Hence this thread appears in the Port Conversations § rather than the Tasting Notes §.Harvest dates - 2000 and 2011 respectively
Both "vinho generoso" - traditional name for fortified wines - privately made for family use, not commercial wines, from a quinta in the Cima Corgo / Douro Superior, which faces SW over the river. Both pure touriga nacional. Treaded in traditional stone lagares but with a mechanical treader which has feather-like paddles that sort of spread out and brush the bottom gently as they tread.
2000 has been ageing in small cask in the cellar of his house in the Douro, around 500 m altitude, north of the river, was bottled for me from cask last autumn, so October, November?
2011 was bottled early to mid summer 2012 from the tonel at his adega (which is at the quinta) when he was shifting the wine out of the adega ahead of 2012 harvest. The rest, I believe, has gone into small pipes at his house. I tasted this wine in January 2012 at the adega, as well. I remember thinking it tasted incredibly balanced and complete, not single-casta, like the pure Touriga Nacionals I had been tasting at Malvedos during harvest.
The maker is a professional viticulturist, some of his finished ports are sold to a top shipper, some of his grapes are sold to make a Douro DOC wine which is not yet available in the UK, only in Portugal, Holland and Brussels. The quinta has been in his family for many generations.
Links:
- Review of evening as a whole;
- 1963 Dow (magnum);
- 1970 Dow (magnum);
- 1977 Dow (magnum);
- 1980 Dow (magnum);
- 1985 Dow (magnum);
- 1994 Dow (magnum);
- 1985 Warre (magnum);
- 1986 Smith Woodhouse LBV (750ml);
- 40Y Quevedo tawny (750ml);
- Two ‘secret’ ports brought by Cynthia;
- Placemats;
- Planning and arrangements.
