Sunday 12 February 2012

GRAND’ARTE Alvarinho 2010 – o 9º melhor Best Buy

Em 2011 o 9º melhor Best Buy da Wine Enthusiast é o GRAND’ARTE Alvarinho 2010.

In 2011 the Wine Enthusiast placed GRAND’ARTE Alvarinho 2010 in the 9º on it's Best Buy list.

Notas de prova da Wine Enthusiast: /Tasting notes:

“Full and rounded wine, with touches of toast, pineapple, melon and peach. It’s a fine expression of Alvarinho, keeping the essential fresh structure of the grape while also giving extra weight and richness. - 91”

Link:  Grand'Arte Alvarinho at Vinhoweb.pt

Thursday 2 February 2012

Douro Tasting Report - Eric Asimov New York Times wine critic

THE Douro Valley region of Portugal has so much going in its favor, it’s almost ridiculous.
It has looks. With its rows of terraced vines winding along steep, curvaceous hillsides that rise above the sinuous Douro River on the country’s northern tier, it is one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world.
It has brains. Some of the brightest, most creative minds in the trade make wine in the Douro (pronounced DOH-roo). This is not surprising, given that the region is home to the port business, which, through long years of doldrums, has sent some of those minds scurrying in search of new and different products — namely, table wine.
It has history. Even though Douro is largely a newcomer to the commercial table-wine business — which really got going in the 1990s, and is still sorting itself out — the network of vineyards supplying the port trade goes back centuries, providing the fundamental material for making distinctive wines that speak of the region and nowhere else.
It has grapes, and because of all that history, many are from old, established vines. Portugal, isolated on the Atlantic edge of the Iberian Peninsula, has largely been immune from the pressures of conformity that have led so many historic wine regions to tear out their little-known indigenous red grapes in favor of those popular worldwide.
Instead of cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir, it has port grapes, including touriga nacional, touriga franca, tinta barroca and tinta roriz, which over in Rioja goes by the name tempranillo. Does that make the tinta roriz any less Portuguese? Well, Spain and Portugal share many things, including the Douro River, which across the border is called the Duero, so no, the tinta roriz is no less Portuguese, though perhaps it’s more familiar than the other grapes.
That leaves the wines. The wine panel recently tasted 20 bottles of Douro reds from recent vintages. We like to check in on this fascinating, rapidly evolving region every few years, and our last tasting was more than two years ago. For this one, we brought back the same panel. Florence Fabricant and I were joined by Laura Maniec, proprietor of Corkbuzz Wine Studio, a wine bar and events space, and Byron Bates, general manager and wine director at Isa in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
We all took a great deal of pleasure in our favorite wines. Not surprisingly, the plummy fruit and spice flavors, the good acidity and the occasionally rugged tannins are more than a little reminiscent of port. These distinctive qualities make these wines a welcome step up from, say, malbecs and others in the plush-and-fruity genre of international wines.
At the same time, we had some qualms. We all found a sameness in the wines, a uniformity that seemed to speak more of cautious winemaking than of what Laura called typicity.
“They need more confidence,” she said. “It seems like they’re holding back a bit.”
Florence said the wines were too restrained. “I wanted something wilder and more funky,” she added.
Byron agreed, but also saw a positive, saying the wines seemed more focused and refined than in our last tasting.
I hesitate to play armchair psychologist. The process of discovery is going on right now in the Douro as many producers experiment with different methods and combinations of grapes. A cautious approach is understandable, particularly because many wineries are connected to the various port houses, where conservatism is part of the DNA.
Our 20 bottles were $7 to $87. Generally in lineups like this, the most expensive bottles are easy to single out. You can almost taste the investment: the new oak barrels lending their woody, vanilla sheen; the density, richness and power of the fruit flavors, which come from grapes that have been babied every step of the way. It can all be too much.
In fact, two of the three bottles over $60 did not make the cut. The 2007 Quinta do Vale Meão ($87) was much too oaky and powerfully fruity. It was so dense that I felt as if the producers had tried to cram a case’s worth of wine into a single bottle. The 2009 Quinta do Vallado ($63) was a rare Douro wine made entirely of one grape, the touriga nacional, rather than a blend of many. We liked it better than the more expensive bottle, but it, too, was overly fruity and, frankly, a bit simple.
We also tasted 13 wines that were $25 or less, but only five made our list. Here the issues were different: out-of-control tannins or wines that lacked verve. Yet a $9 bottle — the structured, intriguingly complex 2008 Palestra — was our No. 3 wine and best value.
A $20 bottle, the 2009 Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo (don’t make me write that again!) was our No. 2 choice, a fresh, elegant wine that was juicy and earthy, while a $12 bottle, the 2009 Lavradores de Feitoria was a pleasing combination of exotic fruit flavors and tannic rasp. It was our No. 5 wine.
That left the fine middle ground. We tasted four bottles priced $30 to $46, and liked all of them. These included our No. 1 bottle, the 2008 Niepoort Redoma, a graceful, complex wine that was focused and precise, and the No. 4, the 2008 Domini Plus from José Maria da Fonseca, an earthy, plummy, spicy wine. This may be the most fertile area for the most satisfying Douro wines, where producers can take the steps to ensure top quality without yielding to excess.
The 20 bottles were primarily from the 2009 and 2008 vintages. The two years were different, with ’09 yielding riper, fruitier wines and ’08 those with clearer acidity. Either way, aside from the least expensive bottles, these wines will benefit from a few years of aging to integrate.
All told, the tasting reinforced our notion that the Douro bears close watching. With so much going for it, the potential is enormous.

Tasting Report

Niepoort Douro Redoma Tinto 2008, $45, ***
Graceful, complex and well-balanced, with a spicy, herbal edge to the aromas and flavors of fruit and flowers.

Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Douro QN Colheita tinto 2009, $20, ***
Elegant and fresh with lingering plummy, mineral flavors.

BEST VALUE

Palestra 2008 Douro, $9, ** ½
Pleasing and lightly structured with straightforward herbal and fruit flavors.

José Maria da Fonseca Domini Plus 2008 Douro, $36, ** ½
Earthy flavors of plums and spice with a touch of oak.

Lavradores de Feitoria Lavradores de Feitoria Tinto  2009 Douro, $12, ** ½
Exotic flavors of wild herbs, anise and fruit with dusty tannins.

Sogrape Douro Callabriga 2008, $16, **
Bright flavors of sweet black fruit and oak.

CARM Douro Reserva 2008, $30, **
Rich and perfumed with plenty of ripe fruit and oak.

Quinta do Crasto Quinta do Crasto Reserva Vinhas Velhas 2009 Douro Reserva, $46, **
Plummy, earthy and a touch oaky.

Dow's Douro Vale do Bomfim 2008, $12, **
Rough yet juicy with flavors of red fruit and flowers.

Wine & Soul Douro Pintas 2008, $81, **
Jammy, oaky and powerful; you can taste the money.

Friday 27 January 2012

Novo produto - New product : Meruge Tinto 2008

A Lavradores de Feitoria – projecto único no Douro que reúne 15 produtores, proprietários de 18 quintas distribuídas pelos melhores terroirs do Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo e Douro Superior – lança em Novembro a nova colheita (de 2008) de um dos seus tintos topo de gama, o ‘Meruge’.

Feito a partir de um blend de 80% de Tinta Roriz e 20% de castas diversas provenientes de vinhas velhas, é um DOC de encostas voltadas a Norte, com características do Douro, embora mais suave, elegante e menos encorpado. Com nuances internacionais, é muito equilibrado e promete longevidade.

O ‘Meruge Tinto 2008’ volta a afirmar a sua posição, tendo-lhe sido atribuída uma pontuação de 92/100 pela conceituada crítica de vinhos e jornalista britânica Jancis Robinson. Esta é a quinta colheita deste vinho (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 e 2008) e todas elas atingiram o exigente patamar acima dos 90 pontos.

Também o jornalista Tom Canavan já provou e aprovou o ‘Meruge Tinto 2008’, considerando como um dos “50 Melhores Vinhos Portugueses no Reino Unido”.
Ideal para acompanhar pratos de carne e caça, que nesta época nos começam cada vez mais a acompanhar à mesa, o ‘Meruge Tinto 2008’ apresenta-se com uma bonita cor vermelho rubi, com nuances avermelhadas. O aroma é fresco, muito fino e complexo. Bastante frutado, predominam os aromas a frutos vermelhos, envolvidos por especiarias como tabaco e café, fruto do seu longo estágio em barrica, conferindo-lhe finesse e elegância. Na boca, o ataque é fresco, elegante, saboroso, com taninos presentes mas macios e aveludados, salientando-se o carácter frutado. Muito rico no paladar apresenta uma acidez equilibrada e um final longo e persistente.

A vinificação ocorreu em lagares, bem como em cubas inox, com remontagem automática e controle de temperatura. Após suave esmagamento e sem desengace, a fermentação decorreu com homogeneizações ligeiras e macerações muito controladas, conseguindo-se desta forma uma extracção fenólica e aromática desejada. De seguida, o lote estagiou em barricas novas de carvalho francês, mas sempre com o objectivo de preservar o carácter frutado, característico dos vinhos do Douro. Foi submetido a uma colagem e
filtração antes do engarrafamento.

Link vinhoweb.pt : Mergue Tinto 2008

Saturday 14 January 2012

Caixa do mês / Box of the month - www.vinhoweb.pt


A nova “Caixa do mês” da Vinhoweb inclui 6 garrafas de vinho tinto (Alentejo) de três produtores de qualidade : Adega do Monte Branco, Rui Reguinga & Quinta de S. José de Peramanca.
Vinhos:
Alento Tinto Reserva
Pedra Basta Tinto
Pêra Grave Tinto

Os vinhos são classificados com 16,5 pontos ou melhor.

Link: Caixa do mês

Eng,

Vinhoweb's new "Box of the month" contains 6 bottles of red wine (Alentejo) from three quality producers : Adega do Monte Branco, Rui Reguinga & Quinta de S. José de Peramanca.

Wines:
Alento Tinto Reserva
Pedra Basta Tinto
Pêra Grave Tinto

Wines are rated at 16,5 points or better.

Link: Box of the month

Friday 6 January 2012

QUINTA DO MOURO - notas de prova Robert Parker

O norte-americano Robert Parker, o mais influente crítico de vinhos a nível mundial, avaliou mais de três centenas de vinhos Portugueses de todas as regiões do País. Destacaram-se nos 3 primeiros lugares da prova os seguintes vinhos:

1º Quinta do Mouro Rótulo Dourado 2007, com 96 pontos;

2º Quinta do Mouro Rótulo Dourado 2005, com 95 pontos;

3º Quinta do Mouro 2007, com 94 pontos.

De salientar ainda que na listagem publicada no seu site ( www.erobertparker.com ) a 23 de Dezembro de 2011, todos os vinhos provados da Quinta do Mouro tiveram classificações iguais ou superiores a 90 pontos, nomeadamente:

. Quinta do Mouro 2006 – 90 pontos;

. Quinta do Mouro 2008 – 90/92 pontos;

- Quinta do Mouro Rótulo Dourado 2006 – 90 pontos;

- Quinta do Mouro Rótulo Dourado 2008 – 91/93 pontos.

O Quinta do Mouro, Vinho Regional Alentejano, foi produzido a partir das castas: Aragonez (50%), Alicante Bouschet (30%), Touriga Nacional (10%) e Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). Teve um estágio de 14 meses em barricas de 300L de Carvalho Francês e Português, 50% novas. A produção aproximada de cada uma das colheitas acima pontuadas foi de 25.000 garrafas.

O Quinta do Mouro Rótulo Dourado, Vinho Regional Alentejano, foi produzido a partir das castas: Alicante Bouschet (50%), Aragonez (33%), Touriga Nacional (7%) e Cabernet Sauvignon (10%). Teve um estágio de 18 a 24 meses em barricas novas de Carvalho Francês de 300L. A produção aproximada de cada uma das colheitas acima pontuadas foi de 4.000 garrafas.

“É com grande orgulho que recebemos esta notícia, têm sido muitos anos de trabalho para garantir a produção de vinhos de excelência e elevada qualidade. Este reconhecimento é mais uma prova que em Portugal se faz excelentes vinhos e estabelece a Quinta do Mouro, de forma inequívoca, como referência no mundo dos grandes vinhos”, afirma Miguel Louro, o carismático produtor dos vinhos da Quinta do Mouro. “A Quinta do Mouro pretende manter os elevadíssimos padrões de qualidade, apostar numa constante inovação e investir cada vez mais em mercados internacionais – que já representam, atualmente, cerca de 50% do volume de negócios”, acrescenta.
 
Link: Quinta do Mouro at www.vinhoweb.pt

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Port wine 2007 VINTAGES

Link: Port wine at www.vinhoweb.pt

WINE SPECTATOR, JAMES SUCKLING


Great Vintage Port was made in 2007. I love the combination of power and finesse in these young blackstrap fortified wines. What strikes me is how polished the tannins are. I was spellbound by the top Vintage Ports of my tasting.

100 Dow

98 Quinta do Vesuvio (Capela)

97 Vargellas Vinhas Velhas

96 Graham, Taylor

95 Warre , Niepoort

94 Quinta do Vesuvio, Fonseca

93 Quinta do Noval

92 Vale Meão, Croft, others

91 Sandeman, Offley, others

90 Ferreira, Churchill, many others

ROBERT PARKER, WINE ADVOCATE

There is little doubt that 2007 is a high class vintage… The 2007s have plenty of flesh and succulence which will make them approachable early on… The best have impeccable balance and elegance...

98 Vargellas Vinhas Velhas

97 Graham

95 Taylor

94 Dow, Fonseca, Noval

93 Warre, Niepoort

92 Vesuvio (Capela), Cockburn

91 Vesuvio, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Martinez,

Burmester, Delaforce, Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Tedo,

Duorum, Rozés, Vallegre


RICHARD MAYSON, DECANTER

Richard Mayson is one of the most highly regarded Port tasters in the business. He tasted the 2007 Vintages on 4 separate occasions before announcing his assessment: 2007 is a Symington vintage! The wines have a wonderful purity. The vibrant fruit that is so expressive of the Douro shines through clearly on the nose and palate. The 2007s have a freshness and vivacity that I have not seen at this stage before. 'Elegance' and 'poise' are words that crop up frequently in my tasting notes, particularly among the best wines which
are supported by fine, tight-knit tannins.

19,5 Graham's

19 Dow's, Quinta do Vesúvio Capela, Vargellas Vinha Velha

18,5 Warre’s, Quinta do Vesúvio, Niepoort

17,5 Smith Woodhouse, Noval

17 Gould Campbell, Taylor

16,5 Cockburn’s

JANCIS ROBINSON, FINANCIAL TIMES

Jancis Robinson selected 15 of the 2007 Vintage Ports as her ‘favourites’ at the London tasting where forty-two 2007 Vintage Ports were on show. Symington wines are 7 out of the 15 – nearly half of the ‘top wines’ listed in one of the world’s most influential newspapers. This is really quite a remarkable achievement.

18+ Graham’s, Taylor’s

18 Dow’s, Warre’s, Noval, Fonseca, Niepoort

18- Smith Woodhouse, Vargellas Vinha Velha

17,5+ Quinta do Vesuvio, Pisca

17,5 Capela, Quarles Harris, Broadbent, Vale Meão

JANE MACQUITTY, THE TIMES

A respected wine critic for one of the most widely circulated newspapers in the world
ranks Symington wines on top.
My top wines, Dow’s delicious, dry, polished ’07 and Graham’s silky, rose-scented ’07, are
worth buying now to put away for a decade, perhaps two, before they are ready to drink.
On the next tier comes Noval’s silky red fruit; Vesuvio’s bold, peppery spice; Taylor’s hefty,
floral ’07, and Warre’s robust, blackberry-scented ’07. After that it’s the sweet redcurranty
fruit of Vale Dona Maria’s 07, Ferreira’s fragrant, floral spice, Pocas Quinta de Santa
Bárbara’s peppery grip and Churchill’s Quinta da Gricha’s intense mulberry fruit.


ROY HERSH, FORTHELOVEOFPORT.COM


Port wine expert Roy Hersh recently concluded one of the most comprehensive reviews of the 2007 Vintage Ports, during which he conducted blind tastings of 63 Vintage Ports. Along with the results, Roy also released his TOP 10 list which includes 3 wines from Symington Family Estates - Graham's, Dow's and Warre's.

These are the individual scores:

96+ Graham's “Another pearl in the long strand of fine Vintage Port’s by Graham’s."

97+ Dow's “A stellar Vintage Port from this fine shipper."

96+ Warre's “The best Warre Vintage Port I’ve ever had, at this early stage."

SYMINGTON 2007 VINTAGES ESTABLISH PREMIER LEAGUE (pg 4)

DEREK SMEDLEY, MW

Derek Smedley is a distinguished British wine expert and Master of Wine who began his wine trade career in 1961. He acts as a consultant to a host of UK City institutions and is Co-Chairman of The International Wine Challenge, one of the world’s most prestigious blind tasting competitions.

96-99 Quinta do Vesuvio 2007 Capela Vintage

95-99 Graham's 2007 Vintage

95-98 Warre's 2007 Vintage

95-98 Quinta do Vesuvio 2007 Vintage

93-97 Fonseca 2007 Vintage

93-96 Dow's 2007 Vintage

93-96 Taylor 2007 Vintage

91-94 Quinta do Noval 2007 Vintage

90-93 Smith Woodhouse 2007 Vintage

90-92 Niepoort 2007 Vintage

89-92 Ramos Pinto 2007 Vintage

89-92 Sandeman 2007 Vintage

88-91 Gould Campbell 2007 Vintage

88-91 Croft 2007 Vintage

86-89 Ferreira 2007 Vintage
 

Link: Port wine at www.vinhoweb.pt

Monday 2 January 2012

Novo produto - New product : Duas Pedras Tinto

Cor granada. Aroma intenso e complexo, com notas de fruto preto. Paladar com estrutura mediana, equilibrado, suave e fresco.

Deep red color. Intense and complex aroma with notes of black fruit. On the palate, medium structure, balanced, smooth and fresh.

Link: Duas Pedras - vinhoweb.pt