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Ray Pocock
This publication is intended as purely a guide to Portuguese wines and their originals. All I have done is collated information from the various experts and tried to put into some semblance of order and sense. The idea, in this modern technological age is to install the file onto your mobile, Ipad or whatever other gadget you use, so when you are shopping it is relatively easy to look up a particular wine. The views of the expert do not necessarily accord to my own, but they are the experts and I am a mere enjoyer of Portuguese wines.
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To view a region simply click on the name.
1. Vinho Verde 2. Minho 3. Tras-os-Montes 4. Douro - Duriense 5. Barraida, 6. D達o 7. Beira 8. Ribatejo, 9. Colares 10. Lisboa 11. Terras do Sado - Setubal 12. Alentejo 13. Algarve
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ALENTEJO The Alentejo is huge, with its flat plains covering almost a third of the country. Much of this area is given over to cereal production. It’s also hot, and irrigation is common. In contrast to the northern regions, with their fragmented smallholdings, production is dominated by large, professional outfits. The Alentejo is where Portugal’s climate finally escapes the Atlantic influence, and the scenery changes to large, gently undulating plains that experience baking hot summers and cold winters more typical of continental weather systems. Think of it as Portugal’s ‘new world’, with the potential to make extrovert, ripe wines with a taste of the sun about them. This is the least populated of Portugal’s regions, and instead of the smallholdings that typify the agricultural landscape elsewhere, the Alentejo has many large estates. Referred to as the ‘bread basket’ of Portugal, wheat is the most important crop here, with the poorer soils being reserved for olive trees, cork oaks and vineyards. Some white wines are made in the Alentejo, but it’s the reds that are forging the region’s reputation. Demand for Alentejo wines, with their ripe fruit and full-bodied character, has been such that vineyard land here is among the most expensive in the whole country. Because many of the estates are fairly large and the climate is so reliable, economies of scale mean that Alentejo wines can combine quality with affordability, which is more of a challenge in Portugal’s more northerly regions. Adega da Cartuxa, Pera-Manca, 2007, DOC
Grape Varieties: Antão Vaz, Arinto. Massively heavy bottle, surprisingly refined, subdued nose, with nuts and herbs over cool, but focused melon and citrus fruit. The palate is searingly dry, with a very cool, tempe, concentrated minerality that has huge, shimmering length.
Antonio Maria 2006
Green pepper up front, lots of sour cherry. A very creamy texture, chocolate and leather and then a dusting of cocoa and mint. Very nice.
Ciconia Touriga Nacional Syrah
The wine posses a complexity of aromas that suggest berries, with some toasted notes as a result of a short period in oak, that in combination with good structure of bark allows it the presentation of a very rounded and balanced wine in the mouth.
Dona Maria 2006
Intense violet color with a bountiful palate of rich plums, violets,a hint of cherry and some sweet tannins. the finish is long and complex. perfect for steaks or aged cheeses
Dona Maria Reserva 2005
Quite closed, dark tobacco, lots of coffee and coconut husk. Leather, some liquorice on the finish. It just lacks a little in fruit.
Esporao Private Selection 2009
Smoke and herbal notes, with a charry and grass Semillon hit – but this is very good. Carries and very fresh but with real unfruity detail and tug. Turns out to be 90% Semillon with some Marsanne and Roussanne. 8
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Fita Preta Palpite 2008
Real marzipan and honey nose and then slight furry and full palate. Very well made, so fresh! Greengage end and great mineral filip.
Fundação Engénio de Almeida Pera Manca 2007 Good mid-weight and light on the feet. Rather reserved midpalate and good savoury meaty end and fresh kind tannin. Henrique Uva Vinhas da Ira 2006
Young, oaked nose but not overdone. Slightly plodding palate with dusty velvet texture that seems to drag the progression back. Bright enough but two a penny in premium world.
Herdade da Figueirinha Alentejo Reserva Vinho 2008
Light and crisp with a touch of acidity makes this wine the perfect warm weather refresher. inexpensive and simple.
Herdade da Malhadinha Nova Marias da Malhadinha 2007
Soft, molasses and burnt mulberry roast fruits. Appealing but then not much development in the mid-palate and very grippy on the end.
Herdade dos Grous '23 Barricas' 2008
Grape Varieties: Syrah, Touriga Nacional. Big, deep, charry and smoky nose with a lift of violet and cherry, to a meatier, more gamy note. Lovely dry extract - mouth filling, perhaps just a touch inky at present but glorious fruit beneath.
Herdade dos Grous Reserva 2010
Light toffee and white chocolate; peachy too. Note of glue and mildly oxidative but expansive leesiness . Good but familiar style of concentration and cold fermentation. Lush fruit nicely tempe.
J. Portugal Ramos, Vila Santa 2008
Grape Varieties: Antão Vaz, Arinto & Verdelho. Lots of creamy, vanillin oak here, a certain almond and oatmeal richness. Lovely palate: a dry, pithy lemon fruit fills the mouth, with lots of weight and texture and lovely punch.
Marias da Malhadinha 2004
Wow! Good aroma, lots of cherry and nice clean bramble aromas. The palate has a lot of tobacco, masses of dark spice, aniseed. Good but needs some more time.
Mouchao 2002
Perfumy, nice fruit, a lot of cherry and sweet strawberries. Palate has chewy tannin some noticeable alcohol, with a gutsy, dry finish.
Preta 2005
Blackcurrants, some sweeter fruit too, very leathery with nice tannin. A soft palate, good balance and a chocolate mint.
Silveira e Outro Solar dos Lobos Grande Escolha Good tarry and meaty array of fruit and then grip to stop you 2008 breathing. So dry on the end. Terrenus Reserva 2007
Lovely cherry and plum light fruit and then throat tightening grip on end. All very fresh but not remarkable.
Terrenus, Tinto 2007
Grape Varieties: Aragonês, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouchet. Scented, savoury, aromatic lift with a really lean, keen edge to the fruit. Very linear and sinewy stuff.
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ALGARVE The Algarve needs little introduction, it is the southernmost region of Portugal and it's one of Europe's favourite holiday destinations well known for glorious year round sunshine and excellent sandy beaches. Summer in the Algarve is dry and clear, with the warm sunshine extending long into autumn. Winters are moderately cold and are the rainiest time of year. Overall the weather is pleasantly mild. Wine production had taken a back seat to tourism for decades as the Algarve catered for the droves of holiday makers who flock to this beautiful region every year. But now as Sir Cliff Richard would attest, who has his own vineyard here, wine making in the Algarve is stepping out of the shadows. The Algarve is the only demarcated District in Portugal that does not produce a variety of white wines along with its red wine. The red wines tend to be full-bodied, a fruity rich flavour, low acidity, and containing a high alcohol level. Of late there has been a renewal of interest and several smaller private vineyards have been created and
Barranco Longo Rosé 2010
Colour: Deep pink. Grape variety: Aragonez, Touriga Nacional smooth taste, reminiscent of strawberries and cream.
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Barranco Longo Oaked Rosé 2008
Lively pink tone. Red fruit aroma with spicy oak. Rich, complex, creamy palate, ripe fruit and toasty oak.
Barranco Grande Escolha 2010
Citrus and mineral in a captivating aroma of medium intensity. Citrus in the mouth continues, with notes that give fresh lemonade. Good persistence
Barranco Longo Reserva 2008
Grape variety: Aragonez, Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark ruby colour, which complements the well-balanced taste of spice and berries.
Monte da Casteleja, Maria Selection 2007
Grape Varieties: Alfrocheiro, Bastardo & Alicante Bouschet. Big, jammy, raspberry and raisin fruitiness with a dense, smoky fruitiness on the palate.
Marquês dos Vales Selecta
Ruby with a hint of Bordeaux. Red and wild berry fruits, some floral notes lent by the surrounding rock-roses. Very well rounded wine in its major organic components (acidity, alcohol content and tannins). Persistent finish, long and charming, where soft and slightly sweet tannins are predominant. It goes well with a good assortment of sausages and hams, patés, red or white meat and varied game, or a good board of national or international cheeses.
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Marquês dos Vales Grace Vineyard
Intense ruby with scarlet nuances. Intense aroma of black and red fruits; good vanilla. Full bodied wine, soft and elegant. Rounded and sweet tannins. Noble acidity. Light nuances of toasted caramel. The well-integrated tannins ensure a long and aromatic finish. Ideal with sausages and ham, red meats, or a good selection of cheeses.
Marquês dos Vales Grace Touriga Nacional Ruby with violet borders. Generous aromas of black and red fruits, plum and cassis, very seductive, striking hints of vanilla. Full bodied wine. Very well rounded with ripe tannins, fine acidity and persistent alcohol content. Elegant and persistent, delicate and full of complexity in its long finish. Marquês dos Vales Primeira Selecção
Straw / citrus coloured. Aromas of mature white fruits and some floral. Flavours of mature white fruits. Fresh, young and light. It finishes with elegance in the mouth. It goes very well with exquisitely cooked fish and seafood, simply prepared red and white meats, soft cheeses. Very good as an aperitif wine coupled with a good assortment of canapé.
Marquês dos Vales Grace Vineyard Branco Citrus coloured with greenish highlights. Aromas of ripe fruits such as plum, loquat, apricot and floral citrus. With remarkable freshness this is a wine of great class. Long and seductive finish. It goes very well with light red and white meats, extensively prepared fish and seafood where herbs are predominant (rosemary, mint, pennyroyal, coriander), soft cheeses, paté and salads.
Marquês dos Vales Grace Viognier
Emerald coloured. Full of complexity with tropical fruits and some rock rose floral. With excellent freshness it is charming and very harmonious. Persistent and very beautiful. It goes very well with light red and white meats, complex fish and seafood dishes, soft cheeses, paté and salads. The best drinking temperature is between 6 and 8ºC.
Marquês dos Vales Primeira Selecção Rose Pink coloured. Fruity aroma with subtle notes of red berry fruits and a sense of fresh raspberry Fresh and fruity. It's refreshing acidity provides a soft and fruity finish. It goes very well with well prepared fish and seafood dishes, a mixed barbecue of white and red meats, very good coupled with an assortment of canapé. The best drinking temperature is between 6 and 8ºC.
Quinta do Francês 2008
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Burnt note and tarry with inky blackness but good light fleshed palate with interest from spice and interest. Then seems to stop and tannic hit is planky.
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BAIRRADA Portugal is one of the world’s largest wine producers and wine exporters and both the Portuguese white and red wines are famous worldwide for their distinct taste and flavor. The Bairrada wine, also known as Vinho da Bairrada derives its name from the term ‘barros’ meaning clay. Therefore it is evident that the region producing the Bairrada wines are made up of clayey soil. This region comprises of an ancient vineyard which had been existent since mythical times but it was only in 1979 that it came to be recognized as part of the demarcated wine regions or the Regiao Demarcada da Bairrada. In this region made up of clayey soils, the grapes are facilitated to attain full growth and aging as the vines are grown facing the sun. While both red and white castas contribute to the production of the Bairrada wines, it is the Baga casta which is prevalently used in the wines. This region is further well known for the quality of shining white wine it produces. Apart from this variety, the region produces white wines, red wines and table wines. It is a popular custom in Portugal to drink the Vinho da Bairrada in the accompaniment of a roasted piglet in restaurants.
Dao Sul, Encontro 1 2007, DOC
Grape Varieties: 50% Baga, 50% Touriga Nacional. Creamy, dense, lots of meaty richness. Very fleshy on the palate: lots of dry extract here, lots of fragrant oak too, in a huge, ripe and full-on style.
Primavera Barraida Reserva 2005
A dry wine with aromas of cherries, blackberries, cassis and a strong yet flavorful mouth feel which gives off a lasting and memorable lingering finish.
Quinta da Dôna, 2004, DOC
Grape Varieties: Baga. Huge, creamy blackcurrant and coffee nose. Very international in style, but lovely depth and polish. Palate has super sweet, super concentrated fruit, big powerhouse tannins and beautiful sweetness. huge and arguably not showing a huge sense of place, but just delicious.
Quinta das Bageiras Garrafeira 2001
Very big traditional wine with musty nose and backward texture (in mag). VA on nose, Tough.
Quinta das Bageiras Garrafeira 2005
Cherry, chocolate and lots of stalky berries. The palate is quite tannic, very dry and tight. You have to search for the fruit a bit, and you find currants dominated with booze and spice. Too young, but will be great
Quinta das Bágeiras, Garrafeira 2007, DOC Grape Varieties: Maria Gomes & Bical. Nicely herby and nutty, with distinctive bite on the palate: very dry, very grapefruity and pithy with a wonderful freshness and authority. Vadio 2009
A blend of Cercial (80%) and Arinto d’Anadia. Supple and lemony with attractive pure fruit. Crisp and light textu. Really appealing. 8
Vadio Tinto 2006
Made in an open fermenter with foot treading, and then aged in old barrels from Esporão. Supple, fresh and cherryish with good acidity and some minerality. Really authentic and precise with no rough edges and beautiful fruit expression. Evolving really nicely.
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BEIRAS Stretching from the Spanish frontier to the sea, the Beiras region of central Portugal provides a natural link between the cool, green meadows of the north and the hot, dry pastures of the south. Coimbra, the provincial capital, is the birthplace of six kings and the seat of Portugal's first university, reputedly the second old est in the world. Its old cathedral is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe. Further inland, the peak of the Serra da Estrela (Star Mountain) is the highest point on mainland Portugal. The terrain in the Beiras is diverse as is the climate and its flavours. The vines in the Bairrada region are grown generally on flat land and region that is a major red wine producer in Portugal and is located on the coastal plain lying slightly inland from the sea to the town of Aveiro, and then south down to the town of Coimbra. The red wine produced here is noted for its smoothness and suavity, deep in colour and full-bodied, acquiring a brownish hue as it ages. The white wines are fairly robust, fruity with a hint of lemon. The rosé ranges in colour and are fresh and fruity. Sparkling wines are produced in white and rosé and range from “Brut” to “Medium Dry”. For traditionalists the grape of choice in the Bairrada region is Baga, a grape variety notoriously difficult to ripen, which needs lots of aging to round off, usually in the local wood type barrels rather than American or French oak, but the hard work is worth it by far, and come recommended, the older the better.
Filipa Pato Nossa 2009
Real concentration here on nose; amber and balsamic notes with butter and melony fruit and good streak of acidity running through. Quite voluminous but not fat.
Lokal Silex 2006
Rich and funky, lots of lovely sweet fruit, like warm compote. A chunky wine, lots of big flavours but very clean. I like this a lot.
Luís Pato BTT 2009
Slightly leafy nose but quite subtle. The extraction is really well done, no fierce tannin but there’s a watery hole in the middle that makes one wonder where the terroir went.
Quinta de Foz de Arouce 2005
Mainly Cerceal. Lovely fresh, intense concentrated white wine with a limey, almost spicy edge and a hint of matchstick uction. Taut with real intensity and potential, this is fresh and has lovely acidity.
Quinta de Foz de Arouce 2005
Closed nose, a lot of dark, tannic chocolate and lots of spice. Just too full on
Quinta de Foz de Arouce Tinto 1992
Just Baga used here. This is a beautiful wine showing perfumed floral aromatics with sweet cherry and plum fruit, as well as a hint of earth. The palate is smooth and elegant, evolving beautifully with spicy, earthy structure marrying well with the focused fruit. Finishes long and spicy.
Quinta de Foz de Arouce Vinhas Velhas de This was the first vintage of this new bottling, which separated out Sta Maria 2003 the old vine fruit from the young vines. Quite smooth and pure with almost lush berry and cherry fruit, as well as a slight acidic lift. The palate has lovely firm yet silky tannins with nice acidity and a long spicy finish. Quite serious. Beginning to open out and really elegant. Back to INDEX
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Quinta de Foz de Arouce Vinhas Velhas de Lovely sweet, tight, spicy nose with subtle earthy notes. The palate Sta Maria 2005 is pure and focused with tight structure, and more earthiness. Firm tannins and good acid. Needs time. Quinta do Cardo, Seleccao do Enologo 2004 A dark, rich wine, lots of moist cigar and leather. Needs more fruit. Quinta do Cardo, Síria 2008, DOC
Grape Varieties: Síria. Very pithy and limey, with a dry lemon fruit, though the palate is vibrant and bursts through with a very zesty, bright, more tropical, ruby grapefruit zing.
Quinta do Ribeirinho Pe Franco 2005
Very nice, soft, juicy fruit. All raspberries and menthol. The palate is lovely, a bit of spice and heat, but not at all dominating. A good, clean, lighter finish.
Quinta dos Currais, Colheita Seleccionada, Grape Varieties: Síria, Fonte Cal, Arinto. Gentle toast here, a lovely 2007, DOC buttery richness. Smooth, full and mouth-fillingly waxy texture. Full and luscious, with a long, shimmering finish. Quinta dos Termos Selecção 2007
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Another wine with rather furry extraction and slightly smothe fruit making you wonder about the fermentation temperature and how much press wine. Seems like a reasonable supermarket wine.
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COLARES The history of Portugal records the inclusion of the country as a part of the territory of the Roman Empire around 138 BC. It was since those ancient times that there developed a bonding between wine cultivation and Portugal which continues over the years, long after the country has been released from the clutches of the then formidable Romans to become an independent state and a member of the European Union. Portugal boasts of producing innumerable varieties of wines and of them some are superior variety like the Port wine and the others inferior in comparison. However, wine cultivation and preservation of vineyards is considered as an activity of immense importance in Portugal and not only does it foster economic growth but also allows employment opportunities. The Colares wines are made of the white and red castas or grape varieties. These kinds of wines are produced in maximum proportions in the outskirts of Lisbon, the largest city of Portugal, in the area between the foothills of Roca Cape and Sintra. There are several factors which have contributed to the Colares wine being one of the most expensive of the various wine varieties that are produced in Portugal. The foremost reason is related to the place of production. Lisbon is the major city of Portugal and has an overwhelming urban populace. Therefore much of the areas surrounding the city are occupied by human settlements and therefore, there is very little space that remains available for creating vineyards and producing wine. Thus what happens is that production is always low compared to the demand thus resulting in soaring prices for the Colares wine. This wine has a sort of fruity and nutty taste and the favorable temperature for the consumption of white wines is 12 degrees Celsius while it is measured at 18 degrees Celsius for the red wines.
Adega Regional de Colares Arenae Colares Malvasia 2006
In 50cls; herbal and mineral nose. Slightly flat but grassy and phenolic dry palate with interest. Touch iodic and saline.
Quinta das Vinhas de Areia, Fundaçâo Oriente Ramisco 2005, DOC
Grape Varieties: Ramisco (100%). Lovely earthy minerality about this, with a deep vinous fruitiness and lovely gamy touches. There's fantastic fruit concentration here in a delicious, sappy and well balanced wine.
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DÃO The origin of the art of wine cultivation and wine drinking can be traced to back to the ancient times, centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ when in order to appease the formidable deities, human beings organized ceremonies celebrating the glory of the gods were wine drinking was a significant means of celebrating joy and happiness. Since then nothing much ahs changed to date. Nowadays, almost all celebrations are incomplete without wines and other alcoholic drinks. Portugal has had a long association with wines and the custom of wine cultivation and production. The Dao wine also known in Portugal as Vinho do Dao are popular variety of wines produced from both the red and white castas i.e. grape varieties. The Dao wines are obtained from the northern part of central Portugal in the Mondego and Dao river areas. These are mountainous regions having temperate climatic characteristics and these climatic factors have a positive effect on Dao wine cultivation as it protects the grapes or castas from the continental and maritime climatic influences. The Dao wine has been conserved and protected since the closing years of the 14th century. But it was only in the late 1908 that the region producing Dao wine was brought under the list of the Demarcated Wine Regions. The distinct flavor of the Dao wines is added to it by the red and white castas. Some of the kinds of white castas used include Cerceal Branco, Bical, Encruzado and some of the red casta varieties used include Rufete, Jaen, Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro etc. In fact, one of the castas used in its production like the Touriga Nacional are available only in Portugal and in no other part of the world. This is probably one of the reasons why according to many vintners, the Dao wines are the best Portuguese table wines, with the foremost among them being the ‘Alianca’ and the ‘Grao Vasco’.
Cabriz Escolha 2004
Sweet chocolate and lots of dried fruit steeped in booze! A bit too tannic, and very very big.
Casa de Mouraz 2009
Mildly neutral nose but grows in mouth; real mineral crunch and interest. Lasts.
Filipa Pato, Lokal Silex 2008, DOC
Grape Varieties: 85% Touriga Nacional. Beautifully aromatic and scented, juicy, bright berries and cherries, with a beautifully firm core of fruit. A liquorice edge of cherry skin and plum, silky but precise with huge length.
Flor das Maias 2005
An initial sweetness, quite like espresso with bundles of brown sugar in, then hints of mocha and a touch of caramelised onion. The palate is nice, hints of leather, a bit too much alcohol and firm tannin. It calms down however and with some food, the alcohol will be masked. Nice.
Fontes da Cunha Munda Touriga Nacional 2008
Haunting violet and grilled meat nose. Great light poise to the palate and in the context of Portugal, quite finely extracted tannins, even though they are dense. Goes on with meat and interest and mediumlong finish. Bright fresh elderflower and mild uctive nose. Weight but keeps poise. Malvasia Fina and Encruzado
Julia Kemper Reserva 2009
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Pape 2005
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Baga, this is a nice, earthy wine with vegetal aromas. Bramble stalk comes along before a palate of stony, cherry stone and wild raspberry. Very clean with a lovely finish.
Primavera Dao Vinho Tinto Reserva 2006
A dry table wine that goes well with meats.
Quinta da Falorca Lagar Reserva 2004
Perhaps too much VA on the nose to be that good. Lean palate with hole to match and yet quite light grip. Elements of prettiness but not in the quality race it seems.
Quinta da Falorca, T-Nac 2007, DOC
Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional. Big, smoky herbal hit. Lots of tobacco but quite lifted, cherryish fruit. The palate is dry and has plenty of tannin, coating the palate over that smooth but bright fruit.
Quinta da Pellada, Tinto Reserva 2006, DOC Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz. Meaty and spicy, with fantastically gamy edges of perfume. Love the orange and lemon zestiness to the acidity here, in a wonderfully fresh style.
Quinta da Vegia Reserva 2005
A sweet aroma with blueberries and cherry. Good clean fruit with cocoa and Bolivar cigars. There is too much alcohol though on the palate with a bitter finish.
Quinta de Cabriz, Colheita Seleccionada 2007, DOC
Grape Varieties: Alfrocheiro, Touriga Nacional & Tinta Roriz. Beautifully earthy and liquoricy, a touch of gamy quality, lots of perfume here. Fresh and appetising palate, quite fragrant too.
Quinta de Saes, Reserva 2008, DOC
Grape Varieties: Encruzado, Cercial, Malvasia, Gouveio. Lovely nose, fairly understated with orchard fruits and a sense of oatmeally richness, some mineral notes too. The palate has delicious tang and vibrancy, the lemony, pithy acidity making this very food friendly.
Quinta de San José, Colheita 2007, DOC
Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca. Beautifully gravelly as well as being fresh and fruity, with masses of cherry, berries and beautifully judged background oak. .
Quinta do Corujão Reserva 2007
Airy appeal to the fruit here and a good plummy crunch with light raspberry notes coming through. Rather tough on the end in very Portuguese style. Good but not that special.
Quinta do Perdigao Touriga Nacional 2005 Herby meat aromas, lots of black cherry and blackcurrant. Smoky
barbecued pork sausage on the palate, mixed with chocolate and a hint of balsamic.
Quinta dos Carvalhais Colheita Seleccionada Apple, plum and smoke, oaked nose but not oppressive. Then berry dry and citrus pith texture and flavour – compelling and grown 2006 up. Good
Quinta Dos Grilos 2008
This wine with a limited production is only produced in years of great quality and it was aged for six months in French oak barrels. The grapes of great quality, allowed to produce this wine that you can consume immediately or you can hold it in your seller for six years.
Quinta dos Roques, Garrafeira 2003, DOC
Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional (65%), Alfrocheiro (15%), Tinto Cão (10%). Big, very meaty nose, with lots of oak, lots of deep fruit and a slightly uctive edge. The palate has real depth and concentration. There's masses of fruit and delicious weight to this, the tannins meaty and dense and the whole picture powerful though balanced. 17
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Sul Cabriz Reserva 2008
Open appealing plum and ink nose; mercifully translucent wine with well supported lithe structure and moves well. A lightness. But does not gather pace or concentrate much. One tends to lose interest. Tannins good.
Vinha do Contador 2005
Lots of menthol, lots of cherry – I would say cherry tunes but that does it a disservice. A bundle of fruit and pipe tobacco, very tannic but it is delive well. Needs time to settle down.
Vinha Paz, Reserva 2005, DOC
Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro. Very smooth, creamy, beautifully composed black fruit. Lots of creamy black fruit and cassis intensity. Fabulous freshness here again, very fleshy and rich, but creamy and powerful, again with great intensity, but feels naturally so.
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DOURO The scenery of the Douro region is spectacular. As far as the eye can see, the mountainous terrain is covered with countour-line-like terraces. The scale is impressive, too. There’s just so much of it. I don’t think I’m exaggerating too much when I say that the Douro is one of the wonders of the world. Then there’s the soil. The ‘terroir’, is just about perfect for growing quality wine grapes. It’s schist, with a bit of granite here and there. It doesn’t look promising for growing anything, but vines flourish in these conditions. The poor soil encourages them to sink their roots deep, where they find a steady but stingy water supply and divert their energies to grape production. In a relatively short period of time the Douro has established itself as Portugal’s premium wine region. It’s hard to overstate the scale and pace of change that is currently taking place in this most spectacular of wine regions. Table wine has always been made here but were secondary to the requirements of Port producers. In recent years a critical mass of like-minded winemakers has emerged, passionate about making the very best wines that these remarkable terroirs are capable of.
Alves de Sousa Reserva Pessoal 2005
Yellow; nose is all greengage, complex honey and rock and herbal notes, very focused and slight bitter edge pulling you in. Palate is very tempe with wood contact oxidative and lees notes and roast apricot. A very full but rapie, dried citrus peel and tidy end. Refined and elegant. Old vines blend.
Alves de Sousa, Abandonado 2005, DOC
Grape Varieties: Douro grapes. Very cedary, high quality. Powerful with lots of mint, liquorice and black plum bite. Nicely tempe palate, with a racy edge to the tannins and lovely spice and grip.
CARM 2010
Nicely bright and fruity with crisp, lemony fruit and nice acidity. Some hints of peachy richness. A nice pure style.
CARM Grande Reserva 2007
Dense, rich, ripe and spicy with some tarry notes. Some oak but very rich and still well defined. Direct and fruity with good potential.
Carm Quinta Do Coa 2008
A plush , with a pretty array of raspberry and plum flavors that are supple and supported by medium-grained tannins. Notes of milk chocolate and cream fill the plush finish. Drink now through 2014.
CARM Reserva 2009
Oak adds a hint of vanilla and some spice to the lovely pure citrus fruit. Great precision with nice acidity.
CARM Reserva Tinto 2008
Ripe, juicy, spicy and tarry with focused berry fruits and some meaty, spicy definition.
CARM Rosé 2010
Nice bright pink colour. Lovely tight, fresh cherry and berry fruit. Fruity style.
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CARM Tinto 2008
Sweet ripe berry and cherry fruit here. Rich fruity style with some spicy notes.
CARM Touriga Nacional 2009
Vivid, bright and cherry/berry fruited with primary fruit to the fore. Vibrant in colour, this has a really youthful character. Some tannin. Unusual, with amazing cherryish fruit. Apparently, this wine changes dramatically in the bottle: it’s hard to pin down. No added sulphur dioxide.
Casa Fereirinha Barca Velha 2000
Rich, sweet aroma, lots of coffee, chocolate and cherry. There is mint, lots of coffee with mature tannin. A very tasty raspberry flavour with some stalk elements too.
Castello d'Alba 2009
A medium-bodied and peppery , with berry flavors. The supple finish features notes of vanilla, with hints of smoke. Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional.
Castello d'Alba 2009
Vibrant acidity and rich, glazed citrus flavors give this Portuguese white plenty of verve. Cream and mineral fill the rich finish. Códega do Larinho, Rabigato and Vinosinho. Drink now.
Caves Vale Do Roso 2009
Flavors of dry fruits, cherries, blackberries and cassis. Full bodied and good extracture and a fresh finish with smooth tannins
Churchill Estates 2006
Pure and quite sweet with a dark cherry nose. The palate has lovely fresh bright dark fruit with some spicy richness. Nice savoury finish. Lovely focus here.
Churchill Estates 2007
Aromatic and quite floral with sweet dark cherry fruit on the nose. There’s some lushness here. The palate is supple with elegant sweet dark fruits. Lovely focus and breadth.
Churchill Estates 2007
14% alcohol. A blend of Touriga Nacional (40%), Touriga Franca (30%) and Tinta Roriz (30%). This deep coloured wine shows beautifully focused, fresh dark cherry and blackberry fruit with a lovely spiciness underpinning the pure fruit. This is fresh and complex with a nice balance between the fresh, ripe fruit and the savoury structure. Quite a serious effort, and brilliant value for money.
Churchill Estates Grande Reserva 2007
Dark, intense, aromatic nose is floral but masculine at the same time. Meaty and dense. The palate is firmly structured with lovely dense spicy, focused fruit and good acidity.
Churchill Estates Grande Reserva 2007
Fresh lemony, toasty nose. The palate is bright with a hint of mineral uction as well as some nice oak use. Really nice barrel-aged style. Lovely stuff.
Churchill Estates Reserva 2007
Nicely dense, brooding, structured dark fruits here with some oak imprint. Dense and mouthfilling with real potential.
Churchill Estates Touriga Nacional 2007
Very deep colour. Really aromatic and floral nose with meaty, olivelike savouriness. The palate is dense with a tarry, spicy, savoury, meaty edge to the vivid fruit. Remarkable stuff.
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Churchill Quinta da Gricha 2007
Brooding, dark and intense with lovely floral blackberry, tar and sweet dark cherry nose. The palate has attractive mineral undertones to the smooth but firmly structured blackberry and plum fruit. Lovely concentration of fruit here with some savoury complexity. It's a warm-climate wine, but there's really good definition and this should age well over the next couple of decades.
Churchill Quinta da Gricha 2007 Douro
Weird as hell. With a label that looked like a person taken over by an alien in Doctor Who, the Bastardo grape doesn’t have much colour. It looked like a light rose, but what you got was full on herbaceous raspberries and a hint of orange. The palate was the same, a bit of cherry bubblegum and orange touches again, with hot, spicy flavours. It gets a bit sickly after a few mouthfuls. Commercially, label excepted, it is dead in the water. As an experience it is great if not a brilliant wine!
Conceito 2006
Ripe sweet cherry and blackberry nose is aromatic and pure. The palate is sweet and ripe with nice purity of fruit. Very stylish and ripe with nice sweet dense fruit. A ripe, fruit driven style.
Conceito Contraste 2007 Douro
13.5% alcohol. Deep, vivid colour. Primary and fresh with lovely bright berry fruits and notes of cherry and plum. There’s nice acidity here, as well as fine-grained tannic structure, lovely purity and freshness. Will be interesting to see how this evolves.
Conceito Contraste Tinto 2008
13.5% alcohol. Attractive sweet black cherry and blackberry nose, with fresh mineral and tar notes. Quite complex. The palate has nice balance between the sweet fruit and some gravelly, mineral savouriness, with grippy tannins. Fresh, taut and delicious.
Conceito Tinto 2007
14% alcohol. Lovely vibrant, fresh dark cherry and raspberry nose with some floral overtones and notes of pepper and spice. The palate is fresh and cherryish with some tight plummy fruit and lovely acidity. The tannins are quite firm and there’s some spicy structure, too, as well as well integrated oak. Very youthful, this is a fresh, Burgundian style of Douro wine with lovely purity and focus, and it should age beautifully.
Conceito Tinto 2008
14% alcohol. A lovely expression of the Douro: sweetly fruited nose with a hint of new oak and fresh dark cherry and spice notes. The palate has ripe cherry and berry fruits, but also lovely fresh acidity and elegant structure. Finely wrought already, but with potential for evolution.
Conceito Vinho 2008
13% alcohol. Just a beautiful white wine, reminiscent of top quality white Bordeaux. Lovely fresh aromatic nose of grapefruit and lemon with hints of herbs and vanilla. The palate is fresh and bright with notes of herb and grapefruit, nice presence and some lemony acidity. Lovely complexity here.
Duas Quintas Reserva Colheita 2005
Coffee spilled on a suede jacket! Nice and full on, but the palate is a bit weak and needs more fruit to balance that dominant coffee flavour.
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Grainha 2008
A blend of Viosinho, Gouveio and oak-fermented Rabigato. Nutty, bold and quite intense with some minerality. Taut with melony fruit and nuttiness, finishing fresh, with potential for further development.
Grainha Tinto 2007
Fresh and focused with sweet, pure dark cherry and berry fruits on the nose. The palate is fresh with nice bright cherry and plum fruit and a bit of spicy structure. Nicely integrated oak. It needs some time to open out fully.
Grainha Tinto 2008
Lovely sweet focused dark cherry/berry fruit nose. Vibrant fruit on the palate with some spiciness. A delicious fruit-driven style.
Lavradores de Feitoria Meruge 2008
Lovely mid-weight, not forcing itself. Char in the background but a brooding dry chicory and leaf note along with all the gorgeous but not simple fruit. Good and long. Old vine field blend.
Lemos & Van Zeller, 'Curriculum Vitae' 2007, DOC
More than 25 different varieties. Massive alcohol (15.5%), and a massive nose with a little raisined note to dense black fruit and a touch of chocolate. The palate is dry and coats the palate in a thick, rich film of tannin and savoury fruit. Given the huge concentration and weight, surprisingly easy to drink.
Niepoort Batuta 2008
Mid-colour; full finessed plum and cherry fruit and then a caressing palate with power and drive; kinetic but none of the rasping tannins you might anticipate. Extraction is skilled. And good violet and succulent end. Moreish. Not fine but quite a wow factor. Mostly Tinta Amerela.
Niepoort Robustus 2004
Big mint aromas and mocha. Then juicy fruit and nice veggies with coffee come leap up your nose. The palate is very well balanced, good, long graceful evolution of flavours, coffee again and a long lasting bramble flavour with blackcurrant. Good.
Niepoort, oma 2007, DOC
Grape Varieties: Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Tinto CĂŁo & others. Lovely nose here, smoky, tobacco and earthy notes with a nicely wild, game and herbal edge. Beautifully bright fruit, dry and powerful, with lots of richness and ripeness, but that great sense of place and the balance perfect.
Niepoort, oma Reserva 2008, DOC
ÂŁ29.00 Grape Varieties: Rabigato, Codega, Donzelinho, Viosinho, Arinto and others. Raeburn Fine Wines. A fairly subdued, gently oaked nose with nutty and herbal overtones and solid, cool orchard fruits. The palate has a very racy dryness, in a much more Chablis style this, and just lovely.
Passa Reserva 2007, DOC
Mixed vineyard plantings. Big, bold, bloody and dense, with fine, deep fruit and a classy tobacco and cedar background. Fine palate, flooded with dense black fruit and the tannins refined, melding into a spicy oak.
Pintas 2005
Minty, herby with lots of rich, sweet fruit. The palate is clean, lots of brambles and chocolate with herbs mixed in. Firm tannin, lots of mint mocha on the finish. Very nice.
Poeira 2008
Pretty aetherial spice and cassis nose, with savoury blood and roasted note; palate shows rose-petal finesse alongside currant and leather and fantail of spice and then quite a tough chewy finish which can only evolve pretty well as the tannin is ripe.
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Poeira 2005
Lavender and lots of herbs mixing with a cherry sweetness. Hints of chocolate and leather, nice balance and with coffee on the finish. Very nice.
Pomares 2009
A blend of Viosinho, Gouveio and Rabigato. Bright and fruity with real precision. A fresh, citrusy, mineral white with grapefruit notes and good acidity. Fantastic freshness and personality.
Pomares Tinto 2008
Lovely focused dark fruits nose of cherries, berries and plums. The palate is bright, fresh and precise with lovely presence and some nice grippy structure. Good acidity, with a hint of meatiness on the finish.
Prats & Symington Chryseia 2008
Disappointing bottle? Rather VA and lean nose. Then palate packed with crunchy fruit, cherries and plum and fine tannins. Not oppressive; I think I’ve seen it better.
Quinta da Gaivosa Vinha de Lordelo 2005
Good light fruit, raspberries and brambles. The palate is balanced, clean with loads of chocolate and toffee sweetness. A good long leathery finish. Nice.
Quinta da Pacheca 2010
Malvasia, Gouveio and Cerceal. Bright, fruity and taut with nice crispness and good fruit presence.
Quinta da Pacheca Grande Reserva Touriga Lovely floral, violet, meaty aromatics are varietally true. Dense but Nacional 2009 supple berry and black cherry fruit, with notes of olives and herbs. A lovely wine with a fresh finish. Quinta da Pacheca Tinto 2009
Nice bright, fresh, cherryish nose. Supple with grippy structure. An attractive wine with nice berry fruits on the palate. Well made.
Quinta da Pacheca Vinha da Rita 2009
Only made in special years, from a 3.5 hectare, 60 year old vineyard. Rich and spicy with lovely dark fruits, some mineral notes and good structure. Notes of olives, tar and herbs with well integrated oak. Structu and fine.
Quinta da Romaneira 2005
Outstandingly gentle with nice, raspberry and light brambles. There is a good balance of it’s constituent parts, very elegant with cherry stones on the finish.
Quinta da Romaneira Reserva 2008
Taste the schist. So tight and tarry but actually not at all overextracted. Dense tannin but with a velvet gown. This is roast plums on a boulder in the high Douro, exploding with the heat of the rock. So athletic and poised. Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Cão
Quinta de la Rosa Vale do Inferno 2005
A rich, stewed dark aroma. Lots of damson jam. The palate is heavy, tannic, dark with lots of coffee and chocolate. Not bad at all!
Quinta de Macedos, Pinga do Torto 2005, DOC
Grape Varieties: 50% mixed old vines & 50% Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Beautifully fragrant and cherry-scented, with lots of leafy freshness as well as very good fruit. Sweet, savoury, and fleshy.
Quinta de S. Jose 2005
Funky. Lots of dark, stewed and raisin fruit. A lot of dark liquorice and chocolate with cocoa powder on the finish. Nice but it lacks something on the end.
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Quinta do Coa, 2007, DOC Superior
Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca. Gorgeously deep blackcurrant and black cherry fruit here, with a smoky edge and some Sandalwood notes. Lovely palate too. This is modern, plush and deliciously deep, but retains a sense of the sunbaked Douro too. Fine finish.
Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa 2006
Polished and perfumed, rosemary and a meaty aroma. The palate has sweet elements, lots of tannin and nice earthy elements. Then the sweetness comes back in with an abundance.
Quinta do Crasto, Vinha da Ponte, 2007, DOC
More than 30 different old vine varieties. Lots of creamy vanillin here, as well as a beautifully rounded, fleshy black plum fruit. The palate has a real sense of concentrated firmness at its core and delightful balance.
Quinta do Infantado Reserva 2008
Lovely lifted bright and butcher shop nose. Great sense of weight but athletic and well-set. Tannins quite gentle and successful. Good premium plus.
Quinta do Noval 2005
Rich, round with dark berries. The palate has a wallop of alcohol, loads of tannin, leather and spices. Then the booze kicks in with fresh mint and leather. Dark and brooding.
Quinta do Noval 2008
Very mineral but short of perfume. Warm ferment? And glue note with very angular frame. Subtle with cherries and kirsch but tannic end suggests it won’t grow.
Quinta do Vale D. Maria 2006
From an old vineyard, with old vines that have probably been breeding amongst themselves for umpteen decades, this is a rich, sweet wine with nice chocolate and berry flavours. There is a lot of heat on the palate, some firm tannin, but then the finish lets it down by being a bit weak.
Quinta do Vale Dona Maria, 2004, DOC
More than 25 different varieties. Gamy and ripe, with a delightful edge to the fruit, there's a bitter cherry and chicory bite to this making it very food-friendly and delicious. .
Quinta Do Vale Meao Meandro 2008
This concentrated shows restrained power to its flavors of roasted plum, dark cherry and blackberry. Broad and rich on the finish, with plenty of savory spice and chocolate notes. Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Sousão, Tinta Amarela and Tinta Cão.
Quinta do Vale Meao 2005
Good, earthy fruit, a lot of cherry and plums. Nice long palate, with firm tannin and outstanding balance, weight and fruit.
Quinta do Vale Meão 2008
Very neat and complete on the start; good aromatics and opens on entry. Violet and dark crunch. But then a very tough extracted end. Compact but spoilt by pushing too far.
Quinta do Vallado Adelaide 2008
Bright rasberry fruit on nose; leafy tug tempers primariness. Concentration but furry touch of over-extraction holds it up. Bright fruit and intense then sandiness and rather dry medium long end.
Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional 2006
A rich, cherry fest. Lots of fairly sweet chocolate too. The palate is nice, clean with lovely dark, leathery flavours. A bit of spice and pepper but too leathery on the finish.
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Quinta Nova Colheita Tinto 2008
An unoaked cuvée. Spicy and chocolatey with a slightly balsamic edge to the ripe blackberry and berry fruits. The palate is ripe, dense and sweetly fruited with some spiciness and chocolatey richness. Very attractive.
Quinta Nova Grande Reserva 2007
15% alcohol. This has old vines and more Touriga Nacional. Very refined and perfumed with spice, dark chocolate and lots of blackberry and dark cherry fruit, as well as a hint of meatiness. The palate is beautifully complex and spicy, showing expressive, rich fruit and well integrated oak. Powerful, ripe and rich, yet still in balance.
Quinta Nova Reserva 2007
A selection with lots of Tinta Amarela and almost no Touriga Nacional. Highly aromatic nose with lovely complex spiciness and some warmth, dominated by sweet blackberry and cherry fruit. The palate is fresh and focused with nice acidity supporting the bright, fresh berry fruit. Firm but nicely judged tannins provide structure.
Quinta Nova Touriga Nacional 2007
15% alcohol. Very aromatic, perfumed nose: floral with some blackberry and dark cherry fruit. The palate is beautifully expressive with lovely fresh dark fruits. Very expressive with some grippy tannin on the finish. Ripe and lush but not at all jammy.
Sul Quinta de Tecedeiras Reserva 2008
Soapy, slightly tarry nose; bright fruit but similar to many Douro wines in its black fruit and stony profile. Lacks something but clearly premium
Wine & Soul Pintas 2008
A little hot but lovely cherry and berry fruit with a hit of cassis behind. Big aromatic nose draws you in. Very dense fruit but miraculously tame (ish) tannins – this is Portugal after all. Not sure if this is for the long term. Classy vanillin oak – cream and Mivi bar. Tar and cassis on the end. Longish. Old vine field blend.
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DURIENSE Duriense is a Portuguese wine region covering the same area as the Douro DOC and the Port wine region. In difference from Douro DOC, Duriense VR is a designation at the lower Vinho Regional (VR) level, which corresponds to table wines with a geographical indication under European Union wine regulations, similar to a French vin de pays region. Thus, it is the simpler or less typical wines of the Douro region that are sold using a Duriense VR label. Before the creation of a separate Duriense VR, the Douro vineyards were part of the former Trás-os-Montes VR, which is now called Transmontano VR and no longer includes the Douro vineyards
Churchill Quinta da Gricha 2005
Apparently 100 years ago Bastardo and Alvarilhão were the most widely planted grapes in the Douro. They don’t have a lot of colour, and this is why Sousão, a teinturier ( fleshed) variety, was introduced from Vinho Verde. This is a remarkable wine. It’s a varietal Bastardo made in lagar, with stems, and no sulfur dioxide addition. Very pale in colour, it looks like a rosé. It has a beautiful, fresh, aromatic nose with a nice herby green edge to the bright cherry fruit. The palate is remarkable: even though this is a pale wine, it is intense, with a rounded texture and lovely spiciness. Fresh, super-elegant and persistent, this is a beautiful wine. It’s labelled Vinho Regional because the IVDP refused the Douro appellation numerous times because this is ‘atypical’.
Conceito Bastardo 2009
13% alcohol. An early maturing variety with weak colour that was popular in the 18th century, but has now steadily abandoned. Pale cherry colour. Wonderful sweet aromatics: warm herbs, cherry fruit. So pure and elegant with a leafy edge. The palate is smooth, warm and sweetly fruited. Light and superbly elegant with lovely cherry and herb notes, and subtle tannins. Lovely wine.
Poeira, Pó de Poeira 2008
Grape Varieties: Alvarinho & Gouveio. Pungent, vivacious nose with lots of green fig and bean notes and a smoky oak background. Vibrant palate too, with lots of juicy fruit and an orangy zest, as well as pinsharp lemon acidity. Delicious and invigorating.
Quinta do Noval, Cedro 2007
Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Syrah. Beautifully Sandalwood spicy, tobacco laden aroma, with an intense mulberry and cherry fruit. On the palate this fills the mouth: sweet and giving, with a juicy mid-palate, but the tight, liquoricy tannins are intense and that spice and cedar pushes through. .
Quinta do Noval, Labrador 2007
Grape Varieties: Syrah. A 100% Syrah wine, that is svelte and velvety deep, with lots of schisty, cedary and peppery character and a deal of minerality, as well as a pastry case or baked plum pie aroma. On the palate the purity of that dark, blueberry and damson plum fruit comes through, with chocolaty tannins and plenty of warming, coffeeish oak. Again, this wine retains very good, cherry-skin freshness.
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LISBOA Lisboa has a long history in national viticulture. This region’s vine area is made up of traditional grape varieties and the most famous international ones. Lisboa’s diversity of relief and microclimates enables the region to produce a great variety of wines. Formerly known as Estremadura, Lisboa wine region is located north west of Lisbon, occupying an area of about 40 km. The climate is mild due to Atlantic influence. Summers are fresh and winters soft, though colder in areas farther from the sea. Although the region has good potential for the production of quality wines, about fifteen years ago it was essentially known for producing large quantities of low quality wine. Since then, the vines and wineries have been restructured. One of the restructuring steps involved planting new grape varieties, chosen according to quality, not quantity. Today, Lisboa’s wines are known for their good quality/price ratio The region focused on the growing of the noblest Portuguese and foreign grape varieties. In 1993, a new type of wine was created: the Vinho Regional Lisboa (free translation: Lisboa Regional Wine). This new type of wine encouraged producers to study the potential of the different grape varieties and, currently, most wines produced in Lisboa wine region are regional (the law for DOC wines is very restrictive on the use of grape varieties).
Berco Do Infante Vinho 2009
Good body and structure in this great find from Portugal. Plenty of up front fruit with a hint of spice on the finish.
Casa Santos Lab 2009
Casa Santos Lab 2008 is tasty, pleasant and focused wine. Aged in new oak for four months, this is a serious wine for the price.
Cerejeiras 2008
Pronounced "Serajeras", this bottle will show you exactly why Portuguese wines are on the rise. Right from the start there is a deep bouquet of ripe, well combined fruit and some hints of vanilla. On the palate, notes of cherry jam, vanilla and spice with a persistent and lengthy finish. A great wine for the upcoming months that is food friendly and affordable.
Cortello Vinho
Ripe fruit aromas are supported by a fresh acidity nicely combined with smooth tannins.
Quinta de Chocapalha, Arinto 2008 Branco Lovely mealy and lemony richness, with a touch of toast. The palate has real textural breadth and richness too, with that fat, lemony fruit and lovely acidity. Juicy and mouth-watering. Quinta de San’Ana Reserva 2005
A lot of rich coffee, tobacco, sweet fruit and loads of spice. A sweet modern wine. A bit of a hussy!
Quinta do Rocio 2006
A lot of veggies, a bit of wild raspberries. Good, leathery flavour, well balanced and well made.
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Quinta Sant’ana Riesling 2009
A lovely fluidity here, fresh but weighted with Chenin-like honey and stone. Good. Discove Riesling – must be warm or very original site. Excellent even. 17 £9.50
Telha D Ouro 2005
Right from the start there are aromas of black fruit and a hint of earth and dried herbs. On the palate there are dark fruit notes as well as some leather with subtle tannins
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MINHO VINHO VERDE The beautiful green region of the Minho is located in the northwest of Portugal in an area between the rivers of The Douro (to the South) and The River Minho on the Spanish border (to the North) and locked in by the mountains (to the East). The region's climate is greatly influenced by mountains and Atlantic currents. The most significant feature is the yearly rain levels showing an annual average of 1500 mm concentrated mainly in winter and spring. With good reason, many Portuguese consider the Minho to be the most beautiful part of their country. A rolling province of lush river valleys, forested hillsides, trailing vines and long, sandy beaches, it is immensely pleasing on the eye, while much is made of the Minho's traditional aspect, especially in the mountainous east, where you can still see wooden-wheeled ox-carts creak down cobbled lanes. Here age-old customs are maintained at dozens of huge country markets, festas and romarias. Vinho Verde is an unique product, miss-understood by some but loved by many. With a blend of aromas and petillance that makes it a delicious natural beverage. Medium in alcohol, Vinho Verde has great digestive properties due to its freshness, slight fiz and special qualities. It is a highly regarded wine, especially when served chilled for Summer drinking. The malo-lactic fermentation gives it a distinctive taste and personality. The reds are full-bodied wines with an intense colour and a rosy or light red foam. The whites usually present a lemony or straw colour. The strong distinctive character and originality of these wines are the result of soil and climate characteristics, social-economic elements, grape varieties and the vinegrowing methods. The vines, distinguished by their great vegetative expansion in severe conditions, occupy an area of almost 35 thousand hectares, corresponding to 15% of the national viticultural area.
Afros Vinhão 2009
Light body, inky and round, dark and tannic wrench on finish. Might be fine with oily smoked fish but limited as wine per se. Strange it’s here.
Afross 2007
The Vinhao grape is a fleshed grape which shows in the wonderful colour. Jamie Goode says “It’s an extreme taste… (and has) rough edges, but so do many interesting people.” Couldn’t agree more as the first aroma I got was warm hoover bag! Quite dusty with cherries and a little bit of blackcurrant. The palate is rich, lots of juicy cherry and raspberries. There is a hint of bubblegum (residual from the last wine?!) with a nice spice on the finish.
Alvarinho Anselmo Mendes 2007 Branco
A rich, dirty aroma. Nice aromas of cedar and dried tropical fruit, but a touch of heat on the palate, followed up by mango skin and pineapple. Nice but I’d stick with the Soalheiro.
Anselmo Mendes, Contacto 2008, DOC Branco
Grape Varieties: Alvarinho. Beautiful peachy, smoky freshness with a really flinty touch and lovely lemony freshness.
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Covela Escolha 2005
A Touriga Nacional, Cabernet Franc, Merlot blend. Now biodynamic, this wine has a bit of bubblegum on the nose, some cherry and leather and a touch of pepper. It is a bit thin on the palate, which isn’t a bad thing, with a stoney flavour and a long, dry, leathery finish. I think this can improve, but not bad now, if it wasn’t for that bubblegum element that put me off at the start.
Gazela
The perfect light and fruity white wine. The bright acidity balances the subtle fruitiness and medium sweetness. Nice bouquet of lemons and apricots. Good as an aperitif or with light food.
Giro Sols 2007
Made from the Loureiro grape, and made by Quinta do Soalheiro and Dirk Niepoort, this wine had a nice nose of lime, a touch of clay springing out of somethere, but very lightly. There are hints of honey and more citrus on this long, lingering finish.
Quinta da Aveleda Casal Garcia 750ML
Selected grape varieties are brought from the extensive vineyards of the Vinho Verde Region to our winery, to produce a smooth and fresh wine with a delicate aroma. It is the wine with the longest history at Aveleda and is easily identified by its blue label, which represents one of the magnificent embroideries of the Minho region.
Quinta do Ameal Escolhas 2007
Again a Loureiro and it reminded me of a Riesling, with lime and some petrol. The palate was full, quite creamy with nice fruit, good balance of peppery cedar.
Quinta do Ameal, Loureiro 2008, DOC
A little waxy weight, a delightful lemon sherbet aromatic. This has huge verve and freshness, and a beautifully focused finish.
Quinta do Feital Alvarinho Dorado Superior Serious wine with bright crunch and touch but helpful complexing 2008 oxidation. Hint of glue does not help but real straw and mineral detail. Quinta do Louridal, Poema 2007
Grape Varieties: Alvarinho. Lovely big, leesy, grassy, bold and assertive nose, with lots of minerality and that bold lemony fruit. Gorgeous mouthful of fresh, tangy fruit.
Quintas de Melgaço Castrus 2009
Apricot nose, slight glue in mouth but real weight and presence; slightly short but very vinous and intriguing.
Reguengo de Melgaco 2006
Another Alvarinho, and you get a funky lime aroma, and I’m not referring to a good, Cool and the gang type of funk. The palate is a bit unbalanced, with slightly over ripe fruit. I got cardboard on the finish too. Not my thing.
Soalheiro Alvarinho 1995
Yellow/gold colour. Amazing nose showing toasty, waxy, citrussy notes. The palate is broad and fresh with a strongly herby character. Toasty and broad with hints of butter and petrol. Fresh and assertive, this is interesting stuff.
Soalheiro Alvarinho 2000
A warm year. Gold colour. Bold, aromatic, herby and rich with some peach notes. Concentrated palate with concentrated, herby, spicy notes and some tropical fruit, as well as high acidity. Bold and intense, and still fresh at 8 years old.
Soalheiro Alvarinho 2002
Cool year. Yellow/gold colour. Lively, herby, citrusy nose with some subtle toasty notes and delicate waxy herbiness. The palate is rounded, a bit nutty and has some toasty notes, as well as bright pear and citrus fruit.
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Soalheiro Alvarinho 2003
Deep yellow/gold. Toasty, herby tropical fruit nose. The palate is bold and intense with broad, rich, nutty fruit. Finished a bit shorter than the 2002, but is tasty and intense.
Soalheiro Alvarinho 2006
Yellow colour. Lovely minerally, citrusy nose. The palate is lively and bright with fresh herbiness and lovely precision and focus. Nice depth of pure, minerally fruit here.
Soalheiro Alvarinho 2007
Very fresh, aromatic, bright and quite estery on the nose, showing citrus and peach fruit as well as minerals. The palate is pure and focused with nice citrussy precision and some pear and peach richness. Lovely.
Soalheiro Primeiras Vinhas Colheitas 2007
I have loved the wines from Soalheiro since my trip four years ago and am a big fan of their basic Alvarinho. This, their top wine, is full on honey, lime and a rich pear aroma. There is more pear on the palate and some pencil shavings on the finish.
Soalheiro, Primeiras Vinhas 2008, DOC
Grape Varieties: Alvarinho. Very ripe, rich, peachy nose: a fuller style, but retaining that edge of salty minerality. The palate has huge intensity and concentration. There's a wonderfully vibrant gooseberry and grapefruit tang. 93/100.
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RIBATEJO Tejo, until 2009 named Ribatejo, is a Portuguese wine region covering the same areas as the Ribatejo Province. It takes its name from the river Tejo (Tagus). The entire region is entitled to use the Vinho Regional designation Tejo VR, while some areas are also classified at the higher Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) level under the designation Ribatejo DOC.[1][2] VR is similar to the French vin de pays and DOC to the French AOC. Located between the Lisboa and Alentejo VRs, the region is dominated by the influence of the Tagus river. The river moderates the region's climate, making it more temperate than other areas of Portugal. Vineyards are planted on the fertile alluvial plains along the river and can be prone to producing excessive yields.[3] In 2009, the region was renamed from Ribatejo to Tejo, the same name as the river flowing through the region, as part of a drive to increase the wine region's international reputation.[4][5] However, the DOC has kept its name Ribatejo, which removed the previous problem of having the same name applied to wines at two different levels of
Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima Alfrocheiro 2006
Bubblegum, some strawberries but nothing much else. The palate is ok, but thin. Needs some structure, all up front fresh fruit, but then just dribbles away to nothing.
Vale d'Algares, 'Selection' 2008
Grape Varieties: Viognier (55%) and Alvarinho (45%). Prominent smoky oak here is an overriding feature, with the lemony and orchard fruits beneath. Lovely freshness and terrific bite, that fresh apple fruit slicing through the finish.
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SETUBAL The Setúbal Peninsula lies across the estuary of the River Tagus directly south of Lisbon, and linked to Lisbon by two bridges. Much of the area is flat and sandy, with the exception of the Serra da Arrábida, a short chain of mountains running along the south coast of the peninsula, It is on these Serra da Arrábida slopes that the grapes are grown for the famous sweet Moscatel de Setúbal wines. The Vinho Regional was recently renamed Península de Setúbal.. There are two DOCs, Setúbal and Palmela. Setúbal is sweet and fortified, made primarily from the Muscat of Alexandria grape. It can be labelled Moscatel de Setúbal when Muscat makes up more than 85 per cent of the blend. It’s a very sweet, fragrant wine, with candied orange flavours, floral and raisiny when young, developing nutty, toffeed aromas with maturity. Moscatel Roxo (a pink grape) makes wines that are even more scented. DOC Palmela is mainly red, and based on the late-ripening Castelão grape, which is more at home in the hot, sandy soils of Palmela than anywhere else in Portugal.
José Maria da Fonseca Hexagon 2007
Tight wrenching style with ripe hot cedary fruit and bright acid and touch intrusive Brett.
Adega de Pegoes Cinquentenario 2005
Lots of toffee and chocolate. A sweet aroma with nice spice and a green leafy backbone. Lacks a little, well, oomph! Something to make it stand out and say “I’m brilliant”.
Herdade de Comporta Aragonez/Alicante Bouschet 2005
Good fruit, damson and plum skin. A lot of nice sweet tobacco aromas, a long palate with a good balance of fruit and secondary flavours of leather and tobacco box.
Palacio da Bacalhoa 2005
All cherry and green pepper, but that is hardly surprising from a Cabernet, Merlot, Petit Verdot blend. More veggies than a vegan dinner, but just not balanced. Needs more oak!
S de Soberanas 2004
Rich, nutty with lots of green pepper and black cherries and liquorice. Some spice, black pepper and very dark. This is tasty.
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TRÁS-OS-MONTES Trás-os-Montes is a Portuguese wine region located in the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region. The entire wine region is entitled to use the Vinho Regional designation Transmontano VR, while some areas are also classified at the higher Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) level under the designation Trás-os-Montes DOC.[1] VR is similar to the French vin de pays and DOC to the French AOC. Located in the northeastern corner of Portugal, the Trás-os-Montes region has vineyards across a wide range of altitudes that produces a vast spectrum of wine. The vineyards in the cooler high altitude produces wines that are light bodied while the lower altitude region produces full bodied, highly alcoholic wines. One of the first wines to gain international attention was the semi-sweet, semi-sparkling wine known as rosado.[2] Douro DOC, which is famous as the Port wine region, is also located in Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro and could use the former Trás-os-Montes VR designation.[2] However, with the creation of a separate Duriense VR, Douro vineyards are now separate from both the Trás-os-Montes DOC and Transmontano VR.[1]
Valle Pradinhos Reserva 2005
Entirely Cabernet Sauvignon, this has nice, rich, raspberries with some sage coming through. Lean fruit, a good dollop of spice with a leather coated veggie backbone. I’m a big fan.
Valle Pradinhos 2009
Muscaty hit and good mineral note behind; dry. raminer, Riesling and Malvasia! Well made
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In fact Gewurz-