4.5 Review: Murças, Assobio
Last week I posted a review of a Portuguese wine called Quinta dos Murças, Minas. Today I have another wine from Quinta dos Murças, this one is called Assobio. This wine was produced under the same lead winemaker, José Luis Moreira da Silva.
The name, Assobio, means “whistle” in Portuguese and is a reference to the whistling winds in the vineyards at Quinta dos Murças.
This wine is a blend of native Portuguese grapes: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca. Touriga Nacional is one of the primary grapes used in the production of Port wine, but is also used in table wines, such as this one. It adds rich dark berry flavors, tannins and deep purple color to the wine. Tinta Roriz is a Portuguese name for Tempranillo, which adds some berry flavors and body to the wine but is fairly neutral, allowing other varieties in the blend to shine. Touriga Franca is another grape used extensively in Port, as well as table wine, and tends to be very aromatic.
Da Silva’s intent with this wine was to create a fresh, food-friendly wine using indigenous grape varieties. I’d say he achieved that and did so at a price point for frugal budgets.
Tasting Notes
There’s a nice juxtaposition of red fruit aromas, such as cherry and raspberry, intertwined with herbal aromatics, like sage, bramble and oregano. On the palate, the cherry and raspberry flavors really pop. The acidity gives a nice brightness and freshness to the fruit. There’s also a touch of bitter tannins on the mid-palate. The mouthfeel is good. The finish brings more raspberry and tea-like tannins.
Wine: Quinta dos Murças, Assobio
Varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca
Vintage: 2017
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 87
Average price: $14.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
