Portuguese Still Wine: Incredible Douro

Portuguese wine is booming and making a big comeback after a period of decline.  James Halliwell writes on Harper's UK that the growth reported by Wine Intelligence is "driven in part by a rise in tourism and economic recovery after years of financial crisis."  He writes that competition is on the upswing, wine drinkers are moving away from mainstream brands and the up-and-comers are often heavily discounted.

You probably realize that Portugal is known primarily for Port wine, a fortified wonder.  However, you may not be so familiar with the Douro region's still wines, made for the dinner table. 

The Quinta do Vesuvio is one of the great estates of the Douro Superior - the sub-region of the Douro farthest East.  It is home of some of the world's finest Ports, and is one of the region's largest estates, with 336 acres under vine.  It's owned by the Symington family, a fifth-generation Port house.  The pombal, by the way, refers to a pigeon nesting area on the property.

This treasured quinta provides the fruit for the 2015 Pombal do Vesuvio, a blend of three Portuguese grapes: 50% Touriga Nacional, 45% Touriga Franca and 5% Tinta Amarela.  The first two reportedly give backbone and rich structure to the wine, while the latter accounts for acidity and bright fruit aromas.

Winemakers Charles Symington and Pedro Correia describe the 2015 vintage as a troubling, but ultimately satisfying one.  Lots of rain bookended a very dry winter, and the summer was hot.  The vines produced a low yield, good for grape quality.  The wine hits a mere 13.5% in alcohol, was aged ten months in French oak barrels and it sells for $28.

This Douro Valley still red is loaded with character.  The color is so dark I can barely tell it's red.  The nose is full of minerality, earth, cigars and leather.  Oh, yeah, there's a bit of dark, brambly fruit in there, too.  The palate displays the same, with some licorice thrown in as if there wasn't enough happening.  Bracing acidity and firm tannins make for a muscular drink which is begging for a nice, fatty steak.

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Private Tasting Event Brings Portugal To L.A.

A tasting of Portuguese wines by Esporão took place in almost speakeasy fashion, at a private residence in Los Angeles. Esporão sales manager Pedro Lopez Vieira and winemaker David Baverstock (pictured) were on hand to describe the wines and their terroir to a casual crowd. It was so casual, I was advised that note-taking might be frowned upon. I did it as surreptitiously as I could, scribbling very small on the business cards of the two representatives.

Herdade do Esporão was founded in 1267 in the southern part of Portugal, across the country east of Lisbon. Portions of the estate built in the 1400s were laughingly referred to as "the new parts." Most of the grapes come from the estate, but they do grab a few from more northern areas of the country when needed.

Bob Blumer, our host for the occasion, prepared amazing bites to pair with the wines, in the style of his televised cooking show, Surreal Gourmet. Blumer's expertise with shrimp bisque, lima bean crostini, cod cake with pink mashed potatoes and duck snow cone - duck in an edible cone - left his guests without adequate words to compliment him.

A wide array of wines were poured:

Verdelho 2014 - Crisp and tart lime, very refreshing.

Assobio 2014 - A white showing great acidity. Grapefruit leads the citrus attack.

Esporão Reserva 2010 (pictured) - This masterful white wine features indigenous Portuguese grapes - Antão Vaz, Arinto and Roupeiro - with a bit of Semillon, which the winemaker says is a tip of the hat to his Australian heritage. Alcohol is at 14% - "Higher than I like," says Baverstock, "but that is what the grapes want to do." Forty percent of the wine saw oak for six months, on the lees. It is a great oak treatment, with lovely acidity and citrus all over the place. A savory edge of salinity makes this wine irresistible.

Monte Velho 2014 - Bright red fruition just a hint of oak, produced by sticking some stavesinto the tank.

Assobio 2014 - red bright little oak

Esporão Reserva 2012 - perfumed roses and violets compete with a big show of red fruit.

Quinta dos Murcas - The grapes were stomped - they call it "foot tread" on the label. This old vine red is bold, big and dark.


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Vidigal Douro Vinho Tinto 2005

The Christmas season of 2009 was full of hustling and bustling and running about, as most Christmas seasons are.  Denise and I took a break after visiting the Glendale Galleria - which is the perfect time for a break - and stopped to check out a wine store I had not been to before.  At 55 Degree Wine I was met with such a wide assortment of possibilities I felt a bit daunted.  After much evaluation, I managed to pick up a few bottles to take home.  This wine, Vidigal Douro, was one of them.

I felt I had been lax in exploring Portuguese wines of late, and the grapes involved - 60% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, 10% Tinta Amarela - seemed very interesting.  I was familiar with Touriga Nacional.  It's the main grape variety used in making Porto.  The Douro region is where Porto comes from, and you can taste the flavor of port in this wine.  It plays remarkably well without the sweetness of Port.  The wine's earthiness really dominates the flavor profile, so don't expect a fruit bomb with this one, at least not in the California style.  

It's a medium-bodied wine with a dark, inky color you cannot see through.  A ruby red tinge around the edge looks quite lovely.  On the nose, expect black cherry with leathery, cedar notes.  The palate shows the wine to be dry with a distinct lack of sweetness.  It strikes me as a rather prunish taste, but I certainly don't mean that to be off-putting.  The acidity is good and some backend heat dies down after 45 minutes of breathing. 

Vidigal's website lists the Douro as “not currently available in the U.S.”  Obviously, that's not quite true, and I am glad it's not.  We paired this wine with our incredible rib roast for Christmas Eve dinner, and it was a stunning hit.  It seems made for beef.

Vidigal Douro Vinho Tinto 2005

Varietal:  60% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, 10% Tinta Amarela
Appelation:  Portugal > Douro
Vintage:  2005
Alcohol Level:  14%
Price:  $14
Acquisition disclaimer:  I bought this wine.