The Insider - January 2024
A new year, a new box of wine! Despite a rather drunk December, or maybe because of it, we’re full of enthusiasm for 2024. We’ve got exciting events coming up, new wines to try and fun features for our Glass Half Full Club Members. Your January box will kick off the year in style – descriptions below, and if you fancy more, you can order from The Cellar.
Don’t forget, you can look up past boxes in The Archive.
Primado, Tinto 2012
[grape/vintage] Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro Preto / 2012
[region] Dão
This is like a finely-wrapped christmas present, revealing itself bit by bit, first in the glass with its faded elegance, then with its nose like a pungent spicy fruit cake, and finally in the mouth where it slides across your tongue like a cat burgler stealing your soul. Open and let breathe, then surrender to its deep, complex mysteries.
Our sommelier describes it thus: clear, bright, with a purplish red and violet hue. Subtle, complex nose of ripe fruit with floral notes and spices. In the mouth it’s full-bodied, velvety and persistent, showing spicy notes. Well-balanced with strong tannins that give it long aging potential.
Pairs well with a juicy red meat with a little charring round the edges, a strong game dish, or a deep dark chocolate dessert. Decant and let breathe a couple of hours.
The Dão region, in the center of Portugal, is known for elegant, complex and full-bodied wines, with exceptional acidity and aging potential. The region’s vineyards are planted on granite hillsides, and the soil is predominantly sandy and well-drained.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Quinta Varzea da Pedra, Reserva Branco
[grape/vintage] Fernão Pires, Arinto / 2018
[region] Lisboa
Balance and poise defines this classic, award-winning Fernão Pires/Arinto blend, where full de-stemming and almost 4 years in oak barrels lets the grapes express themselves while softening and maturing their stronger urges. Roll it around in your mouth and sense the grapes dancing their way across your palate in a perfect pas-de-deux. Intense and crisp and smooth all at once.
Our sommelier’s thoughts: citrus-coloured wine with a fine, mineral aroma, smokey notes. Very complex. In the mouth it’s fresh, structured and intense, with a very long aftertaste.
We suggest pairing this with the fattest fishes to juiciest meats and stinkiest cheeses.
The Lisboa region is located just north and west of Lisbon. The region’s diverse landscape includes coastal areas, hills and valleys, which creates a variety of microclimates and soil types, producing a range of wines, including red, white, and rosé, and is known for its high-quality and innovative winemaking.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Rapariga da Quinta, Reserva Tinto
[grape/vintage] Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Touriga Nacional / 2018
[region] Alentejo
It’s late afternoon in a summer orchard. Fig trees, plum trees and a scattering of blackberry bushes. Heat, barely a breath of wind, the buzzing of insects, a bird chirping nearby. Ancient dolmen stones lie scattered about among the cork trees. All this is smoothly, expertly bottled up in this delicious, full-bodied blend by Luis Duarte and his family. Open, let breathe, serve slightly below room temperature, and taste the rocky soil and blue skies of the Alentejo.
Our sommelier has this to say about it: with a beautiful ruby color and good concentration, this wine has a deep and complex aroma of ripe fruit and well-integrated wood. In the mouth it is balanced, with velvety tannins in harmony with the fruit, resulting in a long and intense finish.
Pairs well with traditional Mediterranean dishes, roasted or grilled meats and strong cheeses.
The Alentejo covers a large area and is characterized by its hot, dry summers and mild winters. The vineyards are planted on rolling hills and plains, and the soils are predominantly made up of granite, schist and limestone. Its wines are known for their full-bodied flavors and rich, earthy tones.
Check it out in The Cellar.