The wines of Quinta dos Avidagos, Douro, Portugal

The wines of Quinta dos Avidagos
Reviewing this producer from Portugal's Douro Valley

Avidagos belongs to the Nunes de Matos family who own four quintas close to Regua. I tasted the wines with Pedro Tamagnini (above), who runs the project. The four quintas are Quinta do Torrão, Quinta da Fírvida, Quinta do Além Tanha and Quinta dos Avidagos. A winery was built at Avidagos in 1999, and the first wine was released in 2001. From these vineyards you could make up to 500 000 bottles, but Avidagos are currently selling 100 000.

THE WINES

Quinta dos Avidagos Lote 138 2012 Douro, Portugal
Lovely sweet ripe, supple cherry and plum fruits. Good purity with nice structure and a bit of grip. 89/100

Quinta dos Avidagos 2011 Douro, Portugal
Nicely structured with lovely ripe black cherry and plum fruit, with some spicy, mineral depth. Lovely fruit here. 90/100

Quinta dos Avidagos Reserva 2010 Douro, Portugal
Supple, warm and ripe with nice sweet cherry and plum fruit, as well as some savoury spicy notes. Nicely balanced. Not so fruit driven. 90/100

Quinta dos Avidagos Vinhas Velhas 2009 Douro, Portugal
There's a lovely spicy, savoury quality here: it's ripe but restrained with a lovely warm spiciness on the palate. Quite stylish, in a traditional mould but with elegance. Some oak influence. 92/100

Quinta dos Avidagos Vinho do Além Tanha Grande Reserva 2008 Douro, Portugal
Noticeable oak here, but it's well done. Sweet black cherry and plum fruit with nice concentration and a creamy, grainy, mineral quality. Ripe yet quite elegant, in a traditional style. 92/100

Quinta dos Avidagos Grande Reserva 2008 Douro, Portugal
Rich, dense, sweet and spicy with noticeable sweet oak (all new). Vanilla, spice, hints of tar. Good density to this wine which is quite Rioja-like in style. Classy stuff. 91/100

Older notes from May 2008

Quinta dos Avidagos 2006 Douro
Bright, sweet cherryish fruit here with some berry character too. The palate is ripe, smooth and quite sweet. It’s a modern-styled, expressive wine with nice tannins. 87/100

Quinta dos Avidagos Reserva 2006 Douro
Aged in French and American oak. Very sweet, ripe, dark cherry liqueur-like nose. The palate shows lovely supple ripe, sweet cherry and berry fruit with some nice spicy density. Delicious stuff that’s quite rich in style. 89/100

Quinta do Além Tanha Vinhas Velhas 2004 Douro
This includes seven different grape varieties, including one white variety. Made in lagares. Not produced in 2005 or 2006. Distinctive spicy, minty nose is fresh and intense. There’s dark fruit, spice and a hint of menthol. The palate is rich with noticeable sweet oak influence. This rich, bold wine is quite oaky at the moment. One for the future? 89/100