Six great wines from the Douro, Portugal

[Matthias R WHT]

Portugal’s Douro Valley – internationally revered for its tawny and
vintage ports – also produces exciting and individual dry red wines,
which are less well known than their quality deserves. That the Douro
has a world class terroir is undisputed, as convincingly demonstrated
by centuries of Port production. Now, a new generation of winemakers
is unlocking the Douro’s potential to produce exceptional dry red
wines and allowing it to emerge as one of Europe’s classic wine
regions. This dynamism has resulted in a range of distinctive, modern
reds, from full-bodied to graceful, all showing a clear sense of place
and the ability for bottle ageing.

Just as the 2007 vintage was a great success for Vintage Port, the
2007 Douro wines are also outstanding. The style of the vintage is
beautifully aromatic, combining a bright clarity of fruit and
concentration with elegance, structure and freshness.

2005 was an extraordinarily hot year resulting in rich-textured wines.
The characteristic schist soils found in the Douro proved to be very
important in metering the water throughout the growing season. The
richness of the vintage is balanced by an underpinning of freshness,
minerality and ripe, velvet tannins.


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2005 Pinga do Torto, Quinta de Macedos
Size: Case (6 Bottles - 75cl)

Just 8000 bottles of Pinga are made each year at Quinta de Macedos in
the Torto Valley. The red wine is made not only from ancient vines of
no fewer than sixteen different local varieties, but also in
traditional lagares (granite troughs) into which the grapes are
loaded, before being trodden by foot and commencing their fermentation
in a way that has not really changed for two thousand years. The wine
is intense, bright , with ripe berry fruit and a succulent texture.
Forward and supple in style, it is hugely appealing, yet has an old-
world restraint and structure.

Buy 1 Case for: £90.43 each (Duty Paid)
£69.00 each (Under Bond)

Dry, Red, Still. Portugal. Leave 2010 / 2012.


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2007 Meandro de Vale Meão, Quinta do Vale Meão
Size: Case (6 Bottles - 75cl)

One of the great, possibly the greatest, quinta of the Douro.
Established by Doña Antonia Ferreira in 1877 and renowned since the
1950s as the ‘birthplace’ of Barca Velha, the reputation of Vale Meão
now eclipses even that legend. Meandro is the ‘second’ wine of the
estate and is, pound for pound, perhaps the best value wine in the
Douro. The wine is characteristically Douro, with blueberry,
blackberry and violet aromatics. It has a beautiful clarity of fruit
with depth of flavour and rich intensity. Structured with a ripe
tannic grip, this wine is well-balanced between concentration,
freshness and elegance.

Buy 1 Case for: £107.68 each (Duty Paid)
£84.00 each (Under Bond)

Dry, Red, Still. Portugal. Leave 2010 / 2016.


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2005 Redoma Tinto, Niepoort, Douro
Size: Case (6 Bottles - 75cl)

Just as in Ribera del Duero, where Vega Sicilia was considered to be
the pinnacle of wine production, it took Alejandro Fernández of
Pesquera to truly unlock the region’s full potential. Similarly, Dirk
Niepoort has redefined the Douro’s capabilities, alongside the legacy
of Barca Velha. His aim is to create a wine that is ‘extreme and with
a rigorous character’ like the Douro itself. The fruit is deliberately
restrained bringing out the minerality and elegance of the wine. There
is a well-defined structure with velvet tannin, together with
freshness and a long finish. A terrific wine, achieving power and
depth with elegance.

Buy 1 Case for: £183.58 each (Duty Paid)
£150.00 each (Under Bond)

Dry, Red, Still. Portugal. Leave 2010 / 2017.


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2007 Quinta do Vale Meão
Size: Case (6 Bottles - 75cl)

We have a tiny amount of this wine. Along with Niepoort’s Batuta and
Charme, Vale Meão is the leading fine wine of the Douro and the 2007
is the finest offering of the wine to date. (The first vintage was
1999.) The wine is rich and concentrated with a seductive texture.
This is modern winemaking, but not too modern and ‘perfect’ – there is
an earthy depth and tannic power. Expressive yet not overt, an
underlying fresh acidity imparts finesse and refinement and an overall
harmony. Vies for the wine of the vintage.

Buy 1 Case for: £331.93 each (Duty Paid)
£279.00 each (Under Bond)

Red, Still. Portugal. Leave 2012 / 2022.


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2007 Batuta, Dirk Niepoort, Douro
Size: Case (6 Bottles - 75cl)

Batuta is Dirk Niepoort’s flagship red wine. Fruit comes from 75 year
old vines from the north-facing vineyard Quinta do Carril and also
from older vines (about 100 years) near Quinta de Nápoles. This
exceptional wine illustrates the high quality that the Douro is
capable of producing. This is one of Portugal’s most sought-after
trophies. The wine has intense aromas and great complexity, an earthy
mineral character and black fruit aromas, spicy notes of black pepper,
subtle coffee and toast. Very tight and focused on the palate, which
is intense, without being overly rich or extracted.

Buy 1 Case for: £331.93 each (Duty Paid)
£279.00 each (Under Bond)

Dry, Red, Still. Portugal. Leave 2012 / 2022.


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2007 Charme, Niepoort, Douro
Size: Case (6 Bottles - 75cl)

A rich, fresh and elegant wine, light in colour, with fresh cherry and
macerated raspberry aromas, earthy notes of mushrooms and truffles and
notes of tea leaves and cigar. The taste is fresh, long, with very
good structure, velvety tannins and great complexity of mineral notes
and fresh fruit flavours, great intensity and persistence.
Exceptional.

Buy 1 Case for: £356.08 each (Duty Paid)
£300.00 each (Under Bond)

Dry, Red, Still. Portugal. Leave 2012 / 2020.


- Lay & Wheeler.