The back label of this wine describes the 2018 Dona Maria Grand Reserva from Alentejo, Portugal, as a vino tinto (red table wine). It is much more. This is a carefully crafted blend of Alicante Bouschet (50%), Touriga Nacional, Petit Verdot, and Syrah. Here’s where it gets fun – foot treading and fermenting in marble “lagares” – then aged in French oak barriques.
The wine is inky purple with no apparent aging on the rim. It presents black fruit, cinnamon, and herbs on the nose, and finishes long and strong on the palate. Drink now or hold one to two years.
The alcohol is a bit high for my preference at 14.5 percent, but the overall structure of the wine holds and supports it well. This wine is dedicated to winemaker Julio Basto’s father.
Read Julio’s Wine Character’s interview to learn more.