Browse Tag

douro

Alexander Bell

Graham’s 1994 Porto (Douro) – Pure sweetness, mixed cherries. The finish is decent. It appears to be open, but it’s not showing much, so maybe it’s all an illusion. (2/08)

Ruby Dee

[cases]Burmester Ruby Porto (Douro) – Simple dark cherry syrup with dual burning sensations of acidity and alcohol. (2/08)

Burmester “Sotto Voce” Porto “Reserve” (Douro) – Spiced walnut and good, dark fruit. Nice. (2/08)

Burmester 2001 “Late Bottled Vintage” Porto (Douro) – Balanced and structured, full-fruited (black cherry, blueberry, boysenberry), with a long, spicy finish. Very nice. (2/08)

Burmester 2005 Porto (Douro) – Tannin and tarragon-dominated, with spiky acidity, stale nut skins, and an odd finish. Weird. (2/08)

Barca-lounger

Casa Ferreirinha 1991 Douro “Barca-Velha” (Portugal) – Elegant, perhaps overly so, with lightly sweet fruit in a faded box of antique clothing. The finish is lengthy, but there’s a hint of caramelization at the fringe, and the wine promises a bit more than it delivers. It’s owner, while praising the wine, insists that it’s performing below norm. (4/08)

Elliot & Patrick

Gould-Campbell 2003 Porto (Douro) – Spiced raspberry. Medium-sweet. Light tannin. Honestly, this wine is almost hollow; a shell of a vintage Port. (2/07)

Fonseca is stronger than you

[vineyard]Fonseca 1985 Porto (Douro) – Coffee, red and black fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg. Very sweet, with good intensity and a medium-weight aspect. Parts are smoothing into maturity, but some mitigation of the extreme sweetness would be welcome. In time, in time. (1/08)

Noval idea

Quinta do Noval 1997 “Late Bottled Vintage” Porto (Douro) – Still quite primary, with big, juicy berries in a fine fruit syrup plus a dense layer of ripe tannin and surprisingly vivid acidity. There’s absolutely no reason to open this one now. (9/07)