Muros de Melgaço Alvarinho 2011

17 / 20

Producer: Anselmo Mendes Vinhos

Region:Minho

Country:Portugal

Very subtle bouquet, with a strong mineral side, along with some lovely flowery impressions and a drop of an herbaceous, more vegetable note. In the nose, the overall feel is one of austerity and balance.

Impressive in the mouth, feeling very soft at first but quickly building up to a full, long and persistent wine. It's fresh but the acidity is very controlled, there are some more fruit notes than in the nose, but the main drive is the mineral, wet stones side. The oak has been masterfully used here, almost not apparent in the bouquet or in the flavors but giving a great deal of complexity to the wine.

Really good Alvarinho and a great buy at under 20€.

Soalheiro Primeiras Vinhas 2011

17 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Soalheiro

Region:Minho

Country:Portugal

From one of the best - to my view - Alvarinho producers in Minho (and Portugal), this wine is made from the oldest vines in their farm and is a close match to their Reserva - maybe just lacks some of the aging potential the Reserva has, but still great value for the price.

Orange blossom and a slight tropical feel in the nose, complemented by a strong mineral background and some vegetable bitterness - extremely elegant and inviting.

Nicely structured in the palate, intense and long, it shows a very good acidity, with gentle tropical notes mingled with stronger citrus and mineral notes. Finishes very long with the citrus notes to the foreground. Really good balance between structure and freshness results in a very rewarding wine.

Framingham Sauvignon Blanc 2011

16.5 / 20

Producer: Framingham

Region: Marlborough

Country: New Zealand

As usual for the whites from this brand, a lovely, precise New Zealand white.

Very expressive in the nose, showing passion fruit and pineapples without excesses. Very focused, very pure fruit notes that are combined with the greener, more vegetable feel - aspargus and green grass.

The vegetable side seems to take more proeminence in the palate, giving the wine a pleasurable bitterness that goes very well with the tropical fruit background. Intense, with a very good acidity, finishes long and pleasurable.

Riesling Vogelthen 2011

16 / 20

Producer: Soellner

Region:Wagram

Country:Austria

A dry riesling from Austria, this white shows some subtle tropical fruit notes in the nose, along with delicate mineral notes.

In the mouth, these impressions are inverted, with the mineral side of the wine coming more to the foreground, along with a marked citrus, lemony side. Feels very elegant and lively, helped by a slightly bubbly feel.

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.

Dona Helena 2011

15 / 20

Producer: Adega de Pegões

Region: Setúbal

Country:Portugal

A light (both in structure and in alcohol), simple white from Adega de Pegões, near Setúbal, this shows an intense fruit-forward nose, sometime veering into candy territory but managing to keep interesting. There's also a marked citrus feel - notes of orange blossom at first and later even some lemon skin.

Very soft in the palate, it's a simple wine that has a nice, balanced presence. Lots of fruit here, the same candy notes also appearing - but everything backed and balanced by a fresh citrus acidity and a lemony note that helps it gain some interest. Good, simple finish. A good white for the summer or for before meals.

Sonnseit´n Roter Veltliner 2011

16 / 20

Producer: Soellner

Region: Wagram

Country: Austria

Roter veltliner is a grape type indigenous to Austria, introduced there during the era of the Roman Empire. Despite the name, it is not related to Gruner Veltliner, apparently.

Subtle, flowery aromas showing some sweet fruit in a backdrop of minerality - wet stones and rubber.

Very fresh in the palate, soft and well balanced between acidity and sweeter fruit, this is a really refreshing white that feels very light by its own but, when matched with food, reveals a very solid structure. Good, palate cleansing ending with a nice persistence.

Aldeias de Juromenha Verdelho 2011

15 / 20

Producer: Herdade das Aldeias

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Very clear to the eye, this verdelho from near Elvas starts by reminding me of dried fruits, almonds and nuts, which is kind of surprising since I was expecting a much more fruit-forward wine. There's some tropical fruit in there, but it seems to be hiding in the background.

Soft fruit notes appear as the wine fills the mouth, to be replaced mid-length by some pleasant, bitter, lemony notes. Again, the same notes of almonds and nuts are lurking around, giving this an edge. As it heats up, some shy pineapple starts to appear in the back of the mouth.

Very pleasant by itself, but its light structure doesn't stand up to food, even a lightly seared perch fillet.

Geyerhof Grüner Veltliner Hoher Rain 2011

16.5 / 20

Producer: Geyerhof

Region: Kremstal

Country: Austria

Slightly inexpressive in the nose at first, with maybe some notes of white fruit. As it warms and breathes, a slight mineral feel followed by citrus, acid notes appears. The full bouquet is completed by orange blossom and other flowers.

Surprisingly strong and full in the palate, it has a solid presence. Relying very much on citrus notes, it shows a really interesting bitterness, bringing to mind grapefruits, and the associated dryness. Very original and slightly different from the other Grüner Veltliner I've tasted before, the finish is long and dry.

Paired it with an indian dish and it was a very good match for the spices on the dish.

Bétula 2011

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Torgal

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

An equal blend of Sauvignon and Viognier, this white from the Douro has a nice greenish tinge to it and a very delicate, smooth and elegant bouquet where slight tropical fruit notes mingle with sharper citrus impression, orange blossoms and, as it breathes and opens, smooth vegetable notes.

Very smooth in the palate as well, homogeneous and showing a good structure. Some notes of passion fruit appear, along with more herbaceous impressions and a strong mineral backbone. Feeling a bit closed at first, it shows a clear crescendo of intensity as time goes by. Ends very well, dry and with the citrus notes coming to the foreground.

Comparing it with the previous vintages, I think there's a marked evolution towards a more austere approach. Both the oak notes and the tropical fruits were more present in the previous vintages, whereas this one seems to rely even more on the mineral/citrus side. Although I still miss the splendid acidity the 2009 had.

Tasted on 2012-10-14

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

Monsaraz Millennium 2011

15.0 / 20

Producer: CARMIM

Region: Alentejo

Country: Portugal

Predominantly citrus scented at first, there are also some sweet tropical fruits joining the bouquet later.

Soft in the palate, very balanced and easy to drink, it also shows some light citrus notes along with sweet, meaty fruits. Average length on the ending, this would be a good choice to drink by itself by the pool or beach.

Tasted on 2012-08-15

Aveleda Alvarinho 2011

15.5 / 20

Producer: Aveleda

Region: Minho

Country: Portugal

Really lightly colored, almost fully transparent with some green tinges, this Alvarinho has a nicely fresh and intense bouquet, mixing flowery notes - orange blossom - with some tropical fruits - grapefruits and passionfruit.

Light in the palate, although showing some presence, this has a nice fresh feel to it, dry and showing a nicely tuned citrus feel that cleans and refreshes the palate, while showing sweeter tropical fruit. Good, average length finale that enhances even further the citrus, dry approach.

Good Vinho Verde and quite a bargain for its current price.

Tasted on 2012-07-14

Basília Colheita 2011

15.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta da Basília

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

A very fresh white from the Douro, this has a very tropical bouquet, with lots of passion fruits, but it also shows a greener, more acid, citrus side to it.

Fresh and soft in the palate, starting in a sweeter tropical note but changing halfway to a drier, more acid approach, reminding me of grapefruits. Very refreshing, finishes dry and showing a very good length in a citrus dominated finish.

Tasted on 2012-07-08

Vinha da Malhada 2011

15.0 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Montalto

Region: Lisboa

Country: Portugal

With a nice, fresh yellow color with lots of green reflections, the nose on this biological farming white from near Ourém, Fátima is very fresh, with tropical fruits and flowers and a hint of wet stones.

Soft and fresh in the palate, showing a nice amount of fruit in a soft, light body, this is an easy to drink, honest wine. Lightly persistent, this will be a great wine to enjoy by itself by the pool on a lazy summer afternoon.

Tasted on 2012-06-17