Portuguese Pleasures: More Port & Douro Wines

This afternoon, I'll being having lunch aboard the NRP Sagres, a Portuguese tall ship that is currently docked at the Fan Pier, so it is only appropriate that I write about Portuguese wines today. I recently attended a Porto & Douro wine event, with representation of four different estates, though unfortunately, two of them were very late to the event and I didn't get to taste their wines. However, I was able to sample Douro still wines and Ports from Symington Family Estates and Quinta de Santa Eufemia.

Symington Family Estates represents brands including Graham's Porto, Cockburn's Port, Dow's Ports, Quinta do Vesuvio, and Smith Woodhouse Port. At this event, they presented wines from three different estates.

The 2015 Dow's Vale do Bomfim ($12.99) is from the Quinta do Bomfim, which was acquired by Symington in 1896, making it their oldest owned estate. The quinta is located just beside the town of Pinhão, and consists of a 130-acre property with over 160,000 vines. This still wine is a blend of 40% Touriga Franca, 25% Touriga Nacional and 35% Field Blend. It spent about 9 months in neutral oak, and presented with as a light bodied wine, with cherry and plum flavors, mild spice notes, and low tannins. For a wine of this price point, it is moderately complex with some intriguing licorice notes on the finish. Definitely a good value wine!

The 2015 Post Scriptum de Chryseia ($20-$25) is from Prats & Symington, their 2nd tier wine. Nine years ago, I reviewed their 1st tier wine, the 2003 Chryseia, and was thoroughly impressed. This wine too is impressive, especially at this price point. It is a blend of 64% Touriga Franca, 28% Touriga Nacional and 8% Tinta Roriz, spending about 12 months in French oak. It has bright red fruit flavors, nice acidity, a spicy backbone and an elegant nature. Definitely very approachable, with good complexity, a lengthy finish and a wine that is very food friendly. Highly recommended.

As for Ports, the Dow 2011 Late Bottled Vintage Port ($25-$30) had an amazing taste and aroma, being more dry than sweet, with concentrated black fruit flavors, notes of dried fruit, spicy accents, and plenty of complexity. Well balanced, this is a powerful Port yet still restrained, more elegant than muscular. And you can easily enjoy it now without a need for further aging. Pure deliciousness. The Dow 10 Year Old Tawny Port ($35-$40) is another well balanced wine, where the fortification is well integrated into the whole. It seduces your palate, with its complex and striking melange of flavors and intense black fruit. One of the best 10 Year Old Tawnies available, it is sure to satisfy all lovers of Port. Highly recommended.

And then a superlative Port, the Graham's 20 Year Old Tawny Port ($60-$65). It is actually about 24 years old, made from high quality wines, and is complex and intriguing, more dry than sweet, well-balanced and delicious. Caramel and salted nuts, dried fruit, a wisp of citrus and black cherry, hints of spice and good acidity. Another Port to slowly savor over the course of an evening, chatting with good friends, paired with blue cheese or creme brulee. Each sip will bring something new to your palate, and you could get lost within your glass. Highly recommended!

The Quinta de Santa Eufemia was founded in 1864 by Bernardo Rodrigues de Carvalho and it is now managed by the 4th generation. Located on the left side of the Douro River, the vineyards occupy more than 50 hectares, planted with field blends of 20+ grapes. They produce both table wines and Ports, and I got to sample both types. I've enjoyed some of their wines previously and my feelings didn't decrease an iota with this tasting.

The Quinta de Santa Eufemia Douro ($13), a blend of 4 indigenous grapes, is easy drinking and pleasurable, with fresh red fruit flavors, mild tannins, and a touch of spice. Great on its own or paired with food, from pizza to burgers. The 2013 Quinta de Santa Eufemia Douro Reserva ($17), a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Bastardo and Tinta Amarela, spends about three months in oak barrels. There were more black fruit flavors, plum and black cherry, and enhanced spice notes, with silky tannins and a lingering finish. This is a wine best paired with hearty dishes and beef.

I previously found their Ports to be generally elegant and well balanced, presenting complex and delicious flavors. The 2007 Quinta de Santa Eufemia Colheita Port possessed a light color, with bright fruit flavors, underlying spice notes, good acidity balancing the sweetness, and a lengthy, pleasing finish. This is a Port which will age well and I would have loved to slowly sip a glass while enjoying a hunk of blue cheese.

As I said before, and supported by a further sampling, their Quinta de Santa Eufemia 10 Year Old Tawny Port is one of the best in this class. The fortification was well integrated into the Port, and it possessed a more subtle sweetness, enhancing the complex melange of delectable flavors. It is a Port to savor and enjoy over time, sharing a glass with good friends. The 2008 Quinta de Santa Eufemia Vintage Port is still young, with vibrant fruit flavors, savory notes, a mild sweetness, and plenty of complexity, albeit a bit of tightness. This needs more time to age and it will become a killer Port. Quinta de Santa Eufemia knows how to produce excellent Port.

My favorite of their Ports is probably their 10 Year Old White Port ($25).  They also make 20 & 30 Year Old White Ports (and I have a bottle of 20 Year Old in my wine cellar). The wine is a blend of Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Moscatel Galego, and Rabigato. As I wrote before, "With a beautiful amber color, it possessed an alluring nose of floral and herbal notes, and on the palate the taste was complex and intriguing, a bit of an oxidative style. It had a tough of honeyed sweetness though it finished dry, and that finish lingers long in your mouth. It is surely a Port to slowly savor, enjoying the multitude of flavors that pass over your palate." This Port was included in my 2014: Top Ten Wines Over $15.