Simon J Woolf
A traditional talha-fermented style, with modern talhas that are lined with the traditional Pez mixture. Fresh rosemary and sage aromas, mixed with earthy, dried apricot fruit. Quite concentrated and bright on the palate, with upfront apricot fruit, some orange zest and again the “sous bois” or earthy character. Supple and rounded, with barely any suggestion
Simon J Woolf
Very pretty perfumed nose with lemon oil, upfront citrus flavours, floral hints. This is a real surprise if you associate Douro with a more hefty style. Super fresh and youthful, with a teeny hint of nuts or bitterness on the finish – a nice touch that keeps things fresh, and takes you back for another
Simon J Woolf
There’s a great big slab of beautiful Trincadeira fruit in this wine – crunchy dark fruit with a hint of sweetness. The tannins are firm but accessible, and overall there’s great balance and drinkability amidst the smoky, dark fruited flavours. The talha fermentation really only makes itself known on the nose, which has a slight
Simon J Woolf
Despite 2014 being a rather fresh year, this wine already feels seriously aged – it’s a bit dusty and clearly evolved, with some baked plum and a bit of christmas spice. There’s a lot of complexity to the nose and the palate. The fruit is tinged with herbal notes, some wax and quite a tangy,
Simon J Woolf
Medieval de Ourém is an almost unique wine style, dating back to a 12th century Cistercian monastery, that was nearly killed off by EU wine law (which typically doesn’t allow quality wines to be a blend of red and white grapes). Red (20%) and white grapes (80%) ferment separately in open barrels, then the part-fermented
Simon J Woolf
As the name suggests, this is a baga grown on calcareous soils. Relatively shy on the nose, but with some swirling you’ll get some crushed blackcurrant and a subtle floral note. Tight, lively and pure-fruited on the attack, with a burst of cassis and bilberry fruit, a bit of iodine and even a lick of
Simon J Woolf
A collaboration between Antonio Marques-da-Cruz (Quinta da Serradinha) and Tiago Teles. The vineyards are rented. Young-vine Castelão from “Quinta da Murta,” a vineyard located eight miles from the Atlantic coast in Montejunto region, north of Lisbon. Fermented with native yeasts in 1000L dornas and then pressed to age in old Burgundy barrels for 11 months.
Simon J Woolf
A collaboration between Antonio Marques-da-Cruz (Quinta da Serradinha) and Tiago Teles. The vineyards are rented. Fermented in cement vats. Untreated 25-y-o vines in Serra de Montejunto. Beguiling nose that suggests candied fruits, marmalade and some crushed flower petals and incense. This is a ripe style with relatively low acidity, but it gets away with it,
Simon J Woolf
A premium oak-fermented field-blend that seems to have evolved a bit faster than one would really like. A bit dusty and vegetal on the nose, with hints of fennel and boiled sweets. There’s plenty of Bical’s more savoury character here, but slightly less of Encruzado’s exuberant fruit and perfume. Although 2015 is the current release
Simon J Woolf
The “Moda Antiga” that’s alluded to here is skin fermentation – so effectively this is a kind of orange Vinho Verde. And a stunningly successful one. Explosive nose that wafts out rose petals, peaches and cream. So fresh on the palate, with lip-smacking Vinho Verde acidity, concentrated apricot and peach fruit and a seasoning of