Reporting from a smaller tasting we had a year ago where we went through some Buçaco wines made at the Alexandre d’Almeida hotel, Curia palace. In addition to these Buçacos, we had also some extra blinds before and after them - the wines from the Iberian peninsula were part of the original tasting, whereas that slightly out-of-place Frenchie was an extra brought by another attendee.
Although Buçacos are relatively expensive for Portuguese wines - especially for ones that even to this day remain relatively unknown to the larger audience - the wines we tasted in this tasting were just outrageously priced. The prices quoted in my tasting notes are those that the person who arranged the tasting claimed to have paid for the wines - I was quite shocked by these prices as we had just arrived from a visit to the Curia palace a month earlier and basically all the prices I saw in Portugal were almost half of those quoted for us in the tasting. I still have no idea where one would buy wines at those prices and why!
Anyways, before I move on to my notes, here’s the link to our visit to the Curia palace where we tasted a few Buçacos and checked out the winemaking facilities located in the garage / warehouse behind the palace!
- 1995 Casa Ferreirinha Douro Barca Velha - Portugal, Douro (11.6.2024)
Typically a blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinto Cão and Tinta Roriz. The 1995 vintage started off rainy, followed by an otherwise dry spring except for a rainy May. The summer was very hot, resulting in an exceptionally early harvest, beginning already in mid-August. Fermented and macerated in stainless steel tanks and lagares with pigeage. Aged for about 1½ years in new French oak barrels. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Deep and moderately opaque dark ruddy color with an evolved dried-blood hue. The nose feels evolved and rather tertiary with aromas of wizened figs and other dark fruits, dried flowers, some earthy and leathery tones, a little bit of tobacco, light sweet notes of wizened figs and raisiny dark fruits, a hint of juicy dark plum, a touch of dried dill and a whiff of balsamic VA. The wine feels evolved, silky and more or less bone-dry on the palate with a medium body and quite tertiary flavors of dried dates and tobacco, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit and wizened sour cherry, light earthy tones, a hint of salty beef jerky and a touch of something vaguely metallic. The overall feel is still pretty firm and structured with the high acidity and still somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, dry and somewhat grippy with an evolved aftertaste of beef jerky and tobacco, some wizened red plums, light sweet notes of dried dates and raisiny dark fruit, light tertiary notes of soy sauce, a hint of sous-bois and a touch of something metallic.
My guess was 1980's Viña Tondonia. The overall feel was somewhat Rioja-like and quite evolved, both qualities I associate with 1980's Viña Tondonia. Not a bad wine in any way - just nothing that interesting, to be honest. I tasted the wine four years ago and I wrote that it was at its plateau of maturity and it was yet to go downhill, but I couldn't see the wine evolving anywhere but down. Now, I feel the wine has started to go into decline - this was very similar to the bottle I had tasted before, but getting just older, more tertiary and not any better. Time to drink up.
(91 points) - 2017 Alexandre d'Almeida Buçaco Branco Místico - Portugal (11.6.2024)
The debut vintage of the exceedingly rare Místico Branco that is made only in exceptional vintages (the next one is supposed to be 2022). This is the flagship wine of the Buçaco hotel winery, although the wine itself doesn't differ much from the regular Branco Reservado; just like Branco Reservado, this is a blend of Maria Gomes (1/3) and Bical (1/3) from estate vineyards in Bairrada and purchased Encruzado (1/3) from Dão - but with a small addition of Arinto for added acidity and minerality. Fermented and aged for 12 months in four new 300-liter French oak barrels. However, when Branco Reservado is bottled, Místico is first racked off its lees into the used Branco Reservado barrels for 3-4 months, then finally racked back into its original barrels for a few more months. Bottled after 20 months of aging. 13% alcohol. Total production 1200 bottles.
Quite intense yellow-green color. The nose feels rather rich and sweet-toned with aromas of fragrant herbs and honeyed richness, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of fresh red apple, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of honeydew melon, a touch of hay and a whiff of exotic fruit. I was surprised how the nose actually seemed less oaky than the 2016 Branco Reservado I tasted a little while ago. The wine feels youthful and brisk but also surprisingly delicate and understated on the palate with a relatively light body and bright flavors of fresh red apples, some cantaloupe, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, mineral hints of wet rocks and tangy salinity and a touch of chopped aromatic herbs. The high acidity lends great sense of structure, focus and freshness to the wine. The finish is long, brisk and palate-cleansing with a dry, acid-driven aftertaste of fresh red apples, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of stony and saline minerality, light creamy oak tones, a hint of cantaloupe and a touch of hay.
An attractive, youthful and sophisticated Portuguese white - but also surprisingly delicate and even somewhat underwhelming, considering how much more expressive the regular Branco Reservado is. What also surprised me was how well-integrated the oak was, considering the wine was aged in predominantly new oak barrels - I felt the overall flavor profile was less oaky than a similarly aged Branco Reservado. Anyways, I guess the wine is still a mere baby, more than a decade away from its peak, so it's not a wonder that the wine might be somewhat closed at the moment. Seeing how the wine shows good promise for future potential, I can imagine the wine turning quite impressive with additional aging. The price at which the person who brought the wine - 208€ - doesn't really make any sense, but even at its normal price (105-120€) the wine feels pretty expensive for its quality; I guess the price reflects more its rarity than its quality.
(91 points) - 2020 Alexandre d'Almeida Buçaco Rosado Reservado - Portugal (11.6.2024)
100% Baga, primarily from Bairrada, but also some from Dão. Vinified at the Palace Hotel of Buçaco and mainly reserved for the hotel guests - only a small number of bottles get distributed by Niepoort Projectos. Fermented and aged for 12 months in 300-liter oak barrels of 2nd use. 13% alcohol. Annual production approximately 2,000 bottles.
Pale salmon-pink color with a colorless rim. The nose feels a bit restrained yet still wonderfully nuanced with aromas of sweet red apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of wild strawberry, light spicy nuances, a hint of savory wood and a touch of something smoky. The wine feels dry, firm and sinewy on the palate with a medium body and light, maybe a bit neutral flavors of wild strawberries, some fresh yellow apple, light steely mineral notes, a little bit of woody oak spice, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of salinity. The high acidity makes the wine feel very refreshing and lends a rather white wine-like air to it. The finish is firm, brisk and lengthy with a long aftertaste of fresh red apple, some steely and saline mineral notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light woody nuances, red-toned hints of tart redcurrants and brambly raspberries and a touch of zesty citrus fruit.
A wonderfully brisk, fresh and zippy but also maybe a bit neutral rosé that is still a mere baby, coming across as very tightly-wound and somewhat neutral at the moment. However, the wine seems to hold much potential and is already showing lovely sense of nuance and minerality. While now holding back a bit, I'm sure this will turn out to be a beautiful rosé with some additional age. The price at which the person who brought the wine - 107€ - doesn't really make much sense, but at its normal price of 56,95€ this is an excellent purchase.
(91 points) - 2015 Alexandre d'Almeida Buçaco Reservado - Portugal (11.6.2024)
A blend of Baga from the estate vineyards in Bairrada (60-65%) and purchased Touriga Nacional from Dão (35-40%). Fermented and aged for 12-14 months in 300-liter French oak barrels (50% new, 50% once used). 13,5% alcohol. Annual production up to 10,000 bottles, but not made in every vintage. Tasted half-blind with Tinto Reservado Vinha da Mata and Tinto Místico.
Deep, quite opaque and slightly evolved blackish-red color with a thin blood-red rim. The nose feels a bit understated yet quite nuanced and attractive with aromas of assorted dark fruits, some leathery tones, a little bit of ripe black raspberry, light notes of tobacco, woody hints of oak and a touch of crunchy redcurrant. The wine feels ripe, firm and pretty much bone-dry on the palate with a moderately full body and vibrant flavors of black cherries and crunchy redcurrants, some ferrous bloody tones, a little bit of tobacco, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a faint sweeter touch of wizened dark fruits. The overall feel is sinewy and quite muscular, thanks to the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, long and grippy with a savory aftertaste of sour cherries and tobacco, some tart lingonberry, light ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of leathery funk, a hint of meaty umami and a woody touch of savory oak spice.
A tasty, firm and wonderfully structure-driven wine that feels relatively similar to a Viña Tondonia Reserva - only with a Portuguese, somewhat more structure-driven overall feel. I was expecting the single-vineyard version (Vinha da Mata) to be more impressive and structured wine, but when the bottles were revealed, it was this regular bottling that turned out to be the slightly more intensely-flavored and structured wine; this was a "Bordeaux" to Vinha da Mata's more Burgundian expression. While both the wines were very lovely, I preferred this regular version a tiny bit more. The price at which the person who brought the wine - 107€ - is getting a tad steep, but at its normal price (55€) this is great value.
(94 points) - 2015 Alexandre d'Almeida Buçaco Reservado VM - Portugal (11.6.2024)
A special single-vineyard version of Tinto Reservado, made only in special vintages. The only way to differentiate the bottle from the regular Reservado is with the tiny white sticker in front that says "VM" and a larger stamp saying "VM" in the back label. A blend of Baga (70%) and Touriga Nacional (30%) sourced exclusively from Vinha da Mata ("VM"), which is a small vineyard located very close to the Hotel da Curia. Otherwise the wine is quite identical to the standard Tinto Reservado. 14% alcohol. Tasted half-blind with Tinto Reservado and Tinto Místico.
Deep, quite opaque and slightly evolved blackish-red color with a thin blood-red rim. The nose feels brooding and somewhat sweet-toned with dark, juicy fruits and old leather, some wizened plummy fruit, light notes of elderberry juice, a little bit of loose tobacco, a hint of peppery spice, a touch of smoky and toasty character and a whiff of cassis. The wine feels surprisingly silky and supple for a Buçaco red with a medium body and vibrant, umami-rich flavors of fresh blackcurrants and tart lingonberries, some fresh red plum notes, a little bit of loose tobacco, light stony mineral notes, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine is rather high in acidity with ripe medium tannins. The finish is dry, savory and gently grippy with a long aftertaste of tart lingonberries and crunchy redcurrants, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of ripe blackcurrant.
I was a bit surprised; I was expecting a single-vineyard version of Buçaco Reservado (with a higher proportion of Baga) to come across as leaner, more aggressive and tannic, but instead this felt like a Burgundy to the regular Reservado's more Bordeaux-like character. Very nuanced and somehow open-knit, yet not particularly expressive or showy. Although showing a tiny bit of age, the wine is still quite youthful and most likely it will continue to age and improve for at least another decade, maybe two. The price at which the person who brought the wine - 175€ - doesn't really make sense, and even at its normal price (115€) the wine feels a tad pricey for its quality.
(93 points) - 2017 Alexandre d'Almeida Buçaco Tinto Místico - Portugal (11.6.2024)
This is the flagship red of the Almeida hotels, made only in good vintages. It is a blend of Baga from the estate vineyards in Bairrada (70%) and purchased Touriga Nacional from Dão (30%). Fermented and aged for 20-22 months in 300-liter French oak barrels (50% new, 50% once used). 14,5% alcohol. Tasted half-blind with Tinto Reservado Vinha da Mata and Tinto Reservado.
Deep, concentrated and dark black cherry color that stains the glass when you swirl the wine around. The nose feels open, expressive and somewhat polished with sweet aromas of ripe dark berries and sweet, toasty oak spice, some meaty tones, a little bit of fresh blueberry, light black cherry nuances, a chocolatey hint of mocha oak, a floral touch of elderflower and a whiff of juicy, plummy fruit. The wine feels ripe yet bone-dry on the palate with a rather full body and somewhat polished yet surprisingly bitter flavors of tart lingonberries and bittersweet dark chocolate, some sweeter notes of toasty oak spice, light juicy black cherry tones, a little bit of sour cherries and extracted woody bitterness, crunchy hints of blueberries and blackcurrants and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The overall feel is quite firm with the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins, but I felt that the wine was a bit softer and rounder compared to the more angular Buçaco Reservado. The finish is long, savory and rather grippy with a complex, dark-toned aftertaste of toasty oak spice and sweet mocha oak, some earthy tones, a little bit of tart lingonberry and crunchy cranberry, light bitter notes of sour cherries, hints of blueberries and blackcurrants and a touch of dark plummy fruit. The high alcohol lends a tiny bit of warmth to the aftertaste.
After two archetypal Buçaco reds - 2015 Tinto Reservado and 2015 Vinha da Mata - this Místico seemed stylistically somewhat different in comparison. Although you can taste how the wines are cut from the same cloth - they all are more or less bone-dry in taste and the fruit profile is very similar - there were still some noticeable differences in this Místico bottling: the wine showed noticeably more oak influence, both in the nose and on the palate, and the alcohol showed a bit more than in the other two wines. Furthermore, the wine's overall taste had a rather noticeable streak of extracted bitterness that was not present in the other Buçaco reds. It was obvious that the wine was still a mere baby and years - maybe even several decades - away from its apogee, but so were the other two wines. At least at this moment I preferred the other two Buçaco reds over this slightly bigger and somewhat more polished version, but I'm sure the wine will continue to evolve and improve for many more years, so maybe with enough time things might turn around. The price at which the person who brought the wine - 208€ - doesn't make any sense at all, and even at its normal price (120-130€) the wine feels rather pricey for its quality.
(91 points) - NV Colección de Toneles Centenarios Alicante Luis XIV Fondillón 25 años - Spain, Valencia, Alicante (11.6.2024)
100% Monastrell. The wine is made from overripe grapes and it is aged in ancient (19th century) oak barrels of 600 and 805 liters - however the wine is not aged in a Solera system, as the blending happens only when the final cuvée is assembled from wines aged for at least 25 years. Although the wine is high in alcohol, it is not fortified - the wine is left to ferment naturally until the alcohol levels get high enough to halt or kill the yeast. The ABV might creep a little up during the aging due to the concentration via evaporation. 17,2% alcohol, 47 g/l residual sugar and approximately 1 g/l of VA. Tasted blind.
Murky, fully opaque syrupy brown color. The nose feels very intense and oxidative with aromas of raisins, some medicinal herbs, a little bit of arrack, light nutty notes of rancio, a hint of smoke, a touch of maple syrup and a whiff of bruised apple. The overall impression is very similar to a Madeira. The wine feels evolved, complex and surprisingly crunchy on the palate with a medium body and medium-sweet flavors of nutty and saline rancio, some maple syrup, light bruised apple tones, a little bit of lemon juice, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of smoke. The high acidity lends good sense of structure to the wine and offsets quite a bit of the sweetness from the residual sugar. The finish is lively, oxidative and quite acid-driven with a lengthy aftertaste of bruised apple, some lemony citrus tones, a little bit of salty rancio, light notes of sorrel, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of nuttiness.
A fascinating and tasty concoction. Not unlike a medium-dry Madeira - perhaps a bit lower in acidity than a proper Madeira, but not by much. Quite distinctive and rewarding. Never heard of this wine before and honestly I had no idea what the wine was as the only remotely close guess I could come up with was Madeira. Somewhat worth the price at 50€ for a 500 ml bottle.
(93 points) - 2000 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (11.6.2024)
Made with the best fruit sourced from the Quinta de Vargellas, Quinta de Terra Feita and Quinta do Junco estates. First vinified by foot-treading, then followed by additional extraction by robotic plungers. Fortified with 77% aguardente, aged in large oak vats for 1½ to 2 years, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. 20,5% alcohol and 95,5 g/l residual sugar and 4,7 g/l acidity.
Deep, saturated and fully opaque black cherry color with a slightest aged hue. The nose feels sweet, vibrant and remarkably youthful with rich aromas of cherry marmalade and blackcurrant jam, some spicy tones, a little bit of spirituous alcohol, light boysenberry tones, dried-fruit hints of raisins and dried dates, a touch of Christmas spice and a whiff of aguardente. The wine feels broad, sweet and vibrant on the palate with a full body and surprisingly youthful flavors of boysenberries and blueberry jam, some dried-fruit notes of prunes and raisins, a little bit of extracted bitterness, light figgy tones, a hint of Christmas spices and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is pretty firm and wonderfully balanced with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is juicy, sweet and somewhat grippy with a rich and vibrant aftertaste of boysenberry jam and blueberry juice, some raisiny tones, a little bit of boozy aguardente, light dried-fruit notes of prunes and wizened figs, a hint of cherry marmalade and a touch of extracted bitterness. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a moderately hot note.
An excellent, eminently delicious and remarkably youthful vintage of Taylor's VP. Great sense of flavor intensity, balanced structure and youthful energy. If you are hoping to catch the wine when it is peaking, be prepared to wait; seeing how the wine is so remarkably youthful - almost backward - at the age of almost quarter of a century, it's pretty obvious this wine is built for the really long haul. Drink now or whenever - the longer you are going to wait, the better it is going to be. Highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2021 Domaine Le Nadir La Nuit, le Silence - France, Loire Valley, Vin de France (11.6.2024)
100% Grolleau. Vinified in whole bunches and without any SO2, fermented spontaneously. Macerated with the skins for a week. Aged in stainless steel and old oak barrels. Bottled in April 2023. 10,6% alcohol. Total production 1183 bottles. Tasted blind.
Youthful, slightly blueish black-red color with a pale rim. The nose feels rather sweet, moderately sauvage and somewhat funky with aromas of leather and barnyard, some lifted chinotto notes, a little bit of Maraschino cherry, light flatulent notes of hard-boiled eggs, juicy hints of blueberries and black raspberries, a touch of balsamic VA and a whiff of tobacco. The wine feels lean, high-strung and bone-dry on the palate with a light body and somewhat under-ripe flavors of redcurrants and crowberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light barnyardy and leathery notes of brett, a hint of leafy forest floor and a touch of gravelly earth. The structure leans mostly on the high acidity, not that much on the gently grippy tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and gently grippy with a medium-long, rather wild aftertaste of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some leathery funk, a little bit of barnyardy brett, light notes of tobacco, a hint of leafy forest floor and a touch of gravelly earth.
A rather lean, understated and thin white. I feel like this is a thin and weedy red even for a hardcore AFWE peron - the wine just comes across as under-ripe, yet not particularly green or vegetal (even though there is a certain sense of leafy character to the aromas and the taste). The wine just lacks fruit and substance. I admit I've said more than once that "fruit is overrated", but this is a wine that could nevertheless use some. Although I like dry, acid-driven wines that are not about ripeness, this wine just didn't make the cut for me.
(82 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
