You have nothing but $20 in your pocket. You’re on the way to a friend’s party, empty-handed. There’s a wine shop on the way with a great selection, divided up by country, and you need to pick up a bottle.
Where are you looking? I’m headed to the Portugal aisle first.
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| Herdade de Espora's vineyards in Aletenjo, Portugal. |
Portuguese wines have been at the top of my list when it comes to saving money while scoring wines that offer depth, personality, authenticity, and uniqueness. Twenty bucks doesn’t go very far these days. And so much has changed since I took my first wine trip to Portugal a decade ago. But I find it quite comforting to know that Portuguese bargain-priced bangers are still alive and thriving.
Blends rule to roost in Portugal, with a focus on the plethora of indigenous grapes. They can be hard to pronounce or remember at times (Viosinho, Gouveio, etc.) but the varietal differences allow conscientious winemakers to stitch together a patchwork that expresses the best of all worlds.
This week I have four wines from two respected producers. From the Douro in the north, comes Vale do Bomfim, which was kicked off by the renowned Symington family in 2004.Their red blend has been a staple of inexpensive but expressive Douro juicy goodness for years, and last year they added in a white blend. I’m happy to report that wine also rocks. Both the branco and tinto are of sourced from Quinta do Bomfim in the Douro Valley, the same site that produces Dow’s long-lived and beautiful Vintage Port.
Esporão is a legend of the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. I visited this area for a week five years ago and was blown away. It’s an expansive, diverse, historic, and important region, with
They now have all 1,300+ acres of vineyards certified organic. I visited their sprawling property near Alqueva Lake in 2016 and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Test vineyards with dozens of varieties of grapes allow them to test out what works, and they have a fascinating blend of indigenous and international varieties to work with.
They’re something of a spokesperson for Alentejo, or a gateway producer, as they make more wine than anyone in the region, their wines are exported to dozens of international markets, and they’re on more shelves in wine stores than any other producer in Alentejo. And I think that’s a great thing, because these wines are attractive from entry level to the most expensive. But even the term expensive is relative here, because Esporão screams value.
The new vintages of the reserve red and white come in at $23 bucks and overdeliver for the price. If you’re not familiar with the Alentejo region of Portugal, this is a great place to start, and they’re so crowd-friendly, you can’t go wrong bringing a bottle over to a friend’s house.
These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.
2022 Herdade do Esporão Reserva Branco - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo
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SRP: $23
Bright yellow colored. The nose boasts rich pears, yellow apples, limes, with complex tones of shaved ginger, white tea, almond skin, breadcrumbs, and honey. The palate shows pleasantly plump texture with tangy acidity, a balanced appeal, with flavors of honeydew, pears, orange slices, and guava. There’s a nice salty mineral kick that accents the fruit, and I get tones of white pepper, honeycomb, almond, and some floral potpourri elements. Flinty, salty, vibrant, this is an easy six-pack buy for Spring and Summer cooking and warm weather. A blend of Antao Vaz, Arinto, and Roupeiro, fermented and aged in stainless steel and 25% new American and French oak. (91 points)
2021 Herdade do Esporão Reserva Tinto - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo
SRP: $23
Medium purple color. An aromatically inviting display of violets, pepper, coffee, cedar, and clove, over top of deep black cherries and currants, with hints of tar and earth. The palate is fresh, showing dusty tannins, with a bright but complex vibe. Tart currants, roasted figs, and plum jam blend really well with elements of black pepper, lavender, mint, charcoal, some chewing tobacco. Balanced and juicy, but complex and versatile as well. A fascinating and delicious blend of Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, and Cab Sauv. (91 points)
2021 Dow Douro Vale do Bomfim Branco - Portugal, Douro
SRP: $15
Vibrant purple. Lovely deep aromas of black cherries, red and black currants, with spiced black tea, notes of leather, clove, anise, and coffee grounds. The palate has lively acidity and fine-edged but structured tannins – I love the balance. Juicy black cherries, saucy dark plums, tangy black currants, the fruit is blended with elements of coffee grounds, graphite, dark chocolate, anise, and black pepper, with a hint of nuanced oak. An exciting and crowd-pleasing value that packs a lot of depth and personality. A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 20% Touriga Franca, and 10% Tinta Barroca. Crazy value alert! (90 points)
2022 Dow Douro Branco Vale do Bomfim Tinto - Portugal, Douro
SRP: $15
Pale lemon color. Bright and inviting with lemons, kiwi, and green apples, with all sorts of cool salty, chalky, limestone, and floral perfume tones. Racy and vibrant on the palate but a rich depth of texture, balanced nicely, with juicy pear fruit, some pineapple, and lime zest. Notes of almond skin, honey, chalk dust, and rocky stream vibes. Balanced, fresh, an insane value. Would make a great six-pack buy for seafood and Spring gatherings. A mix of 30% Viosinho 30% Rabigato 20% Gouveio 20% Arinto. (89 points)
Blends rule to roost in Portugal, with a focus on the plethora of indigenous grapes. They can be hard to pronounce or remember at times (Viosinho, Gouveio, etc.) but the varietal differences allow conscientious winemakers to stitch together a patchwork that expresses the best of all worlds.
This week I have four wines from two respected producers. From the Douro in the north, comes Vale do Bomfim, which was kicked off by the renowned Symington family in 2004.Their red blend has been a staple of inexpensive but expressive Douro juicy goodness for years, and last year they added in a white blend. I’m happy to report that wine also rocks. Both the branco and tinto are of sourced from Quinta do Bomfim in the Douro Valley, the same site that produces Dow’s long-lived and beautiful Vintage Port.
Esporão is a legend of the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. I visited this area for a week five years ago and was blown away. It’s an expansive, diverse, historic, and important region, with
They now have all 1,300+ acres of vineyards certified organic. I visited their sprawling property near Alqueva Lake in 2016 and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Test vineyards with dozens of varieties of grapes allow them to test out what works, and they have a fascinating blend of indigenous and international varieties to work with.
They’re something of a spokesperson for Alentejo, or a gateway producer, as they make more wine than anyone in the region, their wines are exported to dozens of international markets, and they’re on more shelves in wine stores than any other producer in Alentejo. And I think that’s a great thing, because these wines are attractive from entry level to the most expensive. But even the term expensive is relative here, because Esporão screams value.
The new vintages of the reserve red and white come in at $23 bucks and overdeliver for the price. If you’re not familiar with the Alentejo region of Portugal, this is a great place to start, and they’re so crowd-friendly, you can’t go wrong bringing a bottle over to a friend’s house.
These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.
2022 Herdade do Esporão Reserva Branco - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo
.jpg)
Bright yellow colored. The nose boasts rich pears, yellow apples, limes, with complex tones of shaved ginger, white tea, almond skin, breadcrumbs, and honey. The palate shows pleasantly plump texture with tangy acidity, a balanced appeal, with flavors of honeydew, pears, orange slices, and guava. There’s a nice salty mineral kick that accents the fruit, and I get tones of white pepper, honeycomb, almond, and some floral potpourri elements. Flinty, salty, vibrant, this is an easy six-pack buy for Spring and Summer cooking and warm weather. A blend of Antao Vaz, Arinto, and Roupeiro, fermented and aged in stainless steel and 25% new American and French oak. (91 points)
2021 Herdade do Esporão Reserva Tinto - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo
SRP: $23
Medium purple color. An aromatically inviting display of violets, pepper, coffee, cedar, and clove, over top of deep black cherries and currants, with hints of tar and earth. The palate is fresh, showing dusty tannins, with a bright but complex vibe. Tart currants, roasted figs, and plum jam blend really well with elements of black pepper, lavender, mint, charcoal, some chewing tobacco. Balanced and juicy, but complex and versatile as well. A fascinating and delicious blend of Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, and Cab Sauv. (91 points)
2021 Dow Douro Vale do Bomfim Branco - Portugal, Douro
Vibrant purple. Lovely deep aromas of black cherries, red and black currants, with spiced black tea, notes of leather, clove, anise, and coffee grounds. The palate has lively acidity and fine-edged but structured tannins – I love the balance. Juicy black cherries, saucy dark plums, tangy black currants, the fruit is blended with elements of coffee grounds, graphite, dark chocolate, anise, and black pepper, with a hint of nuanced oak. An exciting and crowd-pleasing value that packs a lot of depth and personality. A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 20% Touriga Franca, and 10% Tinta Barroca. Crazy value alert! (90 points)
2022 Dow Douro Branco Vale do Bomfim Tinto - Portugal, Douro
SRP: $15
Pale lemon color. Bright and inviting with lemons, kiwi, and green apples, with all sorts of cool salty, chalky, limestone, and floral perfume tones. Racy and vibrant on the palate but a rich depth of texture, balanced nicely, with juicy pear fruit, some pineapple, and lime zest. Notes of almond skin, honey, chalk dust, and rocky stream vibes. Balanced, fresh, an insane value. Would make a great six-pack buy for seafood and Spring gatherings. A mix of 30% Viosinho 30% Rabigato 20% Gouveio 20% Arinto. (89 points)
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