2015 Quinta do Crasto Douro Vinha da Ponte, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

This is a single vineyard wine from Portugal.  It is only made in the best vintages. Garnet in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is expressive with black cherries, black olives, spice and a bit of dark chocolate.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Deep with some complexity.  Black cherries, cherries, slight anise and spice.  Good finish.  This is nice on its own, but better with food.  It worked well with a "Mexican" pizza.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

Dow 2020 Vale do Bomfim DOC Douro Red

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

Dow has a long history with Port wines, but over the last few decades they have been making great strides with still red and white wines. They have consistently produced quality still wines that I have reviewed for several vintages. Their “everyday” red and white wines from Vale do Bomfim - line priced at a mere $15 - are terrific quality for the price. This red, a blend of traditional Port grapes not made into a sweet wine, includes Touriga Nacional (40%), Tina Roriz (30%) and smaller amounts of Tinta Franca and Tinta Barroca.

NV Domaine Netofa Fine Ruby, Israel, Galilee, Wine Review

Score: 
86
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

This is made in the style of a Ruby Port.  Made from Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo grapes.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, cherry candy, and slight raisins.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Cherries and Craisins.  Balance.  Moderate finish.  It was a nice way to end our Passover Seder.  It needs plenty of air at this stage but then drank well.  Nice on its own, this worked nicely with chocolate Macaroons.  

2016 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional Douro, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

This is 100% Touriga Nacional.  Purple in color, slight ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is off a bit with some volatile acidity and a little funk.  Also some chocolate and slight cherry notes.  Medium bodied.  Soft texture.  On the palate, this has cherry fruit.  Easy drinking.  Not much depth.  Clipped finish.  This bottle has no obvious flaws other than perhaps some VA on the nose, and its nice, but should be better.  Not sure if this is a proper bottle.  Worth checking in on.  

Quinta do Vesuvio 2019 Comboio do Vesuvio

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

You may know the Symington family from the wide number of Port wine they produce, but they’ve also excelled at producing still red and white wines for years. Their latest venture, this delicate little wine, is worth looking into. A blend of traditional Port grapes, including Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca, this offers blackberry, blueberry, huckleberry, black cherry with soft notes of strawberry, cocoa, and plum. The wine offers a terrific acidity and being unoaked, it still has a depth of character that many unoaked wines do not.

Six Grapes Reserve Port (NV)

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

As a non-vintage wine, Six Grapes Port does show slight variation from year to year. This offering, with its new label and bottle design is the best NV to date. I have tasted Six Grapes upon its release every year for more than a decade and can attest that it’s moving in a direction that is more comprehensive as a signature wine. This new bottling shows ripe lush and opulent fruit without being overly sweet or cloying. Comprised, not of six grapes but actually eight in this case, the acidity balances out the fruit, the tannic structure balances out the sweetness.

1997 Fonseca Porto Vintage, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1997
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

A bit lighter in style than say the '94 or '00 vintages, but drinking well nevertheless.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries and chocolate covered raisins.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, slightly sweet chocolate covered cherries.  There is a nice depth and complexity.  Drink over the next ten years.  A nice match with a chocolate dessert.  

2019 Herdade do Rocim Touriga Nacional Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is 100% Touriga Nacional.  Raised in large barrels for 11 months. Garnet in color with some magenta swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, violets and slight spice.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Creamy texture.  On the palate, black cherries, slight cough drop note and anise.  Nice finish in which the tannins come out more,  Some warmth,  This is great on its own but would be nice with roasted duck or chicken.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  Great value.

2021 Herdade do Rocim Mariana Rosé, Portugal, Alentejo, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is 60% Touriga Nacional and 40% Aragonez grapes.  Salmon pink in color, clear and bright.  The nose is tight but opens to show orange zest and slight cherries.  Nice slightly oily but creamy texture.  On the palate, quince, cherries and slight herbal note.  Enough acidity to put it all together.  Nice finish.  Very refreshing.  Very nice on its own, this would also work with a Margharita pizza.  Drink over the next few years.  

2016 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional Douro, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

This is 100% Touriga Nacional and only made in the best vintages.  Deep garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, spice and walnuts.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of black raspberry fruit with underlying spice.  Thick tannins.  Long finish.  Great acidity.  Still young, this could use a few more years of cellaring.  Drink over the next ten to twelve.  Great on itss own, this will work well with lamp chops.  

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