“Wine is a proof that we must be happy”. The sheet is blank… the objective is to write about the experience of the visit to By the Wine, the first “flagship store” by José Maria da Fonseca. What remains to be said that wasn’t already?
We can find this fantastic Soares Franco family project (owner of José Maria da Fonseca), in partnership with the owners of By the Wine, in Rua das Flores, Chiado. An innovative concept in the area of wine promotion, nation wise, with the possibility of consuming by the glass all the range of the brands’ wines.
The client can also buy the bottles at cellar price and consume in the restaurant or take them home. The petiscos are always ready to accompany the wine! And the offer is rather contemporary and cosmopolitan, going beyond the predictable cheeses and sausages, and including oysters, ceviche, carpaccio or mussel salad.
More than a wine bar, a large José Maria da Fonseca drawing room, reflecting the spirit of this family from Azeitão, and its history through the decoration with old photos and objects, especially the 3267 “bordalesas” bottles that cover the ceiling. A special touch in the decoration of By the Wine, and one more reference for the history of the famous Piriquita wine, that was bottled in these recipients and allegedly was the first bottled red wine in Portugal.
Our visit was precisely a week ago, and the writing block may be related with the frustration of not being able to be there right now! While we wrote we would taste something in that huge balcony, where we felt so good and the time passed by quickly. We were the first to arrive, while the preparations for the lunch were being made, and we were welcomed with a lot of warmth by the employees and by Ricardo Santos, responsible for the project, whith whom we had the opportunity to exchange a few impressions
Our menu choice was simple:
Joana – salmon ceviche, red onion, chili, chive, lime and teryaki, accompanied by a glass of Pasmados branco
Pedro – one Prego do Lombo in bread from algarve, accompanied by a red Ripanço
But we miss it.. We would only wish to attack again that homemade bread from Algarve just out of the oven, with a glass of red wine and a good conversation. It would be enough to leave anyone happy!
We said goodbye with a torta de azeitão and the nice feeling of being a part of the large José Maria da Fonseca family and witness one more great moment in its history!
By the Wine, José Maria da Fonseca – Rua das Flores, 41-43, 1200-1933 Lisboa, Portugal, Portugal
www.facebook.com/ByTheWineJoseMariadaFonseca
www.bebespontocomes.pt
