Style of the Month: Port & Late Harvest

Port style and Late Harvest wines have sweeter profiles than other wines. Port, is traditionally made with Portuguese grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz. Alcohol, usually grape brandy, is added during fermentation, which fortifies the wine. Late harvest wines are made from grapes high in brix/sugar content that are left to hang on the vines and harvested late for concentrated flavor. Both styles have higher alcohol levels but are exceedingly delicious and can also be kept longer after opening than traditional wines. 

Here are capsule reviews of Port style and Late Harvest wines you may find along the Wine Road.

Cast 2017 Late Zinfandel Fortified

The whimsical logo on the bottle of the CAST 2017 Late Zinfandel is a hint to the magical delights within. Made with Watson Old Vine Zinfandel grapes and blended with 191 proof distilled spirits, the Late is a marvel of fortified fruity finesse. On the nose toffee, vanilla coffee bean, black plum and spicy black carnation. The palate is full and bright with flavors of baking spice, dried cherry, praline, brandied pear and marzipan. Pair with an array of aged cheese’s that will balance and enhance the rich flavors of the wine.  

ABV 18%

Dutton Estate 2017 Sweet Sisters Late Harvest Syrah, Russian River Valley

The Dutton Estate 2017 Sweet Sisters Late Harvest Syrah is a sumptuous mélange of scents and flavors. On the nose, deep aromas of caramel, blackberry, black cherry, mocha and clove. On the palate, the Syrah shines bright with flavors of mint, dark chocolate, eucalyptus, rum raisin, and raspberry. It’s like a liquid version of the Thin Mint! Velvety, yet light, this wine shows how subtlety and balance is the key to late harvest richness. Pair with S’mores or a dense Orange Olive Oil cake. 

ABV 14.2 %

Pedroncelli 2016 Vintage Port Four Grapes Dry Creek Valley

The 2016 Pedroncelli Vintage Port Four Grapes is an authentic representation of the style using a field blend of traditional Portuguese grapes—30% Tinta Madera 30% Tinta Cao, 20% Souzao, and 20% Touriga Nacional. Smooth, rich and velvety it’s like a warm embrace. On the nose notes of caramel, brown sugar, baking spice, fig newton and blackberry preserves. On the palate balanced flavors of mocha, black cherry, cinnamon, toffee and molasses with a hint of clove on the finish. It’s a great pleasure to drink now, yet it will continue to develop with age. Pair with a classic Blue Stilton cheese. 

ABV 19.5%

Ramazzotti 2013 Rapport Zinfandel Red Dessert Wine 

The Ramazzotti 2013 Rapport Zinfandel Red Dessert wine is fortified with Everclear—the grain alcohol, not the band. The Zinfandel grapes combined with the high proof alcohol create a fresh and fruity wine that’s a little bit Port and a whole lot of Zin. It’s wonderfully balanced and light with the scent of sun-warmed berries and light mocha. On the palate black cherry, molasses, caramel apple, warm toffee, ripe fig and baking spice. Easy, smooth and mellow, sip after sip. Pair with a decadent chocolate bread pudding.

ABV 18%

Trentadue 2019 Zinfandel Port, Alexander Valley 

On the nose the 2019 Trentadue Zinfandel Port has an engaging light scent of violets with secondary aromas of mocha, coffee, ripe black cherry and plum. On the palate it presents flavors of Raisinets, the classic chocolate covered raisin treat and notes of chocolate covered caramel, much like Rollo’s (the elegant cousin to Milk Duds). It’s a veritable trip to the movie house concession stand for all the nostalgic favorites. The long warm finish lingers with notes of dried fruit, black plum and molasses. At only four years of age it’s still very young and will certainly deepen and develop over time. Pair with your favorite old movie. 

ABV 18%

Trione Vineyards and Winery 2010 Fortified Zinfandel, Rockpile Peak Vineyard, Sonoma Coast 

What a treat this is. The Trione Vineyards 2010 Fortified Zinfandel from Rockpile Peak Vineyard is well aged at 13 years old! On the nose brandied cherries, chocolate covered raisins, and toffee. It’s rich and heady. On the palate it’s full of lush flavors of chocolate covered cherries, mocha, caramel apple and fruitcake—really high-end fruitcake. Not the kind of fruitcake that gets re-gifted from year to year, but one you’ll want to keep. Warm and luscious with a long mellow finish. Pair it with a roaring fire and a good book—it’s all you need.

ABV 18%

Wine Pleasures Portugal: The Boxed Set

All good things must come to an end eventually, and although I could keep writing about Portugal for another two months I think I have covered all the highlights now. Whew! Thanks for following along. It was an incredible visit and in addition to all the fabulous wine and port and food my fondest memories are of the people. No matter where you travel, it's the people you meet that make the journey worthwhile. The crazy ones make for great stories, (you-know-who) while others make for lifelong friendships.

Long bus trips can lead to all sorts of mayhem. And if you've ever been on a Wine Bloggers Conference bus trip you probably know the feeling. --- Here's a quick video of some of the people I met on the Wine Pleasures tour and their comments about the trip on our final day in the Douro. Thanks to everyone for being such good sports. The lighting is not so good, but the scenery and background chatter is priceless!

And if that's not enough to scare you... here are some out-takes from "Bucky's Stuffed Wine Show" (Special thanks to Jethro for kind loan of his "teddies")

Next year the Wine Pleasures Conference will be in Umbria, Italy. If you'd like to be a part of it apply here.

Here are all the links to my Portugal series and links to other participants posts as well. If I missed your post let me know and I will add it to the list.

Links to Previous Portugal Posts:

Part 1: The Conference Venue

Part 2: The Wine Pleasures Conference

Part 3: The Minho Land of Vinho Verde

Part 4: A Visit to Sandeman & Vini Portugal

Part 5: The Douro & Visit to Quinta Nova

Part 6: Croft Vineyards & Portrait of Adrian Bridge

Part 7: Foodie Feast at Rui Paula's DOC on the Douro

Part 8: Quinta da Pacheca Lodge and Cellars

Videos in the Annex:

The Lagare Collection--What Hipsters Wear to Tread

Slow Travel in Portugal

The Tiles of Portugal

Wine Pleasure Participant Posts:

Grantoursimo --

Wine Pleasures Conference

Vihno Verde & Mihno Valley

Douro Part 1

Douro Part 2

Aneesh Bhasin-

Putting the Port in Porto

Messina Hof:

Home from Portugal

Portugal Part 8: Quinta da Pacheca Lodge and Cellars

The last night of the Wine Pleasures tour in the Douro was spent at Quinta da Pacheca near the town of Lamego.

Quinta da Pacheca looks like a traditional manor home, but inside it has a sleek modern look. The dining room was one of the most elegant yet relaxed rooms I've ever dined in. Painted a crisp apple green with plush console chairs, it featured an ornate carved wood display case, and large windows overlooking the vineyards and river.

The cellars at Pacheca were like something out of a spread for Vouge magazine. The setting so romantic it's become a hot spot for weddings and receptions. If I ever get married again er...I mean renew my vows...I'd like to do it here.

Our host, winemaker Jose Serpa Pimentel, led us through the cellars and the lagare room that was over 100 years old with 11 largares for lots of stomping action. Mr. Pimentel (who Mr. Terrence Carter pointed out resembles Francis Ford Coppola) was a relaxed and genial host. After a tour of the grounds Jose poured us samples of the wines. My personal favorite was the Quinta de Pacheca 200o LBV Port bottled by Jose's father Eduardo in 2002. Love at first sip. A lush spicy port with notes of dried cherry and sweet plums.

For another perspective on the final days of the tour and some wonderful photos, check out Grantourismo's account of it here.

Links to Previous Portugal Posts:

Part 1: The Conference Venue

Part 2: The Wine Pleasures Conference

Part 3: The Minho Land of Vinho Verde

Part 4: A Visit to Sandeman & Vini Portugal

Part 5: The Douro & Visit to Quinta Nova

Part 6: Croft Vineyards & Portrait of Adrian Bridge

Part 7: Foodie Feast at Rui Paula's DOC on the Douro

Videos in the Annex:

The Lagare Collection--What Hipsters Wear to Tread

Slow Travel in Portugal

The Tiles of Portugal

5 Easy Steps for a Great Birthday in Portugal

If you are lucky enough to be in Portugal for your birthday as I was, here is all you need to do for a perfect day:

Step 1. Wake up at Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora Do Carmo and party in the cellar!

Quinta Nova Cellar Party Posse

Step 2. Have lunch at Quinta do Panascal

Yes, there was food in between each of these wines too...

Step 3. Check in at Quinta do Pego

View of Douro from Quinta do Pego

Complimentary in room Port

Step 4. Party on into the night at Quinta do Pego: Drink great port, make celebratory toasts, and eat cake with new friends.

Birthday girl with Carlos Filipe Jesus of Quinta do Pego

Check out that cake!

What pairs with Birthday cake? -Everything!

Quinto do Pego Port tasting took place prior to the birthday party

"99 bottles of Port on the wall...99 bottles of Port...Take one down, pass it around..."

Step 5. Repeat step number four above at least 45 times.

Stayed tuned... last few posts in the Portugal Series coming up next.

Portugal Part 6: Croft Vineyards & Portrait of Adrian Bridge

Adrian Bridge, CEO Fladgate Partnership

Adrian Bridge is focused. You can see it in the way he walks across the land, plucks an orange from a tree, thumps a barrel, mimics the stomping cadence in the lagare, or hunkers down in the dirt to illustrate a point. To call him passionate would be an understatement. No, Adrian Bridge, CEO of the Taylor's Fladgate Partnership is beyond passionate; he is completely attuned and fully engaged in everything he turns his attention towards--from vineyards, to wine tourism. Bridge has great presence and strikes me as the type of man who could introduce himself by saying -- “Bridge. Adrian Bridge.”-- without mocking James Bond.

In the lagare

Close to the land

On a chill February day, just outside Pinhão on the Douro, Bridge escorted us through Quinta da Roeda, the Croft property purchased in 2001, where Croft Port red, white and pink is produced. Much of the harvest work is by hand, but with a technological assist. In the lagares, humans still tread the grapes, but a sophisticated piece of machinery (similar, to the one at Quinta Nova) supports the treading with a custom crush device set on rails that skims across the shallow granite vats and adjusts the pressure according to the liquid levels.

Mechanical treader

Field demo with the pneumatic snips

Out in the vineyards skilled workers perform their jobs with the aid of high technology. The day we visited, the vineyard crews were pruning the cane using pneumatic snips calibrated to cut the vine in a precise way each and every time with no human error. The shears are set to cut a certain diameter, keeping fingers safe. Apparently if you stick your finger in the clipper and pull the trigger it will not cut you, but no one volunteered to prove the point.

Quinta da Roeda

At first glance the vineyards look like they just magically planted themselves in perfect alignment with the land, but the slopes at Croft are laid out with lasers to mitigate erosion and the tenets of bio-diversity are at play here in the fields of the lords of Port.

Outdoor tables and view at Quinta do Panascal

After the tour of Croft we adjourned to the rustic yet chic Quinta do Panascal for a luncheon where we sampled several Fonseca and Taylor’s Port offerings. The Fonseca Siroco white port makes for a fine cocktail and it set the tone for the rest of the lunch, which included red and white table wines and several top ports from Fonseca and Taylor’s.

The traditional Portuguese dishes were prepared with flair and served with a touch of elegance that seems to be the hallmark of all the Fladgate port wines and guest properties.

A tiny island of delight

The vineyards under the Fladgate Partnership include Croft, Taylor’s and Fonseca. And like Adrian Bridge, they all have a singular focus on the end result, be it the exquisite expression of grape in the glass, or in the case of wine tourism, the embodiment of hospitality in the service offered at the Yeatman-- the new ultra luxury wine hotel, in Vila Nova de Gia across the river from Porto--the latest jewel in the crown of the Fladgate operation.

View of the river from Quinta do Panascal

Next Post Up--Foodie Feast at Rui Paula's DOC & Party at Quinta do Pégo!

Links to all Portugal Posts:

Part 1: The Conference Venue

Part 2: The Wine Pleasures Conference

Part 3: The Minho Land of Vinho Verde

Part 4: A Visit to Sandeman & Vini Portugal

Part 5: The Douro & Visit to Quinta Nova

Part 6: Croft Vineyards & Portrait of Adrian Bridge
Part 7: Foodie Feast at Rui Paula's DOC on the Douro
Part 8: Quinta da Pacheca Lodge and Cellars

Videos in the Annex:

• The Lagare Collection--What Hipsters Wear to Tread
• Slow Travel in Portugal
• The Tiles of Portugal

Portugal Part 4: A Visit to Sandeman & Vini Portugal

I thought Port was a sweet fortified wine you drank after dinner. Port was Port. But boy, was I wrong. It turns out there are many kinds of port—Ruby, Tawny, Vintage and the Special Vintage Reserve. There’s Pink and White and LBV and Colheita and Crusted and Single Quinta Vintages. Also 10, 20, 30, and 40 year vintages. But not all aged Port is from the same year, it can be any combination of years that add up to 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. It’s like the sudoku of winemaking.

Port seems way more complicated than needs be, so forget trying to sort it all out in the beginning and just start tasting. But don’t be surprised if after trying many styles, you become intrigued and desire more in-depth information. Then Oporto (aka Porto) is the place to go. Actually, Vila Nova de Gaia, just across the river, is the place. All the major Port caves and cellars are here including Calem, Kopke, Cockburn, Offley, Croft, Rozes, Taylors, Graham and of course Sandeman.

Sandeman

Even if you don’t know Sandeman Port you certainly have seen their branding with the iconic image of the caped man. Throughout our tour of the cellars we were shadowed by a woman in the hat and cape, a living logo that added to the drama of the tasting.

But by far the most dramatic moment of the Sandeman tour came in the Sandeman cellar when one of the Hollywood TV hosts from our group asked the winemaker to pour a barrel sample from the thief, directly into her mouth, creating an improvised Port shower. Well, Sandeman is a classy place, so you can imagine the gaping jaws when this occurred. Highly unusual behavior in such a hallowed and august Port house. Yes indeedy it was quite the scene…I only wish I had some pictures to share!! (Um hello @aneeshb or @terencecarter ... please send photos. I will post and link to your page.) Not something you see everyday, or ever for that matter.

UPDATE: This just in! Here is a photo!

After the cellar tour we were served two types of Port cocktails. The Sandeman Founder on the Rocks made with Founders Reserve Porto over ice and the Sandeman Royal prepared with Sandeman’s 20 Years Tawny Porto and Scotch Whisky. It was the first of many Port cocktails I would have in Portugal and they became an evening ritual for the remainder of the trip.

At dinner I was seated at George Sandeman’s table and I later heard that George personally chose who would sit at his table after looking at everyone’s blog. So that was nice to hear. I guess he took a peek at my blog on a good week!

The dinner was exceptional, especially the Sea Bass entree that was baked encrusted in salt, and arrived on a platter looking like it was ready for a Saveur photo shoot . The sea bass paired perfectly with the 2009 Quinta de Azvedo Vinho Verde. We also enjoyed the Sandeman 20 year Tawny with an apple and roqufort salad; the 2000 Sandeman Vau Vintage Porto with chocolate mousse; and with coffee, the Sandeman 40 year old Tawny. I loved the richness of the 40 year tawny.

George proved to be a witty conversationalist and it was a pleasure to be seated at his table. He also gave us a quick lesson in the nuance of Port, when the 20 year Port was served. We all tasted it and then George declared it was not exactly as it should be, that it was "flat"--immediately all the glasses were removed and a new bottle poured. I honestly don't know what he detected in the first bottle, but I did notice a difference in the second pour. It definitely tasted more lively, the flavors more pronounced and defined than the first.

It’s always great to be able to experience something like that even if it is not intentional. I learned a lot from that episode and was able to tune in to the differences in Port much better after that accidental object lesson. Like I said at the beginning, there is a lot more to Port than you might think, and spending time learning all about it from the experts is the best way to move from being a Port drinker to Port lover.

Vini Portugal—

Of course there is more than Port in Porto and if you want to learn more about all the incredible table wines being produced in Portugal head over to Vini Portugal. Vini Portugal is a trade organization promoting wine production and producers in Portugal. You can learn about the different regions and try the wines of the day in their stylish tasting room in the historic stock exchange building near the river.

Miguel Nora, Sr. Manager for Vini Portugal hosted us afterwards at Restaurante O Comercial located in the Palácio da Bolsa - the stock exchange building in Oporto. I almost foolishly missed out on this event because I was feeling under the weather, but I'm glad I attended.

A stylish version of traditional bacalhau

It was a great opportunity to drink some wonderful Portuguese wines paired with traditional Portugese cuisine. And I got to check out the world’s most trippy writstwatch on Miguel’s wrist. I was convinced he could control the thermostat of his home or office and launch small missiles with it, it but he insisted it only told the time, albeit in a very stylish manner.

View from guest room at the Yeatman Hotel

We stayed at the magnificent Yeatman Hotel the night we visited Sandeman, and after a full day of touring three Quintas in the Minho, I was a bit exhausted by the time we got there. But it was such a brief visit I went back after the blogger trip to experience it again. I'll tell you more about The Yeatman in a separate post. But for now, here's a quick room tour featuring another drive-thru window!

Visiting the Port cellars without a trip to the growing region in the Douro, would be like visiting a museum of flight and aeronautics, but never flying in an airplane. You miss a huge part of the experience if you don’t go to the Douro. I’ll show you why in the next posts.

Links to all Portugal Posts:

Part 1: The Conference Venue

Part 2: The Wine Pleasures Conference

Part 3: The Minho Land of Vinho Verde

Part 4: A Visit to Sandeman & Vini Portugal

Part 5: The Douro & Visit to Quinta Nova

Part 6: Croft Vineyards & Portrait of Adrian Bridge

Part 7: Foodie Feast at Rui Paula's DOC on the Douro

Part 8: Quinta da Pacheca Lodge and Cellars

Videos in the Annex:

The Lagare Collection--What Hipsters Wear to Tread

Slow Travel in Portugal

The Tiles of Portugal

Portugal Preview

In 10 days I’m on my way to Portugal to participate in the 3^rd International Wine Tourism Conference, in Oporto, Portugal starting January 31^st.

The three day conference will bring together an international audience of wine tour providers and the wineries seeking to host them. In addition to conference sessions on Portugal as a wine and culinary destination, there will be presentations on wines from other regions, and a full slate of marketing seminars designed to help attendees get the most out of their tour programs and offers incorporating the tools of social media.

I will be speaking at the conference in a seminar called Beyond the Brochure—Blogging with Personality and Content that Connects. My talk will explain the joys of incorporating narrative elements using text and video. There will be seminars and talks on a huge array of topics and you can see them all by downloading the IWTC 2011 app. That’s right, there’s an app for that. Pretty cool, huh? You can find it in the app store by searching IWTC 2011.

I’ll also be joining the Blogger/Media Press trip to the Minho and Douro wine regions, and I am beyond excited to visit these areas. I can’t wait to delve into the many aspects of Port and visit Vinho Verde country. I know press trips can be overwhelming, but this one promises to be packed with absolutely everything I would have chosen for myself, including historical lodging in Pousadas and dining in acclaimed restaurants of the region. You can find links to the Pre-conference program here.

I’m especially happy that the press tour will take us to Quevedo Winery in São João da Pesqueira. I’ve been planning to visit Oscar Quevedo’s winery ever since I met him two years ago at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Rosa, California. I’m also looking forward to meeting the other participants and celebrating my birthday in style along the way. (Oh yeah, did I mention it will be my birthday while I’m there?)

Palácio de Freixo

So come on, what are you waiting for? Come meet me at the beautiful conference venue, the Palácio de Freixo, in Porto. I know you’ll want to attend my talk to help hone your story telling skills and learn a few tips and tricks using social media. And of course you’ll want to be there to wish me a happy birthday too! Right? Just kidding…

But if you can’t make it in person, stay tuned-- I’ll be blogging and tweeting all about it in just a few weeks.

The Holy Trinity of Synchronicity

See that box with the big number in it over here to the right → that’s a countdown clock for the Wine Pleasures International Wine Tourism Conference that will take place in Porto, Portugal starting January 31, 2011.

I have been invited to speak at the conference and join a Blogger/Media Press trip through the Minho and Douro wine regions. So naturally I’m researching the area and looking for information about Portugal before I go. After the conference I plan to spend a week in Lisbon and the surrounding area. I started to follow Portugal related wine and tourism folks on Twitter and searched for key words on the places I would be going. And that’s how I ran into David Hoffmann of DavidsBeenHere.com.

David's site offers a webshow service that allows people to ask questions about locations, trip ideas, or for tips on different destinations—and then David creates a personal video that answer the questions. The service is free and it’s amazing. It’s like sitting down with a friend who just came back from where you want to go and they give you all the inside details on what to see and what to do.

Check them out:

The first one is about Porto and the northern region of Portugal. The second details Lisbon and surrounding area. My screen layout tends to cut them off a bit but you can view them on at facebook.com/davidsbeenhere1 or on David's YouTube channel.

David was in the middle of touring Portugal when I began to follow him. We tweeted back and forth a bit. He asked me where I would be going in Portugal and I told him about the conference and that I was interested in Lisbon and possible day trips from there. As soon as he got back from his trip he made me these videos.

This to me is the perfect example of the power of connection and social media. And the power of wine, travel & twitter. In fact, I just added a slide in my presentation to talk about this at the conference.

To make things even more connected, it turns out the David is from Miami, South Miami to be exact, and his parents live just a few blocks from where my Grandparents lived and less than two miles from one of the areas where I grew up. It gets better… we both belong to the same church- Epiphany and attended the elementary school there although not at the same time. Pretty trippy huh?

So if you are planning a trip be sure to Ask David before you go. You won’t be disappointed. You can follow David on Twitter at @davidsbeenhere and click here to visit his site.

I’ll be posting about the wine and port while I’m in Portugal of course, but before I go I'll post a little preview of where I will be going so stay tuned. In the meantime, you can click on the box at the right and it will tell you everything you need to know about the conference and how to register. Or just click here.

Thanks again to David Hoffmann for his time and for making these videos for me.

Wines of Portugal - Spotlight on Quevedo

I'm still catching up with posts from WBC09. But this one is long over due.

On Saturday evening at the WBC09 there was a tasting of the Wines of Portugal sponsored by Vini Portugal. Prior to the event I met Oscar Quevedo and Nadia Adria on the bus, and I was eager to sample the Quevedo wines and learn more about their winery. Oscar and his accomplice Nadia perfectly reflect the young, hip, new generation that Quevedo seeks to reach as they position Port as an accessible every day wine.

Although the Quevedo winery was founded in 1991, Oscars Quevedo’s ancestors have worked in the Duoro river valley in Portugal and produced red wines and Port from port grapes of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, and Tinta Barroca for several generations.

Both sides of Oscar's family (His father and his mothers side Guilhar-Morias) have been in the port business for over 130 years. So you might expect that Oscar's career path was pre-ordained to join the family business. But Oscar followed his own interests and decided to study finance and economics. After he received his degree, he worked as an investment banker in Spain and Geneva. It is only recently that the lure of family tradition won out, and Oscar joined Quevedo as their Marketing Ambassador and Export manager.

Oscar travels the U.S. and Europe promoting their brand with seminars and tastings to show the range of the wines. Part of his mission is to introduce new audiences to the wonders of port, and change the perception of Port as something only enjoyed after meals with dessert and a cigar.

One of the challenges of Port is that you sometimes have to wait 30 years to really appreciate it. So Oscar suggests Quevedo Porto Rose, as a great wine to drink in cocktails with a spritz of soda water or twist of lemon, and a nice introduction to Port without the wait.

Surprisingly, it in the U.S. that Oscar has found some of the most knowledgeable Port enthusiasts. Michael Wangbickler is one example of such an enthusiast, and his blog The Tawny Times can be found here.

Oscar views bloggers as well as traditional media as the key to spreading his message and uses many tools of social media including twitter to increase the brands reach. Quevedo's comprehensive web site is a great place to learn more about their history and wines and it includes short videos of the current harvest and wine making process. You can also follow Quevedo on twitter at @Quevedo and Oscar at @oscarswine. But the perfect place to start might just be with a glass of Quevedo Special Reserve Tawny Port. Afterwards, let Oscar know what you think!