Wine question ...?

Question

Ok..so I am stationed in Portugal and thought thier wine was pretty good till i went to Italy and tasted their variety. Italy had the best wine ever. I am a beginner with it and drank the sweet stuff first. now i wanna try something less sweet but not so bitter. i would also like to know why i can't stand drinking portuguese wine after trying italian wine. Do some area of the world just have better grapes?

Answer 1

Portugal actually has some nice wines, not sweet.
Vino Verde is a lovely slightly sparkling wine with light alcohol and crisp fresh tastes.

Some Portugal tasting notes.

91/100 Carm Douro Grande Escolha 2003
Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
Spicy, peppery, coriander, vanilla, licorice nose with black cherry, floral, orange peel, meaty, menthol aromas. Ripe, round, dry palate with ripe, grainy tannins. Intense black cherry, peppery, spicy, coriander, plum, licorice, minty, spicy, orange flavours with a cedar, tobacco, chocolate, prune finish. Excellent fruit and intensity with some young tannins to shed. Will improve over the next 2-7 years. Well done.

91/100 Meãndro Douro Red 2003
Douro Superior, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
Sweet vanilla, black pepper, black licorice, plum jam, cherry compote, violet, cardamom aromas with a waxy, lanolin note but big fruit. Rich, ripe, round, warm and supple with light, slightly rustic tannins. Huge black cherry jam, chocolate, peppery, blackberry, orange peel, vanilla, spicy garrigue flavours. Long, warm, sexy style with great fruit. Great effort for the Douro.

95/100 Quinta do Vale Meão Douro Red 2003
Douro Superior, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
Wow! What a fabulous bottle of wine. It's not very often you come across a wine like this and the fact that it comes from the Douro justifies all the work and energy of a handful of Douro producers who have put the upper Douro's dry red wine on the map. Look for savoury mouth-watering black fruit with hints of chocolate and impeccable balance. Now tasted twice in the last six months this is the real deal. Floral, peppery, black raspberry jam, black tea, cassis, dry stones, garrigue, licorice, aromas with a creamy vanilla note. Rich, ripe, round and suave with supple tannins and some warmth. Intense black cherry jam, kirsch, licorice, vanilla, peppery, cardamom and orange peel flavours with a floral, black plum, chocolate finish. Long, dry and intense with great balance. Will improve for 3-7 years. A joy to drink or keep

90/100 Quinta Vale D. Maria Douro Vinho Tinto 2003
Rio Torto, Cima Corga, Douro Valley, Northern Portugal, Portugal
Ripe cherry, plum, strong mineral, licorice root, vanilla, spicy, olive, peppery tobacco nose with a hint of orange rind. Rich, ripe, concentrated with good acidity but slightly tannic and hot. Great spicy, vanilla, cherry, plum, clove, licorice, chocolate and orange peel flavours. Fresh but ripe and rich with some elegance.


I've only added Portugesse wines that have scored 90+ points and are recently released to ensure availability

Answer 2

you might try some wine from spain next door. They do a nice red call rioja and another call Tempranillo. Very similar in style to Chianti in Italy. Garancha is also another light red wine. Kind of like a rose style wine (NOT WHITE ZIN = NOT SWEET).

as far as why you don't like portuguese wine anymore, you may just have found a different region. I for one cannot stand most napa cabernet anymore. I discovered cab from other regions and I just entirely dislike the wine that put the area on the map. It is just preference. And it has nothing to do with grapes being better than others.

Answer 3

Try a chianti. Lighter Italian red, but not sweet!

Wine tasting is a journey that lasts for a lifetime. Expect your palate to continue to change.

Answer 4

I have been told purtuguese wines are very strong, I you are looking for the perfect wine I would try santa margurita pinot grigio, about 20 dollars a bottle. chill and let breathe for 30 mins. hope that helps.

Answer 5

Actually, it's the soil that makes the difference. Acidity, alkalinity, etc. The grapes are important, yes, but the soil the is the defining quality.

Answer 6

WIne... Never tried

Answer 7

some places due have better grapes due to climate changes - go easy on the alcohol...

Answer 8

callifornia is a large place of grapes production n defin8ly wine.....
they must be strong.....n u can have such info through net search,,,,

Answer 9

have a look here:
http://www.volcanoetna.net/en/sicilian-food/the-typical-wines-of-the-etna.html

Answer 10

yep