Tag Archives: portugal

Quinta Das Carvalhas Red Blend 2021, Douro, Portugal

14 Thursday Nov 2024

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has muted aromas of black raspberry, licorice, coffee, dark chocolate, acai berry, red plum and dried coconut husk.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body and medium (-) tannins.  The flavors are slightly more intense than the nose and offer up black raspberry, red plum, acai berry, mint, coffee, dark chocolate and a touch of anise.  The dried husk disappeared.  The finish is medium in length and refreshing, the tannins completely resolve by now.  The acidity keeps it fresh and lifts the fruit.  It’s not a very complex wine and the muted nose detracts from the points but I like this weekday bottle.  It garners 88 points from me and for $12 it gets 4 stars.  Blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 40% Tinta Roriz and 20% Touriga Franca .   Drink till 2027.  Salut….

quinta das carvalhas red blend

 

Fanal Madeira Rainwater Old Reserve 10 year NV, Madeira, Portugal

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

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Pale amber with purple and copper hues and high viscosity (18% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of walnuts, caramel, raisins, prune, desiccated lemon peel, dried flowers and railroad tie shavings.  The palate is medium sweet with a full body and medium (+) acidity.  An intriguing set of flavors layer themselves on the tip of my tongue- a melange of dried nuts, dessicated fruit, dried lemon pith and that unique shaved railroad tie note.  The finish is long but the wine is a touch thinner than other styles of Madeira so it runs lean and slightly tart from the acidity.  Unique stuff with history as to how it is made and why this style evolved.  My boss brought it from Madeira.   Price-wise I believe it was in the $30 range.  Getting 91 points from me makes it a 5 star effort to search out if you want to try something different.  Drink for the next 50 years!  Salut.

Fanal Madeira Rainwater

Luis Pato Baga – Touriga Nacional 2016, Vinho Regional Beira Atlantico, Portugal

22 Monday Apr 2024

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Slightly cloudy, medium garnet colored with a low viscosity (12% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of ripe raspberry, black cherry, boysenberry, dried wheat and a touch of earthiness.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body and medium tannins.  The fruit is somewhat tart, red in nature and melded with some  earthy undertones.  The finish is short-lived but lively with acidity and tart red fruit popping all over the palate.  I was expecting a tannic, brooding wine based on the Baga, but this is a relatively mild affair with the Touriga Nacional also not contributing much to the structure.  There’s plenty of acidity but not much else that we expect from these two grapes.  I guess the 8 years of age may have mellowed some of the pieces to the puzzlebut it is not complete.  85 points from me, even though I am enjoying this $18 bottle tremendously before we embark on making home-made pizza.  It gets 3 stars with a drink now window.  Salut….

 

Silk & Spice ‘Spice Road’ Intense Red Blend 2020, Portugal

26 Monday Feb 2024

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Deep ruby (inky) with slight staining and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry, blackberry, dark chocolate, baking spices, camphor (?), ripe blueberry, vanilla thread, boysenberry and Rooibos tea. The palate is slightly off-dry with medium (+) acidity, medium body and medium (+) tannins that are youthful. I get flavors of boysenberry, black cherry, a green vegetal note, dark chocolate, vanilla and baking spices. The finish is slightly tart and quite long.  The camphor note I previously smelled has returned on the back end. A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Alicante Bouschet and 30% Baga that gets 88 points from me and for $12- 4 stars.  Drink now with hearty stews and grilled meats. Salut….

Quinta do Crasto Superior 2016, Douro, Portugal

06 Saturday Jan 2024

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This is the third time I have tasted the Crasto Superior 2016.  It started out horribly the first time I drank it in 2022, the second bottle being far better so I ordered this one for our tasting group in hopes it would redeem itself.  Deep ruby colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose had aromas of blueberry, violets, vanilla, black cherry and was a touch jammy.  On the palate it had medium acidity, medium tannins and a medium body.  Flavors of blueberry jam, tart cherry and powdery cocoa greeted us.  The finish was medium (-) in length.  I wrote to drink this bottle now as I feel the structure has nearly reached its end game.  At 11 points from on our grading sheet it was unimpressive, until later.  This wine opened up nicely over the next few hours and I have upgrade my initial score of 88 points to 90.  We paid $24 for it and I would say it’s a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Real Companhia Velha Quinta das Carvalhas Late Bottle Vintage Port 2018, Portugal

14 Monday Aug 2023

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Deep ruby colored with high viscosity (20% ABV) and heavy staining on the walls.  The nose has aromas of macerated blackberry, caramel, raisins and dried fig.  The palate is  sweet with high tannins that are well integrated, and a full body.  Flavors of raisin, fig, desiccated blackberry, caramel and butterscotch.  Medium length finish on this $24 bottle that gets 91 points from me makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2030.  Salut….

Quinta da Foz Reserva 2018, Douro, Portugal

26 Monday Jun 2023

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We just hosted a family reunion and I opened this Magnum of Portuguese wine- delicious.  My notes were brief but you get the point.

Deep purple with high viscosity and a touch of staining. Ripe blackberry, vanilla, coconut, black plum.  Dry, medium acidity, medium (+) tannins.  Full body.  Mouthcoating lush ripe black fruit with oaky sweetness. Long finish. 93 points and 5 stars for this $27 blend of Touriga Nacional…. drink till 2029.  Salut….

Luis Vieira Montaria Red 2020, Portugal

22 Thursday Jun 2023

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Medium ruby colored and slightly hazy with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has an interesting funk, like asparagus, dill and blackberry.  Imma let it blow off a few minutes.

Nope, still there.  Greeness with some pine and black fruit- very bizarre.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  The flavors of this medium weight wine are more in line with what I was expecting.  Black fruit, some green notes of asparagus and a touch of oak.  The wine is rather thin and one dimensional and a major pass for me.  I would rate this blend of Tinta Roriz, Touring Nacional and Syrah at 83 points.  For $10, it gets 2 stars from me.  This might be an off bottle, or it might need lots more air.  Drink now, Salut….

Broadbent Rainwater Medium Dry NV, Madeira, Portugal

15 Saturday Apr 2023

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Medium amber with high viscosity legs (19% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of dried prune, nuts, raisins, saline and an almost Flor-like note.  The palate is off-dry with high acidity and a full body.  The alcohol is noticeable right off the bat, but then I start to get flavors of warm nuts, dried raisins and prunes, an oxidized character with some dried lemon peel and pith.  The wine has weight yet is very sprite- the lightness is refreshing in a strange way.  The finish is medium in length and a touch hot, which is to be expected from a fortified wine of this level.  At $18 it is a great aperitif alternative that gets 88 points from me and 4 stars.  Drink this non-vintage Tinta Negra wine on purchase.  Salut….

Broadbent 10 Years Old Malmsey, Madeira, Portugal

02 Sunday Apr 2023

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Pale Amber in the glass with a very viscous sheen on the walls. The nose has pronounced aromas of walnuts, caramel, dark chocolate paste, raisins, prunes, almond skin and a touch of heat. The palate is sweet and luscious with medium acidity. Confirming the flavors on this full bodied wine that finishes long, the almond bitterness I got on the nose translates to the back end and it’s delicious. 93 points for this silky treat that runs $50 makes it a 4 star effort.  Enjoy with dessert or cheese tray.  Salut….