TN: 2007 Quinta do Vallado Reserva Douro

[Andy Velebil]

Decanted 3 hours, and 5 years after my last bottle of this. I am a little torn with this wine as in the past the oak was more a background component and now it's a full in your face part of the wine. That also included a lot of wood tannin as well. Those tannins are very distracting and overpowering. There is ample minerality, graphite, and fruit as well. But I fear the oak and tannins will out live the rest of the wine. I would cautiously say drink this over the next 4-5 years, unless it makes a miraculous turn around. As a side, I'm finding a number of Douro wines from the 2004-2010 time frame where the judicious use of oak isn't turning out so well for them in the long term.
90 Points

[Alan McDonald]

I find your comments on the tannins interesting. I came here in 2003 and began filling the empty cellar the previous owner left me - meanie. I will leave some for the next bloke if I get my asking price. If I die before I sell my son might leave something.

Despite the size of my nearest town Castelo Branco (about 60,000 pop and a big population that uses it) there is not much choice of wines beyond supermarkets, consequently choice is not great and I have never seen many of the wines (or Ports) that people on here seem to be able to buy. Given this restriction of outlets, and my budget, I just began to buy likely looking wines from different areas and tried them all, usually opening about 3 at a time for comparison. I soon found that all the Douro wines were too fruity and had too much tannin. The tannin I can take, especially in Bairrada wines, but the combination with sweetish fruit put me off. Anticipating that the young wines would improve I bought small quantities of those I thought showed promise. I tried one every now and again, but mainly preferred other regions except the Alentejo. I simply do not like the taste of Alicante Bouschet.

After finding the occasional older bottle, and my own earlier purchases ageing, I now wait until all Douro reds are at least 10y.o., even some I picked up for 99c - Vinha do Tanque. The tannins have mellowed nicely in them all and the fruit is now dry rather than sweet. I do, of course, continue to buy younger ones as they take my fancy, and try them. I also check at least one bottle of each at about 5 and 8 years. There are a couple where I decided to move them to my "drink now" row in the cellar, but generally find that 10 years of age or more suits my palate. I do not make tasting notes or score - I like or do not like; keep or drink now.

[Andy Velebil]

Alan,
I can see where the combo in some Douro wines during that period would not agree with your palate. Though there were many that were in a more restrained "old school" style. I for one am glad more producers are starting to lean back toward that more old school style and less "new world". The latter of which often causes the loss of the regions individuality.

[Alan McDonald]

I agree that some of the same label wines have changed in the few years I have been here, and for the good as far as my taste goes, but some appear to be using more Touriga Nacional than previously and I find that too fruity at young ages. The wines of the area I live in, Beira Interior, have generally improved considerably in the last 10 years. I particularly like a few of the vintages of Piornos from Covilhã.