Today I am tasting the 2008 Herdade do Esporao Monte Velho from Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal. This blend of the Aragonês, Trincadeira and Castelão grape varietals was available for under $9. Kudos to the vineyard for their data on this wine at their site. I’d like to see that same information on the bottle.
Color
In the glass it is a medium ruby red.
Aroma
On the nose it exhibits a very large dosage of blackberry and oak. There is also a hint of mint and some plum. The fruit component is really nice, but ripe.
Flavor
A combination of red and black fruit on the attack. It is quite sweet with some blackberry, red raspberry, and black cherry. The mid palate shows some red cherry and the finish is dry with nice tannins. It is not a long finish. It will pair well with pork, pizza and hamburger.
Rating
This is a good wine. It is a bit simple for me and there are other wines in the price range that I find more interesting. I rate it 87 points.
