Tinta Roriz

This is a very interesting red blend from Portugal.  The attractive days harken to the 15th century when Portugal was one of the leading countries exploring the just forming silk route from Europe to the Orient.  This wine is a blend of Tinta Roriz (40%); Baga (40%); and Merlot(20%).  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is very nice with aromas of cherries, slight cranberries, white pepper, chocolate and just a hint of sea air.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  Good balance.  Enough acidity to put it all together.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Flavors of cherr

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.

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.

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.

Portugal continues to supply some of the best red wine values anywhere.  This is a blend of Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz from Portugal.  Carnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has raspberries with some spice and a touch of mint.  Light to medium bodied.  No tannins.  The raspberries continue thru to the palate.  This is  an easy drinking red that is nice on its own and will work just fine with a burger.  Drink over the next few years.

This is and has been a go to value in outstanding wine for a long time now.  The winery makes all different price ranges and this one is in the middle.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, slight black olives, spice and a bit of earthiness.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  It still has light tannins with plenty of black cherry fruit.  Lovely texture.  Nice finish.  It is drinking well but can still probably improve a bit as it gets to peak.  Let's say three to five more years until peak and another ten to twelve of prime drinking after that.  It drinks well

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.