These notes are a mish mash of shared meals, solo meals and more analytical, fast paced tastings (and it should be easy to tell which are which). The first four wines are from a young friend’s cellar, inherited from his grandfather, and from which we’ve only scratched the surface. Further news on that front might be coming in August, though I’d also like to introduce him to Burgundy on our next meeeting.
Portalegre DOC Tinto 1997
Blend of the great Alentejo five: Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Aragonez, Castelão and Trincadeira. And what an Alentejo embassador: liquorice, meat stew, black olive, raisins, strong smell of beans, pork fat, stewed black fruit, pine, a hint of rosemary, still intensely tannic, youthful, medium acidity, at a great stage but still not at its peak. Super stuff, proof of the greatness the Alentejo can achieve with proper freshness.
São Domingos Dão Garrafeira 1999
Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz. Currants, crystallized fruit, a hint of marzipan, cocoa, violets, a hint of earth, more elegant and viscous than tannic in the mouth, juicy yet plush with perfectly balanced acidity. Not evolving from here, but at a great stage.
Tapada do Chaves Reserva 2001
Aragonez, Castelão, Trincadeira and Tinta Francisca from one of the oldest established producers in the Alentejo. Tons of black fruit, caramel, dark chocolate, a hint of fresher raspberry and graphite, plush mouth, wide yet non obtrusive tannin, slightly more acid than the São Domingos, yet overall just so very decadent and hedonistic (not complaining).
Real Companhia Velha 1980 Vintage Port
Rather pathetic and dilluted pale amber color, more iced tea than vintage Port. Cedar, mahogany, rosin, wax, lychees, white flowers, sweet egg yolks, even a touch of cilantro. Very tame mouth - Ripe honeymelon and canteloupe, yet the whole thing is disjointed, like an asthmatic 90 year old with a bad back. An appropriate symbol for a bad vintage port decade (1985 being the exception for some producers), and an example of what 40 year old vintage Port should not be like, in my perspective.
Contacto 2018
100% Alvarinho by Anselmo Mendes. Happy to once again taste this absolute QPR flagbearer of the Vinhos Verdes - perfectly chiseled, balanced, consensual and simply tasty. It has great, but not overwhelming acidity, a vague plush juicyness which makes you reach for another glass and pairs well with food, and a slight hint of off dryness which is a nod to the traditional vinhos verdes while never ceasing to be a modern white wine. Unbelievable, screaming value for 10€.
Quinta da Pedra Escrita 2018
Alvarinho (35%), Verdelho (30%), Rabigato (30%), Viognier (5%), from sandy, granite soils in the Douro Superior at an average altitude of 575 meters. PnP late afternoon, then closed and went back to it for dinner. Pale greenish yellow. First impression was of a wide yet extraordinarily austere, mineral, chalky nose, hopelessly serious and restrained. High mid and end palate acidity turning the back of your mouth into the Niagara Falls, with a long finish. At my second try this was a bit more on the herbal side, plus a pale hint of white flowers, lemon and grapefruit. By the end of the meal the glass warmed up and I got shades of underripe peach. The high altitude is on display here. but probably not the most balanced or interesting example for the type, although the acidity did cut through my stew rather well. OK value for 11€.
Fitapreta Tinto 2018
Medium violet ruby, a bit pale. On first impression the nose has a beguiling tartness that beckons passion fruit and a vague hint of green beans, as well as sour cherries, high toned blackberries, white pepper and ripe tomato. The mouth is firmly tannic, with salty meatiness and a dryness which screams ‘I am not an easy drinker’. The sweeter red and black fruit - with high toned, acidic blackberry on display - showed up after around 45 minutes, but still as an afterthought to the tannic, slightly rustic, fresh backbone. Like a farmer in a new suit, this is Maçanita’s subtly subversive, anti-racking view of an Alentejo which not only goes against the impression of the region as a producer of smooth, ripe reds, but actively wears that badge. His brilliant, higher value signature wines are more successful in their creativity, but this is still good value for the price (around 10€), though in my opinion not as stunning of a bargain as the white Fitapreta, which I mentioned here: TN: Three wines by António Maçanita (Fitapreta) - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers
Herdade dos Templários 2019
Arinto, Fernão Pires, Riesling. green-ish youthful yellow. pretty nose, like a girl in a pink dress. Floral, with some ripe - not overripe - honeydew, a vague of rosemary, medium acidity and compact mouthfeel. Simple, straightforward.
Encosta do Sobral Selection 2019
Arinto, Malvasia Fina, Fernão Pires. pale green-ish, salmon-ish color, quite interesting. Somewhat mineral and austere, with timid white fruit and orange flower. The mouth has a sour, vegetable prolongation before straightening out into convention.
Bacalhôa Chardonnay 2019
Pale yellow. Lime zest, lemon curd, sweet tangerine and very ripe peach, and a hint of vanilla oak spice. It’s wearing red lipstick and winking at you, attractive but not classy. Similarly sweet-ish mouth and medium acidity. Your granny might like this, but so might you, if you’re feeling low brow.
Dom Martinho Branco 2019
Roupeiro, Arinto. Pale green-ish yellow, polished nose, silky mouthfeel, very subtle and well integrated oak. White flowers, lavender. As if it wore a white dress. Classy but understated, and honestly pretty great for 6€.
Quinta do Carmo Branco 2019
Roupeiro, Arinto, Antão Vaz. At first taste this had a thyme and floral nose, understated - too understated - and a flat, short mouth. Not incorrect, yet not much to hold on to either. After 20 minutes it developed roundness, width of flavor and more white fruit aromatics, becoming a pleasant if simple daily drinker.
Loios, by João Portugal Ramos, 2019
Arinto, Roupeiro, Rabo de Ovelha. Markedly green-ish pale yellow. Everything here is exactly balanced: the nose is tropical, with mango and passion fruit in the foreground, but not too exuberant and in your face. It ends with a vague, pleasant trail of herbal brittleness. The mouth has just the appropriate structure, freshness and acidity. Tasty! Further proof that JPR is very reliable across the price range.
Santa Vitória Reserva Branco 2019
Arinto, Verdelho. Pale yellow. Sharp, high toned nose, with white fruit but also evident oak. Somewhat uninteresting mouth - on the short side, despite correct acidity and persistance. Too technological, pass.
Portal do Fidalgo 2019
100% Alvarinho. Firmly established budget Vinhos Verdes producer. Pale green-ish yellow. Mineral, river stream-ish, freshly cut grass, grapefruit and lime zest. Dry, balanced, elegant. Fine and competent - quaffable.
Varanda do Conde 2019
Alvarinho, Trajadura. Pale green-ish yellow. Pretty, floral nose, with a just a hint of herbs and white fruit. Short, simplistic mouth, with correct texture and acidity yet athin, watery mouthfeel.
Portal do Fidalgo Reserva 25 Anos 2017
Another Alvarinho varietal. Golden yellow. Terrific oxidized nose with bitter grapefruit, damascus, dehidrated fruit, camomile, a hint of alcohol heat. The mouth has the vaguely honey-ish undertone I had expected in the nose but did not find. Really cool stuff here! A producer punching above its weight.
Contradição 2017
100% Alvarinho. Medium yellow. Ripe passion fruit, banana, honey. A bit shorter in the mouth than I would have liked, although it’s incisive and compact.
Soalheiro Oppaco 2016
Pale crimson. Blend of Vinhão, Alvarinho and Pinot Noir. Pretty nose of cherries, violets and a hint of blackberries, well balanced, plush, refreshing acidity, and very light on the palate. This would have been killer with a bit more complexity, but still, for my taste, this is what ‘verde tinto’ should be all the time - tasty, light and refreshing, rather than the pitch black acid bombs made out of 100% Vinhão that the people of Minho enjoy with their cabidela and papas de sarrabulho.
Soalheiro Reserva 2018
A textbook, appealling higher end wine from the Vinhos Verdes (as opposed to an actual vinho verde). There’s the lemon, apricot and mineral, the refreshing acidity, yet also the added complexity from the oak, with well balanced hints of vanilla. Wonderfully gastronomical.
Cortes de Cima Pinot Noir 2015
Being a fan of Cortes de Cima’s Reserva - one of my favorite Alentejo reds - I was curious to try this wine after finding it forgotten in a corner of the supermarket shelf. The grapes are sourced from a parcel only 3 km from the sea, near Vila Nova de Milfontes (a stunning beach, for those interested).
Brown-ish ruby. Sweet black fruit, salinity, some meatiness and oak spice, and just a hint of honey and dark chocolate. As this warmed up the nose ventured further into toffee territory. Firm tannins, medium acidity, quite juicy and gastronomical. A tasty wine, for sure, yet unquestionably a warm weather wine: the nose has a first impact of cherry Pinosity which almost immediately folds into the ripe black fruit spectrum. It’s akin to a heavily tanned German tourist after three weeks in Maiorca. I don’t think this will be improving any further, and it’s disappointing to see a 5 year old wine well on its way to Browntown. Can you imagine Alicante Bouschet from Chambolle-Musigny? Me neither. Also, overpriced at 27€.
