Essenciao do vinho 2019
22-02-2019The main wine experience for both trade and winelovers sin Portugal started yesterday in the Pacacio de Bolsa (the old stock exchange of Porto). The ‘Essence of wine’ features more than 3,000 free wines from 400 national and foreign producers. A spectacular beginning is a blind tasting of some 60 extraordinary wines from Portugal, preselected by the editors of the leading magazine Revista do Vinhos.and subsequently tasted by an international jury of 45 experts.
The Story of my Wine was also present and Cees van Casteren MW was indeed impressed with all wines. Later today the official Top-10 will be announced by Revista do Vinho but in the meantime, we publish his personal Top-10. This includes whites, reds and ports.
First of all, the line-up was eclectic, with both a representation of the best Portugal has to offer and a reflection of the current trends in the market including orange and natural wines. Many red wines from the very good vintage 2015 and the somewhat lesser 2016 vintage.
This was a blind tasting, so I had no idea what I was tasting. However, ONE wine was standing above the rest for me and I gave it 19½ points (TSW97) and this was the magnificent Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional 2015 from the Douro. The grapes are from the best Touriga Nacional plot of Quinta do Crasto. They are first foot trodden in a traditional lagar and then transferred into an open stainless steel tank where the cap is pressed down with robotic pistons. Fermentation takes place for 7 days under strict controlled temperature environment. Once the alcoholic fermentation is completed, the grapes are gently pressed using hydraulic presses. The ageing is in French oak barrels for about 18 months.
Quinta do Crasto, Touriga Nacional, Douro, 2015 (TSW97)
Bright purple in colour, showing attractive aromas of fresh violets well integrated with notes of black cherry and fresh spices. Well-balanced on the palate, evolving into a wine with a solid structure and a fine texture made of velvety tannins. A stylish wine, with a fresh, captivating, lingering finish.
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My other Top-10 wines were (in random order):
- Alvaro de Castro, Principal Grande Reserva, Bairrada, 2011 (TSW94)
- Multiwines, Quintade San Sabastiao Grande Escolha, Lisboa, 2015 (TSW93)
- Quinta do Portal, Portal Quinta dos Muros Vintage 2016 (TSW96)
- Symington Family Estates, DOW’s Porto Vintage, 2016 (TSW96)
- Rui Requinga, Tributo, Tejo, 2016 (TSW92)
- Jorge Rosas, Quinta da Touriga 2016 (TSW91)
- Real Companhia Velha, Carvalhas Vinhas Velhas, Douro, 2015 (TSW94)
- Herdade do Rocim, Cronica 328 Jose Ribeira Vieira Reserva, 2015 (TSW94)
- Luis Leocadio Vinhos, Vale dos Mil, Douro Branco, 2016 (TSW91)
- Herdade do Portcarro, Geronimo, Setubal Branco, 2017 (TSW92)