Quinta do Portal Grande Reserva Tinto, Douro Valley, Portugal

門戶酒莊特級珍藏紅葡萄酒

點擊次數(shù)：8341

The 2001 GRANDE RESERVA, 50% Touriga Nacional and 25% each of Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz, is a focused and refined wine that is easy to appreciate for its class and finesse. Not as deep as the 2000, it is more intense and better structured, tightly wound and fresher, with more finesse and just an occasional note of maturity. I like this even better now than the first time I saw it and if there is a happy surprise in the Grande Reserva lineup, this is it. Drink now-2017. The Auru, Reserva and Grande Reserva verticals from 2009 on back were poured at the winery in Douro. The Reserva vertical showed improvement and then consistency, making this wine a really fine value point in the Portal lineup—although as time goes on the Grande Reservas overall certainly generally surpass them and age better, e.g., 2000 and 2003. Notes on wines omitted in the Reserva vertical (particularly the ‘04 and ‘08) are in the database. The Grande Reserva lineup had few surprises. The wines generally showed quite well and my winery notes and scores were pretty much in line with what was originally published and predicted. It is, however, good to confirm that the wines fulfilled their promise and developed well. The Auru vertical also demonstrated the winery’s improving skill. There can’t be much doubt that Portal is a serious player in Douro, competing well with most anyone. The only problem with Auru is the pricing. The wines are certainly pretty fine, but the question there does become whether it justifies the big price spike considering how good many of the “l(fā)esser” bottlings have become. The Grande Reservas have really become a sweet spot in the lineup, not that they are cheap. NOTE: I am not publishing a tasting note on the 2009 Auru as it was rather closed and needs to be reevaluated, but it certainly seemed to have at least 92-94 point potential. Note that the prices for the library wines were simply taken from the last releases. The older vintages may not in fact be readily available and thus prices may vary widely. Importer: M Imports, Coppell, TX; tel: (214) 505-0616.

The 2001 Grande Reserva is a blend of Touriga Nacional (50%) with equal parts Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz for the remainder. It is persistent, with a hint of herbal overtones, and a bright, refreshing feel on the finish. The tannins appear lightly on the finish, but are more of a factor in this wine than its 2000 counterpart. The wine is beautifully balanced and structured, and thirty minutes of air has it firing on all cylinders. Although on opening this does not seem quite as ripe as its 2000 counterpart, do not underestimate the delicious sweet fruit here, a hypothetical meld of strawberries and plums. The mid-palate has substance, but as it airs out, it becomes rather elegant. Drink now-2012. This estate, operating under the supervision of French consultant Pascal Chatonnet, is producing an array of wines that generally perform well at fair prices.Importer: MHW, Ltd., Manhasset, NY; tel. (516) 869-9170