This coming Sunday is the last day of the Apolónia wine fair and, no doubt, by now many of the greatest bargains will have sold out.
It was on the first day of the fair that I visited to snap up some bargains for my own collection and discovered this Douro white, Flor de S. José, reduced by 25% to €8.99.
There is real expression of fruit here and a depth of flavour that makes this wine punch well above its weight even at the normal retail price of €11.99. The wine is made from a blend of the Douro’s three most important wine grapes, Viosinho, Rabigato and Gouveio, fermented in stainless steel and aged on the lees for six months. On the nose there are intense tropical fruit and citric notes, a fresh minerality in the mouth with a slightly creamy texture balanced by excellent acidity.
This is a very versatile white, fresh and lively enough to be enjoyed on its own, but with sufficient body and flavour to work well with food.
