Portuguese Wine Tasting

For the last 10 weeks I've been attending Portuguese language classes at the Sausalito Portuguese Hall on Sunday evenings with my younger sister, Lisa.  My Dad is Portuguese and my Mom was born and raised in Brazil, so growing up, the Portuguese language was spoken predominately in our home.  My parents spoke it to us {and still do} and we spoke back to them in English.  We were never forced to speak Portuguese but now wish we were.  I think learning to speak Portuguese, or any foreign language, as a child comes much more easily than learning to speak as an adult.

Last night was our last class of the 10 week long session.  It was a Portuguese party, held at a fellow class member's home with plenty of food, pot luck style and Portuguese wine and Port tasting as well.  I'm sure you can guess what my contribution was....yes, my favorite cheese of all time, Portuguese St. George cheese with fig spread and crusty bread.  

It was very interesting learning the origin of Portuguese wine from Eugenio Jardin and Porto {Port} from Nelson Ascenso along with the different regions of wine growing in Portugal.  My next trip to Portugal will need to include a tour of the Douro Valley, near the border of Spain in mainland Portugal, where Port and many other wines are grown.

Port is typically drank as a dessert wine.  It's very strong, sweet and it's made by mixing wine with brandy bringing the alcohol content up to around 20%.  My friend, Vasco, gave us the fantastic idea of mixing a bit in with your morning coffee.  Perfect for a snow trip I think.

My favorite Porto of the night was the Niepoort 10 Tawny, blended with different wines averaging 10 years. Just like regular wine, Ports come in dry, sweet, rosso, white and many different varieties.

All in all, it was a fantastic end to a fabulous class.  And I really think drinking Portuguese wine helps me to become a better Portuguese speaker.....at least it did last night.

Are you a fan of drinking Port?  If so, what's your favorite?

If you're local and interested in taking Portuguese language lessons, classes at the Sausalito Portuguese Hall are held in the Spring and the Fall.