Following the resounding success of the Portal Moscatel, the Port House is releasing its flagship product, the Reserva Douro. A stunning masterpiece by winemaker Paulo Coutinho and master blender Jeremy Bull. The family winery has been on a winning streak for years, with its ports acclaimed worldwide. In total, the Portal Port House owns 95 hectares of its own vineyards across the Douro region. These vineyards include four distinct Quintas: Quinta da Abelheira, Quinta do Confradeiro, Quinta dos Muros, and Quinta do Portal. The diversity of the vineyards and the craftsmanship with which the Ports are crafted explain their beautifully intense quality.
The harvest of the Muscatel Galego
For this dessert wine from Portal, the Muscatel Galego grapes are grown in beautiful locations in the Douro region. The climate is perfect, and the grapes ripen easily thanks to the abundant sunshine. When the harvest is ripe, each bunch is hand-selected and harvested. This is a difficult task, as the slopes where the vines grow are steep. Once the harvest is gathered, the golden juice is aged in oak barrels for an incredibly long period. Because Portal labels each vintage, it can demonstrate that this is a truly full-bodied and ripe Moscatel from a single year. The long aging process has given the wine a brown-amber color and developed unique flavors. This Portal Moscatel Douro cannot be produced every year, but only in the very best vintages. Therefore, bottles may be sold out for a while.
The aroma and taste of the Reserva Portal Moscatel
It's a remarkable piece of craftsmanship, and we have to be very patient. This Portal Moscatel has been aged for a full twelve years in oak barrels, resulting in a unique aroma and flavor. In the glass, it erupts an amber red with a golden sheen and bursts forth. Beautiful aromas of roasted nuts, vanilla, oak, chocolate, and hints of green apple and caramel. It tastes best when slightly chilled, revealing lovely nuances of apricots, raisins, walnuts, and a touch of vanilla on the palate. On the back of the palate and in the finish, we also detect hints of orange, honey, and caramel. The lovely sweetness is perfectly balanced and pairs well with many desserts.
2011
