We have Naama Laufer coming from NLC Wines -
Amazing importer of some of the finest Portuguese wines produced.
Open House - tell your friends! Tonight! October 18th from 5-7pm -
The Wine and Cheese Place
7435 Forsyth Blvd - Clayton MO 63105
You can let us know on Facebook if you are coming, thanks.
Share with your friends on Social media
Open House - tell your friends! Tonight! October 18th from 5-7pm -
The Wine and Cheese Place
7435 Forsyth Blvd - Clayton MO 63105
You can let us know on Facebook if you are coming, thanks.
Share with your friends on Social media
"How do you bottle the richness of the land that is Portugal?
How do you bottle the melancholic notes of Fado, the salty sea air of the Atlantic, the smell of wet earth, the wise and ancient gastronomy, and the tradition of a thousand-year old country that stretches its limbs once more?
With a passion for finding that affluence, NLC Wines brings to the United States our private selection of unique brands that deliver a Portugal rarely experienced before. Our portfolio of wines brings forth Portugal’s new, old-world traditions with exquisite bouquets of national grapes, state of the art technology, and discerning designs.
This is the Portugal we’d like you to savor. Welcome" -- NLC Wines
Taste all of these wines including one from 1969!
Absolutely to drink...and hold for years to come.
2001 Vinha do Fojo Douro Red....$54.99
The 2001 Vinha Do Fojo (Quinta Do Fojo) is an old vines field blend aged for 12 months in French oak (60% new, the rest used). Of the Vinha do Fojos here this issue, this is arguably the best and the best balanced, although the 1996 is drinking much better now. That said, this is still a powerhouse in an old school style. One of the problems in evaluating these (especially when young) is that the tannins can be hard and overwhelm the wine. I took a cautious approach and was too stingy initially. This time it also had a couple of days open, which helped. In most ways, it is still too young, not nearly as interesting as the 1996 (although it one day will be and will likely be better). It shows fine acidity and lush texture, the best concentration and the freshest fruit in the vertical to go with the big tannins typical of the brand. Even now, it adds wonderful complexity. It is intriguing and intellectual. If you're looking for hedonistic, though, this probably isn't it. Focused, penetrating and powerful, it needs a food pairing to sing. It should have a long life ahead and it is still improving. It may well do better than I think. To my pleasant surprise, the standard retail price I was given was a mere $60. Back up the truck. This is fine enough that it makes a mockery out of the supposed classification difference between Fojo and Vinha do Fojo. There were 21,000 bottles produced.
Rated 95/100 The Wine Advocate
How do you bottle the melancholic notes of Fado, the salty sea air of the Atlantic, the smell of wet earth, the wise and ancient gastronomy, and the tradition of a thousand-year old country that stretches its limbs once more?
With a passion for finding that affluence, NLC Wines brings to the United States our private selection of unique brands that deliver a Portugal rarely experienced before. Our portfolio of wines brings forth Portugal’s new, old-world traditions with exquisite bouquets of national grapes, state of the art technology, and discerning designs.
This is the Portugal we’d like you to savor. Welcome" -- NLC Wines
Taste all of these wines including one from 1969!
- 2016 Jose Maria de Fonseca JMF Red
- 2016 Jose Maria de Fonseca JMF White
- 2016 Escudo Real Vinho Verde
- 2016 Escudo Real Vinho Verde Rose
- 2009 Quinta de Lemos Dao Dona Georgina
- 2005 Quinta de Lemos Dao Dona Santana
- 2012 Quinta do Popa Douro "Popa TN" Touriga Nacional
- 2015 Regueiro Alvarinho/Trajudura White
- 2001 Vinha do Fojo Douro Red.
- 1969 Viuva Gomes Collares Reserva Tinto
- 2013 Casal do Ramillo Red
Absolutely to drink...and hold for years to come.
2001 Vinha do Fojo Douro Red....$54.99
The 2001 Vinha Do Fojo (Quinta Do Fojo) is an old vines field blend aged for 12 months in French oak (60% new, the rest used). Of the Vinha do Fojos here this issue, this is arguably the best and the best balanced, although the 1996 is drinking much better now. That said, this is still a powerhouse in an old school style. One of the problems in evaluating these (especially when young) is that the tannins can be hard and overwhelm the wine. I took a cautious approach and was too stingy initially. This time it also had a couple of days open, which helped. In most ways, it is still too young, not nearly as interesting as the 1996 (although it one day will be and will likely be better). It shows fine acidity and lush texture, the best concentration and the freshest fruit in the vertical to go with the big tannins typical of the brand. Even now, it adds wonderful complexity. It is intriguing and intellectual. If you're looking for hedonistic, though, this probably isn't it. Focused, penetrating and powerful, it needs a food pairing to sing. It should have a long life ahead and it is still improving. It may well do better than I think. To my pleasant surprise, the standard retail price I was given was a mere $60. Back up the truck. This is fine enough that it makes a mockery out of the supposed classification difference between Fojo and Vinha do Fojo. There were 21,000 bottles produced.
Rated 95/100 The Wine Advocate
2016 Jose Maria de Fonseca JMF Red...$9.99
2016 Escudo Real Vinho Verde Rose...$8.99
Grapes: Touriga Nacional(60%) and Espadeiro(40%)
Escudo Real ROSE is all about the strawberry and red currants. The amazing pink color gives way to well-balanced flavors in the mouth that do super well with food. At 10.5% alcohol, this fresh fruity, slightly sparkly rose is a sunny-time must. Pink color and lively strawberry and red currant flavor complemented with floral hints reveal the exuberance of the aroma. In the mouth it’s well balanced with good acidity and tart fresh fruit notes, young and crisp. It boasts a smooth, delicate finish.
Colares is also one of the most endangered wine regions in the world. It has become the go-to vacation spot for affluent Lisboans so the land has become much more valuable as beachfront property than vineyard land. There are only 23 hectares left. The production of wines allowed to use the Colares designation is around 4,500 bottles… quite a change from a century ago when there were thousands of hectares of vines and, as one of the only regions left with vineyards, their reputation soared. They were called “The Bordeaux of Portugal” and experienced a brief, yet intense, international flowering of interest but as Europe’s vineyards came back on line and Portugal descended into a nearly eighty years of strife, civil war, and dictatorship, the fortunes of Colares faded.
The red grape in Colares is called Ramisco, the white is Malvasia. Ramisco is grown nowhere else, and same goes for this breed of Malvasia (although we find its cousin in the Douro and other parts of Portugal).
Produced from the Castelão and Aragonês (Tempranillo) grape varieties, this fruity & juicy red is like taking a bite of an apple…easy as it is fun. Oak Treatment: 3 months, 2nd year French & American
With vibrant fruity aromas, it has a touch of oak character, making it ideal to share with family and friends in joyful and relaxed moments. José Maria da Fonseca is the oldest and one of the most prestigious wineries in Portugal, producing wines and Setúbal Moscatel. The Soares Franco family owns José Maria da Fonseca and has been involved in the wine business for almost 200 years.
2016 Jose Maria de Fonseca JMF White...$9.99
JMF White Produced from Fernão Pires and Moscatel de Setúbal grape varieties, this easy slightly mineral & briny white wins you over with a pleasant aroma and a fruity character. A stunning value and refreshing white wine worth purchasing by the case. A new favorite!
2016 Escudo Real Vinho Verde...$8.99
Grapes: Loureiro (30%) Trajadura (30%) and Arinto (40%).
With a little sparkle, this Vinho Verde is light and fresh. The wine has a definite pétillance.
Produced by the recognized winemaker, Carlos Teixeira (Quinta da Lixa), the Escudo Real selections are both fun and gourmand. Escudo Real WHITE is bright and citrusy, due to its natural acidity. With dominant apple and grapefruit aromas and a splash of green, herby notes, Escudo Real brings the fun and the flavor. Produced with Arinto, Trajadura & Loureiro grape varieties and at 9.5% alcohol, this baby is ripe for the picking.
Vinho Verde, lighter and more refreshing, is gaining in popularity all over the world. The Trajadura and Arinto varieties give it body and length, as well as aromas of apple and grapefruit. The Loureiro variety confers it a floral and aromatic herbal expression, bringing a lively, fresh character, with a slight touch of sparkle. Young and delicate, it should be served with fish, seafood and white meat dishes.
With a little sparkle, this Vinho Verde is light and fresh. The wine has a definite pétillance.
Produced by the recognized winemaker, Carlos Teixeira (Quinta da Lixa), the Escudo Real selections are both fun and gourmand. Escudo Real WHITE is bright and citrusy, due to its natural acidity. With dominant apple and grapefruit aromas and a splash of green, herby notes, Escudo Real brings the fun and the flavor. Produced with Arinto, Trajadura & Loureiro grape varieties and at 9.5% alcohol, this baby is ripe for the picking.
Vinho Verde, lighter and more refreshing, is gaining in popularity all over the world. The Trajadura and Arinto varieties give it body and length, as well as aromas of apple and grapefruit. The Loureiro variety confers it a floral and aromatic herbal expression, bringing a lively, fresh character, with a slight touch of sparkle. Young and delicate, it should be served with fish, seafood and white meat dishes.
2016 Escudo Real Vinho Verde Rose...$8.99
Escudo Real ROSE is all about the strawberry and red currants. The amazing pink color gives way to well-balanced flavors in the mouth that do super well with food. At 10.5% alcohol, this fresh fruity, slightly sparkly rose is a sunny-time must. Pink color and lively strawberry and red currant flavor complemented with floral hints reveal the exuberance of the aroma. In the mouth it’s well balanced with good acidity and tart fresh fruit notes, young and crisp. It boasts a smooth, delicate finish.
2009 Quinta de Lemos Dao Dona Georgina...$49.99
The 2009 Dona Georgina is revisited for a checkup and it is nice to say it keeps improving. Big, full and fleshier than its 2008 predecessor reviewed in the past--both creatures of their vintages--this is one of the lusher and richer wines the winery has produced at its young age. Sexy but well balanced, this is the crowd-pleaser, but there is also good structure. It is aging well and should continue to do so for the next decade or more.
Rated 93/100 The Wine Advocate
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, both originally from the Dão region, this sophisticated, rich wine is firmly structured. The granite soils bring out a strong mineral texture that is balanced by opulent black fruits. This is a powerful wine, dense and still developing. Drink from 2016.
Rated 94/100 Wine Enthusiast
Only 388 cases madeThe 2009 Dona Georgina is revisited for a checkup and it is nice to say it keeps improving. Big, full and fleshier than its 2008 predecessor reviewed in the past--both creatures of their vintages--this is one of the lusher and richer wines the winery has produced at its young age. Sexy but well balanced, this is the crowd-pleaser, but there is also good structure. It is aging well and should continue to do so for the next decade or more.
Rated 93/100 The Wine Advocate
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, both originally from the Dão region, this sophisticated, rich wine is firmly structured. The granite soils bring out a strong mineral texture that is balanced by opulent black fruits. This is a powerful wine, dense and still developing. Drink from 2016.
Rated 94/100 Wine Enthusiast
2005 Quinta de Lemos Dao Dona Santana...$26.99
Very fragrant,with sweet and appealing ripe fruit standing out, greedy and full in the mouth with wellmeasured tannins. Final aroma with sweet spices, making it an appealing and attractive wine.
60% Touriga Nacional, 20% Tinta Roriz and 20% Alfrocheiro, aged for 18 months in mostly used French oak.
Vine Age: 10 years
These wines are obtained after fermentation at a controlled temperature in order to preserve all their aromatic elegance, in big wooden barrels and stainless steel tanks, for 20 days. The wine is made by malolactic fermentation in barrels of French oak and has a subsequent maturing period of 18 months in order to potentiate its structure and complexity.
Quinta do Popa Douro "Popa TN" Touriga Nacional....$22.99
Created from a single grape variety, Portugal’s most noble Touriga Nacional, Pôpa TN shows off a more modern side of pure Douro. Full‐bodied and super smooth, the tannins have become softened by oak and by time to deliver a compote‐like concoction, dripping with pruny notes that give way to a surprising floral finish.
Oak treatment: 6 months in new french oak
Sitting alongside one of the most privileged locations on the Douro River, Quinta do Pôpa creates exquisite wines with national grape varieties. Born from nature and tradition, from the harmonious wedding between soil, climate, and the art of man, these noble yet global wines will surprise the palate one sip at a time.
Created from a single grape variety, Portugal’s most noble Touriga Nacional, Pôpa TN shows off a more modern side of pure Douro. Full‐bodied and super smooth, the tannins have become softened by oak and by time to deliver a compote‐like concoction, dripping with pruny notes that give way to a surprising floral finish.
Oak treatment: 6 months in new french oak
Sitting alongside one of the most privileged locations on the Douro River, Quinta do Pôpa creates exquisite wines with national grape varieties. Born from nature and tradition, from the harmonious wedding between soil, climate, and the art of man, these noble yet global wines will surprise the palate one sip at a time.
2015 Regueiro Alvarinho/Trajudura White....$13.99
The 2015 Alvarinho / Trajadura is a 30/70 blend, dry, unoaked and without added carbonation. The sharp edge here gives this a wave of summer freshness, but the purity of its fruit is pretty nice, too. This has more than reasonable concentration for the level and its clean, somewhat stony finish makes it a bargain-priced winner.
Rated 89/100 The Wine Advocate
Recognized as one the foremost producers of boutique vinho verde in Portugal, Quinta do Regueiro is fast becoming synonymous with top shelf avant garde white wines, with a distinct focus on the Alvarinho grape.
The 2015 Alvarinho / Trajadura is a 30/70 blend, dry, unoaked and without added carbonation. The sharp edge here gives this a wave of summer freshness, but the purity of its fruit is pretty nice, too. This has more than reasonable concentration for the level and its clean, somewhat stony finish makes it a bargain-priced winner.
Rated 89/100 The Wine Advocate
Recognized as one the foremost producers of boutique vinho verde in Portugal, Quinta do Regueiro is fast becoming synonymous with top shelf avant garde white wines, with a distinct focus on the Alvarinho grape.
2013 Casal do Ramillo Red...$12.99
GRAPES: Touriga Nacional, Aragonez
GRAPES: Touriga Nacional, Aragonez
A perfectly bundled duo. With the succulent floral aromas of the Touriga Nacional and the elegance of Aragonez, this young and fresh Lisbon creation showcases the best of this old region with a twist.
The grapes are all hand picked and sorted for perfect ripeness. The wine has a very deep color. The floral aromas of the Touriga Nacional variety combine perfectly with the elegance of Arogonez. It has a super long and complex finish. Perfect with cheese.
More info:
Since 1937, the Ramilo family has been producing wines in one of the most privileged locations in the Lisbon region. Between Colares and Mafra, these Atlantic wines are created where the influence of the sea, combined with the influence of the hills develop a unique micro‐climate. This temperate climate paired with the rocky soils of the region, enables the creation of unique wines, both fresh and balanced.
More info:
Since 1937, the Ramilo family has been producing wines in one of the most privileged locations in the Lisbon region. Between Colares and Mafra, these Atlantic wines are created where the influence of the sea, combined with the influence of the hills develop a unique micro‐climate. This temperate climate paired with the rocky soils of the region, enables the creation of unique wines, both fresh and balanced.
1969 Viuva Gomes Collares Reserva Tinto...$169.99
The red grape in Colares is called Ramisco--Ramisco is grown nowhere else.Old yet still fresh. This pearl of Colares has gained an onion skin color, although it has maintained a pleasant lucidity with aromatic notes of raisin cherry and damp earth. In the mouth this wine has a light structure, with a memory of where Ramisco’s deep tannins used to be, marked along with some acidity due to the ocean’s winds, leading to salty finish.
On the coast, northwest of Lisbon, there is a small D.O.C. (Denominação de Origem Controlada) called Colares. It is one of Portugal’s most ancient areas and it is entirely planted on sand. When phylloxera destroyed most of Europe’s vines in the 19th century, it didn’t destroy Colares. Their vines are all original, ungrafted, and, for the most part, very old.Colares is also one of the most endangered wine regions in the world. It has become the go-to vacation spot for affluent Lisboans so the land has become much more valuable as beachfront property than vineyard land. There are only 23 hectares left. The production of wines allowed to use the Colares designation is around 4,500 bottles… quite a change from a century ago when there were thousands of hectares of vines and, as one of the only regions left with vineyards, their reputation soared. They were called “The Bordeaux of Portugal” and experienced a brief, yet intense, international flowering of interest but as Europe’s vineyards came back on line and Portugal descended into a nearly eighty years of strife, civil war, and dictatorship, the fortunes of Colares faded.
The red grape in Colares is called Ramisco, the white is Malvasia. Ramisco is grown nowhere else, and same goes for this breed of Malvasia (although we find its cousin in the Douro and other parts of Portugal).
No comments:
Post a Comment