JOãO NICOLAU DE ALMEIDA - November's Guest Corner Host

Join in on discussions with winemakers and other personalities in the Port, Madeira and Douro Wine trades.

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Andy Velebil
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Andy Velebil »

João,

Lately there has been a couple of new (or newer) Port products released into the market, specifically Rose (or Pink's) and White Tawny's with an indication of age (10,20,30, and 40).

1) Do you see this rush into new products a good thing that will last, or do you think it is a "fad" that will fade away in the near future?

2) Does your company have any plans on releasing an aged white tawny Port? (forgive me if you do already and I somehow overlooked it).
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
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Andy Velebil
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Andy Velebil »

One more question...

1) Over all the years you've been in the wine business, no matter how big or small it may have been, what is the one thing that you are most proud of accomplishing?

2) And a question I love to ask. As producer's regularly taste their own companies products it's fun to enjoy something you don't always get to try....so what is your favorite non-Ramos Pinto Port?


ok, so maybe that was more than one more question :lol: But thank you for taking the time to answer all of ours :thumbsup:
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Cynthia J
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Cynthia J »

João,

Thank you for all your answers here- it has been an incredible education and cleared up so many details of history and research for me - and well done the FTLOP members for the quality of their questions and typing them all in before I could!

I'm still in post-harvest scramble to pick up the pieces of "real" life, as I imagine you are too, only more so! But will be in touch soon to try to meet. beijinhos.
Free lance wine writer based in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
Joao Nicolau
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Andy

I understand your frustration about Port communication. I also feel the same.
But, as I am an optimist man and believe the quality of Port Wine, I think that this quality product will come up again. If we look at the history of different wine categories, we see that there are high and low periods.
From last years, we could read from the most important magazines in the world articles about Ports, which gave a good push to the Port wine world.
Of course, Port is not a drink like the red wine on account of the alcohol content and so it must be drunk in a different way. The young oenophiles are interested in Port but I believe like you that we have to do a better promotion, and the general promotion has been improving for the last years.
I think we probably need a general promotion, like Adriano Ramos Pinto did . . . ?

All my best,
João
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Steve

1 - I've been trying to answer this question. We decided to finish with Colheitas because ageing a wine in wood for many years implies refilling the cask as many times as needed. So we thought why not making directly a blend which is more the Port Wine culture? On the other hand we have the Late Bottle Vintage that ages in cask to be bottled afterwards. The Colheita creates a lot of confusion in people's mind, which is why we decided to finish with it - clear Marketing!

2 - No, if the wine is not good when it is born. In this case it will never be good for ageing. It is the same as the human being! However there are some people who have problems when they are young and as they age they can get better with some effort. However, if the wine is really good when young, the possibilities to get better during the ageing process are bigger. The ageing in bottle makes more sense for the traditional LBV's. I agree with you regarding the Tawnies since have spent all their lives in wood. When you bottle them you are completely changing their environment. If this wine stays for a long time in bottle it will lose the properties of the complexity of the oxidation bouquet.

All the best
João
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Marc

Of course, there are plenty of other varieties that we can use to give more complexity to the wine. Currently, for example, I am using Tinta da Barca that gives a different spicy flavour for the wine. We are also using Sousão that gives vigour and colour to the wines.

All the best
João
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Blair

Our Ramos Pinto Vintage is made from a blend of different Quintas namely Quinta de Ervamoira, Quinta do Bom Retiro and Quinta de Urtiga, which gives complexity to the Vintage as well as more acidity, vigor and thick tannins that allow the wine to live longer.
Regarding Quinta de Ervamoira Vintage the wine his more matured, soft, with a full fruit bouquet. It's a wine that we can drink earlier and doesn't age with the same rhythm as the Vintage Ramos Pinto.

All the best
João
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Roy

I don't think so. In Douro as you know there are plenty of great places with different expositions and altitudes. In order to select Port and Douro wines you have to know very well those vineyards and to make your selection. That is also the reason why Ramos Pinto has its own vineyards - to better control its own selections.
Anyway I think there are enough good grapes in the region to make both wines. It is just a question of understanding the selection of the varieties, maturation, year, microclimate, altitude, exposition and sub-region. That is the reason why Douro is so amazing. You can do a lot of different wines that the Nature always gives you an answer.

All the best
João
Joao Nicolau
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Melanie

Thank you for your kind words. I say that Port can be "sick" if there is an infection, a contamination of bacteria's or a micro-organisms' attack.
Let us hope we don't have any serious "attack"!

All the best
João
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Todd

No, I always keep one third of the previous blend. So, I put the sample on the tasting table and I have to do a new blend to taste the same as the reference that is there, even if I have to use different wines.
What goes in my mind is the character of the wine and I try to do always better that the precedent wine. We don't do it in a mathematical way but by tasting. We can make the wine with a whole of different wines, but the new blend has to match the character and the balance of the previous one.
That's why making the wine is not that scientific. What I must put in the wine the personality of the House. This is something that I have the responsibility to continue from my ancestors and to pass it to the next generation. It's a very difficult process to explain. I think that from this point of view we are thinking of something similar to the Art - this has a lot of personal feeling, which is why the culture of the Tawny is fantastic. You can see the person that is behind the wine.
We, Port Houses, have what we call "the tasting room". That is our sanctuary. It's where everything happens. At the tasting room there's always a team - older and younger tasters. In our case we are three: two younger ones - Ana Rosas and João Soares - and finally myself (if you want to consider me the older one!).
They work in the everyday needs following the strategy that I've drawn to the wines. Finally, they prepare many different samples and in the end I've to decide. I can choose one of these samples or I may decide to start everything from the beginning in a different way. The principal winemaker defines the strategic main line.

This is such a complex subject that this conversation would never ends. This is something that we don't learn at school but by our own experience. Each one has its own personality and he or she has to put it in the Blend. It's like music - you have your different keys of the piano (= different samples) and you have to play your own music!

All the best
João
Joao Nicolau
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Al

I never made this experiment but I believe that if we have the grapes receiving directly from the soil without rootstock the wine may be better.

All the best
João
Joao Nicolau
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Eric

As I previously said we have to know very well the Region and the different vineyards. The year is very important as well. The experience teaches you to know where to have the best varieties and the best places to make Port or Douro wines. Even for the Douro wines it will depend of the type of wine you want to make. A Reserva? An everyday wine? All?
Moreover, you can use the different altitudes as we do for our Duas Quintas red and white. The Douro gives you all the keys for your wines. You just have to find them! This is why this region is so amazing and this is also the reason why we are there since the Romans!

All the best
João
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Andy

As I said Douro can give such a variety of different wines that you have to use them for different occasions. I think the Rosé Port is something light and fresh and not a product to age. However the white has been made in the past and the experience was very good. We do a White Reserva, which is very very nice!

Regarding your last two questions:
The thing I love the most is seeing that someone who is enjoying drinking my wine!
My favorite non-Ramos Pinto Port is Noval Nacional.

All the best [cheers.gif]
João
Marc J.
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Marc J. »

Joao,

It is my understanding that Ramos-Pinto has has not bottled a 40 Year Old tawny. Considering the focus that Ramos-Pinto has placed on tawnies, I find that an interesting decision. Since the Colheitas are now finished are there any plans to possibly use some of the old Colheita stocks in a 40 Year Old? Thanks!

Marc
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Glenn E.
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Glenn E. »

João,

I have one last question and I think you are exactly the right expert to ask since you have spent so much time studying the grapes of Portugal. :scholar:

In the last few years, many producers have started releasing white Ports with age. We are seeing Colheitas, 10-yr olds, 20-yr olds, and even very rarely 30-yr olds and 40-yr olds. To the best of my knowledge, there is no special rule that needed to be created for these Ports to exist - they are simply Tawny-style Ports made with white grapes. Correct?

Okay, so here's the real question. Is there any reason that we have not yet seen Vintage or LBV-style Ports made with white grapes? (By which I mean bottle aged vs wood aged?) Is it not allowed, or is it because white fortified wines do not age well in bottle? White wines obviously can age well in bottle - Sauternes, for example - so I assume it is either a rule or a problem with fortification?

Thank you for taking the time to be with us this week, I have really enjoyed reading your responses!

Glenn
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Roy Hersh
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Roy Hersh »

João,


Looking into your crystal ball to the future ... 10-50 years down the road; where do you believe the biggest changes will take place: in the winemaking techniques and/or technology or in the vineyards -- when it comes to Douro table wines?

Agradeça-o em avanço!
Ambition driven by passion, rather than money, is as strong an elixir as is Port. http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Kris Henderson
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Kris Henderson »

Hi João

I've learned a lot from reading the questions and your answers, thank you for participating here. Your wines and Ports do not seem to be widely available in the Seattle, WA area so sadly, I have not had the opportunity to taste many of them. Can you tell me who my local importer / distributor is so I might be able to track some of them down?
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Al B.
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Al B. »

João

My first love in wine is vintage port. I have found from experience that while I enjoy young port (1-2 years after release), my "sweet spot" for vintage port is 40-80 years.

My question is, how do you learn what is needed in the new vintage port that will deliver such wonderful drinking pleasure in several generations? There would be no-one working with you who would be able to say "That 2010 vintage port blend tastes just like the 1935 vintage did when it was just bottled".

Thanks,

Alex
Joao Nicolau
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Marc

I consider different stages for the Tawnies:

- Young Tawnies (young person) - it's a tawny not matured because the dominant flavors are still red, fruity. The color is still very red.
- 10 years-old (teenager) - it's a tawny transition from the red fresh fruit flavors to the dry fruit flavors. This category has all type of flavors. The color is red and tawny (amber).
- 20 years-old (adult) - It's a tawny that achieved the maturity. There's no more the red color and the red fruit flavors, instead it has a real tawny amber color where the dominant flavors are the dry fruits with a typical freshness. The color is tawny (amber).
- 30 years-old (aged person) - here the tawny changes more to the "cognac side". There is an evolution and steadiness of different alcohols and the old flavors get a more volatile character and more torrification aromas.
- 40 years-old - in my point of view there's not a significant change between these and the 30 years -old tawnies. It is in the same category of flavors… So why should I do it? I prefer keeping these wines to guarantee the highest quality in the 30 years.

All the best
João
Joao Nicolau
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Re: João Nicolau de Almeida - November's Guest Corner Host

Post by Joao Nicolau »

Hi Roy

In my opinion the technology is in the vineyards. We still have a long process to get to know well our viticulture. Fortunately (!) we are one of the wine regions that has more local varieties. What a richness!

All the best
João
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