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Fifty Great Portuguese Wines 2009: Part 2

I approached these fifty wines with no real preconceptions; other than a slight expectation that, in view of its viticultural history and global profile, the Douro would perform well, I didn't really know what I would be tasting in these wines. Perhaps this is one contributing factor to the success of the wines on the day; without any prejudices or bias, each wine was allowed to shine to its maximal intensity on the palate.

In part one, where I report on Vinho Verde and the Douro, the most exciting wine for me was the Barca Velha; indeed, this was undoubtedly my top wine of the tasting. This would seem to confirm my only prejudice, which was my weakly formed opinion that the top wines would originate from the Douro. Right at the very end of this vinous half-century, however, came a surprise from Alentejo, a region in the southern half of Portugal, on the border with Spain (the orange vineyards in the map on the left). Here were five wines of depth and concentration, but also lift and balance. The Marias da Malhadinha and António Maria are both worthy of mention, although my favouriate in this line-up was the Dona Maria Reserva, a different style to the Barca Velha but very close in terms of quality.

As before I have continued with my notes in the order in which I tasted them, and all wines here were tasted twice. (10/6/09)

Fifty Great Portuguese Wines 2009 - Tasting Notes

Tasted in Edinburgh in April 2009. Click to locate stockists.

Quinta da Pellada (Dão) 2005: This is 65% Touriga Nacional and 20% Tinta Roriz, the remainder being a mix of old vine fruit. Very smoky on the nose, with a hint of rubbery reduction, but also an intense, raspberry-rubbed-on-stone kind of fruit. Smoky, sweet, but with good fruit shining through, and a softly ripe structure and muted acidity to match. Although approachable, with a good backbone provided just by a little grip at the moment, this is spoiled somewhat by the rubbery note of reduction on nose and palate. Nice wine, but possibly better than this? 14.5+?/20

Pape (Dão) 2005: This wine is made by Álvaro de Castro, who is also responsible for the Pellada wine above. A mix of equal parts Touriga Nacional and Baga, this wine is certainly showing best of the two today; an intense, gamey-gravelly fruit nose kicks off, with sweetness and roasted garrigue behind it. Slightly chalky and minerally on the palate, but with lots of sweet and gamey fruit laid on top. Intense, quite precise in a way, concentrated, and full of ripe grip and structure. A good wine. 16+/20

Quinta do Perdigão Touriga Nacional (Dão) 2005: Unusually, in this tasting anyway, this wine is bottled under a synthetic closure. A pure Touriga Nacional, it has perfumed, chalky red fruit on the nose, and plenty of depth. Nice, sweet, creamy, attractive but lightly structured, with a grainy, tannic seam. Very pretty and approachable midpalate, although the creamy character comes right the way through; it is countered by a firm, fresh acidity. A very nice wine overall. 16+/20

Quinta da Vagia Reserva (Dão) 2005: This is Touriga Nacional blended with Tonta Roriz from Casa de Cello, a member of the Independent Winegrowers' Association. The nose here has intense and characterful fruit, with a slighhtly medicinal cherry edge. A lifted style on the palate, elegant and light, but with a lovely texture and sweetness. Fresh and appealing superficially, although there is also a good grip to it in the background, leading into a nice, somewhat chewy finish. Good wine. 16.5+/20

Flor das Maias (Dão) 2005: Touriga Nacional still dominates here at 75% of the blend, with 15% Jaen and 10% Alfrocheiro. A small production cuvée, with just 2000 bottles made, this wine has a very dark and concentrated style on the nose, with a roast meat-game character. The palate has a gentle start, firm but perfumed, with a fresh midpalate acidity. Soft and ripe tannins provide some backbone, while the wine rounds off in a firm, savoury, meaty finish. Bright and a touch spiky in character, I nevertheless like this. 16.5+/20

Cabriz Escolha (Dão) 2004: This is Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro. The nose here has a very concentrated dark fruit character, with a somewhat treacly aroma, and a little touch of animal too. Creamy and rounded in the mouth, ripe and slightly chewy in the midpalate, with gamey-animally character veering more towards barnyard here. Lots of texture, firmly tannic underneath as well, and certainly complex, I think this is good. Short but nevertheless attractive, with some potential to improve in the cellar I am sure. 16+/20

Vinha do Contador (Dão) 2005: The weight of this bottle clearly indicates some producers still feel a very thick and heavy bottle is an appropriate way to confer quality. The nose of this blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro is savoury, intense, smoky and rather beefy in fact. Nevertheless the palate starts off elegantly, rather restrained, with a moderate, well-judged texture. Later it shows a detached, firm midpalate, with lots of grippy structure dominating through to the tannin-infused finish. Overall though, nicely poised, and brimming with cellar potential. 17.5+/20

Quinta do Ribeirinho Pé Franco (Beiras) 2005: This is an example of pure Baga, an indigenous Bairrada variety, from Luis Pato. Violet perfume on the nose, and with restrained fruit, this is absolutely delicious. In the mouth it starts off in a very toothsome fashion, with good extract, although leaning out a little in the middle, showing a more polished, stony fruit character. There is a firm concentration of acidity beneath, and gently chewy tannins. Aromatic, floral, with a slightly juicy character towards the end, this is different and also appealing. 17+/20

Quinta das Bágeira Garrafeira (Bairrada) 2005: Bairrada is again on show here, this time blended with 20% Touriga Nacional. The nose has vibrant curranty fruit, with a slightly animally, baked edge to it, and evident sweetness too. The palate starts off creamy and polished, although it takes on a harder character through the midpalate. Good, overt grip here, never losing the texture, with firm acids; this wine has lots of separate components but they are all fairly well balanced. The fruit perhaps has a high acid feel to it, and there is grip in the finish, but overall this is still good. 16-16.5+/20

Lokal Sílex (Beiras) 2006: This unusually christened cuvee, a mix of 85% Touriga Nacional and 15% Alfrocheiro Preto, comes from Filipa Pato. It has a slightly warm and baked character on the nose, although it still comes across as fresh and open. The palate follows on with the former character though, showing some toffee-tinged fruit encased within a warm, ripe, creamy texture. There is a lot of substance here, a savoury edge to the fruit, a fleshy presence and although well structured, with a grippy finish, this is approachable now. And it has some length, too. I would just like it more if it had a more precise fruit profile I think. 16.5+/20

Quinta de Foz de Arouce Vinhas Velhas de Santa Maria (Beiras) 2005: This is Baga again, this example produced by João Portugal Ramos, a name even I am familiar with. This is made in traditional lagares and then aged in French oak barriques. Lovely, bright and perfumed fruit on the nose, restrained in style, and this reserved character comes through on the palate too, which is supple and yet structured. Firm, grippy, still quite primary, but with a lovely balance of components and clearly fine potential for the cellar. An elegant wine with a long finish. 17.5+/20

Quinta do Cardo Selecção do Enólogo (Beira Interior) 2004: Pure Touriga Nacional here, which gives a very expressive nose in this particular example, showing dark, concentrated, rich but perfumed fruit. Reserved in style but with a good, creamy texture. Expressive, with lots of tightly compacted substance and polish; lovely fruit, ripe tannins, purity and balance here, culminating in a good, sappy-fruit length. A fine effort which is delightfully approachable. 17.5+/20

Quinta dos Currais Reserva (Beira Interior) 2002: The final wine in this section, this is 50% Touriga Nacional, 25% Aragonês and 25% Castelão. It has somewhat smoky, chalky fruit on the nose, and a rounded, polished character on the palate which, in truth, I find a little oily. The acidity is quite gentle, and there is a ripe seam of tannins, all sitting with a rather warm and fuzzy fruit character. This lacks some of the freshness and precision that can be found in some of the other wines, but it is certainly worthwhile in some ways. 15/20

Quinta de Sant'Ana Reserva 2005: This wine, made from 100% Aragonês (another local name, along with Tinta Roriz, for Tempranillo), has ripe and sweet fruit on the nose, with a honey-tinged almost herby edge from the oak. Open and expressive, starting off with a beautifully pure and silky style and first, then revealing some polished tannins, with a broad mouth-filling character backed up by fresh acidity. Delicious, creamy, approcahable and quite long, this is very good wine. My only issue is that it lacks some focus in the midpalate, but it is a minor point. Very good indeed. 17+/20

Quinta do Rocio 2006: A blend of the Portuguese and the international here, with one-quarter each Touriga Nacional, Merlot, Grenache and Shiraz in this wine from DFJ Vinhos. This is dark and rather funky on the nose, with a rubbery edge. Big, creamy, polished and a little fat on the palate, a sensation enhanced no doubt by relatively low acidity behind the supple, dark fruit profile. The tannins provide a soft coating for the mouth, but overall I find this lacking in freshness and balance. 14.5/20

Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima Alfrocheiro 2006: A pure Alfrocheiro cuvée, this has a less intense nose than many other wines tasted here, although it does have some attractive bright, crunchy, charcoaly red fruits. Paradoxically the palate seems big and sweet, with toffee-tinged creamed fruit backed up by lots of chunky tannins and firm acidity. A little rubbery, notable especially towards the finish. This isn't working for me. 13.5/20

Adega de Pegões Cinquentenário 2005: This blend of Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah has a bright and interesting nose, with sweet and slightly crystalline fruit. Good density to it as well. On the palate this has a very big and rich style, creamy with a good core of tannins with a rather chewy edge. The fruit has a plummy character, the acidity is on the low side and the texture considerable. Overall a fairly good style, with a little length. 16+/20

S de Soberanas 2004: This is an attractive wine made from equal parts Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet. On inspection it has a matt hue, suggesting a little maturity, and it has a mature character to the nose too, with notes of slightly stewed, gamey fruit, tea leaves and coffee, although it all happens in a fine, lifted style. Soft and creamy at first in the mouth, with a rolling presence of tannins and latent acidity, all underpinning the chewy fruit. This has very appealing flavours, good texture and moderate length. Overall a very good wine indeed. 17.5+/20

Herdade de Comporta Aragonez Alicante Bouschet 2005: A blend of Aragonês (Tempranillo) and Alicante Bouschet (a teinturier variety, originally a cross between Grenache and Petit Bouschet). Like any such teinturier wine this has a very dark colour. On the nose it has concentrated, charry, creamy dark berry and summer berry fruits. Intense and forthright on the palate, creamy and backed up by a lovely structure of ripe, fine tannins and firm acidity. A sleek and approachable wine, with some length, this is impressive. 17/20

Palácio de Bacalhôa 2005: International varieties here, in this large-production blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The nose is very attractive, with some reserved and stony, fine and slightly crunchy, violet-tinged fruit. Supple and composed on the palate, very appealing with balance and density combined, and with the dark sweetness of the fruit countered by some appealing savoury elements. Nicely textured, with lots of grip at the finish, this is a wine of great potential I think. I like this a lot. 17.5+/20

Marias da Malhadinha 2004: This is Aragonês (Tempranillo), Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Touriga Nacional, the top wine in a range from Malhadinha Nova, a relatively new winery. Wow! The nose is really vibrant and interesting, a combination of expressive, fresh and aromatic fruit with notes of fennel and aniseed. Polished, rich and creamy on the palate, with a beautifully supple style, backed up by a good core of acidity and lots of plump, well polished tannins. This has huge appeal for me. 18+/20

António Maria 2006: This is a blend of Alicante Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon from Portuguese winemaker Francisco Nunes Garcia. Dark, concentrated and complex on the nose, with a combination of gamey, slightly animally character alongside the sweet, perfumed fruit elements. The palate is intense, deep, structured and savoury, broad although with a firm acidity at the core, and a dry and serious tannic character. There is plenty of texture and punchy fruit to cope with this structure, though. This is a brilliant wine with a delightful length. Stunning stuff. 18+/20

Dona Maria Reserva 2005: This blend from winemaker Júlio Bastos, once of Quinta do Carmo which he co-owned with Lafite-Rothschild, is 50% Alicante Bouschet, the remainder Petit Verdot and Syrah. The nose here is divinely elegant, with sweet fruit spiced with touches of game, roast meats and a little oak. To find such purity and finesse in fruit expression is rare; it is already clear that this is a very special wine. The palate has elegance, polish and balance, with great finesse, pure tannins and fine texture. Fresh acidity and savoury fruit provide the interest. Long and powerful, this is a wine of very impressive quality with fabulous potential. 18.5+/20

Herdade dos Grous "Moon Harvested" 2007: This 100% Alicante Bouschet has a very rich and sweet character on the nose, with sweet crystalline cherries presented in a very big, expressive fashion. Plump and fleshy fruit on the palate, rich and certainly interesting, quite gamey too. Backward, chewy tannins, elegantly detached and quite concentrated, this is a wine with some potential I feel. 16.5-17+/20

Mouchão 2002: A very wild, herbal, animally nose to this wine, which is 70% Alicante Bouschet and 30% Trincadeira. Behind that there is a perfumed fruit, with a little meaty, macerated, maturing edge to it. Big, rich, sweet and characterful on the palate, with a savour-sappy style with a firm concentration of acidity. Ripe tannins, and a good grippy style. Overall I like this; it is an attractive drink, but also very interesting. Good cellar potential too. 17+/20

Preta 2005: The final wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon, and it has a warm, concentrated, slightly spicy fruit, again with a dense, gamey, animally style. Rich and ripe, spicy and characterful, but also creamy, composed and approachable. A grippy wine with plenty of substance, here we have another attractive bottle. Overall, very good. 17+/20