Browse Tag

albariño

Where’s Moneypenny?

Quintas de Melgaço 2006 Vinho Verde Alvarinho “QM” (Portugal) – There’s plenty of fizz here, to the extent that more than a few casual drinkers wonder aloud if this isn’t a sparkling wine. But the aggressive pétillance gives it verve and vivacity, and the limestone, lemon-lime and chalk palate is wonderfully crisp, mineral-driven and exciting. Joe Perry calls this “the DRC of Vinho Verde,” and while I’ve had other serious and studied wines from the appellation, I find it impossible to discover any faults aside from excessive quality here. Nicely done. (8/07)

Q, M, 007

Quintas de Malgaço “QM” 2006 Vinho Verde Alvarinho (Monção) – Spice in the form of a tightly-packed carbon froth, crystallized lemon-lime, dulled-razor acidity, and a quasi-electric texture. A few bottles of the half-dozen tasted are starting to water up, but the rest retain their full intensity. Do these wines age? It seems almost like a waste to find out. (5/08)

On the QM

Quintas de Melgaço “QM” 2006 Vinho Verde Alvarinho (Monção) – Just stunning. Green and yellow citrus hisses and sizzles like a live wire, bristling with electricity and piercing, needled acidity. Light yet vividly intense. It’s not a genteel sipping wine – it needs food – but in its way, it’s very nearly perfect. (12/07)

Dona, dona, dona

[vine]Martínez Serantes “Dona Rosa” 2004 Rias Baixas Albariño (Northwest Spain) – Juicy semi-tropical fruit through gauze, lemon verbena and a sort of indifferent, meandering structure and form. It’s pleasant, but don’t ask it for anything else. (10/07)

Ba, ba, ba…ba, barbera

[bottle]Bruno Giacosa 2005 Barbera d’Alba (Piedmont) – Even though the grapes don’t have that much in common, aspirational barbera reminds me of zinfandel in that it pairs delicious, friendly fruit with good acidity. Of course, barbera has, in its non-spoofulated state, more acid than zinfandel. OK, so maybe it’s not the best comparison. Anyway, this is polished without being overworked, showing vivid red fruit with fine acidity enveloped by a supple, rounded structure. And yet, through it all cuts that beautiful core of acidity. Very, very good. (10/07)

TN: It’s not easy being green

Anselmo/Mendes “Andreza” 2005 Vinho Verde Alvarinho (Portugal) – Lime, lemon and grapefruit with a razor-spritz of acidity. Fresh and lively, this wine brightens up the room and the palate at the same time. As befits a varietal alvarinho, however, it does it with more force and intensity than is typical from the appellation. (3/07)

TN: Feital don’t fail me now

Quinta do Feital “Auratus” 2004 Alvarinho/Trajadura (Minho) – Intense, sun-drenched but brightly crisp and tangy lemon, ripe green apple, and melon flavors with a saline edge and dusted bivalves around the borders. Vivid enjoyment. (2/07)

TN: Albariño a ring

RE.6135 PO “Burgáns” 2005 Albariño (Rías Baixas) – Clean, refreshing lemon-lime juice with stickier grapefruit and sweet apple notes, plus a lingering descant of makrut lime. This is balanced and pure, growing in intensity as food demands, but simple and sweetly pretty by itself. (2/07)

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