TN: 1994 Quinta do Poço do Lobo - Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva (Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada)

1994 Caves São João Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Quinta do Poço do Lobo - Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada (4/9/2020)
– cork pulled 1 hour before decanting immediately before initial taste –
– tasted non-blind over a few hours –

NOSE: strong minty/wet stones aspect — not unusual for aged Cabernet Sauvignon; slight pyrazine note; “dark”; a touch high-toned; expressive.

BODY: garnet color with bricking; color is of medium-deep depth. {forgot to note wine’s weight — by memory, it was somewhere in the medium range}

TASTE: spicy — woodsy; medium to medium+ acidity; mostly tertiary; wet stones; alc. not noticeable; tannins mostly gone; a very pleasant – excellent, actually – aged Cabernet Sauvignon that is ready to Drink Now; I do not see room for further improvement. Awesome QPR at the $40 I paid within the past two years.

50, 5, 12, 17, 8 = (92 pts.)

Glad to see Caves de São João get some love. Their Cabernets are the exception to the rule in Portugal, where international grape varieties are secondary when compared to the native ones. They also sell dirt cheap… Did you get from them directly?

Their 1994 Arinto is a favorite of mine, and even cheaper - I think it’s like 15€.

Purchased in 2018 from Wine Exchange in CA.

I’ve had the Arinto 2 or 3 times, and absolutely love it!

That explains it… I don’t think it costs more than 25€ over here, although it could be I’m not up to date.

I purchased the 95 about a year from Last Bottle for a ridiculously low price. Some like 25 a bottle. I bought 6 and after tasting the first one was horribly upset I didn’t get 12. I hope I’ll see another release soon

I purchased the 95 about a year from Last Bottle for a ridiculously low price. Some like 25 a bottle. I bought 6 and after tasting the first one was horribly upset I didn’t get 12. I hope I’ll see another release soon

Bought a bottle of the 1990 while in Portugal last year. This makes me even more excited to try it.

And their wines age spectacularly well.