Produce of 100% Encruzado grapes grown in the Dão about an hour's drive almost due south of the heart of the Douro. Encruzado yields a wine that when, as in this case, is well-made can perform much like a fine white Burgundy and, yet, there is a more tactile quality and a breadth to be enjoyed (even moreso with bottle age) that perhaps Chardonnay (anywhere near this wine in price) is more hard-pressed to give. Discreet aromas that hint at citrus flower, lemon peel and pith, white peppercorn and stone; at once both full and mineral crisp on the palate with impressive intensity of flavor and breadth and outright power in reserve; one can easily sense the benefit of aging a bit of this a good bit longer but, then, all of a sudden, we find the bottle is already empty.

Produce of a typical Dão blend (Lote means blend or batch in Portugues) of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Jaen (Mencía) and Alfrocheiro; rich sanguine ruby red in color with an old world allure and vinosidade what with aromas at once both resinous and floral and suggestion of spiced plum and plump berries hanging above an arid vineyard floor at the peak of season; sophisticated and smooth, fully dry, but still country onto the tongue, demonstrating a bit more structure than the previous vintage, but still with both complexity and generosity of flavor and an embracing warmth on the finish.

Produce of 100% Alvarinho (aka Albariño in España) fruit from the "garden vineyards" planted to granitic soils on the southern banks of the river Minho in far northern Portugal (across from Galicia in northwestern Spain); rather immediate aromas suggestive of wine‑moistened stone, flowers and orchard fruits like peach and apple; crisp, mineral tang on the tongue and then a gentler redondeza and salt‑sea salinity (the Atlantic is a beautiful thing indeed from this perspective), finishing innervating and fresh and just begging another pull. This one will compliment both the freshest catch or the finest tin of Iberian conservas and is so highly recommended to beat the typical Texas heat.

Produce of 60% Arinto and 40% Loureiro fruit sustainably‑farmed from a vineyard located in the far southern part of the appellation in the subregion of Basto on a fault line that separates two very different soil types, namely the schist of the northern Douro and the granite of the Douro, imbuing the eventual wine with a profound minerality and weight uncommon for Vinho Verde. Brilliant yellow/gold with emerald reflections; aromas that reflect an amalgam of berry and stone along with suggestion of citrus peel, tart green apple and a hint of fresh green herb; tart and lifted onto the tongue, then demonstrating a certain tactile roundness and palate-drenching, thirst‑quenching, mouthwatering citrusy/grapey flavor that refreshes long on the finish. Henry called it a lipsmacker.

From the Algarve, Portugal with all apparent and attendant love; produce of 100% Negra Mole fruit from 40+ year old vines planted to iron-rich sandy loess mixed with limestone (known locally as arenitos) at 250+ feet above sea level, with the cool maritime influence of the Atlantic Ocean only some 5 miles away and warmed by the Levante winds from Africa. The fruit is harvested by hand into small 20 kilogram crates, crushed gently by foot before undergoing a pre-fermentation maceration for 5 days. It is then fermented slow and cool in stainless steel and aged for 10 months prior to bottling. Oh so translucent ruby at the core to garnet/ruby/fuchsia toward the edges with alluring fragrance suggestive of cherry and wild strawberry, prickly pear, rose petals/rose hips and notions of damp earth; Pinot Noir or Grenache-like supple and silky on the tongue (the wine takes on more volume and breadth with air) but with an underlying nerve and fine granular tannins that keep things balanced and energized. Vinho muito delicioso do Algarve, Portugal. To be sure, we find this a most unique and delicious wine sure to appeal to lovers of more delicate southern Rhône Valley wines, Burgundy, Etna et al.

Joana Maçanita is a dynamo. Her energy, intense focus and passion for every facet of life are infectious — and nowhere is this more apparent than in the wines she makes. Her dedication to her craft is eclipsed only by her talent, and her project in the Douro Valley is a perfect showcase for her full‑speed‑ahead, accept‑no‑substitutes style. Working with her brother Antonio, Joana sources from old vineyards spread across the three subzones of the Douro Valley. In search of freshness and minerality above all else, Joana uses classic Douro grape varieties, sourced from plots planted at high elevations. The wines that result are balanced, elegant, and a transparent expression of true Douro terroir. The Douro vineyards' classification system was enacted in 1935 with the purpose of rating and classifying Douro vineyards to produce the famous fortified wines of the region, that is, Porto. The rating goes from the letter A for the best and most desirable plots to the letter F for those considered less desirable. The vineyards with the best attributes were the ones with southern exposure, low elevation and proximity to the river which made them ideal for maturation, concentration and higher alcohol for Porto. Almost 90 years later, the vineyards classified as Letra F, the underdog with northern exposures, high altitudes and field blends where reds and whites are co‑planted, have become a magnet for young winemakers like Joana, looking for elegance and drinkability. The Douro vineyards that once were the underdog (climate change has somewhat turned the tables on the classification) are now some of the most coveted vineyard plots by the new generation of winemakers. A field blend of more than 20 red and white grape varieties (70% red grapes and 30% white grapes) from vines 70 to 110 years old, planted to granitic soils at an average altitude of 500 metros to 730 metros (1,600 feet to 2,400 feet) in elevation. The fruit is hand‑harvested and is given a cold soak fermentation using wild yeasts (30% to 40% whole cluster), with 28 days maceration, then aged for 12 months in stainless steel. Pure translucent ruby in color with alluring upfront fermentive and perfumed aromas of spicy crunchy fleshy wild berries and bramble with a firm underpinning of stone; supple and yet direct on the palate, this is, dare we say, an almost Burgundian take on Douro, with penetrating flavor and, at once, depth and delicacy, with the gentlest grip of fine but firm tannins stretching complex and refined flavors out long on the finish.

The application of Bordeaux winemaking methods to grapes traditionally destined for the production of vintage Port is the essence of this exciting project between the Prats family (formerly owners of Château Cos d'Estournel in Bordeaux) and the eminent Symington family of Porto and the Douro Valley (and now other parts) of Portugal. Prazo de Roriz is produce of a neo‑classical mingling of 30% Touriga Nacional, 20% Tinta Roriz, 15% Tinta Barroca, 15% Touriga Franca and 20% Preto Misto (aka 'mixed black') varietals typical of the Douro River Valley hand‑harvested from the vineyards of Quinta de Roriz and Quinta da Perdiz. Quinta de Roriz is situated in a natural amphitheatre facing north on the banks of the Douro. Its mineral‑rich, schistous soils give highly aromatic wine of red‑fruited, mineral‑driven character. Quinta da Perdiz lies on a steep gradient on the other side of the same mountain in the relatively closed‑in Rio Torto Valley and produces ripe, soft, velvety wines from this warmer climate. The fruit is hand‑harvested. The wine spends 6 months in 400 litre French oak barrels prior to bottling and eventual release. Altogether, Prazo de Roriz is an exceptional Douro Valley red wine: lovely saturated ruby red with purple reflections, decidedly red‑fruited with aromas suggestive of a mixture of taut wild berries, cherry, cacao, baking spices, grape pomace, a hint of esteva (rock‑rose) and the schistous soils themselves; pure and seamless onto the tongue, taut red berry fruit, a pleasing and wholly refreshing tartness and reminiscence of freshly harvested berries; and, even more and better with air. This is year‑in year‑out our winebuyer's favorite everyday red wine.

Racy and linear up front, this fleshes out on the palate, with silky tannins and a lovely range of black plum reduction, blackberry coulis, medicinal herb and iron flavors that show rich hints of licorice drop and espresso, before reining everything in again on the firm, focused and well-spiced finish. Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca. Best from 2024 through 2034. 3,386 cases made, 300 cases imported. Rated 96- Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, November, 2022

From Douro Valley vineyards of the Symington family in northern Portugal, including the Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, which have traditionally supplied the famed Porto House of Dow. Vale do Bomfim represents a new style of table wine from the Upper Douro Valley, where the region's wealth of grape varieties, mature vineyards and modern winemaking have been successfully combined. Produce of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 20% Touriga Franca and 10% Tinta Barroca, hand‑selected and vinified at the Quinta do Sol, among the most modern winemaking facilities in Portugal; deep dark ruby in color with plump ripe red and dark berry aromas (one can almost sense the ripening clusters of grapes hanging in the vineyard just prior to harvest) along with suggestion of the lifted floral/resinous scent of the rock rose (known as Esteva in the Douro) and underpinned by the schistous vineyard floor itself; supple on entry, just this side of velvety in texture, medium to just medium‑full in body with a certain vibrancy and balancing edge of fruity acidity with just the gentlest tannins lending structure; then, long on flavor, fresh and mouthwatering to the finish. Among our best-selling popularly-priced red wines for years now and getting even better as the vintages roll by.

Produce of 51% Touriga Nacional, 26% Touriga Franca and 23% other traditional Douro varieties harvested from the Quinta de Ervamoira and Quinta dos Bons Ares vineyards. The grapes are harvested by hand into 150 kg bins, then fermented in a combination of granite lagares, large oak, concrete and stainless steel vats. After malolactic fermentation, 20% of the wine is aged in French oak barrels, 30% in large oak and the remainder in stainless steel for about 12 months. Saturated ruby/purple in color with suggestion of fleshy ripe wild berry and plum along with notions of baking spices and dusty summer sun-baked schistous soils; ample, just rich in texture on the palate, demonstrating balance with nicely resolved tannins holding everything in shape good and long on the flavorful, slow‑melting, mouthwatering finish. And, simply splendid value at its modest price.

«Esteva» in Portuguese translates to «rock rose» in English, which some insiders suggest also informs the aroma of fine Douro wine. Casa Ferreirinha Esteva Douro is produce of a typical Douro mingling of Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, hand‑harvested and vinified at the winery of Quinta do Seixo. After soft destemming and crushing, the grapes were fermented in stainless steel vats with gentle maceration by means of pumping over at a temperature of 25°C preserving the grapey aromas. The wine spent the cool of winter at Quinta do Seixo in stainless steel and subject to low natural temperatures, which contributed to their natural clarification. Here and now, the wine is a lovely bright ruby in color with glints of a purple; grapey pomacey aromas implore one to dive on in, there's a hint of salinity as well and old‑fashioned № 2 pencil shavings insinuate the mineral rich soils in which the wine is grown; at once delightfully full and fruity and light on its feet with a fine edge of chalky tannins that keep things moving along crisp and fresh.

Terrific structure, depth of colour and flavour articulate an outstanding year. Great warp and weft of ripe fruit (blackberry, strawberry, plum, dried fig and jam) and signature savoury roast chestnut, smoky clove and leather notes, with hints of bergamot and white flowers. Unerring acidity and impeccably judged iron-filing tannins underpin and fan the flavours. Exceptionally long, retro-nasal finish. Prodigious. Drink 2021‑2045. Rated 98. - Sarah Ahmed, decanter.com March, 2021

An elegant red, medium‑bodied and focused, with fine, trim tannins structuring the pure range of damson plum reduction and black raspberry coulis, with iron, violet and bay leaf accents. Syrah, Alicante Bouschet and Alfrocheiro Preto. Drink now through 2029. 2,500 cases made, 250 cases imported. Rated 91. - Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator, November, 2023

Produce of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca fruit vinified at Quinta do Seixo in Cima Corgo and Quinta da Leda in the Douro Superior: lovely deep midnight ruby in color with deep‑ pitched and complex old‑world aromas suggesting vinosity itself what with fermentive tarry dried berry and ripe plummy fruit, licorice, vanilla, cedar and tobacco; cool, ripe spicy fruit on entry; almost velvety in texture with ample round tannins delivering fine intense complex almost resinous flavors that resonate long and warm on the finish. In our humble estimation, this wine delivers what its name might reasonably imply — from great vines, uma grande bebida de vinho tinto (a great drink of red wine, that is).

In the Graham's cellars the depiction of bunches of grapes on the cask ends has been used to signify a wine of Vintage Porto quality. Amongst these, six bunches denote the darkest and most full-bodied of such wines. One of Graham’s original Porto blends, Six Grapes is a true expression of the Graham’s house style with great richness and complexity — Graham's themselves refer to it as «everyday Porto for the lover of full-on Vintage Porto». Midnight ruby red in color with very primary aromas of ripe plum, prune, cherry, grape pomace, dried fig, tea leaf, bergamot, anise, cracked pepper, whoo, we could go on; rich, voluptuous even, on the tongue, then shows its warming grip with structure from velvety tannins; invigorating, fortifying, flavorful to the finish. And, a steal at the price!

Produce of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz fruit from Dow's Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira vineyards. Dense, midnight ruby in color alluring spiced plum and dark berry fruit served up on a backdrop of firm schistous soils and a touch of petrichor with a freshening hint of mint and alcaçuz; cool on entry, full in body with power and presence on the tongue and firm chewy tannins (Dow themselves refer to them as "peppery") lending structure and balancing the characteristic minimal sweetness of the house of Dow, finishing with notions of semi-dried wild berries and plums in brandy; wholly satisfying, fully fortifying Porto.

Blend dominated by Touriga Franca (41%) and Touriga Nacional (37%). Mainly picked eight days after the mid-September rain: initially deep, ripe and dense on the nose, opening up to reveal a scented berry fruit bouquet. Lovely plum and berry fruit on the palate supported by fine-grained, gravelly tannins and a long, structured finish. Combines depth and finesse in equal measure. Drink 2030‑2050. Rated 96. - Richard Mayson, decanter.com January, 2018.

The 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port is based around the Vinha dos Ecos vineyard behind Bomfim, populated predominantly by mature Touriga Franca vines that were cropped at just 0.68kg per vine. It has a quite astonishing bouquet with layer upon layer of intense black cherry and cassis fruit, touches of clove, leather and a hint of over-ripe Satsuma. This is a mercurial bouquet that keeps changing in the glass, revealing smoky/burning ember scents with time. The palate is quite magnificent – perfectly balanced with a killer thread of acidity slicing through such pure intense black fruit that there is no heaviness at all. There is a sense of thrust on the finish as it fans out with almost careless abandon, a Vintage Port so self-assured that you can only sit back in amazement. Simply one of the best Dow’s ever made. Drink 2030‑2086. Rated 98. - Neal Martin, vinous.com June, 2018. Regularly $112.50 the bottle, on sale now at:

This offers a distilled plum and boysenberry essence, with a racy feel, as spearmint and graphite notes drive through. As the finish kicks in, this turns toward the dark side, with ganache, charcoal and tar elements. Has the showy ripeness of the vintage but is backed by a decidedly dry feel on the finish, imparting a sense of precision despite the heft. Best from 2030 through 2055. 6,325 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. Rated 98. - James Molesworth, winespectator.com December 31, 2018

In a port tasting, tasting Graham's is almost like tasting a big, rich, succulent Merlot after a group of blockbuster, tannic Cabernets. Sweeter and more obvious than many ports, the opaque purple-colored 1994 is fruity, powerful, and rich, with an addictive hedonistic quality. It will be ready to drink in 8-10 years and keep for up to 30. As always, this is a showy, flamboyant port that has the advantage of being slightly sweeter than other 1994s. A great Graham's. Drink: 2002-2035. Rated 96. - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate Issue 107, October, 1996

Dow’s Boardroom is a blend of fine Tawny Porto wines carefully selected from some of Dow’s top vineyards in the Upper Douro Valley. The grapes are hand harvested in the fall and fermented for a short period of time before the addition of 100% grape neutral spirits. This step arrests the fermentation, preserves the wine’s natural grape sugars and gives it its unique rich and compelling flavors. This is, to be sure, a somewhat more fresh version of tawny Porto, ruby/garnet in color at the core to just tawny at the edges with aromas suggesting raisined fruit gently fortified with grape spirit, candied orange peel, the resinous stem of the rock rose; slips gently, sweetly onto the tongue, warming, not at all overpowering, tantalizing and complex.

This is a lovely, if seemingly youthful, 10 year tawny, translucent garnet at the core in color to just sunset brickish orange-red at the edges with complex aromas suggestive of crystallized red and blue fruits, rhubarb, walnut, almond, all underpinned with a most welcome hint of the spirit that captured the fermentation in the first place; the texture is a very satisfying rich and silky with long, long flavors that conjure caramel, nuts and crisp dried red fruits with vivid nerve of ultra-fine tannins and the spirit itself serving as foundation. A much to be savored tender sweet kiss of a bevy goodnight.

While vintage Porto is bottled some 18 months following the vintage, Tawny Porto is aged almost entirely in cask, during this process throwing off its dark purple color in favor of a more "tawny" hue, leaving its sediments in cask rather than in the bottle, it's once grapey, plummy fruit transformed into something far more complex and, frankly, sublime — a veritable cornucopia of aromatic richness — bitter almond, caramel, walnut, citrus peel, raisin, prune, dried berry and cherry and perhaps a hint of brandy by campfire; oh so silken-textured, at once voluptuous and fiery, challenging and satisfying, with deliciously complex flavors that somehow so discreetly reprise those first highly suggestive aromas. Absolutely superb!