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Here is a pairing that was duplicated two days in a row in two different restaurants in Porto: 2014 Quinta de Gomariz Alvarinho Colheita Seleccionada paired with a stupendous 2012 Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional, so generous and approachable now. I had the 2015 Gomariz the next day (next to the Vallado again) and I preferred the 2015 by a wide margin. The 2014 was leaner and more minerally, but I liked the texture, aromatics and fruit character, more, on the 2014.
Ayesha staying focused on Port.
This window can only be seen in one renowned winery.
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In the first 1/2 of 2016, this is the best Vinho Verde I have tasted.2015 Soalheiro "Terramatter" Alvarinho - fermented in oak with partial malolactic fermentation. A new breed of VV and it would be fun to taste this a decade down the road. Loved its exquisite balance and sophisticated nuances, both aromatically and on the palate.
So when was the last time that you saw Quinta da Romaneira used as a "SVD" (Single Vineyard Designation)? This 1908 bottle of Real Companhia Vinicola does exactly that. An uber rare bottle from a great vintage from the heart of the Douro.Old Port wine ... there is nothing like it!
Vintage Port analysis: tasting these Quinta do Crasto youngsters, provides a window into the future so one can make a more accurate evaluation as to when they will drink at their best.
One will never forget the very first time they ever use a Port tongs. Here Joe D'Achille from our 2016 Fortification Tour gets to open a bottle of 1999 Quinta do Portal Vintage Port, with instructions by Portal's winemaker, Paulo Coutinho.
STILL LIFEAt Herdade do Mouchão, one is fortunate to get to "see" the very special cuvée known as Tonel no. 3-4. Seeing those actual casks last year was a monumental occasion for our group. This year we had the great fortune to try the 2011 version of this wine. Then came this once-in-a-lifetime experience ... the 2001.
Douro Beauty
Just two years prior to this Malvasia's vintage, Vinhos Barbeito was founded. Although many older bottlings of Barbeito Madeira still exist today, they were purchased in cask from other producers and then bottled and labeled. My guess is that this wonderful wine pictured below was also purchased by Mário Barbeito de Vasconcelos, the grandfather of current winemaker Ricardo Diogo Freitas.
Some people go to an office 9-5 everyday. I prefer this type of "work" ... Port missionary ... spreading the good word and knowledge of Port wine. Presenting Port seminars and tastings, (and Madeira too) around North America and beyond, is hard work. :) It is all For the Love of Port!
Scallop appetizer for dinner while visiting Madeira this year.
An esteemed fine wine lineup by Vieira de Sousa.
A pair of great Colheita Ports.
Guests enjoy a most memorable day into night at Noval. And this was BEFORE the fun of treading began.
Quinta do Mourão is the home of S. Leonardo Ports, produced by Miguel Braga, one of the finest wood-aged Port blenders in the entire region. This is a must visit while in the Douro. In the background you can see the Six Senses Hotel.
Vincent Bouchard, followed 8 generations of winemakers from Burgundy's Bouchard Père et Fils. In 1992, he and his wife Kay took over a property in the Douro that needed a lot of work to bring it back to life. It sits on the confluence of the rivers Tedo and Douro. Since the renovation of the winery, loads of work has improved the vineyards too. The couple hired Jorge Alves, a talented young winemaker with loads of promise and their QUINTA DO TEDO really began to take off. Their Douro wines and broad selection of Ports have really excelled and provide a bright future for this property.

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