Portugal’s big, bad (and cheap!) red
Dec 27th, 2007 | By Hank Shaw | Category: Wine | Comments | 3 Comments |
After drinking some very nice California wines recently that set me back more than $25 apiece, I wanted to get back to my normal drinking habits, which on weekdays primarily consists of Spanish and Portugese wines under $15. Don’t get me wrong: I can appreciate a fine bottle of wine, I’m just not in the tax bracket where I can afford to open up a Barolo on a whim.
So I drove down to BevMo (California’s gift to the mass-market wines) and checked into the little-used “Other” section.
What did I find but a Portuguese Touriga Nacional, which is a grape typically used in making port, and one of those Iberian wines that just screams old-school. Which of course is odd, because winemakers didn’t start making a dry table wine from this grape until recently. All I can say is: What took them so long?
I bought the 2000 Primavera Touriga at a criminally low $9 — can you imagine a Napa Cab from eight years ago selling that low? Didn’t think so.
But how does it taste? Earthy, man! Rich, dark, big tannins that tighten the gums just a little. You get a hint of leather, a wisp of stewed plums. It’s hard to believe the wine only clocks in at 13 percent alcohol, but hey, that’s Europe.
Bottom line: This is a helluva wine for the money.
..and what did you eat with it? I’m curious
Have a very Happy New Year!
I drank it with a Spanish stew called chilindron I made with pronghorn antelope instead of lamb (they’re roughly related animals…). It’s a pretty awesome stew, loaded with roasted red peppers, sweet paprika as well as a little smoked paprika. My own addition is a head’s worth of garlic cloves, peeled but not sliced. Mmmm…I will post the recipe on the “recipes” page in a day or two.
Happy New Year to you, too!
Hank! I’m thrilled to see you have begun blogging! I most definitely will visit and add you to my blog roll. Good to meet you at the winery tours etc. last month.
Cheerio