JacobH wrote: ↑22:02 Mon 14 Jun 2021
I’m not sure I’d count that as cheating! I’d be surprised if many people have got the whole lot, especially some of the real oddities like Madeirense DOC or Carcavelos! How are you doing on sub-regions? Aren’t there about 10 for Vinho Verde, alone?
I've only had Madeirense DOC once, when I was in Madeira. It was a very forgettable wine (I couldn't even tell you which wine it was, to be completely honest), I just got it out of curiosity.
Carcavelos is another one that I've had only once. It was very very rare for a while, but it's been making a bit of a comeback, lately.
I also drank Algarve VR only once, a few years ago, at a cousin's wedding. It surprised me in how quite pleasantly drinkable it was - Barranco Longo Private Selection Red, a blend of Aragonez (Tinta Roriz) and Alicante Bouschet. I don't much care for Syrah, so I'm not surprised you didn't enjoy your bottle of Barranco Longo
I didn't get into the rabbit hole of playing the 'sub-region game'. I've had many by 'accident', but, as you say, VV alone has 9 of them, so it's something one only does if one really really wants to, for the sake of completeness.
JacobH wrote: ↑22:02 Mon 14 Jun 2021
Thank you!
I’m still picking off the easy regions at the moment. For
Bairrada DOC, there is some Aliança Danúbio Bruto, a dry sparkling wine. It’s another cheap one but much more drinkable than the endless cheap prosecco that we now get in the UK, much of which is barely drinkable. Again, trying to up my knowledge, I notice one of the grapes that goes into the blend is Baga: a red grape that is lightly pressed for the sparkling wines (à la pinot noir or pinot meunier in champagne). I’ve drunk sparkling Bairradas before but I don’t think I’ve tried a Baga red. I think Dirk Niepoort is quite keen on them and has been making them in recent years. I should look out for one.
Baga is
the grape variety of Bairrada (at least in reds). Widely used, widely respected, and widely loved - but very tricky to tame in the vineyard.
Bairrada sparklings are quite good, I like them a lot, and one can get great ones for very modest prices. I agree with you that, pound for pound (or euro for euro), it can beat proseccos in many price points.
JacobH wrote: ↑22:02 Mon 14 Jun 2021
I also tried a little bit of a dry white from the far North, Soalheiro ALLO, which I think counts as a
Minho VR rather than a vinho verde & my first
Port of this exercise: Van Zellar 10 Year Old Tawny.
That is correct, it's a Minho VR. I've had it, it's a pleasant, crisp white, Alvarinho+Loureiro.
I would've assumed you would've already crossed Port off your list