If you could pick only one Douro wine producer ...

[Roy Hersh]

Who would it be, and why? Would you also say this individual or Quinta makes the best Douro wines of all?

[Andy Velebil]

Who would it be, and why? Would you also say this individual or Quinta makes the best Douro wines of all?

Why do you have such tough questions This would really depend on what I was looking for stylistically. If I only wanted top reds I'd probably go with Quinta do Crasto, or Quinta Vale D. Maria, though the later has some consistency issues. There is also Quinta d. Gaviosa and some others that make some very nice juice, but again they haven't seemed to have mastered year to year consistency quite yet.

Since I like whites and reds, that limits things down quite a bit. While things are slowly changing, there are few producers making a good variety of top end whites and reds in the Douro. With that said, my pick would have to be Niepoort.

[Eric Ifune]

Agree with Andy, you ask a very, very tough question!

I'm also going to lean towards Niepoort, but with Portal a close second.

[Moses Botbol]

That's a Sophie's Choice question. If I had to pick one, maybe Gaivosa. What a property and they make a fantastic product at all price points. Portal and Crasto would tie for second with Niepoort at third.

Gaivosa's Abandonado is one of finest Douro red's I have ever tried.

[Ronald Wortel]

Niepoort is the obvious choice, and would also be mine. The variety and quality of their range is simply unsurpassed IMO. But it would be rather boring if everybody says the same, therefore I opt for Casa Ferreirinha. Decent wines at the bottom of the range and incredibly good from Qta. da Leda, Reserva Especial, Colheita and Barca Velha. Never tasted one of their white wines though, so couldn't comment on that.

[Andy Velebil]

Niepoort is the obvious choice, and would also be mine. The variety and quality of their range is simply unsurpassed IMO. But it would be rather boring if everybody says the same, therefore I opt for Casa Ferreirinha. Decent wines at the bottom of the range and incredibly good from Qta. da Leda, Reserva Especial, Colheita and Barca Velha. Never tasted one of their white wines though, so couldn't comment on that.

Yes a good producer as well. Though I don't have much experience with their whites either.

[Roy Hersh]

Moses wrote:

Gaivosa's Abandonado is one of finest Douro red's I have ever tried.

Which vintage? I've only bought it twice (one a whole case) the other 3 bottles. I opened one from my case and found it so backwards but with incredible potential that I've not touched another since.

[Moses Botbol]

Moses wrote:

Gaivosa's Abandonado is one of finest Douro red's I have ever tried.

Which vintage? I've only bought it twice (one a whole case) the other 3 bottles. I opened one from my case and found it so backwards but with incredible potential that I've not touched another since.

Whichever one we had on the Harvest tour; it was a recent vintage. Yes, it was a backwards, but in a good way. A wine that will age for a long time. I was quite impressed. Crasto had many good wines, but they were all 12+ years old.

[Brian G r a f s t r o m]

Probably Niepoort, mostly on the strength of their whites as well as their wide range of wines. Vallado might be my second choice, but that may be due to the lingering memory I have of tasting their peerless '10 TN a few weeks ago.

[Bob Parsons Alberta]

Niepoort, Portal and then Vallado. Not sure about Crasto at this time?

[Mahmoud Ali]

Agreed, it is a tough question.....but the simple answer is:

Life would be boring!.

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

[Rune EG]

Considering the consistency, my choice is CRASTO.
Their wide range of Douro reds are very impressive.
I have been through most of their 2009-vintage, all at a high level.
Their white is more straight forward.

If Wine & Soul is continuing as they do, then they will soon be up there.
Manoella, Pintas and Pintas Character are all very nice Douro reds.
Their white Guru is a bit up-and-down, but at best at a high level.

As for Niepoort that so many FTLOP-friends have at the top, I see it differently.
Too much variations in style (especially Charme) and many projects that are OK, but nothing more.
I do buy Niepoort reds and always have some in my cellar, but spend more money on the two above producers.

[David Spriggs]

I'll agree with what you have said Rune. Crasto has been so consistant that it's quite amazing. At the Vini Portugal tasting this year I was really impressed with Pintas, especially the high quality of the Pintas Character wine. Also Passdouro was really impressive as well and I have been critical of Passodouro in the past. Still I love Niepoort wines... The Niepoort tasting in Seattle was a real eye opener for those who hadn't tasted the full range of wines from Niepoort. Crasto and Niepoort are my #1 and #2 Douro wine producer.

[Roy Hersh]

+1