by katrin on February 28, 2011
First impressions can be deceiving. That is especially true when it comes to wine. I grimaced when I pulled the cork out of the Paulo Laureano Singularis. Immediately, rustic and stinky notes wafted out of the bottle. I feared that, despite what I had read about the renowned winemaker’s modern approach to Portuguese wine, this was going to be a powerful country (by that I mean barnyardy) red. Lucky for me, I was wrong.
A blend of 70% Aragonez (Tempranillo), 20% Trincadeira, and 10% Alicante Bouschet, the wine is a dark, but not opaque, ruby that still looks fresh. Raspberry, cherry, and plum combine with mocha on the nose and palate. After some time in the glass, the initial off-putting rustic quality evolved to a more pleasant earthiness. Very well balanced, with acidity, tannins, and alcohol creating a solid, but not overbearing, structure for the fruit. The red fruits linger on the palate, as do the fine tannins.
Paulo Laureano is committed to producing wines from Portuguese varietals, bucking the trend of planting international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With hundreds of indigenous varietals, the vast majority of which we will never see in the US market, I hope that he continues to make wines that showcase the rich diversity of grapes growing in Portugal.
I think this is a very good wine that strikes a balance between being true to its origins and being appealing to drinkers who are increasingly accustomed to wines made in a “New World” style.
At Wine Nation for $14.99.
by rodney on February 10, 2010
85 Columbia Street
Fall River, MA 02721
(508) 675-0002
Closed Tuesdays
Luis Bettencourt
Proprietor
Portuguese Cuisine
Sometimes you can’t get enough of a good thing. So, I followed up the great Touriga Nacional seminar at the Boston Wine Expo by taking my brother, Robert, to my favorite Portuguese restaurant in Fall River, MA. I make it a point to stop in whenever I am in the area and am overtaken by a craving for Carne de Porco à Alentejana. But since this is “Invitation-Only”, there’ll be no menu and no Alentejana tonight.
Luis happily greets us over the sounds of the Portuguese Futebol Liga match on television (For a moment, I thought it was summer again and I was back in the Algarve). I share the list of Touriga wines that I tasted during the seminar, when Luis pulls out his last bottle of CARM Reserva, 2001, which he says will go nicely with the dish he has planned. He brings over the wine with some olives and crusty Portuguese rolls with butter.
2001 CARM Reserva Touriga Nacional blend, vanilla, smoke, spice, ripe black fruit, medium body, mild tannins, balanced alcohol/acidity
We start with a Portuguese soup of cabbage, kale, chourico, beef, potatoes, carrots, elbow pasta, etc. I have eaten Portuguese soup all of my life and I’m not sure that I have ever had it the same way twice. The soup is a delicious meal served alone and perfect for a cold winter night (properly eaten of course by soaking torn pieces of Portuguese bread). The acidity of the CARM balanced well with the hardy soup. [click to continue…]
by rodney on January 31, 2010
My Portuguese odyssey, which began as a child in Fall River, MA and rediscovered in the Algarve last June, continued at the 2010 Boston Wine Expo. After a full day of posing as a French wine snob, I attempted to reopen my mind by attending the “Rise of Touriga Nacional” seminar hosted by MW Sandy Block.
My earliest experience of tasting Portuguese wine (barred from the Lancers and Mateus that my parent’s drank in the ’70s) was barrel “sampling” in the basement of my Azorean neighbors’ homes. Not sophisticated enough at the time to judge the bouquet or finish, all I can remember was that since they comprised whatever Vitis Lambrusca was found growing in their New England gardens (trellised for shade and high yield), their wines more closely resembled the typical field blends produced back on the island. After all, it was intended as table wine; to be drunk young and often.
A lot has changed in Portuguese wine production in the past 25 years. Field blends are becoming a thing of lore and wines are being created with their own unique character. And according to Mr. Block, Portugal’s Touriga Nacional is fighting for and deserving of shelf space in the market and in your cellar. [click to continue…]
by katrin on December 25, 2009
Like many wine fans, I receive emails from many wine store. One of my favorite and most trusted stores in the Boston area is Gordon’s Fine Wine. In David Raines’ absence, other staff have stepped up to promote their wine of the moment. Some of the more enthusiastic missives come from Michael Murray. After having purchased several of his offerings over the past year, I have come to trust his opinion.
[click to continue…]
by rodney on July 1, 2009
My last post from the Algarve. Just a quick Food & Wine video.
