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Red
2003 Herdade do Esporão Alicante Bouschet AB
Alicante Bouschet
- Portugal
- Alentejano
- Vinho Regional Alentejano
Label borrowed from 2004
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Community Tasting Notes 8
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KostaKats wrote: 88 points
April 3, 2011 - Clear deep garnet. Clean sweet concentrated fruit nose with sweet spices, herbs and a floral edge. Dry, sweet fruit & spice on palate too, medium body, medium integrated tannins & acidity. Balanced with a medium finish. Portuguese wines are generally great value for the price.
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Yiannis wrote: 89 points
February 10, 2011 - Garnet. Sweet coffee liqueur, sweet spice, cherries, violets, sage and truffle undertones. Mid+ bodied with velvety tannins, sweetness, rich fruit, balancing acidity and a medium+ finish. Very good wine overall.
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Patches wrote: 89 points
September 12, 2010 - Love the bottle shape. The wine is dark Ruby in color but not thick or opaque in appearance. Aromas of pepper, cedar, red cherry, herbs with some reduction. Nice zingy acidity but the alcohol is also apparent. This is like a chinon mixed with syrah.
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Squirreljam wrote:
June 4, 2009 - Interesting wine fo sho, no rating as I've never had this varietal before. Very first impression was one of effervescence, then candied cherries. Overall this seems to have tons of the richness you'd expect from 2003 and tons of the structure you'd expect from, say, Petite Sirah - but the middle is a little hollow. Acidity is high enough to keep it all enjoyable; not sure I love the total package but it's a good education - and the price was right from Garagiste at ~$13.
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AzorianMatador wrote: 88 points
March 25, 2008 - Very tasty wine. A cross between a cali zin and an aussie shiraz; fruity, spicy and thick with a touch of heat.
A lot going on here but it is a bit sweet. The heavy fruit is not supported with much acidity so this is not a candidate for long term aging.
If you have them drink them now with something juicy off the grill. Good QPR.
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Pro Reviews 1
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By Jon Rimmerman
2/25/2009 (link)(ESPORAO Alicante Bouschet) Alicante Dear Friends, If you are looking for a bargain from a new region for most of us, this wine will fill your glass with aromatic, textured red fruit at a pittance of a price and it has real character often missing in many wines at this price level. Portugal remains the wild frontier of Europe, especially with dry red wine, and the US consumer has much to discover. Within Portugal, the Alentejo is an emerging region, south and west of Lisbon bordering Spain - it is still being discovered as a wine hotbed by the Portuguese themselves. Their finest promise is dry red wine and Alicante is the Alentejo trump card. For a slight investment, many of the Alentejo producers give you their best shot and Esporao is one on them. While they produce far more expensive wine, they give you the best they have at the $12-13 level as well and the US consumer is the beneficiary. As a vintage, 2003 played right into the hands of the Portuguese. The vines are used to torrid conditions nearly every growing season and 2003 gave them even stronger tannin and fruit depth - even at the lower level. This wine is a prime example of what can be done in Portugal - I think you will agree once you taste it that the Alentejo's time has come. Think even-keeled Shiraz meets the Old-World and you will be close. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as a chance to discover a new region on the precipice of big things. ONE SHIPMENT ONLY at this price directly from the source: 2003 Herdade Do Esporao Alicante "Bouschet" Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Port3560
Wine Definition
- Vintage 2003
- Type Red
- Producer Herdade do Esporão
- Varietal Alicante Bouschet
- Designation AB
- Vineyard n/a
- Country Portugal
- Region Alentejano
- SubRegion n/a
- Appellation Vinho Regional Alentejano
- UPC Code 692570002661
Community Holdings
- Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
- In Cellars 13 (30%)
- Consumed 30 (70%)
Food Pairing
No food pairings available.
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More About This Wine
Articles
- ProducerHerdade do Esporão
- VarietyAlicante Bouschet
- CountryPortugal
- RegionAlentejano
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- Wine2003 Herdade do Esporão Alicante Bouschet AB (add)
- FamilyHerdade do Esporão Alicante Bouschet AB (add)
- ProducerHerdade do Esporão
- VarietalAlicante Bouschet
- DesignationAB (add)
- CountryPortugal
- RegionAlentejano
- AppellationVinho Regional Alentejano (add)