My neighborhood gig:
Started out with these wines on the self-pour table along with a big pile of hot, blistered pimientos de Padron:
2013 Grao Vasco Dao Branco, $9: more body than one expects at this price. Possibly extracted but without that telltale slick-grip, so not sure if it isn't natural to the grapes. Nice.
2013 Caiu a Nolte Vinho Verde, $9: average to the point of being boring, indistinguishable from the wine below. Like drinking water.
2013 Nobilis Vinho Verde, $8: average to the point of being boring, indistinguishable from the wine above. Retailer reports this is her best seller. God knows why. Must be price, or the bluish hue of the bottle.
2013 Avelada Vinho Verde, $7.49: how hilarious. Cheapest of the three and it trumps all takers. This actually has flavor and character. Would even buy this myself for summer.
Also, we passed around a white port cocktail made from NV Rocha Dry White Port ($9 for a 375). Poured over broken basil leaf and topped with Schweppes Tonic, 50/50. Big hit with the crowd.
For the reds, the final votes were interesting. First and Second were a virtual tie at 56 and 51 points each, with the 2nd place wine actually having one more first place vote with 9 vs. 8. Third, Fourth and Fifth place were 32, 32 and 31--truly a three-way tie, with 7, 5 and 5 first place votes respectively.
2011 Vinhos Sogrape Dão Grao VascoTouriga Nacional, $9
Lighter bodied for a Dao with cherry and wildberry fruit, a green note like tarragon, and easy tannins. So at noon when I opened the bottles, it showed like a reasonable "pizza wine", but after the tasting, sampling through the various bottles at home, this little cheapie ($9) was the most balanced and satisfying drink of all. Group 3rd place in a three-way tie.
2011 Quinta dos Carvalhais Dão Duque de Viseu, $12
Black currant and red cherry fruit. A shade lighter in color and body than the typical blackberry-saturated Daos on the table, but not underweight--think Rioja vs. Ribera del Duoro. Terrific balance and complexity that needs time and air to show it's best. My #2 out of 5, but only tied for 3rd with the group. One of the best $12 wines I've had in a long time.
2009 Companhia das Quintas Douro Fronteira - Selecção do Enólogo. $20
Ripe and full-bodied. Blackberry, spice and minerals were good on the front end but the finish is espresso-bitter (think that was the alcohol talking) and heavy. Passed up the exceptional 2011 for the tasting (bought it for myself, though) and bought this instead, hoping for more development from the extra years of bottle age but alas, not here yet. Needs more time in bottle, though it can't lose the alcohol. Was the least appealing of the five in the late night retasting at home. Tied for group 3rd.
2011 Quinta do Vale Meão Douro Meandro, $25
Blackberry, earth, black olives and spice with a hint of Christmas tree. Rather Haut-Medoc, or even a rustically style $40-50 Washington cabernet but will add elegance with time. Showed very well after four hours' decanting. My 3rd place, group 2nd.
2012 Vinhos Sogrape Alentejo Callabriga, $20
From Portugal's warmer southern plains, extroverted and friendly with rich black cherry, plum and other red notes. Merlotish with a lovely sweet finish--not my usual favorite thing but this was particularly attractive. Sufficient tannic structure for 3-5 year cellaring. For once I agreed with the group: their 1st, my 1st.
Then after dinner, a real showstopper:
1996 Broadbent Colheita Madeira
$50 isn't usually the price point for affordability, but when you're talking vintage Madeira $50 is extremely affordable compared to the $$$ antiques. Released in 2008 (Colheitas are aged in barrel a minimum of 7 years) and made only in vintages of exceptional quality and abundance, this is one of only two vintage Colheitas released by Broadbent in the last 20 years. The other was 1999.) Caramel, apricot, date bar, meyer lemon, and grapefruit pick up notes of toffee and dark chocolate in the kind of long finish you expect to wake up tasting the next morning. Mellow and tangy, lightly viscuous, from 100% tinta negra. I served this with freshly-made salted caramel dark chocolate bars from a local chocolatier.