THE LAB 2014 LISBOA RED BLEND
This is a Liquorland own label that I found last week in their Broome store. The vintage, price and origin surprised me. The fact that it was a multi blend didn't - those Portuguese just can't help themselves.
It's a medium weight red in perfect condition with the promise of further cellaring rewards. It may be a little feral barnyardy for some tastes which is why I scored it a 4. I suggest grabbing a bottle and tasting it over 3 days. See what you think. You may be rushing back for more.
GRAPE VARIETIES: A quadruple blend of Castelao, Tempranillo, Shiraz and Touriga Nacional
REGION: Lisboa, Portugal
A/V: 13%
PRICE: $9
FROM: Liquorland
RATING: 4/5 from me
The label is quite vague but the wine is unequivocally huge. This is a big rich, wooded, full bodied dry white. If you like this style you'll rate it much higher. If you prefer light zingy whites, avoid at all costs.
VILLA REAL 2016 PREMIUM DOURO
REGION: Douro, Portugal
A/V: 13.5%
PRICE: 3.99 euro
FROM: Lidl, Portugal
RATING: 4/5 from me
It's a rare white wine, at this price, that combines a textural complexity with a fine fruit and acid delicacy. This is an absolutely outstanding dry white that I could happily drink for the rest of my life.
CASA FERREIRINHA PLANALTO 2016 VINHO BLANCO SECO RESERVA
GRAPE VARIETIES: ????
REGION: Douro, Portugal
A/V: 12.5%
PRICE: 4.99 euro
FROM: Lidl, Portugal
RATING: 5/5 from me
When I arrive in a new country or find a new retailer with a range of wines I've never seen before I get excited. I'm obsessed with tasting wine and making sense of varieties and regions that I've never encountered before.
Sometimes I buy so much that we can't taste them all before we move on to a new place where those wines aren't available. And so it was with this little beauty. We bought it in Portugal and opened the bottle in Spain.
It's a dazzling crisp dry white full of aromatic flavour that warrants a much higher price. I wish we'd bought more
MONTE DA FERRA 2016 VINHO BRANCO
GRAPE VARIETIES: Roupeiro, Arinto and Fernao Pires
REGION: Alentejo, Portugal
A/V: 12.5%
PRICE: 1.99 euro
FROM: Aldi, Portugal
RATING: 5/5 from me
This is another bargain from the recent Continente sale.
Complex, surprisingly mellow and warmly inviting this is a masterful blend. I would have loved an opportunity to taste the components individually before the blend was put together
MULA VELHA 2016 PREMIUM WHITE
GRAPE VARIETIES: Fernao Pires, Arinto, Chardonnay and Verdelho
REGION: Lisboa, Portugal
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 2.99 euro [marked down from 9.99]
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 5/5 from me
We'd already been impressed by this maker's Premium Red so this was an interesting comparison. A solid impressive little red that over delivers at the markdown price. But still the premium is well worth the difference.
MULA VEHLA 2016 VINHO TINTO
GRAPE VARIETIES: Touriga Nacional, Aragonez and Castelao
REGION: Lisboa, Portugal
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 2.19 euro [marked down from 5.49]
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 4.5/5 from me at the reduced price
That's the original asking price Continente reckon before reducing it to 2.99. Even then there are so many better wines out there.
This is quite a hard, austere white without much enticing fruit. Some will like it but the markdown claim annoys me.
CALHANDRIZ 2016 PREMIUM WHITE
GRAPE VARIETIES: Arinto and Chardonnay
REGION: Lisboa, Portugal
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 2.99 euro [reduced from 9.99]
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 2/5 from me
So far with our exploration into Portuguese wines we've encountered three different varieties in the Vinho Verdes we've tasted. And a range of spritzig from "way too much" to the much preferred subtlety of this one.
This is the first time we've encountered Loureiro and this is a very classy offering for the price. Highly recommended crisp dry white with just a touch of spritz
QUINTA DA AVELEDA 2017 VINHO VERDE
GRAPE VARIETIES: Loureiro amd Alvarinho
REGION: Vinho Verde, Portugal
A/V: 11.5%
PRICE: 3.34 euro
FROM: Intermarche, Portugal
RATING: 4.5/5 from me
For sheer visual impact this is a winner. A stylishly labeled magnum in an equally impressive gift box. And the stuff inside doesn't let you down.
This is an elegant stylish red with more finesse and subtlety than power. Big bottles slow down the ageing process so while I'd be happy to drink now I'd love to taste it in 5-10 years time. It could be something quite special. And even if it's not to your taste just give them away as Christmas presents.
CASTELO do SULCO 2016 RESERVA 1.5L Gift Boxed
GRAPE VARIETIES: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Syrah
REGION: Lisboa, Portugal
A/V: 13.5%
PRICE: 4.99 euro
FROM: Aldi, Portugal
RATING: 4.5/5 from me
This wine is another that seriously challenges the efficacy and credibility of Continente's current sale. There is no way this wine justifies the "original" price tag. And at the reduced price there are so many better and cheaper. The wine is sound but why would you bother?
GRAPE VARIETIES: Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz
REGION:Dao, Portugal
A/V: 13 %
PRICE: 3.69 euro [reduced from 12.49]
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 1/5 from me
We first encountered this in Palmeiras Restaurant at Turiscampo, Espiche. The young guy behind the bar had the enthusiasm to recommend it and we were happy enough to pay 14.5 euro. Next day we bought a bottle at Aldi for 5.99 and right after that we spotted it at Continente for 4.49.
But that's to be expected and it's a lovely wine so who cares. It offers a more elegant profile than some of the beasts we've encountered so far in this part of the world. Wood is restrained and there's a tasty balance of lively fruit characters. Will cellar well with plenty of acid and highish alcohol level that's not overt.
TRINCA BOLOTAS 2016 VINHO TINTO
GRAPE VARIETIES: Alicante Bouchet, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez
REGION: Alentejo, Portugal
A/V: 14%
PRICE: 5.99 euro
FROM: Aldi, Portugal
RATING: 4/5 from me
This is another one of Continente's markdowns [from 9,99 to 3.79 euro] that is highly recommended. Colour is deep and dazzling. It's a complete fruit bomb on the front palate and ends with a lovely dry tannic grip. It won't be to everyone's taste but grab a bottle, taste it and zip back for more if you rate it as highly as I do.
GRAPE VARIETIES: Aragones and Moreto
REGION:Alentjo, Portugal
A/V: 14 %
PRICE: 3.79 euro
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 4.5/5 from me
This is one of the stars of Continente's huge wine mark down sale: from 12.99 down to 4.49 euro. It's a complex mid weight quadruple red blend that the maker recommends drinking over the next 7 years. I reckon it will last longer than that if you can resist pulling the cork. It's an absurd bargain at this price.
CASA ERMELINDA FREITAS 2016 VINHA DA VALENTINA PREMIUM RED BLEND
GRAPE VARIETIES: Syrah, Aragones, Castelao and Alicante Bouchet
REGION: Setubal, Portugal
A/V: 14 %
PRICE: 4.49 euro
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 5/5 from me
The sceptical me wonders whether this ever saw a 16 euro price tag. Which is a shame because this is a really interesting complex dry white blend. It's quite developed for a wine this young with a honeysuckle richness dominating a full bodied palate. Won't be to everyone's taste, well and truly worth 6 euro but not 16.
GRAPE VARIETIES: Antao Vaz, Arinto, Viognier and Semillon
REGION:Alentejano, Portugal
A/V: 13 %
PRICE: 5.99 euro [reduced from 15.99]
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 4/5 from me
Here are two perfectly pleasant little quaffers that are starting to taste the same. Too many bubbles and not enough individual character.
Torre de Menagaem 2017 Alvarinho/ Trajadura 2.79 euro
Aveleda 2017 2.99 euro
Both from Continenete Both 3/5 rating.
This is a perfectly OK medium bodied little red. Certainly not worth the supposed regular price but it's sound if budget is all that matters. It may have a vintage but I couldn't find it.
CAVES de PEGOES VINHO REGIONAL TINTO
GRAPE VARIETIES: Castelao, Aragonez and Alicante Bouchet
REGION: Setubal, Portugal
A/V: 13%
PRICE: 1.69 euro [was 4.59]
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 3/5 from me
The problem of buying a whole heap of tasting wines from a sale is that it takes a while to wade through them. It's taken over 2 weeks to get to this beauty.
The price is an absolute joke. This is a big rich fascinating red that's a little disjointed on opening but after three days reveals what a gem this will be for medium to long term cellaring.
Stop reading, get in the car and buy all they've got at this price.
SOBREIRO DE PEGOES 2016 PREMIUM VINHO TINTO
GRAPE VARIETIES: Castelao, Aragonez and Cabernet Sauvignon
REGION: Setubal, Portugal
A/V: 14%
PRICE: 2.99 euro [reduced from 9.99]
FROM: Continente, Portugal
RATING: 5/5 from me
Am I the only one that reads the back labels on wine bottles. This one refers to "the Lusitano Horse, a brave companion since the time of the Roman legionnaires 5000 years ago".
They would have been a surprise to everyone at the time!
And the wine? It's a very steely austere dry white without much discernible fruit. A perfectly acceptable quaffer if you like the style. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it but I'm enjoying others far more.
CAVALO BRAVO 2016 VINHO BRANCO
GRAPE VARIETIES: Fernao Pires and Arinto
REGION: Tejo, Portugal
A/V: 12.5%
PRICE: 2.19 euro
FROM: Continente,Portugal
RATING: 3/5 from me
Under the same label you can buy an infinitely more impressive wine for just 1 euro more. See the previous post.
SELECCAO de ENOFILAS 2016 VINHO VERDE
GRAPE VARIETIES: Alvarinho and Trajadura
REGION: Vinho Verde, Portugal
A/V: 11.5%
PRICE: 2.99 euro
FROM: Intermarche, Portugal
RATING: 3/5 from me
As a style Vinho Verde is all over the place. Which means if you tasted some of the shockers we have as your first experience, you'd never try the stuff again.
On the other hand, if you were lucky enough to grab this, you may just have found your all time favourite white. This is all about sheer dazzling drinkability. It's a crisp dry white in perfect balance. Just grab a bottle because I reckon this defines the style at a ridiculously affordable price.
SELECCAO de ENOFILAS 2016 VINHO VERDE
GRAPE VARIETIES: Albarino
REGION: Vinho Verde, Portugal
A/V: 12.5%
PRICE: 3.99 euro
FROM: Intermarche, Portugal
RATING: 5/5 from me
