Quinta do Javali Special Reserve

15.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Javali

Region:Porto

Country:Portugal

This is probably a reserve ruby, although that's not explicit from the label or the info on their site. Very fruit forward on the nose, lots of red sweet morello cherries along with some plums and raisins impressions.

Keeps the same approach in the mouth, revealing itself as a young, lightly structured wine. Pleasant enough, I just felt the spirit was a bit too harsh, the alcohol a little too much in the foreground. But this is probably the profile for their ports, as I felt the same thing with their 10-year old tawny.

For that reason, serve it lightly chilled and it be a good apetizer.

Adega de Pegões Colheita Seleccionada 2011

15.5 / 20

Producer: Adega de Pegões

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

Certainly one of the best valued whites in Portugal, this oak-staged white from near Setúbal has been very consistent in its quality, although I was a bit disappointed with one of the last vintages, since the sweet fruit notes seemed a bit too much.

This vintage showed a better balance, although sweet fruit notes predominate in the nose, along with the slightest impression of oak/toast.

Very pleasant in the palate, full bodied and showing the oak where it staged, sweet fruit notes are also very present, but are balanced by a bitter, lemony aftertaste that keeps the sweetness in check. Strikes a very good balance between this bitterness and the heavier side provided by the oak, it finishes long and persistent.

Still a good bet and one to track down whenever you're in the mood for an affordable, interesting wintery white wine.

J.P.Chenet Cabernet-Syrah 2011

15.5 / 20

Producer: J.P. Chenet

Region:Pays d'Oc

Country:France

Starting out with some notes of green bellpeppers, this later morphs into a very fruit-forward wine, with lots of jammy blackberries appearing in the nose, alongside with some spices.

Very inviting in the palate, a soft, round body with a balanced acidity and soft tannins, the jammy fruit notes are also in the foreground, side by side with a distinct vegetable feel. Correct, medium-length finale.

A very straight-forward, young and slightly sweet wine. Not one to keep for a long time, but pretty enjoyable in its simplicity and youth.

Saurus Barrel Fermented Malbec 2008

15.5 / 20

Producer: Bodega Familia Schroeder

Region: Patagonia

Country: Argentina

I had some good expectations about this, since the other wines I've tasted from this producer from Patagonia had been very enjoyable - I really liked their Select Malbec, for instance.

This particular brand of wines is fermented in the oak barrels (as opposed to aging there after fermentation). I think the goal is to produce a more elegant, constrained Malbec, but overall I felt a little disappointed with it.

The nose felt subdued, hidden, hints of sweet red fruit noticeable in the background, uderneath some unfocused toast notes.

Average structure in the mouth, a good deal of acidity but the flavors also feel hidden, without much expression. The tannins here are still very much to the foreground, maybe overshadowing the rest of the taste. Time gives it more grace in the palate, giving it some more presence, backed by juicy, red fruits.

Could probably benefit from some cellaring or a longer decantation.

Fontanário de Pegões 1998

15.5 / 20

Producer: Adega de Pegões

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

Saw this at the winery shop in a recent visit and decided to take a chance with an older Setúbal wine, mainly made with Castelão - a recent good surprise with a 1999 red from Adega de Palmela gave strength to the notion that Castelão shows well with age, even in wines not made with that goal.

A lot of leather and old cupboards in the nose at first, it gains some strength and life as it breathes, revealing some dried leaves and, surprisingly, a good deal of jammy black fruits - the kind that I associate with Castelão from this region.

Slim and delicate in the palate, as expected for a 14-year old red, it nevertheless feels very alive, with the same notes of jammy black fruit appearing throughout the taste and making it very interesting.

Does not show its age at all and it still holds its own when matched with food.

Casas Brancas Reserva 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: Parras

Region:Alentejo

Country:Portugal

Intense and jammy in the nose, with lots of ripe fruits playing around in the glass, backed by soft oak notes and a more vegetable (probably the Trincadeira coming along), flowery side.

Feels very soft in the palate, showing some vegetable notes amidst the focused ripe fruits. A nice acidity matched by velvety, rounded tannins.

Good balanced ending, not long but showing lots of fruits. A wine made to be enjoyed with food.

Quinta do Sobral Reserva 2010

15.5/ 20

Producer: Quinta do Sobral

Region: Dão

Country: Portugal

Lots of red fruits in the nose of this Dão red, backed by a kind of rustic feeling that goes away with time, bringing to front some nice spices and the flowery notes from the Touriga Nacional.

Fresh acidity in an average structure body, as expected in the Dão, relying more in balance and smoothness than in volume or strength. Fresh and fruit-forward, with some nice notes of oak and cocoa in the medium length ending.

Aldeias de Juromenha Touriga Nacional 2008

15.5 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Bright ruby, the nose is very intense with some flowery notes and lots of ripe, almost jammy red fruits. The bouquet as a whole feels somewhat unvaried, very focused on these jammy notes.

Soft in the palate, with very velvety tannins and a round feel to its half-body structure, this is an enjoyable wine with lots of sweet, ripe blackberries notes.

For my taste, this is a couple of notches below the Syrah these guys make - this Touriga felt a bit out of character. But again, I tend to prefer Tourigas from the Douro or the Dão.

Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage 2007

15.5 / 20

Producer: Niepoort

Region: Porto

Country: Portugal

Bottled a year ago or earlier this year, this Late Bottled Vintage feels very closed.

The nose feels very subdued and disperse, showing some plums and not much else. Later, much later some almonds and dried fruits also show up, along with chemical paper notes.

More expressive in the palate, but also showing some signs of youth, with dry, hard tannins in the foreground, almost hiding the dense sweet fruit that seems to be underneath.

Surprisingly, while showing a lot of structure and density, the finish is somewhat short.

2007 having been a year for very powerful, intense wines from the Douro, it seems this one needs some time in the bottle to soften and become more approachable.

Right now, it's not a very friendly, inviting wine.

Quinta do Cardo Reserva Touriga Nacional 2008

15.5 / 20

Producer: Companhia das Quintas

Region: Beira Interior

Country: Portugal

Dark purple in the glass, this Touriga from the Beira Interior (near Figueira do Castelo Rodrigo) feels very closed both in the nose and in the palate. The bouquet reveals a hint of violets, a touch of intense, concentrated red fruits and a slight impression of mint and assorted plants. At first, a slightly unpleasant animal scent also appears but this clears after a minute or so. It takes a couple of hours for the bouquet

to gain focus and reveal the stronger violet, flowery notes usually associated with Touriga Nacional.

The same closed feeling appears in the palate. The tannins feel very hard and, coupled with a good, fresh acidity, they overshadow the intense red fruit and flowers that can be felt in the background. At this point in time, the medium structure of the wine seems unable to harness both the tannins and the acidity. As it opens and breathes, it mellows and a pleasant sense of flowers comes forward and helps the wine gain a lot.

Definitely one to keep in the cellar for some more years.

Tasted on 2012-09-21

Marquês dos Vales Grace Vineyard 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta dos Vales

Region: Algarve

Country: Portugal

Coming from the Algarve, made with Siria, Malvasia Fina and Arinto, it shows a nice deep yellow color, almost golden.

Intense and open in the nose, with flowery notes and sweet white fruit - lots of apricots and peaches. There's also a sense of minerality here, nicely balancing the sweetness of the fruit.

Surprisingly, it feels very dry in the mouth, with lots of lemon and lime notes, with the corresponding fresh acidity. This dryness nicely cuts through the sweetness of the white fruits, also present in the body. Dry and filled with citrus notes, the ending is medium long, effectively cleaning the palate.

Really good by itself, it lost a bit of focus when matched with a light salmon dish, so I would recommend this by itself.

Tasted on 2012-09-17

CARMIM Alicante Bouschet 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: CARMIM

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Dark ruby, showing meaty and ripe, almost jammy red fruit along with a hint of olives in the well balanced bouquet, supported by nice oaky notes.

In the palate, the vegetable/olive notes come up again, mingled with just the right amount of fruit and a touch of oak. Round, balanced and ready to drink, it has a medium length and finishes with notes of mulberries and jam.

Tasted on 2012-09-13

GP Medieval de Ourém 2011

15.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do montalto

Region: Encostas de Aire

Country: Portugal

This is a peculiar wine from Ourém, near Lisbon, made following the procedures set by the monks of Cister centuries ago. This means that white (80%) and red (20%) grapes are mixed during the winemaking process - being first harvested and treated separately - and that the red grapes spend very little time in contact with their skins, resulting in a lightly colored, fruit-forward wine. Keeping up with the age-old tradition, this wine is fully bio wine.

Apart from all the inherent tradition and winemaking process, this is actually a very pleasant wine, very light in color, but with great red fruit (strawberries come to mind a lot) and some spices notes in the nose.

Soft in the palate, very fresh and fruit-forward, it's backed by a great acidity and verve. Marked by red fruit notes all the way throughout the taste, it has a surprisingly long persistence for its body. The only downside would be that at times it feels a bit unidimensional.

Made to be enjoyed young, it's definitely worth the experience and its acidity makes it a good pairing for traditional dishes, based on olive oil.

Tasted on 2012-08-30

Côtto Grande Escolha 2001

15.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Cotto

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Sporting a clear, lively garnet color, this 11 year old red from the Douro shows some nice aromas, still showing some red fruit jam and dried fruits along with the more usual old wine aromas - old cupboards, the

inside of cigar boxes and dried leaves.

Light body on the palate, with marked tertiary notes, it still show some life - good acidity, for instance - but it fails to live up to the expectations set by the bouquet. While the bouquet hints at some complexity and delicacy, the taste merely reveals a nice older wine, certainly fit enough to be enjoyed, but not showing the complexity and balance I was expecting.

Although it fared better than the 2000 I tasted a couple of months ago, I was expecting more from this.

Tasted on 2012-08-21

Schloss Lieser Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: Thomas Haag

Region: Mosel

Country: Germany

Showing a pale yellow color and some bubbles - that are not at all perceptible on the palate later on -

this Riesling from the Mosel has a bouquet clearly dominated by mineral notes, sometimes recalling sulphur - not to the point of being unpleasant, but the rotten eggs impression is definitely there - other times going into the more familiar rubbery territory. On the background, some slight tropical, sweet notes also appear.

Soft and light in the palate, with a slight sweetness compensated by a crisp, fresh acidity, the body is also very marked by a strong, pleasant minerality with some tropical fruits resulting in a palate cleansing, pleasurable wine. Good, strong and pleasant finish.

Tasted on 2012-08-19

Reserva ACR 2009

15.5 / 20

Producer: Adega Cooperativa do Redondo

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Not very expressive on the nose, this reserve from Adega Cooperativa do Redondo shows some red wild fruits along with some oak and spices notes.

In the palate, it feels fulll bodied, showing a tannic structure, fresh acidity and some marked oak notes. Tasting it by itself, it comes along as a really young wine, needing some bottle time to mellow and mature. It feels more balanced when matched with food, with some nice wild red fruits bubbling up to the foreground while the tannins and the acidity are kept in check by the food - assuming you taste this with an heavy, meat based dish.

Nice persistence that gives up some more fruit notes. Overall, this felt like it needed at least a couple of years in the bottle before being properly appreciated.

Tasted on 2012-08-16

José de Sousa 2007

15.5 / 20

Producer: José Maria da Fonseca

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Tasted in a half-bottle, this red from Reguengos de Monsaraz has the distinctive feature of having been partially aged in some huge clay vases.

Pleasantly ruby to the eye, the nose has some nice wild red berries going, along with a more harder to pin down note - something more vegetable, mint-like.

Nice, average bodied in the palate, with really lively, dry tannins. These tannins, along with a fresh acidity give this a nervy, edgy feel that is very refreshing. Good red wild berries on the palate as well, the fruit being more on the acid side than on the sweeter, the end is average length.

A very gastronomic wine and a wine that will probably age well.

Tasted on 2012-08-11

ACR Syrah 2006

15.5 / 20

Producer: Adega Cooperativa do Redondo

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Clear garnet in the glass, this Syrah starts with a not very enthusiastic bouquet, showing some sweet raspberries and jam, along with a hint of evolution. As it opens, there's a light mint note in there as well.

First impact on the mouth is much more rewarding, with the wine showing a good intensity, soft and polished but still showing a good deal of acidity and a very interesting raspberry and mulberry feel that fills the palate without being too heavy.

Very balanced and sharp all the way to the medium-length finish that shows lots of red berries.

Nicely polished and in a really good drinking window, this was a really nice surprise and a very worthwhile Alentejo Syrah.

Tasted on 2012-08-10

Parus 2010

15.5 / 20

Producer: Herdade da Comporta

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

100% Antão Vaz coming from Herdade da Comporta, this straw-yellow white has a nose dominated by apricots and peaches at first, that are later replaced by some sweeter, more expressive tropical fruits.

Soft in the palate, with a balanced acidity and a fruit-forward approach, with white and tropical fruits to the foreground, along with a background drier citrus feel. Feeling restrained at first, some time in the glass seem to do it good, becoming more open and expressive. Good, lengthy finale that is perhaps too marked by alcohol. At 14%, sometimes the alcohol comes a bit too much to the foreground.

Tasted on 2012-08-08

Quinta do Castelinho Late Bottled Vintage 1994

15.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Castelinho

Region: Porto

Country: Portugal

An older late bottled vintage, this Quinta do Castelinho was made in an excellent year for Port. 1994 was probably the best year for Port Vintage in the last decade of the twentieth century. The color on this LBV showed some signs of age, being a bricky red/orange veering into light brown.

Very old Port on the nose, sweet, yellow sugar, some spices, dried plums and raisins. Correct and pleasant, if not very exciting.

Feels very light and round in the palate, with lots of yellow sugar and honey notes. Although it feels like it has starting to go downhill, it has a good, inviting presence with dried plums and rasins appearing in an ending that still manages to show some life.

I would not wait anymore to start drinking this one.

Tasted on 2012-08-07