Still hooked on whites from Portugal but....!

WTN: `07 Herdade do Esporao Reserva Branca, Alenteja.

A different style when first tasted with the winemaker who made a visit to Edmonton 2 yrs ago, oak matured in French and American oak not normally my style of white from Portugal. But purchased for research purposes and kindly autographed by Mr Baverstock!

$29 Cdn, blend of Roupeiro, Arinto and Antao Vaz, cellared chez Doris for 2 yrs!

Color is a medium yellow, some light oak tones on the nose, citrus, white stone-fruit and showing some spice. Initial entry thought was off-dry, still some oak, butterscotch, long finish. Lots of tropical fruit here, nice depth but some here might think too "modern". "Crisp acidity" from across the table but questioned if "this is the way to go?"

Esporao wines tend to be well made but unabashedly modern in style, even more than is the norm in Alentejo. I tend to be more impressed with their low end stuff like the Monte Velho wines, which are unavoidable as a by the glass selection in local Portuguese restaurants. These wines are quite remarkable, considering you can buy a whole bottle for about $7 here. The higher end stuff (or what I have tasted of it) seems almost Australian.

Do you get the Portal do Fidalgo (PROVAM co-op) Alvarinho Vinho Verde in Alberta? The 2009 bottling is a smashing wine for the price (about $12 here).

Joe, thought you might turn up!! I think Baverstock is an Aussie, so spot on.
When he was here in town, he presented most of his "higher-end" stuff and I noted a change in style as compared to say Crasto or Portal, maybe even CARM.
Will try the Monte Velho, no access here to the Portal do Fidalgo.

Bob

I didn't mean to imply that Monte Velho was a wine geek wine, just that it is a very inexpensive everyday wine that might fool a few people into thinking it was a more expensive bottle. Baverstock admits to using microxygenation, oak chips and the whole gamut in making these wines, so the geeks would be appalled....