Today’s Sip of the Day is a great wine for food pairing, as the bottling we’re going to cover seems like it was created specifically with a steak in mind. Just as big, rich, and juicy as a prime cut (and all for just over $10), I knew I was going to have to feature this one from the very first sip.
Tinto da Anfora is a red blend, coming from the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. Half of the blend is composed of Aragonez, the local name for the Tempranillo grape, better known for its role in the wines of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. The native Portuguese grapes Trincadeira and Touriga Nacional then each make up twenty percent of the blend. Both are commonly added to Port blends because of their intensity in color, aroma, and flavor, as well as their firm, somewhat tannic structure and body. The remaining ten percent of the blend is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, adding some more heft to the end product. Following blending, this wine was fermented, and then aged for a year, in oak.
Deep and inky dark aromatically, this wine wells up with black plum skin, black currant, and small, tart blackberries on the nose. Notes of smoke, a faint dark chocolate undertone, and hints of cigar wrapper show as well, with blackberry leaves and vanilla appearing with a spin in the glass.
The palate is an electric explosion of acidity, tannins, and subtle bitterness. Everything is well controlled and integrated, but also quite lively. Black currant, black plum skin, and cherry pits show at first, leading into notes of leather, wood, cigar wrapper, and stone. A very unique and intense wine with great balance.
Worth Trying. 91 points.
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The Grapevine: What’s your experience with Portuguese wines?
