Notes from a remarkable long lunch at Gaveto in Matosinhos, Portugal, with Niepoort, Transmission and friends, plus some amazing Champagnes
As far as lunches go, this was one of the best I’ve had in recent years, held at the remarkable Gaveto restaurant in Matosinhos, the port area in Porto. Great people, memorable wines, a relaxed vibe. The food, as always, was spot on.
Champagne Remi Leroy Blanc de Quatre Cépages Mer Sur Mont 2016 France
Complex, layered and powerful with a citrus drive and subtle toast and spice notes. Really vinous with a saline edge to it. Real energy here: so expressive, with such precision. 95/100
Transmission Sparkling NV Bairrada, Portugal
This is a blend of 20/21/22/23 vintages. Lively and intense with powerful citrus fruit with some lime note. Good structure, really vital. 93/100
Niepoort Charme 2005 Douro, Portugal
Elegant, fine and textural with some spicy detail. Has some cherry and raspberry fruit still with a hint of earthy spicy development. This is in a beautiful place. It has density richness and elegance. 95/100
Niepoort Charme 2012 Douro, Portugal
Such focus and elegance here: very fine and expressive with some mineral intensity and a spicy underlay to the concentrated fruit. Still structured. Give this wine time. 96/100
Niepoort Charme 2018 Douro, Portugal
This has presence and elegance with a core of sweet cherry and berry fruit. Such elegance and poise. There’s a little development, but there’s structure and precision to the red cherry and berry fruits. 96/100
Niepoort Projectos Bastardo 2021 Douro, Portugal
Floral and expressive with sappy green nose to the lovely sweet strawberry and spice palate. This has lovely texture and a core of sweet fruit. Quite Cinsualt-like with a grippy grippy spicy finish. 94/100
Niepoort Museu dos Lagares 2022 Douro, Portugal
Very pale in colour. Supple, elegant and very fine, with nice structure and real tension . This is beautifully transparent but with some density, showing real finesse. 96/100
Niepoort Vinha do Carril 2023 Douro, Portugal
Vivid red colour. Fine, tight, linear and expressive with raspberry and redcurrant fruit showing real finesse, and just a touch of reduction. So elegant and linear with real precision. 97/100
Champagne Adrian Renoir Les Vignes Goisses Grand Cru Verzy Pinot Meunier 2019 France
Complex and layered with real intensity and nice structure, showing saline complexity. Bold with good structure, and a lovely orange peel and grapefruit edge, as well as appealing salinity. 96/100
Transmission Branco 2023 Bairrada, Portugal (sample)
Fine lively and expressive with lovely energy. Quite layered and mineral with some sweet citrus, as well as real precision. Combines some fruit sweetness with mineral density. 95/100
Transmission Tinto 2023 Bairrada, Portugal (sample)
Supple elegance and refined with red cherry, iodine and redcurrant notes. Lovely precision but also some depth. Very fine with a subtle spiciness. Potentially brilliant. 97/100
Transmission Blanco 2020 Bairrada, Portugal
This is in a beautiful place now. Complex, waxy and mineral with a fine salty edge, starting to develop real complexity. Good intensity. So exciting and multi-layered. 97/100
Niepoort Coche 2024 Douro, Portugal
We tried this blind. Interesting reduction on the nose: mineral, spicy, fresh and citrussy. The palate is supple and elegant with ripe pear and some peach. Very textural and mineral, showing such finesse. Profound. 96/100
Daganeau Blanc Fumé de Pouilly Silex 2001 Loire, France
12.5% alcohol. Powerful, textured and broad with melon and pear fruit as well as some peach and apricot, coupled with some lovely green hints. Such precision and purity here this, with crushed rock minerality. Really complex. 96/100
Niepoort Redoma Branco 1996 Douro, Portugal
Toast, honey, spice and wax on the nose. Lovely precision with some richness and very fine toasty development. This shows crystalline citrus fruit and nice depth, and it is still fresh. 94/100
Gonçalves Faria Blanco 2017 Bairadda, Portugal
Tasted blind. Complex toast, spice and iodine notes as well as salty citrus notes. Lovely depth and complexity. There’s real concentration here, and some age to this wine. Good intensity and depth with real precision and focus. 95/100
Niepoort Vinha Limena 2021 Portalegre, Alentejo, Portugal
This is simple and fresh with raspberry red cherry fruit and some real elegance. Very pure with depth under the sweet cherries, strawberries and raspberries. Amazing elegance for the Alentejo. 95/100
Sidecar NV (2018/2019) Portalegre, Alentejo, Portugal
Made by Ricardo Freitas and Susana Esteban. Ripe, sweet and supple with sweet raspberry and cherry fruit, as well as a hint of liquorice. Such focus, brightness and elegance. 94/100
Champagne Cédric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne UR/R19 Dégorgement 2023 France
Bright, fresh and linear with nice crystalline citrus fruit. Such purity with linear citrus fruit. Concentrated, pure and well detailed with real finesse as well as intensity. 95/100
Niepoort Vintage Port 2024 Douro, Portugal
Concentrated and refined, and also structured, with lovely blueberry and black cherry fruit as well as some blackcurrant. Real density and intensity, with structure, focus and amazing concentration. 96/100
Barbeito 50 Year Old Verdelho NV Madeira
This is amazing. Rich, complex, spicy and intense, with old wood spice, tar and mineral notes showing real finesse. Amazing depth and complexity. 96/100
Champagne Dom Pérignon P3 1992 France
Going back in time with this. Toast, spice, crystalline citrus, orange peel and lime notes. Lovely structure with great acidity. Mineral and spicy. Such harmony, and a warm spicy finish. 96/100
Champagne Krug Edition 173 NV France
Lovely intensity here. Vivid and crystalline, with fresh lime, lemon, spice and toast notes, showing real precision. 96/100
