TN: 2013 Ribeiro Santo E.T. Magnum Carlos Lucas Dao red

[Rune EG]

This is one of their top brands. This wine consist of two grapes: Encruzado, which is the most important white grape in the Dão region, and Touriga Nacional which is the most important red grape in the Dão region (thereby E.T.).

Decanted 3.5 hrs. Could probably benefit from even longer decanting time. Medium to light red colour with a touch of brown. Powerful aroma of oak, herbs, spices and some leather. Medium body. Complex and powerful taste including oak, herbs and some leather. A bit dry towards the end. Well-structured wine that in spite of having a high portion of acidity is balancing the acidity/sweetness in an acceptable way. Medium length aftertaste. 92 pts.

[Mario Ferreira]

I love this wine, the E.T. from Magnum Carlos Lucas, and have gotten the opportunity to taste it a few times already.
The truth is, I can't get enough of it
Interesting fact that the ET is a blend of a White grape with a Red grape. I don't think there's much of such blends available these days !?.
The Encruzado, the white grape in this blend, produces amazing wines and at some point in the future I would like to arrange for myself comparative tasting of Encruzados only.
As for this ET, it's also worth to give it a look to the label, picture here -->

[Eric Ifune]

I want to come to an Encruzado tasting!

[Andy Velebil]

Pretty cool, a white and red wine! I've had a number of wines from this producer and so far all have been very nice, especially given the inexpensive price points. But I've not had this one yet. I'll have to keep my eye out for it. Thanks for the note.

[Mario Ferreira]

I want to come to an Encruzado tasting!

I'm in. I want to do that too

[Mario Ferreira]

On the ET 2013, Amanda Barnes wrote:

ET 2013
Although the label looks like a reference to the famous film from the 80s, this wine is actually harking back to a wine tradition from the 80s: a field blend, a co-ferment of white and red varieties. In this blend, you have 15% Encruzado with 85% Touriga Nacional. It has meatiness and spice from just over a year in oak, but the base of this wine is floral and juicy fruit. A light, juicy and fresh wine to enjoy by itself or when you are phoning home.

Read more at: http://aroundtheworldin80harvests.com/2 ... los-lucas/

On the DÃO region, on this url (above) one will find and interesting interview to Carlos Lucas (by Amanda Barnes).

from the interview:
- question: [...] one of the Dão wines that you make is ET – and that’s a mix of Encruzado and Touriga Nacional. And you said that this is really the old style of making wines, Why is it the old style? What’s the importance of co-fermentation in the Dão?
- answer: Well, I remember my first time in the winemaking business. When I started in the Dão region we had white grapes and red grapes together. And when I think about ET wine, I think about my old wines in the wine business and it is very interesting now to think about ET wine. ET wine is a strange wine now but in the old past, it was a real Dão wine – white grapes and red grapes together. And for me it is interesting to make something like old times! It’s a fun wine.

[Roy Hersh]

Yes, an Encruzado blind tasting would be a lot of fun. Having visited Carlos Lucas and tasted his portfolio of wines with Mario in Lisbon, up at his incredible Quinta and also in Porto over dinner, his diverse lineup of wines deserve the attention they have received. Lucas has wines at all different price points from entry level to fairly upper end. The basic Encruzado is a fine QPR wine, but put it beside the upscale, Neve (snow) and it get's lost in translation. Nothing wrong with that, but you can see what one of the very finest Encruzado wines can truly deliver. The Neve (made in a red version too) Encruzado is still the finest version I've tasted of that grape, which is saying a lot, as Mario knows well, I love it too. Some excellent ones out there. It is one of the reasons we've been visiting the top Dão producers on every one of our recent Five Regions Tours. Learning the wines of the Dão are a force to be reckoned with, as distant as they are from what we typically taste in Douro for example, no less Alentejo.

The ET and Envelope wines by Carlos Lucas are worth seeking out, if you can find them!

Mario, I think this is a great idea to do a Dão tasting and we should set it up with the leaders of the Dão region, during next year's Five Regions Tour I think doing this "blind" would be great, no label bias!

[Eric Ifune]

I really liked the entire lineup at Magnum Carlos Lucas. The Neve might have been the best white of the trip. Isn't it a field blend with Encruzado being the major component? Snow refers to the winter vista rather than it actually snowing in the vineyard. Would like to try it next to Quinta do Sobral's Neta (granddaughter).

[Eric Ifune]

Reviewing my notes, the Neve Branco is 100% Encruzado, but old vines. The Neve Tinto is a field blend. I might have been thinking of their other upper echelon branco, Quinta de Alameda Reserva which is multivarietal.