Relentless rain, but fortunately it is still abnormally cold (5oC this morning) so vegetative is limited. My worry is that we will go from straight winter to summer and that weeds will explode into life. I want to reduce our use of herbicides this year by mowing in between the rows but unfortunately we still have too much stone lying in the vineyard (Pedra Basta!). At the moment the ground is just too waterlogged for any machinery to venture out into the vineyard. So we just sit and wait for the rain to stop.          

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Quinta do Noval’s red wine project (in its present guise) began in 1996, three years after the estate was bought by AXA Millesimes. (Previous owner Cristiano Van Zeller was working on a joint venture with Domingos Soares Franco of José Maria da Fonseca at the end of the 1980s). It took eight years for Noval to release their first wine, the 2004 vintage, which I placed in poll position with 19 points in a tasting of rich reds for The World of Fine Wine magazine. This was followed by the 2005 which was equally well received.  Noval bypassed the 2006 vintage preferring to release the wine under a second label, Cedro do Noval. The successful 2007 harvest has spawned both wines along with a newcomer, the first 100 % Syrah from the Douro.   

 Quinta do Noval 2007, Douro DOC ****

 A blend of 50% Touriga Nacional with 40% Touriga Franca and 10% Tinto Cão aged for in French oak for 18 months. Very deep opaque colour; immediately attractive, fine, scented aromas, floral (Touriga Nacional), some Port-like berry fruit, intense, tight-knit with considerably more to give; ripe plum and berry fruit, round and fleshy, suave yet fresh with lovely purity of flavour, firm, fine-grained tannins, well integrated oak, solid backbone, lovely now but with much more to give (better after two days on ullage which is always a good sign). Very well balanced: the relatively high level of alcohol (14.5%) doesn’t show through. Combines elegance with richness and power. 18+

Cedro do Noval 2007, Vinho Regional Duriense  ***

 The second wine of Quinta do Noval named after the giant cedar tree that stands in front of the house. A blend of 30% Touriga Nacional, 30% Touriga Franca, 30% Syrah (hence the 'Duriense' designation) and 10% Tinta Roriz, aged in French oak and bottled slightly earlier than the Quinta do Noval. Mid-deep youthful ruby; fresh and aromatic on the nose, slightly floral with a backdrop of well integrated oak; fresh, sappy, middle weight blackberry and cherry fruit with some savoury oak, very forthcoming, lovely now and over the next three to five years. 16.5  

Quinta do Noval, Labrador 1997, Vinho Regional Duriense (in bottle but not yet released). ***

 Made entirely from Syrah (not therefore entitled to Douro DOC) and named in honour of the dog belonging to wine maker António Agrellos: mid-deep youthful ruby; fragrant, light, peppery berry fruit character with more than a touch of smoky - savoury new oak; similarly spicy on the palate, fresh and well balanced, not especially intense, in fact somewhat stretched suggesting of young vines, elegant in style but rather short, tailing off on the finish leaving nothing but new wood. Well crafted but lacking in gravitas. One to watch for the future.  15

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The Douro is currently one of the most exciting wine regions in Europe as producers, large and small, reinvent themselves to make an ever wider range of unfortified Douro wines. This year’s tasting was a showcase for the successful 2007 vintage including a smattering of recently declared Port (details of which can be found eslewhre on this website). There were well over 100 wines in the tasting so there was little time to ponder. Consequently some of my notes are quite short. This is a small selection of some of the most impressive and innovative wines from the tasting.  I gave more time to the red than the whites but there were some lovely dry whites, especially Niepoort (Tiara, Redoma Branco and Redoma Branco Reserva). The wines are listed by producer in the order they were tasted.

 Symington Family Estates

 Chryseia 2007 **** + ?

 I have been critical of this wine in the past, borne out by my tasting of the 2000 in the spring of 2009. Made from grapes grown at Quinta de Perdiz, Quinta da Vila Velha and Quinta do Vesúvio (see below), total production amounted to 35,000 bottles. The grape varieties are 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Touriga Franca both of which ripened well in 2007. Big, dense, serious red, new oak very much evident needing time to integrate, sweet fruit, soft and fleshy with the floral character of Touriga Nacional showing through, ripe, naturally sweet fruit offset by a lovely streak of acidity. Combines power with elegance. 18 

 Post-Scriptum 2007 ***

Efectively the second wine to Chryseia: a blend of 40% Tinta Roriz, 35% Touriga Franca, 20% Tinta Barroca and 5% from old interplanted vines. Nine months gestation in 400 litre French oak before bottling in July 2008: elegant, forward compared compared to Chryseia, not a big wine, soft cherry and plum fruit complemented by soft ripe tannins. Elegant. 15.5

Prazo de Roriz 2007 ***

 The second wine of Quinta de Roriz, made by the Symingtons before they bought the estate outright in 2009. Lovely, dense, ripe sweet fruit, firm and broad, supple and not aggressive with sweet fruit and ripe tannins. Always very good value.     16

 Quinta do Vesúvio 2007 ****

 This is the second time I have tasted this red from the most stately estate in the Douro. It is made up from 70% Touriga Nacional, 20% Touriga Franca and 10% Tinta Amarela, following 22 days cuvaison the wine spent 10 months in new 400 litre French oak barrels and bottled in September 2008: dense, new oak still very evident, very sauve in style, ripe tannins and plummy fruit, smooth, suave and not aggressive like some young Douro reds. Quite pricey at £45. 17.5

 Pombal do Vesúvio 2007 ***

 The second wine of Quinta do Vesúvio: dark, similarly soft, sappy-sweet fruit, easy going yet quite sophisticated in style but lacking the density and concentration of the main wine (above). A bargain (?) at £18 bottle. 16

Niepoort

Redoma Branco Reserva 2008 ****

Closed, still quite green, taut, needs time to develop in bottle. A lovely streak of steely acidity runs right the way through. Will be very fine in another few months. 17.5

 Batuta 2007 ****

 Dark, tight knit, characteristically firm, foursquare tannins, quite dry and austere in style at this stage, good length. Should develop very well in bottle.  17

 Robustus 2004 ****

 Dense, rich dark chocolate fruit, really powerful vinous punch. Makes up in power for what it lacks, at this stage anayway, in finesse.  17.5

 Doda 2007 ****

An inspired  blend of wines from Portugal’s two greatest wine regions: Douro and Dão. Fragrant (suggesting a high percentage of Touriga Nacional) yet dense and rich with fine balance of fruit and ripe gravelly tannins. This has the finesse of young Graves and will keep and develop well. Not cheap though at £48. 18

Ramos Pinto

 Duas Quintas Reserva 2007 ****

 Very attractive cherry fruit, quite dense with more to give both on the nose and palate; well defined, very fresh and fruit driven. Captures the Douro fruit beautifully. £28 17

 Duas Quintas Reserva Especial 2007 ****

 Still closed, solid, ripe broad tannins, great depth and weight, concentrated, tar and chocolate, big and powerful yet well balanced. Big yet well poised. £46 17.5

 Quinta do Crasto

 The two top wines from 80 / 90 year old vineyards on this beautifully located estate midway between Régua and Pinhão:

 Quinta do Crasto Vinha Maria Teresa 2007 ****

 Deep, opaque colour; closed, ripe, naturally sweet, rich berry fruit, tar and spice, wonderful ripeness, depth and breadth, retaining freshness on the finish.   17

 Quinta do Crasto Vinha da Ponte 2007 ****

 The bigger of the two wines, powerful though closed with much more to give, dense, rich and powerful, big, ripe leathery tannins, chewy, meaty, savoury, finishes with a flourish. Very good indeed. 18

 Xisto 2007 *** / ****

 Made at Quinta do Crasto but a separate project, Jorge Roquette in partnership with  Jean-Michel Cazes: open, fragrant, fine, new oak still evident, floral fruit, contrastingly soft and supple following on immediately from Quinta do Crasto. Already developed and drinking well. 16.5

Quinta da Gaivosa

 Quinta da Gaivosa Vinha de Loredo 2007 *** / ****

 From 100 year old vines: new wood still dominates, very fresh with good depth and balance, not big or powerful but elegant, has finesse. Fresh berry fruit continues onto the finish. €45 16.5

Abandonado 2007 ****

Dense, tar and spice, new oak, lashings of sweet fruit, liquorice-like concentration, rich, multi-layered, wonderful expression of old Douro vines but expensive at €60. 18

 More to follow.....

Location: Tate Modern, London
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Tiara 2008 *** / ****

First produced in 2008 this is billed by Dirk Niepoort the Douro's answer to Riesling. Made mostly from the Codega grape (old vines), 80% in stainless steel, 20% in old oak. Very minerally, fragrant, no oak evident with good (sub tropical) weight and balance. Restrained.  16.5

Redoma Branco 2008 ****

Restrained minerally aromas, gentle use of oak, seemingly less oak than was used in the past; taut peachy fruit, subtropical weight, almost burgundian in style but with added Douro ripeness. 17

Vertente 2007 ***

Ripe, slightly peppery aromas with more to give on the nose; firm, sappy flavours backed by broad tannins, characteristic of the 2007 vintage.  16 

 Redoma Tinto 2007 ****

Big, firm tight-knit, rich, structured plum and cherry aromas and flavours, typically foursquare tannins backed by fresh acidity still needing time to open and develop fully but will be very expressive in another year or so.  17

Batuta 2007 **** + (?)

Very deep in colour; closed, giving very little away on the nose, tight-knit but with slightly smoky aromas opening up in the glass; big wine, ripe, firm, massive tannins with grip and poise, lovely fresh acidity surfacing on the finish. A massive wine that will need a few years to come round.  18 

Projectos Pinot Noir 2006 V.R Duriense

Made from Pinot Noir planted at Quinta de Napoles in 1999 - high density planting at 12,000 vines / ha. Ripe, dusty aromas, not that aromatic initially but opening up, new oak very evident; fine, sweet, firm, recognisably Pinot flavours, nothing jammy (but not showing well today according to Dirk Niepoort).  Reserve judgement. 

Charme 2007 ****

Dirk Niepoort's attempt at making a burgundian style of red with Douro grapes. 80 year old vines, 100% foot trodden on the stems in lagar. 18 months in 50% new oak. Mid-deep colour, pink rim; elegant, vinous aromas, could be described as 'burgundian', restrained, perfumed, sweet fruit, firm dry spicy tannins but very elegant. Mid- weight with fine length. 17

Charme 2006 ** / ***

Paler than the 2007, broad pink rim; savoury but rather hollow aromas with less fruit immediately evident; firm, rather dry tannins, rather attenuted and emaciated, slight and rather dry finish. Not nearly as showy as the '07. A 'difficult year' according to Dirk - so should he have released this wine?.  14.5

Location: Quinta de Napoles
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Quinta do Vesúvio 2007, Douro ****

First taste of the Symington's new Douro red from Quinta do Vesúvio, a blend of Touriga Nacional (70%), Touriga Franca (20%) and a significant amount (10%) of Tinta Amarela, the same grape as Trincadeira in the Alentejo. Aged for 10 months in new 400 litre casks of French oak (Transaud  and Boutes): very deep youthful crimson colour: tight knit, refined, cassis and restrained new oak (vanilla) on the nose; firm but not agressive, fleshy and concentrated, new oak still very evident, fine grained tannins, well balanced and very suave in style.   17.5

Poeira 2007, Douro ***/**** (?)

From a small, relatively cool north facing vineyard in the Pinhão valley by Quinta da Terra Feita, made by Jorge Moreira who is also wine maker for Quinta de la Rosa (below): very deep, youthful colour, closed but with underlying fragrance and fruit; firm, slightly green tannins, good fruit but not as nearly refined as Vesúvio, well'defined but needs time to open up.  Reserve judgement. 16.5  

Quinta de la Rosa, Reserva 2007, Douro ***

Ripe, open, fragrant, smoke and cedar on the nose, upfront but quite impressive and very inviting; plum and berry fruit, soft and voluptuous initially, firm ripe, spicy tannins with good grip and balance on the finish. Lacks the stuffing of some wines but already drinking well and it really shows the calibre of the 2007 vintage. 16  

Location: Dinner with Paul and Jane Symington
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