Casa Burmester Touriga Nacional 2009

16.5 / 20

Producer: Burmester

Region:Douro

Country:Portugal

A really good example of what Touriga Nacional can offer, the bouquet here is very intense, filled with flowery, violet notes along with a strong presence of sweet raspberries. Overall, the nose exposes a very young, powerful wine.

The same impression is conveyed by the palate. Structured and mouth-fiIIing, the flavors gravitate between the same flowery impressions as in the nose joined by a more caramel, sweeter side. A very good acidity helps to keep the taste from becoming too intense. Strong powerful finish that makes the wine linger for a long time in the mouth.

I'd wait a couple more years for this one. It still needs to tame down a bit and I'm curious as to how it will evolve.

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.

Aneto Pinot Noir 2010

16 / 20

Producer: Aneto

Region: Douro

Country:Portugal

The nose on this Pinot from the Douro is somewhat unexpected, showing some sweeter and more intense cherries than you'd expect from a Pinot. There's also a slighty peppery, greenish feel and a touch of cellar that goes away with time. More to the background are some vanilla and coffee/cocoa notes.

More restrained in the palate, combining a seemingly slim and delicate struture with a good, marked persistence, it shows red fruit notes (again, maybe a bit sweeter than expected) and some nice cocoa, toast notes that are more present in the average length but imposing finale. Smooth, round tannins make it alreay enjoyable.

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.

Andreza Grande Reserva 2010

16.5 / 20

Producer: Lua Cheia em Vinhas Velhas

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Essentially fruit forward in the nose, with lots of pineapples and green apples. Very light and fresh, it shows a lot more body in the palate, with the oaky/vanilla notes coming forward and giving it a considerable weight.

A bit unfocused at first, there's a good balance here between the heavier oaky side and a dry, citrus feel. The ending is long and hints at some spices lurking around.

A definite wintery white, that needs to be enjoyed with time - give it some decanting before starting to drink.

Filoco 2009

16 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Filoco

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

A true Douro in the nose, with buckroses, resin and wild flowers backed by intense wild fruits and a oaky feel underneath it all.

Feels very young, almost wild in the palate, showing a fresh acidity and a decent amount of dry tannins. It is not a full-bodied wine, although it has some structure in it, but has a nice length, finishing with wild red berries and strong notes of dark chocolate and cocoa.

Overall, a very young wine that will need some time in the bottle to settle down and grow.

Quinta de Cottas Grande Reserva 2010

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta de Cottas

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

I tasted the reserva 2009 a couple of months ago and really liked it, being one of those very dry whites from the Douro that, for my taste, really develop when staged in oak for some months. I'm not sure if this Grande Reserva is a rebranding or a new top brand, but I liked this one even more, I must say, although they seemed to cut down on the dryness for this vintage.

Greenish tinged, the nose is very complex, penetrating and intense. Strong vegetable notes at first - aspargus, mainly - open up way to a sweeter, vanilla-like scent along with dried almonds, the new oak barrels where this staged having left its mark. Still later on, some white fruit and flowers join the party and make for a very enticing bouquet.

The fresh acidity is a worthwhile match for the heavier, sweeter streak brought on by the oak. On the whole, the wine feels very structured and complex in the palate, the oakier notes making it mouth filling while maintaining a good fresh vibe. I think it just lacks maybe a little more elegance to make it ascend to the next level.

Really good, long finish.

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

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

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

Cottas Reserva 2009

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta de Cottas

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

A blend of typical white Douro grapes, this is a great example of a really good Douro wine, balancing freshness and zest with structure and oak. Light green to the eye, the nose has some smoke, an oaky, almond-like feel and some citrus note. Also present is a mineral, sharp feel that enhances the bouquet.

Feels very dry and fresh on the palate, while at the same time relaying some sense of structure and weight. Elegant and balanced, the almond/oak is very well integrated with the citrus notes, present but not overlapping the acidity and dryness. Really strong ending, with more citrus notes popping up, it comes along as a sharp, expertly made white that will probably age very well.

Tasted on 2012-08-09

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

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

Côtto Grande Escolha 2000

15.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Cotto

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Light garnet with just the slightest hints of brown, this top brand from the Douro - made to last 15/25 years according to the producer - has an old wine bouquet, first with notes of dry leaves, old cupboards and leather, then slowly opening up and showing some jam, notes of cocoa and chocolate but mainly focusing on more tertiary, evolution based notes.

Soft bodied in the palate, relying again on tertiary notes, with cocoa/toast and some leather marking the taste, it still shows a balanced acidity and a nice grip. Well balanced and smooth, it finishes in a medium length style. Overall correct, but it somehow failed to live to its expectations.

Tasted on 2012-06-19

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

Gaivosa Primeiros Anos 2009

15.0 / 20

Producer: Alves de Sousa

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

The second bottling for this Quinta da Gaivosa wine, coming from newly planted vines, this has a nice open ruby color. The nose is somewhat confusing at start, without a clear direction, hinting at dried leaves, surprisingly a bit of leather, then some crushed red fruits. As it opens, it gets more precise, bringing out some peppery notes and violets. There's also a strong hint of curry - the spice - which at times is strong enough to overwhelm the rest of the bouquet.

Becomes a little more consensual in the palate, showing a balanced, average structured wine with some nice fruit coming up, not too ripe and not too acid. Balanced tannins give it some dryness and structure, finishing fruit-forward with an average length.

Tasted on 2012-06-03

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

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

Quinta do Vallado Reserva 2010

16.5 / 20

Producer: Quinta do Vallado

Region: Douro

Country: Portugal

Quinta do Vallado has been consistently referenced in the press due to its red wines, that showcase a very good interpretation of the Douro on all their brands. I was not impressed with the first white I tasted from them some four years ago but things have definitely evolved since then.

Very clear, straw-like yellow in the glass, the nose is at once delicate and intense, with some white fruits, a flowery sensation, a definite subtle, oaky feel that gives it some unctuosity and, finally, a definite mineral background, with some chalk thrown in to wrap up an exquisite bouquet.

On first impact on the palate, this is a dry, austere wine with a precise body, mineral and citrus-like. Later on, some subtle oak notes give it a tad more weight that enhances the precision of the wine and match its fresh acidity. Good, dry ending with lots of lemon notes that linger for quite a while in the mouth.

Tasted on 2012-04-24

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