Branco/whites
Primus 2015 This field blend of old vine white 18 varieties is barrel fermented in large 400 litre neutral oak barrels and bottled immediately. Sourced from Pallada’s estate and their father’s original vineyard from old coop days. A very pure statement of place with sparkling minerality delivered through a very creamy, seamless texture driven with impeccably balanced acidity. 18.5/20 Tasted 2018
Primus 2010 This field blend of old vine, mixed white varieties is barrel fermented in large 400 litre neutral oak barrels and bottled immediately. Comparatively it is more concentrated, denser, more mineral with less spice than Quinta de Saes whites. A wine of great depth, finesse and length, outlined with crystal clear acidity, it is nothing short of superb. Tasted 10.2012
Primus 2007 This field blend of old vine, mixed white varieties is barrel fermented in large 400 litre neutral oak barrels displays mature, honeyed mineral notes on nose, with florals emerging in glass. Tight bodied with firm acidity it is less expressive than 2010. Perhaps it is going through a dumb phase and needs more time. Tasted 10.2012
Quinta de Saes Encruzado 2015 Treated to 12 hour of skin contact and fermented in old oak barrels with no added sulpher. Offers up earthy hints shading mineral aromas and flavors. A very tightly textured wine with high acidity that’s been intentionally reduced and condensed to show its best after extended bottle age. The 2010 only started drinking well in 2015, so expect a similar gestation. Tightly knit, not lean, but taught. This wine is all about acidity, linearity and minerality. 17.5/20 tasted 2018
Quinta de Saes Encruzado 2010 After 12 hour of skin contact, the sees no oak is treated only with battonage to create texture. This is a great wine with spicy, fresh straw high tones and succulent fruits hinting at green melons.Sharply focused textures are visceral, something you can get your tongue around, kept in check with a little tannic grip and supportive fine acidity. Tasted 10.2012
Quinta de Saes Reserva 2010 13% This traditional blend of Encruzado, Cercial and Bical sees no oak, but a little lees stirring for textural interest. It is shows the true potential of Dao whites with delicate florals and complex minerality shot through with a meaty, beef broth-like undercurrent adding complexity to wine. Slick and fine bodied, ending with a long, elegantly tapered, ethereal melt-away finish. A Dao to give Montrachet a run for its money. Tasted 10.2012
Tinta/Reds
Quinta da Pellada DAC 2014 13% A blend of 30% of both Touriga and Roriz, and 20’% of both Alfrocheiro and Jaen. Funky, savory dried red fruit aroms, lots of fruit in the mouth with firm tannins and acidity. Lots of wine for he money. Nice silky texture. 15.5/20 tasted in 2018
Quinta da Pellada Tinto 2014 13% Fruit is from ‘Mata’ block, the least homogenous of old Pellada’s field blends: Alfrocheiro, Rufete, TN, Tinta Amarela… This is a fabulous wine with great spiky, edgy aromas reminiscent of Pinot Noir’s wilder side, but with a Burgundian cast tempered with minerality. Tightly honed in the mouth, with tart, red cherry fruits. Taught from beginning to end with a long, stiletto like, finely tapered, ultra-long finish. The memory of this wine last minutes after swallowing. Each glass grows on you, revealing just a little more interesting things to say about itself. Similarly textures develop a degree of sleek, silkiness that grows ever more velvety with further airing. 20/20 or a century for those inclined.
Quinta da Pellada 2008 13% A blend of Touriga, Roriz, Jaen and old, mixed vineyards. Subtle licorice and black fruit aromas followed on by creamy, berry and vanilla florals in the mouth. Offering great back palate concentration, fruit intensity and minerality, length of flavor and complex, multi-layered tannins, this is delicious wine. Tasted 10.2012
Quinta da Pellada 2003 13% This is a blend of 50% of old, mixed variety vineyards and younger vine Touriga, Roriz and Jaen. This is a symphony of edgy, mineral infused, dried red fruit flavors and aromas underscored with firm tannins and succulent fruitiness. Although from 2003, alcohol levels were kept low. Tasted 10.2012
Quinta de Saes Estacio Prolongado Reserva 2013 13% Dao Grapes are sourced from an old, special single vineyard. It’s possible to read a newspaper through this wine, which is always a good thing. Aromas are savory, gamey and mineral driven, with hints of mulberry and red plum and red fruits. Spicy high tones develop with airing. Displays a very fine, clean texture -- concentrated without thickness – full of long-lasting, red cherry and red fruit flavors, counterpointed by firm, fine tannins and balancing acidity. Lots of back palate concentration welling up on finish. Experience with old Dao reds suggests this has potential to be a 40 year wine. Needs a lot of time to show its true best. Let it breathe. 19/20 Tasting 12.18
Quinta de Saes Reservado Estagio Prolongado 2011 13% A broad array of complex plum, cherry, berry characters, both dried and fresh each poking up individually for an instant and then returning to the fold. Those fruit notes further enhanced with savory, minerally characters. Broad and complex in the mouth, tasting as it smells, this wine is very persistent, continuous and concentrated, with fine, integrated tannins and superb acidic balance. All this carried on through a long, meltaway finish. After further airing it develops violet aromas, and texture takes on a slick polished, mouthfeel. The wine has a long, long, glorious life ahead of it. 19.5/20 Tasted 2019
Quinta de Saes Estagio Prolonagado 2007 Two-thirds of this wine originates from an old field blended, mixed vineyard with over 50 varieties (Touriga, Alfrocheiro Rufet, Negro Mole, Amarela…) fleshed out with Touriga and Roriz (bottled since 2008 as reserve). Aromatically this very poised and pure nose offers an intriguing mix of graphite minerality over focused red cherry aromas, quite Burgundian-like. Tasted 10.2012
Quinta de Saes Reserva 2008 Two-thirds of this wine originates from an old field blended, mixed vineyard with over 50 varieties (Touriga, Alfrocheiro Rufet, Negro Mole, Amarela…) fleshed out with Touriga and Roriz. Broadly perfumed with fresh blackfruit and pronounced florals. In the mouth it is smooth, ultra-clean and beautifully focused. Offering superb structure and back palate concentration which is delivered through a very long, drawn out finish. This is great wine: elegant, persistent and still very young. Tasted 10.2012
Pape 2004 This 50/50 blend of 80 year old vine Touriga and young vine Baga matured in old barrels for 6 years and bottled unfiltered. A wine of great density and concentration, it is packed with graphite and black fruit aromas and brimming with black cherry flavors. Long, linear and elegant from start to finish, each vintage consistently offers one of Portugal’s greatest wines. Tasted 10.2012