As the title reads, it’s about now when it comes to exploring the emerging pleasures of Portugese wine. What's new, oddly enough, comes from old world cultivars who are bringing new light to the uniqueness of the country’s rich viticultural history. Of course Portugal is well-known for its Ports from the Upper Douro, but explore the wonders of the dry table wines and you will discover real gems to make any adventurous enthusiast a believer.
While Spain boasts record wine success, officially tipping the scales as the largest EU growing nation, Portugal boasts the most vines planted per square hectare. Plainly put, grapes grow with abandon throughout all of Portugal! Today, now, marks Portugal's revival as a world-class dry table wine producer. Sure, you might have trouble pronouncing the names of certain native varietals, but get past that and a rewarding palate education awaits. Quality percolates from the everyday values to the reservas, which incorporate reduced-yield, old-vine material at levels comparable to the EU-approved appellations of France, Italy and Spain.
My own rallying cry for Portugal was sparked by the appearance of a unique Douro Tinto featured by my associate Cyrille Hanson in Tales of the Vine, Issue 9. The road less traveled is where I like to be when it comes to new discoveries. The noted wine is the 2003 Domingos Alves de Sousa’s Quinta da Gaivosa ($52, VF 94) from the Douro Valley. If you need comparables, think rock star, high-profile Spanish Priorat meets a meaty Syrah from the Northern Rhone. Domingos Alves de Sousa’s string of accolades is confirmed with this wine. It needs a slot in your cellar alongside other amazing reds and whites from the major Portuguese outposts including Vinho Verde, Dao, Bairrada, Ribatejo and Alentejo. Many of the reds are blends similar to the Quinta da Gaivosa. The finest Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinto Cao and Touriga Nacional are hand-harvested from vines with an average age of over 60 years. The wine benefits from a year in French barriques and another year in the bottle to mellow out the edges.
The light toast on the wine resembles a well-balanced Left Bank Bordeaux with a double identity of sweet tobacco notes commonly found in Port, but it ultimately displays a dry long finish. Dark black fruit of plum dances along hinter notes of chocolate and herbs. This is not an investment opportunity, but rather a banker for the full-bodied, teeth-staining red wine lover. Bring this to a dinner party and you’ll make friends real quick!
I recommend picking up a six-pack of this darling, as a start to further discovery of Portugal. Look for other other show-stopping dry wines from Portugal in the near future on our site. Now is the time to explore the country's several diverse regions, from southeast of Lisbon to the northern outposts along the Minho River bordering Spain.
A great online resource is the ViniPortugal website. Viniportugal is a trade association whose mission is to promote Portuguese wines. Learn more about great producers such as Dow's, Fonseca, Taylor Fladgate & Yeatman, and Quinta do Crasto.