Etienne Guigal Gigondas 2016

 

This can be the last post of 2020, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the year of resilience and a year of change for me as I departure from Singapore, headed to Amsterdam. During the 3 years I lived in Singapore, I had the hope to explore Australian wines and French ones, but unfortunately, due alcohol taxation, the wines could achieve 3 times the price of the original market, making hard to enter in that journey of discovery I wished for.

This was the last wine I drank while in Singaporean territory, made mostly from: Grenache, with some batches of Syrah and Mourvèdre.

Aromas composed of red fruits, light tobacco box, flowers and truffle powder.

What an punch! Compact, warm, vicious with pepper spice flavors on the palate, has sour cherries and cranberries with flowers. It has a slow depth with balsamic vapors and a surprising light vegetable notes.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆ 

Termeão 2004

 

6 Years ago, I experienced this wine in a birthday party of a close friend of mine. It was on the vicinity I set sail to Cape Town and I always kept a desire of repeat the experience. Some weeks ago I stumble on it. It marked the return from Singapore as I left Southeast Asia.

Made from Castelão, Touriga Nacional and Cabernet Sauvignon. 2758 bottles were produced, no wonder as some of the most delightful Portuguese wines, are hard to find.

The aromas are an infusion of pretty things: soil, cassis, some tobacco, sour cherries, dark chocolate hints.

This is pure luxury, still full of life, it has fruit jam with cherry. It is a stir, with character, it is a balsam to the senses. feels like an LBV Port Wine, dense, mysterious, layered and compact.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Maria Izabel 2016

 

Made from a blend spectrum of de Tinta Roriz, Tinta Francisca, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Sousão and Touriga Franca.

Red fruits in the aromas. Some light toasted wood and and fresh leaves.

In the mouth presents: medium bodied, with dried fruits, slight oxidation of red fruits, and a vegetable finish.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Casa de Santar Vinha dos Amores Encruzado 2016

 

Chemical aromas, melon, peach with fuzzy zest, and multiple flowers.

Starts with impact and is fat. It has butter and cookies. Kilos of mega ripe fruit is like a banana with many black spots in the peel. In the end surfaces stone fruit with ripe melon. Complex and layered enough, however, the intense ripeness spoils it.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

M.O.B. Vinha Senna 2019

Vineyard planted in granitic soil at 550 m of altitude. 

Citrus aromas, summer flowers, apple.

Bright, alive, with the green apple underneath, predominantly mineral salty and citric. Presents a thin balsamic retro. Beautiful and refined.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Chanson Pinot Noir 2018

 

I drank this wine before my my quarantine come to end when I returned to Singapore, after a period out of the country.

Mostly reddish in aroma, berries, raspberry, some chemical, wood powder and some flowers.

Light, chemical, biting astringency, the fruit is a little plastic blended with the chemicals and spices, It has a magic bottom, that can be powdery mildew in case you wonder.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

M.O.B. Touriga Nacional 2014

 

It has a fine aroma: predominantly floral and some smoke aloof.

The wine is beautiful. Red fruits, toasted wood, brilliantly balanced, astringent at the end, drops a set of undefined things at the end that I did not bother to decipher. It is better to just enjoy it.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Doda 2012

Very few wines in Portugal broke the barriers on becoming untagged, meaning, it does not belong to wine region, once it is a blend of two batches coming from Dão and Douro.

Some red fruit, has a beautiful vegetable aroma, earth, some tobacco, light earth crust dust.

Cassis, dried fruit, has a vegetable expression and a reverse gear that brings cassis, tobacco, blackberry, nuts, English cake, fresh wood like when we are putting our tongue on.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

 

Quinta da Vegia Lote 2015

 

Made from a blend of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional.

Aroma is slightly muted: chemical mostly, wet soil, earth and tobacco stand out.

Black character and concentrated. some plum, raisins, nuts, walnut, has a fine, subtle vanilla and flower engravement. Beautiful to enjoy. 

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Primus 2015

 

Made predominantly from Encruzado and other blends with origin in old vines.

Floral, ripe white pulp fruit, apple, citrus flying over the aromas.

Dry, it's more citric than I expected. It has a bit of that luscious feeling with a delicate swirl of fruit topped by gooseberries. There are no strange things that ties to ice the cake. Thin and infinite finish. You can feel the dripping progress and spreading slowly along the digestive tract.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Cinco Forais Alicante Bouschet 2017

 

Cassis and other berries, pepper, and milk chocolate with vanilla in the aromas.

Seductive, soft and silky, it has a vegetable ground that I like. Found nuts, chocolate some hints of cranberries and mostly blackberries and cassis with pepper to give a final push. It resembles a LBV Port. Highly enjoyable and addictive. Loved it.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Palato do Côa 2018

 

Made mostly from Rabigato & Viosinho. 

Sweet and ripe summer fruit in the aromas.

Fresh, light, moisturize the cheeks. It is more mineral than fruity, although it appears underneath with melon and orange core and a small dose of balsamic. This is lovely for solo or with a grilled fish during a summer afternoon.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Indie Xisto 2017

 

Some people buy wine because the label is created with dedication or just because the bottle shape is unusual. I bought this species by impulse, once it makes me remember the experiments with Mullineux & all. 

Raspberries, kilos in the glass. Plum, some chocolate hints.

The wine is light but is flat. It has a spicy acidity. I like the lightness, I don't like the lack of reduced expression. There is transport of the aroma composition with a curl. It is youthful with a talented soul that did not reach the full potential.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Lacrau 2016 Vinhas Velhas

 

Raspberries and blackberries and some tobaccos in the aromas vapors.

It seems that we are eating compact fruit caramels that take time to chew, it does not weigh in the mouth. I found some floral character, berries and tobacco box that gives a light punch, ending with coffee beans. It's easy to empathize and I am loving it.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Conciso 2017

 

Made from a blend lead by Baga and Jaen, grown in old vines.

Flowers, mint (like the chewing gums) ripe pear, damn it! What a pleasure poised with crystal salt.

In the mouth is luscious: flowers, stewed fruit, mint hints and a balsamic retro feedback. Focused, addictive, revolves and turns like a swirl.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Vinha da Urze Reserva 2016

 

Made from a blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz.

Floral predominance in the aroma and some vanilla.

Use a decanter and let the wine breathe for a while, otherwise comes from the bottle with high acidity. Fruits are hidden, does not captivate much, mainly black fruit, plums, raisin and cassis.

Ratting: ★★☆☆☆

Os Canivéis 2016

 

Origin from old vines coming from a plateau at 600m high.

Some lemon, gooseberry, stone fruit, it's beautiful in the nose and expressive.

What a delight, super alive, the gooseberries push the wine to a taste of sweetness, combined with stone fruit, melon with sharp as a knife definition across the spectrum, with a hint of salt. It's delicious, it's very good indeed.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Quinta da Leda 2016

 

I brought this bottle from Portugal on the way back to Singapore, on the week the circuit breaker started due Covid-19 pandemic and lasted more then expected. I could not share during Easter, and end up being enjoyed later just before I came back to homeland.

Vanilla, oak, chocolate, flowers, some dark fruit in the aromas.

Super silky, flowers upfront, well integrated oak and dark fruits. It impresses by that layer of Patine of enjoyability and finesse.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

If you wonder about the 2005 vintage you can read it here

Quinta da Chocapalha 2015

 

Made from a majority of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Castelão and Alicante Bouschet.

Predominantly red fruit and some oak in the aromas.

The beginning starts fresh, some chocolate and floral leaves escaping to raspberries and berries. It is elegant and easy drinking.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Jose Piteira 2016

Made from Moreto. Cassis, coffee, some tobacco in the aromas.

Rolls in the mouth like a carrousel, start with cassis, move on to coffee and then change to red gooseberries. It heats up and almost perpetuates itself. It is beautiful and it is different and I love it.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

One Man Band 2012

 

I already had a very good impression from this producer, I never had the opportunity to properly record all the experiences coming from this source, from a region with cooler climate which wines are quieter and present themselves with special character.

Earth, flowers, plum, raisin fruit and spice in the aromas.

Soft, starts with anise, plum and raisins, gets a little sweet and reverts to chocolate. Ends spicy with some light pepper.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

In case you wonder, you can reach to 2008 vintage here.

Dona Berta Reserva 2013

Flowers in the front, some chemical notes, vanilla, wood, is vigorous and fragrant.

Soft, silky, velvety, maybe a little too much vanilla (I preferred the granular sensation and chemicals of the past), some resinous hints combined with spices and balsamic release.


Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Some older vintage reviews can be found for 2012 and 2010.

Duorum Reserva 2017 Vinhas Velhas

Some flowers, no great aromatic expression, some red fruit and tobacco box.

Silky, made with care, reddish in flavor (berries, some cherries), not much contact with wood, releases pepper some flowers and balsamic at the end. It is not opulent and heavy, it is balanced and classy.

It have potential of evolving into something better, I just could not wait for it taking into consideration how hard it is to access to Portuguese Wine in Southeast Asia. I just took my chance. I needed something better and different.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

The 2007 vintage review can be found here , how different it was.

Radford Dale Chenin Blanc 2017

If there is something that fascinated me while in South Africa, was the out of ordinary Chenin Blanc I stumbled on and will be my primary choice on South Africa whites. Interesting enough,  the producer highlights clearly such outcomes: " the country’s winemakers put great effort into producing and manipulating less well-adapted (to our geology and climate) but more fashionable varieties – such as Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon – into “premium wines”, while mistreating the Cape’s most widely-planted and (according to us) best-adapted varietal [..] given the amazing diversity of terroirs in the Cape winelands, the versatility of the Chenin Blanc grape presents a fascinating realm to explore [...] . many of the oldest vineyards are planted to Chenin Blanc, which have naturally found their own balance and produce wines with increased character, depth and intrigue [...] "

Aromas composed of minerals, fluorescent sensations and gooseberries.

Light, greased, salted, honey, it has a punch of peach in the bottom, that fades and the gooseberries kick back in combined with flowers flowers. it ends long ad persistent.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Vina Alberdi Reserva 2014

Cherries and raspberries and toasted wood.

Light, really alive, full of berries in block that fills your mouth, like that sensation when you are eating bread with jam, which the first bite you miss the topping but later you are hit by an impactful sensation of something good, sweet and tasty.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Houdamond Pinotage 2015

This wine is produced by Bellevue winery in South Africa and commercialized with this label by Marks & Spencer.

Soil , red fruits, summer flowers in the aromas.

Compact, the plum and coffee stands out followed by raisins that float like bubble tea, chocolate, black pepper. It's too much for a wine? Is it tutti frutti? It's colored, it's punchy, it pushes everything in controlled turmoil.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Weingut Robert Weil Riesling 2018

Summer fruits, melon, white peach, lychees. flowers in the aromas.

Dry, crispy, reminiscent of red Portuguese "Vinho Verde"  with the tinny bubbles throbbing as the liquid passes into the mouth. Peach glues like chewing gum mixed with mineral salts. Is it super alive, a little anise stands and some lychees as well, humm, this is a pleasure to drink.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Sierra Cantabria Colleccíon Privada 2014

Black fruits, raisins, cherries, plum in the aromas.

Really enjoyed it is not that extra heavy full body that drown the senses. It is a layered rainbow cake of cherries, plum, raisins, licorice, wood contact, English cake, delicious.

Finishes thin and long.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Pascual Toso Malbec 2016

Colorful red aroma wrapped in raspberry.

Cassis, raspberry, a plateau of raspberries that turns into something hot and spicy, you can feel the contact with wood, some vanilla hints topped by milk chocolate.

Enjoyed the balance, the twists the character change.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Costa di Bussia Barolo 2015

Made from Nebbiolo.

Black fruits, anise, wood and some flowers in the aromas. Very strong sensory interaction.

I liked its sense of lightness, still bright, in contrast with the smoked and spicy and warm sensation. Plums and raisins, some nuts floating with a splash of anise in the back.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Amarone 2011

Made from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone, Molinara and Oseleta. Plenty of red fruits, toasted oak and smoke in the aromas.

It is chemical and smoked. The smoky sensation keeps its presence as well as, the oak contact, such weight is balanced by the acidity stings. Pity it keeps a sweet profile, a disguised chocolate flavor. It tries to blend to many and too much feelings.

Ratting: ★★☆☆☆

Quinta do Crasto Reserva Vinhas Velhas 2016

Amoras with hints of raisins, raspberries, flowers, a little hidden anise.

What a poison. It sticks to the tongue like honey. When enters in the mouth, it seems it is creating a protective layer with a combined freshness. Some raspberries, a little bit of hidden spice and ends with some chocolate notes.

The 2012 vintage can be revised here.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Quinta do Perdigão Encruzado 2018

Nine years (already) passed when I had the opportunity to chat with the producer. This is one of my favorite producers in Dão region in my home country.

Mineral, some stone fruit, melon in the aromas.

Rolls in the mouth, light, lacks some tension and acidity but gains in vaporizing inside. Stone fruit does is not noticeable, coem hints of peaches and melon. Is more deeply mineral and delicate. Ends short.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Muxagat Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca is a Portuguese wine variety that I found often during the days I was a Western Cape inhabitant in South Africa. Stumbling on the bottle brought to me those memories, as well as the brand, Muxagat one of my favorites in the days wine trading was confined to a short spectrum of producers.

Earth, soil, vinum mustum, red fruits, and dark cherries in the aromas.

Light, without being thick, damn it, what a kick from typical Portuguese wine character, it is punchy. There is slight lack of focus, no tricks, no deceit, mostly red fruits floating. Ends peppery, astringent plays with my tongue and I love it.

Ratting: ★★★☆☆

Quinta do Mouro 2013

For the good (2006 vintage) or for the bad (2005 vintage) we cannot forget the impact of Quinta do Mouro. Hence, it was time to go back for a spin.

Black fruits injected into gaseous steam.

Explodes in the mouth "en masse", is intense, really full body. It has black fruits, anise, and some raspberry that breaks free after from the darkness. What a precious detail. It never ends, it persisits. It is brutal and I loved to brace for impact.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

M.O.B. 2016

Made from Encruzado, Bical and Malvasia-fina.

Slightly chemical, some wildflowers and stone fruit in the aromas.

This has hidden things, candy, chemicals, things I know what they are but I can't describe, this is the power of a distinct wine wine with character against the coca cola of the people. Get to know it.

Ratting: ★★★★☆

Covela 2015 reserva

About the rise all fall and Covela reborn, many things were written. From the previous installment, I remember how deep the wines were. When I had the opportunity to my lips on a bottle of Covela Escolha white on a flight back from Brazil, I remember it was time to rediscoverer it.

Made from Avesso, Arinto and Chardonnay.

Flowers, stone fruit in the aromas, is intense and leads into the discovery.

Palate with freshness, tense, dry, very sharp, it releases so many beautiful things that I don't feel like describing such beauty. Releases balsamic until the end. It's beautiful.

Ratting: ★★★★☆