For The Love Of Port

Many years ago a wine loving friend of mine told me that he had held a vertical tasting of Dao wines. I had been out of the country backpacking so I missed it but I was intrigued, I had not thought of cellaring such an inexpensive wine. So, I went out and bought a few Daos to put away, nothing special, just what was available in the market at the time. Well, here we are, many years later, and I open the bottle, a 1987 Cavipor Dao 'Catedral'.



What a lovely little treat. I'm sure there are far better, more artisan wines available today so I suggest people think about cellaring Daos. Anyway, this was served blind at dinner, it drank very well, lots of cherry-like fruit mixed in with a leathery minerality and nice savoury, lightly astringent finish. It elicited guesses of Rioja, Bordeaux, and Rhone.

Another Portuguese that over-performed. Bless those native varietals and blends.

Cheers.....................Mahmoud.

Always fun when something like this give you an unexpected surprise.

The oldest I've had is an old White Dao going back the early to mid 1970's (exact date is unknown). It was still holding and was a pleasure to sip till it started to fade.

I was buying I think '87 Dao at liquor store in a Portuguese neighborhood in Lowell for under $20. I don't know how many "artisan" Dao's were available then, but all the Dao's I have had regardless of price point outperformed their price & thensome. Then again, I lean towards rustic vs. polished wine. Catedral is a solid Dao, IMO. Dao just does not get the love it deserves. I may actually like more than Douro wines, dollar for dollar (or euro for euro).

Between 40 and 45 years ago part of my responsibility was to organise Civic functions. Numerous dinners were part of this and I had to learn a lot about wine in a short space of time. I had one not quite formal occasion where a simple sit-down meal was to be served in cramped conditions to a mixed group of males and females of all ages - not a good idea, but I had no choice. The wine had to be on the tables in advance. Fortunately there were still old fashioned wine merchants about and one persuaded me to taste two or three Dãos that he felt would suit everbody. Anathema - everybody drank French wines on Civic occasions, but he was right. I was totally hooked on serving Dãos when we had guests, and Noval LBV to follow - it was very affordable in those days.

I have been practising what Mahmoud preaches ever since I came here. I like to leave Ruby for five years or so, Douro reds for 10, Dãos as long as I can keep my hands off them, and Bairradas for ever. I cellar some of most wines I buy, and just check every now and again to see how they are. Sometimes they do not improve at all, other times there is a vast imporvement. I have also found that price is definitely not a good indicator of quality or ageing potential, it is essential to try a bottle.