Wine Fictions

 The first thing that has called my attention in this wine was its dominant taste of vanilla, which promised to fulfil the propose I had when I bought it: to have an uncomplicated wine, perfect for a normal day and with great gastronomic versatility. Its contact with wood gives it a nice complexity without being too exhaustive or demanding. Still, it is a wine that gains a lot with some proper decanting as the cherry and red fruits tastes start appearing becoming more and more intense as time passes. I have to confess that this was a rather pleasant surprise, being a perfect companion for some fresher spring days in Hamburg. A perfect occasion, as well, to go back to Walt Whitman and enjoy the cozy and still fresh evenings of the North. Are you the new person drawn toward me? To begin with, take warning, I am surely far different from what you suppose; Do you suppose you will find in me your ideal? Do you think it so easy to have me become your lover? Do you ...

If I would have to choose a wine which could translate the concept of minerality, my choice would definitely go for this one.  From the very first moment that you get invaded by an impressing citrus minerality, remembering me of some of the intense Rieslings produced in the world-famous Kaiserstuhl area. In the mouth you even have a slight smoky feeling, awakening in it a high gastronomic potential. It has a long and consistent finish completing a wonderful sensorial experience and asking for another glass. I have to confess that opening a Reserva always arises in me the doubt whether it is the right time to open it or if I am completely ruining the experience which is about to follow.  This fear has been evolving to a game that I am never sure of winning, but that awakes my senses to almost a state of childish euphoria. This Beyra Quartz is a charming wine which will enchant all the fans of mineral wines. Along with it, I have also enjoyed some...

Following my recent positive experience of having a pure Touriga Nacional from the Tejo region, I have decided to keep on and try how it works as a "Reserva", and specially as unoaked to feel its real potential. The first contact with it could not be any better: an elegant dark violet colour with a full scent of berries promised an exciting experience. The first sip was, though, surprising: along with the expected round and fruity taste, there was also some persistent minerality. This gave it some freshness and the feeling that it does not have such a high alcohol percentage as it , in fact, has. It is a very seductive wine, easily leading us through pleasant tasting paths and inviting for some Portuguese cod or strong cheeses. Still, this first positive experience can be even better in the future as I may have opened it too early. I will definitely save a couple of bottles of it and try them in a couple of years. To match with it, I made myself accompany of s...

I have to confess that my knowledge about Greek wines is rather residual, being mainly set in the offer available at most Greek restaurants around and some vague memories from a past journey to Greece. And my experiences couldn´t be more extreme: I was often offered overpriced half-dry wines (even after having asked for dry ones) from a rather dubious and never revealed origin, and more recently quite some pleasant surprises from a small family Taverna which have a wonderful offer, and advice, on their selection of wines. It was mainly because of this that I have decided to bring home this Agathon Mount Athos 2014. Having achieved a gold medal at the Bio Wine Prizes, it is made of equal amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and the autochtonous Limnio, which is a grape with which I had  my first contact. In the mouth there is a pleasant taste of ripe berries with a very interesting melange of wooden notes. Still, it is quite a fresh and lively wine with an agreeable finish, ideal ...

There's some wine producers whose personality arises in us a tremendous curiosity to come across their wines. After having seen and read a couple of interviews with Miguel Louro, that was exactly what happened to me. His image of enfant terrible , irreverent and witty has awoken my curiosity and made start looking for his wines and how to have them in Germany. The first one I tried was this Vinha do Mouro, which is his entry-level for red wines. Even though I expected something a bit more complex and matured, I was positively surprised by quite some freshness and strong berries fruits which made it a pretty interesting wine, full of character. Even though there is a mix of autochthonous and foreign grapes, I dare to say that it is quite a strong translation of the terroir where it comes from. I would even define it as a rather temperamental wine, asking for some strong stews and rather spicy food. If there are wines which are the image of its creators, this is definitel...

One of the best things you can experience with wine is a positive surprise. I have to confess that with this Montes Ermos  it was a completely blind shot. I knew nothing about its producer, nor from the wine itself. But as soon as I have opened it, I could barely hold my happiness. Its fine green and rather pale colour embodies perfectly its strong minerality and involving citrus taste. The taste of wood reinforces its structure making it a well bodied wine, perfect for elaborated foods. In the label they refer to the perfect expression of the "Freixenist terroir", referring to Freixo de Espada à Cinta, the place where the wine is coming from. Located in the Upper Douro region and produced exclusively with grapes planted over 600 meters, it really is an unique terroir that we can feel through this wine. Maybe it's just the power of suggestion, but I would even say you can feel the foggy autumn mornings of Trás-os-Montes in this wine.  To accompany it, I would ...

Following this former post , I have decided to keep on looking for some wines that I have drunk in the past and that have left some pretty good impressions on me. This time it was this Quinta da Garrida from the Dão region. Even though it is an official Dão wine, it belongs to the sub-region of Serra da Estrela and alike the Somontes, which I have also reviewed here , there are some substantial differences from what you would expect from a traditional Dão wine. This Quinta da Garrida is a tremendously fruity wine, with scents of pomegranate and vanilla, filling our palate from the first sip. Its wooden notes give it a round feeling, complementing a perfect intensity. It still is the great wine I remembered and it was a pleasure to feel that it can keep on being a reference for me. It was a both wonderful and exciting experience to rediscover this old "friend" of mine. Parallel to this joy of rediscovery, I share one of my recent reading "discovery" which ...

Another grape that I have been quite curious about for a while was Garnacha Blanca , that I found selling at a major discount shop in Hamburg. As it often happens in these cases, it was pretty hard to exactly identify who or where it was produced. Somehow I felt like venturing myself to some sort of blind tasting. The first thing that called my attention was its strong minerality allied with some citrus taste, making it a perfect match for some pasta or sea food. It has a very good first impact, being a wine ready to drink from the moment we open the bottle. I have to confess that I was pretty impressed by it and really enjoyed its freshness and character, almost reminding me of some Vinhos Verdes. As its weakness, I would point some lack of consistency once open for a while, but that can be solved by drinking it a bit colder than normal. Somehow, it suggested me some renewed look over some of Jack Kerouac's haikus, from which I share this one: Birds singing in the d...