Today I am tasting the 2007 Altano Douro Tinta Roriz – Touriga Franca by Symington from the Douro region of Portugal. This blend of 70% Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and 30% Touriga Franca (Touriga Francesa) was available for under $10. Symington Family Estates produces some of the world’s top Ports, so it will be interesting to try this unfortified wine from their Altano brand. From their website it appears that this is not aged in oak.
Color
In the glass it is a deep purple.
Aroma
There is good blackberry and strawberry on the nose. In addition a bit of mint is coming through. Overall it seems like a big fruity nose with a small vegetable component.
Flavor
The attack combines strawberry and cherry. Then the sour cherries take over in the mid-palate till the finish. Mild tannins are showing on the finish with a little lingering chalk. The level of bitter sour flavor from the fruit is quite high. And I don’t think it is the tannins. It finishes dry. This is a medium bodied wine and will pair well with a lot of food. It will do better with food than alone.
Rating
Although decent, this reminds me of a lot of other Tempranillo based wines from Portugal and Spain. As such I think there are slightly better values out there. I rate it 84 points.
If you are someone who adores sour cherries then I’d love to hear your thoughts on this wine. Have you tried it?
