Portugal: Red, Douro
2015: Gold 4 Silver 4 Bronze 1 Commended 5
2014: Gold 1 Silver 4 Bronze 3 Commended 0
If you’re the kind of person who likes their wines to enter a room quietly and stand demurely in the corner until spoken to, then you should probably cover your ears now. The Douro reds here were big, Big, BIG. The vinous equivalent of Caitlin Moran, they did their own thing and didn’t give a damn who they offended in the process.
But, crucially, this year, as well as having plenty of character, they were also in balance. In the past, tasters have left these flights with their gums bleeding, but this year it was much love all round. Four Golds for a niche region like this is, to be sure, slightly indulgent, but the quality was simply irresistible.
From the Tasting Teams
‘I liked the style of these; good food wines. I’d feel very confident recommending them to a customer, so long as they didn’t have a problem with oak or alcohol.’ Oscar Miller, Vinoteca King’s Cross
‘People know the Douro for port, so you can recommend these without taking them out of their comfort zone.’ Laura Rhys MS, team leader
‘You could see the real ability of Portuguese wines here. There was concentration. They’re very physical wines with a lot of tannin and fruit. Real personality.’ Matteo Malquori, Hakkasan Hanway Place
‘The balance of the wines we chose was not overpowering or over-concentrated. They had good purity and elegance, especially considering that these are big grape varieties.’ Andrea Briccarello, team leader
‘People are very open to be introduced to these wines. It’s not such an unusual thing to have at the table these days, I don’t think. People are open to having these wines suggested to them.’ Mark Graham, Butlers Wharf Chop House