few things from Cockburn's. It's not just about the wines but also the experience. The combination of beautiful weather, outdoor space, snacks and wine was exactly what we were looking for on a nice sunny Sunday. We had such a good time, we arrived late to our second tour.
For a mid day snack we went to Casa Guedes, another recommendation from our airbnb host. Don't be surprised if you see a long line out the door on a Friday or Saturday night. What everybody is waiting to get their hands on is their pork sandwich with fries. Although it was a little different than the sandwich we ate at Casa Ribeiro on Day 21, it was just as tasty. It was very simple. No sauce. Just meat and the bun. Now we realize the Portuguese are quite the experts in pork.
Jackie wasn't feeling well that night. She thought it may have been from the processed spreads that she ate with the bread at lunch. As she rested, I took a 30 minute bus northwest of Porto to Matosinhos. This is where I ate a memorable seafood platter at Esplanada Marisqueira A Antiga. It was absolutely worth venturing outside of town for some of the freshest prawns, shrimp and clams I have ever eaten. This was also where I had my very first barnacles and all I can say is do not leave Portugal without trying these little suckers. The server instructed me to hold the hard end, peel the casing and slurp out the soft tube. That taste reminded me of seafood dinners with my family many years ago. We would use surgical like tools to pry open claws and reward ourselves with some juicy, succulent meat. Memories associated with food sure is a powerful thing.
Thereafter, someone rolls out a cart, where on top lies a salt coated sea bass. He lights it on fire right in front of my eyes. As the flames die down, he brushes the excess salt off, revealing a perfectly cooked fish. The server skillfully debones and fillets the bass, then plates it cleanly with some roasted potatoes and spinach. You don't see this very often: tableside cooking, prepping and serving. It's certainly a lost art. Though the fish was very tender and soft, I thought personally the fish could use more salt and pepper. A squeeze of lemon on top would have added a good amount of acidity. But overall, it was well worth the commute out of the city.
Here are some things you can expect on Day 23: a bus tour of Douro Valley, wine tasting at local vineyards, a river cruise and the eventual taste of Porto's iconic sandwich, francesinhas. Stay tuned!
