Portugal – white, pink and sweet

Posted by Simon on March 4, 2010

A couple of wines from a well-known (in the UK at least) singer’s estate in the Algarve plus a rather unusual sweet wine from the Ribatejo – or Tejo, as we should now be calling it.

Onda Nova Verdelho 2008, Algarve (£9.99 www.mollybrownswinelist.co.uk )
Clean, fresh, tight peach, citrus peel and gritty pearskin character with a touch of brine, ripe but still refreshing, wears its 14% alcohol well. B(+)

Onda Nova Syrah Rosé 2008, Algarve (£9.99 www.mollybrownswinelist.co.uk )
Bouncy rosé, packed with strawberry (fresh and tinned) flavours, fleshy and ripe but still dry, with an honest lively finish. B

Quinta da Lagoalva de Cima Late Harvest 2008, Ribatejo (N/A in UK – Clark Foyster are Lagoalva’s importers)
A touch of volatility (think nail varnish), then oodles of fruit – peach, pear, apricot, grapefruit, elderflower, orange marmalade – but there’s also a less ripe, almost smoky edge that seems slightly at odds with the lusher sweeter side of the wine. Overall though, pretty tasty. B+ (see notes on the 1995 here)

A sweet Greek trio

Posted by Simon on February 26, 2010

Samos Co-op Vin Doux 2007 (£4.99 per half Cooden Cellars, Theatre of Wine, Adnams)
Light lemon/orange scented, grapey delight, with the classic edge of barley sugar, rich but gentle, with a sprightly finish, and just the right amount of spirity bite. B+

Samos Co-op Anthemis 2003 (£11.50 The Wine Society – Waitrose also has halves in presentation boxes @ £9.99)
Some of the mahogany-edged raisinny character of tawny port, nutty and figgy, also some treacle toffee, but still with a lively citrus edge to the finish. S(-)

Hatzidakis Vinsanto 2000, Santorini (£16.75 Cooden Cellars)
Smells fresher than the Anthemis, but the flavour is just a bit too sweet and rich, nice nutty raisin edge, but jusy a bit glloopy, would benefit from a touch of fortification in this style. B