SunnyOnScene and AVA
at Old Lisbon Miami
"Have you tried Portuguese Espumante in the traditional method?"
by Sunny Fraser
AVA: Truly Portuguese Espumante, proudly available at the magnificent restaurant in Miami.
By Sunny Fraser (@ Sunny On Scene’s Instagram)
“Lunch with António Coelho Lima, textile tycoon turned “Tête de Cuvée” titan, founder of Amalia and the Amalia Vineyard Alliance, felt like a rarefied moment — but not with this man of the people. Sure, Tête de Cuvée belongs to Champagne, but call it creative license and a touch of alliteration — because António is taking espumante to 11.
Seated between him and his partner, Alexandre Loureiro, and the owners of @oldlisbon_restaurants Aventura — Carlos Silva Sr. and @carlitosoldlisbon — and childhood friend and Wine Director @ricardo_southmiami (all from Portugal’s Bairrada region), we paired polished Portuguese plates with even better conversation. And I realized — this is what modern legacy looks like: a seamless weave of heritage, innovation, humility, and heart.
António is the fabric of Portugal — literally. He inherited Sociedade Têxtil Albano Coelho Lima @amaliahomecollection, once among Europe’s largest home-textile producers. From woven textiles to textured bubbles, his Amalia is no ordinary sparkler.
@rotadabairrada is the sparkling capital of Portugal — where generations have quietly crafted world-class espumante. Amalia’s wines come from native grapes like Bical and Arinto (white) and Baga (red), made in método clássico, the same traditional method as Champagne. Through his Alliance, António partners with more than 500 Portuguese farming families, sourcing his grapes from long-overlooked growers and giving them a global stage in every bottle.
The name Amalia honors both his great-grandmother, Maria Amalia, and Portugal’s legendary Rainha do Fado (Queen of Fado), Amália Rodrigues — the voice of a nation. António is doing the same for his country’s vineyards, turning bubbles into Fado — songs that “sparkle” with fate, longing, and soulful beauty.
Cut from the same cloth as all true visionaries, he’s weaving a new legacy for Bairrada’s farmers to hit the world stage with encores that *pop* for generations to come.
When legacy hits different, it doesn’t just sing — it sparkles. And Amalia is a rising *pop* star.”
About Sunny Fraser
Sunny is a global wine, spirits, and food communicator, consultant, and connector — building brands and relationships through impactful digital storytelling, marketing, promotion, and collaboration.
