Quinta da Fonte Souto 2018 Alicante Bouschet

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$43.00USD

In France and Portugal, you’ll find Alicante Bouschet. But few other countries make it. So to find a stand-alone bottling from the Symington family (best know for their Ports), my interest was piqued. Soft tannins and mild acidity give way to blackberry, blueberry, ripe black cherry, a hint of huckleberry jam, and back notes of sage, wildflower and rose water. Unique unto itself, this is definitely a wine worth seeking out, if for no other reason than you won’t find this grape bottled very often.

NV Graham's 10 Year Old Tawny Porto, Portugal, Wine Review

Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

A very nice ten year Tawny Port.  Ten years is the average age of the wine which is a blend of 50% Touriga Nacional, 25% Touriga Franca, and 25% Tinta Barroca.  Iced tea in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with a nutty quality along with slight chocolate and a bit of Crème brûlée.  Full bodied.  Viscous.  On the palate, this is sweet, not cloying with some alcohol showing (20% abv).  It is complex and deep.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own and will work well with a less sweet dessert.  Something nutty would be ideal, but even a Pecan Roll would work.  So would a Snickers ba

2021 Quinta de Curvos Loureiro Vinho Verde, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

This is a slightly spritzy wine from northwest Portugal.  It is a bit unique for Vinho Verde as it is 100% Laureiro grapes.  Straw colored with just a bit of smallish bubbles showing at the rim, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with a slight floral note, limes and lots of minerality.  Light bodied with a bit of a spritz still showing.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, flavors of limes and slight tangerines with underlying minerality.  Nice finish.  This is very refreshing on its own but is also very food friendly with lighter food.  Soft chesses or Quiche would be nice for brunch or lunch.

1968 D'Oliveiras Madeira Boal, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1968
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$458.00USD

A great showing for this "young" Madeira.  Light brown (the color of Iced tea) in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great.  Dusty with Tootsie Rolls, caramel and orange peel notes.  Full bodied.  Viscous texture.  Great acidity.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Complex.  Delicious.  Chocolate, caramel and slight oranges.  Long, long finish.  This is drinking well and at age 55, it has decades maybe centuries left.  Great on its own, this would work with more savory, plain desserts.  

 

1994 Graham Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1994
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

Stood the bottle up for a couple of weeks.  Decanted for sediment and immediately served.  Purple/black in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with chocolate covered raisins, slight raspberries and a hint of gravel.  Full bodied.  Lightly sweet.  Complex and deep.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Chocolate, raspberries and slight cherries.  Some heat on the long finish.  This is great on its own or would be nice with a chocolate dessert.  Drink over the next decade or so.  

1820 Vanderpool Madeira Wine, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1820
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+

Crazy bottle.  The grapes were the 1820 vintage.  That means James Monroe, one of the USA's Founding Father's was president when these grapes were harvested.  Apparently in 1858 John Vanderpool, and affluent New Yorker has health issues and was advised by his doctor to try a different climate.  On his travels, he stopped on the island of Madeira where he purchased a quantity of this wine and stored it in glass demijohns.  He passed away, survived by his son, Jacob Vanderpoel, who in 1870, had this wine bottles for its 50th anniversary.  Somehow, a bottle made it to northeast Ohio where it w

2016 Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port, Portugal, Oporto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, slight chocolate and a bit of spice.  Medium bodied.  Slightly sweet.  Good acidity.  On the palate, black raspberry and slight blueberry fruit.  Long finish.  Tasty.  This is drinking well on its own and would work nicely with a chocolate dessert.  Drink over the next ten years.  

NV Blandy's Madeira Malmsey 5 Years Old, Portugal, Wine Review

Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$24.00USD

It is nice to drink an inexpensive Madeira.  Iced tea in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with raisins, orange marmalade, molasses, and spice.  Medium bodied.  Slightly sweet.  Viscous.  On the palate, the orange marmalade comes thru along with raisins and nutmeg.  Good acidity.  Some depth.  Nice finish.  A little goes along way.  A few ounces is a nice way to finish a meal or have an evening drink.  An open bottle should easily last a month or more.  Very nice on its own, but this would be nice with a toffee dessert.  

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.  

2009 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

Still very young but drinking well.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has dark chocolate, cherries, dried cherries and slight sandalwood.  Full bodied.  Viscous.  Slightly sweet.  Deep.  Light tannins.  On the palate, dark chocolate covered cherries.  Slight warming on the finish.  This drink well for another twenty years or more.  Nice on its own or would be great with a chocolate dessert.  

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