A Strong Recommendation for a Douro Red

[Roy Hersh]

How often have I placed a strong "buy" signal here, no less written about it first on TPF?

I have friends here who are either already in lust or quickly becoming enamored with Douro wines. So here is a tip for you ... find a case or two of the 2007 Quinta do Vallado "Touriga Nacional" DOC Douro Red. The regular 2007 Vallado Douro Red is nice and the '07 Reserva is even better, but this Touriga Nacional is not only a head turner; but it had that "wow factor" from the moment the cork was pulled and would have been further off the charts had it been decanted for several hours. Don't hesitate when this is in your crosshairs. Trust me.

[DRT]

Thanks for the heads-up, Roy. It's always good to know when a good deal is available

[Michael M.]

Roy, thanks for the tip. What drinking window and decanting would you suggest?

[Roy Hersh]

I think the best thing I can do for you Mike is to share my tasting note and you can see how it compares to other journalists or critics and then choose to buy in or you can take my word and find it as soon as possible.

2007 Quinta Do Vallado, Touriga Nacional, Douro Red wine
100% Touriga Nacional grapes from 16 year old vines on the property. Sexy and complex nose of earth, tea leaves, clay and black fruits were ponderous and rare. Absolutely blown away that I had no chance to decant this and yet it immediately was so impressive and balanced and sublime as soon as it was poured. This happens so very rarely, that it really caught my attention. From the awesome texture to the absolutely gorgeous flavors it was one of the finest Douro reds I have had in a pop and pour scenario in ages. My wife and I could not stop drinking this wine and within an hour and a half the bottle was empty. Subtle, soft and refined, ripe tannins show up late. It carries the 14.5% alcohol very well. Drink 2010- 2021. This is going to really be a phenomenal, mouth filling and harmonious wine 2-5 years down the road and it's an awfully pretty baby right now. What more can I say than I am going to hope to find a case! Xito Olazabal is the consulting oenologist for Vallado and his involvement is clearly paying dividends. 3,000 six-packs produced. $60 SRP.
95 Points (2010-03-11)

[Roy Hersh]

For those of you who don't know my scoring on Douro wines, my ratings go above 94 points maybe eight to a dozen times a year. I am fortunate to sample many DOC Douro bottles and the aforemented red certainly deserves to be in that esteemed category, for wines tasted in 2010.

Disclaimer: some of these samples are provided for evaluation, for free. Here in the USA more people are trying to provide transparency due to law changes and I realize in the UK it is probably being laughed at. Nonetheless.

[Michael M.]

Thanks for additional information Roy. In my area it is sold at 15 EUR. Seems to be a fairly good price.