fourth support of Luis Pato–had forgotten (bad Mike!) him, does make excellent and ageworthy stuff and I also like his Brut.
I have a long weekend in Lisbon in July so loving these recs. Thanks all.
For the wine a mentioned above, are they a lot cheaper in Portugal or similar to US pricing?
I think they are at least some, and sometimes quite a bit a little less expensive. Here are links to two wine lists (the sole two stars in Lisbon), which have some of the wines mentioned, with prices as well. Others should feel free to jump in, of course, if they see something cool on these lists not yet mentioned. And thanks again for all the good and helpful suggestions!
Some of the wines I’ve mentioned are very hard to find in the States. Of those that make it, not too much more expensive in the States.
Caves Sao Joao makes some good sparklers as well. If you ever visit the winery, a warren of stone bins with thousands and thousands of bottles and magnums of wine from the 60’s-70’s-80’s-90’s.
Don’t forget to eat lots of cheese from Serra de Estrela. Also from the Dao but found everywhere. Many Port producers consider it the best cheese to go with their wines.
Thanks, Eric–will do!
Recently had a 1994 Caves São João Cabernet Sauvignon Quinta do Poço do Lobo that was like a comparable mature Bordeaux. Worth searching out.
Reviving this thread to offer notes on what I drank while in Portugal; thanks again to all who provided such helpful guidance.
Loco Restaurant
White
Porta dos Cavaleiros 1998 (Bical, Cerceal e Encruzado) Dao:
Upon opening appeared deep gold and it definitely showed traces of oxidation. This was set off by pear, notable minerality and depth, and a honied finish with some acidity that gave it cut. Got more interesting as it opened in the glass, and matched well with the food.
Red
Quinto Do Mondego 2007 (Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Tinta Roriz e Touriga Nacional) Dao: This was a very pretty, balanced wine—finish a bit clipped; it seemed like a classic Portugese red, great qpr (even in a restaurant) but less of a show stopper than the first. Rich mouth of blackberry and cacao, followed by a nick of tobacco and sweet tannin.
Dessert
Blandy´s Sercial 10 anos Madeira
Don’t drink much Madeira, this makes me wonder why I don’t. Drier than port, with lots going on: dried apricots, almonds, oxidation, but big and round in the mouth, quite satisfying.
BA Winebar
Whites
Casa de Mouraz 1996 (Field blend, including Encruzado, Malvasia Fina and 13 other grapes) Dao: This was lovely, not heavily oxidized; it had distinctive cut with some pear and green apple, and noticeable acidity in the finish that kept it fresh. Very happy with this.
Niepoort Tiara 09 (Códega, Rabigato, Donzelinho, Boal, Cercial and others) Douro: This was a heavier wine, with maybe a little RS. Quite round, some nice florals, finished a little short for my taste. Less minerality and cut than the former. So went to the next fairly fast.
Primado 2014(Encruzado) Dao: Really loved this; nice viscosity, deep white fruit, pear, though also a hint of pineapple. Still on the young side: acid, long finish.
Red
Sidonia de Sousa Baga 2005 (Baga) Barraida: Baga is a descendant or kinsman of nebbiolo, and this expression is a lovely wine. Light on its feet, good florals, similar to Neb, more roses, less tar, some tannin, but by no means a wall. Barolo dialed down a notch with, raspberry rather than cherry fruit. Great quaff—perhaps Baga rather than Nebbiolo should be planted up and down California? Tom Hill?
Mouchao VV 2002 (Alicante Bouschet) Alentejo: This was still way too young, Eric (Ifune) having purchased the sole bottle of the ’92, which nevertheless still appearedon the list. It showed much promise, with rich blueberry notes at the start, something more acidic and peppery followed with maybe a little fig, tailing off into a long and elegant finish. A broad-shouldered wine of character I would like to try again in ten years.
Belcanto
Luis Pato Informal Sparkling Wine NV (Baga) Barraida: Just lovely stuff, like a rose champagne—delicate, without being dilute. The florals and raspberry of the Baga lead in the nose and mouth, with the tiny bubbles and acidity combining nicely in the decently lomg finish. Lovely summer quaffer, if you could find it in the States.
Redoma Vinho Branco 1996(Rabigato, Códega do Larinho, Viosinho, Donzelinho and Gouveio) Douro: This was the best white of the trip. It combined very impressive substance with what seemed like shocking amount of minerality (though maybe that in part came from one the grapes?) Fruit was not lacking, on the white spectrum, peach, aprcot, green apple. Wonderfully stored bottle; we had sent back an earlier suggestion, a 1996 Frei Jaoa as it had seemed to us too oxidative, though the somm said it showed properly.
Quinta de Lemos 2006 (Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Jaen) Dao: This was built along the lines of a somewhat modern Bordeaux. It gave blue and black berry at the start, noticeable cacao, long finish with some minerality, maybe a little tobacco, though little acid. It was lovely, not overdone, and went well with the squab that we requested with our main.
Villa Oeiras Vinhave Vinho Generoso NV (Arinto, Galego Dourado, Ratinho) Carcavelos: This is a dessert wine, made in Carcavelos, not far from Lisbon. Labelled NV, somm said that it was 15 years old. It was magnificent, somewhere between port and vin santo. Hence, a little less sweet and more unctuous than port, with dried apricots accenting the porty flavors. It had noticeable viscosity in the mouth, with a lovely long finish of nuts and spice.
Romario de Baco (Sintra)
White
Viuva Gomes Branco 2017 (Malvasia) Colares/Collares (their spelling): This is quite young and initially somewhat closed, but as it opened showed great promise. Quite dry on the opening, leading with green-apple; the mid-palate is dense with a little spice and the finish supple, long, sneaky with acid and almost oyster shell/salinity.
Red
Viuva Gomes Tinto 2010(Ramisco) Colares/Collares It being lunch, with a steep climb ahead, Unberserker-like, we passed on the the 1931 at an apparently reasonable @250 Euro or 650 ml. For me, this wine when it breathed up in the glass sat between Bordeaux and Burgundy, while remaining wholly its own thing. Nevertheless at first sip it had the dark blackberry of cabernet similar density, but a wonderful aroma and mouthfeel of with violets and other florals in the mid-palate; it just sat in the glass and opened with lovely, very long elegant finish with maybe a touch of strawberry along with the sweet tannin.
Subsequent reflections:
Though late to the party, I concur with those who find Portuguese wines other than port to be the real deal. They are fascinating and complex, capable of giving sensuous pleasure while maintaining intellectual interest, which combination is part of wine’s appeal for me. These wines are also tremendously affordable, making them perfect for those starting out. You could easily build a rich and worthy cellar from them.
For more about the restaurants and wine bars named here, see my post under Travel. BA Wine Bar, fwiw, is a must visit for any beserker/oenophile—essentially a one-person show driven by a passionate, knowledgeable and quirky individual in a neighborhood perhaps the Portuguese equivalent to NYC’s east village.
That sounds wrong. I doubt there are any white Redomas made from red varieties.
That 1931 is one of the most remarkable Portuguese reds I’ve tasted. With any luck one could find it in a Garrafeira Nacional shop at half the price.
Of older Redomas I’ve had only reds and one rosé. I’ve had only a few younger vintages of Redoma Branco and it has been consistently a bit too rich and oaky for my taste, but at the same time showing great potential for development in cellar. It seems to be a great white wine, but also one that seems to call for many years in bottle before the oak notes integrate well enough with the fruit.
The Luis Pato Informal does have an importer, D’Ourovino in Los Angeles. Unfortunately they are quite small and they sell mainly to restaurants (and to the Pennsylvania monopoly!) so sometimes hard to find their wines.
Villa Oeiras is the revitalized estate of the Marquis do Pombal. I like their Carcavelos a lot, both red and white. They do use newish oak, unusual for wood aged fortifieds.