Seven wines that should be on every sommelier’s radar this winter
by Jonathan Cristaldi
Quinta da Fonte Souto 2017 Branco, Douro ($25) In September, I spent a week with the Symington family—owners of Dow’s, Warre’s, Cockburn’s, and Graham’s Port houses—touring Portugal’s Douro Valley. We sampled a slew of impressive Ports, but I really want to draw buyers’ attention to the still red and white table wines in the portfolio, particularly this white from the family’s first property outside of the Douro in Portalegre, a subregion of Alto Alentejo in southern Portugal. This debut vintage is a knockout: A blend of 75% Arinto and 25% Verdelho, it’s an ode to Burgundy, with generous weight and rich layers of salted lemon peel, baking spices, ginger, and stone and orchard fruit.
Premium Port Wines
Quinta do Vesuvio 2017 Pombal do Vesuvio, Douro ($27) A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Amarela, with wild-berry aromas meeting garrigue and mocha. The palate shows juicy red berries, new wood cedar, and grippy tannins before finishing with a savory, cured-meat quality that calls to mind the Southern Rhône.
Premium Port Wines
Quinta do Vesuvio 2017 Vintage Port, Douro ($90) 2017 is a declared vintage, and what a beauty this wine is—an opaque ruby hue, it delivers pronounced aromas of violet blossoms, blueberry skin, sun-soaked sagebrush, and blackberry compote. Rich, decadent, soft, and luscious, it teems with blueberry liqueur, salted chocolate, velvety tannins, lifted acidity, and freshness. Drink now through 2080.
Premium Port Wines
Quinta de la Rosa 10 Year Old Tawny Tonel 12 Port, Douro ($36/500-mL) A great value Port, with heady aromas of burnt caramel, flamed orange peel, and roasted hazelnuts. Silken waves of luscious fig compote, crushed walnuts, caramelized sugar, and candied blood orange wash over the palate. Ready to drink now.
Winesellers, Ltd.
Cuvée Grand Esprit Marquis de la Mystèriale Champagne, France ($45) This is a rich, mouth-filling, fine-beaded sparkler packed with caramelized pear and toasty brioche; a hint of crushed almonds precedes a lovely citrus finish. A blend of 59% Chardonnay and 41% Pinot Noir with 12 g/L of residual sugar, it drinks well above its price tag.
Treasury Wine Estates
Zuccardi 2017 Polígonos del Valle de Uco Paraje Altamira Malbec, Uco Valley, Argentina ($30) Inky purple-black color, with loads of blackberry jam, black cherry, and oak spices along with violets and dark-stone minerality. Dense and chewy, it should have a good 30–45 minutes to decant, but this is a sleeper.
Winesellers, Ltd.
Tank Garage Winery 2017 Wild Eyes Red Wine, Napa Valley ($65) Founded by Jim Regusci and James Harder, Tank Garage Winery in Calistoga, California, is a serial producer of small-lot, typically one-off projects of serious pedigree. This probably won’t receive a 100-point score, but it sure drinks perfectly. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot combine to deliver blackberry, blueberry, graphite, sweet baking spices, and a plush mouthfeel. Buyers should inquire about possible on-premise allocations for a unique offering.
