Virtual tasting with Oscar Quevedo of five single-varietal Vintage Port cask samples.
- 2009 Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto Touriga Nacional Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Single varietal Port cask sample. Tasted as part of a Virtual tasting with Oscar Quevedo. 187ml bottle. Touriga Nacional is known as a flagship grape for Ports, and it brings great aromatics, as well as structure and tannins for aging. This wine has a luscious nose of blackberry and black plum. The entry also shows rich black fruit, and the tannins are pronounced, but not out of balance. There is good acidity, and the body weight hovers somewhere between medium and full. This is very pleasant to drink and exhibits several dimensional characteristics that make it easy to see how important a role it plays in the Port blends. (90 pts.) - 2009 Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto Tinta Roriz Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Single varietal Port cask sample. Tasted as part of a virtual tasting with Oscar Quevedo. 187ml bottle. Tinta Roriz can have high tannins but also helps bring complexity to Port blends. This wine is light ruby-amber in color, lacking some of the intense richness of the other single varietal Ports in this tasting. There are lovely smoky, complex red fruit and chocolate notes on the nose. It has a rich mouthfeel and nice red fruit and dried spices on the palate. The tannins are large and likely would benefit from more time to settle down. It has a long finish with Cherry and fresh crushed raspberry. (88 pts.) - 2009 Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto Touriga Franca Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Single varietal Port cask sample. Tasted as part of a virtual tasting with Oscar Quevedo. 187ml bottle. Touriga France is best known for the elegance and structure it brings to Port. This wine is a beautiful ruby color. There are nice aromas of blueberry and floral notes on the nose. On the palate there is good structure and balance, giving the wine a very elegant mouthfeel. Tannins, acidity, and red fruits are noticeable on the mid-palate and long finish. While this wine has some very nice components, it doesn't wow me, but I can see how it could contribute its better component to a final Port blend. (86 pts.) - 2009 Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto Tinta Cão Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Single varietal Port cask sample. Tasted as part of a virtual tasting with Oscar Quevedo. 187ml bottle. Tinta Cão is a low-yield grape with low alcohol and less structure. It brings fragrance and fruit to the wine. This one has a beautiful nose of violets and light strawberry on the nose. The entry has pleasant fruit and firm tannins on the mid-palate. Decent acidity but a little bitterness on the finish. As a single varietal, it is ok, but I see why this makes a better blending grape for Ports. (85 pts.) - 2009 Vinhos Oscar Quevedo Porto Sousão Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Single varietal Port cask sample. Tasted as part of a virtual tasting with Oscar Quevedo. 187ml bottle. Sousão provides deep color and acidity. This wine is a deep, vibrant purple-ruby in color. It has lovely fragrances of crushed blueberry and blue fruits. The entry is surprisingly rich and intense but with a smooth profile. On the mid-palate, the boysenberry and sweet cranberry appear, along with noticeable, but round, tannins, and good acidity. (89 pts.)
