Caves Transmontanas Branco (Vertice)

點(diǎn)擊次數(shù)：2790

The 2008 BRANCO (VERTICE) is a blend of Gouveio and Viosinho principally, with some Arinto, oak aged for 9 months. The oak has a relatively light hand here, not that it is invisible, but it integrates well and becomes a part of the whole rather than the whole story. This seems pointed, racy and focused, with fine flavors, some citrus aromatics and ripe, bright fruit. With its acidity serving it in good stead, easily cutting through the oak, this showed extremely well and actually reminded me a bit of the winery’s Super Reserva Espumante in character. Drink now-2013. Importer: V.O.S. Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 967-6948.

The 2007 BRANCO is a 50/50 blend of Gouveio and Viosinho, aged in 40% new and 60% used barrels for 9 months. This is an elegant white, marked by oak, but not overwhelmed by it. There is good acidity and it has a bright feel, relatively speaking, given its type and time in barrel. If not quite as deep as its sibling (the Quanta Terra Branco reviewed this issue from the same winemaker), it is a bit more graceful, crisper and better balanced with respect to oak treatment. There were 6,000 bottles produced. Drink now-2011. Importer: V.O.S. Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 967-6948.

The 2006 BRANCO (VERTICE) is a bit off the last vintages, and it was likely a more difficult year. It is very grassy, and seems a bit short. It does have a certain perky, sunny quality to it that makes it refreshing. Drink now-2009. This winery is known for its sparkling wines. It was founded by the late Jack Davies of Schramsberg, although his family and company are no longer associated with Caves Transmontanas. The winery has branched out into still wines and generally does a nice job on everything at fair prices.Importer: V.O.S. Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 967-6948.

The star of this lineup is the small production Branco. The 2004 Branco (Vertice) is bright, with a lingering finish, and a mid-weight mid-palate. It is fragrant and fairly crisp, with nice fruit in the middle. There is a touch of lime on the finish, which is dry and pure, turning a little austere. This is a solid wine that I rather liked a lot as it warmed up.This winery was founded in 1988 by Jack Davies of Schramsberg, the noted Napa sparkling wine producer. Although they focus on sparkling wine, they began to make dry, still wine in 1999.Importer: V.O.S. Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 967-6948

The 2003 Branco is 55% Gouveio, fermented in tank, the rest Rabigato, fermented in French oak. Originally released in 2005, it is a library wine, noted here for historical reasons, as an insight into ageworthiness. I've had more than a few doubts as to how many Douro whites would age, and more than a few disappointments. This has some pros and cons, depending on how you like them, but it grew on me steadily. It does require some palate adjustment. The rather modest oak treatment has stood it in good stead - there is none of that sour vanilla nuance that some dying whites get when heavily oaked and the fruit then cracks up. To my mind, that often makes them pretty much undrinkable. Instead, this has nice persistence and body still, some notes of oxidation, but a pleasing, earthy complexity, fine acidity and a lingering finish. At this point in its life - clearly showing lots of mature and tertiary notes - it won't have the freshness that many want, particularly in a white, but its earthy, slightly mushroom-y notes of maturity will be pleasing and interesting to many others. It should hang on awhile longer, but I wouldn't hold it too long. Drink now.