($15, Quintessential Wines):  With wines like this one Portugal is poised to supply the world with satisfying wines at good prices.  A blend of four red grapes, Alicante Bouschet (50%) Touriga Nacional (30%) Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, known for making power packed wines, it is — unsurprisingly — a bold wine. … Read more

($40, Quintessential Wines):  Although Quinta do Vallado’s non fortified wines may be a relatively new addition to their portfolio, the notable Port-producing Ferreira family has owned the quinta for six generations.  This big red wine, a blend of typical Port grapes of Touriga Nacional (80%), Touriga Franca (18%), and Sousão, display remarkable elegance for its size. … Read more

($65, Quintessential Wines):  This bold red, a blend of the usual grapes for making Port, Tinta Roriz (Tinta Amarela, Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca) from vines that are 60 to 100 years old, is rich and luxurious.  Like Quinto do Vallado’s other red table wines, their Field Blend Reserva has a silky texture that enrobes its power and depth. … Read more

($55, Quintessential Wines):  I have never encountered a wine made exclusively from Sousão, a traditional Portuguese grape frequently used in the blend for making Port.  Judging from this one, I look forward to sampling more of them.  It delivers the all too infrequently found combination of power and freshness. … Read more

($26, Premium Port Wines, Inc):  Portugal’s Douro Valley, once known exclusively for Port, is, increasingly, home to dry, non-fortified wines.  Symington Family Estate, one of the top Port producers, has fashioned this robust one from the Pombal vineyard located at their Vesuvio estate. … Read more

($35):  The Dão region, located in north central Portugal, is among the first to receive official delineation, in 1908.  The quality of the wines suffered under the Salazar dictatorship, but quality and distinctiveness has improved notably over the last three decades. … Read more

($18, Shiverick Imports):  Portugal remains the source of beautifully priced reds and whites, as this mid-weight red shows.  It’s a blend of autochthonous grapes whose names are unfamiliar to most, Moreto, Tinta Grossa, Triccadeira and Aragonez, so unsurprisingly, the flavors that emerge from the glass are unique. … Read more

($20):  Unlike almost all other red grapes whose juice is clear and whose color comes exclusively from the skins, the juice from Alicante Bouschet is red.  That likely explains why that grape makes deeply colored wines, which predicts its flavor profile, as it does here. … Read more

($12, Quintessential Wines):  Portugal has always been the place to find value-packed reds and whites.  Here is another example of one that over delivers for the price.  This big red, made from a blend of traditional Portuguese grapes, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (40 percent each) and Touriga Franca, is a good choice for food coming off the grill this summer. … Read more

($25, Folio Fine Wine Partners):  Lenor and Jorge Roquette represent the fourth generation of family ownership of Quinta do Crasto after assuming majority ownership in 1981.  They expanded from making Port to making dry red wine, which is more and more common now along the steep banks of the Douro River. … Read more

($42, Folio Fine Wine Partners):  Grapes from a mix of 25 to 30 varieties grown on vines averaging 70 years of age were the source for this hefty, well-structured wine.  There’s more complexity here than this producer’s refined Touriga Nacional, which I suspect comes from the blend and the age of the vines, but less elegance at this stage of its development. … Read more

($78, Folio Fine Wine Partners):  Quinta do Crasto has produced this wine made exclusively from Touriga Nacional, the Douro’s most prestigious grape, only a dozen times this century.  Though bigger and bolder than their Douro Superior, it is far more elegant with suave, silky tannins. … Read more

($25):   In the past, Vinho Verde, literally “green wine,” frequently delivered little more than enamel clearing acidity.  That has changed, as Casa da Tapada’s rendition shows.  It maintains the fresh and crisp signature for which the area is known, but adds an engaging floral and fruity component. … Read more

($9, Now Wine Imports):  Looking for value?  Look no further than this charming and substantial wine.  Weighing in at a modest 13.5 percent-stated alcohol, it delivers dark fruit flavors intertwined with spicy and earthy ones.  Suave tannins allow immediate enjoyment.  Good acidity keeps it fresh and lively. … Read more

($15):  Vinho Verde, Portugal’s largest appellation, lies in that country’s northwest corner, bordering Spain.  It’s known for racy high-acid wines.  Some, sadly, provide little more than acidity.  Enter Anselmo Mendes.  His Muros Antigos delivers the mouth-cleansing zippy edge, but in addition there’s a lovely floral quality and an engaging lime-like quality. … Read more

($19):  Monção e Melgaço, one of the nine official sub-regions of Vinho Verde, lies on the southern border of Galicia, the Spanish province that occupies the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula.  The Alvarinho grape reigns here.  Mendes is a new wave producer aiming to show what can be done with this grape in this sub-region, announcing his wines with a bottle engraved with the name of sub-region, the grape, as well as his name. … Read more

($30, Vineyard Brands): Late Bottled Vintage Port, or LBV as it is commonly known, is an ideal way to savor some of the glories of Vintage Port without waiting the requisite two or three decades for the latter to mature in the bottle. … Read more

($10, Now Wine Imports):  Aveleda’s Vinho Verde is the perfect antidote for the current heat and humidity gripping the East Coast.  A blend of a number of Portuguese indigenous varieties, chiefly Loureiro and Alvarinho, it’s refreshingly crisp — almost spritz — and cutting. … Read more

($10, Iberian Wine Imports):  Although Portugal is better known for their red wines, their whites have gotten better and better over the last five years and soon could be competing with their reds for serious attention.  Floral and delicate with a refreshing line of acidity in the finish, this light-bodied white would go well with steamed clams or simply grilled white fish.… Read more

($23, Quintessential):  Consumers should not be put off by the incredibly confusing label because the wine is, in a word, delicious.  (The name of the producer, perhaps the single most important piece of information, is relegated to small type on the back label.) … Read more

($16, Palm Bay International):  More and more, the Douro Valley, home to Port wine production, is turning out some excellent dry red wines.  This fragrant red, a blend of Touriga Nacional (50%), Tinto Roriz (32%), and Touriga Francesca, delivers a combination of red and black fruit flavors wrapped in mild tannins. … Read more

($31): Along with winter, at least as measured by the calendar, comes the Port season.  A high-quality 10-year-old Tawny, such as this one from Noval, is a perfect way to start the season and end a meal.  Tawnies are unfussy:  Open the bottle, pour and enjoy, then re-cork and repeat the next day. … Read more

($15): Tejo, formerly known as Ribatejo, is a region just across the Tagus River from Lisbon, which is now starting to focus on higher quality wines rather than their traditional bulk production.  This blend of Arinto, a grape indigenous to the Iberian Peninsula, and Chardonnay works well.… Read more

($31): Along with winter, at least as measured by the calendar, comes the Port season.  A high-quality 10-year-old Tawny, such as this one from Noval, is a perfect way to start the season and end a meal.  Tawnies are unfussy:  Open the bottle, pour and enjoy, then re-cork and repeat the next day. … Read more

($14, Aidil Wines and Liquors): This wine shows precisely why blended reds from Portugal will be taking the market by storm in the coming years.  A big, chunky red, with round, mild softish tannins, it’s similar in size to Malbec, but with far more complexity and interest. … Read more

($36, Aidil Wines and Liquors): The Assobio and Reserva are my first experience with this producer.  They won’t be my last.  Though more than twice the price of their Assobio, the Reserva from Quinta dos Murças is worth it. It combines ripe — but not sweet — fruit with herbal nuances and a delectable earthiness. … Read more

($12, Gabriella Wines): In Portugal, Albariño, Spain’s popular aromatic white grape, is Alvarinho.  It’s a little odd to see the grape in the southern part of Portugal — the do Tejo appellation is the area bordering the Tejo, a.k.a. Tagus River not far from Lisbon — because it’s best known as the grape for the mouth-tingling Vinho Verde from Portugal’s north. … Read more

($14, Tri-Vin Imports): Portugal remains a vast, undiscovered country for table (non Port) wines.  Casal Branco’s Falcoaria Clássico is just another example of the value to be found in that part of the Iberian Peninsula.  Casal Branco, a vast 2,700 acre estate with 350 acres of vines, has been in the same family for over 200 years, so it is not exactly a newcomer to winemaking. … Read more

($56, Vintus Wines): Touriga Nacional, the most prized grape for Port, is also the most prized grape for Portugal’s dry red wines. Quinta do Noval’s bottling of their dry wine is as exemplary as their Port. This is an elegant and racy wine, a true thoroughbred. … Read more

($19, Vintus Wines): Quinta do Noval, one of the world’s greatest Port producers, has been making dry wines from their home in the Douro Valley for about a decade.   They make three levels of dry wines. The first level, Cedro do Noval, named after the famous cedar tree that dominate the terrace at the Quinta do Noval, is a blend primarily of the classical Portuguese varieties with a small amount of Syrah. … Read more

($27, Deutsch Family Wine & Spirit): More and more, we are seeing dry red wines coming from Portugal’s Douro region, the home of Port.  And the more I taste, the more I like what I’m seeing.  Although the Quinta do Vale Meão was established in 1998, a principal, Javier de Olazabal, was until then, the managing director of A.… Read more

($8, Evaton, Inc): The sommelier at Aldea, a splendid Portuguese/Spanish restaurant in Manhattan, introduced me to this wine, at $10 a glass (plus tax and tip).  Was I outraged when I discovered its average retail price of $8 a bottle?  Emphatically, no. … Read more

($90, Aidil Wines & Liquors): This is the kind of red wine people love.  It’s robust, yet not tannic or hard.  A blend Portuguese grapes, Aragones, Trincadiera, Alicante Bouschet with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in, it delivers spice and herbal notes that complement the deep black fruit flavors.  … Read more

($80, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): Nature was kind to the Douro Valley in 2011 delivering perfect weather throughout the growing season.  For most producers, it was an easy decision to “declare” a vintage.  Taylor Fladgate’s 2011 is sensational.  Tightly wound and mineraly, it’s surprisingly approachable and engaging already. … Read more

($80, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): At a Kobrand-sponsored tasting of 2011 vintage Ports, tasters would be asking one another which they preferred, Taylor’s or Fonseca’s. What’s amazing to me is how different and distinctive these two Ports are, despite being owned by the same family run company (The Fladgate Partnership, where David Guimaraens is wine director for both houses).… Read more

($21, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): Fonseca’s Bin 27 is a satisfying Port you can enjoy every day, as opposed to vintage Port, which is a special occasion drink for most of us.   As a ruby Port, Fonseca has aged it in large barrels for about five years, which softens it and makes it ready to drink upon release. … Read more

($84, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): Of the trio of 2009 vintage Ports from the family owned Fladgate Partnership, Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft, Croft’s is the silkiest at this stage.  Supple and succulent, the ripe black fruit and spice almost caresses the palate. … Read more

($100, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): Taylor’s 2009 vintage Port is stunningly good.  The 2009 vintage Ports in general are riper because of the warmth of the growing season.  Even with the added power and density, the 2009 Taylor Fladgate retains its hallmark elegance and firm minerality because its vineyards at Quinta de Vargellas, a major source for vintage Port, face north, which means the grapes receive less strong sun. … Read more

($100, Kobrand Wine & Spirits): Fonseca vintage Ports are typically slightly riper and less taut than Taylor’s because of the location of their major vineyard, Quinta do Panascal.  The difference holds true in 2009, with the Fonseca delivering lots of plumy fruit offset beautifully by exotic spice and firm yet suave tannins. … Read more

($8, J. Oliveira Selections): Many guests, foolishly, are hesitant to bring wine to a so-called “expert.” Well, fortunately, I have a friend who’s been learning about wine for a year or so who suggested I try this wine at dinner one night.… Read more

($30, Vineyard Brands):  Late Bottled Vintage Port, or LBV as it is commonly known, is an ideal way to savor some of the glories of Vintage Port without waiting the requisite two or three decades for the latter to mature in the bottle. … Read more

($10, Vineyard Brands):  Portugal’s Douro River has long been famous for Port.  More and more, dry red table wines are emerging from this area over the last two decades.  This one, from Symington Family Estates, one the hallmark Port producers, is a blend of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca, grapes used to make Port. … Read more

($10, Palm Bay International): This regional wine–the Portuguese equivalent of a French Vin de Pays or Italian IGT–hails from the southwest part of the country across the Tagus River from Lisbon on the Setúbal peninsula.  Made mostly (80%) from an indigenous grape, Castelão, it provides great value with each vintage, and the 2006 is no exception.  … Read more

($33, Martine’s Wines): The Douro River in Portugal is world famous for producing Port.  It is rapidly becoming known for red table wine as well, largely due to the efforts of Dirk Niepoort and the other ‘Douro Boys,’ as this group of young winemakers is known. … Read more

($40, Martine’s Wines, Inc.): Niepoort, a well-respected Port producer, is making stylish dry non fortified wines from grapes grown in Port’s home, the Douro Valley.  A bigger, more muscular wine than Twisted, another of theirs from the region (previously reviewed), Redoma has a denser style and is packed with rich black fruit flavors and firm tannins. … Read more

($20, Martine’s): Judging from this wine, Niepoort is a producer to watch.  Douro, the home of Port, is also becoming an excellent site for dry–mostly red–table wines.  In the past, many red table wines from the region were heavy and a little clumsy. … Read more

($7, Vineyard Brands): For a couple of decades, Port producers have been investing time and money to produce dry red table (non-fortified) wines from grapes traditionally grown in the Douro Valley, home to Port production.  Their efforts are paying off.  This attractive blend of classic grapes used for Port (Tinto Roriz and Touriga Franca, 40 and 60%, respectively) has produced a succulent, yet spicy, balanced wine.… Read more

($18, Vineyard Brands): This Reserva is made from the same blend (Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca) as this producer’s regular bottling, but is thicker and bigger, tasting more of black, as opposed to red, cherries. It has suaveness and brightness that distinguishes it from many Douro table wines.… Read more

($20, Premium Port Wines): Another winner from this outstanding vintage, Dow’s rendition is mellow, sweet and refined, coupled with an engaging earthiness. A charming choice to sip slowly after dinner. 88 Michael Apstein Jan 3, 2006… Read more