Quinta do Escudial Garrafeira Vinhas Velhas 2006

17 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Escudial

Region:Dão

Country:Portugal

I was really surprised when I tasted this wine in a fair in Lisbon in November. A 6-year old unoaked red wine should taste a little tired, right? It should feel a bit old, maybe?

Well, this didn't. Starting by the color, a vibrant ruby and following up on the aromas, where notes of dried pine leaves mingled with some very alive red wild berries. Later on, the traditional flowery notes also appear in the form of buckroses.

In the palate, the first impact is of a fresh wine, showing some slight notes of leather at first and some alive, yet velvety tannins. It does not show much fruit at first, relying more on leather, a slight metalic feel, tobacco leaves, but as it opens, it reveals an outstanding red fruit and flowery profile that's truly amazing. Deep, long, very elegant and poised, it's a great wine by any standards. The fact that it has not staged in oak just pushes this into another level.

A great example of an old world wine.

Quinta de Termos Reserva Vinhas Velhas 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta dos Termos

Region: Beira Interior

Country: Portugal

Light garnet in the glass, the nose in this wine from the Beira Interior - a region where red wines tend to be hard and edgy - is really interesting and composed. Some notes of evolution at first, then replaced by sweet red fruit, some chocolates notes, all in a very elegant, beautifully aged profile.

Also very soft and tuned in the palate, with notes of cocoa and chocolate to the foreground, this feels like a wine that's at the right spot for drinking. The tannins are smooth and round, the acidity has changed and morphed but the cherries and red berries are still there, very alive. The feeling of precision and elegance carries on the the nice, long finish.

A very old world wine in approach (although this has 20% Syrah, which is not a classical grape for the Beira Interior, or Portugal), this is a really pleasurable wine, made to be enjoyed some years after its harvest and that will probably age well for another couple of years.

Symmetria Best 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Paulo Laureano

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Deeply purple to the eye, the nose on this Alentejo is intense, showing lots of ripe red fruits, some dried plums and raisins and a nice touch of oaky notes.

Good structure on the palate, again showing in first impact some dried fruits that later open to some red fruit. This is matched by cocoa and toast notes from the oak and a good, refreshing acidity.

Lively, very present tannins provide this with an added structure and give it a good presence in the palate, finishing long.

Tasted on 2012-09-04

Quinta dos Carvalhais Alfrocheiro 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Sogrape

Region: Dão

Country: Portugal

Beautifully colored, sporting a dark red, almost purple tone, the bouquet has a nice intensity, with some flowers, a hint of mint and some strong dark fruit (raspberries and plums) notes. Beneath, a background of cocoa and other oaky notes enhances the ensemble.

Feeling delicate and balanced on the palate, still with a really good acidity and with nicely tuned and integrated tannins that help give it structure and layers. It's not a full bodied wine but it manages to mark the taste, with some good notes of dark fruits and some jam. Long, persistent finish that lingers for a long time.

Tasted on 2012-08-17

ACR Touriga Nacional 2006

15.0 / 20

Producer: Adega Cooperativa do Redondo

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Another varietal from Adega Cooperativa do Redondo, this Touriga Nacional has a nice open ruby color and a pleasant nose where ripe red fruit mingle with some oaky notes and, later on, some faint flowery notes also appear.

Also pleasant in the palate, with nice, ripe raspberries, a nice dryness and a balanced acidity, this is a balanced, honest wine, although it feels somewhat tired sometimes. Good average Persistence with notes of red fruits again, but where the usual flowery notes from the Touriga are absent.

Tasted on 2012-08-13

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

Quinta da Casa Amarela Reserva 2006

17.0 / 20

Producer: Quinta da Casa Amarela

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

I think I've been avoiding this wine for the past 5 years or so, ever since it failed to impress me at a dinner in a restaurant in the heart of the Douro. Maybe the bottle was too warm or the night too hot (it was August, after all) or we've just spent the day tasting Ports, but the wine left a negative impression in my mind - not that it was bad, just not good enough for the price tag.

Several years later, a bottle of the 06 vintage found its way into my collection and was dutifully tasted and drank. Nice dark ruby to the eye, the nose is intense, powerful, very Douro like - with flowers, dark fruits, a noticeable oaky feel and a hint of rocks in the background.

Nice, full body with an unctuosity that I usually associate with oak-staged whites - almost buttery, it is very well balanced between dark, ripe fruits, oak and spices, all laid down in firm, velvety and very structured tannins. A sensation of elegance pervades the taste. Good, persistent finish reveals yet another layer of tannins, enhancing the dryness and body of the wine.

Really well made, the only downsides being that there's maybe a little too much alcohol in the end, taking away some of the elegance and I didn't feel it would hold much longer - this is probably due to the vintage.

But anyway, it completely erased past bad experiences and I'm totally open to trying other vintages.

Tasted on 2012-04-26

Symmetria 2006

15.5 / 20

Producer: Paulo Laureano

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Dark garnet, the nose is a bit subdued, first hinting at some evolution and later on giving space to some red berries, although not very expressive.

More expressive on the mouth, where notes of red berries stand out from an average, yet nice, structure with balanced acidity and some finely tuned, round tannins. Pleasant to taste and easy to drink, this finishes in a fruit-forward manner.

Tasted on 2012-03-15

Quinta do Monte d'Oiro Reserva dos Enólogos 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Monte de Oiro

Region: Lisboa

Country: Portugal

A limited edition from this great producer near Alenquer - nearby Lisbon - this red made with Syrah and Petit Verdot has a live, dark ruby color.

The nose starts by showing a lot of oak and toast notes at first, although it's easily perceived that there's much more in the background. As it opens, black cherries and spices start coming to the foreground, strong and intense, while some olives and some mint also pop up here and there.

Average bodied, feeling somewhat tamed but still with some strong tannins, the wine shows good, balanced flavors where ripe dark fruits mingle together with oaky flavors and hints of spices. Nice, medium long finish that brings back the olives and vegetable notes along with spices.

Tasted on 2012-02-23

Julian Reynolds 2006

16.0 / 20

Producer: Gloria Reynolds

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Dark ruby, this Alentejo has an open, scented red fruit nose, with lots of berries going around. In the background, some notes of oak and toast and some smoke hint at the stage in oak.

Also very fruit-forward in the mouth, this has a good, refreshing acidity in a balanced body that, although not very complex, is very inviting and easy to taste.

Nice, balanced finish with lots of sweet red berries wrap up this nice, balanced and very food friendly Alentejo. Good price/quality ratio to boot.

Tasted on 2012-01-04

R.D.R. Dominio Romano 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Bodegas Parés Baltà

Region: Ribera del Duero

Country: Spain

This wine is made in Ribera del Duero by a producer from the Penedés region (near Barcelona). Made with Tinta del País, which I think is Tempranillo, this is a powerful, concentrated and robust wine.

At first, the nose is dominated by toast notes, along with some dried, sweet prunes. As it sits on the glass, it starts to gain warmer, more diverse aromas. Vanilla and other spices come to the foreground, along with ripe black fruit. Somewhere way back, there's also a hint of bellpeppers.

Very structured in the palate, with surprisingly lively tannins that manage not to overshadow the taste. Coupled with a refreshing acidity, this is a very young wine that has a distinctive growth margin. Black fruits also mark the taste, along with some nicely integrated oak/toast notes. In the long ending, some spicier notes also come into play - It brought to mind star anise at some point.

From the youth and power this wine still shows, I would not hesitate to keep some bottles for some years, as it will definitely grow.

Tasted on 2011-11-10

Marqués de Riscal Reserva 2006

16.0 / 20

Producer: Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal

Region: Rioja

Country: Spain

Bright, lively ruby to the eye, this old vines Rioja - mainly Tempranillo with a dash of Graciano and Mazuelo - has a lot of vanilla in the nose, closely followed by ripe cherries, backed by spices, some balsamic and a touch of smoke.

Medium bodied, showing a lot of fruit in the mouth very well balanced with a strong vanilla/oaky feel. Very good acidity, keeping it lively and fresh, and velvety, solid tannins make this a good, solid spanish red. The end of the taste shows some stronger tannins, a bit of leather and keeps up the acid red cherries, forming a very interesting finale.

Tasted on 2011-11-04

Pascal Jolivet Pouilly-Fumé 2006

17.0 / 20

Producer: Pascal Jolivet

Region: Pouilly Fumé

Country: France

I think this was the first Pouilly-Fumé I tasted and it has certainly revealed a whole different world regarding Sauvignon Blanc, being used to more New World approaches.

Light golden, it started by revealing some smoke notes in the nose, maybe some grass on the background along with some boiled white fruits. As it blossoms, a more tropical approach enters the stage, with some passion fruit notes and the vegetable notes gain some strength. Very fresh and alive.

Nice fruit notes in the mouth, revealing a good, structured, very well balanced body. There's a strong mineral component to this that makes it shine, adding layers of taste and structure that still, somehow, do not add any extra weight. Exquisitely balanced, ending in a dry note with lemon impressions, again a strong mineral side - wet rocks - and some vegetable notes in the background, I could still taste it several minutes after the last drop.

Tasted on 2011-08-12

Coma Vella 2006

17.0 / 20

Producer: Mas d'en Gil

Region: Priorat

Country: Spain

Impressive spanish red from the Priorat, the nose is an intense mix of sweet red berries, plums and blackberries, vanilla, spices and very strong notes of chocolate. Very impressive, strong and full without being tiresome.

In the mouth, it shows itself as a full-bodied, heavy wine. Strong and structured, it has chocolate notes which are sustained by a very balanced acidity. Nice, edgy tannins give it an added complexity, but it still manages to convey a sense of elegance and subtlety which is unusual for its weight. Finish is very long, with chocolate notes playfully mingling with red berries.

Tasted on 2011-08-02

Saurus Patagonia Select Malbec 2006

17.0 / 20

Producer: Bodega Familia Schroeder

Region: Patagonia

Country: Argentina

This is an impressive Malbec from the Bodegas Familia Schroeder in Patagonia. I tasted their Select Chardonnay a while ago and was very well impressed, but this Malbec easily tops that.

Really dark colored, the bouquet is intense and strong, showing lots of red wild berries, nice oaky notes, spices and a hint of flowers. Very impressive yet balanced.

In the mouth, quite an impressive structure, layered and still showing a lot of youth. Good, fresh acidity combined with dry tannins and some intense wild berries notes make up a really top taste. Oak is seamlessly joined with the whole set, adding yet some more layers to this. Finishes long with a dry and spiced aftertaste that lingers for a long time.

Very impressive and a great price/quality ratio.

Tasted on 2011-07-13

Quinta do Sanguinhal 2006

15.5 / 20

Producer: Companhia Agrícola do Sanguinhal

Region: Óbidos

Country: Portugal

Bright ruby to the eye, the nose starts by suggesting leather and dried leaves, very similar to an old wine bouquet. Very quickly, these are put to the side and some nice ripe red fruits come to the foreground, along with some vanilla and a hint of chocolate.

The taste shows fresh, not very sweet red fruits, a good deal of acidity and some dry, very present tannins. Not overly structured or layered, the taste is marked by some vegetable and oak notes, with an intense finish that leaves behind an oaky, vanilla impression.

For my taste, I think the tannins were a bit too hard for the structure of the wine but, still, a very interesting wine from a noteworthy, often neglected wine region in Portugal.

Tasted on 2011-07-07

Quinta dos Carvalhais Colheita Seleccionada 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Sogrape

Region: Dão

Country: Portugal

Very rich and complex aromas, ranging from sweet fruit - melon, peach - to dried fruits like almonds, with a buttery, oaky feel in the background.

Full bodied, yet managing to keep some freshness, the first impression in the mouth is of citrus. As the taste progresses, the heavier, fattier, more structured side of the wine takes over. But overall, the wine manages to achieve a nice balance between this heavier, oaky side and the freshness/acidity it still has. Finishes long and dry, with a good persistence.

Tasted on 2011-06-01

Roquette & Cazes 2006

17.0 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Crasto

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

This is the first vintage for a joint venture between the Roquette family from Quinta do Crasto and the Cazes family, from Château Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux. And a very impressive release it is.

Very dark ruby with some violet tinges, the bouquet is very full, very intense with red fruits, a lot of flowers and an oaky background that adds to the complexity of the whole. The bouquet is so rich that I actually changed the glass while tasting this, using a Bordeaux glass in order to give it more space to breathe - it enhanced the wine so I strongly suggest you use larger glasses for this. As times moves on, some toast/coffee notes appear as well as some dried plums and raisins.

In the mouth, this shows a great deal of structure and complexity. It's a full bodied wine, yet it is not heavy in any sense. Polished and silky tannins give it structure and presence, but they are very well integrated so the wine does note feel astringent at all. Nice, balanced acidity, just the enough amount of red fruits going around woven together with some oaky notes make up a really interesting, complex and elegant taste. Strong and long persistence finishes up the taste.

This has a relatively low price tag (around 17€ here in Portugal), making this a real bargain that you should hunt down as soon as possible. The only downside to this is the high alcohol mark (15º). It's really well integrated and does not show during the taste, but a half point or a point less would make this even better.

Tasted on 2011-05-30

Dona Berta Reserva 2006

16.5 / 20

Producer: Hernani Verdelho

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Although this producer's reserve white has been a favorite douro white of mine for some years now, somehow I never got to taste one of their reds until now. And I was pleasantly surprised by it.

Dark ruby, the nose is quite appealing and complex, starting with lots of black fruits and a hint of flowers, with vanilla and quality oak notes in the background, along with other spices. Starting from this quite fruit-forward approach, it then evolves to fudge, cocoa and coffee.

To the palate, the first impression is classical Douro, austere and dry, some black fruit and oak. Tannins are still there, but in an elegant, velvety way that adds structure to the wine. Good acidity helps the taste that finishes medium-long, with notes of black fruit again.

Very food friendly, on the right drinking window, this was a really well made Douro from a very difficult year in the region.

Tasted on 2011-05-06

Chryseia 2006

17.0 / 20

Producer: Prats & Symington

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

The youngest Chryseia I tasted at Oporto in March (I had to leave before the 07 and 08 were tasted), this is a really intense and dark colored wine.

Vigorous and intense in the nose, where the red fruit notes combine with flowers, smokier/toast notes and a background that reminded me of fudge, for some reason. All very fresh and young.

In the mouth, the same feeling of youth. A marvelous structure, a fresh acidity and some lively tannins mark the tasting. Even so, the taste conveys a sense of elegance and sophistication that brings the wine to a high level of quality. Persistence is very long and showing some notes of vanilla.

It will definitely grow in the bottle. Leave it for three or four years - at least - in the cellar. When the tannins tame down and the oak integrates even more in the wine's body, this will be an amazing wine.

Tasted on 2011-04-26