93 Points Wine Enthusiast
Producer: Quinta do Portal
Country: Portugal
Varietal: Douro Red (blend)
Vintage: 2009
Alc/Vol: 13.5%
Retal: $14.99
My Rating: 94 Points
Food Pairing: Pork Tenderloin with a Spicy dry rub
I first tried this wine about a month ago, the distributor held a tasting for us since it was my stores' newest program wine. Having walked by this wonderful bottle several times today, I started to imagine the things I could pair with it. Of course at the end of my day, without surprise, I bought a bottle.
After opening, I let the bottle breathe for about 10 minutes as I prepped dinner to be cooked. With the oven heated and the pork tenderloin (seasoned with a spicy dry rub and stuffed with peppers and onions) cooking, I poured myself a glass of this spectacular wine. The color is a very dark ruby, almost plum, and shows very nice legs after swirling in the glass. The first whiff brings aromas of truffle, must, and earth. It is a very distinctive nose and pleasant after a while.
The first sip brings on flavors of ripe red fruit, truffle, hints of chocolate, and some spice/pepper on the end. The finish is rather nice, lasting over 30 seconds and somewhere close to a minute. This is definitely a full bodied wine with a perfect level of acidity. The ripe fruit is balanced by gentle but firm tannins, making it something dry and sweet wine drinkers can both enjoy.
Overall, this is an excellent bottle of wine and you will be hard pressed to find another of the same quality at $15. It is more than worthy of the 93 points given to it by Wine Enthusiast, which is why I set my personal rating at 94. If you see this bottle on the shelf, Buy it!
