Region
Douro, Portugal
13.9% ABV
I’m about to leave for the 2017 Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Rosa, and I thought, before I take off, I’d post one of my regular features since I started this blog in 2007: the simple wine review. Wine blogging has changed a lot since then, but I take pride in continuing with wine reviews including, maybe even especially, commercially available ones such as the Vale do Bomfim 2015 Red Wine Blend ($13).
I blog because I love to write, and I began blogging about food and drink because I wanted to chronicle my own adventures in those areas and help demystify good food and drink for the average consumer as I demystified them for myself through trying them. And the average consumer drinks a lot of commercial wine. Let me tell you a secret—there are a lot of great, affordable, commercial wines out there!
So here you go, yet another simple wine review from the Gourmez, with pride. The primary difference between then and now is that a lot of the wine I review is provided as samples by wine companies, and this one is as well, which makes this my obligatory disclaimer: I paid nothing for this bottle of wine. But I said yes to receiving the sample for review because I was intrigued by it, as it comes from the makers of DOW ports, the Symington family of Portugal, yet it is a red wine blend rather than a port. The grapes-40% touriga franca, 25% touriga nacional, and 35% made of a field blend—are typical of port, so it was an exciting chance to taste them in a different format.
They performed very well for my palate. The wine smells of deep plum, tar, and blueberry. It tastes smooth, but speaks of dusty fruit, fruit that gives way to rot on the underside, which offers depth rather than off flavors. I’m crouching in a thicket patch amongst scratchy branches. Or as my Vivino review reads:
"On your last hunt of the fall, with a crisp chill in the air. Branches scratch and late season blackberries and blueberries are crushed underfoot as you chase a wild boar through the thick forest. You can smell the smoke from the grill that boar will later meet as sausages. And the wine will complement those berries in syrup atop a panna cotta indulgence. Smooth spice finishes a smooth glass."
That impression of sausages may have been the power of suggestion, as the promotional materials for Vale do Bomfim Red Wine Blend suggest pairing it with grilled choriço, and honestly, I can’t think of a better match. Quite nice all-around! 4.5/5
Other Wine Writers’ Thoughts: #
Arturo Ciompi at Durham Mag
Dark garnet/crimson in color. The bouquet is warm and calm with a ripe blend of dark plum, blackberry, roasted meat and charcoal underpinning. Flavors are medium-bodied and still integrating. Richness is evident on the palate, with a quasi-sweet impression due to optimal ripeness. A bit simple, but most satisfying. 89/100 points, good value.
Roger Morris at the Daily Meal
Excellent for the price, offering bright berry flavors with good structure and finish.
Fredric Koeppel at Bigger than Your Head
…the wine offers an opaque ruby-purple hue and enveloping aromas of black and red cherries and plums permeated by notes of black tea, loam and fruitcake and a rather penetrating hint of iodine and graphite. It’s robust and forthright, nicely touched with slightly shaggy tannins and soft, subtle oak, and its spicy black fruit flavors are highlighted by wood-smoke, cedar and tobacco. The whole package is animated by vibrant acidity and fruit freshness…Very Good+.
