Garrafeira here....I could do with some respect!

Not many notes posted on Garrafeira here at all, and sure there were some shockers quite a few years ago. But like other regions of Portugal, vaste improvements have been made this past 10 years, so thought this `00 from Esporao might be ready. A few here have mentioned the fabulous `04 white from Esporao so fond memories do exist!

WTN: `00 Herdade do Esporao Garrafeira Alentejano Private Selection, Portugal.

Tall slim bottle, lengthy natural cork, opened an hour but not decanted. Trace of sediment, 14% alc, $26 Cdn four yrs ago.
Blend of Touriga Nacional, Syrah and Trincadeira.

Color. Light purple rim, some brick but interesting black color in the centre. No red showing anywhere. Could be quite teeth-staining!

Nose. Very much alive, some barnyard funk, berry, meaty, dried herbs. Classic I`d say?

Palate. Initial entry tells me this is ready, rich, good grip, blackcurrant in spades. Maybe more new world than old but dense and concentrated. Blackberry and chewy tannins. no sign of any decline here. Hint of sweetness after 2 hrs and some herbal tones on day 2, when it does have an old world feel maybe. Very nice wine forumites.

******Back in `05, DeVine Wines here in Edmonton, purchased the entire allocation as the rep was going out of business. I should have purchased more eh.

In case others are as unsure as I was about the meaning of Garrafeira, here is a definition http://www.epicurious.com/tools/winedic ... ry?id=6540 .

Sounds more interesting than my Alentejo from the Lafite Rothschilds.

Éric de Rothschild has now sold his 50% stake in Quinta do Carmo to Portuguese investors, but in the meantime he found the time to utterly destroy those wines, which in the 1980s, and before that, had great personality and aging potential when they were blends heavily dominated by old-vine alicante bouschet (at least 70%). He decided that alicante bouschet was a pedestrian grape and replaced it with 70% tempranillo/aragonez, which in Alentejo gives bland wines, and Carmo became an utterly boring wine. Bravo, monsieur le baron! Way to go!

BTW, garrafeira has a different meaning when applied to Port wines - then, it's a tawny that's been mostly aged in glass demijohns instead of oak barrels.

[David M. Bueker]

Portugese wines (other than Port) have essentially zero presence in my market. It's too bad, but it's the situation.

Portugese wines (other than Port) have essentially zero presence in my market. It's too bad, but it's the situation.

Strange, the northeast is full of portuguese immigrants, perhaps more a little further north than CT.

Portugese wines (other than Port) have essentially zero presence in my market. It's too bad, but it's the situation.

Strange, the northeast is full of portuguese immigrants, perhaps more a little further north than CT.

If you went to New Bedford, MA or Providence, RI you would find a high concentration of Portuguese (no idea about wine shops in those towns). Maybe there is a costal town in CT? I make the trek to nearby Newark's Ironbound section if I want anything Portuguese (or Brazilian, for that matter - saw some Brazilian wine at one of the shops).

In case others are as unsure as I was about the meaning of Garrafeira, here is a definition http://www.epicurious.com/tools/winedic ... ry?id=6540 .

Sounds more interesting than my Alentejo from the Lafite Rothschilds.

Thanks Tim. I was quite unaware of the term Garrafeira. Learn something new every day.

David, if you ever get over to Fall River, look up: Tanza Southway Liquors, 340 R.I. Avenue, Fall River, MA 02721. Tel: 508-673-6700. More Portugese wines than you could imagine.