A true blend of the Dão! Casa de Mouraz Tinto (DAO) 2020

Casa de Mouraz Tinto (DAO) 2020, 13.5% ABV,
 Mary Pawle

A true blend of the Dão!

According to the label, there are no less than nine different grape varieties in this blend, coming from assorted vineyard plots of different ages, heights and exposures. A true blend of the Dão indeed.

The label for this 2020 vintage lists Touriga-Nacional, Tinta-Roriz, Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Rufete, Caramate, Trincadeira, Tinto Carvalho and Baga. The grapes for this excellent red come from several vineyards of Casa de Mouraz “some of which are mentioned in documents from the 16th century”. They were no doubt organic then and are organic now.

It has an intense red colour with a violet hue and the legs are in no hurry to clear even though 13.5% ABV is not over the top. The aromas, with ripe rich red fruits, are quite intense. It is smooth and spicy, with a lovely kick of acidity, and a lingering finish. A serious drop indeed and Very Highly Recommended.

All the grapes are co-fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tank, followed by a long maceration. And 20% is aged for 8 or 9 months in used French oak barrels. Delicious with roast beef or barbecue, duck, rice and magre de canard. Also delightful with soft cheeses.

In 1997, Casa de Mouraz became the first biodynamic winery in the Dao. All went well until  October 2017. Late at night, their phone rang: Your warehouse is on fire! According to the excellent Foot Trodden, “savage forest fires.. had reached Dāo, thanks to Hurricane Ophelia…” Not only was the warehouse almost totally destroyed but the equipment around the yard and more than half of their 20 hectares of vines were also burned. A local news outlet put the cost at not less than €700,000.

Antonio and Sara were down. But not out. Helped by crowdfunding (from December 2017) they got back up and running and were soon producing this and other marvellous wines.

Two highly recommended wines to savour. A Hawkes Bay Chardonnay and a Touriga Nacional from the Dão

 Two highly recommended wines to savour. 

A Hawkes Bay Chardonnay and a Touriga Nacional from the Dão

Trinity Hill “Gimblett Gravels” Chardonnay Hawkes Bay 2017, 13%, 

RRP € 34.99 Baggot Street Wines; Blackrock Cellar; C Morton & Sons; The Corkscrew; wineonline.ie; World Wide Wines

Colour of this New Zealand Chardonnay is a bright mid-gold. Aromas are fruity, grapefruit and lemon and no shortage of floral notes. Quite stunning on the palate where, along with the minerality, you again meet the citrus accompanied by a lively natural acidity. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in 500 litre oak puncheons followed by a further four months in tank on lees has enhanced the experience, including the texture. 

Delicate, rich and elegant this beauty finishes long. It is a very distinctive, harmonious Chardonnay, is closer to cool Burgundy rather than the rest of the (warmer) New World, and is Very Highly Recommended. Try with Pork (including belly), rich fish (salmon, trout, tuna), and poultry.

The year 2017 was a very good one in the Hawkes Bay area, a moderate spring with low frost risk and generally good flowering led to an extremely dry and warm summer, recording above average temperatures in January and February before rainy weather came in late February followed by humid conditions with heavy rainfall from March to May.

Importers Liberty: Winemaker Warren Gibson has been with Trinity Hill since 1997. He is also in charge of the 80 hectares of vineyard owned by Trinity Hill and knows Hawkes Bay and the Gimblett Gravels exceptionally well. The wines reflect this. Warren and his team make wines that show the best of what Hawkes Bay and the Gimblett Gravels can produce. The wines have an elegance, balance, drinkability and precision of flavour that makes them a joy to drink.

The gravelly soils resulted from a flood in 1876 when the Ngaruroro River changed its course and a vista of gravel was left behind. Probably best known for red wines. But Chardonnay grown here has distinctive floral notes and pronounced minerality on the palate. 

The Gravels have been described as “the most famous single vineyard in New Zealand”. And from these gravels come surprising wines. It is now a highly sought-after sub-region renowned for the quality and Trinity Hill was one of the first to plant grapes on the Gimblett Gravels in Hawkes Bay in 1993. And soon after Warren Gibson arrived.

Quinta Dos Carvalhais Touriga Nacional DAO (DOC) 2017, 13.5%

RRP € 31.99 Baggott Street Wines, Lucey’s - The Good Food Shop, Wineonline.ie

Info on the label is brief and to the point

Complexity 4/5; Tannins 3/5; Body: 4/5; Fruity: 4/5; Oak: 4/5.

Pair with: Seafood, fish, chicken.

12 m in oak.

Serve at 16-18 degrees.

This intense, complex and elegant Touriga Nacional from the heart of the Dão has a dark ruby colour, slighter lighter at the rim. Aromas hint of its black fruit and the well-integrated spice from its 12 months residence in oak. Vibrant dark fruit and spice again on the palate and more besides. Great depth, acidity too and smooth, harmonious all through to the persistent finish.

The Touriga Nacional is a much loved indigenous variety but you rarely see it, in these parts, on a solo run. Quinta dos Carvalhais are credited with spearheading the quality renaissance of wines from the Dão in the early ‘90s. And it is located in the heart of the Dão. The 105-hectare estate, with 50 hectares under vine, was purchased by the Guedes family in 1988. They invested a huge amount into improvements in both the vineyards and the winery.

And part of that improvement is a series of single varietals from indigenous grapes. Along with the Touriga Nacional, look out for Encruzado and Alfrocheiro. While our bottle is single varietal, some three different batches of Touriga Nacional grapes were used in this Highly Recommended wine, each of which was harvested separately.

This wine is aged for 12 months in used and new 225-litre French oak barrels. The final blend was made to fully express the high quality of the Touriga Nacional, as well as the distinctive character of the Dão region. Serve at a temperature between 16ºC-18ºC. Pairings advised for this “Very gastronomic and perfect for meal-times” wine are “with dishes such as octopus à lagareiro, oven-roasted pork and mushroom risotto”.

Portuguese Perfection Bottled

Quinta dos Carvalhais Alfrocheiro Dão (DOC) 2015, 14%, €31.99 Wine Online

Mid to dark ruby is the colour. Plum and a touch of vanilla in the complex and pleasant aromas. Smooth and elegant in the mouth with concentrated dark fruit flavours, a little spice, soft tannins and there’s a long lip-smacking finish. Quite the complete wine and Very Highly Recommended.

The different Alfrocheiro grapes (sourced from 3 different vineyards) are matured for 9 months in used French oak barrels. The final blend consisted of wine aged in oak (94%) and wine retained in stainless steel tanks (6%). 

The wine underwent fining and filtration prior to bottling. In order to preserve the wine at its peak, in terms of quality, it was bottled without cold treatment and natural deposits may therefore form as it ages. They recommended decanting and that may be more necessary as the wine gets older. I decanted mine but no sign of sediment.

Carvalhais comes under the Sogrape umbrella and they are regarded as one of the top Alfrocheiro producers in Portugal. By the way, they say, that once opened, consume the same day - although the wine should retain its quality for some time providing it is kept in a well-stoppered bottle (ideally vacuum-sealed).

Alfrocheiro is a not a grape you come across every day. Alfrocheiro Preto, to give it its full title, is found in Portugal and grown mainly in Dão. Because of it susceptibility to fungal attack, it is a bit of a gamble and the rewards are deep colour, balanced sugars and acidity. See here for more detail.

Herdade do Peso Sossego Branco Alentejano (IG) 2016, 13%, 

RRP €16.99, Matson Wine Store,  wineonline.ie

Serve, Hardade do Peso advise, at 9 to 11 degrees. That helps for sure. But the real secret for the perfect serve is that this white blend requires tranquility, “an Alentejan calm, free from daily concerns, as peaceful as the rolling plains .. where this wine was born. Listen, breathe, taste. In Portuguese, 'sossego' means 'peace' or 'quiet'. The name says it all.”

The local tranquility wasn’t too bad either as I opened the Sossego with its light yellow colour and tints of green. Scents of citrus fruit and blossoms, more floral than fruity, enhance the mood. Lively and fresh on the palate, the fruit flavours are balanced by excellent acidity and a good dry finish follows. Refreshing and flavourful, and tranquil too, it is Highly Recommended.

The grapes used by winemaker Luis Cabral de Almeida were 75% Antão Vaz, 20% Arinto, 5% Roupeiro.  After fermentation, the wines remained in vats for around three months. The wine underwent gentle fining, stabilisation and filtration before bottling.This may be enjoyed on its own or as an aperitif. It pairs wonderfully with various fish dishes, some white meats and an array of salads.

Taste of the Week: Star of the Dão. Flor de Viseu.

A Star of the Dão. Flor de Viseu.

Flor de Viseu, Selection Branco 2012, Dão (Portugal), 12.5%, €12.99/13.99 Wine Alliance Stockists.

Must admit I know very little about Encruzado, Cerceal Branco and Malvasia Fina, three Portuguese grapes. What I do know now is when you skillfully blend the three, as has been done here, you’ll have a lovely crispy zesty white wine in your hands, a Very Highly Recommended one. This is so good, I have no hesitation whatsoever in adding it to my (rather skimpy) 2014 recommendations.

Colour may well be a bit on the pale side but the aromas are inviting. And, once you have it on the palate, you'll know you have a good thing. Fruitiness and freshness combine, reaching all parts and then you have a gorgeous lingering finish.

They recommend serving it at 8 degrees centigrade. Advice worth taking. Certainly, don’t serve it at anything under it or you'll risk losing some of those beautiful flavours.