Casa de Mouraz Wines

Casa de Mouraz 2009 13.5% A blend of Touriga, Alfrocheiro, Jaen and Agua-Santa grapes, this wine has been matured in30% French oak. When tasted, I found the toasty aromas dominated the wine's pretty, bright cherryish flavors. I liked the wine's clean, almost sappy, acidity and, more than ample, cherry like flavors extending long into the finish. Hopefully, in another year, the oak should integrate nicely. Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz 2009 vinha da SA his interesting wine, made from old field blend vineyard, clearly needs more time. On the nose it shows red fruit aromas with touch of muskiness. In the mouth it is more mineral and graphite-like, with ample fruit and rustic tannins. Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz AIR 2008 14% This blend of Trincadera/Aragones/Tinta Caida/Touriga Nacional plays out through roasted, dried fruit characters on nose, relatively juicy black fruit flavors in the mouth, underpinned by firm tannins. Although showing good fruit concentration, I was less fond of the ultra-ripe characters in nose and on palate. Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz ALR Vinho Verde 2010 10.5% Part of their non-Dao portfolio, this mix of Vinho Verdegrapes (Louriero, Tradjadura, Azul and Arinto) displays a lovely touch of florals, limes and tart acidity. Impeccably balanced, although carrying 12 grams of residual sugar and 12 grams acidity, it is perceptively much dryer than it’s chemistry suggests.This sells locally for 7-8eu Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz, Antonio Lopes Tibeiro Bela-luz 2009 14% Beyond their estate in Dao, Mouraz have accessed organic grapes from Douro for this wine. Made in lagar without any barrel influence, it uses typical Douro grapes: Touriga Franca/Sosao/Barroca/Roriz. Bela-luz is the Portuguese word for thyme, which alludes to the lovely mixture of spicy, floral and tobacco aromas floating over fresh black cherry characters. Beautifully married for such a young wine, it is richly textured, smooth, seamless, highly concentrated and structured with very fine tannins. Elegant and highly refined, it testifies to how highly sophisticated lagar made wines have become. Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz Branco 2010 13% This biodynamic wine is a traditional white Dao blend of Malvasina Fina, Bical, Sercial, Encruzado and bits from a field blend of older, unknown grape varieties. It is sparkles with pear florals, juicy apple and pear flavors, and finishes with a fine mineral-infused, lemony acidity Long, linear, with super length of flavor, I highly recommend it. Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz Encruzado 2010 13.5% Primarily Encruzado with touch of 10% of field blend old vineyard, this unoaked, biodynamically grown wine offers up lovely fresh green melon aromas, juicy, pure pear flavors, a fullish bodied balanced with firm acidity and great length of flavor. It is an obvious wine for anyone who likes pinot gris-like spiciness. Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz Private Selection 2009 15% Made with Touriga, Jaen, Alfrocheiro and Agua-Santa grapes and matured in 40% new French Oak barrels. This displays a broad mix of lovely, elegantly perfumed aromas (violet, fresh herb and berry/cherry/blueberry), followed on by and excellent concentration of black fruits and minerality in the mouth. Firm, but well managed tannins underpinning all this. barrel sample. Tasted 10.2011

Casa de Mouraz Rose 2010 13.5% This biodynamic rose comes from cooler parcels along the river with higher acidity. Made from free run juice coming off field old blends of Touriga Nacional/Alfrocheiro, with Jaen and Agua-Santa grapes, it makes for a beautifully balanced rose that is remarkably Pinot Noir-like. Full of fresh red fruit aromas, rounded textures and cherryish flavors, outlined with fresh, juicy acidity. Tasted 10.2011