A couple moderately priced wines from the Douro:
2005 Vale do Bomfim Douro Reserva (Portugal):
A blend of the usual grapes found in Port, this one from Dow (Symington Group). Fairly deep color, not looking very aged yet with a slight violet tinge. Nose is fairly reserved, even with some air time and swirling - just a few hints of graphite. A lot more happening on the palate: mid weight, quite deftly balanced. Curranty bright fruit, good depth and a hint of woody, undrgrowth notes. Milk chocolate, cardamom. No obvious oak, good with beef. Nice tannins that suggest this could benefit from another 5 years. Great QPR at $12 - I'll try to keep some around to see how it evolves. 13% abv
2003 Quinta do Vallado, Douro (Portugal):
Again, a Douro blend; the lower end of a range for this house. Darker and even more youthful than the Bomfim. Again, a shy nose: swirling reveals some mineral notes and hints of sea air and poop. Less fruity and more structured than the above. Meaty, iron, black pepper sensations. Maybe a hint of spearmint and coal smoke. Still rather tightly wound - a glass tried the next day had opened up somehwhat to reveal a bit of raspberry, prune and bitter orange. Well made wine that doesn't give a lot of pleasure at this stage. Not sure it will develop into anything that interesting - maybe? From the 2003 vintage that I generally avoid for European wines, so maybe it is atypical. $18, 14% abv.
The 2006 Palestra Douro (from Dao Sul) that we drank last week offers more immediate pleasure than either of these at the shockingly low price of $5.99 (probably not one to age, nor is it meant to be). I will likely buy some more of the Bomfim, but not the Vallado.