Portugal If recent proclamations of the wine press are any indication, then Portugal is arguably the most dynamic wine-producing region today. And by wines we mean table wines akin to your bottle of red or white that you pair with food as opposed to the traditional mainstays of Port and Madeira (although we ll highlight a few in the end). This to most observers is a recent phenomenon, yet Portugal has been making table wines for as long as their Old World neighbors to the east; recognition, for a myriad of reasons, has simply taken much longer. The more troubling reality, however, is that in most quarters (apart from the press) this is still a wine region shrouded in obscurity, featuring grapes (you think) you ve never heard of, and Old World nomenclature on the labels just to make sure the bottle look as intimidating to the consumer as possible. In fact, it s been somewhat of a running theme in our staff tastings to acknowledge the merits of a particular Portuguese wine (and in a perfect world that should be the arbiter that counts most) only to lament how it is certain to languish on the shelves. The wines featured below are unwaveringly worthy perhaps featuring them more prominently, and in doing debunking some the assumptions one has about these wines, will help them along. We shall see.
SANGUINHAL Touriga Nacional 2006 If there is one grape that represents the pedigree of Portuguese wines it is Touriga Nacional, which provides the damson & violet-inflected backbone to both still and fortified wines in its native Douro Valley. This wine, however, comes to us from vineyards surrounding the country s capital (Lisboa) to the south at nearly 10 years of age this is a wine that will show meaningful evolution in bottle, with heightened notes of earth and leather now supported by mellow, silky tannins, and a balance that comes with patience. TERRA D ALTER Alfrocheiro 2012 The Alfrochiero grape is little known outside its native confines, and perhaps even less known from the region where this wine comes from (Alentejano, best known as the epicenter of the country s massive cork production). You d be more than happy to make this discovery, however. The 2012 Alfrocheiro Terra d Alter, sourced from Boavista Vineyard, was aged for 11 months in new American oak. This is quite pretty, fresh, bright and flavorful, with a graceful and silky feel. There is a bit of an oak tinge, but it is not too intrusive and given all that new American oak, it actually handles it quite well. Southern Portugal is not ground zero for this interesting grape, but at the price point this should make a lot of folks happy. The tannins are ripe and it should be drinking great right now. Drink now-2017. TERRA D ALTER Touriga Nacional 2013 100% Touriga Nacional from this notable Alentejo estate. This is like the Alfrochiero also featured a grape that is grown outside its home base, but the winemaking shines through here. After a cool fermentation the wine was aged in French oak for 12 months, which apart from its direct flavor contribution also serves to soften the wine a bit Touriga Nacional, like many noble red wine grapes, can have ferocious tannins; the results in the glass are rich notes of cassis, plum, violets, and vanilla spice. A great introduction to the varietal. POCAS Douro Reserva 2009 Indicative of what would have been the traditional field blend, when varieties grew side-by-side in the vineyard without any type of knowledge on the grower s side as to which was which The 2009 Reserva is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca, aged for 12 months in a mixture of French and American oak. Rich, velvety and ripe, this is tinged initially by vanilla, but acquires balance and integration of its parts fairly quickly with aeration. Elegant and nicely crafted, it has grip and intensity on the finish, ending completely charming, if somewhat straightforward. It did grow on me as it aired out. Drink now-2019.
POCAS Douro Branco Reserva 2013 The white counterpart to the Douro Reserva, from a provenance that is best known for their red wines of any style, although the whites from excellent estates can be just as rewarding. The Branco Reserva is a blend of 40% Códega, 40% Rabigato, 10% Gouveio and 10% Moscatel. It was aged in new French oak for five months and comes in at 13.53% alcohol. Fresh and easy, this has a light and clean touch, holding its oak rather well. Well balanced but modestly concentrated, it should drink well on the younger side. It did start great, but tailed off a bit with air and warmth. It is a still a good bargain. Its sprightly and lively feel should make it a great warm weather wine. It also has enough stuffing to hold up to foods. QUINTA NOVA Douro 2011 An unoaked version of the field blend, for a lighter take on the style. This is quintessential Portuguese table wine, paring well with any number of dishes. The 2011 Tinto is an unoaked blend of 30% Touriga Nacional, 40% Touriga Franca, 15% Tinta Roriz and 15% Tinto Cão. Silky, fresh and flavorful, this is a lighter-styled wine that nonetheless has some persistence on the finish, together with nice flavor and that graceful feel. The tannins are well-integrated and the concentration level is quite modest, but it should drink beautifully as a house pour over the next several years.
DouROSA 2012 The Tinto dourosa is principally Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz, plus others in a field blend, all tank-aged. Although this is lacking a bit in concentration, it more than makes up for it in exuberant personality and purity of flavor. Plus, it has reasonable structure for its level as well. At the moment, it finishes just a bit tight, but it is easily approachable. In a summer red style, it is a best buy. Aromatic and completely delicious, this elegantly crafted wine is bright, lively and simply bursting with flavor. I just loved it. Cool this down a bit low to mid-60sf and you will, too. These are best served young and fresh, since the freshness is what they do best, but it should have the structure to last several years. It may be my favorite dourosa red yet. It is worth leaning up a bit for all that. CASA DO VALLE Vinho Verde 2014 The 2014 Branco, the Estate white with just Casa do Valle on the front, is an unoaked blend of Arinto (40%), Alvarinho (20%), Azal (20%) and Loureiro (20%), dry (3.9 grams per liter of residual sugar, but it tastes even drier) and unoaked. It has 12% alcohol. I liked last year's version, but this is perhaps better. At least in its youth, it is very crisp and intense. It has an early picked feel and for this type of wine, that can be a good thing. There is that little bit of sugar, but that is not going to tame the acidity. This is quite piercing, a perfect summer refresher with laser bursts of acidity. There is fruit, just a bit tinged with green. It asserts itself as the wine warms up a bit into the mid- 50sF. This is always more about the impressive tension and grip on the finish, though. It is not deep and lush, but it is reasonably concentrated for this style and level. More importantly, it is fresh, pure and transparent. Assuming you're not averse to acidity, this will be one of the best Vinho Verde bargains in this issue's report. Admittedly, it may not stay at peak all that long. You won't want to lose its energy or freshness. But drink it this summer or perhaps even next and you should be pretty happy.
DAC Dao 2013 The Jaen grape in the blend here is the Mencia of Spain, and as such gives this wine a distinctive character when compared against the Touriga & Tinta-heavy blends of your prototypical Dao or Douro red. The Dao region is situated south of the Douro (north-central Portugal), and has as heralded a reputation for its reds as its northern neighbor. The only red I tasted from Alvaro Castro was the DAC Tinto, a blend of 30% Jaen, 30% Tinta Roriz, 20% Touriga Nacional and 20% Alfrocheiro. Aged three months in French oak, it exhibits elegant, earthy, slightly herbaceous black cherry fruit intermixed with undertones of new saddle leather, soil and spice. Drink this medium-bodied quaffer over the next several years. NOVAL Ruby Port Founded in 1813 and located in the heart of the Douro (the Pinhao valley), the estate is best known for its Nacional vintage port; the grapes for this legendary wine come from a 5 acre plot of ungrafted vines (pre-phylloxera), the small quantity of fruit from such aged vines producing a vintage port considered the most concentrated of all its peers. As such, this port is only made during exceptional vintage years, and as one would expect commands breathtaking price points. Notable for aging their wines in the Douro instead of the standard practice of shipping the wines downstream to the cooler oceanside outpost of Vila Nova de Gaia, the estate shines even among all the venerable houses that make up the port trade. Consider the Ruby Port a wonderful introduction; at the very least it ll provide counterpoint if any of you are lucky enough to one day sip on Nacional (please share if you do). RARE WINE COMPANY New York Malmsey A tribute of sorts to Madeira historical standing as an adult beverage of choice within the U.S. which also acknowledges the resignation that the wine has drifted into obscurity following the Civil War the wine here is produced from some of finest Malvasia (corrupted to the term Malmsey ) vineyards on the island of Madeira, nearly 1,000 km from the Portuguese mainland and 750 km off the coast of North Africa. Without getting into too much detail, the longevity of Madeira is attributable to its production process, which in naturally heating the wine post-fortification renders it nearly indestructible. Malmsey is the sweetest of the acknowledged four noble varieties the other three being Sercial, Verdelho, and Bual, given in ascending order of sweetness and is in my honest opinion the finest dessert wine style in the world. Incredibly rich and featuring notes of dried dark fruit, fruitcake, and dried baking spice, balanced by a precise, consistent acidity that cuts through it all. Exquisite.
Copyright 2016 Green's Beverages, All rights reserved.