Take your pick

GRANDJÓ LATE HARVEST, FROM DOURO

Real Companhia Velha in the Douro owns a beautiful Quinta located in the small village of Granja de Alijó. The brand Grandjó was created through a fusion of both words: Granja and Alijó, and became the company’s oldest active brand. On this vineyard, the morning fog is followed by hot and humid afternoons – ideal conditions for the development of the Botrytis Cinerea fungus.The result is a sweet and unctuous wine that can last 15-20 years. realcompanhiavelha.pt/en/ wines/douro/grandjo/late-/ late-harvest €61.40

DONA ERMELINDA LATE HARVEST, FROM SETÚBAL garrafinhas.pt/produto/ casa-ermelinda-freitascolheita-tardia €14.75

Casa Ermelinda Freitas has been dedicated to wine production since 1920; its vineyards are located in Fernando Pó, a privileged area of the Palmela region.

Made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, it presents a golden-yellow colour and an earthy aroma with notes of honey on the nose. On the palate, it is full and sweet, with a balance between acidity and sugars, making it a fresh wine, with a persistent and pleasant ending.

Pairing suggestions

One of the classic pairings for these wines is foie gras, where the intense flavour and high fat content are perfectly complimented by the wine when it is served chilled. And desserts with cream, like creme brûlée, or fruit, like apple pie, pair well with late-harvest wines. From the world of cheeses, Roquefort is another classic combination. Goat’s cheese can also be an option; try it with a side dish of apricot jam for a special combination of flavours. Another partner for lateharvest wines is a cured cheese, such a Portugal’s famous São Jorge, where its saltiness and spiciness are delicious with the smooth creamy character of the wine.

KO - LATE HARVEST, FROM THE ALGARVE

Quinta do Barranco Longo was founded in 2001 in the Algarve. Dedicated to the production of still and sparkling wines, the producer takes advantage of the good local terroir, the Mediterranean climate, and the sun. This sweet white wine, a blend of Moscatel, Viognier, and Chardonnay grapes offers the fruitness of fig and a hint of orange on the palate. The name KO refers to ‘Knockout’ – that winning punch for the perfect end to a meal. quintadobarrancolongo. com €25.50

VINHA D’ERVIDEIRA, FROM THE ALENTEJO

Ervideira is a family project in the Alentejo region that since 1880 has focused on creating truly exclusive wines. One of them is this lateharvest wine made from the Antão Vaz grape variety. Intense aroma of dried and tropical fruits, figs, marmalade and honey, with some citrus notes on the nose. And on the palate, it reveals a pleasant sweetness and an interesting volume and a vibrant acidity in a long finish.

ervideira.pt/produto/ vinhos/vinhadervideira/vinhadervideira-vindimatardia-branco €18

JOÃO CLARA LATE HARVEST, FROM THE ALGARVE

As the fruit of the dream of the eldest daughter of the producer, João Clara’s late harvest was born, where the white grape turned to gold, giving rise to their first late-harvest wine in the Algarve. This golden-coloured drink, made from a mixture of Algarvian grape varieties, shows floral aromas on the nose. On the palate, a sweet start and a very refreshing finish. Wine to start or end a meal and great to accompany desserts. gotaagotawinehouse. pt/joao-clara-lateharvest €17.80

ORTIGÃO LATE HARVEST 2009, FROM BAIRRADA

At the end of the 19th century, the Alegre family, with deep roots in Bairrada, started producing sparkling wine. Ortigão was produced from the manuallyharvested and carefully-selected Arinto and Cercial grapes, in their advanced stage of ripeness, but without rot.

The crystalline goldencoloured wine presents aromas of candied fruits, with crunchy acidity on the palate. portugalvineyards.com/ en/bairrada/13447ortigao-lateharvest-2009.html €31.85