Quinta do Alqueve Fernão Pires 2004 14% abv; c.18€ (privately bought, not through our pathetic monopoly).
The colour is rather evolved looking. The nose is full on and with lots of stuffing. There is a curiously prominent note of pine kernels - but do not get me wrong: this is not like Retsina! There is also a lovely sea-breeze, saline quality. The palate is rather heavy, cumbersome, the alcohol doesn't show through but I guess that with 12% I would like this more as it wouldn't be so heavy. There are lovely mineral hints amongst the copious fruit. But the most curious thing is the aftertaste. It goes on and on and on. In fact, I wouldn't talk so much of an aftertaste, but of the taste itself continuing forever. Very strange. A bit too intense for me, infact: I would love to keep the divinely high acidity, the minerality, but I'd want the fruit and thickness cut in half. Nice stuff anyway. Certainly the best Portuguese white I've tasted (until next Tuesday I would guess when I'll get white Colares!).
-Otto-