the douro valley is probably best known for its port wines, but there is also produced a number of exciting white and red wines, and in many other wine countries have embarked upon the international grapes, has here focused on their own grape varieties. You mean, there are no less than 500 different grape varieties in Portugal, and redwine made especially in a number of local grapes, where the most known are tinta roriz, touriga francesa and touriga nacional. White wines are most often on the donzelinho branco, gouveio, malvasia fina, rabigato and viosinho. In the Douro are more than 60 grape varieties approved and grown on the steep slopes down towards the Douro river. The majority is grown by small farmers, and there are more than 21,000 of them, where the majority cultivate less than one hectare and sell the grapes on.
the Douro DOC is named after the vinhenseende extremely important to the Douro river, which continues into Spain and goes through the known regions of Toro and Ribera del Duero.
You operate with three sub-areas of the Douro: Baixo Corgo, the coolest and the rainiest. It is often the cheaper wines, which come from here. Cima Corgo is the largest area, where the majority of the better wines come from. The climate here is dry and warm. The Douro Superior is the driest and hottest part and is bordered by Spain. The emphasis is here on the red wines, but in recent years, there is produced a part of white wine, which is grown right up against the Spanish border, where the fields are high and thus preserve the acid and freshness in the wines.
the Wines from the Douro bear the predicate Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC). The next level is called Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada (IPR), wines made in a precisely defined area, but with looser requirements for the f.ex. the used grape varieties than DOC wines. Little as Vin du Pays in France.
For the first time ever had one in the year organized a comprehensive tasting of the just released vintages of both the dry wines and port wines from the area. A total of 26 wineries participated and presented their wines. DinVinGuide was the only Danish media invited to get a førstgangsindtryk of the new vintages.
in 2017-the year started with a cold and dry winter, where the vines were not filled vandreserven up. Spring came early and was warm, which meant an early flowering and druesætning. When the summer was also very hot and dry, it meant that more places harvested the earliest in decades. Crop yields were very low, which gave a very high concentration in the grapes. This meant also very ripe grapes, lots of color, high alcohol but still with a neat acid, because you could harvest early. A year, as for bordvinene will be early drikkemodne, but where tanninerne might not have to give the wines much gemmepotentiale. Not a great year for white wines, in addition to this was the heat too dominant but a great year for port wine.
the year 2018, the year started as the year before with a cold and dry winter. But there came lots of rain in the spring, leading to later flowering. The summer had heat but also cool periods and especially at night, which meant that the harvest started in september and run into October. A year, which was good for white and rosévinene.
the Quinta Vale D. Maria Vinha de Martim Branco 2018. 93
Atomwine | ca. $ 500.
Beautiful, complex nose. Lots of stone fruit, flowers and results in the taste. Well-made and nice, complex wine.
the Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Mirabilis Grande Reserva 2018. 93
Unknown | ca. 300 kr.
Mainly field blend. Complex and nice nose. Intense in flavor, with melon, stone fruit and flowers. Nice wine with a nice depth and length.
Van Zellers & Co. CV – Curriculum Vitae Branco, 2018. 93
ViniPortugal | ca. $ 500.
the Melon in the aroma. Nice intensity, with peach, red apples and flowers. Lots of layers and length.
Quinta do Crasto Superior White 2018. 92
the Portuguese wine Cellar | 129 kr.
Intense in the nose. Lots of dense frugtnoter with a flintet reflected in the taste. Well-made with a long end.
Quinta do Vallado Reserva Branco 2018. 92
Philipson Wine | 200 dkk. offer price
Peach in the nose. Quite full-bodied and well-made wine with flintet expression and lots of intensity in the taste.
Wine & Soul Manoella White 2018. 92
Atomwine.gb | 149 kr.
Citrus in the nose. Crisp in expression, with limefrugt, stone fruit, and florals. Exciting, well-made wine.
Other good white wines
Lavradores de’s feitoria Meruge Blanco 2017. 92
Wine & Soul Guru White 2018. 91
Lavradores de’s feitoria 3 Bagos 2018. 90
Niepoort Redoma Reserva Branco 2018. 90
Poças Branco da Ribeira White 2018. 90
the Quinta da Rosa Vinhos SA Passagem White Reserve 2018. 90
the Quinta de S. José Flor de S. José Reserva White 2018. 90
Ramos Pinto Duas Quintas Reserva White 2018. 90
Real Companhia Velha Quinta de Cidrô Boal 2018. 90
the Quinta Vale D. Maria Vinha do Rio Douro Tinto 2017. 97
Atomwine | 799 kr.
Beautiful and complex nose. Extremely elegant wine with lots of layers and complex notes in the taste. From a low-situated vineyard near the river and one of the best wines I tasted in the Douro from 2017.
Quinta do Vale Meão Red 2017. 96
Jyskvin.dk | 469 kr.
Intense in the nose with violets and toast. Nice, elegant fruit with blueberry, black pepper and vanilla. Extremely well balanced with a nice depth and complexity.
the Quinta Vale D. Maria Vinha da Francisca 2017. 95
Atomwine.dk | 499 kr.
Black and very dense with violets, black cherry, pepper and vanilla in the taste. A very nice and deep wine with a long and persistent end.
Van Zellers & Co. CV – Curriculum Vitae 2017. 95
ViniPortugal | 499 kr.
part fadpræg in the nose. A close and big wine with lots of black berries, mocha, spices and toastnoter in the taste. Well-made with a long, complex finish.
Wine & soul Quinta da Manoella Vinhas Velhas 2017. 95
Atonwine.dk | 599 kr.
Lots of florals in the scent. An extremely elegant and beautiful wine with ripe red bærnoter, flowers, wild spices in the taste. The Douro, when it is most elegant.
Niepoort Charme 2017. 94
the Portuguese wine Cellar | Price unknown
the Light with the spicy notes in the scent. Very pure in expression, with almost burgundian notes. Nice balance and length.
Prats & Symington Chryseia 2017. 94
Kjær & Sommerfeldt | 499 kr.
Beautiful, complex nose. Modern and clean in expression, with black berries, liquorice, pepper and vanilla. Extremely well-made with a long end.
Quinta do Crasto Reserva Old Vines 2017. 94
the Portuguese wine Cellar | 219 kr.
the Violets in the aroma. Intense in expression, with plenty of black berries in the taste. Many layers and great complexity. A very nice vintage of Crasto.
Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional 2017. 94
Philipson Wine | 200 dkk. offer price
Dark, spicy, intense notes in the nose. Lots of intensity and concentration. Touriga, when it is best.
Wine & Soul Pintas Red in 2017. 94
Atomwine.dk | 599 kr.
the Violets in the aroma. Dense wine with a cool expression, black berries, floral notes and vanilla. Elegant with a long finish.
Quinta do Vallado Reserva Field Blend 2017. 94
the Quinta de S. José Vinha Ruy Francisco in 2017. 94
Quinta do Vallado Vinha da Coroa 2017. 94
the Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Mirabilis Grande Reserva 2017. 94
Niepoort Batuta 2017. 93
Quinta do Noval Reserva 2017. 93
Quinta do Vallado Sousão 2017. 93
the Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Grande Reserva 2017. 93
the Quinta Vale D. Maria 2017 Tinto 2017. 93
Alves de Sousa Quinta da Oliveirinha Vinha Franca red 2017. 92
Nova Quinta do Sagrado Grande Reserva 2017. 92
the Quinta da Boavista Reserva 2017. 92
the Quinta da Romaneira Reserva 2017. 92
the Quinta de S. José Grande Reserva 2017. 92
the Quinta dos Murças Margem 2017. 92
the Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo Referência 2017. 92
Real Companhia Velha Quinta dos Aciprestes Grande Reserva 2017. 92
Symington Quinta do Vesuvio 2017. 92
wine&soul Pintas Character 2017. 92
