Blind Tasting – 10-20 euros Red Wines

by | Jun 4, 2018 | Wine | 0 comments

At the 10-20 euros range we are already more demanding, and we expect a lot from a wine. Once again, we have blindly tested some red wines from this price range, from various regions of the country.

First notes:

  1. Once again we gather, this time on the Costa de Caparica, to enjoy a good afternoon, with good company, good snacks and good wines !!!! We remember that we are of the opinion that we should not taste a great quantity of wines in a short time. We do not believe in those dressing rooms that are enclosed in a room of a house, and that they taste more than a hundred wines in a day … This time there were 8 reds (Portuguese) … and, in the end, 2 liqueurs
  2. After we decided last month to make the Relic Test open, we confessed that we already missed the blind test. And in the end, comme d ‘habitude, when the bottles were uncovered, there were great surprises.
  3. Thank you in advance for sending the bottles by the producers for our tests. In this particular event, half the wines were sent to us by the respective producers.

Then, in order of final evaluation, we will describe the wines in evidence:

1st – OPACO 2012

  • Region: Lisboa
  • Type: Red
  • Producer: Casa Santos Lima
  • Gape Varieties: Sousão e Alicante Bouschet
  • Alcohol Content: 14%
  • Price: 18€

In fact the color is opaque. Woody aroma and the ripe red fruit, with alcohol also to be noticed. But overall, a super-sweet aroma. In the mouth it is a very full wine, with robust but elegant tannins, tasty, with class. Slightly acidic finish. 16 months in French and American oak barrels. The Alicante Bouschet gives you the power, and the Sousão some freshness. The winner of the competition was unanimously considered.

  • 17.5 Points

2nd – JOÃO CLARA 2016

  • Region: Algarve
  • Type: Red
  • Grape Varieties: Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Trincadeira
  • Producer: Essencial Passion LDA
  • Alcohol Content: 14%
  • Price: 11€

Very intense red fruits aroma. Very fruity in the mouth, very tasty, balanced, without a large body but with very long finish. What a beautiful wine !! … Coming from vineyards planted near the sea and looking at the Serra de Monchique, with the signature of Joana and Antonio Maçanita. A beautiful surprise!

  • 17 Points

3rd – QUINTA DO POÇO DO LOBO RESERVA 2015

  • Region: Bairrada
  • Type: Red
  • Grape Varieites: Baga (40%), Touriga Nacional (40%)e Cabernet Sauvignon (20%).
  • Producer: Caves São João
  • Alcohol Content: 13%
  • Price: 14€

Nice and fresh aroma. We guessed that it would have Cabernet Sauvignon in its composition due to the spicy aroma (and flavor). In the mouth it stays fresh, elegant, with little body, ending with a great finesse finish.

  • 16.5 Points

4th– QUINTO ELEMENTO RESERVA 2013

  • Region: Tejo
  • Type: Red
  • Grapes Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Producer: Quinta do Arrobe
  • Alcohol Content: 14%
  • Preço: 16€

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the easiest grape varieties to identify in the nose: the peppery aroma does not fool you, especially in a single bowl. In the mouth it is elegant, balanced, domesticated tannins, tasty and with nice finish. All in all, a nice and balanced wine.

  • 16.5 Points

5th – FONTE DO OURO RESERVA 2015

  • Region: Dão
  • Type: Red
  • Grapes Varieites: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro, Jaen
  • Producer: Boas Quintas
  • Alcohol Content: 14.5%
  • Price: 11€

Intense of red fruits aroma. In the mouth it has elegant tannins, medium body, is slightly sweet, and has a nice finish. A relatively consensual wine.

  • 16 Points

6th – ATHAYDE 2013

  • Region: Alentejo
  • Type: Red
  • Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet
  • Producer: Monte da Raposinha
  • Alcohol Content: 14%
  • Price: 17.5€

Very intense red fruits aroma (strawberries), very fruity and pleasant. In the mouth: medium body, alcohol in evidence, tannins still lush and undomesticated … A wine still young, with slightly too much acidity.
Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. A wine that is ready, but keep it for a while.

  • 16 Points

7th– HORÁCIO SIMÕES GRANDE RESERVA 2015

  • Region: Setúbal
  • TYpe: Red
  • Grape Verietal: Castelão
  • Producer: Casa Agrícola Horácio Simões
  • Alcohol Content: 15%
  • Price: 19€

Fruit very macerated aroma, chemical. In the mouth it is sweet, intense, full-bodied, slightly astringent, and a final with too much acidity.

  • 16 Points

8th – QUINTA DOS NOGUEIRÕES RESERVA 2014

  • Region: Douro
  • TYpe: Red
  • Grape Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz
  • Producer: Quinta dos Nogueirões
  • Alcohol Content: 15%
  • Price: 11€

This wine comes from a little known producer (from S. João da Pesqueira) who still uses the traditional methods of walking on foot, with vinification in granite wineries. A little intense aroma (to red fruits). In the mouth: balanced tannins, fruity, medium body, and then a somewhat “rustic” finish. If it was not the end, we would say it would be a “very commercial wine.”

  • 15 Points

And in the end, to accompany some cookies and some butter cookies, we still tasted 2 liqueurs (also blind tasting, but without any other rule in particular):

FAMILIA HORÁCIO SIMÕES: MOSCATEL ROXO SINGLE CASK

  • Region: Setúbal
  • Type: Fortified
  • Grape Varietal: Moscatel Roxo
  • Producer: Casa Agrícola Horácio Simões
  • Alcohol Content: 17%
  • Price: 55€

A mysterious wine. From a single hull (this is bottle nº. 127), but there is no reference in the bottle (or in the box) to the respective year. A cloudy wine, opaque, thick. Typical aroma, but to denote a lot of freshness … Tasty, full bodied, with prolonged end. A fine example of Moscatel Roxo. 94 points given by Robert Parker.

  • 18 Points

ERMELINDA DE FREITAS COLHEITA TARDIA

  • Region: Setúbal
  • Type: Late Harvest
  • Grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Moscatel Graúdo, Antão Vaz, Encruzado.
  • Producer: Casa Ermelinda de Freitas
  • Alcohol Content: 14%
  • Price: 12€

Bright yellow color. Apricot aroma. In the mouth it is mellow, tasty and fresh. An excellent accompaniment to any dessert. And excellent value for money.

  • 16.5 Points

FINAL NOTES

  1. It was another good afternoon, in good company, with good food and good wines.!
  2. Lisbon is giving cards …
  3. The Algarve surprised !!!! It is true that it is a wine with the hand of the Maçanita brothers, but in fact it is perhaps the one we most recommend to know!
  4. Once again, we have missed almost nothing in our predictions.!
  5. A reference to the Tagus: a region that also has good wines … Like this specimen we have tasted … A region apparently also on the rise…
  6. It should be noted that the wines with the highest alcohol content were in the last 2 places…
  7. Once again we were very pleased, as we did not taste any bad wine … On the contrary…

Wine4people, April 22nd, 2018

Photos by: Carina Alentado

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