Casa Ferreirinha 2017 Planalto Reserva 4U (Douro DOC) Portugal
Availability: Private wine shops like Everything Wine
Cost: $15.99 + taxes
Alcohol: 13%
Date Tasted: February 14th, 2019
Tasting Notes: An early candidate for the best valued wine of the year, the Planalto is a refreshing, dry blend of native Portugese grapes: 35% Viosinho; 15% each of Malvasia Fina, Gouveio, Códega and Arinto; and 5% Moscatel. Clean, crisp and, admittedly, conservative, this reserved blend is anything but flashy with a good balance of mineral, acid and orchard fruit characters. An inexpensive, food-friendly wine to pair with seafood salads, sushi or light, whipped cheeses. Drink now-2021.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2019 IconWines.ca
Graham's N/V Six Grapes Reserve Port (Douro Valley) Portugal
Availability: Widely available at BCLDB stores
Cost: $24-28
Alcohol: 20%
Date Tasted: December 22nd, 2014
Tasting Notes: The name "Six Grapes" is a reference to the winery's visual, quality classification for barrels of years past ('6' was the highest). This is a reserve ruby port, meaning it is a composition of multiple vintages of ruby port wines blended together to consistently represent the brand, year-in, year-out (not dissimilar to house-style Champagne). Whether the port was bottled this year or in 2011, it should taste the same, though, word to the wise, ruby port is not meant to be aged for future development like its famous sibling, vintage port. Drink it within a year or two from purchase.
Sourced from multiple estates in the Douro and compiled of the four noble Douro grapes, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroc, plus small parts of other native grapes, the 'Six Grapes' offers intense red fruit, plum and licorice aromas supported by notes of mint, flowers and Ferrero Rocher confections. The fully sweet palate offers good continuity from the nose, though, with more focus on sweet berry and cherry fruit flavours. The finish is long and boisterous. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
Samuel Magalhaes e Silva 2011 Douro 4U (Douro DOC) Portugal
Availability: Private wine shops like Everything Wine
Cost: $14-16
Alcohol: 13.5%
Production: 12000 cases
Date Tasted: February 24th, 2014
Tasting Notes: Clean, generous nose combining black fruit, licorice, cured meats, incense and a multitude of spices. The palate shows good continuity from the nose with a modern, early-drinking sensibility; fresh acidity, mild tannins and food-friendly complexity. Finishes quite short, undercutting its value as an on-its-own-sipper - open with dinner and enjoy this wine in its youth. Drink now-2016.
- Liam Carrier ©copyright 2014 IconWines.ca
