Vinha do Contador Brandy from Paço dos Cunhas de Santar is made with wines carefully vinified for spirits production. It ages for more than twenty years in oak limousine barrels. It’s an elegant brandy, amber colored, with slight greenish tones, complex aroma, fruity notes, predominant in exotic woods, roasted grains, dried fruit and praline. It tastes soft, distinct, crunchy and has long persistence.
Sixteen hundred and nine is the year that can be seen on the main portico of Paço dos Cunhas, in the village of Santar. We are therefore talking about a house whose oldest known records date back to the dynastic crisis of 1383–1385, which pitted Portugal against Castile and culminated in the Battle of Aljubarrota and the end of the Castilian king's claim to the union of the two kingdoms. At this time, the then owner of the Palace, Diogo Soares de Albergaria, allegedly supported Castile and was therefore stripped of all his assets by the newly acclaimed King of Portugal, John I. This is just one episode of this house with a very ancient historical heritage. Its wine history may not be as old, but it is undoubtedly one of the oldest in the Dão region. Add to this the fact that Global Wines considers this terroir the one where "nature was most generous," and we have all the reasons why the Contador Vineyard was chosen to produce the iconic wines of this great Dão company.
The Contador Vineyard covers 7 of the 30 hectares planted on the property, with a southwest exposure and various soil types. This organic vineyard receives luxurious care, and there is never a rush to harvest: only when ripeness is considered complete and balanced are the grapes picked.
Vinha do Contador Brandy from Paço dos Cunhas de Santar is made with wines carefully vinified for spirits production. It ages for more than twenty years in oak limousine barrels. It’s an elegant brandy, amber colored, with slight greenish tones, complex aroma, fruity notes, predominant in exotic woods, roasted grains, dried fruit and praline. It tastes soft, distinct, crunchy and has long persistence.
Sixteen hundred and nine is the year that can be seen on the main portico of Paço dos Cunhas, in the village of Santar. We are therefore talking about a house whose oldest known records date back to the dynastic crisis of 1383–1385, which pitted Portugal against Castile and culminated in the Battle of Aljubarrota and the end of the Castilian king's claim to the union of the two kingdoms. At this time, the then owner of the Palace, Diogo Soares de Albergaria, allegedly supported Castile and was therefore stripped of all his assets by the newly acclaimed King of Portugal, John I. This is just one episode of this house with a very ancient historical heritage. Its wine history may not be as old, but it is undoubtedly one of the oldest in the Dão region. Add to this the fact that Global Wines considers this terroir the one where "nature was most generous," and we have all the reasons why the Contador Vineyard was chosen to produce the iconic wines of this great Dão company.
The Contador Vineyard covers 7 of the 30 hectares planted on the property, with a southwest exposure and various soil types. This organic vineyard receives luxurious care, and there is never a rush to harvest: only when ripeness is considered complete and balanced are the grapes picked.
Food pairing
Delicious digestif or with roasted nuts or with chocolate, also delicious with a good cup of coffee. The Portuguese often add this nectar to their espresso.
Aguardente (aguardiente in Spain) is also used in many cocktails such as the Bali Hai (white Rum, Aguardiente, champagne, lime juice, lemon juice, grenadine syrup, Orgede syrup (almond syrup), the Caipirinha (lime cut into pieces, powdered sugar, Aguardiente, ice cubes) or the delicious Ginjinha, a shot of cherry liqueur (Ginja) that will make you walk on your hands and where you need the full width of the road on the way home. You make it through the slightly sour Ginja cherry - in Belgium known as' kriek -, to be mixed with aguardente and sugar.
Grapes: Distilled wine from Portuguese grapes
Alcoholcontent
41,5 %vol
Store & Serve
Serve at 16°C
Critics & Awards
Aguardente
The spirits in Portugal (Portuguese: Aguardente, derived from água ardente, translated: fiery water) includes alcoholic beverages, usually distilled drinks made from wine, in Portugal. The alcohol percentage is legally limited to 78%. The color can range from clear and colorless to light brown, depending on the maturation in the barrel.
Aguardente Vínica
Brandy must be used for the production of port. It is therefore not surprising that there is a long tradition of distilling wines in Portugal. Most of it is used for the production of port.
Some regions are also known for their good brandies:
Lourinhã is known for its light white wines, with an alcohol content of 10%. These are excellent for distilling. In the past, the wine was double distilled with copper stills, but nowadays it is distilled continuously almost everywhere. In 1992 this region obtained the status of DOC. Besides Cognac, Armagnac and Brandy de Jerez, this is the fourth recognized wine region for brandy production.
In Vinho Verde, the best harvests are used for distilling brandy. It has been officially recognized since 1984. The best brandies are double distilled.
After this, the drink is placed in oak or chestnut barrels. Aguardente Vínica is aged for at least six months, Aguardente (Vínica) Velha for at least one year. But the best brands ripen much longer. Some of the best known producers are Cavipor, Quinta do Tamariz, Ferreirinha, Casa d'Avelleda, Vinhos Campelo and José Maria da Fonseca.
Aguardente Bagaceira
In the Portuguese countryside, the aguardente is traditionally distilled by the local population from the remnants left over after making wine, the Aguardente Bagaceira. The raw materials are distilled in a kettle over a fire. A long tube runs through a large container of warm water and the final product drips from the tube into a jug. The whole is a kind of alembic. In contrast to the distilling of eau de vie in France, where a licensing system has been devised to end home firing in the longer term, in Portugal this practice is still permitted.
