Events - Bristol-Oporto Association Website

Go to content

Events



Bristol-Oporto Association Events

The Bristol-Oporto Association arranges a wide range of events on a Portuguese theme. New events are regularly added, so keep checking this page. Past events have included cinema, wine tastings, performing arts, jazz, choirs, fado, barbecues and quiz nights.


REMINDER ABOUT THE EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME DEADLINE
If you’re a Portuguese national living in the UK (or indeed an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen), you and your family must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021.
If your application is successful, you’ll get either settled or pre-settled status.
The EU Settlement Scheme is open and you can apply now if you meet the criteria.
The deadline for applying is 30 June 2021. You must usually have started living in the UK by 31 December 2020.
For more details go to: https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families


SOCIAL DIARY 2019 - Our first event of the year a Wine Tasting held on Friday 31st January took on a different form as this time it was a blind tasting of wines from several countries including one of course from Portugal. Alan from Clifton Cellars talked us through the characteristics of each and offered assistance in trying to nail the grape and country of origin of each. We tried - some succeeded more than others and there were eventually prize winners. A very lively evening followed by a magnificent buffet including a variety of local produced cheeses and pate all thanks to our in-house catering team. Here are excerpts from a Blog written by Ian Abraham our own BOA member and wine expert. He has given permission to use it for which many thanks especially as he has perfectly described the wines we sampled.



'What better way to mark the final evening of the UK’s membership of the European Union than a wine tasting evening organised by the Bristol-Oporto Twinning Association? The Association fosters links and arranges exchange visits between Bristol and Oporto, the Portuguese city from whom Bristol has bought goods, particularly port, for centuries. And, for this meeting, we also welcomed representatives from two of Bristol’s other Twinning groups, Bordeaux and Hannover.
The event was hosted by Alan, the owner of Clifton Cellars, one of Bristol’s best independent wine merchants, who brought along a selection of wines with bottles and labels concealed and challenged the group to identify the grape or region, country of origin and price of each. ‘Blind ’ tastings border on the impossible, even for wine professionals like me, so I approached the evening with some trepidation - fully justified, as it turned out, even with Alan’s helpful hints!
As we discovered when all was revealed, our test began with the smooth, creamy TalmardMacon Chardonnay with its lovely ripe fruit on the palate. By contrast, the 2nd white, a Rioja, Vina Real, showed a decidedly spicy, oaky character. These were followed by a trio of reds which, as Alan suggested, were even more tricky to identify. The first, Ca ’ Vittoria Appassimento from Italy, was made from partially dried grapes in the style of an Amarone, but without that wine’s usual heaviness (or sky-high price!) Next, a Portuguese red - inevitable, I suppose, given that this was an Oporto Twinning Association meeting. Vina do Mouro had the fresh, blackcurrant aromas of Cabernet Sauvignon enhancing the flavours of a blend of Portugal’s native grapes.
All too soon we had reached the final wine - a nicely balanced and satisfying Merlot-dominated red Bordeaux, Chateau Trebiac from the Graves region. And then it was time to add up the scores which showed that 2 members of the group had achieved more than 70% correct. As Alan himself said, the winners ’ bottle prizes could not have been more well deserved.
A delicious cheese and pate buffet ended the evening - a chance to chat with friends and to try some of the wines again - obvious, of course, when you can see the labels!

Back to content