PORTUGESE TASTING

PORTUGESE TASTING

Below a range of really interesting off-beat wines that I tasted for a recent article in The Irish Times. Sadly I am limited to four wines each week, so I thought I would include the remainder here. All were tasted blind.

WHITE WINES

Cistus Branco Reserva 2009, Douro
14%
€11.50

Not much on the nose; crisp pithy stone fruits, bone dry with some quince. A pleasant wine with a bit of character. 11/20

Stockists: Mitchell & Son, IFSC and Glasthule. www.mitchellandson.com

Quinta da Lixa 2010, Vinho Verde
11.5%
€9.99

A little fiz when you pour, as is traditional with Vinho Verde; lifted tropical fruit and pear aromas; light crisp and fresh with apple and grapefruit. A mouth-watering wine with lots of zip. This would be great as an aperitif or with slighter seafood. The Muscadet of Portugal? Very good value. 11.5/20

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.

Provia Régia Premium 2010, Bucelas
13%
€12.99

Rich pear and peach aromas, with a touch of bananas too; light, but this carries quite a bit of fruit, ripe peaches shot through with lemon zest and grapefruit; Very stylish fresh wine. 13/20

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.

Morgado de Sta. Catherina Reserva 2008
13.5%
€14.99

Arinto fermented and aged in new French oak. A much deeper colour, with broad spice, cloves and some peach fruits. Good acidity too. This would appeal to those who enjoy oaky wines. I prefer slightly less spice. Good wine though. 12/20

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.

Antão Vaz de Peceguina
13.5%
€17.95

A lightly floral nose; medium-bodied with a nice creamy texture, spiced apples and pears, with lovely clean length. This is a really well-made modern wine, bearing some similarity to a white Burgundy. 14.5/20

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.

RED WINES

Quinta do Cardo, Beria Interior, 2009
13%
€9.99

Is this the Portugese version of Beaujolais? It has light fresh raspberry and redcurrant fruits, tangy and lively, with a dry slightly raspy finish. Different and possibly not a crowd pleaser, but I really enjoyed it with dinner later – it is certainly a food wine. 11.5/20

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.

Grilos 2008 Dão
13%
€11.25

Light violets on the nose; a very good food wine with nice acidity, no real tannins, and pleasant smooth easy dark damson fruits; no huge concentration but an appealing good everyday wine, of the sort I really enjoy. 12.5/20

Wicklow Wine Company info@wicklowwineco.ie 0404 66767 for stockists.

Quinta do Cachão 2009, Douro
14%
€11.30

Relatively light fruits, cooler with good acidity and no rough edges, although a nice earthy savoury touch. This went down very nicely with roast pork for dinner. 11.5/20

Karwig Wines www.karwigwines.ie , email info@karwigwines.ie for local stockists.

Dom Rafael, Mouchão 2009, Vinho Regional Alentejano
14%
€14

Mouchão is one of the historic wineries of Portugal, owned by the Reynolds family since the mid-nineteenth century, (with a brief interlude during the revolution in 1974). The flagship wine, just called Mouchão is serious stuff indeed, and well worth trying out. There are also a few special cuvées which I tasted on a visit there a few years back. The Dom Rafael is made to be drunk earlier. This is a fairly powerful structured wine with serious chewy ripe dark fruits, well-integrated tannins and very good concentration. A great winter wine with real character to serve with stews or red meats. 14/20

Paulo Laureano Clássico 2009, Vinho Regional Alentejano
14.5%
€11.95

This had a funky slightly animal edge to the dark plum aromas and some spice too; on the palate earthy meaty warm fruits and no real tannins. A rustic wine but pleasant with a slight tarriness too. Warming wine and very well-priced too. 12/20

For stockists, contact Mitchell & Son, IFSC and Glasthule. www.mitchellandson.com 01 2302301/01 6125540.

Paulo Laureano Permium 2008, DOC Alentejo
14.5%
€15.95

A medium to full-bodied wine with some new oak, but a nice distinctive cool plum character, nice loose tannic structure; a very well-made wine. There is very good quality fruit on the centre-palate. It opened out, and seemed to take on weight after a while into a fairly big swarthy wine that I really enjoyed. 13/20

For stockists, contact Mitchell & Son, IFSC and Glasthule. www.mitchellandson.com

Herdade dos Grouse Vinho Regional Alentejano
14.5%
€16.99 but on special at €12.99 in Fresh Outlets and La Touche Wines, Greystones

This was very different in style to the other wines; very modern, with svelte ripe rich classy fruits, and plenty of spicy new oak. There is good concentration too and quite noticable alcohol.
A very appealing commercial style, almost Europe meets Australia with a Portugese twist. 13/20

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.

Quinta dos Aciprestes 2007, Douro
14%
€11.99

Savoury blackcurrant and wet-stone on the nose; somehow less structured than I expected, with sweet ripe strawberries, a real earthy maturity, a decent whack of alcohol but it seems in balance. It improved with time, developing a pleasing swarthiness. Nice wine. 12/20

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.

Casa de Santar 2008, Dão
13.5%
€12.95

Light pure dark cherry aromas; a really attractvie wine with clean morello and plum fruits a lovely light acidic kick at the end, good persitence and a dry finish. Yummy.14/20

Wicklow Wine Company info@wicklowwineco.ie 0404 66767 for stockists.

Munda 2008, Dão
14.5%
€27.50

This is serious stuff; warm ripe dark fruits and dark chocolate on the nose. A structured young wine with a masses of tight dark fruits, distinctive dark chocolate, and excellent length. Very nicely balanced, if a bit young. Decant before serving, or keep a year or two, but well worth the money.

Imported by Grace Campbell. Email kevinohara1@eircom.net for local stockists.