The
new Douro: part 10
Alves
de Sousa/Quinta do Gaivosa
Quinta da Gaivosa, Pousada de Cumieira, Apartado 15,
5030-055, Santa Marta de Panaguião, Portugal
Tel: 351 254 822 111 Fax: 351 254 822 113
E-mail: gaivosa@hotmail.com
Now
for something a little different. We move to the rather cooler, wetter
Baixo Corgo, and the wines of Alves de Sousa (right), who has
five separate estates here: Quinta da Gaivosa, Quinta do Vale da
Raposa, Quinta das Caldas, Quinta da Estação and Quinta da Avaleira.
Altogether around a 100 hectares under vine – a lot. Initially a
winegrower, Alves de Sousa has also been making wine since 1991. Lots
of wines to try, and some very scenic vineyards to visit. The wines
are honest, if a little lacking in concentration at times. There seems
to be a problem here with dilution and achieving phenolic ripeness in
some of the wines: are too-high yields to blame? We finished off with
lunch at a restaurant with one of the most spectacular views of the
Baixo Corgo I’ve yet seen, although this was slightly less fun that
it should have been because of the time pressure we were under (it’s
a fair drive back to Porto to catch my flight).
Cume Branco 2003
Distinctive, fresh, grassy nose is very herby. The palate is
distinctive, fresh and herby. A food style. Very good 82/100
Alves de Sousa Branco de Gaivosa 2002
Very fruity nose with a freshness to it. The palate is quite
rounded and herby with a little dried straw-like character. Soft
textured and a little toasty from the third of this wine that was aged
in barriques. Very good 81/100
Cume
Tinto 2002
This is made from grapes from young Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão
and Tinta Barocca vines. Fresh, bright, cherryish nose shows bright
pure fruit. The palate has high acidity with a fresh, slightly green
herbal character. Dry finish: a fresh glugger. Very good 80/100
Quinta da Estação 2002
Green herbal brambly fruit on the nose. Aggressive green herbal
flavours on the palate with high acid. Too lean and green. OK. 74/100
Quinta da Estação Colheita Seleccionada 2001
A blend of four grapes: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Tinta
Barocca and Tinta Roriz. Very fresh, perfumed nose is light and
smooth, with slightly sweet red berry fruits. Some subtle spicy
richness. The palate is open and herby with supple, light red fruits
and a spicy finish. Drinking well now. Very good 82/100
Quinta das Caldas 2002
Pleasant fresh herbal red fruits nose with some subtle spiciness.
The palate shows slightly aggressive herbal red fruits with a spicy
edge. A savoury food wine. Good/very good 78/100
Quinta
do Vale da Raposa 2002 Douro
Pure black and red fruit nose with freshness and some acidity
showing. There’s a bit of richness to the herby fruits. Nice, spicy
character to the fruit which is a little more generous. Sappy and
quite chewy with good acid. Fresh and approachable: a savoury food
style. Very good 83/100
Quinta do Vale da Raposa Tinta Barocca 2001
Quite a striking nose: open and herby with some caramel and tar
richness. A little disjointed. The palate is midweight with bright,
sappy herby red fruits and a spicy structure. Good acid. An unusual
wine in a distinctive style. Very good 84/100
Quinta do Vale da Raposa Tinta Cão 2001
Striking, powerfully perfumed nose showing open spicy, herby red
fruits. Very unusual. The palate is thin and light with a distinctive
open herbal character. Very fresh and fruity with high acidity. It’s
unusual, but works in this light, fruity, herbal style, although I’m
not a big fan. Very good+ 85/100
Quinta
do Vale da Raposa Touriga Nacional 2003
Much better: the nose is typical of the variety – perfumed with
vivid cherry and berry fruit and some spice, together with herbal
black fruit character. The palate is midweight, supple and herby with
a nice spicy edge. Good typicity. A forward fruity style. Very good+
87/100
Quinta do Gaivosa Vinho de Londelo 2003
Vivid fruity nose of red fruits with a liquoricey edge. The palate
shows a nice concentration of supple, spicy fruit. Very clean and pure
with some tannins and good acidity. A drinkable midweight style. Very
good+ 85/100
Quinta do Vale da Raposa Grande Escolha 2001
Deep coloured. Bright nose of tarry, herby fruit with a tobaccoey,
herby fruit. The palate shows midweight fruit: ripe and spicy with
good density and some sweetness to it. Savoury and spicy with dark
fruits. A ripe style with some herbiness. Very good+ 87/100
Quinta do Gaivosa Alves Sousa Reserva Persoal 1999
Intense dark, spicy menthol and tar nose: deep and a bit old
fashioned. The palate is ripe and full with lovely ripe spicy
structure, hints of eucalyptus and mint. Soft, herb tinged and
rounded; ripe and tarry. A lovely traditional styled wine. Very good+
89/100
Alves
de Sousa Quinta do Gaivosa 2000
Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão, Touriga Nacional and
others, only made in the best years. Intense, deep spicy nose of
herbs, tar and smoke with a touch of balsamic vinegar. The palate is
ripe and rich with lots of spicy dark fruits and more of that balsamic
character. Very savoury and quite traditional. This is an interesting
wine with good concentration and a bit of rusticity. Very
good/excellent 90/100
Quinta do Gaivosa LBV 1999
Sweet open berry fruit here that’s quite herby. The palate is
vivid with a herby streak to the sweet full bodied fruit. Tarry spicy
finish. Nice stuff with pure, ripe fruit. Very good+ 88/100
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