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Tasting notes from the Boston Wine Expo. Note the usual caveats about speed-tasting in boisterous environments, where mistakes are rampant and palate fatigue is a factor. These are brief impressions, not full examinations; the phraseology reflects these conditions.

Part 9: Portugal & places where Spanish is spoken

Santa Vitória 2007 Alentejano Branco (Portugal) – Dry, clean, dry, skin-toned, dry, seedy, and dry. I’ve never tasted such a parched wine. It makes me thirsty for something liquid. (2/08)

Santa Vitória 2006 Alentejano Branco (Portugal) – Fuller than the 2007, showing crisp melon and apple, but with layer upon layer of skin-dominated desiccation. Very interesting. (2/08)

Santa Vitória 2006 Alentejano Branco “Reserva” (Portugal) – Peach, apricot, and thick orange cream with good acidity. Big and full-fruited. Very tasty. (2/08)

Santa Vitória “Versátil” 2005 Alentejano Tinto (Portugal) – Dirty and angular, showing sharp-edged blackberries. Eh. (2/08)

Santa Vitória 2005 Alentejano Tinto (Portugal) – Blackberry, black cherry, and strawberry seeds. Tough tannins. I don’t see how this resolves into anything useful. (2/08)

Santa Vitória 2004 Alentejano Tinto “Reserva” (Portugal) – Lusher than its brethren, and more full-bodied, with blueberry and plum, a complexing rindy note, and a good deal of structure. Still, it’s just average. (2/08)

Santa Vitória “Inevitável” 2005 Alentejano Tinto (Portugal) – Big and dense, with chewy, chocolate-covered blackberries. Sophisticated but quite tannic at the moment; it will age, but I think the tannin will always be somewhat of a topnote. (2/08)

Los Quimiles 2006 Torrontés (Salta) – Streaky lime, sweet lime, and skin tones. Clean. It lacks brightness; call it a sunset torrontés. (2/08)

Montes Alpha 2004 “M” (Santa Cruz) – Melon and maraschino cherry, plus a spectrum of fruit desiccation that runs from plum, to prune, to raising. Big and dark. Oaky, with solid tannin and lots of chocolate on the finish. Well put-together in the blindingly obvious New World style, and – of course – thoroughly anonymous. (2/08)

Casa Lapostolle 2004 “Clos Apalta” (Colchagua) – Dense and thick, with an unpleasant mélange of bell peppers and chocolaty oak, which clamps down and arrests the finish. Not very good. (2/08)

Burmester White Porto (Douro) – Leafy – mostly mint – with strawberry and sweet blended sugars. Very, very simple. (2/08)

Burmester Tawny Porto (Douro) – More oxidized than I’d like, showing little other than stale nuts and an acrid sharpness. (2/08)

Burmester “Jockey Club” Porto “Reserva” (Douro) – Brown sugar and maple syrup. OK. (2/08)

Burmester “10 Year” Tawny Porto (Douro) – Complex at the outset, sugary sweetness, with stale fruit but good length. Actually fairly tasty, though it seems older than its constituent parts. (2/08)

Burmester “20 Year” Tawny Porto (Douro) – Spiced brandy but pleasantly mild overall, with complex sugars and a long, creamy finish. (2/08)

Burmester 1985 Colheita Porto (Douro) – Cigar and old Armagnac, very spicy, with balanced sweetness but a touch of heat on the finish. Impressive length. (2/08)

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)

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)