Land of dreams Portugal

 The Duke of Portugal and Count Calheiros

 It has been 4 days now that I pinch myself as I wake up and rub my eyes. I am in Northern Portugal>

First the 1st anniversary menu experience of Rui Paula's inspired menu at DOP in Porto where I interviewed him and did a wine tasting of Quinta Nova Duoro wines. Menus and videos to follow.

At the Gorgeous Calheiros Manor house, I woke first to the splendor that is Lima Valley. Played with the new baby foal, discovered Ponte de Lima, and the delightful Calheiros Family my gracious hosts for a Wine Weekend In this undiscovered gem of NW portugal up near The Santiago Compostella Camino.

Today I'm in Duoro Valley, at the Wine house  and family vineyard of  Pacheca brand  the wine family Serpa Pimental and winemaker Maria have given me much pleasure with their wines. The latest  crisp 2010 white released just two days ago, is a lovely passion fruit, tropical fresh dream perfect for patio dining.

Anyway you'll have to watch the tastings.

Then comes that golden moment that often happens with wine.

After filming wine reviews, I get offered by Caterina, A mystery port wine...

It is a Vino Velho do Douro Frasquira Particular  From 1880,    yes 1880!

It's a little medicinal and heady with definite balsamic eucalyptus notes but I'm enchanted by its long legs.

This is why I love wine journeys......

 

 

 The menu of grilled octopus fillet and Val Abrao wine followed by 2000 and 2006 vintage port wine from Pacheca was inspired, our chef served it with the best chocolate cake in the world and home made pistaccio icecream........last night almost reduced me to tears of happiness.

I was up in the vineyards at 7am with the sun just cresting the hill and seeing the first leaf buds made me so thankful to be here.  Words fail me for once in expressing how inspirational this part of Portugal is for me. So perhaps as a picture speaks a thousand words I should get busy uploading videos and interviews.

Im in Lisbon for some interviews from Monday...

Twittergrader

Well it seems 20.000 people now follow twittergrader. The site that gives you your twitter grade out of 100. It seems we never outgrow our schooldays and still long to be graded, and then to display those grades in public. But what does it mean? Is it actually a measure of success? Well I've always had a high twitter grade close to 100. In fact my twitter grade has gone up another .10 since the webphoto above and is now 99.5. This could be due to the fact that I've managed to build a following of 1,060 in just a few months of active tweeting and the number of replies I receive.Two months work really. But I do engage. Im told there are people that get perfect 100s. Im not sure how that's possible or even legal, but it happens. I walk the talk, the wisequeen advice we gave here on how to build a social media empire. I believe in this form of communication called social media, use it on facebook twitter and linkedin and xing, and I write on it. I'm always surprised by people who say they are passionate about, or love working with social media, but follow 24 people have 20 following and 17 updates in the year they have been on Twitter. I always want to ask them. So what do you love about social media then? The idea? The name? I don't think twittergrading should be taken too seriously no. I don't think any tool is more than a tool. It's a bit of fun like most tools. What do you think? What is your grade? How seriously do you take it? Share your ideas in a comment here. Wisequeen Donna Jackson Social Communications Specialist.