Friday Sips
FRIDAY SIPS
A Portuguese Wine Adventure
Today, Sept. 27 from 1:30 - 6:30
A Portuguese Wine Adventure
Today, Sept. 27 from 1:30 - 6:30
Drop by today to be educated and entertained with four DRY wines (no Port) from one of the world's established yet emerging nations. Three toothsome reds and a crisp white for your sipping pleasure.
2012 QUINTA DO INFANTADO
DOURO TINTO
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE
DOURO TINTO
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE
Renowned for centuries for the production of Port, over the last couple of decades or so, the Douro River Valley has been producing dry red wines and the quality continues to soar. Quinta do Infantado is a small but mighty Port lodge and they happen to produce a dynamite dry red wine.
Like many others these days, Infantado has seen their way to allowing some of their precious indigenous Port varietals (Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz & Touriga Franca) to produce an extremely well-made red that has a complex array of exotic flavors and a captivating mouth-filling texture. Immediately, this red draws you into the glass with ocean-inspired aromas of mineral saline, warm and rich cinnamon laced cherry, dark chocolate and roasted earth. Flavorful and concentrated with blue, red and blackberry, sandalwood and licorice elements all in beautiful harmony. Pure minerally finish, with great freshness, plenty of ripe tannin grip and wonderful polish. Have this well-made juice with full flavored Mediterranean inspired dishes like marinated beef dishes with lots of garlic and spices, or even paella.
Like many others these days, Infantado has seen their way to allowing some of their precious indigenous Port varietals (Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz & Touriga Franca) to produce an extremely well-made red that has a complex array of exotic flavors and a captivating mouth-filling texture. Immediately, this red draws you into the glass with ocean-inspired aromas of mineral saline, warm and rich cinnamon laced cherry, dark chocolate and roasted earth. Flavorful and concentrated with blue, red and blackberry, sandalwood and licorice elements all in beautiful harmony. Pure minerally finish, with great freshness, plenty of ripe tannin grip and wonderful polish. Have this well-made juice with full flavored Mediterranean inspired dishes like marinated beef dishes with lots of garlic and spices, or even paella.
2013 LIUS PATO BAIRRADA
'VINHA PAN'
$29.99 BTL./$359.88 CASE
'VINHA PAN'
$29.99 BTL./$359.88 CASE
Like any wine producing country, Portugal has its resident renegades and eccentric producers. One such is the great and renowned Luis Pato. From his service in the navy to becoming a chemist and working with ceramics, many of the things that he learned are put to use in the family wine business in 1984. The challenge for Pato is the Bairrada region itself with its tricky Atlantic climate and its finicky grape varietal, Bago. Pato has his hand in all aspects of the wines. He does everything himself from making the wines to designing the labels to selling the products worldwide. Each bottle bears an immediately distinguishable feature - a duck in one pose or another, for pato means duck in Portuguese.
Vinha Pan is a steep site that was planted in 1984. Plenty of Atlantic aspects here, but the bottom line is that this wine is certainly well poised with an abundance of character and yet with an enlightened height of smoothness. A mysterious brunette, this red has many twists and turns as well as layered cassis/currant qualities, touches of peppermint, lavender, Eastern spice and cinnamon tones that are layered and well-integrated. The superb finish fans out with an array of herb, spice and turned earth qualities that combine Portugal’s endearing aspects with influences of Bordeaux. Starting to drink exquisitely now and can be cellared and consumed for another 6-8 years as well.
Vinha Pan is a steep site that was planted in 1984. Plenty of Atlantic aspects here, but the bottom line is that this wine is certainly well poised with an abundance of character and yet with an enlightened height of smoothness. A mysterious brunette, this red has many twists and turns as well as layered cassis/currant qualities, touches of peppermint, lavender, Eastern spice and cinnamon tones that are layered and well-integrated. The superb finish fans out with an array of herb, spice and turned earth qualities that combine Portugal’s endearing aspects with influences of Bordeaux. Starting to drink exquisitely now and can be cellared and consumed for another 6-8 years as well.
2015 QUINTA DAS MAIAS
DÃO TINTO
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
DÃO TINTO
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
The Dão region is one of Portugal's most famous and oldest producing areas first being recognized in 1908. Situated south of the Porto region, in Centro Portugal, the red wines here tend to be hearty, assertive and packed with character from its diverse sandy/granitic soils and both maritime and continental climate. The region is home to a dozen indigenous grape varietals but the majority of the reds are made from Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen, Alfrocheiro Preto and Encruzado.
Quinta Das Maias is part of Luis Lourenco’s Quinta dos Roques estate and the philosophy here is to produce wines based on the Jaen grape. 80% Jaen (also known as Mencia in Spain), 20% Touriga Nacional, this mouth-coating number delivers up loads of strawberry, licorice, herbs and coriander. Buxom, yet cerebral, there is a hell of a lot of goodness in the bottle. Chewy and beefy along with plenty of vibrancy to balance it out. Really fine with smoked meats.
Quinta Das Maias is part of Luis Lourenco’s Quinta dos Roques estate and the philosophy here is to produce wines based on the Jaen grape. 80% Jaen (also known as Mencia in Spain), 20% Touriga Nacional, this mouth-coating number delivers up loads of strawberry, licorice, herbs and coriander. Buxom, yet cerebral, there is a hell of a lot of goodness in the bottle. Chewy and beefy along with plenty of vibrancy to balance it out. Really fine with smoked meats.
2015 QUINTA DA AVALEDA ALVARINHO
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
Even though this wine is made in the Vinho Verde region near the Minho River, it is NOT fizzy Vinho Verde. The folks at Aveleda do make fantastic Vinho Verde wines, but we will comment on those at another time.
Known as Alvarinho in Portugal, you can bet if this wine were made across the River in the Rias Baixas region of Spain, and the called Albariño, this wine would sell for $20! So much character in a white wine for so little money, Aveleda's Alvarinho is a mineral bomb! Finely tuned, very direct and jacked with precise, aromatic lemongrass, nectarine and prominent flint and sea smoke. Rich, complex, unoaked, saline-filled and linear, this stuff is crucial for just about any seafood preparation.
Known as Alvarinho in Portugal, you can bet if this wine were made across the River in the Rias Baixas region of Spain, and the called Albariño, this wine would sell for $20! So much character in a white wine for so little money, Aveleda's Alvarinho is a mineral bomb! Finely tuned, very direct and jacked with precise, aromatic lemongrass, nectarine and prominent flint and sea smoke. Rich, complex, unoaked, saline-filled and linear, this stuff is crucial for just about any seafood preparation.
