Quinta da Foz 2007

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta da Foz

Region:Douro

Country:Portugal

Intense nose on this red from the Douro, showing some dried plums, a balsamic feel that hints at some evolution and distinct oak/vanilla notes. Later on, some ripe red fruits also join the bouquet.

In the palate, starts by showing a medium structure, controlled acidity with some toast/oak but it gains momentum as it breathes. Fine, velvety but very structured tannins start to emerge giving the wine a lot more structure and depth. Flavors remain focused on the balsamic, oakier side leaving the ripe red fruits more to the background.

Quinta de Arcossó Reserva 2007

16 / 20

Producer: Quinta de Arcossó

Region: Trás-os-Montes

Country: Portugal

The wines from the northmost region in Portugal are relatively unknown, even in Portugal. I can think of one brand coming from there - Valle Pradinhos, although there are some more and I distinctly remember having a really interesting Reserva from one of the Adegas up there a couple of years ago.

This farm is a new enterprise (they started in 2005) and their wines are made by Francisco Montenegro, very well known in the Douro - his Aneto brand is one to check. This particular wine is their reserva (apologies for the back label but for some weird reason the shop where I bought this had not received the front labels yet). The nose is very alive and vibrant, with lots of red wild berries along with toast and coffee. There's no hint of evolution here.

The same youth and vibrancy can be sensed in the mouth, with the wine showing a fresh, vibrant acidity - usual in these regions - in a relatively light weighted body. I was actually expecting greener, spikier tannins but the five years seem to have done their work, taming those tannins down to a round, well behaved and appealing version.

On the whole, I'd say I was expecting a bit more focus in the palate, maybe some more fruit notes, which are in the background here. But it's an interesting wine from an offbeat region, nevertheless.

Duorum Reserva Vinhas Velhas 2007

17 / 20

Producer: Duorum

Region: Douro

Country:Portugal

Pure Douro bouquet, a touch of silex, buckroses, a good deal of black fruits and a lot of oak and spices notes.

Great structure and still feeling quite fresh, the tannins are present, but tamed. At first, it reveals more notes of spices and oaks, but given time some very fresh red berries also appear in the palate. Deep, impositive finale.

Feels very round, surprisingly inviting since it is a Douro from one of its most potent vintages. Give it time, a couple of hours decanting will help it achieve its peak. I'm divided on if it is worth to cellar this anymore or if it is on its best drinking window.

Herdade de Myrtus Reserva 2007

16 / 20

Producer:Jorge Manuel Matos Francisco

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

A blend including Touriga Nacional, this is apparent in the nose from the start with notes of violets and other flowers coming to the foreground. Later, leather and resin appear and, beneath it all, some discreet but well balanced fruit.

Very alive, intense in the palate with notes of sweet red berries, along with a flowery feel - the Touriga again. Oak and caramel complete the taste in a medium structured body with nice, velvety tannins and a good length.

Not a very classical Setúbal, but a worthy wine and a very good buy at 5€.

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.

Conde de Vimioso Reserva 2007

17 / 20

Producer: Falua

Region:Tejo

Country:Portugal

A venture by João Portugal Ramos - very well known for his wines in Estremoz, Alentejo - in the Ribatejo, Falua produces Tejo wines mainly for the international market. This wine is, I think, the top brand of the house and it comes along as a serious, intense wine that will age well for some more years.

Dark garnet to the eye, the nose is very intense although not in a fruit-forward way. Instead, it starts off with some more mineral notes - a hint of shale, then some earthy, mushroom and dried leaves notes and finally opens up to caramel, toast mingled with black berries and plums.

Really good structure in the palate, with some great velvety yet hard tannins and a backbone of fresh acidity that lets the cocoa/chocolate and black fruit fully reveal themselves while keeping the whole set austere and deep. Very good structure without becoming too fat or heavy, this is a really good wine, finishing long with notes of cocoa and spices.

Aldeias da Juromenha Reserva 2007

16.0 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

From near Elvas, in the Alto Alentejo, this ruby-colored reserva has a distinctive Alentejo bouquet, warm and fruit-forward, with nice red fruit notes with a clear acid side along wih oak.

Very inviting in the palate, rounded and with a nice balance between fruit and oak, it shows some quality red fruit, with just the right amount of acidity. Also present is a more vegetable, grassy side - probably from the Cabernet Sauvignon present in the blend, although it is not apparent in the nose. Good, present tannins that mold the wine without imposing themselves on the taste, this has a good, lengthy finale marked by plum notes.

A definite classical Alentejo, very inviting and food-friendly .

Tasted on 2012-09-02

Scala Dei Prior 2007

17.0 / 20

Producer: Cellers de Scala Dei

Region: Priorat

Country: Spain

Deep, dark purple to the eye, this red from the Priorat has an intense, warm nose, at first centered on exotic woods and spices and then revealing a strong ripe black fruit backbone.

Full-bodied, intense and structured as usual with the reds from the Priorat, it shows some hard tannins and a fresh acidity that keeps it from being too heavy. Lots of caramel and cocoa notes in the palate, more present than the fruit notes, although there are some juicy dark plums in the intense, long and hot ending.

A really intense wine that will probably age well for a couple more years.

Tasted on 2012-09-01

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

Moscatel Reserva Venâncio Costa Lima 2007

15.5 / 20

Producer: Venâncio da Costa Lima

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

Lightly colored, a clear amber, this Moscatel from Setúbal has a nice, simple bouquet with dried figs and raisins making up for most of it, although there's a slight medicinal note on the background.

As expected, sweet on the palate, with a lot of honeyed notes, this is not a very heavy, structured Moscatel. Average body and a nice, inviting presence makes it an approachable, easy drinking sweet wine. Has a very nice, long ending.

Tasted on 2012-07-11

Chateau Sainte-Marie Vieilles Vignes 2007

15.0 / 20

Producer: Chateau Sainte-Marie

Region: Entre-Deux-Mers

Country: France

I approached this wine with a bit of caution. Although I liked the 2009 vintage I had tasted a while ago, I did not feel this was a wine made for aging, so at five years old, I was concerned this had long gone downhill.

As I poured it, a deep golden color did nothing to make me more comfortable. On first impact on the nose, a glyceric feel coupled with a lot of boiled pears and apples seemed to hint at a wine past its prime. Fortunately, as time goes by, a nice lime aroma permeates wine and still later, the sauvignon blanc comes forward, with tropical fruits and a touch of vegetable notes.

In the mouth, this is a soft, delicate wine seeming somewhat tired, missing some acidity and freshness. At first, it has a strong citrus feel that, as time goes by, is replaced with some vegetable notes that accompanies the taste till the average length wine that also shows some improvement given breathing time.

Although it was not as evolved as I expected, I would recommend younger vintages if you want to really appreciate this wine, as I found this a bit lacking on acidity and freshness.

Tasted on 2012-06-11

Poeira 2007

18.0 / 20

Producer: Jorge Moreira

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Five years down the road, I thought it was time to start opening up some of the 2007 reds from the Douro. A great vintage by any means, 2007 brought some really powerful, intense wines that needed some time in the bottle to tame down and evolve. Although this particular wine is not known for intensity or power, relying on an amazing sense of grace and balance to deliver a really great taste.

Purple colored, still very dark, the bouquet is enticing, sophisticated and really pleasurable. Flowers and spices, cocoa and notes of chocolate and, as it opens, some really interesting ripe red berries.

Oak and spices start by dominating the palate, later losing some space to cherries. Balanced and elegant, with smooth, silky tannins that are masterfully integrated, seemingly soft but at the same time granting a great structure and complexity to the wine, this finishes long and elegant, bringing out some stronger cherry notes and showing some harder tannins that make me believe this still has a good ageing potential.

Tasted on 2012-06-10

Syrah 24 2007

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Monte de Oiro

Region: Lisboa

Country: Portugal

I really appreciate most of the work José Bento dos Santos has done over the years, both in wines (with Quinta do Monte de Oiro) and in food/gastronomy. So I was really looking forward to tasting this new top super-premium wine from Quinta do Monte de Oiro. Unfortunately, this did not meet my expectations. Maybe I was expecting too much or I failed to understand it or maybe there was just something slightly off with the bottle.

Ruby colored, the nose is very delicate and balanced, showing some spices and discreet ripe fruit, with hints of jam. A nice toast/oaky background wraps up the bouquet.

Delicate in the palate as well, averagely structured, it still has a good, fresh acidity and shows intense red fruits mixed with coffee and some chocolate. Tannins are very balanced, supporting the structure but not enhancing it. Overall, delicate and balanced with a nice, yet average length ending but it feels it's lacking something.

As one can see from the score, this is not a bad wine by any means. But if you compare it with Monte de Oiro Reserva (which sells for roughly half the price of this), I think the Reserva stands out - but that's my taste.

Tasted on 2012-06-07

Quinta do Crasto Vinhas Velhas 2007

17.0 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Crasto

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Lively ruby to the eye, very young and fresh, the nose is expectedly intense, with some caramel and oak at first taking center stage, later replaced by sweet, ripe black fruits along with some violets and rock roses and also a touch of mint on the side. Intense, powerful as one would expect from this Douro.

Insanely structured in the mouth, although the tannins seem very integrated right now, layered with being astringent. Almost chewy, with layers of black fruits mixed with vanilla notes, this is a very balanced wine, although its long and persistent ending sometimes errs too much into the jammy side of things, with some notes of overly ripe fruits.

But still one of the best red Douros at this price range. Great stuff.

Tasted on 2012-04-30

Moscatel Roxo Horácio Simões 2007

16.5 / 20

Producer: Casa Agrícola Horácio Simões

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

This year - 2012 - the city of Palmela is the European City of Wine which is great news for anyone living nearby, since there are a lot of events dedicated to wine where one can taste - and buy - wines from the region. One of the most renowned is the Moscatel Roxo, a rare subtype of Moscatel.

This one, from Horácio Simões, was a good surprise. Starting with the dark amber, almost brown color with some noticeable red tinges and following up with a quite complex, exquisite bouquet, where raisins and dried figs mingle with almonds and hazelnuts with some spices - cloves, maybe - in the background.

Very good presence in the palate, with a delightful full body, filled with honey and dried figs and, unexpectedly for me at least, some present, while tamed and balanced, tannins that give it an edge. I though this was very well balanced, showing on one side some young, edgy and fresh notes and on the other some sweeter, fuller, evolved notes.

Good, intense finish, long and persistent bringing to mind some cocoa amidst the dried figs.

By all means, a dessert wine. Or pair it with a milder cigar.

Tasted on 2012-04-23

Dorna Velha Grande Reserva 2007

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Silval

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

A Touriga Franca varietal, with an intense, purple color, the bouquet on this 2007 is very intense, showing a strong oaky feel, with vanilla and chocolate much to the front, along with very intense ripe blackberries.

In the mouth, it shows a fresh, invigorating acidity that matches the medium-structure body very well. A slight rustic feel actually enhances the taste, that is also marked by ripe fruits and good, live tannins that are still strong. Good, long finish with lots of ripe fruits and some jam.

Good, warm Douro for a reasonable price.

Tasted on 2012-04-22

Sensaciones Reserva Shiraz 2007

15.5 / 20

Producer: Chateau los Boldos

Region: Valle de Rappel

Country: Chile

Ruby on the glass, the nose on this Chilean Shiraz is clearly new world, with a strong vanilla and oak side to it, sharing center stage with a lot of intense ripe fruit, some spices and maybe a hint of flowers. As it breathes, there also appears a vegetable layer, sometimes bringing to mind a new world Cabernet Sauvignon.

Round and fruit-forward in the mouth, it strikes a good balance between a balanced acidity, oak and vanilla and ripe, almost jammy fruit. Strong finish, persistent, with lots of sweet fruit but thankfully a fresher acidity also comes into play, keeping it interesting.

Tasted on 2012-04-11

Borges Dão Reserva 2007

14.5 / 20

Producer: Vinhos Borges

Region: Dão

Country: Portugal

Straw colored, the nose on this white from the Dão is not very expressive, showing a slight vegetable feel, a hint of white fruit, some oaky smoky notes and a glycerine feel that strongly suggests some evolution.

The palate is also not very expressive, showing a balanced, unremarkable acidity in a light body where the distinctive feature is the high dryness and citrus feel. It grows a little with time but it keeps its low profile during the taste all the way to a dry, lemony brief ending.

Tasted on 2012-04-10

Ribeiro Santo Escolha 2007

15.5 / 20

Producer: Carlos Lucas

Region: Dão

Country: Portugal

This white Dão shows an elegant, balanced bouquet where apples mingle with some spices in a very marked mineral background - sometimes approaching some Rieslings with an almost rubbery scent.

Very balanced in the palate as well, with a decent body and a mineral, dry approach that maybe lacks a slightly stronger fruit influence - it feels a bit unidimensional as it is.

Good, lemony ending, cleaning the palate and leaving a pleasant dry feel that lasts for quite some time.

Tasted on 2012-04-04

Chateau Marjosse 2007

15.0 / 20

Producer: Pierre Lurton

Region: Entre-Deux-Mers

Country: France

A blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this french white from Entre-Deux-Mers, near Bordeaux, shows a light golden color, hinting at some evolution.

Discreet cooked apples in the nose, along with a glycerin feel lead the way to an unctuous, fat wine in the palate, with some sweet notes and only a dash of fruit. Balanced acidity keeps it alive throughout the taste that finishes long.

I think this is close to the end of its drinking window. I certainly felt that it could be a bit more lively and fresh. Right now, it is still a pleasurable drink but I don't think that will hold for much longer.

Tasted on 2012-03-25