Flor de Maio Mayflower 2021 (Portugal) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a terrific, vegan-friendly red wine blend from Portugal that returned to the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the March 15 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Magnum Wines, a winery that was founded in 2011 by winemaker Carlos Lucas. Originally from Dão, Carlos had a dream to produce quality wines in his home country of Portugal with a team that was dynamic and continuously interested in innovation, while also respecting tradition and history.

Since the beginning, Magnum Vinhos has been environmentally concerned and respectful of the land. These days, they are pursuing a sustainable growth strategy that respects the land and wines, while also aiming to showcase the authentic sublime of every region where it has vineyards. While the heart of Magnum Wines is the Quinta do Ribeiro Santo production facility in the Dão region, Magnum also has wineries throughout Portugal, including Maria Mora in Alentejo, where this red wine is from.

While the 2016 Flor de Maio Mayflower Red I tasted four years ago was a blend of three grapes, this latest vintage is composed of four grapes - Trincadeira, Aragonez (Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional, and Syrah. The grapes were grown in the Mora, within the Évora district, about 100 km east of Lisbon. The 60-hectare vineyard is planted on a low-altitude, slightly sloped plain, with exposure to the south. The soil in this vineyard is poor and consists mainly of clay and limestone. This area is dry throughout the year, cold during winter, and hot during summer. The grapes were manually harvested, destemmed, and then fermented in stainless steel vats with prolonged maceration and gentle pumping over to extract colour and aromas. The wine was naturally decanted and aged in stainless steel vats, with light filtration, until bottling.

The 2021 vintage in Alentejano was almost brilliant with remarkable acidity and balance. The growing season began with winter rains that replenished the soil. Spring was warm and dry, which provided the perfect conditions for flowering and fruit set. Summer was much milder than usual, while the cool nights allowed for slow and steady ripening. There was a brief heatwave at the beginning of August, which temporarily shut down the vines and stopped the ripening process. However, temperatures cooled down by mid-month. The quality of the grapes at harvest resulted in wines with elegance, remarkable acidity, and balance. Let's see how this 2021 Portuguese red from Alentejano is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

FLOR DE MAIO MAYFLOWER 2021 - Vegan, Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#427195) (XD) - $15.95
This unoaked blend of Trincadeira, Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, and Syrah has a medium-high intensity nose that is fragrant and open with a lovely mix of brambly, dark red cherry, raspberry, and plum aromas nuanced savoury minerals and earth. On the dry, medium+ bodied palate it is ripe with plummy, cran-cherry, raspberry, gentle spice, and earth flavours flecked with minerals. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while the smooth and refined tannins have good structure. Gently grippy on the back palate, with plummy, dark cherry, and earthy mineral notes lingering on the lengthy, succulent finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

One other wine by Magnum Wines is available at the LCBO, while the full portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

Read More

Portugal: A Region to Dream About

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

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 

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

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

Read More

Flor de Maio Mayflower 2016 (Portugal) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a nice Portuguese red ideal for a Friday night. It arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the February 20, 2021 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

In 2011, winemaker Carlos Lucas founded his winery, Magnum - Carlos Lucas Vinhos, It was born out of a dream to produce quality wines with a team that was dynamic and continuously interested in innovation, while also respecting tradition and history. Carlos is originally from Dão and the company has various production facilities throughout all of the major wine regions of Portugal, including his own private domain in Dão - Quinta do Ribeiro Santo. He has always had concern for the environment and respect for the land, and is now pursuing a sustainable growth strategy with the goal of producing authentic wines from each region where it grows vines.

This red wine is named after the many flowers that bloom every May, including the green fields filled with red poppies in Alentejano in the South of Portugal. It is a blend of Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, and Syrah from vines that are 13 years old and sourced from poor soils (remember, this is good for wine) that consist of mainly clay, granite, schist and limestone from the Mora municipality within the Évora district in central Alentejano, which itself is a large region that covers the lower third of Portugal. The south-facing, 60 hectare vineyard is located on a low-altitude, slightly sloped plain. The wine was fermented and aged without the use of any oak, and bottled in May.

Tasting Note:

FLOR DE MAIO MAYFLOWER 2016 - Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal (#427195) (XD) - $13.95
Fermented and aged completely in stainless steel tanks, this unoaked red wine is a blend of Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, and Syrah, and has generous aromas of black fruit, blackberry, spice, and black plum with some savoury notes rising out of the glass. It's medium-bodied on the palate with ripe, dark-fruited, blackberry, spice, and savoury flavours. Acids are still fresh, while the rounded tannins are slightly chalky textured. Nicely balanced with very good length on the succulent, savoury and spicy finish. For the price, this is very good wine. Score: 87 pts

Other delicious wines from Magnum - Carlos Lucas Vinhos can be ordered through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.

Read More