A premium organic red
A few weeks ago, I wrote about a very unusual “orange” wine from this organic producer located in Redondo, Alentejo. I have since tried a few more of their wines, all very good, so decided to push the boat out and try their top-of-the-range Courela da Torre Reserva red.
This is very much a top-shelf wine – costing close to €40 a bottle retail – but, being produced in very small quantities, it is not likely to find its way to supermarket shelves. I found it at the Convent’bio shop in Lagoa priced at €39.50.
When paying this much money for a bottle of wine, we expect quality and I am pleased to say that this wine really does impress and is up there, in my opinion, with the great reds of the Alentejo.
The vintage currently on sale is the 2016, still very young, but such is the quality that it is already drinking very well. This is a blend of Alicante Bouschet with Aragonez and Trincadeira, aged for 12 months in high-quality new French oak.
The predominant variety, Alicante Bouschet, comes to the front on the nose with its trademark rich forest fruit notes mingling with hints of chocolate, spices and coffee. Full and deeply textured in the mouth with fine tannins and a long smooth finish. More years in the bottle will no doubt reap great rewards.
The wine is also available direct from the Algarve distributor: The Organic Wine Collection – 915 474 033.
By Patrick Stuart
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