TN: 2002 Quinta do Vale Meao Douro
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:25 am
My first experience with this wine made in the Douro superior by Francisco de Olazabal and Nicolau Almeida. The blend is made from 60% Touriga Nacional, 30% touriga franca, 5% tinta roriz and 5% tinta barroca.
It was served side by side with a Pape Clement 2002 and most of my guests really preferred the Vale Meao, and many were asking where to get one bottle. This one was brought back from Portugal but I manage to find a case here in Montreal, sweet! Paid 65$ can, don't hesitate to buy if you can find some!
The tasting notes now, the colour is ruby intense, good saturation. Nose is narrow but intense and concentrate with very well defined flavours of red berries jam, sweet plums and pink pepper. Everybody thought it was a young hermitage. The mouth is powerful yet caressing with lot of freshness and balance, full body, expressive with berry jam notes, minerality and dark chocolate shows on the finale that is very long with a touch of wood on the after taste. Tour de force Parker would say :) 17.5/20+
It was funny to hear people speak about the wine. When they felt the nice minerality on the palate, I could hear some "oH! this is terroir speaking and it must come from France" And by the way, none of the 14,5 % alc/vol was showing!
It was served side by side with a Pape Clement 2002 and most of my guests really preferred the Vale Meao, and many were asking where to get one bottle. This one was brought back from Portugal but I manage to find a case here in Montreal, sweet! Paid 65$ can, don't hesitate to buy if you can find some!
The tasting notes now, the colour is ruby intense, good saturation. Nose is narrow but intense and concentrate with very well defined flavours of red berries jam, sweet plums and pink pepper. Everybody thought it was a young hermitage. The mouth is powerful yet caressing with lot of freshness and balance, full body, expressive with berry jam notes, minerality and dark chocolate shows on the finale that is very long with a touch of wood on the after taste. Tour de force Parker would say :) 17.5/20+
It was funny to hear people speak about the wine. When they felt the nice minerality on the palate, I could hear some "oH! this is terroir speaking and it must come from France" And by the way, none of the 14,5 % alc/vol was showing!
