Portugal

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

This was a new producer for me, but 1970 was an excellent year for vintage Port and they need to be drunk.  Garnet in color with some browning, a bit hazy and dull.  The nose is nice with tart cherries.  A little bit of smoke as well.  On the palate, this is nice but past prime.  Cherries with some alcohol.  A hint of raisins.  OK finish.  Certainly worth drinking and a nice wine to have a small glass of at the end of an evening.  

This is in a great place right now.  Mature but still fresh with good fruit.  Purple/ruby  in color.  The nose has chocolate, cherries, raisins and slight alcohol.  On the palate, the chocolate covered cherries predominate but some raisin and a but underneath char.  slight heat but just barely.  Sweet but not a lot.  Long finish.  No hurry on this, it has a while but at a very pretty stage.  Great on its own, it will work with cheese, or chocolate desserts.

This is an inexpensive Rose that will not be for everyone.  It is sweet and easy and drinks best cold.  Deeper salmon pink in color.  The nose is like watermelon candy.  On the palate, this is like strawberry powdered kids drink.  It is very sweet.  Slightly viscous.  Probably a difficult food match.  For your friends who like sweet pink wines this is an alternative.  Normally, vinho verde has some spritz to it but, at least this bottle, lacked that quality.  

This is a very nice Tawny that, considering it is a 30 year, is a nice value.  Light brown with orange swirls in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some toffee, figs and slight raisin notes.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Viscous.  Enough acidity.  Long finish.  This will, of course, last a long time.  It is great on its own but would work with dried fruit desserts that are not too sweet.  

From a 375ml bottle.  A bit of Port at the end of a nice dinner with a bit of chocolate is a lovely treat.  Since I didn't plan ahead, this was pop and pour and really deserved better, but so it goes.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Even from this format, this bottle was not showing much age at 28 years from vintage.  The nose has cherries, milk chocolate covered raisins and slight dried cranberry notes.  On the palate, this is sweet, but not as much as expected given the producer.  Lively acidity.  Nice cherry fruit.  Some heat on the finish (air will help this).  Probably at its peak

Opened at a 40th birthday party as this was bottle in 1979.  This bottle seemed tired and over the hil but it was pop and pour.  Sometimes, older Port's need a bit kinder treatment.  Perhaps some slow oxidation would have put this in a better place.  Ruby in color.  The nose shows a lot of alcohol but also some dried fruit.  On the palate, this is shrill.  Tart cherries, slight tannins.  Really not pleasurable at this point.  Not sure how representative this bottle is at age 42, but if opening a bottle, it's probably a good idea to check it first and give it time to revive.  

This house makes some great wines that are quite expensive.  This is there base value wine that retails for around $15.  It is a very nice wine for the money as well.  Purple/ruby in color though a bit flat.  The nose has cranberries and boysenberries.  On the palate, the fruit shifts more toward black cherries.  Slight tannins.  Good finish.  Drink over the next five years.  Will work with medium and heavier foods.  

Light brown/ruby in color.  The nose has a lot of volatile acidity and alcohol which is unpleasant.  There is some soy sauce, and a slightly nutty quality as well.  Better on the palate.   Thick texture.  Slightly sweet.  Nutty.  Heat on the finish.  This is for after dinner and food pairings might be a bit difficult.  Perhaps some nuts.  It's possible that this was not a proper bottle or had been mis-stored at some point.  It is not bad, but one would expect a bit more.  

This is a blend of Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira and Cabernet.  Purple /ruby in color.  The nose is warm with black raspberries, raisins, dust and spice.  On the palate, this seems a bit cooler.  Cherries with dry earth.  Its a big fruity wine.  Some warmth on the finish.  There is some complexity here and light tannins.  It will take heartier foods.  These are pretty unique grapes so its not clear how well this ages.  Probably best to drink the next five years.  Still, for around $20, this is a nice value.  

The cork was soaked thru but did not leak.  This drank well.  Not amazing but excellent and correct.  This actually looks more like a tawny that a vintage port (ruby).  Same with the nose.  It is nutty with some raisins.  On the palate, this is sweet.  It is sadly Maderized, but that said, it drinks nicely.  Went well with a Spanish Musicians Tart (lots of dried fruit).  There is hear and alcohol.  Obviously, not what this wine should have been in its youth but it is 55 years old and a fine way to end an evening.