The Jancis Robinson Story | Mission Blind Tasting | Wine writing competition

Julia's Portuguese marathon – Algarve

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This is the second (the first was Lisboa) in a series of articles that are the fruit of many tastings undertaken in Portugal and occasionally in London between October 2011 and April 2012 to choose my top 50 Portuguese wines. See this guide for links to all the articles in the series.

The map shows where the Algarve is, in the far south of Portugal, and known more for its golf courses and holidays than for wine. Tasting notes are listed in alphabetical order by producer (sur)name.

Sweet fruit with coffee overlay. Quite dry and savoury, fine...

Winemaker Rui Virginia. Most of their wines contain Syrah. One...

From Lagos region. Calcareous clay. 'Light' barrel ageing in...

Stemmy herbal nose, quite fresh. Bright and lively and easy. No...

Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez in roughly equal parts...

Creamy apple notes and a touch more tropical but also a nice...

Much more fragrant than the 2009, strawberries and cream and...

Elderberry colour. Quite smoky on the nose, hint of oak char...

More gentle than the 2008 on the nose and less herbaceous, a...

Odelouca River Valley near Portimão. Belongs to French-born...

Smells meaty/bretty. Very tart on the palate and a bit green.

Nice packaging. Sweet berry fruit, strawberry notes and touch of...

Very meaty on the nose. Tough and dry on the palate. Seems like...

Clay-limestone soils. pH 3.63. 2009 was their second year of...

From the Lagos area. A relatively new producer – Guillaume and...

Intense dark fruit on the nose with a nice savoury edge. Savoury...

Winemaker Paulo Fonseca. Eight months in oak. Savoury dark fruit...

Touriga Nacional's floral notes and peppery. Fruit is...

Winemaker Paulo Fonseca. Eight months in oak. Deep crimson. Dark...

German owner. Oenologist Paulo Loreano. Clay-limestone soils. RS...

Malo and then 13 months in French oak. TA 6.3 g/l, pH 3.52. Deep...

 

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