Joined my dad today for one of the monthly blind tasting he does for Revista de Vinhos, Portugal’s most important wine publication. We tasted eight reds and should be tasting eight whites tomorrow (I’ll post the notes). Overall I was pleased with what turned out for us, very surprised at the provenance of a couple of these, and once again reminded of how inexpensive our wines are compared to other markets. I’m still not allowed to publically which wines these were - we checked right after tasting and completing our notes - but I will once the next edition is out. Dad scored the wines, as he must, but I don’t like to put numerical rigor into subjectivity.
1 - 2018 Bucelas. Medium density ruby color, not too bright. Wide, creamy red fruit nose - mostly currant, with some underripe strawberry and blackberry - as well as what struck me as a hint of white spice and hot forest soil. Rather tight and acidic on the mouth, as well as somewhat narrow, though with well integrated tannins. Not a layered wine, but a competent, fresh, young red.
2- 2015 Bucelas. Dark ruby color. Nose of ripe black prune, red bell pepper, markedly though not disproportionately oaky, slightly balsamic. Pleasant, round, balanced mouth, full yet not too lingering, with vaguely salty finish.
3- 2016 DOP Douro. Opaque purple ruby, with a violet perimeter that screams Touriga. The nose is Insta-Douro: rosemary, schist, damp earthiness - exactly what you smell as you step outside in the Douro on a hot day - followed by steamed ripe red fruit, and a subtle Earl Grey, black pepper, dark chocolate-y finish. Layered, long mouth. Good example of a young Douro red.
4- 2016 DOP Douro. Pale, translucid ruby. Pure, one dimensional nose of red fruit and forest floor. Youthful, astringent mouth. Unremarkable.
5 - 2019 Alentejo. Clear, light ruby. Fresh strawberry, raspberry, sour cherry nose, with a hint of marzipan and wet clay. Fresh, youthful mouth, balanced.
6 - 2017 IGP Lisboa. Deceptively lactic, fruity nose, like a berry yogurt - my first impression was margarine. Surprisingly, in the mouth I found it fresh and balanced, round, acidic, persistent and bright.
7 - 2015 Bairrada. Underripe wild berries, beetroot, bay leaf, pine tree nose. Rugged, tannic mouth, incisive.
8 - 2013 Bairrada. This was easily my favorite of the eight: olive, mushroom, asparagus, black pepper, forest floor, coffee vapor-ish nose. Rugged tannic mouth, only slightly tamed by time, with a subtle hint of cured meat. This will still improve with cellar time.