Tag Archives: portugal

P+S Prats & Symington Post Scriptum de Chryseia 2016, Douro, Portugal

04 Monday Mar 2019

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This is the second wine of Chryseia, it is a beautiful dark purple in the glass.  The nose gives off rose petals, perfume, black currant and cedar slate.  On the palate it is big- loads of Ribena, oregano, red licorice and a hint of wood.  The mid palate is seamless with the introduction of some very lithe tannins.  The mouthfeel is generous and warm in this wine.  It is relatively easy drinking with the mild tannins, barely perceptible acidity and warm fruit. The finish is all black currant, decent in length and not overly dry.  92 points and 5 stars for this $25 effort.  Delicious.  Drink this blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz till 2030.  Salut….

Quinta do Covão 2014, Dao, Portugal

23 Saturday Feb 2019

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Bright purple in the glass.  Plums and black berry come off on the palate with some earthiness that I love in Portuguese wines.  There’s a dusty component reminiscent of desert air that pops up as well.  On the palate it has telltale Tinto Roriz and Touriga Nacional notes.  There’s a tar component alongside spice box and blackberry.  The tannins are very integrated, of medium intensity and not astringent.  I like the mouthfeel and the balance is great.  The mid palate and finish are both steeped in black fruits and that spiciness.  The dry, dusty notes I mentioned earlier slip back in right at the end.  This is a tasty wine that gets 91 points from me.  The $40 price point makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Casa Ferreirinha ‘Papa Figos’ Tinto 2017, Douro, Portugal

20 Wednesday Feb 2019

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This was the next bottle up at the Tapas restaurant.  We needed something light and easy yet flavorful.  I was thinking Portugal for it’s budget, tasty reds.  This one did not disappoint for the price.

Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barroca make up the blend in this medium bodied wine.  Floral, purple fruits, and some balsamic syrup come to mind.  Very mild acidity and meek tannins make out an easy quaffer.  A touch of leather, which I love, comes across on the mid palate.  The finish is rather short and fruity.  Nothing too flash here but for the $12 price point that is to be expected.  88 points and 3 stars from me.  Drink now, obviously with Tapas!  Salut….

Quinta do Noval Noval Black, Portugal

27 Thursday Dec 2018

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I asked for and got a bottle of Port for Christmas, which we opened with the Pudding.  I was expecting an oaky, full bodied, black fruited mouthbomb but was surprised with this offering.  It is very brooding and dark in the glass.  The nose is brandy laced plum pudding, black currant and cedar.  On the palate it gives me iodine infused black berries and oaky smoke.  It is tasty for sure.  The tannins are very integrated, lithe and very present on the mid palate.  The wine has an astringent note that harkens from a tea component,  The finish is nice and deep, with tannic dryness and a stewed plum component.  Overall, I am enjoying this wine, even though I feel it is lighter in mouthfeel and slightly less flavorful than what I was expecting- perhaps it is a more ‘refined’ Port.  I am going with 90 points and 3 stars for this $23 bottle.  Salut….

Quinta de Roriz Prazo de Roriz 2016, Douro, Portugal

17 Friday Aug 2018

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Medium intensity in the glass.  The nose is a bit funky, heavy on the oak and reeking of red fruits.  Not particularly my favorite profile btw.  The palate is very woody- raspberry and black cherry are the predominant flavors with a tart note to boot.  There is a greeness to the midpalate to go along with the medium tannins.  Acidity is decent and the wine balances on the finish.  It’s a bit disjointed initially but comes together on a decent length ending.  88 points and 3 stars for this $11 effort.  I may not purchase again as I don’t like the profile, some others may enjoy it though.  Touriga Naconal 38%, Tinta Barroca 26%, Tinta Roriz 20%, Touriga Franca 14%, Tinto Cao 2%.  Salut….

Vinhos Paxis Vinho Regional Lisboa Tinto 2013, Portugal

23 Wednesday May 2018

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Of medium opacity, this blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) only clocks in at 12.5% alcohol.  I paid a mere $ 6 for it and am excited to try what is proudly claimed as a 90 point WE #5 best buy 2016.

The nose is rather muted, offering up slight hints of blueberry and root beer.  On the palate I am slightly surprised by what seems to be effervescence.  More blue fruits and some slightly sweet notes of cola show up mid palate.  The finish is rather short and the wine lacks much tannic backbone.  I have to say, it is an easy wine to drink that will appeal to the relative wine noob as it does not inflict dryness to the gums and will serve its purpose at a Saturday afternoon cookout.  A 90 point wine it is not.  Not even close.  I am going with 85 points and 3 stars for its relative price to quality ratio.  Burgers, pizza and even the odd Spaghetti Bolognese would work here.  Drink now, not for the cellar.  Salut….

 

Fonseca Late Bottle Vintage Unfiltered Port 2009, Porto, Portugal

27 Tuesday Mar 2018

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Nearly black, it exudes power.  Rich plum puree with some oaky toast and blackcurrant jam greet me on the nose.  The palate is very smooth, with more dark berry fruits and toast.  It exudes more blueberry/blackberry compote that I am really liking.  The mid palate shows off some dry tannins that reach back to the molars and give me a delightful dryness. There is a smoky component which slides in and out that I am really enjoying.  It is very faint, but there.  The sweetness of the wine is offset by its balancing acidity, the dryness is left in check.  Overall, this wine is really good and I would pair it with Manchego, some dried apricots and almonds.  Or you can just drink it by itself, delicious.  91 points and for $25 it gets 4 stars from me.  Salut….

Sandeman Founder’s Reserve Port, Portugal

27 Tuesday Feb 2018

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I opened this bottle up last week but kept forgetting to make notes (I was really tired).  I nearly finished the dregs before realizing my faux pas, so pardon the brief outline- it was a good drop of Port that I bought for the initial Port taste test.

Rich, tannic, dry.  Nose of dry oak, blueberry syrup and red raspberry reduction.  The palate is very thick- blueberry, cedar slate, a long, dry finish. This wine is attractive, if young.  It begs for a cheese tray.  90 points for this $15 bottle.  I yet again disagree with the big boys…. oh well.  5 stars, you can’t beat the quality to price here folks, go get some if you like Port wine.  Salut….

Herdade do Esporao 4 Quatro Castas 2015, Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal

01 Wednesday Nov 2017

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In my continued quest to to discover Portuguese wines, I have come across this $14 effort that piqued my interest.  It is an equal blend of Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet.  My first hint is the 14.5% alcohol.  The second is the deep, dark purple color in the glass.  Both, to me, indicate an extracted, powerful wine that will grab me and not let go.  I’m ready for it.

On the nose, I get the telltale Syrah notes- Plum, oak, cocoa.  The wine has amazing ‘legs’ indicative of the alcohol content.  The initial taste is as predicted, full on, powerful and alluring.  The wine starts off with black berry, black currants and a delightful set of tannins that prop the wine up rather than detract from the fruit.  The mid palate shows off more dark fruit and some earthiness.  Tannic structure is great and they start to peak on the finish where menthol and anise flavors intertwine with berries.  I am digging this wine and like the flavor profile.  It has the correct structure to age for 2-5 years and is drinking well now if you like them a touch dry.  I have to go 90 points and 5 stars for this wine.  Salut….

Quinta do Noval Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port 2009, Portugal

23 Monday Oct 2017

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I have harped many times about the quality and price coming out of Portugal.  Always good, rarely pricy- you can count on it in a pinch.  This Port is part of my study into the fortified wines of Portugal.  I am having fun doing it and have discovered some really tasty, near $20 dessert style wines that have really become part of my after-dinner ritual.  This one starts out very dark purple in the glass and has a nose of sweet verbena, dark fruit melange and oaky blueberry reduction.  The palate shows off a slightly lighter style of Port, black cherry, dark fruits and stout oak.  On the mid palate I get cedar plank, dark berry and a tannic streak.  The wine is tasty, but slightly dry and dusty.  I’m enjoying it and hope it develops.  For now, 88 points which is in stark contrast top the whopping 94 points it got from the big boys.  Perhaps it needs some time, or else I need to recalibrate my palate fifty these wines!  I recommend some soft cheese, and maybe something stinky like Cambozola to go with this one.  I might have to get another bottle to cellar.  Priced at $24, it gets 3 stars initially, hoping for 4 at a future tasting.  Salut….