2009 Gazela Vinho Verde

On August 24, 2010, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2009 Gazela Vinho Verde by Sogrape Vinhos from Portugal. This blend of Loureiro, Pedernã, Trajadura and Azal grape varieties was purchased for under $8.

Color

Extremely light in color. Almost clear with a hint of yellow.

Aroma

Not the most aromatic Vinho Verde, even after warming it up. I detect aromas of grapefruit and lemon which lead it to give a impression of freshness.

Flavor

On the palate there is an attack of lime which clearly changes over to lemon in the mid-palate. The finish turns even more sour with a passion-fruit component. There is only a small amount of bubbles in this wine. Overall it is really zesty and the strong acidity pairs with appropriate foods.

Rating

I really enjoyed this wine and recommend it as a light refreshing wine with lots of citrus. Plus at 9% alcohol, it can be consumed more freely on a hot day or night. I rate it 88 points.

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2007 Vinhos Sogrape Douro Vila Regia

On March 19, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Vila Regia by Vinhos Sogrape from the Douro region of Portugal. This wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca grape varieties and was purchased for under $8. Hopefully this value style Portuguese red wine will show some interesting flavors and aromas. According to Vinhos Sogrape, this wine was not aged in oak. Thus it should show the true flavors of the grapes.

I’ve previously had the 2006 Vinhos Sogrape Douro Vila Regia.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark garnet color.

Aroma

At first I get a big nose of blackberries from this wine. It also is showing some woody components (not oak), like the rotten branches in the woods in the winter. There is also a hint of mint. Overall it comes across as being a dark fruit driven nose. Not bad.

Flavor

The attack is sweet with loads of black cherry. In the mid-palate the fruit becomes dry and in the finish the tannins take over with a bit of smokiness and sour cherries. This is a medium-bodied wine suitable to drink immediately and pairs well with pasta.

Rating

For the price this is a good wine and I recommend you try it. It is an everyday wine to have with meals. I rate it 87 points. I found it less appealing than the 2006 vintage of this wine. Perhaps it reflects a change in my palate as I noticed my tasting notes are about the same, but I just wasn’t as excited about it as before.

How well does this wine match your palate? How does it compare to the Reserve?

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2009 Nobilis Vinho Verde

On February 21, 2010, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2009 Nobilis Vinho Verde from Portugal. This “green” white wine was purchased for under $7 and comes with a screw-cap.

Color

In the glass it is a very light golden color typical of this style.

Aroma

On the nose there are excellent lemon notes combined with a fresh cool water aroma. Reminds me of cold cold tap water perhaps due to a bit of chlorine component.

Flavor

On the attack there is a lot of lemon and lime but without the sweetness of Sprite. On the mid-palate there is a bit of quinine which reminds me of tonic water. The finish exhibits grapefruit notes. Over all it is a crip light, citric acid style which pairs very well with light dishes. Nothing is negative with this Vinho Verde, nor is it complex.

Rating

I like this wine. It is exactly what I expect for its style and price. I rate it 88 points.

Did you know quinine is used to treat malaria and other diseases? Hence the “tonic” in tonic water. Wonder what this wine will help with.

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2007 Grao Vasco Dao Tinto

On February 1, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Grao Vasco Dao Red wine from the Dao region of Portugal. This blend of Jaen, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Nacional grape varietals was acquired for under $7.

Color

In the glass it is a beautiful dark red almost turning black at times.

Aroma

On the nose there is a strong sulfur component which gives it an earthy characteristic. This is complemented by some fruit notes such as strawberry and blackberry. I also get a hint of green pepper and black pepper.

Flavor

The attack has strawberry and is sweet. The mid-palate continues with strawberry and then sour cherry starts to show. The finish is relatively quick with a bit of black cherry. This is a medium to light bodied wine and comes across as fresh. It is food friendly and will pair with many dishes, but on it’s own it is plain.

Rating

This is not a complex wine, but is easy to drink. I rate it 83 points. Have you tried it? What aroma and/or flavors did you get?

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2007 Symington Douro Altano Tinta Roriz-Touriga Franca

On December 22, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

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?

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2008 Herdade do Esporão Vinho Regional Alentejano Monte Velho

On December 3, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

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.

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2008 Casa de Vila Verde Vinho Verde

On November 14, 2009, In White, By dcpatton

Continuing the trend of finding Vinho Verde wines this year, today I am tasting the 2008 Casa de Vila Verde Vinho Verde from Portugal. This blend of the white wine varietals Loureiro, Arinto, and Trajadura was obtained for under $8. Surprisingly it isn’t frizzante in the glass.

Color

This wine has a nice light golden color in the glass very much like a sauvignon blanc.

Aroma

On the nose, apple and lime are present. I don’t detect any floral notes.

Flavor

The attack has components of lemonade and butterscotch. There is some nice acidity and lime on the mid-palate and it finishes with grapefruit. This is a good crisp white wine which should pair well with lighter foods and spicy dishes. It does last for a long time on the finish and makes a good apertif.

Rating

I enjoyed this wine and although it isn’t complex, it is good. I rate it 87 points.

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Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Blanco

On November 11, 2009, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the Vinho Verde Blanco by Casal Garcia from Portugal. This is a non-vintage blend of Loureiro, Trajadura, Arinto and Azal varietals. I found this bottle for under $7.

Color

Along with the frizzante aspect in the glass, this wine is almost completely clear. It reminds me of seltzer water.

Aroma

The nose is light and refreshing. It exudes grapefruit and lime aromas. It also reminds me of white grape juice.

Flavor

The grapefruit continues on to the palate and dominates. This is a light wine of summertime with only 10% alcohol and has sour flavors primarily made up of citrus components. It is great as a aperitif or with lighter foods such as seafood and salads. The acid is not quite as sharp as I would like for food. So it does very well on its own.

Rating

This is a great wine to drink chilled on the patio, deck or balcony when it is a hot summer evening. And at the bargain price it is a great value. I rate it 87 points.

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Herdade do Esporao Alentejo Alandra

On October 26, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

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.

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2007 Lello Branco

On October 25, 2009, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Lello Branco by Borges from the Douro region of Portugal. It is produced from the Malvasia-Fina, Gouveio, Viosinho and Rabigato grape varietals. I found this bottle for under $8 which will represent good value if it is a good wine. I’ve previously enjoyed the 2007 Lello Tinto.

Color

It has a nice pale yellow color in the glass and reminds me of a Sauvignon Blanc.

Aroma

On the nose it is tropical in nature with guava and grapefruit. It is a little muted. There may be some oak, but it is not overpowering.

Flavor

The attack is very sweet and smooth. It shows lots of flavor on the mid-palate and falls off pretty quickly on the finish. However there is some nice acidity on the finish which makes it very food friendly. The guava from the nose is present on the palate along with pineapple. It pairs well with fish and chicken dishes.

Rating

I like this wine. It could use a little more acidity. I rate it 87 points. Not quite as good as the 2007 Lello Tinto.

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