Portuguese old style, new style and freestyle



Viniportugal at Praça do Comércio

I started my long awaited Lisbon journey off with a flu, but came out on the other side this morning and was able to explore downtown again. Besides scouting out at a few garrafeiras, I also visited viniportugal in Praça do Comércio. At Viniportugal anyone is welcome to try wines for free, all they ask is your feedback. Featured regions in this month were Lisbon, Alentejo and Dão. Here are my notes on a handfull of wines that I tried..  

Quinta do Boiçao 2007

Arinto in great hands

100% Arinto

Nose of exotic fruits, flowers and nuts. Taste is light and fresh with notes of applejuice, yet finalize with notes of something creamy/nutty that lasts (+30sec). This is a great wine and I had no idea that Arinto could be this good. Quinta do Boição also produces reds and this appears to be a producer to look out for. 88P

Sarmentu 2008

Alfrocheiro, T.roriz (Tempranillo) & Jaen (Mencia)

Nose of dark red berries, leather and a piff of “sourness”. The taste is rounded and well structured. To me this wine represent a perhaps modern, but anonymous style. 84P

Quinta da Fata classic 06

Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro preto, T.roriz  & Jaen (Mencia)

Bouquet of red cherries, savory notes on a base of wet soil. The wine has a great structure, and while the bouquet weighs heavy in the glass, the wine is simply feather light. It reminded me somewhat of a Northern Bourgogne wine. I have been following Quinta da Fata for some years, and I keep wondering why this wine/brand is not doing better on the national and international markets. Quinta da Fata is even hard to find in Lisbon. It's old Dão wine at its best and 'a-dont-miss´wine in my book. 90P (sells at 7Eur at Viniportugal)

Two great reds and one forgettable

Quinta da Fata Reserva 2007

Touriga Nacional (50%), Alfrocheiro preto (15%), T.roriz (10%), Jaen (10%) & Trincadeira (10%)

Red cherries, leather, salted meat, and notes of barnyard. The taste is somewhat sweeter than the classic 2006 vintage. the taste is rounded and elegant. Please also read another review of this great and quite unknown wine on the Catavino site. 91P (sells at 9 Eur at Viniportugal)

Campolargo Dão 2007

Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, T.roriz (Tempranillo) & Pinot noir

Bouquet of strawberries, blood, wet stones, flinty, and barnyard/wild ferment.

Taste is well balanced. A new note came on the aftertaste that I did not pin down…till next time. However, Mario Campolargo has certainly made a flagship among Dão wines with this particular wine. It bows for Bourgogne, and I love it. 92P

- anders