Posts Tagged ‘Portugal’
MWG February 21st tasting (7/8): Douro two by two
Douro 2010, Quinto do Crasto ($18.10, 10486921)
Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional from vines around 20 years of age. Sorted, destemmed, crushed and transferred to temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks where they fermented for 7 days. Five percent of the resulting wine was matured 12 months in French oak barrels. 13.5% ABV.
Ashy plum, spice, tar, alcohol. Black cherry, plum, chocolate. Smooth, balanced and lightly structured. The fruit is clean and ripe, the sweetness held in check by acidity and dark minerals. The finish is long and savoury. Not deep but accessible and enjoyable. (Buy again? Sure.)
Douro 2010, Pó de Poeira ($25.50, 11895410)
An estate founded in 2001 by Jose Moreira, chief oenologist at Quinta de la Rosa. This cuvée is a 50-50 blend of old- and young-vine Touriga Nacional (50%), Sousão (30%) and Touriga Franca (20%) that is matured 12 months in neutral oak barrels. 14% ABV.
Minty, wood, floral, spice and, unfortunately, the faintest hint of TCA. Despite the taint, you could tell this was a fluid, elegantly structured wine with velvety tannins. I sometimes find red Douros a little stolid but this didn’t seem that way at all. (Buy again? More than happy to give it another chance. Would also like to try the Alvarinho-based white.)
Douro 2009, Quinta de la Rosa ($19.70, 928473)
A blend of traditional Port varieties, mainly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz from dry-farmed 20- to 30-year-old vines. Fermented in small stainless steel vats. Matured 12 months in French and Portuguese oak casks. Minimally filtered before bottling. 14% ABV.
Decomposing tree with fungus ears, mowed field, plum, spice. Round, smooth and balanced, the dark fruit firmed by springy tannins, lifted by acidity and sweetened by a kiss of oak. Long, minerally finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Douro 2009, Reserva, Quinta do Crasto ($37.00, 904383)
A blend of several unspecified varieties from terrace-grown, 70-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Sorted, destemmed, lightly crushed and transferred to temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Matured 16 months in 225-litre barrels (85% French and 15% American oak). 14.5% ABV.
Purple plum, spice, dill and sawed wood. Big and structured in the mouth. Intensely flavoured, though you have to peel away the layers of oak, ash and dark minerals to get to the fruit. Solid tannins. Surprisingly acidic, though there’s plenty of balancing extract. A dashing, age-worthy wine that needs a few years to find its inner peace and harmony. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG August 16th tasting: report (5/5)
Vintage Port 1985, Graham’s ($46.38 in 1990 or thereabouts)
Surprisingly young and vibrant to the eye: some lightening at the rim but hardly any bricking. Outgoing deep and layered nose with notes of sweet black fruit, spice (licorice?) and dark chocolate. Opulent yet lithe, the texture poised between silk and velvet. More off-dry than sweet. Quite structured though the tannins are fruit-clad and beginning to soften. The depth is only hinted at until you chew the wine. The alcohol (20% ABV) adds warmth, not heat, especially to the long finish. Always harmonious and becoming more so with age, the wine is close to peaking. Should continue showing beautifully for another decade or two.
Tasted on its own and then with a beautiful old Stilton, an astounding English farmhouse cheddar and a youngish Reblochon de Savoie, all carefully selected by Yannick to go with the wine. While the group failed to reach a consensus as to the best match, the cheddar probably got the most votes.
You say Albariño, I say Alvarhino
One last note before returning to the PEC wines. This never lasts long on the SAQ’s shelves and has almost disappeared from Montreal stores. Carpe diem.
Vinho Verde 2010, Alvarinho, Deu La Deu, Adega Cooperativa Regional de Monçâo ($19.40, 00927996)
The cooperative’s flagship wine. 100% Alvarinho. Two pressings. Allowed to settle 24 hours. Fermented at 18-20ºC (64-68ºF). Racked and filtered before maturation. Cold-stabilized. Passed through earth and membrane filters before bottling. 13% ABV. The name refers to Deu-la-Deu (“God gave her”) Martins, the wife of the mayor of Monção, who, in 1368 during a long Castilian siege, used the last of the city’s flour to bake loaves of bread which she tauntingly threw at the invaders, fooling them into believing that the starving townsfolk had provisions aplenty and that the siege was futile.
Yellow plum and peach, green pineapple in the background and a hint of coriander seed. The sweet-ripe fruit and texture verging on oily would mean heaviness were it not for the crisp acidity, crunchy minerals and surge of grapefruit-pith bitterness that persists through the long, dry finish. In addition to length, there’s considerable breadth and some depth. A bit less remarkable than the dazzling 2009 but easily the best Vinho Verde and best Alvarinho/Albariño I’ve tasted in the interim. Enjoyable as an aperitif, it also proved a natural match for grilled squid. Fish, shellfish and even white meats in southern European preparations will also work.
Now, can we get the monopoly to bring in the co-op’s red Vinho Verde?
MWG May 24th tasting: report (4/4)
Douro 2008, Batuta, Niepoort ($81.75, 10912071)
A blend of local grape varieties, predominantly Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, mainly from 60+-year-old vines in the Quinta do Carril and vineyards from 100-year-old vines near Quinta de Nãpoles. Destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation took place in stainless steel vats and wood fermenters, the must being in contact with the skins for about 50 days. The wine was then pressed directly into French oak casks for 21 months’ malolactic fermentation and maturation. 14% ABV.
Complex, nuanced: spice, cedar, black fruit with hints of oak and maple. Full-bodied but no heaviness. Very structured with a formidable yet very fine tannic framework that gives the wine a velour-like texture. Pure and juicy fruit. Long, elegant finish. A flawless, impeccably balanced wine with great aging potential. (Buy again? If price were no object, yes.)
Douro 2008, Redoma, Niepoort ($44.75, 11634375)
A field blend involving Touriga Franco, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amareia and Tinto Cão, among others, from 60- to 120-year-old vines in the Cima Corgo region. Destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation was in stainless steel vats and stone lagares; malolactic fermentation and 20 month’s maturation in French oak casks. 14% ABV.
Initially gorgeous if closed nose of plum and spice, then gaining vanilla and chocolate notes. More straightforward, less deep and precise than the Batuta, the round tannins making for a more earthbound structure. The flavours are less layered, too. The dense fruit is buoyed by vibrant acidity. The oak is a little too present for now. Long, herby/menthol finish. Will benefit from a few years in the cellar. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Douro 2008, Vertente, Niepoort ($24.25, 10371665)
Another complex blend, this time comprising Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Amareia and Touriga Nacional, from 20-year-old vines in the Quinta de Nápoles vineyard and up to 70-year-old vines in the Pinhão Valley. Stainless steel tanks and lagares were used for alcoholic fermentation; 20% new French oak casks for malolactic fermentation and 18 months’ maturation. 13.5% ABV.
Fresh nose of cassis, turned earth, volatile herbs and subtle oak. At first appears closed yet complex and complete, with good structure, ripe fruit and a fluid texture. Becomes less well-integrated, less deep-seeming as it warms. The long, spicy finish shows a bit of heat. Closer than the other wines to a classic Douro. (Buy again? Yes, for serving uncarafed and at cool room temperature.)
The inclusion of the Redoma in the May 24th Cellier release prompted this mini-horizontal, which unfortunately couldn’t include the fourth Niepoort Douro regularly stocked at the SAQ, the virtually sold-out Dialogo ($15.80, 11605591). The three bottles we did taste shared many qualities: weight, savour, balance, impeccable craftsmanship and a relatively high price, about 20% above similar wines from competing producers.
MWG May 24th tasting: report (1/4)
The first of four sets of notes from a tasting based on the May 24th Cellier release.
Vinho Verde 2010, Muros Antigos, Anselmo Mendes ($20.25, 11612555)
100% Alvarinho grapes treaded with the stems, then vertical-pressed and macerated for 48 hours. Fermented and matured for four months in stainless steel. Unlike Mendes’s Muros de Melgaço cuvée, this sees no oak.
Light lemon morphing into honeydew melon with a hint of sawdust and a vaguely floral note. Broader than your usual Vinho Verde, the winey texture softening the high acidity. Favours tend to lemon and quartz. Very dry with a pithy, puckery finish. Really delicious. An excellent pairing for grilled seafood (think squid), this also worked well with the Spanish-inspired salmon recipe you’ll find after the jump. (Buy again? Yep.)
Alsace Riesling 2010, Réserve Personnelle, Domaine Weinbach ($29.05, 11639053)
100% biodynamically farmed Riesling from young vines in the Clos des Capucins vineyard.
Effusive nose of potpourri, chalk, faint lemon/lime. Medium weight yet fluid. Intense flavours (lemon, minerals) and tingly acidity. Fruity and a little sweet on the attack, dry and a little sour on the finish. Fine enough though, like so many Weinbach wines, sweeter than I like and pricey compared with, say, Schueller or Frick. (Buy again? Maybe.)
MWG January 12th tasting: report
In reaction to the excesses of the holiday season, the Mo’ Wine Group’s January tasting traditionally focuses on affordable wines. This year was no exception. All bottles but one were purchased at the SAQ, and most are still available.
THE WHITES
Vinho Verde 2009, Loureiro, Quinta do Ameal ($18.30, 11459992)
100% organically farmed Loureiro. Floral and grapey in a Muscat kind of way; chalky, too. Light and fruity in the mouth, the slight residual sugar balanced by high acidity. Faint tingle, though whether from carbon dioxide or acid I can’t say. Minerally finish. (Buy again? Probably not, when the more compelling Deu La Deu is available at about the same price.)
Rueda 2009, Nosis, Buil&Giné ($18.95, 10860928)
100% Verdejo. Muted nose of dried lemon peel, wax and gooseberry. Fairly dense and oily though with enough acid to keep it from feeling heavy. Lemony, quartzy flavours and some residual sugar up front, dries and turns minerally as it progresses through the mouth. Lingers long. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Bourgogne Vézelay 2010, La Châtelaine, Domaine la Cadette ($22.05, 11094621)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay. 80% spends time in vats, 20% in barrels. Lemon, green apple and ashes on the nose. Green apple and oats on the palate. Bright acid. Seems disjointed and turns unpleasantly sour and lactic on the mid-palate. In view of the wine’s previous vintages and the embrace of the 2010 by the city’s more clued-in restaurateurs and wine advisors (it was reportedly the third biggest seller during the holidays at the Jean Talon Market SAQ), ours was probably an off bottle. (Buy again? To see what gives, yes.)
Alto Adige 2010, Kerner, Abbazia di Novacella ($22.95, 11451974)
100% Kerner. Fermented using natural yeasts. Sees only stainless steel. Floral, green grape, spice, quartz dust. Weighty in the mouth. Initial residual sugar. Fruity attack fades by mid-palate. High acid. A bit short and alcoholic (13.9% ABV). (Buy again? Maybe.)
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh sec 2008, Château Montus ($23.55, 11017625)
100% Petit Courbu from 15-year-old vines. Honeyed pear. Dense, rich, quite dry. Strong acid. Lemon zest on very long finish. Tasty. (Buy again? Yes.)
Saumur 2010, Château Yvonne ($25.55, 10689665)
100% organically farmed Chenin Blanc. Fermented with native yeasts, matured in new barrels, unfiltered and unfined. Quince, quinine, chestnut honey. Medium-bodied and very acidic. Complex but giving the impression that there’s more in store. Long mineral-packed finish. Not as memorably out-there as some earlier vintages but still a fine bottle of Chenin. (Buy again? Yes.)
THE REDS
Burgenland Qualitätswein 2009, Zweigelt, Zantho ($15.90, 10790384)
100% Blauer Zweigelt. Fermented in stainless steel tanks; matured 95% in stainless steel tanks, 5% in used barriques. Farty, candied red fruit, graphite, dried herbs. Rustic, a bit jammy and one-noteish, despite some coffee and slate undertones. Drinkable but not delivering much excitement. (Buy again? Probably not.)
IGP Pays de l’Hérault 2010, Exorde, Clos Mathélisse ($21.30, La QV)
100% organically farmed Cinsault. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Bottled unfiltered and unfined with very little added sulphur. Nearly the entire (very small) production is exported to Switzerland and Canada. A first bottle seemed out of character: Red fruit, herbal, hint of rubber. Light rustic tannins. Bright acid but moody, a bit red-vermouthy, not recognizably the same wine as from earlier bottles. A second bottle showed much better: a gush of bright fruit and raspy tannins, with earthy herbal overtones and a pomegranate-like tang – the proverbial “wine that puts a smile on your face.” Surprisingly, three or four hours after being uncorked, the tail-end of the first bottle had righted itself and was drinking beautifully. Such are the vagaries of natural wines… (Buy again? For sure.)
Menetou-Salon 2010, Domaine Philippe Gilbert ($26.50, 11154988)
100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from 20-year-old vines. Natural winemaking. Bottled unfiltered with minimal sulphur. Exuberant red berries: ça pinote. Light but richening as it breathes. Ripe fruit, bright acid, fine, supple tannins. Good balance and length. A rectilinear but very pure expression of the grape variety. (Buy again? Yes.)
Toro 2009, Crianza, Bodega Viña Bajoz ($13.35, 10856195)
100% Tinta de Toro (aka Tempranillo). Crianzas must be aged for 24 months, with no less than 6 months barrel-aging. Plum, stinky feet, spice, a whiff of alcohol. Rich, ripe, fluid. Raspberry, cocoa, a hint of “high” meat. Some structure. A little alcohol and tannic astringency on the dried herby finish. Good, especially at the price, though not a wine for contemplation. (Buy again? Sure.)
Nemea 2008, Agiorgitiko, Driopi, Domaine Tselepos ($19.75, 10701311)
100% Agiorgitiko from 40-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Fermented in stainless steel vats with selected yeasts. Matured in 40% new oak barrels. Menthol, plum, tobacco. Fresh and juicy in the mouth, with leather and spice deepening the sweet fruit flavours. Good acid, plump tannins and a slatey finish. The ripe, round fruit speaks of a southern wine. (Buy again? Yes, especially when it’s grilling season again.)
Douro 2008, Quinta de la Rosa ($20.30, 00928473)
Traditional port varieties, mainly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz from 20- to 30-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Fermented in small stainless steel vats, then matured in French oak casks for 12 months before being minimally filtered and bottled. Volatile, spicy nose. Rich, vaporous, alcoholic (14.2% ABV). A mass of spicy/herby fruit. Good acid and plump tannins. Long, flowing finish. Intense but also a little plodding. (Buy again? Not sure.)
IGT Maremma Toscana 2009, Sinarra, La Fattoria di Magliano ($21.65, 11191447)
95% Sangiovese, 5% Petit Verdot. Manually harvested. Sees no oak. Bottled unfiltered. Typical Tuscan nose: leather, dust, dried cherry. Rich yet supple and fluid. The drying tannins are also true to the Tuscan type. Balanced, structured, long. Modern but quite enjoyable. (Buy again? Yes.)
Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence 2009, Château Revelette ($18.45, 10259737)
Organically farmed Syrah (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (34%) and Grenache (11%) from 25-year-old vines. The constituent grape varieties are vinified separately. A fraction of the Grenache and Cabernet are aged in fifth-year barrels. Leather upfront. Spice, black fruit in background. Rich, dense and strucutred but not heavy. Lots of acid. Tarry tannins. Long, savoury, posh. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Fronton 2008, Cuvée Don Quichotte, Domaine Le Roc ($18.80, 10675327)
Négrette (60%) and Syrah (40%). Varieties are vinified separately. The grapes are crushed, as the winemakers feel this enhances the bouquet and softens the tannins. Matured in vats and barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. Wild red and black fruit with floral and animale notes. Dense fruit but fluid and bright. Supple tannins. Hints of licorice and dark chocolate on the longish finish. Perhaps showing less personality than in earlier vintages but still delivering good QPR. (Buy again? Yes.)
Montsant 2007, Vall del Calas, Celler de Capçanes ($22.75, 10858297)
65% Merlot, 30% Garnacha, 5% Tempranillo. All three varieties are vinified separately. Fermented with native yeasts. Spends 13 months with new, one- and two-year French oak barrels. Bottled unfined and lightly filtered. Blackberry and black cherry, pepper and gravel. A silky texture and open structure. Rich, ripe fruit along with some wood and chocolate. Fairly long, inky/minerally finish. Seemed quite young. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Brett happens 