Friday Sips

"A revolution has been taking place in the vineyards and cellars of Portugal…nothing short of astonishing!" - Jancis Robinson, from her book, "Jancis Robinson Tastes the Best Portuguese Table Wines."

Quinta dos Roques, and its co-owned properties, Quinta do Correio and Quinta das Maias, lead this revolution with high quality wines and innovation in producing the first group of seriously regarded Portuguese varietals that have set the standard for all the rest of the producers and greatly reduced the reliance on often ill-matched field blends. From Portugal's famous Dão region comes this modestly priced red made from native grapes. 80% Jaen (known as Mencia in Spain), 20% Touriga Nacional and chock full of strawberry, mocha, and vibrant cinnamon/spice, this flavorful red wine comes across as a hypothetical blend of Rhône, Southern Italy and Spain but never loses its Portuguese roots.

Portuguese Wine 101: The best Portuguese wines are made from native grapes that can be tongue twisters when trying to pronounce them, but these days, they are well worth the search and to drink. Some of the red grape varietals you come across: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Baga, Tinta Trincadeira, Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Tinta Pinheira, and Encruzado. The best wines in Portugal come from the 19 top wine regions that have earned DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) status. Among the most famous are Porto, Douro, Dão, Madeira, Vino Verde, and Bairrada.

Quinta Dos Roques along with its other properties Quinta das Maias and Quinta do Correio are deftly run by the ever-passionate and energetic Luis Lourenco and are among the leaders and innovators of the new Portugal. The 2007 Reserva was without question one of the finest Portuguese reds that I have tasted over the last several years of seeing various wines from this emerging nation. 55% Touriga Nacional, 20% Alfrocheiro, 15% Jaen, 5% Touriga Nacional & 5% Tinta Cão, this well-integrated red is a real mouthful of delicious excitement!! Loads of individuality and class behind a robe of dense blackberry fruit. Mountain spices, wild flowers, mint and mocha ride along and provide complexity. Rich, full-bodied yet very agile and compelling, this "alive" wine shows impressive texture and breadth of flavor all while maintaining poise. Lots of movement and licorice shine on the finish and sum up the entire experience by letting the taster know that all of the components really work well and do their part from start to finish. A fabulous effort and one that can be drunk now over the next decade.

We often speak about spiritual grapes of any given region like Grenache to Chateauneuf, Nero D’Avola to Sicily or Assyrtiko to Santorini but in central Portugal the grape of wonderment is definitely Touriga Nacional. Not only is this the basis of Port, it is often times the base of many of the dry reds from these areas and Quinta Dos Roques happens to make a tremendous version indeed.

A mountainous wine that certainly has an abundance of beauty and sophistication, Quinta dos Roques Touriga Nacional is a wine that takes you on a journey of the olfactory senses. A forward yet hauntingly intriguing nose of violet and garrigue intermixed with warm notes of licorice, anise, eucalyptus, cocoa, roasted coffee, white pepper and pure deep black cherry makes its presence felt immediately. The complexity and concentration of flavor here coats your palate and lingers for what seems like ten minutes. Ultimately, the magic of this beautiful expression of Touriga Nacional is in the balance between elegance and power. Enjoy with hearty dishes such as roasted lamb shank and rack of venison. Drink now for expanse and range, drink later (2016 - 2022) for expansion and range paired with sensuality.

Blended with Malvasia, Bical, Cerceal and Encruzado, this zippy white wine is akin to doing a cannonball into a cool pool! Provocatively fragrant with bursting aromas of lemon, talc, gerber daisies, and seashells, it is wiry, nervy, very dry and with impressive flavor impact, movement and extension. A magical combination with grilled shrimp, this is one to guzzle by the case.