Lexpert magazine features articles and columns on developments in legal practice management, deals and lawsuits of interest in Canada, the law and business issues of interest to legal professionals and businesses that purchase legal services.
Issue link: https://digital.carswellmedia.com/i/834783
LEXPERT MAGAZINE | JUNE 2017 73 TRAVEL There's Something for Everyone in Portugal Foodies, families, historians, beach bunnies will all leave satisfied Next, the smell of the wine. Swirl the glass to acti- vate the bouquet. e action of swirling causes fric- tion that warms up the esters that carry the wine's aromatics. Give the wine tiny little sniffs and experi- ence what happens in your mouth. e tartaric acid in dry white wines and cham- pagne will trigger your glands to secrete saliva, which will stimulate your appetite. So, if you want your guests to eat your food, serve them a dry white wine before the meal. If, on the other hand, you have a horde of people descend on you and you have noth- ing in the house, pour them a sweet wine as this will depress their appetite. Your first sniff of the wine is like choosing a spouse: you start off negative; you're looking for faults. Is there anything wrong with it? Does it smell like your son's hockey bag? Once you're satisfied that there is no cork taint (swamped basement smell) or oxidation (prunes if red, sherry if white), reductive notes (struck flint) or volatility (nail polish aromas), then you can start to praise its virtues. Try to deconstruct the bouquet. Does it smell of fruit or berries or vegetables? Are there oak aro- mas (vanilla or sandalwood)? Certain grapes have characteristic bouquets, for example: blackcurrants (Cabernet Sauvignon); raspberries and cherries (Pi- not Noir); blackberries and pepper (Syrah); apples (Chardonnay); gooseberries (Sauvignon Blanc); and grapefruit and lime (Riesling). Now take some wine in your mouth and let it wash over your entire palate as we experience different tastes on different parts of the tongue. We taste sweet and salt on the tip of the tongue, sour (acid) on the sides of the tongue, and bitterness at the back and on the roof of the mouth. Here's a wine professional's trick. With wine in your mouth, suck in air so that the esters will travel down your throat and up to the top of your nose where you experience smell and taste. Not something you want to do at smart dinner parties as it sounds like gargling, but I guarantee, in the privacy of your own kitchen, you will extract more flavour from the wine. It's a technique you might want to practise first in the bath. Finally, aertaste. e mark of a great wine is how long the flavour lingers on your palate. e French have a measure- ment for this called caudalie. e Conseil Interprofes- sionnel du Vin de Bordeaux defines it as a unit mea- suring the duration of the aromatic persistence of a wine. Derived from the word caudal, meaning tail, one caudalie is equal to one second. A fine wine has a finish of eight or more caudalies. So, now you're an expert. SUMMER VACATIONS are like gold, and those precious days away from routine, colleagues and clients shouldn't be squandered. at's why you should choose a destination that will deliver on the things you care about most, and why southern Portugal is the perfect pick, no matter what your vacation priority. > Food First: Portuguese explorers to Brazil and India brought back spices that transformed the cuisine. Book a tour with Culinary Backstreets Lisbon and you'll get a tasty history lesson: from the pasteis de nata (custard tarts) that have made the city famous to the piri-piri chicken dish whose creator refuses to share the secret recipe, these tours will also give you a better sense of some of the city's neighbourhoods. culinarybackstreets.com > Family First: Traveling with kids? Head to one of the four Martinhal Family Hotels and Resorts located in Southern Portugal e luxurious family-owned properties were created with kids (and parents) in mind. Everything from the rounded edges on gorgeously designed furniture to the ample space in the apart- ment-style suites and villas is meant for hip, young families. Kids Club options exist for children as young as six months of age. www.martinhal.com > History First: irty minutes outside Lisbon, Sintra sits in a fairy-tale set- ting at the foothills of the mountains of the same name. Wear your walking shoes and venture out early to take in the lush forests and beautifully preserved royal sanctuaries. e candy-coloured Pena Palace (pictured above) and stun- ning Quinta da Regaleira estate should not be missed. e cultural landscape of Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. www.sintra-portugal.com > Beach First: e Algarve is a gem. Set along the southern coast, towns like Lagos and Sagres boast village charm and beautiful beaches. Staying in Lisbon? Pop out to Cascais, the "Côte d'Azur of Portugal." Many affluent Por- tuguese and expats call this town home, with its golden beaches, cobblestone streets and ceramic tiled walls. Take home mementos from local pottery shops such as Happy Sardine. www.visitportugal.com; www.cascais-portugal.com | DETOURS | Heather Greenwood Davis is a lawyer and National Geographic Traveler contributing editor. Reach her at heather@globetrottingmama.com. Tony Aspler is the author of 17 books on wine, including his latest, Canadian Wineries. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK