The Douro Boys

Apart from port, the next best thing from the Douro (or indeed Portugal) from a wine perspective is probably the Douro Boys.

An alliance of five independent family estates: Quinta do Vallado, Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Vale D. Maria, Quinta do Vale Meão and Niepoort, Douro Boys was created in 2003 to ‘put the Douro on the map’. Back then, Portuguese wine was little known outside Portugal, let alone in Asia. Douro table wine had a few disadvantages: it was the little cousin of port, both in terms of popularity and quality. The best grapes were often designated for producing port, and most estates made table wine almost as an afterthought. White wine was often oxidised and red austere.

The status of port in the Douro is beyond doubt. All members of the Douro Boys make ports, but they have also noted the growing trend of red wine consumption. They believe in two things: to make the best quality wine with what the land offers them—indigenous grapes and terroir—and to be out there promoting their wines.

Douro wine is a blend of indigenous grapes. The names are sometimes near impossible to pronounce and it is difficult to single out a distinctive aroma that can be associated with the wines. An easy way out would be to replant the vineyards with international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. Luckily, the Douro Boys have not.

The light-heartedness of the group’s name contrasts nicely with the considerable avoirdupois (weight) of its members: dynamism and determination. They are accessible but the wines are serious. Each quinta has its own style and together they offer a good breadth of selection. With their energy, enthusiasm and commitment, they trot the globe, reviving the Douro image and in fact raising the overall quality standard of Douro wine. The international press writes about them with passion; critics rate their wines with respect and wine lovers, well, just love their wines.

Try yourself to see which of the Douro Boys is your style. Distributor of:
Quinta do Vallado, Quinta do Vale Meão and Niepoort: Vino Veritas
Quinta do Crasto: Adega Royale
Quinta do Vale D. Maria: Global Wine Cellar

Brazilian bubblies

I don’t think many of us have tried Brazilian wine, let alone Brazilian sparkling wine. Therefore I was pleased to be invited to the Casa Valduga tasting. It is one of the largest and oldest wineries in Vale dos Vinhedos in the south of Brazil. The climate is humid and temperate but luckily the vineyards, located at between 450m and 650m above sea level, are cooled by the mountain breeze.

The verdict? This was actually my second time to taste Brazilian sparkling and I have to say Casa Valduga is better. Three wines, Espumante 130 Brut NV, Reserva Blush 25 Brut 2009 and Gran Reserva Extra-brut 60 2006, are made with classic champagne grape varieties in the traditional method. All are lively with a slight mineral note in the back palate. The Rose is fresh and soft, while the Espumante has more structure.

I won’t compare Brazilian sparkling wine, or in fact, any sparkling wine with Champagne. It is not fair. Champagne grows in a marginal climate and its production techniques have been perfected by years of experience. It is more refined and elegant but not many will have a glass of it every day. Sparkling wine is much more value-for-money, relaxing and fun. We should enjoy them for what they are: Prosecco for its freshness, Cava for the concentration and Brazilian for its liveliness.

Casa Valduga also has a Reserva Moscatel and a Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, available from Wine Patio in Hong Kong.

Rioja: American or French oak?

Classic Rioja is aged in American oak to develop the soft and mellow structure with a hint of vanilla. Especially for the reserva and gran reserva, there is the mushroomy, olive bouquet thanks to spending a long time in American oak barrels and in bottle. In the face of competition both from the New World and within Spain (Ribera del Duero, Priorat), some Rioja producers are making more modern style wines with higher fruit concentrations, and ageing them in French wood. The wine is more powerful, more spicy and usually a shade darker.

To find out more about the region's use of barrels, I attended the 1st Grand Tasting of Rioja Wines where some 60 Rioja producers showcased their wines. It was very interesting talking to the producers. The traditional camp insisted that they will never use French barrels because Tempranillo, the major variety in Rioja, expresses itself most fully in American oak, and the wine would lose its flagship identify—sweet red fruits, gentle and easily appreciated characters—in French barrels. One producer even has its own cooperage to import American oak and make its own barrels. In the other camp, however, producers claimed it is about the evolution of Rioja over time. One critic even went further, saying it has historically been mostly a matter of cost saving, since American barrels cost much less than French.

The truth, I concluded, is that it is all about satisfying consumer preferences. Many of today's consumers, accustomed to New World styles, prefer the deeper-flavoured French oak aged Rioja. Sensing the division, some producers offer two lines: one using American oak and the other French. Some even age a single wine in both oaks (either blending them together after ageing or first ageing in French oak and then American, or vice versa). One whom I talked to was from the traditional camp but is nevertheless adjusting his style: he makes a modern style Rioja still using American oak but with alterations to winemaking techniques such as maceration time and fermentation temperature.  

There are many different styles of Rioja. They are classified by their time spent in barrels and ageing period. Joven may spend no or only a few months in barrels; crianza must spend a minimum of 12 months in barrels and 12 months in bottle; reserva a minimum 12 months in barrels and 24 months in bottle and gran reserva 24 months in oak and 36 months in bottle before being released.

So how do you know which style the wine is? The back label will distinguish joven, crianza and reserva but may or may not indicate French or American oak. So look at the overall packaging. American oaked Rioja tends to have traditional labels and packaging such as the gold netting, while the French oaked styles will usually sport a more modern front label.

For me, I found some of the modern styles too ambitious with the French oak; I prefer the more subtle and elegant classic style. But this is a personal choice and can also depend on the occasion. Find out for yourself which you prefer. As always, in the end you can only find out by tasting.

These are the wines I tried:

La Rioja Alta: Classic style, American oak only. China distributor: Aussino
Paternina: American oak only, but Banda Azul is a modern version aged in American oak
Bodegas Izadi: Classic style but aged in a mix of French and American oak barrels
Bodegas Orben: Modern stye using French oak only (same owner, Group Artevino, as Bodegas Izadi)

In remembrance of Barry Burton (1942-2012)

It was sad to have received an email on 7th April from the Hong Kong Wine Society, not about wine tasting but the passing away of Barry Burton, the Chairman and a friend.

There are too many superficial people around but Barry was genuine. He had a larger than life character, always cheery, actually listened to people and showed interest in the discussion. He was never pretentious, even with his standing. Unlike many who take things for granted, Barry said thank you.

I only knew him for about two years. I am fortunate to have known him, even for such a short time, and have tasted together on a dozen occasions. Some people may be replaceable, but not Barry.

So long Barry.