I am what some might call a wine nerd. Part of what drives my interest in wine is curiosity. I love being able to explore different regions, different grapes, different production methods and more through the context of wine. Wine regions that use native, regional grapes is one of the things I often look for […]
Portuguese Wine
Review: Porta da Ravessa Special Edition White
Inflation. It’s everywhere you look these days. Recently, the price of eggs seems to be the item I hear people talking about the most. But inflation is impacting prices across the board. As a result, shoppers are changing how they shop, whether that’s buying less, using more coupons, only buying things when they’re on sale […]
Review: Conventual Reserva Branco
It’s been a minute since I’ve written about one of my favorite wine regions, Portugal, so it’s time to do so once again. The wine I’m highlighting today is produced by Adega de Portalegre in the Alentejo (pronounced ah-len-TAY-zhoo) region. The winery producing this wine is named after the sub-region where it’s located, the Portalegre […]
Review: Rocim Mariana White Blend
If you spend much time exploring wine, through visiting vineyards and talking with producers or even just reading about it, the topic of climate change is likely to come up… often. While some politicians and biased media sources like to question the veracity of climate change models, those who have been working in the wine […]
Review: Monte Velho Rosé
While you can enjoy rosé any time of year, the warm weather outside is telling me rosé season is officially here. Let’s kick off the season with a review of a delicious rosé that retails for a mere $12. Monte Velho (pronounced MON-teh VELL-yo) is one of the brands produced by Portuguese wine producer, Esporão. […]
Review: Cartuxa, EA Red Blend
Nine dollars. That’s where I’d like to begin my discussion about this wine. Nine dollars is the suggested retail price for this bottle. I’ve seen it on sale for less than that too. Nine dollars is a bargain for this wine. Although my focus on this website is affordably-priced wines — “cheap wine” is part […]
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 […]
Review: Quinta dos Murças, Minas 2018
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 […]
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: 2020 Ameal Loureiro
Vinho Verde is a wine region that is widely misunderstood and underappreciated in the U.S. You’ve probably had a Vinho Verde at some point and it was probably a really cheap, simple wine, possibly with a slight effervescence from gas added to the wine. And it was probably not that special. Sure, that style of […]