Region: Douro, Portugal
The Review #
Obligatory disclaimer: This bottle was free to me for review.
Ports like the Dow's 2012 Late Bottled Vintage Porto are why I know I must take a tour of the Douro Valley someday. Rosy floral notes wind through the labyrinth of a cut open fig—you can taste its seeds. Golden raisins make friends of toffee walnuts. Mmmm. I can only salivate over how those nut notes will deepen with age. For $24, it's quite a value and also unexpectedly dark for a port.
My Rating: #
4.5/5
Other Bloggers Thoughts #
Deep, inky purple. Aromas of bramble, blackberry, vanilla, and smoke. Flavors of ripe blackberry, black cherry, mocha, caramel, vanilla, and smoke. Mellow, smooth, and soft, with a luscious, round mouthfeel. Long, dry, smoky finish with black fruit. Less chocolate than many ports, and distinctive in its drier profile. Definitely a dessert wine, but not as sweet as others. Elegance in a bottle.
Eye: Clear, deep ruby with a bright ruby edge. The wine is colored right to the edge. Deeply stained ruby legs. Nose: Clean, medium intensity. Deep, ripe blueberries, blackberries and ripe fresh figs with a hint of leather and fresh herbs in the background Mouth: Sweet, with bold intensity, lively acidity and medium tannins although the tannins aren’t too astringent due to the intense fruit. Deep ripe fruit flavors dominate the mouth with blueberries and fresh figs immediately prominent.
I’ve bought this before a few times and I like it in the summertime with a few ice cubes. It’s great for camping and on ski trips. I think it offers a lot for the price. Color: Garnet Nose: Smells like brandied cherries and black currant jam Palate: Nice bright fruit, cherry and black currant, balances out the sweetness. Pairing: Great with our poached pear bruschetta, but a bit too sweet for the pâté. It likes the smoked gouda, great late night snack – have a smoked gouda grilled cheese sandwich with this wine.
Reviewed 12 December 2018.
