Today I am tasting the non-vintage Alandra Tinto by Herdade do Esporao from Portugal. This is a blend of the Moreto, Castelão(Periquita) and Trincadeira varietals. I can’t determine the percentages, so if you know, please share them in the comments. I found this bottle for under $8. I am going to try this over several days to see how it evolves.
Day One
The bottle has only been open for a few minutes.
Color
This has a nice ruby red in the glass. Not super dark.
Aroma
Classic red wine aromas dominate the nose. There is blackberry and black pepper along with some red raspberry. It is not a bashful wine at this point.
Flavor
Very sweet on the attack with raspberry and red currant. The mid-palate shows some cherries and the finish is quick with a hint of black pepper. The tannins are present on the finish and add a little dryness. However there is also some heat which is detracting from the overall quality of the finish. It will be interesting to see if it softens tomorrow.
Rating
I think this wine is a good value, but not my favorite from Portugal in this price range. I rate it 85 points.
Day Two
The cork was put back in 24 hours ago. The bottle has now been re-opened and poured.
Color
In the glass the wine has changed dramatically. Well, maybe not. It is still ruby red in color.
Aroma
Although the same components are present on the nose, it has become much stronger than yesterday. The blackberry and raspberry are still there. It does appear to have a bit of a cedar note which I didn’t detect on Day One.
Flavor
The red fruit is very bright on the attack. There are cherries and strawberries. The mid-palate is much more fruit forward than yesterday with lots of sour cherries and red currant. The finish is a lot longer than yesterday. It is still dry with some tannins. But the fruit is lasting longer with good sour cherry and cranberry flavor. I don’t think I will risk another 24 hours for this wine. At this point it will pair nicely with chicken and pork dishes.
Rating
This wine has improved today over yesterday. It is drinkable. I rate it 86 points.
Overall
This wine improved marginally over 24 hours. It showed slightly better fruit components on the second day. It also was more balanced with respect to the alcohol. I didn’t notice the heat much on Day Two. I think I will stick with the rating I gave it on the second day.
