The Enthusiast - September 2025
It’s back to school, back to work and back to basics for the Glass Half Full Club with two reds and a white, carefully chosen to fit perfectly with the slow march towards autumn – a light touch here, complexity there, and some full-bodied character in the back.
As always, wine descriptions below, and if you run out, you can order more from The Cellar.
Don’t forget, you can look up past boxes in The Archive.
Infinitude, "Indie" Pinot Noir
[grape/vintage] Pinot Noir / 2021
[region] Tejo
Like Tinkerbell dancing around the rigging of Captain Hook’s pirate ship, this Pinot Noir tickles and teases with the of lightest of gossamer touches. A sprinkling of peppery fairy dust from her fingers, a magical swish of cherry and raspberry from her wings, a naughty pull on Hook’s beard and she’s vanished into the ether leaving a deliciously delicate and suggestive finish.
Goes really well roasted duck, mushroom risotto, grilled salmon, or earthy game dishes like pheasant and partridge.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Luis Pato, Vinhas Velhas Branco
[grape/vintage] Bical, Cercial, Sercialinho / 2023
[region] Bairrada
Luis Pato says that this is his personal interpretation of a typical Bairrada white and who are we to argue with the master!? On the palate, this is like lying in an orchard on a dusty, late summer afternoon with a gentle breeze brushing the tips of one’s toes.
Pairs well with the full range of tapas and snacks from pimentos padrón to chorizo, a green salad with radishes and red onion, or a two hour sit down with a cataplana or oven-baked sea bass.
Check it out in The Cellar.
Barão de Vilar, Reserva Tinto
[grape/vintage] Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional / 2020
[region] Douro
Sip and you’re gone—mid-18th century, midnight in a stone manor high in the Douro. Candles gutter in iron sconces. The great dining hall is cleared, chairs pushed aside, silver goblets toppled. Two men face each other, swords drawn, boots grinding on old flagstones.
The air is thick with cherry and blackberry, oak smoke curling from the hearth, a sweet trace of chocolate and vanilla rising like perfume from the overturned decanter. Ladies gasp from the gallery, lace sleeves trembling as steel rings on steel. Honour is at stake. Tonight, blood will spill—dark and warm, mixing with the wine that bears this noble house’s name.
Structured, powerful, and unforgettable—this is the Douro at full tilt, a wine with history in its veins.
Pairs well with red meats and game, like a veal steak in a Port wine sauce or lamb chops with those succulent bones almost caramalised.
Check it out in The Cellar.
