I am Portuguese and Dão used to be my go to region. Regarding red wines, today, I tend to prefer wines from Bairrada, mainly the ones made from the Baga grape. There are many styles of Baga today, but the classic style is somewhat similar to the wines made from nebbiolo. I should mention some producers from Dão and Bairrada, for me, some of the best are: (Dão) Quinta da Pellada, Quinta dos Roques, Quinta da Falorca, Druida from Mira do Ó, Niepoort Quinta da Lomba; (Bairrada) Filipa Pato, Luís Pato, Niepoort Quinta de Baixo and Gonçalves Faria, Campolargo and Kompassus. Both of these regions have great red and white wines, they´re probably not easy to find in North America, but I am shure most of them have distribution there.
Thank you for the detailed comment. Funny thing, Bairrada was my second choice for this video. When I visited Portugal a few months ago, I attended a masterclass on Baga. Also many solid examples were part of a wine competition that I judge in, some are mentioned in your list. In terms of availability in export markets, it appears that Dao has a bit more reach, therefore I opted for it over Bairrada. Also, for me, I’ve been drinking a good amount of Dao in recent months, very much liking the value. Cheers. 🍷
Good video! We did a Portuguese dinner not too long ago and had only wines from there. 6 courses with 4 reds, two whites. Very versatile Wine regions. Dao was present 🍷. Thank you.
Thanks Carl. When I visited there a few months back, I thought the whites were outstanding. Unfortunately, not the easiest to find, at least in my market. Cheers!
Thank you Dmitri, trying to improve the videos, improved editing, better sound quality, more than just me talking, etc. It’s a bit of an old dog trying to learn a new trick! 😂 Cheers!
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Absolutely, Bob. What I like about your videos is that they are right to the point and coming from a person who is truly enthusiastic about wine and have years of experience an dedication. Not to say your MW designation. And above all you are humble and trustworthy. I cant wait until you start doing some Zoom-based wine tastings, seminars, etc. Just hang on, your UA-cam audience will pick up.
@@dmitrivassiliev15 Much appreciated. The channel is performing way above the norm for year one. I trust the future is bright. The social media bit needs work, it’s become a greater focus.
I have much more experience with the Douro than Dão, so I’m glad for the recommendation. Touriga Nacional dominant wines from good producers are always great bargains in my moo ice opinion. Interesting that you don’t revisit wines much in a year. The same is true for me, as I prioritize learning (for fun, I’m not in the trade) above all.
Hi Andrew, Douro receives a good deal more attention than Dao, but it’s definitely worth trying. I’ll post a video on some white wine finds from Portugal before too long. I often prefer to not drink the same wine often, I find mixing it up works to my liking. Cheers. 🍷
Well that's going on the shopping list. I've been exploring wines from Alentejo recently, and know very little about wines from Dão. Looking forward to trying it.
So I live in Portugal, just south of Porto. And I can't find the Altimo anywhere :-( I've emailed the Quinta to see if it's bottled under a different name in Portugal.@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine
Thanks for the video Bob, always enjoy reading the detailed descriptions as well! What other grape variety would you most compare Touriga Nacional to? I have heard people say its relatively similiar in character to cab sauv but have not tasted enough examples to really be able to confirm/deny myself. Also, it would be interesting to see you do a video on South African wines. Maybe comparing cabs and chenins to their international counterparts and/or exploring differences between their regional styles (idk). Have recently been obsessed with some slighly more obscure SA wines (field blends and chenin coming out of swartzland, and old vine cinsaults from throughout the cape)
I appreciate the good word. Touriga Nacional is somewhere between Cab Sauv and Syrah. Good depth of color, solid weight, savory and a bit spicy. Funny thing that you mention SA. It’s in the queue, I generally like the wines and the value can be off the charts.
Portuguese wines offer incredible value for money, arguably the best from Western Europe, at least. I haven't been drinking as much Portuguese wines as of late due to market availability, but they give a lot of pleasure and excitement. From my experience I see the Dao as somewhat of a halfway point between the Douro and Alentejo. With most Douro wines being more structured, complex and multilayered and wines from Alentejo sometimes having higher alcohol, richer fruit and sometimes a bit too much RS for my taste. Dao wines as you mentioned are somewhat in between the two, having brighter fruit, higher acidity as well as being more affordable. (Bairrada is somewhat similar in this regard.) I I generally trust Portuguese wines to offer decent quality for a fair price and I have been rarely disappointed. Sometimes there is a wow moment, but generally they are affordable, enjoyable and pleasurable wines. Cheers!
Hi Solomon, thank you for the detailed comment. As you mentioned, many good Portuguese wines, most at great values. I’m a big fan of Baga as well, interesting grape variety. Alentejo is another for outstanding value. Cheers, 🍷
Hello Bob, I have noticed that at least two wines that you have recommended are carried by Total Wine. A review of Total Wine might be interesting. Thanks.
Hello Thomas, I like your idea. Total, Costco and Trader Joe’s are sources that I use often. The wine trade is very fragmented, but I try to show wines that a wide audience can find. In recent months, much of the channel growth has come from overseas. It’s makes wine selection more difficult. Cheers!
Bob, I picked up a few bottles today of the Altimo. I put it on the table this evening paired to chicken Cordon Bleu. A fantastic wine at the price point. The best part was the initial taste, the wine is distinct and different from other red varietals. Thanks, Bob for the great recommendation.
Really really tough job to (know and) find Portuguese wines in Spain, truly a shame. I find Portugal an overwhelming treasure hunt for wine lovers, with so many riches just laying there for one to find. Lovely grapes and lively description! Cheers!
Just like finding Spanish wine in Portugal, not easy. I’ve been a Portuguese wine fan for many years, but you’ve upped their game in recent years. Cheers!
Hi Bob, unfortunately none of the wines you have linked seem to be available in the UK. I was only able to find the last two that could be imported but I would have to pay transport + import duties so not very feasible.. what a shame! Thanks anyway, I really enjoyed this video and discovering this new region 😊
Dão is my favourite wine region for reds. When you get to the top producers (honourable mention to Quinta da Pellada) I think they are as good as Grand Cru Burgundy and surprisingly I find the tasting profile extremely similar even though it's almost never Pinot. I wanna make another honourable mention to another producer, Textura wines which was founded by a Brazilian back in 2018 and has been bringing up an extensive portfolio with many different profiles but always preserving the elegance of a Dão. It is a pity that it's mostly cheaper wines that get exported.
Thank you for the detailed comment. I’m a fan of the region as well. I need to research Textura. And you’re 100% spot on, the exports are mostly built on low price point options.
Thanks again for the great content Bob! I’ve drank some really nice Dão wines at an amazing value indeed. Do you know if there are also some top wines in that region that would be meant for aging?
Hello Felipe, thank you for the nice comment. I’ve not had much aged Dao beyond about five years, but I recall a Quinta dos Roques Reserva that was drinking well at ten years age. Cheers.
Thank you as always! I’ve not been overly thrilled with Sicilian Chard. Pick up a higher end Grillo instead. Better and more tied to the region. Cheers!
Would very much look forward to your thoughts on Dao white wines, particularly Encruzado, of which I have had lovely young and aged examples. Perhaps you have no control over what ads are run in front of your videos, but it is still disappointing that your excellent and sophisticated content being preceded by an ad for factory plonk, i.e. Josh.😢
Thank you for the comment. I can’t control the specific ads connected to my videos. I can opt in or out of wine advertisements in general only. UA-cam does the rest. I’ve noticed that Josh ads just recently started. At least the ads have no impact on the content of my videos.
I’m heading back to Portugal in a few weeks. After my first trip, I came to feel that many California regions are missing a trick by not trying out more Portuguese varietals. Many of them seem to have evolved to maintain great balance in the face of high heat. The whites, in particular, seem to provide great interest in flavor and aroma, as well as holding acidity in the face of heat. That’s my, non professional, sense at any rate
I think you’re spot on. It’ll likely never be a high demand wine from Cali, but Portuguese whites could be a nice niche play. I agree on the acidity comment as well. Many holds acidity in warm climates. Cheers!
off subject but could please give me a cpl of reds i could try that are under 20$ that are complex..( if complexity exists at that price point). I have just started this journey,my wine budget is quite low but would like find something interesting.. I live In rural Texas,nearest wine store is an hour away so maybe a few choices that can be found in the grocery store.. That is,if anything interesting can be found in the wine section of the grocery store.. At this early point i am simply trying to experience everything.. I am also Trying to work through the varitals so i can understand the building blocks.
You’re approaching this in a very planful. I think you’ll get up to speed quickly. As for your shopping trip for under $20 reds, look for the following: a Paso Robles Cab Sauv, an Oregon Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) and an Australian Shiraz. This would give you a solid mix to experiment with. I hope that helps. Cheers. 🍷
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Ty,it does.. I will look for one of those on my next trip. tonight i am trying my first barolo. I had to choose between 'Kirkland Barolo' and 'Virna Borgogni il'. I ended up getting the Verna. Although I am not sure what kind of Barolo you get at that price point at least my palate is inexperienced enough to not know the difference,lol.
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine it was great.. It is very interesting how it is so light in color compared to how tannic it is.. It was tight when i opened it but as the evening progressed it opened up nicely.. Although it seems that it takes more time for a Barolo to 'open up' than it does for a Cab or something.. I cant wait to see how it is tonight.. I told my wife "honey,I have a HUGE problem" "what's that" "Barolo is now my favorite varital"(on a cheap beer budget ,lol) It is both powerful and elegant at the same time,if that makes sense.
I am Portuguese and Dão used to be my go to region. Regarding red wines, today, I tend to prefer wines from Bairrada, mainly the ones made from the Baga grape. There are many styles of Baga today, but the classic style is somewhat similar to the wines made from nebbiolo. I should mention some producers from Dão and Bairrada, for me, some of the best are: (Dão) Quinta da Pellada, Quinta dos Roques, Quinta da Falorca, Druida from Mira do Ó, Niepoort Quinta da Lomba; (Bairrada) Filipa Pato, Luís Pato, Niepoort Quinta de Baixo and Gonçalves Faria, Campolargo and Kompassus. Both of these regions have great red and white wines, they´re probably not easy to find in North America, but I am shure most of them have distribution there.
Thank you for the detailed comment. Funny thing, Bairrada was my second choice for this video. When I visited Portugal a few months ago, I attended a masterclass on Baga. Also many solid examples were part of a wine competition that I judge in, some are mentioned in your list. In terms of availability in export markets, it appears that Dao has a bit more reach, therefore I opted for it over Bairrada. Also, for me, I’ve been drinking a good amount of Dao in recent months, very much liking the value. Cheers. 🍷
Can you write how to pronounce the regions and grape names.
@@numanuma20 I’ll look to include key words in future videos.
I remember Dao from my youth. As total plunk..
Ill give it a try again... Thanks Bob. :)
I remember the plonk days as well. Let me know what you think after giving it a go. Cheers. 🍷
Good video! We did a Portuguese dinner not too long ago and had only wines from there. 6 courses with 4 reds, two whites. Very versatile Wine regions. Dao was present 🍷. Thank you.
Thanks Carl. When I visited there a few months back, I thought the whites were outstanding. Unfortunately, not the easiest to find, at least in my market. Cheers!
Love Dao wines, bold but still very elegant with pine trees/resin interesting aromas
It’s good to know there’s another big fan of Dao!
I love that the rules for Portugal allow for a wide verity of grapes and field blends are still done.
Definitely, keeps it interesting!
Another great video. Your channel is addictive, Bob. Thanks!
Thank you Dmitri, trying to improve the videos, improved editing, better sound quality, more than just me talking, etc. It’s a bit of an old dog trying to learn a new trick! 😂 Cheers!
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Absolutely, Bob. What I like about your videos is that they are right to the point and coming from a person who is truly enthusiastic about wine and have years of experience an dedication. Not to say your MW designation. And above all you are humble and trustworthy. I cant wait until you start doing some Zoom-based wine tastings, seminars, etc. Just hang on, your UA-cam audience will pick up.
@@dmitrivassiliev15 Much appreciated. The channel is performing way above the norm for year one. I trust the future is bright. The social media bit needs work, it’s become a greater focus.
I have much more experience with the Douro than Dão, so I’m glad for the recommendation. Touriga Nacional dominant wines from good producers are always great bargains in my moo ice opinion.
Interesting that you don’t revisit wines much in a year. The same is true for me, as I prioritize learning (for fun, I’m not in the trade) above all.
Hi Andrew, Douro receives a good deal more attention than Dao, but it’s definitely worth trying. I’ll post a video on some white wine finds from Portugal before too long. I often prefer to not drink the same wine often, I find mixing it up works to my liking. Cheers. 🍷
Well that's going on the shopping list. I've been exploring wines from Alentejo recently, and know very little about wines from Dão. Looking forward to trying it.
It’s definitely worth searching out. I don’t know where you’re based, but the wines from Dao are rather plentiful where I’m based. Cheers. 🍷
So I live in Portugal, just south of Porto. And I can't find the Altimo anywhere :-( I've emailed the Quinta to see if it's bottled under a different name in Portugal.@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine
Thanks for the video Bob, always enjoy reading the detailed descriptions as well!
What other grape variety would you most compare Touriga Nacional to? I have heard people say its relatively similiar in character to cab sauv but have not tasted enough examples to really be able to confirm/deny myself.
Also, it would be interesting to see you do a video on South African wines. Maybe comparing cabs and chenins to their international counterparts and/or exploring differences between their regional styles (idk). Have recently been obsessed with some slighly more obscure SA wines (field blends and chenin coming out of swartzland, and old vine cinsaults from throughout the cape)
I appreciate the good word. Touriga Nacional is somewhere between Cab Sauv and Syrah. Good depth of color, solid weight, savory and a bit spicy. Funny thing that you mention SA. It’s in the queue, I generally like the wines and the value can be off the charts.
Portuguese wines offer incredible value for money, arguably the best from Western Europe, at least. I haven't been drinking as much Portuguese wines as of late due to market availability, but they give a lot of pleasure and excitement. From my experience I see the Dao as somewhat of a halfway point between the Douro and Alentejo. With most Douro wines being more structured, complex and multilayered and wines from Alentejo sometimes having higher alcohol, richer fruit and sometimes a bit too much RS for my taste.
Dao wines as you mentioned are somewhat in between the two, having brighter fruit, higher acidity as well as being more affordable. (Bairrada is somewhat similar in this regard.) I I generally trust Portuguese wines to offer decent quality for a fair price and I have been rarely disappointed. Sometimes there is a wow moment, but generally they are affordable, enjoyable and pleasurable wines. Cheers!
Hi Solomon, thank you for the detailed comment. As you mentioned, many good Portuguese wines, most at great values. I’m a big fan of Baga as well, interesting grape variety. Alentejo is another for outstanding value. Cheers, 🍷
It's been quite a long time since I tried Dao, but felt it was uninteresting. Given your tastings, I'll have to try it again. Thanks.
Value for the money, it’s on the short list. Cheers. 🍷
Hello Bob,
I have noticed that at least two wines that you have recommended are carried by Total Wine. A review of Total Wine might be interesting. Thanks.
Hello Thomas, I like your idea. Total, Costco and Trader Joe’s are sources that I use often. The wine trade is very fragmented, but I try to show wines that a wide audience can find. In recent months, much of the channel growth has come from overseas. It’s makes wine selection more difficult. Cheers!
Bob, I picked up a few bottles today of the Altimo. I put it on the table this evening paired to chicken Cordon Bleu. A fantastic wine at the price point. The best part was the initial taste, the wine is distinct and different from other red varietals. Thanks, Bob for the great recommendation.
I’m happy to read your message! The wine is a gem. Cheers! 🍷
Really really tough job to (know and) find Portuguese wines in Spain, truly a shame. I find Portugal an overwhelming treasure hunt for wine lovers, with so many riches just laying there for one to find. Lovely grapes and lively description! Cheers!
Just like finding Spanish wine in Portugal, not easy. I’ve been a Portuguese wine fan for many years, but you’ve upped their game in recent years. Cheers!
Hi Bob, unfortunately none of the wines you have linked seem to be available in the UK. I was only able to find the last two that could be imported but I would have to pay transport + import duties so not very feasible.. what a shame! Thanks anyway, I really enjoyed this video and discovering this new region 😊
Hmm, as a plan be look for a Dao from Sogrape.
Dão is my favourite wine region for reds. When you get to the top producers (honourable mention to Quinta da Pellada) I think they are as good as Grand Cru Burgundy and surprisingly I find the tasting profile extremely similar even though it's almost never Pinot.
I wanna make another honourable mention to another producer, Textura wines which was founded by a Brazilian back in 2018 and has been bringing up an extensive portfolio with many different profiles but always preserving the elegance of a Dão.
It is a pity that it's mostly cheaper wines that get exported.
Thank you for the detailed comment. I’m a fan of the region as well. I need to research Textura. And you’re 100% spot on, the exports are mostly built on low price point options.
Thanks again for the great content Bob! I’ve drank some really nice Dão wines at an amazing value indeed. Do you know if there are also some top wines in that region that would be meant for aging?
Hello Felipe, thank you for the nice comment. I’ve not had much aged Dao beyond about five years, but I recall a Quinta dos Roques Reserva that was drinking well at ten years age. Cheers.
Thanks a lot Bob! Cheers!!
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine
@@felipe_callado Thank you for supporting my channel.
Nice video as always! What is your opinion on Sicilian Chardonnay?
Thank you as always! I’ve not been overly thrilled with Sicilian Chard. Pick up a higher end Grillo instead. Better and more tied to the region. Cheers!
Would very much look forward to your thoughts on Dao white wines, particularly Encruzado, of which I have had lovely young and aged examples.
Perhaps you have no control over what ads are run in front of your videos, but it is still disappointing that your excellent and sophisticated content being preceded by an ad for factory plonk, i.e. Josh.😢
Thank you for the comment. I can’t control the specific ads connected to my videos. I can opt in or out of wine advertisements in general only. UA-cam does the rest. I’ve noticed that Josh ads just recently started. At least the ads have no impact on the content of my videos.
I’m heading back to Portugal in a few weeks. After my first trip, I came to feel that many California regions are missing a trick by not trying out more Portuguese varietals. Many of them seem to have evolved to maintain great balance in the face of high heat. The whites, in particular, seem to provide great interest in flavor and aroma, as well as holding acidity in the face of heat. That’s my, non professional, sense at any rate
I think you’re spot on. It’ll likely never be a high demand wine from Cali, but Portuguese whites could be a nice niche play. I agree on the acidity comment as well. Many holds acidity in warm climates. Cheers!
off subject but could please give me a cpl of reds i could try that are under 20$ that are complex..( if complexity exists at that price point).
I have just started this journey,my wine budget is quite low but would like find something interesting..
I live In rural Texas,nearest wine store is an hour away so maybe a few choices that can be found in the grocery store..
That is,if anything interesting can be found in the wine section of the grocery store..
At this early point i am simply trying to experience everything..
I am also Trying to work through the varitals so i can understand the building blocks.
You’re approaching this in a very planful. I think you’ll get up to speed quickly. As for your shopping trip for under $20 reds, look for the following: a Paso Robles Cab Sauv, an Oregon Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley) and an Australian Shiraz. This would give you a solid mix to experiment with. I hope that helps. Cheers. 🍷
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine Ty,it does.. I will look for one of those on my next trip.
tonight i am trying my first barolo.
I had to choose between 'Kirkland Barolo' and 'Virna Borgogni il'.
I ended up getting the Verna.
Although I am not sure what kind of Barolo you get at that price point at least my palate is inexperienced enough to not know the difference,lol.
@@notoverlyacerbic9574 Let me know your thoughts on the Barolo. You notice it changes (for the better) with time open. Cheers. 🍷
@@bobpaulinskimasterofwine it was great..
It is very interesting how it is so light in color compared to how tannic it is..
It was tight when i opened it but as the evening progressed it opened up nicely..
Although it seems that it takes more time for a Barolo to 'open up' than it does for a Cab or something..
I cant wait to see how it is tonight..
I told my wife
"honey,I have a HUGE problem"
"what's that"
"Barolo is now my favorite varital"(on a cheap beer budget ,lol)
It is both powerful and elegant at the same time,if that makes sense.