cardamom

Lagar De Darei Red 2012, Doc Dão

Medium bodied, musty, and dry as an Egyptian tomb. Dusty tannins plus good acidity. Not exactly polished but has undeniable rustic charm. (Jan 2017)

Just retried a second bottle (Oct 2017). More polished than my notes above suggest. There are still bottles of this floating around the system. At $14, this is good value. I think I will pick up another.

3rd bottle (May 2018) - the one I bought above. Quite overwhelming "barnyard" aroma. Still good acidity and quite smooth, but I have downgraded the rating. Oddly, quite a good match for some bad General Tao frozen chicken.

Chivite Gran Feudo Rose 2015, Navarra

Agree with Steve's tasting notes but I will give this an 88. Pretty robust for a rose. It can take on fairly substantial fare at the dinner table.

Lantides Ancient Varietal Moschofilero 2014, Pgi Peloponnese

Quite austere but clean. Agree with Michael, no discernible fruit but the stoney background is appealing. No bitterness, which is a plus.

Grover Zampa Art Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Nandi Hills, Karnataka, India

In contrast to David Lawrason, I find this quite acidic. Has a certain textural plushness but lacking in the middle somehow. Maybe this is what David means by a palate of 'low intensity'? Interesting detour at the current sell-off price of $11+. My comments should be taken with a grain of salt because sauvignon blanc is generally not my thing.

Periquita White 2016, Peninsula De Setubal

What a great value! I like this much better than the 2013: rounder and fuller. Good both on its own and with food. No flaws combined with good complexity.

Barone Montalto Nero D'Avola Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Not working for me. Harsh, coupled with some unpleasant residual sweetness.

Quinta De Bons-ventos 2015, Vinho Regional Lisboa

A little flabby. Good complexity but not enough acidity and too much residual sweetness.

Kilian Hunn Pinot Noir 2014, Qualitätswein

Deceptively pale coloured. This is quite assertive and has good pinot character, with some alcohol and wood in the background. Nicely tart and some strawberry aromas. Certainly an interesting detour for the money and very enjoyable.

Coyote'S Run Pinot Noir 2016, VQA Niagara Peninsula

Quite delicious. Full bodied (for a pinot) but tart. Not particularly fruity as berry flavours do not predominate. An unexpectedly serious pinot.

Confidencial Reserva 2014, Vinho Regional Lisboa

Quite acidic, which is balanced against high residual sugar. Not a wine-making style that works for me outside of the riesling universe. Quite smooth and dense.