Country: | Portugal |
Region: | Douro |
Winery: | Quinta de Fafide |
Grape Type: | Touriga Nacional |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Quinta de Fafide Reserva Branco is made from 50% Codega do Larinho, 30% Rabigato, 20% Viosinho
In this wine we look for an aromatic concentration and high acidity of the grapes from the very old traditional vineyards of high altitude in Douro Superior, about 550 meters above sea level, showing the full character of the varieties of indigenous Douro old vines, giving very mineral and creamy wines. Mineral aroma, citrus and tropical fruit, fresh and full-bodied on the palate, buttery texture and complexity provided by fermentation and ageing in barrels.
Quinta de Fafide Reserva Branco is made from 50% Codega do Larinho, 30% Rabigato, 20% Viosinho
In this wine we look for an aromatic concentration and high acidity of the grapes from the very old traditional vineyards of high altitude in Douro Superior, about 550 meters above sea level, showing the full character of the varieties of indigenous Douro old vines, giving very mineral and creamy wines. Mineral aroma, citrus and tropical fruit, fresh and full-bodied on the palate, buttery texture and complexity provided by fermentation and ageing in barrels.
Opaque color. Very rich, dark chocolate aromas with some black cherry and mature fruit coming through. There is also a pleasing freshness to the port originating from its floral and cistus (rockrose) bouquet. The Quinta de la Rosa Vintage 2017 is a powerful wine with much potential but at the same time elegant and generous on the palate. Full of flavors, very complex with fine tannins that gives the wine a nobility and persistence. A great vintage made to give pleasure now and in the next few decades.
Review:
The 2017 Vintage Port was bottled a few weeks before tasting after spending 18 months in used tonels. It is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, coming in with 98 grams per liter of residual sugar. Wonderfully aromatic and filled with flavor, this got plenty of aeration and didn't blink even a little. It was still vibrant and expressive. Aeration only made it more tannic. It is also delicious. This is potentially a great Port, and it seems like the best I've seen from La Rosa. This is sort of approachable in the near future, but it really needs (at least) a decade of cellaring. It has a lot of muscle and should age well.
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
Very floral in profile, with violet and lilac accents leading off, followed by a decidedly red-fruit spectrum of raspberry, cherry and red currant coulis flavors that race throughout. Has grip, but this is more reliant on acidity, showing a nearly piercing feel as the tightly focused finish zips along, leaving a mouthwatering impression. Delightfully idiosyncratic. Best from 2033 through 2050. 112 cases imported. — JM
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
This is a rounded Port, showing layers of black fruits, ripe tannins and spice. At the same time, it does have a solid structure that will allow it to age. The acidity comes through at the end. Drink from 2028.
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
Delas Freres Cote Rotie La Landonne Rouge is made from 100 percent Syrah.
This very ancient region dates back to the Roman Era and is located on the right bank of the Rhône. It is said that during the Middle Ages, “The Seigneur de Maugiron” gave a hillside to each of his two daughters - one was brunette and the other fair - thus, were born the names of “Côte Brune” and “Côte Blonde.” Wines from the Côte Blonde tend to be more delicate and lighter in character than the fuller wines of the Côte Brune. Together, they make a wine of style and substance. This cuvée is a vineyard plot selection. The grapes come exclusively from a plot within the named slope of “La Landonne.”
This cuvée‘s first vintage was 1997. The wine is only made in the very best years. Its highly limited production never exceeds 2,500 bottles per year.
The steep, terraced hillsides along the river produce wines that are among the "biggest" reds of France. The Delas Côte-Rôtie is primarily Syrah with an addition of up to 10 to 20% of Viognier grapes in the crop. The soils of the northern part of the Côte Brune vineyard consists of extremely steep, terraced slopes of ferruginous mica schists which are covered with schist sand (arzel). The Côte Blonde has a varied geology with gneiss and granite predominating at the most southern side of the appellation. The area has dry, hot summers with regular rainfalls during other seasons. The grapes for the “La Landonne” cuvée are picked by hand at maximum maturity. Fermentation takes place in traditional open-topped concrete tanks, following three days of pre-fermentation cold maceration. Before fermentation, the maceration process continues under controlled temperatures of 82°F to 86°F. Daily cap pushing down and pumping over are carried out for about 10 days with total vatting time of up to 20 days. The wine is aged for 14 to 16 months in new or one year old oak casks. The barrels are topped up regularly.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs wonderfully with fine meats, roasted beef, water games, truffles and spicy stews. The bottle should be opened 1 to 3 hours before drinking. This wine needs at least 3 years cellaring before it can open up its complexity. In such case it is strongly recommended to decant before serving.
Tasting Notes: The wine‘s deep color is underscored by plummy hues. A complex nose shows deep, fruity aromas with hints of licorice and roasted coffee. Endowed with a dense and silky tannic structure, this is a full, fleshy wine that provides an ample and generous palate. Its lasting finish speaks of considerable ageing potential.
Reviews:
Deep in color, the espresso, licorice, smoke and flint, paired with layers of juicy, ripe fresh, red fruits show up with ease. On the palate, the wine offers richness, density, purity of fruit, herbs, crushed stones and a wall of ripe, lushly textured, dark red berries. This will age quite nicely.T
-Wine Cellar Insider 97 Points
Sun-baked garrigue and smoky notes of iron and earth accent intensely ripe black cherry and cassis in this wine. Made from 100% Syrah, it's a hulking powerhouse of black-fruit flavors but finessed by firm acidity and fine, integrated tannins. Stunning already it should improve through 2036 and hold further
-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points
Bright purple. Powerful cherry, cassis, potpourri, exotic spice and olive qualities on the highly perfumed, complex nose. Sweet and energetic on the palate, offering impressively concentrated black and blue fruit preserve, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that unfold steadily with aeration. In a powerful but energetic style and quite primary now. Aeration brings up smoky bacon and floral pastille qualities that carry through the strikingly long, youthfully tannic finish, which leaves behind sweet dark and floral notes.
-Vinous 95 Points
Alluring, with warm fruitcake and black tea aromatics leading off for a lush and warm core of crushed plum, cherry reduction and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors. Despite the showy fruit detail, there's a solid iron underpinning, with pretty floral notes and bright energy throughout. Best from 2023 through 2038. 300 cases made, 188 cases imported.
-Wine Spectator 96 Points
This very ancient region dates back to the Roman Era and is located on the right bank of the Rhône. It is said that during the Middle Ages, “The Seigneur de Maugiron” gave a hillside to each of his two daughters - one was brunette and the other fair - thus, were born the names of “Côte Brune” and “Côte Blonde.” Wines from the Côte Blonde tend to be more delicate and lighter in character than the fuller wines of the Côte Brune. Together, they make a wine of style and substance. This cuvée is a vineyard plot selection. The grapes come exclusively from a plot within the named slope of “La Landonne.”
This cuvée‘s first vintage was 1997. The wine is only made in the very best years. Its highly limited production never exceeds 2,500 bottles per year.
The steep, terraced hillsides along the river produce wines that are among the "biggest" reds of France. The Delas Côte-Rôtie is primarily Syrah with an addition of up to 10 to 20% of Viognier grapes in the crop. The soils of the northern part of the Côte Brune vineyard consists of extremely steep, terraced slopes of ferruginous mica schists which are covered with schist sand (arzel). The Côte Blonde has a varied geology with gneiss and granite predominating at the most southern side of the appellation. The area has dry, hot summers with regular rainfalls during other seasons. The grapes for the “La Landonne” cuvée are picked by hand at maximum maturity. Fermentation takes place in traditional open-topped concrete tanks, following three days of pre-fermentation cold maceration. Before fermentation, the maceration process continues under controlled temperatures of 82°F to 86°F. Daily cap pushing down and pumping over are carried out for about 10 days with total vatting time of up to 20 days. The wine is aged for 14 to 16 months in new or one year old oak casks. The barrels are topped up regularly.
The wine‘s deep color is underscored by plummy hues. A complex nose shows deep, fruity aromas with hints of licorice and roasted coffee. Endowed with a dense and silky tannic structure, this is a full, fleshy wine that provides an ample and generous palate. Its lasting finish speaks of considerable ageing potential.
This wine pairs wonderfully with fine meats, roasted beef, water games, truffles and spicy stews. The bottle should be opened 1 to 3 hours before drinking. This wine needs at least 3 years cellaring before it can open up its complexity. In such case it is strongly recommended to decant before serving.
Gimenez Mendez Alta Reserva Petit Verdot is made from 100% Petit Verdot.
The wine comes from Las Brujas vineyard located 35 km from the Río de la Plata. The breezes of the Atlantic Ocean refresh the vines permanently thanks to the flat topography of the South of Uruguay.
Intense purple in color, Alta Reserva Petit Verdot offers aromas of dried fruits, ripe plums, spicy notes of white pepper and vanilla. In the mouth it is powerful and refined, with elegant and firm tannins. It is a wine with great personality and expression of the Uruguayan climate and terroir.
Pairing:
Meat: Lamb stew, Lamb Chops, Lamb Kabobs, Roasted Pork, Barbecue Beef Short Ribs, Ground Beef Burgers, Iranian Beryooni, Mexican Adobo, Beef with Mole, Chinese Barbecue Pork
Vegetable: Portabello Mushroom, Black Lentils, Truffle, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Hazelnut, Black Olives, Eggplant,
Gimenez Mendez Alta Reserva Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
Gimenez Mendez Sauvignon Blanc shows a very pale hue, almost crystal clear in color. Intense and herbal bouquet in harmony with fruity notes of guava and green apple, mango and maracuja. The wine is full and ample on the palate with a very firm structure. Dry, crisp and lively in the mouth.
Sauvignon blanc grapes are hand harvested very early during some mornings of February. Banches are destemmed and delicately crushed. With a quick press, fresh and very aromatic juice are obtained. Juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks during 15 days at controlled low temperatures, between 14 to 16 °C .Once fermentation is finished lees are kept and stirred for 1 month to get a creamy texture. Then a carefully clarification is necessary. The wine is filtered and stabilized without cold, and finally bottled to keep the freshness. No oak.
Ideal to serve with very spicy seafood, sushi or salads, as well as white meats with sweet-sour sauces, paté. Serve chilled.
Review:
Grape Varietals: Touriga Nacional (60%), Tinta Roriz/Tempranillo (25%) and Touriga Franca (15%)
Quinta de Fafide estate is located on the outskirts of São João da Pesqueira, at an altitude between 550 and 650 meters. The grapes are generally harvested in October, with the altitude allowing them to ripen without water stress. Extremely fresh, this wine shows the freshness of the grapes. A very intense, elegant aroma where red berry and plum jam dominate, perfectly balanced with notes from ageing in new American oak barrels. Excellent tannins on the palate, with a long and lasting finish.
ORIGIN: Grapes exclusively from the estate, Schist soil, located around São João da Pesqueira, at an average altitude of 550 meters, with mainly exposure to East / South.
VINIFICATION: Hand-picked grapes, were fully destemmed and immediatly crushed. The grapes were fermented by grape variety with rigorous selection, so the final blend was what we wanted. This is the Old World of making wine, by selecting grapes by vineyard and lots in the winery. Fermentation in small stainless steel vats, with temperatures around 28 ºC. Smooth and controlled maceration, to get elegant and aromatic wines.
AGEING: Part of the wine ages 12 months in second and third use American oak barrels.
APPELLATION: DOC Douro
ALCOHOL: 14%
pH 3,59
TOTAL ACIDITY: 5,0 g/dm
TOTAL SUGARS: 0,6 g/dm
Serve with red meat, game, strong cheeses, spicy meat dishes.
“Quinta de Fafide estate is located on the outskirts of São João da Pesqueira, overlooking the Torto River, on schist soil at an average altitude of 550 metres above the sea level.
This was one of the first places where I found it would be possible to fulfil my dream of producing wines in the Douro that could rival the best wines in the world.
From the beginning, Fafide has stood out due to its modern style and distinctiveness, reflecting the richness of the Douro’s terroir, since the grapes on this estate ripen without thermal or water stress, creating wines with a unique balance of concentration and elegance.
These quickly became a preference among the most demanding connoisseurs, featuring in the trade press in publications such as Decanter, Wallpaper and the Daily Telegraph.”
- Rui Roboredo Madeira
«In one of the most remote areas of the Iberian Peninsula, on the border between the Douro Superior and Beira Alta regions, it was among family that my passion grew for the aromas and smells of this land that shapes our character.
 After coming into contact with many cultures of living and making wine, in various parts of the globe, I returned to the great Douro valley convinced that we have the potential to make the best wines in the world.
 Out of respect for nature, due to the way we cultivate our vineyards, my wines reflect my experiences, which smell and taste of my land, of schist, damp granite, rock rose, wild flowers and fruit.
 It is in my winery that I make wines with the character of our ‘terroir’, expressed through native grape varieties, which I instil with a style of their own and an international profile
Domaine Jean Grivot Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Aux Boudots is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.
Jean Grivot’s 38.3 acres spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.
Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er cru lies in the “Zone Vosnoise” or northern end of Nuits-Saint-Georges just below Les Damodes. It borders Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er just to its north. Its position slightly lower on the slope with deep soil full of pebbles results in a richer and fuller wine.
The grapes are destemmed and maceration à froid usually lasts just a day or two. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous and malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak is around 30-60% for the premier crus.
The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 30-60% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.
Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.
Reviews:
‘The 2020 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Boudots Ter Cru has the best aromatics among Grivat Nuits Saint-Georges with very well defined red berry fruit, briary and lignt sous-bois aromas. The palate is medium-badied with fine-grain tannins, slightly savory on the entry, fresh and saline on the finish. This has real verve and class, though it will benefit from time in bottle
-Vinous 93-95 Points
A wine with the substance and structure to support the generous lashings of new oak used for maturation, and the overall effect is elegant and classic in style. Aux Boudots, where Grivot has 0.85ha, is at the northern edge of Nuits, just over the border from Vosne-Romanée Malconsorts. They began to pick on the 3rd of September – Etienne specified that they are very particular that the tannins are ripe and do what they can to prolong the vegetative cycle. Still, the grapes were picked with an entirely correct pH of around 3.4.
-Decanter 94 Points
Trump Winery Viognier is made from 100 percent Viognier.
True to its variety, this wine has delicate floral notes and aromas of peach, honeysuckle, and tropical fruits. Barrel aging creates a palate that is round, elegant, and complex, giving the wine additional hints of vanilla and toast. Enjoy with roasted chicken, Asian dishes, poached seafood, and crabcakes.