Portuguese Reds. Cartuxa Pêra Manca Tinto

Transcription

1 Wine List

2 Portuguese Reds Cartuxa Pêra Manca Tinto Bin #300-C Cartuxa 2005 Aragonez, Trincadeira $225 Wine produced in the Region of the Alentejo from chaste Trincadeira and Aragonês, carefully gathered and selected. It staged during 18 months in wood and 24 months in bottle in the wine-cellars of the Convent of the Cartuxa. The modernization of style begun with 2003 is completed in this version of But the aromatic complexity is maintained, with many notes of wood, which accompany the very elegant ripe fruit. Beauty structure of mouth, rich, with silky tannins and flavours of black plum and cocoa. Firm, involving, sophisticated, a Pera Manca of the modern times but that does not renounce totally the past. Sogrape Vinhos Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha Bin #301-C Sogrape Vinhos Casa Ferreirinha 2004 Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Cao. $400 Barca Velha 2004 has an intense ruby hue and a harmonious and complex bouquet, with a strong presence of well-ripened red fruits, floral hints of lavender and violet, and a fine spice component. Its palate is full-bodied, with lively balanced acidity, wellintegrated tannins and layers of character to epitomise the best of the Douro. Its supreme quality is expressed through fresh red fruit flavours accompanied by spicy and balmy notes. It has a long and complex finish, with remarkable delicacy and structure. sograpevihos.com Casa de Santar Conde de Santar Bin #302-C Dão Sul Dão $115 The aristocratic estate of Santar produces some of the most elegant wines in the Dão. The vintage adds richness to a deep, complex and powerful wine, which is full of dark plum and damson flavors, rounded by wood aging. Age for 3 4 years. Awards International Wine Challenge, 2014: Silver International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2012: Silver Mundus Vini, 2012: Gold Quinta do Vale Meão Douro Meandro Bin #303-C Quinta do Vale Meão Winery 2007 $125 The Wine Advocate The 2007 MEANDRO DO VALE MEAO is very fine for a second wine, relatively deep, bright, beautifully balanced and well structured. It has some complexity, too. In its earliest vintages, I was not convinced Meandro was all it should be, but as time goes on, in vintages like the 2005 and this one, it is proving to be one of the better values in the Douro. I loved the texture, too. 91 pts. Wine Spectator

3 Quinta do Vallado Touriga National Bin #304-C Quinta do Vallado 2008 Touriga Nacional $115 The Wine Advocate The 2008 TOURIGA NACIONAL was fermented in stainless steel and then aged in a combination of new and old French oak for 16 months. Noting the touch of cream and vanilla on opening, which integrated with some time and should integrate more with some cellaring, this shows exceptionally well, well focused, aromatic and beautifully structured, with subtle concentration it seems elegant in the mid-palate, but it is very persistent, mouth gripping and never seems thin. It drank rather well the next day, too, after refrigeration overnight. It becomes earthier and shows more character with air. Those who follow the Douro will all rightly say that the best wines are generally the blends, but this is an awfully nice Touriga Nacional with impressive structure, powerful, yet balanced, a candidate for the best monovarietal wine I ve had from Vallado. While not as deep as Vallado s Reserva (reviewed this issue), it is fragrant and graceful. It should be approachable young, but a couple years in the cellar would help a lot. There were 26,256 bottles produced. Drink pts Wine Spectator Niepoort Redoma Tinto Bin #305-C Niepoort $125 Dark in color. Red and black fruit aromas with plenty of plums, cherries notes and balsamic herbaceous aromas reminding the native Mediterranean flora. Strong mineral character with a wet stone aroma, very rich and complex. The palate is firm, supported by a good acidity and great tannic structure, soft, with present tannins, very long and persistent. 91 pts. Wine Spectator Niepoort Batuta Bin #306-C Niepoort $135 Very intense deep color. Great complexity on the aroma, with strong black fruit aromas and spicy notes of black and green pepper. Elegant, with mineral and smoked aromas. Very rich on the palate but showing freshness and purity; subtle, with intense fruit flavours and an impressive acidity. Tannins are perfectly integrated with great persistent in a long lasting end. Very long ageing potential. 94 pts. Wine Spectator

4 Niepoort Charme Bin #307-C Niepoort $145 Charme is a rare wine from the Douro. Its elegance and complexity, combined with the smooth tannins are a unique way of expressing the old sheltered vineyards from Vale Mendiz in the Pinhão Valley, the heart of the Douro region. All the small details that make this great wine turn the final result very difficult to achieve. In the end only the best barrels are chosen to be bottled as Charme. Darker in color than the previous edition, Charme maintains its richness, freshness and elegance, with cherry, plums and pine needles aromas, earthy notes of mushrooms and truffles and elegant notes of tea leaves. The palate is long and fresh with good structure supported by soft tannins, mineral notes involving fruit and contributing to a very long, intense lasting finish. 90 pts. Wine Spectator Júlio Bastos Dona Maria Reserva Bin #308 Júlio Bastos 2007 $90 Lovely Alentejan nose.. you can really smell the olives, the cork trees, the very earth in which the vines are grown. The palate is much more fruity with a very rounded mouth feel with some mineral notes interrupting any complacency and so maintaining the complexity of this wine throughout its very long finish. It goes on forever and gets better and better. Esporão Quinta dos Murças Assobio Bin #309 Esporão 'Quinta dos Murças Others, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional $42 Scent: Perfumed and spicy with notes of blueberries. Palate: Round and full bodied palate with youthful fruit and integrated tannins. Finishes with good balancing acidity. Color: Deep ruby with violet edges. esperao.com Esporão Quinta dos Murças Reserve Bin #310 Esporão Sousão, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional $100 Average age of vines: 40 years. Elegant style, very well balanced and polished. Ripe fruits and toast, nice complexity. Structured, finishing with good length. 2014, Wines of Portugal Challenge-Silver 2014, Concours Mondial Bruxelles Gold 2014, Decanter World Wine Awards Bronze

5 Esporão Reserva Bin #311 Herdade do Esperão, 2012 Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Cabernet Sauvignon, Others, Trincadeira $48 Complex spicy aroma of dark berry fruits, with notes of toasty vanilla. Firm and well structured with dense fruit. Fruit is still youthful, with supporting tannins that will provide ageing potential. Color is a dense deep red. Esporão Private Selection Bin #312 Herdade do Esporão, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Syrah $90 The aroma is finer and firmer than usual with blueberry fruits and a touch of graphite, with notes of toast and spice. The palate is firm with nice freshness, ripe but solid tannins, great structure and elegance. Herdade do Esporão Defesa Bin #313 Herdade do Esporão, 2012 Syrah, Touriga Nacional $40 Floral aromatics from the Touriga variety, with balancing notes of leather and chocolate from Syrah. Rich and full bodied palate, with firm structural tannins and balancing acidity. Clear, intense ruby colour. Paulo Laureano Classico Tinto Vinho Regional Bin #314 Paulo Laureano 2013 Aragones, Trincadeira, and Alfrocheiro $35 In the taste, shows black fruits, ripe and complex with a strong touch of spice. Soft with well balanced acidity. Long and very attractive final.

6 Paulo Laureano Ema s Vineyard, Vinho Regional, DOC Bin #315 Paulo Laureano 2012 Aragonez, Tinta Grossa, Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet $40 Another well executed project by Paulo Laureano sourced from an older vineyard in his property in AOC Vidigueira. A blend of the 3 emblematic grapes from Alentejo and Tinta Grossa which was almost extinct in the region and is now consider to have enormous potential for aging. The Tinta Grossa and Aragones aged in 400 Liter French oak while the Trincadeira and Alicante Bouschet stayed in steel tanks to preserve the aromas and the delicate fruit character. The wine impresses right from the beginning with subtle notes of dark matured fruits and vivid acidity. long, textured almost exotic it finishes in balance with great gastronomic ability. A true value for a wine of this caliber. Importer Paulo Laureano Reserve DOC Bin #316 Paulo Laureano Antão Vaz $60 The Paulo Laureano Reserve is deep crimson in the glass with notes of jam and spice on the nose. The wine has a soft attack, well balanced acidity with flavors of jam, spice, and a hint of tobacco. This is a well crafted artisanal wine with a long and persistent finish that lingers with a delicate essence of the wine. Boas Quintas Boas Vinhas Bin #317 Boas Quintas Alfrocheiro Preto, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Dão, Portugal $40 Smooth, young wine with a taste of fruit notes, elegant tannins, and a sensation of freshness. Dão Sul Quinta de Cabriz Cabriz Colheita Seleccionada Bin #318 Dão Sul Quinta de Cabriz 2010 Alfrocheiro, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional Dão, Portugal $38 A well-structured, muscular red, with a touch of Asian spice to the wild plum and dried raspberry flavors. Beef and mineral notes mark the finish. Distinctive, with a very sauvage allure. Drink now through Wine Spectator 90 pts. Wine Spectator

7 Dão Sul Quinta de Cabriz Reserva Bin #319 Dão Sul Quinta de Cabriz Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Tempranillo. Dão, Portugal $50 Wine of the Region of Dão. It presents a beautiful ruby colour, with fragrances of pine leaf and wild flowers and taste of red fruits. It can be already consumed, with much pleasure, though it can gain great complexity with the period of aging in bottle. Quinta dos Grilos DOC Bin #320 Quinta dos Grilos 2010 Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro Dão, Portugal $38 Bright strawberry fruit, very youthful, will develop. fresh acidity with good, ripe, bolshy tannins. International Wine Challenge, 2013: Silver Caves Messias Quinta do Penedo Bin #321 Caves Messias Alfrocheiro and Touriga Nacional Dão, Portugal $40 Visual: Red intense ruby??color. Olfactory: Dark fruits, floral notes and resin notes. Taste: Dry, medium body, good acidity, ripe tannins and a smooth finish. Granitic soil region. Stalking and fermentation vats. Maturation in barrels of French and American oak. Game meats, Red Meats, Cured Cheese XLVI Contest The Best Dão Wines in Producer 2007 Gold Medal Domingos Alves de Sousa Reserva Pessoal Tinto Bin #322 Domingos Alves de Sousa 2003 Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cao, and Touriga Nacional $95 made from the best grapes from the oldest vines at Gaivosa which has a lot of Tinta Amarela. More mineral and sanguine, with rich plummy fruit, firm tannins and good acidity; lots of get up and go.

8 Churchill s Estates Douro Bin #323 Churchill's Estates Tinta Roriz (Aragonez) $55 A meaty, rich and brooding red, with plenty of mocha to the dark plum, dried blackberry and baker s chocolate flavors. Presents accents of smoked paprika midpalate, offering a finish filled with restrained tannins. Drink now through cases imported. 93 pts. Wine Spectator Jose Maria da Fonseca Domini Bin #324 Jose Maria da Fonseca 2007 Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz $75 Domini 2010 comes from an old vineyard site in the Douro Superior district, the warm, dry interior of the river valley, and the grapes are partially fermented in the region s traditional low, open vessels called lagares. It is a smooth, supple red with dark fruit and mineral flavors, rich but harmonious, with what seems like effortless balance. Its grape blend is 45 percent Touriga Nacional, 30 percent Tinta Roriz and 25 percent Touriga Franca. Quinta da Lixa Trajadura, Vinho Verde, Bin #325 Quinta da Lixa 2012 Trajadura Minho, Portugal $40 A pure red-fleshed and red-skinned grape, Vinhão is at once rustic and contemporary. Rugged, tart, and ideal for Ibérico, country jamón, salt cod, and eel, this very chappy red has grape tannins and a medium body with resinous acidity. Blackberry and balsamic flavors add layers of complexity. As it opens up, this glass-staining wine also fleshes out, finishing with a lingering vibrancy. This wine comes from a newly renovated cellar and a producer who is a purist at heart. The Meireles family has added no extra embellishments or unnecessary technology to their operation. Vinhão, famous for its biting acidity and dark, opaque color, is the most widely planted grape in the Vinho Verde/Minho region. The flesh of this dark-skinned grape is red, yielding already tinted juice that darkens further as the must macerates on the tannic skins. DFJ Vinhos Escada Bin #326 DFJ Escada 2007 Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Nacional $60 Want dense tannins? Then this is your wine. Of course it has much more than that. It has mineral-driven stone fruit flavours, a sense of terroir, of restrained power. It also has a serious side, and definite aging potential. Tasting notes from Wine Enthusiast; 92 points. Awarded the #29 Enthusiast wine of

9 Quinta do Fojo FOJO Bin #327 Quinta do Fojo 2000 $110 The 2000 Fojo has already thrown a heavy sediment. It is reasonably deep and the fruit is flavorful, bright and persistent in its flavors, throwing off plums and black cherries. There are astringent tannins on the finish that are initially fierce, then fade as the wine seems to come around quickly, the stress there being on the word seems, as in fact it is rather dumb on opening and in need of a couple of hours to hit its stride. It continues to evolve impressively with air, and the fruit becomes ever more flavorful as it begins to assert itself. It remained rather intense and focused with further aeration. Drink CV-Curriculum Vitae Bin #328 Quinta Vale D. Maria 2004 $105 CV-Curriculum Vitae Douro Reds are incredibly deep coloured, violet, dark red and purple, with a very high concentration of mature dark red fruit aromas, black cherries and plums. The ageing in new oak casks concentrates the original mature tannins of the wine and helps smoothen its power, originating in a very elegant wine with great balance and finesse and a very long and fruity finish. DFJ Vinhos Patamar Reserva Tinto Bin #329 DFJ Vinhos Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz $42 Deep full body red wine, structured with a fruity aroma combined with oak scents. The ageing in oak barrels develops a smoke fragrance that intensifies the pleasure to drink this wine. The end of the tasting is long, velvety, intense and pleasant. Vega Douro Bin #330 DFJ Vinhos $35 This is a firmly structured, dark wine. It has black cherry and berry fruit, a solid core of tannins and tight acidity. With its dense character, there is every chance of this impressive wine aging well, yielding a more rounded wine. Drink from 2016.

10 Caves Messias Dados Reserva Bin #331 Caves Messias 2008 Tinta Roriz (Aragonez) $70 Earthy, savoury nose. Full, sweet and solidly structured fruit with loads of tannin. Appetising and would work well with food. Fresh, balanced and well made. Drink pts. Wine Enthusiast Palestra Douro Bin #332 Palestra 2012 Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca $42 Wine Enthusiast: This wine shows some of the natural tannic structure of the Douro while really bringing out plenty of fruit. It is rich, full of black fruits, ripe berries and elegant acidity. Firm and fruity at the end, it could age until 2016, but is good to drink now. 90 pts. Wine Enthusiast Caves Messias Quinta do Cachão Grande Escolha Bin #333 Caves Messias 2007 Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca $40 Rich, ripe & sweet Douro blend with black berries, jammy dark fruit, cream, nutmeg, spice & toast notes with syrupy texture & mid:back palate. Prats & Symington Chryseia Bin #334 Prats & Symington 2007 Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional $85 Intense vibrant color. Very fine, complex nose, combining the floral character of the Touriga Nacional with fruity notes of black currants and black cherries as well as a hint of toasty bacon. On the palate the wine is sumptuous and sweet. Very long in the mouth with superb concentration, albeit not excessive. A wine of great power whilst also elegant, with a supple and long finish, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

11 Prats & Symington Post Scriptum de Chryseia DOC Bin #335 Prats & Symington 2007 ouriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Roriz. $65 Very young dark purple colour. Ripe nose leading to fresh flavours of cherry and dark fruit with a very discreet note of French oak. In the mouth the wine shows a long structure with very soft tannins. It gives a feeling of freshness and drinkability. The long finish echoes the intensity of the fruit. Ready to drink with a good aging potential. Bruno Prats 14 October 2008 Quinta da Romaneira Reserva Bin #336 Quinta da Romaneira 2008 Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca $90 With its intensely concentrated fruit, wild and delicate aromatic nose, and long fresh finish, it is characterized by the harmony, balance and finesse that are the mark of a great wine. Great profundity, flinty undertones, spicy wild floral nose, voluptuous fruit, powerful structure, great freshness and all in a wonderful balance of harmony. 94 pts. Wine Spectator Quinta da Romaneira Sino da Romaneira Tinto Bin #337 Quinta da Romaneira 2008 Tinta Roriz (Aragonez), Touriga $55 The Sino is a very pretty light delicate expression of the Douro terroir. Floral and spicy with notes of black pepper and rose petals characteristics of the great Douro grape varieties of Touriga and Tinta Roriz. Wellbalanced, smooth and fresh it has a harmonious finish. Quinta da Rosa dourosa Bin #338 Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Roriz. $40 The dourosa red is a typical Douro wine with cherry and herbaceous aromas but with a slightly lighter, more relaxed style was a perfect year for wines where freshness, aroma and elegance were more important than concentration and power.

12 Quinta de La ROSA Reserva Bin #339 Quinta de la Rosa 2008 Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz, $80 A profound, almost opaque colour, this wine has enormous intensity and aromatic complexity with layer upon layer of flavours. Starting with red fruit, moving to black and finishing with wild forest fruit with a touch of spice. On the palate there is a vigour and liveiiness to the wine and, as the aromas suggest, intense complexity and completeness. This is a great reserve wine from Quinta de la Rosa, concentrated and structured but at the same time elegant and balanced. Its equilibrium enables the wine to show well young but at the same time it has an enormous potential for ageing. Caves Messias Quinta do Cachão Reserva Bin #340 Caves Messias Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, and Tinta Barroca $32 Dense, sweet-fruited wine, its delicious black cherry fruits laced with minerality and acidity. The tannins are very present. Quinta do Crasto DOC Bin #341 Quinta do Crasto 346 Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, and Touriga Franca. $85 Deep ruby in color with very ripe red fruit aromas. Very fruity on the palate, with good structure and light tannins which make it a very pleasant wine. Unoaked, it is produced to be a fresh, fruity, easy-to-drink wine 90 pts. Wine Spectator Decanter Nutty, buttery characters on a complex, balanced, mineral palate. Grown on the north bank of the Douro. Quinta do Vale Dona Maria Bin #342 Cristiano van Zeller of Quinta do Noval 2005 Tinta Amarela, Rufete, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Francisca, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousão $80 An elegant, refined yet muscular red that features concentrated aromas and flavors of dark plum, cocoa powder, black olive and slate, supported by lively acidity. The dense, brooding finish features dark chocolate and spice notes that linger with firm, powerful tannins. Best from 2015 through 2021.

13 Quinta do Vallado Douro Tinto Bin #343 Quinta do Vallado Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Sousao $75 This blend is dark red, with crimson highlights and an intense, mature red fruit nose, with hints of violets and esteva (a local Portuguese herb that has sweet, warm balsamic aromas with a hint of earthiness). The palate shows great structure and a full-bodied elegance, with mature, round tannins, leading to a long, persistent finish. Sogevinus Veedha Bin #344 Sogevinus Touriga Nacinoal $36 What the nose shows: Dark chocolate balanced with floral notes on top of wood and berries. It reminded me of a new taste discovery I recently had dark chocolate with liberal amounts of sea salt. The wine wasn t salty, but it was the contrasts that built strong character. The gulp was very consistent with the nose, the dark chocolate came forward and so did the berries and some green vegetable notes joined the party as well. Yet with all those full body descriptors, a lush relaxing freshness swirled around the mouth. Grab this wine and you will see what people are talking about when referring to lush tannins. Adega de Borba Tinto Bin #345 Adega de Borba Trincadeira, Aragonez, and Alicante Bouschet $38 Ruby-coloured with purple gleams, fine, young and fruity aroma with predominance of forest fruit. Smooth, fresh flavour confirming the forest fruit, which persists on the palate. Recommended with red meat and cheese. Adega de Borba Cork Label Bin #346 Adega de Borba Aragonez, Trincadeira, Castelão and Alicante Bouschet $55 Clear aspect and ruby colour with red nuances. The aroma is fine and elegant with notes of black fruits, jam and white chocolate. The flavour is soft, with a slight astringency, and balanced. Tannins are fruity, soft and structured. Elegant finish.

14 Dão Sul Quinta do Encontro Q do E Tinto Bin #347 Dão Sul Baga, Merlot Beiras, Portugal $36 Nose complete with a blend of red & dark berries, some raspberries, boysenberries with hints of of pepper and a little smokiness. Much darker and spicier on the palate some peppery notes combined with layers of berry fruit and nice tannic structure. Quinta de Foz de Arouce Vinhas Velhas de Santa Maria Bin #348 Quinta de Foz de Arouce 2005 Baga Beiras, Portugal $120 A finely perfumed wine, its ripe fruits given extra style by wood aging. Made from the local Baga, this shows the potential of what can be a tannic grape. It has richness, structure, bramble and red stone fruits and a core of minerality. 90 pts. Wine Enthusiast Luis Pato Vinha Velhas Tinto Bin #349 Luis Pato 2010 Bical Beiras, Portugal $70 The 2010 VINHAS VELHAS red is a big uptick in depth and power over its elegant sibling, the Vinha Barrosa. Intense, crisp and quite stunning this year, it is gripping on the finish, silky and impressive. Its structure and acidity should give it a long life ahead, but it has the depth to support those structural items as well.