If you read this blog you know there has been a lot of Portuguese wine reviewed of late. Since Fred Thurber introduced us to some of the incredible values you can find from that region we’ve been on an 
expedition of Portuguese wine drinking. We haven’t loved all of them, but we can say that about any region. We have found some of the best values you can imagine though, and are still scratching the surface.
For the most part we’ve been drinking wine in the $5 to $15 range, which left us wondering exactly what the top end might be like, especially with the outrageous quality of the lower priced wines. Well, Wine Spectator just provided a hint, as they rated three Portuguese wines in their Top Ten for 2014, at #1, #3 and #4 to be exact. The wines are all from the Douro region, including a port and two dry red blends of the Tourigas: Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. They’re also pricey at $82, $55 and $76. Here they are:
#1: 2011 Dow’s Vintage Port – $82 release price
#3: 2011 Chryseia Douro from Prats & Symington – $55 release price
#4: 2011 Quinta do Vale Meao Vinho Tinto – $76 release price
Now, I have never really loved dry wines made from Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. That has changed with our recent foray back into Portuguese wines, but most of those have had other grapes, like Tinta Roriz, in the mix. I’m not sure what to expect from the two above. Yet, in the interest of exploration we’ll try and get a bottle and see what all the fuss is about. As for vintage port, well I have always loved that. There are bottles of Dow’s 1977 and 2000 Vintage Port, among many others, sitting in our cellar now just waiting for the right moment.
It’s great that Portugal is getting some of the credit it deserves. Keep in mind you don’t have to spend anywhere near these amounts to get a good Portuguese wine though. We’ve listed at least a dozen over the past few months that will bring you great pleasure for little money. Hopefully the rise to fame does not take all the rest up in price, but we’ll see. Surely there will be several other Portuguese gems in the full Top 100, which will be out on the 17th.
If we get a bottle of any of these three we’ll let you know what we find out. In the meantime, it is definitely time to open that bottle of 100% Touriga Nacional in the cellar and exorcise my demons with the grape, one way or the other.
A votre sante!
I am anxious to hear what you have to say about the 100% Touriga Nacional (from Sarmento). I loved it.