Portugal

• Alentejo
• Bairrada
• Dao
• Douro
• Madeira
• Pico
• Ribatejo
• Vinho Verde

This seems to be about at peak, at least from the 375ml bottle.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with chocolate, raspberries, and slight raisins.  Full bodied.  Sweet.  Viscous.  Complex.  Liquified chocolate covered raisins.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This needs about 30 minutes of air to blow off bottle stink and good to go.  It should easily drink well for another ten years.  great on its own, this will work well with a chocolate dessert.  

This is another very nice value red from Portugal.  Deep garnet in color, ruby at the rim.  Mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries and a dried herbal note.  On the palate, this is medium bodied with good balance.  Tart black cherry fruit.  No hard edges.  This drinks easy.  Nice finish.  This should drink well for the next three to five years.  It will work on its own and go nicely with a burger off the grill.  

This is a white blend of Antão Vaz 40%, Perrum 40%, and Roupeiro 20%.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has golden raisins, slight hay and a bit of citrus.  On the palate, this has a viscous texture.  Nice citrus, lemon balm and some minerality.  Good finish with a bit of lemon candy notes.  This is an easy drinking wine with just enough tang to work on its own or with lighter foods.  It should be consumed voer the next year or two.  

Another great valley in table wine reds from Portugal.  A go to category for exceptional values.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with plums, blueberries and slight black raspberry along with a bit of spice and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, the blueberries come thru along with some black cherries and underlying char and spice.  Good finish.  This could use a bit more cellaring or air, but should drink well for ten to fifteen more years.  It drinks well on its own and will work with grilled foods.  

This was decanted for about 2.5 hours prior to serving.  Very nice showing.  Ruby in color with just slight browning, clear and bright.  The nose shows some age but also some youth left.  Cherries, chocolate covered raisins, and a bit of dust.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has a nice layered complexity.  Drinking mature but not over the hill.  Layers of cherries and cranberries with slight milk chocolate.  Tasty.  This is the kind of Port that is probably better to drink on its own and contemplate life, but it did work well with chocolate tiramisu.  It probably should be consumed in

Portugal is a great source for value in the wine world.  This wine provides exceptional value.  It is a blend of 52% Grand Noir, 33% Trincadeira, 15% Aragonês fermented in clay amphorae.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  the nose is nice with black raspberries, baking spice, dates and slight chocolate.

Decanted for about 6 hours prior to drinking.  This is a good if not great declared vintage.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has milk chocolate, cherries, and raspberries.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is sweet with chocolate covered raisin notes.  Very tasty.  Some complexity.  Solid finish.  This is drinking very well now and should probably be consumed over the next decade though it will certainly have something ot offer after that.  Drinks well on its own, it would work well with a chocolate cake.  

From a 375ml bottle.   At age 20, even from a half bottle, this is drinking great.  No hurry though, especially from a full sized bottle.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with chocolate covered cherries and raisins.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  Slightly viscous.  Lots of cherries cordial candy flavors.  Some warmth if not heat.  Deep and complex, it slowly unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  Delicious on its own, this worked with blue cheese but chocolate is another fine choice.  It will easily last another fifteen to twenty years if well stored.  

The Rare Wine Co.'s Historic Madeira series is an excellent way (and affordable) to sample different styles of Madeira.  This one is iced tea in color.  Partially opaque and bright.  The nose is great with orange peel, slight red berries, and toffee.  Full bodied.