I often lose track of how long I have been writing this weekly column for and how many different Portuguese wines I have written about. But as far as I can remember, I started at least eight years ago and have only rarely missed a week so that is at least 400 different wines.
I had first tried this Pinot Noir from the Adega Mãe winery in the Lisbon region back in 2016 and, in an article I wrote back then, I dismissed it as a rather poor effort in favour of mentioning the excellent Sauvignon Blanc produced at the same winery.
It has taken me all these years to give it another try, and I am pleased to say that with the vines being a few years older, it is now very good and well worth the €14.95 price tag at Apolónia.
On the nose, it is pure Pinot with give-away cherry notes and evident oak, light to medium bodied in the mouth with nice acidity giving it freshness and good depth of flavour.
Being from the 2019 harvest, this is a young wine but is already drinking well, especially slightly chilled, but with another few years in the bottle, this should become a very interesting Pinot.
By Patrick Stuart
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