5/4/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $14. This is just an outstanding deal for $14. Huge, dark, almost opaque garnet in color. That nose. Plum, red berries, violet, spice and a hint of smoke. Very nicely balanced. The tannins are starting to round out, medium acidity and medium body. I love smelling this one. Fantastic deal. Tejo does it again

OPINION:
*Recommended*

5/4/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for 17€ at the Lodge on our vacation to Portugal last year. Drank for #tawnytuesday goes #rubytuesday. Ruby red slight garnet in color. Wow is this heavy. Stains the glass (and my teeth). Loads of freshly crushed red berries, I really "zero in" on the raspberry. Some dark cherry and baking spice as well. Huge wine in the mouth. Very tannic. Very. This needs years, at least 5 more before I'd touch it again. Vibrant acidity. Very nice finish. This is outstanding. The freshness of the red berries with that baking spice. So good.

OPINION:
*Highly Recommended*

4/21/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $10. A perfect summer sparkling rosé. It's light. It's crisp. There's a very slight hint of sweetness. It's easy drinking and perfect for summer sipping. Even better with company. Baga, Pinot Noir and Touriga Nacional. Crisp red apple, raspberry and a slight hint of yeast/toast. Medium acidity and finish. For the price, you can't go wrong.

OPINION:
Recommended

4/19/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $50 and opened for #tawnytuesday. Burnt amber tawny in color with garnet hues. Lovely nose of toffee, vanilla stone fruit. On the palate, lots of the same with the stone fruit morphing into peach and nectarines. Almost hints of peach tea. I love the play between the vanilla and stone fruit. The mouthfeel is luxurious, almost like a cashmere sweater. So soft and elegant. Yet the acidity is still vibrant and lip-smacking. There's a sight bitter orange note on the medium length finish. It's not bad, it adds another dimension, but I don't like that it interrupts that vanilla and stone fruit duet.

OPINION:
Recommended

4/14/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $17. The 2020 is a blend of 40 Tinta Roriz, 35 Touriga Franca and 25 Touriga Nacional. Lots of vanilla and oak right out of the bottle. I get a lot of the red fruits and forrest fruits I often find in Tinta Roriz. Nice acidity. Medium weight.

OPINION:
Recommended

4/12/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $17. Pale straw yellow in color. This is a blend of 40% Códega do Larinho, 35% Rabigato and 25% Gouveio. This is so pretty and elegant. I can't remember the last time I said that about a wine. Very floral with lots of tropical notes and the slightest hint of oak from the 12mo of oak aging. Vibrant acidity. I finished the bottle before I even realized it. Delicious.

OPINION:
Highly Recommended

4/6/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $12. Oh my. Yes. One whiff and I'm transported back to the winery, walking among those giant eucalyptus trees with Pedro teaching us about the wonderful history of this property. A delicious blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Castelão and Alicante Bouchet. I honestly can't stop smelling this. Dusty red fruit, leather, spice, eucalyptus, licorice. This is so complex. I can't believe this is only $12. On the palate, lots of the same with juicy acidity. The red fruit and eucalyptus really shine here. Firm tannins and a medium length finish. Really nice mouthfeel, but that nose. I love this. Definitely my favorite Alentejo producer and one of my top 2 favorites in all of Portugal.

OPINION:
Highly Recommended

4/5/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $29. Opened for #tawnytuesday. This is bottle 463 of 1001. This is Cabriz's take on a 20-Year tawny. This is a "20 Year Tawny" made in the Dao with traditional Dao grapes of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrochiero and Jaen. Beautiful tawny amber in color with ruby highlights. Notes of caramel, nuts, candied citrus and this red berry cream. Unctuous mouthfeel. Very smooth and elegant. Good weight and nice acidity. A bit of heat on the medium-length finish. For the price, and the limited quantity, I'm going to grab more.

OPINION:
Recommended

4/5/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Tasted for #Fridayfizz after experiencing the largest earthquake in NJ since 1884. This is a really fresh and lively sparking rose. I love that pale salmon color. 100% Baga. Incredible acidity, really dances all across the tongue. Notes of strawberry and pomegranate. Lots of minerality. Very nicely done. Tasted by itself, but this would be outstanding with food.

OPINION:
Recommended

3/28/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $55. Slightly not expensive than a few of the other 20-Year Tawnies we've recently had, but nowhere near the most expensive. Beautiful maple/mahogany in color. This is pretty straight forward... Dates and hazelnut notes. Both on the palate and on the nose. There's a citrus-like acidity, which really makes your mouth water. Oh the dry side of the sweetness scale, and quite far on the dry spectrum. Typical for the Dow's house style. Medium finish. Very nice 20-Year, but a step behind some of the others we recently had.

OPINION:
Recommended

3/23/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Ok. This is my greatest wine find ever. The current release of this wine retails for $80ish. I was able to pick up 10 of these for $3.19 each. Yes. Three dollars. A local wine store changed hands and the new owner was unloading these as "cooking wine" since they had been in the store for almost 20 years under "less than ideal" storage conditions. And this is all the proof that you need: wine is tough and resilient. If you're holding something for over 50 years, sure, treat it right. But don't sweat about storage conditions for most wines.

Stereotypical, oaked Chardonnay. Lemon curd and pineapple, but tons of vanilla, smoke and butter. Honestly, I love it. I love the style. Rich and creamy. There's still some acidity, but it's mostly mellow by now. Still a very creamy texture. Medium finish. This goes down as my greatest wine find ever.

OPINION:
Recommended

3/22/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

What an absolutely fantastic deal. Purchased 11 of these for $3.19 each at a liquor shop that labeled these as "cooking wine". (In the store's defense, it was a newer owner who inherited these bottles when the store changed hands. And since he didn't know the condition, he sold them off). Opaque purple in color. This is just great. Dark forest fruit. Dusty black fruit. Leather. Spice. Tannins still have a very slight grip on them. Balanced acidity. Medium finish. Hard to believe this is 15 years old and still has legs to go. One of my greatest wine deals ever.

OPINION:
Recommended

3/14/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Opened for #tawnytuesday. Purchased for $42. Another outstanding 20. I've really been digging these 20-Year Tawnies. Lovely darker tawny color with lots of ruby. Very youthful looking. The nose is powerful and expressive. As soon as you pour a glass, the aromas fill the immediate vicinity. Caramel, stone fruits (my favorite) and vanilla and orange rind. On the palate, lots of stone fruit (peach and nectarine), caramel, and orange rind. Just on the 'sweet side' of 'neutral'. FANTASTIC mouthfeel. Very unctuous and enveloping. And such lively acidity. Medium length finish. My only "qualm" is I want that finish to last longer. Otherwise, this is outstanding.

OPINION:
Highly Recommended

3/7/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Opened for #tawnytuesday. Retails for about $20-$22. Beautiful opaque purple in color. This is a really interesting wine. This is almost a Baby Vintage Port without being a Vintage Port. The Lote number (No. 18, in this instance) closely matches the vintage year. While it's usually not 100% from the vintage year, it's usually a majority (80%, 85%, etc.) from the vintage year. This is also aged like a Vintage Port. Aged for 2 years (stainless steel for a few months, and then century-old oak barrels for the remainder). At 2 years, the wine is bottled unfiltered. Delicious nose of boysenberry, blackberry and blueberry with a hint of vanilla. This is definitely a touch on the drier side. And this is TANNIC!!!! Nice acidity, but the tannins really outshine the rest of the mouthfeel. It would be great to see how this can age in a few years. I'd love to try this with about 10 years of age.

OPINION:
Recommended

2/22/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $42. Opened for #tawnytuesday. Beautiful dark mahogany in color. What an expressive nose with candied walnuts, molasses and a slight hint of maple. The palate is downright outstanding. On the sweet side. Dark caramel, maple, dark chocolate and citrus. What a mouthfeel. So soft. The acidity is incredible. Makes your mouth water and want to come back for more. Very nice length on the finish. This is absolutely everything I love about Tawny Port.

OPINION:
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

2/17/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for 7€ at the winery in 2022. All I can say is: disappointed. The 2012 vintage of this wine is what made me fall in love with Portuguese wine. This vintage would not do that. This is like an over-oaked California cab. This is a blend of Baga, Touriga Nacional and Bical. But you can't notice any of it behind the over-powering oak. The only note I can make out is some muted berry notes, because all I can smell and taste is oak. What happened here? What did they do? Why all the oak? It ruined the wine. I hate to do this, but:

OPINION:
Not Recommended

2/10/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Received as a gift. Opened for #tawnytuesday. I was really excited to try this one because I haven't had many white Ports. Beautiful amber color. It's gorgeous. On the nose, initial baked apple gave way to apricot, honey and citrus. On the palate, wow. This is nothing like I expected. It's dry. Like really dry. This is a Port??? Apricot, grapefruit pith and honey. That pith note almost reminds me of a gin and tonic with a twist of lemon. Insane acidity. And the honey note really adds something nice. This is really unique!!!!

OPINION:
Recommended

2/9/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $23. Decanted for 60mins. Wow. I mean WOW. Easily one of the best wines I've had recently. This is delicious. The nose is outstanding with raspberry, forest fruit, spice and floral notes. On the palate that fantastic raspberry and forest fruit really sings. But that spice and slight mineral note really brings us all together in perfect harmony. I love the vanilla notes from the 12mo in barrel. Very well balanced, but the tannins are still grippy. Give this a good decant, or cellar for a few years. Did I mention this is one of the best wines I've had in recent months???

OPINION:
Highly Recommended

2/3/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $5. Yes. Five. Bucks. A fantastic blend of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro. Pale salmon in color. Almost rose gold in color. I love this nose. Red berries, slate, mineral and a lovely earthiness. On the palate, really juicy acidity with the crispness of the red berries. Almost tart apple. I can't believe this was only $5.

OPINION:
Recommended

1/26/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Wow, this is good. Inky, almost opaque purple in color. This has so much going on, it's a pleasure to just sit and smell. Loads of juicy raspberries take top billing with kirsch, licorice and boysenberry. On the palate, this is still very tannic. But with loads of juicy raspberry, licorice and blackberry and boysenberry preserves. This is big. Stains your teeth. Really delicious stuff that can age for years.

OPINION:
Highly Recommended

1/24/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $55 and tasted for Tawny Tuesday. Absolutely gorgeous color. Mahogany with ruby highlights. Beautiful golden yellow rim. I've never seen anything like that golden yellow color. Wonderful notes of candied walnuts and ripe cherries on the nose. On the palate, fig, toasted almonds and more of those candied walnuts and hints of citrus. Very sweet. But incredible acidity that balances the sweetness. The acidity makes your mouth water. It's incredible. This is excellent.

OPTION:
Highly Recommended

1/20/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $13. Opened for Friday Fizz. Medium salmon in color. Delicious blend of 60% Baga and 40% Touriga Nacional. I love this blend. You can make out both grapes here. Strawberry, slate, mineral, and floral notes. Incredible acidity. Makes your mouth water. I absolutely love how the floral notes blends with that slatey-mineral note. This is delicious.

OPINION:
Recommended

1/16/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $26. Another perfect example of why you should never judge a wine by it's price or bottle. I've passed over this Tawny more times than I can count. To be, the $26 price tag, coupled with the "Jack Sparrow rum bottle" look always made me pass on buying this Tawny. BIG MISTAKE. This is delicious. Notes of raisins, like opening a fresh bag. Vanilla. Sweet citrus, sweet like clementines. Nice acidity. Short-medium length finish. Nice sweet vanilla in the back on the finish. And an ever so slight hint of warmth just as hits "mid chest" on the way down. That warmth reminds me of a comfy blanket on a cold night. This was just great. I really, REALLY like this.

OPINION:
Recommended

1/14/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $11. Translucent ruby with a magenta rim. This is fresh and fruity. Black cherry, red plum, red berries. The Tinta Roriz really shines here. Medium weight in the mouth. Fresh acidity, shorter finish. Easy drinking and a perfect wine for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

OPINION:
Recommended

1/9/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $50. Dark amber in color with hints of ruby. This is not nearly as sweet as I was expecting. In fact, it's nicely balanced. Roy said Graham's 20s show less residual sugar than the 10s and 30s. I'll have to test that with a 30 (since I've had a lot of 10s). Walnut, dark caramel, prune, burnt citrus and tobacco (cigar, as opposed to pipe). Great acidity. Shorter finish than I would hope. Also some burn from the aguardente, which I'm not a fan of. Really nice, just wish the burn was less.

OPINION:
Recommended

1/7/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $17. Mental note: buy more Andresen Port this year.

It's a bittersweet day today. Our first snowfall in almost 2 years, so we played in the snow, had a snowball fight, made a snowman and had a blast. But it was also the day we took down the Christmas tree and put away the rest of the Christmas decorations (we put most of them away yesterday). I always get melancholy when we take the decorations down. Christmas is my favorite time of the year, I just love the feeling inside. Peace. Hope. Love. Anticipation. So I decided to pull this today. Absolutely perfect decision.

Opaque ruby in color. This stuff stains the glass (and my teeth). Bottled unfiltered. In my mind, the only way to make LBV. Thick. Unctuous. Very balanced, sweet but not overly. Just perfect. Blackberries, blueberries, boysenberry and vanilla. There is some tannin here. A decent amount. This is absolutely everything I love in LBV.

OPINON:
Highly Recommended

1/6/2024 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $10. I think Fernão Pires is my favorite white grape in all of Portugal. Beautiful golden color. I love how this looks. And, my oh my. I love this wine. On the nose, delicious tropical fruits, very floral, petrol and citrus. That petrol note gets me all the time. On the palate, citrus (lemon and lime), lots of tropical fruits peach, pineapple) and more hints of that petrol. This is just outstanding. And for $10??? Mind blown.

OPINION:
Highly Recommended

12/26/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

I have a lovely backstory about Aleixo Wines that I've posted on our trip to Portugal last summer. I've been holding this bottle for a special occasion. Christmas. Picanha. My first try at ropa velha. Family. I'd call that a special occasion. Decanted for one hour. Only 12% alcohol. 100% Baga. Beautiful garnet in color. Leather, juicy red forest fruit. Elegant. Smooth. Wonderful mouth-feel. It was the perfect match for the picanha and the ropa velha. Outstanding stuff.

OPINION:
*Highly Recommended*

12/22/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased at the winery for 14€. Beautiful dark garnet on color. It is no secret that I hold Mouchão in my highest regard. When it comes to tradition, that are at the top in Portugal. What's not as well known (but should be), is everything they do to support the local communities (yes, plural). From supporting local schools, to buying soccer uniforms for the local children's teams, their support of the surrounding towns is heartwarming. But it goes beyond that. They even make wine for the local communities. See my post from June on the table wine.

This wine is a dessert wine, made in the Port style, similar to their Sobremesa. But with Abafado, Mouchão adds the brandy right at the start of fermentation, such that no fermentation occurs and all the sugar in the grapes makes it into the wine. This is lighter, sweeter and fruitier. AND, it's made mostly for the locals who serve this to each other and guests during the Christmas season. I bought this wine during our visit, specifically to open during Christmas. It's like biting into a cherry pie. Loads of sweetness. Red plum, cherry, hints of strawberry and raspberry. Even the slightest hint of cranberry immediately upon opening.

This isn't going to blow your socks off. But that's not the point. This is tradition. This is made for the locals to serve during Christmas. This is made for gathering, for celebrating... for friends and family. This is made for togetherness, for community, for spending quality time with others and making memories. This is what Christmas is all about. And for that...

ONION:
HIGHLY RECOMMEND

12/22/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $20. Straw yellow in color. This is a blend of Malvasia Fina and Síria. Fresh and lively. Notes of crisp green apple, lemon and chamomile. The chamomile is very present on the nose and the green apple is very present on the palate. Lively acidity. We had this for #fridayfizz, but this would be excellent with food.

Opinion:
Recommended

12/15/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $25 and consumed for Tawny Tuesday. I had no expectations going into this, since I didn't even know Favaios made Tawny Port. Dark Tawny in color. Looks a lot older than a 10-Year. Really enjoyable notes of Maple Syrup, pipe tobacco, caramel and hints of citrus. Slight notes of creme brulee. Shorter finish, which is too bad. This would be killer if it had a longer finish. On the sweet side.

OPINION:
Recommended

12/14/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Received as a gift, but have seen for around $10/bottle. This is a simpler Baga. Actually reminds me of a Pinot Noir. It's definitely on the lighter side, but does have grippy tannins. Lots of raspberries and blueberries. If I tasted this blind, I would have never guessed Baga. Actually went great with homemade shrimp and garlic sauce.

OPINION:
*Recommended*

12/7/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

A very tasty little tawny here. Beautiful day ruby color with tawny edges. Nose of caramel, apricot and pipe tobacco. Similar notes on the palate with a hint of citrus. I really like how the caramel and apricot play on one another. Nice acidity. Balanced mouth-feel. Easy to understand, and very tasty. Nice Tawny to have quiet friends and company.

OPINION:
Recommended

11/19/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $19. Beautiful golden yellow color. You guys know, I like trying single varietal wines and this is really interesting, since it's an "international variatal" and not native to Portugal. Really fun!!!! And really good. Notes of peach, honeysuckle and hints of sweet nectar. There's also hints of oak and tar from the barrel aging. I love this. This would be a perfect match for Thanksgiving.

OPINION:
*Recommended*

11/12/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Stuff like this is what gives Port a bad name. One sip and poured the rest down the drain. Seriously.

11/11/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Once widely planted in Lisboa and the surrounding areas, Jampal almost became extinct during the 1950s, when the prices for Portuguese whites began falling and it was replaced by grapes that were more reliable. Jampal ripens late in the season and it's suspectable to rot. Fast forward to 2007 when Andre Manz purchased an abandoned vineyard to make wine for family and friends. While "cleaning" the vineyard, he stumbled across 200 vines of a while grape that he couldn't identify. He brought in experts from Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho, who identified the vines as Jampal. To date, Manz is the only winery to produce a 100% Jampal.

Purchased for $20. Beautiful golden color. This wine reminds me of Fernão Pires, Riesling or Gewurztraminer. Very floral with tasty notes of tropical fruits and stone fruit. This bottle is aged in oak, so there is definitely some vanilla notes from the barrels. Nice acidity. Medium finish. You're drinking forgotten history with this one.

OPINION:
Recommended

10/27/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $30. Dark ruby in color. Decanted for 30mins. This is a tannic beauty. The 30mins was not nearly enough. Tight. Lots of juicy dark fruit, leather, spice and a hint of dusty oak. Everything you would expect in a delicious Douro, but with incredibly firm tannins. Let this baby sit. Or decant for at least an hour.

OPINION:
*Recommended*

10/26/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $35. Tasted for #tawnytuesday. Dark mahogany in color with ruby hues. The 10 Year Tawny comes from a single Quinta, Quinta de Ervamoira, which is the eastern-most Quinta owned by Ramos Pinto. Located in a plateau, as opposed to the usual hillsides we often picture when we think "Douro", at an altitude of 100-500m. The nose reminds me of sweet pipe tobacco . Notes of dates, walnuts , vanilla pipe tobacco.The acidity and tannins are in perfect harmony. The mouth feel is outstanding. A touch heat on the finish.

OPINION:
*Recommended*

10/17/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $31. This is a 10-Year Tawny Tuesday, but that color is an instant indication that this is much older. Dark, almost mahogany in color with dark ruby hues. The nose is remarkable... Caramel, mission fig, apricot, coffee grinds. WOW. The palate is equally delicious, with similar notes and a hint of black tea that really makes this sing. And the mouth feel is so rich and mouth coating, but it's not overly unctuous with that black tea astringency and lively acidity. Really great finish. This is delicious.

OPINION:
Highly Recommended

10/16/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $9. This was the first wine we had when we arrived in Portugal this past summer. I didn't have much experience with Maria Gomes (Fernão Pires in the Tejo region), but we had a number of them on our trip, and I think it's my favorite white variatel in Portugal. I just love that bees waxy/petrol note. Beautiful golden yellow in color. Stone fruit, lemon, wet slate, bees wax, petrol. Really lively acidity and medium finish. Light and fresh. I can drink this all day. So, so good. I got the final 2 bottles at the shop... now I need to find more!!!!

OPINION'
Highly Recommended

10/15/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $15. Rego is not a household name, but if you taste their wine, you'll definitely go back for more. This red is from the Beira Interior and is a blend of 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Aragonês. For me, this is an interesting blend, but it works great. This was decanted for 30mins, but really started opening up after about an hour. The red fruits from the Aragonês really come through, even more than the powerful Touriga Nacional. Really enjoyable notes of leather, red fruit, slate, spice. Juicy acidity and firm tannins. A really lovely glass of wine, and a great price.

OPINION:
Recommended

10/14/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $13. With the air turning colder in the northeast, and autumn upon us, it's time to start making those cold-weather comfort dishes. One of our favorites is pot roast... but not with red wine... with ruby Port. I've had this in the cellar for a while, so I figured it would be a great time to open it... for both cooking and drinking. Notes of sweet red fruit, prune puree, spice, almost cinnamon and hints of spirit. This is a blend of 30% Touriga Franca, 30% Tinta Roriz, 20% Tinta Barroca, 10% Touriga Nacional, 5% Tinta Amarela, 3% Sousão and 2% Tinto Cão. (I love that they put the percentages on the label). This is bottled unfiltered, which is my favorite way to make LBV. This is on the drier side for an LBV, but still with pleasant sweetness. More elegant than in-your-face. Very well balanced. Nice finish

OPINION:
Recommended

10/8/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $16. I've had this in our cellar for a while now. And, for some reason, I always pass over it. I dunno. I clearly don't give the Dão the same attention I give to Douro, Alentejo or Bairrada. And I don't know why, because I've loved all the Dão wines I've been drinking lately. And this is another perfect example. Aged for 9mo in French oak, this is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro and Jaén. The nose is remarkable. The TN really jumps out with that dusty slate, floral, spice note. Dark berries, almost boysenberry and violet on the palate. I love that spice note, almost like pepper and cinnamon. Nice balance from the oak. This was decanted for 30mins, and the tannins are still firm. But there's plenty of fruit and acidity to age and soften the tannins. Medium finish. Just another perfect example of why I need to give the Dão more attention.

OPINION:
Recommended

10/6/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $13. Beautiful, deep straw yellow in color. Very refreshing and crisp. Notes of tart green apple and citrus. The acidity and tartness is off-the-charts. This is so refreshing, it reminds me of drinking a sparkling cider. Very enjoyable stuff.

OPINION:
*Recommended*

10/5/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $85 and opened for #tawnytuesday one year anniversary. Yes, only $85. Beautiful amber tawny color with some red highlights. Reminds me of a light mahogany color. The nose on this is incredible. Caramel, hazelnut, vanilla, coconut, spice, citrus. But the palate. OH. MY. This is like velvet. Not just in the mouth, but all the way down. It feels like you wrapped your insides with cashmere. Loads of sweet vanilla, nuts and dried citrus. The whiskey acidity is so lively, I feel like the wine is dancing in my mouth. But it's all perfectly balanced with the sweetness. The finish lasts for minutes. This was absolutely spectacular. $85. There were 3 bottles left at the store. I'm going back to buy them all.

OPINION:
*HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*

9/29/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $13. Opened for #fridayfizz. This bruto is not from a specific region in Portugal, but is from white grapes from all across the country. But don't let that deter you from trying it. This is delicious stuff. I love the nose. Peach, citrus and petrol. There's a slight creaminess on that nose. On the palate, very lovely acidity. Citrus, slate, stone fruit, petrol. This is delicious stuff. I'm LOVING it!!!!

OPINION:
*Highly Recommended*

9/26/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $25 and opened for #tawnytuesday. Amber tawny in color with a thin/clear rim. On the nose, caramel, raisins, dried citrus and cinnamon. More of the same on the palate with the caramel and cinnamon really coming out. This definitely reminds me of autumn with that caramel, cinnamon spice note. This is simple and easy to understand. But that's what makes this a perfect autumn Tawny with those notes. Vibrant acidity and a medium finish. On the dry side.

OPINION:
*Recommended*

9/24/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $13. Tasted with 2017 Paulo Laureano Alfrocheiro and 2019 Fonte Souto Alfrocheiro. This ended up being the surprise of the night. Delicious boysenberry, spice, stone and raspberry jam. Perfectly balanced acidity and plush tannins. I can't stop smelling this. We were all shocked when I revealed the wines at the end. Blind score: 1+1+1+2 = 5. #1 of the night.

OPINION:
*Highly Recommended*

9/24/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $34. Tasted with 2017 Paulo Laureano Alfrocheiro and 2015 Casa Américo Alfrocheiro. This is a monster of a wine. Opulent, mouth coating notes of blue fruits and lots of oak. I can't really discern the actual fruits, just loads of blue fruit. Delicious wine, but maybe just a touch too much oak, keeping it in a solid second place. Blind score: 2+2+2+1 = 7. #2 of the night.

OPINION:
*Highly Recommended*

9/24/2023 - mwagner7700 wrote:

Purchased for $28. Tasted with 2019 Fonte Souto Alfrocheiro and 2015 Casa Américo Alfrocheiro. Big and dark. Notes of boysenberry and dark plum. MASSIVE tannins. This needs lots of time. Blind score: 3+3+3+3 = 12. #3 of the night.

OPINION:
*Recommended*