Tasting – Herdade dos Grous, Alentejo White 2007

To join a grilled wild sea bass, fished in the morning by a friend, I picked a white from the Alentejo. This region is like Portugal’s “new world”, with large states and modern wineries. The Herdade dos Grous 2007 is made from the grape varieties Arinto, Roupeiro and Antão Vaz. It presents a yellow citric colour leaving tiny bubbles on the glass. Very aromatic. Lemon, peach, pineapple and a bit of sweetness which I don’t dislike. Plenty of freshness on the palate, with citric components but without the exuberance of the nose. Is enjoying its youth. One proof that is possible to make fresh whites in the “hot” Alentejo. €7, 85 pts

Tasting - Charme, Douro Red 2005

I had a big expectation with this wine. With a ruby colour, the nose shows a oak aroma at first impact. Passing a few minutes the wine shows a intense matured fruit (blackberrys, cherrys) . On palate i felt, another time, the balance betwen the oak flavours and the fruit mature. I found the right struture with soft tanins. Had a medium/long finnish. The wine didn't show a lot of concentraction ( as a normal douro wine), but, like the name says, is very elegant. A very good wine in a different style. 75€, 94 pts

P.S. The picture is from Charme ´04... :)