Enoteca Cartuxa in Evora
Cin Cin from Evora in Southern Portugal
Our trip to Evora started out with a wonderful revelation.
A modest airbnb that we booked came with its own private tower. One of the tallest in Evora.
The tower
View from the tower
View down at our airbnbIt was a complete surprise since the description never mentioned it.
We don’t know the purpose of it - either for star observation or dumping hot oil on the neighbours. It gave us breathtaking views over Evora.
View over the majestic Cathedral of EvoraThe rest of our stay in Evora was sprinkled with similar revelations.
For example, I expected to find a sleepy old town full of centenarians - a kind of European utopia where time had stopped around the year 1299.
And while Evora looks charmingly archaic, it is a bustling place full of life and young energy.
University of Evora is one of the most prestigious institutions in Portugal.
Students kept us up and entertained the 3 nights that we stayed in Evora. Loud EDM beats and midnight chants reverberated through the mediaeval streets till early hours of the morning.
A very cosy square in Evora - Largo d'Álvaro Velho
Enoteca Cartuxa in Evora
Another surprise was Enoteca Cartuxa.
By the looks of it - Enoteca Cartuxa is not our usual type of place. A little too shishi and modern for our simple tastes.
Enoteca Cartuxa in EvoraBut dad was hangry and we had to feed him fast - lest he devour his own children like Cronus.
Enoteca Cartuxa was a fast and easy choice. It is located in the historic heart of Evora - around the corner from the Roman temple.
Roman temple in EvoraDining right next to the Roman gods - how unpretentious of us.
Enoteca Cartuxa in Evora looks like a tourist trap if there ever was one. But surprisingly - inside we found mostly Portuguese clientele.
Enoteca Cartuxa is owned by a wine conglomerate that produces Alentejo’s most iconic wine - Pera Manca. You can expect to pay around $500 a bottle for that beauty.
We did not select Pera Manca with our modest dinner. But we did treat ourselves to a very nice bottle made by the same producer - Tapada do Chaves Branco Vinhas Velhas 2018.
Tapada do Chaves Branco Vinhas Velhas 2018 - liquid goldThe grapes come from ungrafted (!) centenarian(!) vines that are farmed biodynamically. Hell yeah!
This wine is from Portalegre - a magical and often ignored wine region in the northern Alentejo.
Portalegre’s higher elevation gives this Tapada do Chaves wine pronounced freshness and complexity which are not always found in Alentejo wines. And the old vines provide the depth!
Cork in a little dish. Nobody does that anymore - but it's such a nice touch. Enoteca Cartuxa knows how to serve a wine properly.Three of us couldn’t finish the bottle. Not because we are light-weights (far from it).
This wine didn’t want to be rushed. It demanded full attention and awareness - akin to meditation. We finished it the following night paired up with some delicious Portuguese pastries.
Tapada do Chaves was perfect with the traditional Portuguese fair of Enoteca Cartuxa. Complementing the rich flavours and refreshing our palates with every sip.
Dad especially enjoyed it with Migas - a dish traditionally made from stale bread, garlic and tomatoes. He was so impressed that he continued to embarrass us by demanding a plate of Migas everywhere we went.
Final look at this beautyIt was a very special wine.
At 44 euros it was the most expensive Portuguese wine we enjoyed during that trip.
We thought we balled out. Until I saw the same bottle in multiple wine shops in Lisbon - with a price tag of 57 euros.
Damn, we actually got a deal! Another wonderful surprise from unforgettable Evora.
We'll be back, Evora!R. de Vasco da Gama nº15, 7001-901 Évora, Portugal
