Showing posts with label dão. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dão. Show all posts

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  • Date publishedWednesday, August 16, 2023

Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Rosé 2022 and Tinto 2020 (Portugal) - Wine Reviews



Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Rosé 2022 (88+ pts) and Tinto 2020 (88+ pts)
wine reviews are a pair of very popular, wallet-friendly, and delicious wines from the Dão wine region of Portugal. You can grab both of these wines this weekend as the Tinto (red wine) will be on shelves this weekend as it will arrive in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection, while the rosé arrived at the LCBO last month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Cabriz is a well-known, entry-level brand of wines from Dão, the oldest winemaking region of Portugal. The brand is part of Dão Sul, which itself is the Dão branch of the Global Wines conglomerate, one of Portugal's leading wine producers. As a visionary company, they have done an excellent job of restoring the estate's 17th century manor and outlying buildings, as well as making a concerted effort to elevate wine tourism and fine dining within the region to the highest of international standards.

These two wines are among Cabriz's most popular, and when you look at the entire portfolio, it is like travelling to the heart of Portugal, through the plains, the mountains, the rivers, the food, and the people. The goal of the brand is to give more to those who choose Cabriz. They want to have a wine for everyone and for every moment, and made with the best that nature can provide, at the best possible price.

To craft Cabriz wines, the company draws fruit from 200 hectares of vines across the Dão. The winegrowing and production techniques used are ultra-modern and internationally-influenced. However, the wines do reflect Dão's terroir and style. After enjoying both the Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Rosé 2020 and Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Tinto 2019 last summer, let's see how the latest vintage of these two wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CABRIZ ROSÉ 2022 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#30445) (D) - $14.95
This unoaked blend of Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro has a medium+ intensity nose that offers enticing aromas of grapefruit, raspberry, honeysuckle, and citrus with a whiff of minerality. It has good weight on the medium+ to medium-full bodied palate with ripe citrus, grapefruit, raspberry, honeysuckle, apple, and red berry flavours. There is a vague impression of sweetness, but it's tempered by the fresh, crisp, and lively acidity. Nicely textured on the mid-palate, while oyster shell mineral and white cherry notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Delicious! Chill and enjoy this recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

Cabriz Rosé 2022 (88+ pts)

CABRIZ COLHEITA SELECIONADA TINTO 2020 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#247973) (D) - $14.95
Aged for 6 months in French oak barrels, this blend of 40% Alfrocheiro, 40% Aragonez (Tempranillo), and 20% Touriga Nacional has an intriguing, medium+ intensity nose of herbal and wood spices that surrounds a core of ripe, plummy, dark cherry-berry fruit. It's medium bodied with fine, bright acidity and dark cherry-berry, blackberry, wood spice, and dark plum flavours. Supple, well-structured tannins offer a nice mouthfeel, while cedary wood spice notes with hints of smoky mineral linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy! Score: 88+ pts

Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Tinto 2020 (88+ pts)

Other delicious wines by Cabriz can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedFriday, January 6, 2023

Portugal: A Region to Dream About

red wine reviews are a trio of wines from some of Portugal's best red wine growing appellations - Douro (& Porto), Dão, and Alentejo.

Portugal: A Region to Dream About

Given the time of year when the days are cold and the leaves have long fallen, many wine lovers gravitate to sipping a warming glass of red wine and daydream about warmer climes. If you combine the two on a vinous reverie - you will reach sunny Portugal!

With a mainly hot, dry Mediterranean climate, Portugal offers a wealth of elegant, structured wines. For lighter reds, you can head further north on the Atlantic coast. Portugal boasts an impressive diversity of vineyard terroirs, from rugged mountains to verdant river valleys. There are more than 250 native grape varieties grown in Portugal, and they are often crafted into highly distinctive wines in a variety of styles. Portuguese wines are the ideal choice for adventurous wine lovers looking for wines off-the-beaten track. To get started, let's look at some of Portugal's best red wine appellations.

Situated in northern Portugal, the Douro region is made up of mainly granite and schist slopes, and the steep, terraced vineyards follow the sinuous path of the Douro River from the Spanish border, gradually flattening as they near Porto. I visited Porto many years ago and the slopes along the Douro River are quite the sight and a must visit for every wine enthusiast. The rugged beauty and long-standing quality reputation of Douro wines have garnered the region UNESCO World Heritage status.

In the hot, dry climate of the Douro, which is protected from wet coastal weather by the Serra do Marão mountains, red grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão thrive. These are the favoured varieties to craft the Douro's famous fortified dessert Port wines, as well as the region's ageworthy, structured, and dark fruited dry red wines.

Travelling southwest from Douro, we arrive in the mountainous region of Dão. The Dão appellation is sheltered from the extremes of both continental and maritime weather patterns, giving it a temperate climate. Like the Douro, the Dão winegrowing region takes its name from the river of the same name that traverses its vineyards. The reigning red grape in Dão is Touriga Nacional and it is often blended with Tinta Roriz, while the granite soils in Dão offer a a slightly fresher, more mineral-laced quality to these red blends compared to Douro wines. Excellent red wines are also being made from the region's Alfrocheiro and Jaen varieties.

The third wine region covered in this post is Alentejo. Located in the southwestern part of Portugal, the hot, dry region of Alentejo represents one-third of Portugal's total surface area. Due to it's size, the appellation is divided into eight distinct sub-regions because of the multitude of different soil types and varied topography, from steep mountainous terrain in the north to vast, gently undulating vineyards further south. Alentejo is known as the heartland of Portugal's red wine production and the major grapes grown here include Alfrocheiro, Alicante Bouschet, Aragonez, Castelão, and Trincadeira. Although difficult to generalize given the region's wide diversity, red wines are commonly rich, velvety, and ripe-fruited.

Portugal has a proud tradition for fine winemaking dating back thousands of years. Each Portuguese wine is unique and tells us a story that, if you let it, can transport you into the heart of its vineyards.

The Alentejo red in this post is part of the VINTAGES Essentials Collection and is available year-round, while the Dão and Douro red wines arrived at the LCBO as part of a VINTAGES Release earlier this year and are still available for purchase. To explore more Portuguese wines from these producers, you can look on lcbo.com or contact each producer's Agent, while other wines from Portugal can be found at the LCBO, including their Portugal Destination Collection store located at 2151 St Clair Ave. West in Toronto.

Tasting Notes:

JOSÉ MARIA DA FONSECA DOMINI 2019 - DOP Douro, Portugal (#452730) (XD) - $17.95 $15.25
Blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Touriga Francesa grown on schist soils and aged for 3 months in new French and American oak. Ripe and fruity medium+ intensity nose is dark fruited with blackberry, black plum, peppery spice, and mineral undertones. On the dry, medium+ bodied palate it has ripe plummy and blackberry flavours along with some peppery spice, herbs, and minerals adding a pleasant savoury component. Acids are fresh, juicy, and well-balanced, while the supple tannins have a nice, textural mouthfeel. Savoury minerals linger on the long, juicy finish. Agent: Dandurand. Score: 88+ pts 

José Maria da Fonseca Domini 2019 (88+ pts)

CABRIZ COLHEITA SELECIONADA 2019 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#247973) (D) - $14.95
Blend of 40% Alfrocheiro Preto, 30% Aragonez (Tempranillo), and 30% Touriga Nacional. The medium-high intensity nose offers intriguing aromas of red berry, cherry, raspberry, and spices and touches of plummy. Savoury mineral notes add further interest. On the medium-bodied palate it is ripe with red berry, plum, cran-cherry-raspberry, and subtle spice flavours. Acids are fresh and juicy, while the tannins are smooth and supple. Nicely balanced with minerally and smoky notes on the finish, with very good length. In a nice place right now compared to when first tasted earlier this year. Agent: Noble Estates Wines & Spirits. Score: 88+ pts

Cabriz Colheita Selecionada 2019 (88+ pts)

ESPORÃO RESERVA RED 2019 - DOC Alentejo, Portugal (#606590) (XD) - $26.95
Blend of Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, Syrah, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Touriga Franca that was grown organically on granite/schist soils with clay/loam structure. It was aged for 12 months in 60% American and 40% French oak barrels. The medium+ intensity nose seems a bit shy, offering aromas of sweet wood spice, sandalwood, and ripe dark berries, blackberry, and hints of licorice. It is also very ripe on the medium-full bodied palate with youthful, gritty tannins and fresh acidity. Dark berry, blackberry, sweet wood spice, sandalwood, and licorice flavours on the palate, turning savoury and smoky on the finish, with very good length. Interesting fact: Each vintage of this wine features a new label graced with works from some of Portugal's finest artists. Agent: FWP Trading Inc. Score: 89 pts

Esporão Reserva Red 2019 (89 pts)


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  • Date publishedTuesday, June 28, 2022

Cabriz Colheita Selecionada 2019 and Rosé 2020 (Portugal) - Wine Reviews

Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Tinto 2019 (88 pts) and Rosé 2020 (88 pts)
wine reviews are a pair of delicious, budget-friendly wines from Cabriz of Portugal. Both wines arrived at the LCBO recently as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Cabriz wines are part of Global Wines and are one of the leading brands and best-selling wines from the Dão wine region in Portugal. Quinta de Cabriz is located in the heart of Dão in Carregal do Sal and is also the headquarters of Global Wines. Dão is one of the oldest established wine regions in Portugal and it's located in the mountainous northern central part of the country and has a temperate climate. The rugged terrain has predominantly granitic soils with a high thermal amplitude. One of the main red grape varieties of Portugal is Touriga Nacional and it originated in Dão.

In 2015, Global Wines celebrated 25 years of the Cabriz brand. Today, the Cabriz portfolio consists of Colheita Selecionada everyday wines, two of which are reviewed below, along with premium Reserva wines, organic wines, as well as Portugal's first white wine made with Touriga Nacional. Cabriz also makes a range of sparkling wines and a limited production fortified wine. The wines of Cabriz are known for the consistent quality, harvest after harvest, and are very popular globally. Let's see how their Cabriz Colheita Selecionada Tinto and Rosé wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

CABRIZ ROSÉ 2020 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#30445) (D) - $13.95
Blend of 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Alfrocheiro that was de-stemmed and underwent soft pneumatic pressing. Unoaked and aged for at least 2 months in bottle. The medium+ intensity nose has aromas of red berry, cherry, raspberry, and grapefruit with mineral accents. It is medium+ bodied, ripe, tangy, and honeyed on the palate with cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and grapefruit flavours with a kiss of sweetness that's balanced by fresh, crisp acidity. Some apple and stone fruit flavours come through on the back palate, joining the cherry and raspberry notes, plus touches of leesy mineral that linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

Cabriz Rosé 2020 (88 pts)

CABRIZ COLHEITA SELECIONADA 2019 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#247973) (D) - $14.95
Blend of 40% Alfrocheiro Preto, 30% Aragonez (Tempranillo), and 30% Touriga Nacional. Fresh, perfumed aromas are generously intense with dark cherry, violet, dark currant, and floral notes accented with touches of oak spice and licorice. On the medium-full bodied palate it is ripe with plummy, dark cherry, currant, and sweet vanillin oak spice flavours that have a touch of sweetness, tempered by fresh, vibrant acidity. Smooth, refined tannins have a subtly dusty and chalky texture. Cherry, plum, and smoky oak notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Recommended buy. Score: 88 pts

Cabriz Colheita Selecionada 2019 (88 pts)

Other delicious wines by Cabriz can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedSunday, April 28, 2019

Casa de Mouraz Tinto 2014 (Portugal) - Wine Review

red wine review is a lovely 7-varietal blend from Portugal that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on .

António Ribeiro and his wife Sara Dionísio lead the estate of Casa de Mouraz. In 2000, they left their secure jobs in Lisbon and immersed themselves in what has become a family adventure of sustainable viticulture and authentic winemaking.

Casa de Mouraz is located in the heart of the Dão region and has been farmed by Antonio's family in a holistic and ecological manner for many generations. Antonio is the 4th generation of the family to farm this land. He was born in the granite house that took his father two years to build and sits above the winery. The landscape and terroir where Casa de Mouraz resides has been shaped by its people and geography, with old and new vineyards coexisting alongside pine, oak, chestnut and cork trees in a wild forest. The vineyards are spread over several parcels with granite and clay soils, and altitudes ranging from 140 to 400 metres. In 1997, all of the estate's vineyards gained ECOCERT’s Organic certification. In 2006, they began Biodynamic preparations and practices.

Surprisingly, there are still many bottles available for purchase at LCBO outlets across Ontario.

Casa de Mouraz Tinto 2014 (90 pts)

Tasting Note:

CASA DE MOURAZ TINTO 2014 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#456079) (XD) - $20.95
This organic and biodynamic wine is a blend of 7 varietals - Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro, Jaen, Água-Santa, Tinta Pinheira and Baga - from different vineyard plots that have granite soil. Grapes were co-fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tank, and 20% was aged for 8 months in used French oak barrels. Complex, medium+ intensity nose has ripe blackberry, earth, spice and twiggy herbal aromas. It is medium-full bodied on the palate with finely-grained, drying tannins and fresh, vibrant acidity that brightens the palate. Nicely balanced flavours of blackberry, currant, cassis, oak, and herbs. Earthy minerality and blackberry notes linger on the long, savoury finish. Score: 90 pts


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