Dollar Deals from Portugal: Bold Wines with New World Style
Taste ALL FOUR of our Portuguese Dollar Wines ANYTIME Friday or Saturday.*
It's long been thought in the world of wine that if you don't grow traditional varietals, your wine won't be recognized beyond its regional roots. However, like its direct neighbor Spain, Portugal has slowly been reeling in its own fan club despite their reluctance to follow trends and be like the rest of the world. Portugal strongly believes in growing what it does best and educating its enthusiasts on their own breed of full-bodied, fruit-filled wines that are more than able to compete against better known varietals such as Cabernet, Merlot, just to name a few.
Just recently, one of our suppliers presented us with four phenomenal wines from Portugal that were too good to pass up. So good in fact, that after tasting these wines with some of our staff members, we knew these four wines had to be recognized, even if that meant we needed to spend extra time educating our customers. So here they are, at prices too good to be true...
From Tortosendo at the foot of the Serra d'Estrela mountains in the Beira Interior, José Almeida Garrett runs the family winery, with vineyards in the Vale de Gardunha and the southern slopes of the Serra de Gardunha. His family are the descendants of the famous 19th century author, poet and freedom fighter Almeida Garrett, which is the brand used for the wines. The Almeida Garrett Winery is one of the few family run wineries left of this region that focus on quality and niche production.
2011 Almeida Garrett, Selecta Mountain Red Blend, $24.99, 2nd Bottle $1.00
Pours a deep, opaque garnet, with scarlet hues flittering the edges of the glass. This wine has a diverse array of lovely aromas, first approaching the nose with notes of freshly turned earth and rain soaked forest, with more subtle hints of vanilla, raspberry, cherry and lavender that round out a completely gorgeous nose. A silky mouthfeel is backed up by elegant and soft flavors of cherry, raspberry, spicebox and tobacco. With a medium body, fresh acidity, and drying, chewy tannins that last through its subdued and pleasant finish, you will continue to find yourself coming back to your glass, praying that this wine is not gone.
2012 Almeida Garrett, Beira Interior TNT Tinto Red, $16.99, 2nd Bottle $1.00
"The best Portuguese reds are deliciously focused and pure, with a stylish fruit-driven style. TNT here stands for Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira in this fun and inventive modern label...the Beira Interior is a place to watch. The wine here excels. It's good value, with bright berry flavors alongside some spice and fragrance from the winery led by Jose Almeida Garrett who, on this basis, deserves more attention." Olly Smith, U.K. Wine Writer
Silver medal winner at 2013 Mundus Vini competition in Germany, Bronze Medal Winner in Decanter Magazine 2013, selected as Top 50 Great Portuguese Wines by renowned U.K. wine writer, Olly Smith.
For over three generations, Casal da Coelheira has been committed to producing the best and most distinctive wines possible. With winemaking roots that dates back to 1170 in the Ribatejo region, Portuguese viticulture and winemaking traditions have garnered Casal da Coelheira international recognition and acclaim for quality-driven wine with exceptional character and value.
2011 Casal da Coelheira Reserva, $34.99, 2nd Bottle $1.00
CALLING ALL CABERNET LOVERS! While this wine isn't 100% Cabernet, it has enough Cabernet and other bold varietals to garner this incredible red giving it a "Wow" factor that even the most critical Cab drinkers would appreciate. There is no question, this red has more depth, more intensity and length than its counterparts of the same price point. Crafted with Touriga Nacional, Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Franca, this wine is aged 12 months in French and American oak barrels. This Reserva displays notes of black currant and plum on the nose with a touch of flowers and dried herbs. This full-bodied red is well structured with firm yet approachable tannins completed by a velvety finish. Age for an additional 10+ years in bottle.
2012 Casal da Coelheira Tinto, $24.99, 2nd Bottle $1.00
The Casal da Coelheira range is very much a reflection of the Estate's winemaking philosophy. The Ribatejo region holds a strong influence from the Tagus river offering more fruit concentration and a boost in natural acidity. Touriga Nacional shares its aroma, Touriga Franca provides an element of spice and the Alicante Bouchet adds length and structure, imparting a nice mix between terroir and modernity. Bold juicy notes of red raspberry and blueberry overwhelm the senses. The palate continues with violet tones, earthy aromas and a bit of mocha. The mouthfeel is round and supple with an incredible finish.
*Taste these incredible wines at any of our locations Friday and Saturday.
