Monverde Wine Hotel Experience In Vinho Verde

On our first day in Portugal, we traveled from the Porto Airport to the Vinho Verde region,ere we would sightsee in Ponte de Lima and visit Quinta do Ameal. We also stayed in that region over night at the Monverde Wine Hotel Experience, located in Teloes, and part of the Quinta da Lixa winery. The winery, established in 1986, is owned by the Meireles family, and the family now owns about 140 hectares of vineyards, although they also purchase grapes from local growers. They produce about 7 Million bottles a year, creating 26 different wines. About 52% of their wines are exported to about 35 different countries, with Brazil, the U.S. and Germany being their three top markets. 

They purchased the hotel property in 1999, which was then in ruins, and so they chose to rebuild them. The hotel finally opened in 2015, and currently they have about 46 guest rooms. According to their website, "Monverde is our face, it is a reflection of what Quinta de Lixa is today and of our passion for wine and for all that nature has to offer. We have a deep passion for wine and everything that revolves around it, for its mysteries, for everything we continuously learn about it, and for that which makes every sip different. Monverde is a chance for us to share our knowledge and our flavours with you, with the world, with each and every one."

The main building houses the Reception, Restaurant, Bar, and rooms where guests can simply relax, including outside patios where you can look out over the vineyards. As we checked in, we were greeted with a crisp and tasty glass of sparkling wine.  

Inside the building, there are quite comfortable rooms to relax, and the "wooden leaves" hanging in the back of the picture look down upon the restaurant.

The Bar, where you can sip some wine, get a cocktail, or some other drink. 

Surrounding the main house there are plenty of vineyards, and you can walk through them on route to your rooms, which are in a few separate buildings from the main house. 

This building, a short walk from the main building, was where our room was located. 

Our room was clean and comfortable, with a separate space for a tub. There was also a shower in the bathroom.

A closer picture of the "wooden leaves" suspended over the restaurant, which is located on the lower floor. We dined there our first night in Portugal. The restaurant is helmed by Chef Carlos Silva, and their website states, "Chef Carlos Silva tried to fit in with the culture of the region, one of the richest in Portugal in terms of gastronomy, and giving a new look, it presents light and colorful dishes, combining the fresh products of Quinta da Lixa with the usual flavors."

The wine list has a good selection of Portuguese wines, including plenty from the Vinho Verde region. We opted for the 2016 Quinta da Lixa Reserva, a Red Vinho Verde, which was a blend of 95% Vinhão and 5% Alvarinho. The wine, with a 12.5% ABV, was aged for about 8 months in 50% used American oak, and 50% new French oak. With a appealing aroma, the wine was full-bodied with moderate tannins, good acidity, and tasty flavors of red and black fruits, spice notes, and a touch of balsamic. A very nice choice, and a reason why you should seek out Red Vinho Verde.

Although there were tasting menus available, we decided to order a la carte instead. The Duck Magret was accompanied with a black truffle purée and cranberry sauce. The duck was tender and delicious, cooked perfectly, enhanced by the slightly tart cranberry and the earthiness of the truffle. I was very pleased with my choice. 

My companion chose to have a Starter as her main, selecting the Braised Scallops, on a celery purée with a sparkling wine cream sauce. The scallops were plump and tender, silky and delicious with the creamy sauce. Another good choice. 

For dessert, we chose a Lemon Curd Cannoli with homemade black vanilla ice cream and a Selection of Portuguese Cheeses with homemade jam (although I didn't get a pic of the cheese plate). The Cannoli was very good, and the ice cream was intriguing. The cheese plate was quite large, with several different cheeses, and was a fine ending to our dinner. 

The next morning, I had breakfast in the restaurant, which provided a buffet of breakfast dishes, pastries, breads, meats, juices, sparkling wine, and much more. 

Later that morning, we attended their Wine Blending & Sensory Experience, where you get to create your own wine blend. The experience began in their sensory room (pictured above), where you got to smell a variety of common wine aromas, about 16 in all, and mostly fruit and floral aromas. Our guide stated, "Aromas are just memories" and that is a very true statement. This type of room would be helpful for newbies to wine, to better understand the aromas which they may encounter in wines.  

We then adjourned upstairs, where we would make our own white wine blend. For our blending, there were five different, unfinished white wines, including Arinto, Alvarinho, Avesso, Loureiro, and Trajadura. At Quinta da Lixa, they use Arinto primarily for blends and in their sparkling wines. It was said to be an acidic grape with citrus aromas. The Alvarinho has more tropical fruit flavors, and is well balanced, dry and bold. It's smooth in the mouth and has a lengthy finish. It's not a very productive grape so it's the most expensive grape to grow. They produce some single varietal Alvarinho. Avesso also has tropical aromas, but it's not as fresh, with a flatter taste. It's also acidic, with almond, peach and floral notes. It ages well, and they tend to make aged versions, which mellow as they age. Loureiro is very aromatic, with fruity and floral aromas. It is dry and acidic, with peach and floral flavors. They make a single varietal wine, and also use it in blends. Finally, Trajadura is the most simple of the grapes, less acidic and more apple and pear flavors. It's smooth and soft, and in blends, helps to make a rounder wine. 

With these five basic wines, we tasted each of them and got to decide on the specific blend we desired. We used a measured beaker to select how many milliliters of each wine we wanted in the blend. After some experimentation with different blends, we decided on our final blend, and then made enough to fill a 750ml wine bottle. Then, we corked the bottle and designed our own wine label. Finally, we were able to take our wine with us. 

For my own blend, A Passionate Foodie Libation, I opted for a mix of 40% Avesso, 40% Arinto and 20% Trajadura, wanting a wine with good acidity, something that would pair well with seafood. The three other people in the class all made different blends, most using Alvarinho as one of their primary components. I brought my wine home with me, and am curious how it will taste when I eventually open it. 

I was pleased with the Monverde Wine Hotel Experience, and would recommend it to anyone staying in the Vinho Verde region.