OK, a bit of geeky viticultural stuff. I’d always been told that Portuguese variety Sousao was a teinturier: a grape with coloured flesh. Normally red grapes have all their pigment…
Tourónio, an impressive Douro red
I love the Douro, and I’m delighted to be going out there again in a couple of weeks. So much is happening, in the relatively new region for table wines….
Puppy’s procedure
Puppy, aka FFS (Fat Furry Slug) is feeling a bit sorry for herself tonight. She went to the vets today to be neutered. Now she is decidedly groggy, but hopefully…
A real time tasting note on Churchill Estates 2007 Douro
OK, a real-time, as it is drunk, straight to blog tasting note, typed as I sit here in the garden on a lovely warm Sunday evening. I’ve just finished dinner…
Video: tasting schist – Torres Salmos Priorat and Tons de Duorum
Two wines with a common connection: schist.
Port: why the Symingtons didn’t declare in 2009
Following up from my write-up of the 2009 Vintage Port declaration, Paul Symington contacted me to explain why the Symingtons didn’t make a widespread declaration of the 2009s, which I’m…
The 2009 Vintage Ports from Fonseca, Taylor’s and Croft
Went to a very interesting tasting this morning. It was the declaration tasting of the Vintage Ports from the Fladgate Group: Taylor’s, Fonseca and Croft. I really liked them. These…
Exciting new releases from Douro producer Conceito
Very impressed by these new releases from Rita Ferreira’s Conceito. They’re all really good. The Branco and Bastardo are probably my favourites, though. And the label design is just wonderfully…
Organic in the Douro: Terra Prima and Altano
Organic viticulture in the Douro is not all that common. However, things may be changing. Two organic wines that have recently reached the marketplace are Symingtons Organic version of Altano,…