Portugese Wines Tasting with Julia Harding MW
WSPC
Tasted Monday, October 23, 2023 by kostaslonis with 34 views
Introduction
An event with portugese wines with for the release of the 5th edition Oxford Companion to wine
WSPC
Tasted Monday, October 23, 2023 by kostaslonis with 34 views
An event with portugese wines with for the release of the 5th edition Oxford Companion to wine
2022 Anselmo Mendes Vinho Verde Muros Antigos Escolha
Portugal, Minho, Vinho Verde
Bought Quinta da Torre in Melgaco in 1997, 1st vintage 1998, new winery 2008, 60ha in Moncao e Melgaco, 70ha in the Lima Valley, 20% Alvarinho (Melgaco), 40% Loureiro (Lima Valley), 20% Avesso (Balao, on the shores of Douro river), hand-picked, long fermentation at low temperatures 12-16oC, aged at least 4 months on fine lees with regular bâtonnage, TA 5.5g/l, pH 3.32, 12%
-/-
The wine is bright, green fruit, high intensity, lemon, lime peel and leaves, grapefruit, quince, mineral driven, some reductive notes working in favor of it
Palate shows the same flavour profile, steely, it shows some fruit flavors, nice texture, raw, some brines notes too, mineral, fresh, sunny wine, some bitterness in the back, med body, shows salinity, med finish
-//-
Despite all of the above though, there is something not right here, maybe slightly corked ?
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2021 Herdade do Rocim Alentejo Vinho Branco Amphora
Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo
Founded by Jose Ribeiro Vieira’s Movicortes group of companies 2000, 70ha in Viagueira and Cuba, 53ha red 17ha white, Serra do Mendo (412m), Atlantic influence, fog, 20ha old vines, all vines organic or in conversion, certified sustainable, field blend of Antao Vaz Perrum (Pedro Ximenes), Rabo de Ovelha, Manteudo on granite and schist, spontaneous fermentation in clay Talha with some skins, unfined, unfiltered, 12.5%, TA 6.9g//l, pH 3.12
-/-
The wine shows again tensity, steely, mineral, you still get the slight reductive notes, lower in fruit and depth than expected, smokier with green fruit.
Palate following the same profile, nice texture, acidity, minerality, fresh green/bitterness notes, high acidity, mineral, brine/salty.
The wine shows a great spine and texture, much less fruit more acidity, subtly smoky notes, carries, great backbone
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2021 Cooperativa Vitivinícola da Ilha do Pico Arinto dos Açores Pico Terroir Vulcânico Flawed
Portugal, Açores, Pico
Largest and oldest co-operative in the Azores, founded 1949, 250 members, mostly part time or retired winemakers, currais the basalt walls protecting the vines, Criacao Velha, 100 year old vineyard on the west of the island, 100% Arinto dos Acores on volcanic soils close at the sea, free run juice spontaneously fermented in 5.000lt oak vats at 14oC, 6 months on fine lees (no bâtonnage), 12%, TA 7.5g/l, pH 3.2 RS 2.5g/l
-/-
No aroma due to cork
You can still feel its tensity and structure though, mineral, extremely high acidity, brine, green crunchy, med body, med finish
-//-
Sadly its all messed up but would be otherwise brilliant
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2022 Quinta do Crasto Douro Superior Branco
Portugal, Douro
Quinta da Crasto in the d’Almeida/Roquette family for more than 100 years, now in 4th generation. Quinta da Cabreira (114ha) Douro Superior, left bank, late 1990s. 60% Viosinho and 40% Verdelho, 26yo vines at 450m, very dry. Fermentation starts in stainless steel tanks. Moved to French oak barrels (15% with acacia heads) 45days at 14oC, 50% new oak barrels, barrels rotated for lees stirring (no oxygen), TA 6g/l, pH 3.32, 12.50%
-/-
The wine feels very different than the previous wines we tasted (Anselmo, Herdade, Pico), thick pear, ripe fruit, nutty, walnut, almond, ripe stone fruit.
Palate is far stronger than the nose, very much oak dominated, ripe stone fruit, richness, again nutty, the acidity is trying to keep the balance, med to full body, long finish.
-//-
Really richly made oaked white that would please a lot of people and while it does acidity and richness, it lacks the energy (or maybe individuality) of the others
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Ramilo Wines Colares
Portugal, Lisboa, Colares
Family estate since 1937 but winegrowing abandoned. 4th generation brothers Pedro and Nuno rebuilt the estate and the vineyards. Colares dry, warm sandy soils, strong Atlantic winds, cloudy, humid. Ungrafted Malvasia de Colares very close to the sea, organic farming. Hand harvested in the morning. Spontaneous fermentation in small lagares, oak part skin fermented. Blended and aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 12%, Ta 7.3g/l, pH 3.6
-/-
Very dense rich yellow color
The wine shows high intensity in the nose, very distinctive, mineral, citrus notes, very rich, stone fruit, melon, walnut liqueur, tropical overripe notes, mango, nutty, some oxidized notes, a touch earthy and spicy. Give it time and opens up, broadens
Palate with more intensity in the nose, mineral, steely, lip-smacking texture and acidity, nutty, highly dominated by nutty/roasted notes, citrus, med body, med finish with a small tannic bite
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2021 Symington Douro Altano Rewilding
Portugal, Douro
40% Touriga Franca 30% Tinta Roriz 30% Tinta Barroca form Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. Fermented in stainless steel vats, pumpover, soft maceration, 22-24 oC, 13.50%, TA 5.8g/l, pH 3.64
-/-
In the nose the wine shows freshness, light, bright fresh red cherry, berry notes, floral notes, light spice notes, sour cherry. With time you get some herbal notes adding freshness.
The palate shows the same flavour profile, fresh, juicy tannins, elevated acidity, a bit warm (but could be because it’s the 1st red after the whites), light, easy, med finish
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Niepoort Poeirinho
Portugal, Beiras, Bairrada
Owned by winemaker Sergio Silva (2006) and Dirk Niepoort (2012). Cantanhede, NW of Coimbra, certified organic, estate farmed BD. Old-vine Baga (once called Poeirinho) on calcareous clay. “a tribute to the Bairrada wines of the past”. Hand picked, fermented in open lagares and closed tanks via carbonic maceration. Finished fermentation and malo in used 2.500lt wooden vats, aged 25 months in the oak vats 11.50%, TA 5.56g/l pH 3.48
-/-
The wine shows more evolved profile, the color is light red
The wine shows Brett infused notes, some reductive notes as well, earthy, gamey, iodine hints, the red fruit is drier, cherry, maraschino.
Palate shows light and fresh character, the fruit is juicy, the tannins are dry, the acidity is medium, sour cherry, currant, some iodine notes again, the finish cuts short due to Brett
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 Textura Wines Dão Pura Tinto
Portugal, Beiras, Dão
Established by Brazilian Marcelo Araujo and family in 2018. Now own 22ha in 7 plots on the slopes of the Serra da Estrela (highest mountain range in mainland Portugal). Single vineyard of 55 yo vines in Vila Nova de Tazem, at 600m, granitic soils, in conversion to organic. Field blend of Jaen, Baga, Castelao, Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro, Bastardo. 40% whole bunch, fermented in an oak vat, 30 days maceration, 18 months in Italian botti, 13%, TA 5g/l, ph 3.76
-/-
The wine shows quite dark color
In the nose, the wine is rather strange, dense, but showing red fruit, again some reductive notes. With time and air, you get spicier notes, clove, cinnamon, some floral notes in the back. There is a certain overripe form of red fruit combined with alcohol/sugar in a liqueur and/or preserve fashion
Palate showing the same flavours, very dry tannins, med acidity, med to full body, fresh red fruit, currant, cherry, sour cherry, maraschino, elevated acidity, clove and cinnamon mixed here too, med finish
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2020 FitaPreta Alentejo Os Paulistas Chão dos Eremitas Vinhas Velhas
Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo
FitaPreta founded by David Booth and Antonio Macanita in 2004. Wine named after Hermits of the order of Sao Paulo (farming since 12th century). Chao des Eremitas (flat place of the hermits) planted in 1969-1970. Foothills of Serra d’ Ossa in Estremoz at 256-267m on granitic soil, limestone, watered by streams from the Serra d’ Ossa. Field blend of Tinta Carvalha, Castelao, Moreto, Alfrocheiro, Trincadeira, certified organic. Manual night harvest, 30% whole bunch, spontaneous fermentation, aged 18 months in 3yo French oak barrels, 13.50%
-/-
The wine shows youthful red color
In the nose, the wine shows freshness, red fruit, spice notes, some mineral notes, some oak flavours in the back, cherry, berry, licorice, black olive notes, there a volatile element hiding underneath here.
Palate showing fruit, more on the dried/macerated/liqueur side, dry and edgy tannins, faint spice notes, light in body, elevated acidity, fresh, med to long finish
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue