Your best Douro dry wine

[Frederick Blais]

Let's get some action in this new section. So what where your best experience with DOC dry wines? I haven't had any experience with very old wines, though a Casa Ferreirinha Reserva 1989 last year was still in good shape and very good.

Here is my top 5 in any order

Casa Ferreirinha Reserva 1996
Chryseia 2001
Redoma 2001
Charme 2002
Batuta 2000

Never tasted but Quinta do Fojo is supposed to be very good, I may give it a try, we have the 1998 now on the shelves.

[Roy Hersh]

Honestly, there is no way I can pick just one!

My favorites have been amongst this handfull, which I have had at least once: the little known 2000 Quinta do Fojo Douro Red is fabulous, the 2000 Quinta do Crasto Vinha da Ponte (WOW!) not to mention the 2001 Crasto Touriga Nacional (try and get a bottle now though!), 1991 Barca Velha (it drank at its best between 1998 and 2001), 2000 & 2001 Quinta do Vale Meão, 2003 Pintas, Jorge Moreira's 2002 Poeira and 2000 Quinta do Vallado Douro Reserve. I am a sucker for Dirk's first vintages and loved the '99 Batuta and the 2000 Charme (although I would admit the 2002 is better, albeit tight now).

[Jason Brandt Lewis]

I'm too tired to actually go throgh all the effort of recalling the specific vintages, but certainly my favorite producers are (in alphabetical order):

Quinta do Crasto (both the Touriga Nacional and the Vinha da Ponte are superb!)
Quinta do Fojo
Niepoort (the whole range, from Redoma to Batuta)
Quita do Vale D. Maria
Quinta do Vale Meão
Quinta do Vallado

OK, that's six. So shoot me.

Cheers,
Jason

[Andy Velebil]

I really want to try some of these but I am having a problem finding them. Does anyone know where in the Los Angeles / Orange County area I can find any of these wines. I have found some less expensive Douro red wines (mostly under $10.00 US), but none of the names you mention. Any help would be appreciated.

I would mail order some but it is still too hot here to ship.

Thanks

[Frederick Blais]

Andy, you can find the Redoma at this website

www. wineroom .com / winelist.htm#12.1 [Admin edit - url no longer active]

The price seems fair from what I paid in Canada(45US)

The Vertente is also a stunning QPR wine, it just shows everything a Douro red wine should have, the best introduction you can have from this region, pour into the decanter and drink!

[Jason Brandt Lewis]

Andy,

Here are some importer and/or wholesaler contacts:

re: Qta. do Crasto, drop Bartholomew Broadbent a call or email. His website is Broadbent Selections. Same for the wines from A.A. Ferreira (from Esteva to Barca Velha)

re: Qta. do Valle D. Maria, contact Drake McCarthy at Diamond Wine Merchants, Inc. at 510.567.9897

I'll see if I can dig up some others . . .

Cheers,
Jason

[Mario Ferreira]

[...] Does anyone know where in the Los Angeles / Orange County area I can find any of these wines. I have found some less expensive Douro red wines (mostly under $10.00 US), but none of the names you mention. Any help would be appreciated.[...]Thanks

Andy - you may contact their US importers. They should be able to let you know where to find those wines the LA area. Below please find the Info. The following 3 Importers are based in San Francisco, California.

Please contact Premium Port Wines, Web: www.premiumport.com, Telephone: (800) 344-1801 & (415) 883-0400, for:
> Quinta de Roriz
> Post Scriptum
> Chryseia

Please contact Martines Wines, Web: www.martineswines.com, Toll Free: (866) 554-9920 & Phone: (415) 554-9920, for:
> Batuta - (Niepoort)
> Charme - (Niepoort)
> Redoma - (Niepoort)
> Vertente - (Niepoort)

Please contact Broadbent Selections, Web: www.broadbent.com, Telephone: 415-931-1725, for:
> Esteva
> Vinha Grande
> Quinta do Crasto
> Casa Ferreirinha
> Barca Velha
> ... and others.

[Andy Velebil]

Gentlemen, Thank you for the help...Now the hunt to find them is a-foot!!