Terroir-istes International - Portugal, Douro

The Douro is located around the Douro River valley and the lower valleys of its tributaries Varosa, Corgo, Távora, Torto, and Pinhão. It is sheltered from Atlantic winds by the Marão and Montemuro mountains and has a continental climate, with hot and dry summers and cold winters. Vineyards grow on schist and granite soils, which display useful water retention properties. The region is divided into three sub-regions: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superior. The Baixo Corgo lies at the western end, closest to the Marão mountains, with the highest rainfall and vineyard yields. The Cima Corgo area is the location of many of the Douro’s finest vineyards and produces more concentrated and long-lasting wines. The Douro Superior is the driest of all (hot summers, very cold winters) and is the source of many of the finest Vintage Ports. The main grape varieties grown in the region are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Sousão for red wines, and Rabigato, Viosinho, Gouveio, and Folgazão for white wines. The Douro Valley, renowned for its esteemed Ports has a critical mass of like-minded winemakers making quality still red wines, especially on the granitic soils.

3 wines, same vintage

• 2014 Quinta Vale D. Maria Douro Vinha da Francisca 93 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind): Deep, black-purple colour with a hint of blue on the edge. Aromas of sour plum, blackberry and damson, accompanied by spicy oak and notes reminiscent of workshop wood.
  The palate entry is deep, full-bodied, and intense, with plenty of fruit and a rich texture. Modern with firm, sweet, dense tannins and excellent concentration, the wine is underscored by a vibrant horizontal acidity that impresses! Flavours of ripe black plum and blackberry give way to chocolate. Lingering on the mid-palate, this is a well-balanced wine whereby the thicker tannins benefit from its acidic profile to push it along. Certainly, hints of port grapes waft in the background!

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• 2014 Prats and Symington Douro Chryseia 91 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind): Deep, black-purple colour with a blue hue. Savoury aroma with damson jam, blackberry coulis, and intense blue fruit are joined by juniper, pepper, sour fig, and a lifted volatile element,
  The palate leans towards savoury notes, reminiscent of cured meat, followed by blackberry, damson and cranberry, with some oak spices and dark chocolate contributing to its complexity and a sweet prune juice character. Firm and chewy tannins with generous alcohol presence lead to a drying finish, giving the wine an angular structure.

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• 2014 Quinta do Vale Meão Douro 90 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind): Deep purple-black core with a savoury and spicy profile on the nose with prominent new oak. Aromas of prune juice, macerated prunes, raspberry and blackberry join fenugreek, bay leaf, oregano, sage, and waft of smoke whilst raw meat, salami, and menthol add complexity.
  The entry is all about cooked and marinated dark fruit with a sinewy and foursquare texture. This gives rise to an interesting note of blackberry and peach melba!
  The presence of drying alcohol slightly detracts from the wine, and whilst the acid is firm, the wine feels a little ponderous.

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• 2013 Quinta da Boavista Dão Reserva 92 Points

  Portugal, Beiras, Dão

  (Tasted Blind): A deep red-black colour, Deeply aromatic with damson, blackberries, spice and oak, giving a modern edge.
  The palate reveals a ripe and rich texture, accompanied by flavours of liquorice, chocolate and Turkish date, whilst the oak is rather workshop wood.
  Robust, full-bodied and weighty the wine has densely constructed tannins and a depth of fruit. Lively acidity adds freshness while the wine finishes dry, leaving an impression of salted brown liquorice sticks and dry spices. Still youthful, the wine has a brooding quality. Wonderfully precise, it closes long with the arrival of aniseed notes.
  Destemmed and foot-trod in lagares. Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca. 18 months in new French oak.

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• 2013 Alves de Sousa Douro Abandonado 90 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind): Deep black-blood red in the glass; the nose is lifted with aromas of buchu, lavender cream, dried spices, potpourri, and dried herbs like thyme and bay leaf. The palate mirrors the nose, offering a lovely coolness on entry with a mix of lavender, menthol and fresh herbs.
  Thickly textured, there is a juicy pristine acidity, clear stem inclusion highlighting white pepper and crunchy tannins that are ripe but firm. Plenty of extract present gives density, although the finish feels chewy and awkward, giving the impression that the wine is perhaps trying too hard. Still, an interesting wine.
  From 80-year-old vineyards of Tinta Amarela, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca that are located on shale outcrops that were once abandoned.

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• 2012 Conceito Douro Conceito 90 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind):A deep purple-black wine that shows some volatility and pushes towards those porty notes of liquorice bark, dried prune, damson jam and Turkish dates.
  The palate is full-bodied, big and powerful yet juicy, rich and thick, dense texture that supports plenty of ripe dark fruits that run to a more dried, extracted mid-palate. There is a solid backbone of ripe, gravelly tannins, plenty of flesh to the mid-palate and a fresh mineral-edged acidity. Filled with damson jam, graphite, liquorice, marmite (yeast extract) and ripe blackcurrant towards cassis. Quite extracted and relatively generous, the finish is long. Needs some food!
  Blend of 20 varieties, including Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela and Rufete. Grown on schist soils from 80-year-old vines. Spends 20 months in 50% new French oak.

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• 2012 Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines Vinhas Velhas 92 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind): A deep black-purple wine. A rich, profoundly brooding nose that shows blackberry and apple crumble, damson, blue fruits, peach melba, raspberry coulis and mulberry. Wonderfully intense, this continues to the palate, which is full-bodied yet graceful, offering plenty of sweet fruit concentration and fine-grained tannins. Lingering and intriguing mid-palate shows joss sticks, dark chocolate, ripe plums and warmed blueberries. This is a wine with density, great length in the mid and back palate and layers of flavour to a generous and persistent alcohol-accented finish.
  42 different plots, of which the youngest vines are 70 years old. Matured in 65% new oak (85 French, 15 American) for 16 months.

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• 2012 Quinta do Crasto Tinta Roriz Douro 95 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind):A deep, black-opaque wine with a purple hue. The nose is filled with ripe, thick, and dense fruit aromas, including blackberry, damson jam, bloated prunes, juicy dates, and nastergal berry. Rosemary, vanilla pod and mocha tones linger.
  This full-bodied wine displays layers of fruit, crushed velvet texture, fresh acidity and delivers power and depth of flavour. It combines a modern style with brilliant execution, with just enough extract and tannic frame to support the fruit. Finishes refreshing, complex and long. Lots of fruit from sweet blackberry, black cherry flesh, chocolate and damson.
  Only made in certain years. From 30-year-old vineyards, 16 months in new French oak

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• 2009 Jorge Nobre Moreira Douro Poeira Vinha Ímpar 86 Points

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind): A deep black-purple wine; The nose reveals dusty notes, blackcurrant, damson, blue fruit and red apple and blackberry pie. It shows a cool aromatic profile whilst also having a deep penetrating aroma.
  The palate reflects the cool entry with menthol, date, and leather. The texture is sinewy and firm, with almost hard, slightly rustic tannins. Stemmy and green elements, along with a sherbet-like quality and methoxy notes, make it quite distinct if a little challenging! The higher extract gives a rough edge while attic dust also reappears on the back palate. I found it too demanding.

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• 2008 Casa Ferreirinha Douro Barca Velha Flawed

  Portugal, Douro

  (Tasted Blind): Deep black-purple colour, with initial aromas of ripe damson and blackberries, accompanied by a hint of saline and kelp. The palate has an unfortunate presence of TCA, and as the wine opened, the fruit disappeared quickly. Sadly corked-tainted.

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