The Wine Gang's Tom Cannavan held a trade tasting in Edinburgh recently of his Top 50 Portuguese wines. It took Tom 8 months, many visits and much tasting, to narrow down his selection to 50. He was looking for freshness and elegance and good representation from Portugal's many indigenous grape varieties and wine regions. If you are bored with Bordeaux reds, do try those from the Douro in particular.
Here are the stars of the tasting:
WHITES:
DRY: Esporão Private Selection 2009, £17.95, Great Grog, Edinburgh
A lemony, juicy, buttery white with a hint of oak; made by the talented Australian, David Baverstock.
SWEET: Quinta do Ameal, Special Harvest,2007, £44.99, contact Raymond Reynolds for stockists (www.raymondreynolds.co.uk).
Rather like a vin santo; nutty with hints of apricot and barley sugar.
REDS:
Mouchão 2006, £28.99, Forth Wines, Milnathort
A lovely, spicy, full, fruity red with a long, sappy finish and ripe tannins. Made - surprisingly - with grapes from old Alicante Bouschet vines.
BTT 2009, Luis Pato, £22.99, Raymond Reynolds
An elegant, well-balanced, meaty, stony red, with a touch of mint.
Quinta dos Roques, Touriga Nacional, 2008, £28, Raymond Reynolds
Floral character (violets), some tannin, cherry fruit flavours; very stylish.
Quinta do Portal, Touriga Nacional, 2009, £26,50, Great Grog
Aged for 9 months in new oak; wonderful nose; good acidity; bursting with luscious fruit.
Chryseia 2008, £50, Tanners, Berry Bros & Rudd
A long-time favourite Douro red; inky nose; minerally notes; long and well-balanced.
Pintas 2008, £50, Corney & Barrow
Another Douro red, from a single vineyard and 70-year-old vines; velvet smooth, fragrant; very elegant.
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