Luís Pato Vinha Formal 2008

17 / 20

Producer: Luís Pato

Region:Bairrada

Country:Portugal

100% Bical and staged 9 months in oak, this older white - 5 years - is a reminder that the Bairrada is a prime terroir for whites in Portugal.

The nose expresses the wine's age, with dried fruits appearing, along with a glyceric note. But given time, some sweet white fruit also appears and gives it some grace.

In the palate, the wine is a revelation. Although you can definitely tell it's an older white - although the evolution here is very positive - it comes along as imposing. Very structured and deep, austere and precise, the heavier glyceric notes are matched by an impressive dryness. The set results in a remarkable wine that will probably take on some more cellaring.

Casa da Passarella Vinhas Velhas 2008

16 / 20

Producer: Casa da Passarella

Region:Dão

Country:Portugal

Ripe red berries on the nose, along with the usual buckroses and some notes of resin, this traditional blend from old vines in the Dão is a very elegant and worthwhile wine.

Elegant and soft in the palate, with a good, fresh acidity, reminiscent of cherries, this has a really nice structure, helped along by hard tannins, still very present but letting the fruit and flowery notes come forward and rule the taste. As it breathes, it starts becoming more intense, strenghtening the flowery side that persists all the way to the long, persistent ending.

Quinta do Corujão Reserva 2008

15 / 20

Producer:Quinta do Corujão

Region: Dão

Country: Portugal

Interesting nose in this Dão blend, with cocoa and coffee notes, along with jammy blackberries and a slight vegetable/flowery scent.

Less interesting in the palate, coming along as somewhat difuse. The usual fresh acidity from the Dão is here, along with a balanced and elegant feel, but the flavors of the wine seem to be hidden, somewhere in the background.

José de Sousa Mayor 2008

17 / 20

Producer: José Maria da Fonseca

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

A blend containing 65% of Grand Noir (a bit unusual) from Reguengos de Monsaraz, this is a really good Alentejo red from one of the biggest wine making companies in Portugal. Jammy red and black fruits on the nose, with some oak and vanilla notes. There's also a scent of raisins and dried plums, hinting at a very gracious and poised evolution.

Beautifully balanced in the palate, still showing a lot of youth with a good deal of acidity and some tense, lively tannins. Wild red berries dominate the palate, elegantly mixed with toast notes. Takes a while to open up, but after 20 minutes or so in the glass, it reveals its full breadth, textured and complex.

Really good Alentejo.

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.

Herdade do Esporão Syrah 2008

17 / 20

Producer: Herdade do Esporão

Region:Alentejo

Country:Portugal

Part of this year's reconciliation with Syrahs from Alentejo, supported by a great 2-week vacation there, this varietal from the Herdade do Esporão (great wine tourism spot and a lovey restaurant by the way) is a great example of what this grape type can offer in the Alentejo.

Strongly scented, intense and concentrated blackberries predominate in the nose, with oakier notes, some smoke and a hint of tobacco leaves.

Follows suit in the palate, showing a strong, full body where intense black fruit is balanced by an excelent acidity. The round and velvety tannins add complexity and layers to the wine's structure and presence, resulting in a very fulfilling, delightful taste that ends long and persistent - albeit the alcohol feel is maybe a bit too strong.

It's still a very young and powerful wine, so you can definitely wait for it a couple more years. If not, match with strongly flavored foods - went great with a pot-roast pheasant with apples.

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.

Lion's Land Shiraz Pinotage 2008

15.0 / 20

Producer: Lion's Land

Region: Swartland

Country: South Africa

Clear garnet, this is a blend of Shiraz and Pinotage, pinotage being South Africa's signature variety. Apparently, it's a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. I believe this was the first time I tasted a Pinotage wine and I definitely see the link to Pinot Noir, both in the light color of the wine and in some earthy/smoky scents and flavors that I usually associate with Pinot Noir.

The bouquet brings some dried plums and jam, a bit monotone at first. It becomes a little more interesting as it opens, revealing the afore mentioned earth/smoke notes as well as a spicier, peppery side.

The first taste reveals a light body and a good deal of acidity. Surprisingly, I felt a lot more red fruits here than in the nose. As with the nose, as it opens the palate becomes more revealing and the dried plums and jam in the nose also appear here. Lightly structured and with balanced tannins, both the acidity and the spicier, peppery notes give it some interest. Medium length finish wraps up the taste.

Tasted on 2012-10-20

Grand Terroirs Tautavel 2008

16.5 / 20

Producer: Gérard Bertrand

Region: Cotes du Roussillon

Country: France

Very dark to the eye, this Grenache/Syrah/Carignan blend is an enticing, deep and elegant red with the nose very focused on sweet black fruits - blackberries and blackcurrants - and showing caramel and coffee, pepper and a hint of liquorice.

Intense in the palate, with strong black fruit notes expertly mixed with the oak, it comes along as a very balanced wine, with acidity, tannins, fruit and oak all balancing out and creating a really good red.

Tasted on 2012-10-08

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

Aldeias de Juromenha Reserva Syrah 2008

16.0 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Open ruby, the nose is all about berries, blackberries and raspberries, at times coming into the jammy side, but keeping things controlled and balanced. A background of spices/oak keeps it interesting and inviting.

Round, inviting taste with a nicely tuned, average structured body with smooth, velvety tannins and a balanced acidity. Lots of blacberries in the palate again, showcasing the warmth of the Alentejo, it finishes smooth and long.

Tasted on 2012-09-19

Arenae 2008

16.0 / 20

Producer: Adega Regional de Colares

Region: Colares

Country: Portugal

Like the reds from Colares, the white wines from this region are out of the ordinary experiences. There is a definite sense of old world in these wines, maybe caused by the terroir, maybe because of the way the vines are planted deep in sand. Anyway, both red and whites are wines made to be enjoyed some years after the vintage and are pretty much guaranteed to hold up those years.

This white has a beautiful golden color and, although the nose has lost the tropical fruit notes usual in Malvasia, it has started to gain an ejoyable smoky, toasty feel, along with dried almonds, a hint of boiled apples and, to the background, a distinct mineral, rubbery impression. Very interesting and composed, leaving out any kind of excessive fruit.

Soft and light in the palate, it stands its own ground, however, supported by some really interesting grapefruit notes that give it some bitterness and a strong mineral side, that sometimes veers into salty territory - Colares is by the atlantic seaside. Very well balanced, with everything in its place, the ending is medium-length and brings out some more refreshing bitter notes.

Definitely not your average white and a worthy experience.

Tasted on 2012-08-28

Quinta dos Quatro Ventos 2008

16.0 / 20

Producer: Aliança

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

2008 was a very good year in the Douro, producing elegant and hopefully long lived wines, contrasting with the more powerful - but also excellent - 2007. This wine is a good example of the premium wines (around 10€) from that year. Deep extracted garnet, the nose is very balanced and composed, bringing to mind shale, wild bushes, ripe, strong wild red fruits and a touch of oak and toast.

A bit more fruit-forward in the mouth, the wild red and black fruits coming to the foreground, it is a balanced, nicely built wine with a good, fresh acidity and balanced but present tannins. Overall, a sense of balance and elegance permeates the taste all the way to the nice, lengthy finale that leaves discreet cocoa notes in the palate.

Tasted on 2012-08-23

Roquette & Cazes 2008

17.0 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Crasto

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

The 2008 vintage for the result of a Bordeaux-Douro joint venture, this keeps up the great work from previous vintages.

Dark purple in the glass, the nose is an outstanding Douro, pulpy wild berries, loads of flowers, spices in a background of oak and caramel. I was expecting this to be less intense than the 2007 but it's definitely on the same expressive, intense yet balanced level.

The palate follows suit, nicely structured and powerful yet elegant and balanced, with velvety tannins, the impressions of red fruits - raspberries - beautifully matched with the oak, a good level of acidity but all in an approachable, very drinkable package. Long imposing finale that leaves notes of those meaty raspberries lingering for a long time.

Great value for its price tag, and a very good Douro.

Tasted on 2012-07-05

Herdade da Comporta 2008

15.5 / 20

Producer: Herdade da Comporta

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

Dark ruby, this shows quite a closed profile on the nose when poured. Some red fruit, a hint of toast and vanilla, but all very much to the background. It gains momentum with time and those hints start to bloom into notes of red berries jam, nicely scented vanilla and also some darker, blue fruits.

Also very closed in the palate at first, it shows some sweet juicy red berries, nicely balanced with the oak notes. If at start the tannins seem to be too tamed, they actually build up as time goes on, finishing in an imposing fashion, although they never overpower the flavors. As a whole, elegant and balanced although it takes some time to fully reveal itself.

Tasted on 2012-06-28

Dona Mécia Reserva 2008

15.0 / 20

Producer: Divinis

Region: Lisboa

Country: Portugal

Clear ruby in the glass, this red from Ourém, near Fátima but still on the Lisbon DO, shows at first a bouquet where a slightly herbaceous, green feel is mixed with a leathery, rustic aroma. Given time, red fruit - in a jammy, although not overly heavy interpretation - appears and a nice touch of oak/toast that gives it some grace.

Average bodied in the mouth, it also benefits from some breathing time. Starting very tamed and showing the leathery, almost old wine notes it grows with time, red fruits and oak also start to appear in the palate along with the presence of velvety, very present tannins that give it some structure. Good acidity helps it move along to an average length, enjoyable finale.

Tasted on 2012-06-27

Serrana 2008

14.0 / 20

Producer: Agroturismo Serrrana do Olival

Region: Lisboa

Country: Portugal

Light golden to the eye, this white has a discreet, subdued nose where after some time, some green apples appear.

Light bodied in the palate, very soft it shows just a bit of fruit, relying more on a dry, austere approach. Brief persistence, where at first the alcohol shows a bit too strong, but later develops into something a little more interesting, with an interesting dryness. Definitely one to try much younger as this seems to be going downhill.

Tasted on 2012-06-14

Serrana 2008

14.5 / 20

Producer: Agroturismo Serrrana do Olival

Region: Lisboa

Country: Portugal

Coming from Serra de Aires, near Lisbon, this red has an open ruby color and a bouquet where acid red berries and bushes predominate, along with a rustic winery feel where one can feel some evolution.

Lightly structured, sporting tamed tannins - although lively - it shows some nice red fruit notes along with some leathery notes, consistent with the evolution sensed in the nose. Brief, honest ending that again shows signs of red fruits and some leather, this time mixed with a jammy overtone.

Tasted on 2012-06-06

Lobo Roxo 2008

16.0 / 20

Producer: Casa Agrícola Assis Lobo

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

This moscatel roxo from Setúbal comes in an unique and curious packaging, in the same vein as the other bottlings from this producer.

Orange colored, the nose is pretty intense, showing some dried flowers, cedar oil, dried figs and raisins, a touch of honey and a good amount of dried and crystalized oranges.

Feels very structured in the palate, unctuous and sweet but balanced with some more acid and fresh notes. Intense and long finish with honey notes but where the alcohol tends so play up a bit, detracting from the balance and equilibrium this could achieve.

Yet, serve it a little chilled so the slightly high alcohol is not as noticeable and this will be a really nice desert wine or a great company for an after dinner cigar.

Tasted on 2012-05-19

Lobo Mau Castelão / Touriga Nacional Reserva 2008

15.5 / 20

Producer: Casa Agrícola Assis Lobo

Region: Setúbal

Country: Portugal

From a small producer in Palmela, this blend of Castelão and Touriga Nacional is an interesting and gastronomic wine. Clear garnet in color, the bouquet starts with lots of oak, vanilla notes that later open up to some nice dark plums, with the Castelão giving these some intensity and ripeness.

Quite soft and rounded in the palate, showing some nice black fruit notes and a marked, fresh acidity that makes it a very worthwhile wine to partner with food. The oak is also more hidden in the mouth than in the nose, which adds to its food friendliness. Good, fruit-forward but dry ending that has a decent persistence.

Tasted on 2012-05-14