The Douro is best known as the region of Portugal where the grapes for Port are grown, however this region also produces a significant amount of table wine (i.e., non-fortified, dry wine). And the quality-to-price ratio (QPR) for wines from this region is outstanding. When I’m looking for rich, full-bodied reds at a bargain price […]
Reviews
Review: Bico Amarelo 2020
In my last post, about Ameal Loureiro, I highlighted how Vinho Verde can be a serious, quality wine. Bico Amarelo is produced by José Luis Moreira da Silva, the same winemaker as Ameal Loureiro, and is another example of Vinho Verde produced as a “fine wine” and yet it retails for a mere $12. Although […]
Review: Herdade do Rocim Amphora Tinto
Some wines are made for the masses, some wines are made for aficionados and some wines are made for wine geeks. To me, this is a wine for wine geeks. That doesn’t mean that everyone else wouldn’t enjoy the wine, it just means there’s something special about the wine that wine geeks will totally geek […]
Review: Herdade de São Miguel, Rosé
I’ve been writing about a lot of wines from the Alentejo region of Portugal over the past couple years. One reason for that is QPR – quality-to-price ratio. QPR ultimately is core to my mission with this website — to highlight wines that offer great quality at affordable prices. Over the past few decades, the […]
Review: Ron Rubin, Pinot Noir
Ron Rubin, the person and namesake of the Ron Rubin Winery, is more than just a wine producer — you might call him a beverage mogul. He grew up working in his family’s wholesale liquor company in Illinois, which he expanded into wine distribution. He is the owner of the tea company, The Republic of […]
Review: Corvezzo Prosecco
One of the first things you’ll notice if you see this bottle of Prosecco are the words “organic & vegan” on the label. You might find yourself wondering how a wine could not be vegan. It has to do with the fining process, which is done to clarify and stabilize wine but often uses non-vegan […]
Review: Esporão, Reserva Red
Today I’m continuing the recent series of red blends from Portugal with a wine from one of the larger producers in Alentejo, Esporão. This is a producer that grows about 40 different varieties of grapes, but also olive groves, orchards and other produces. It sounds like a beautiful place. This blend includes some of the […]
Review: Cartuxa, Tinto
A few weeks back, I had a series of reviews on red blends from Portugal and today I’m back at it with a wine from a legendary winery in Portugal, called Cartuxa. This winery, along with the olive grove and enoteca under the same name, are run by a philanthropic foundation, called Eugénio de Almeida. […]
Review: Gruet Blanc de Noirs
What would you say if I told you New Mexico is the source of some of the best sparkling wine in the US? Would you believe me? Would you think I’ve lost it? Well, here we are and that’s exactly what I’m saying. Gruet Winery The producer I’m talking about is Gruet (pronounced: groo-ay) and […]
Review: Esporão, Bico Amarelo
Recently, I’ve posted a number of reviews of red blends from Portugal. But red wines aren’t the only blends to consider, so today I’m highlighting a white blend from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal, the Esporão, Bico Amarelo. “Vinho Verde” translates literally as “green wine” but more appropriately is translated as “young wine” as […]