The wines Brutalis red 2017 and Zavial Syrah DOC Óbidos 2015 produced by Vidigal Wines at the wine-producing region of Lisboa have been highlighted at the wine guide Corpo & Alma, the 475 Best Wines for 2021, by the
Portuguese wine critic Aníbal Coutinho.
A personal wine selection made by him, available for consultation at http://w-anibal.com/guias/
Sold in over 40 countries around the world, Porta 6 red wine has been awarded at the IWS, one of the most important international wine competitions, held every year in the UK.
Porta 6 2019 has been awarded a Silver Medal and Porta 6 Reserva 2018 has been awarded a Bronze medal.
Link to the Vidigal Wines awards: https://url.gratis/Qp0r8
Complex aroma with hints of red and wild fruits and some nuts. Fruited and soft on the palate, it is a wonderful company for meat dishes, roasts and pasta, to drink at home or in the restaurant, just like all other wines in this wine family.
The concept of Boa Noite Lisboa includes IGP Lisboa wines and is set to pay homage to the Portuguese capital night life, made of people who enjoy eating out such dishes as Peixinhos da horta, Pataniscas de bacalhau, Ovos verdes, Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato, Iscas com elas or Bife à Marrare.
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EDITION OF THE PORTUGUESE WINE MAGAZINE “PAIXÃO PELO VINHO” HIGHLIGHTS VIDIGAL WINES’ FOR THE SEASON OCCASIONS
SUBLIME WINES FROM VIDIGAL WINES BY “PAIXÃO PELO VINHO”
Coragem TNac – Mundus Vini Summer SILVER
Boa Noite Lisboa Branco – Mundus Vini Summer GOLD
Boa Noite Lisboa Tinto – Mundus Vini Summer GOLD
Coragem Chardonnay – Mundus Vini Summer GOLD
Written by: Richard Hemming MW – JancisRobinson.com – 29 Mar 2019
Prices for several vintages of this Portuguese wine of the week are presented below.
2015 from 225 Ukranian hryvnia, €7.95, £16.99 (magnum), NZ$21.95 2016 from HK$85, 85 Polish złoty (three-litre bag-in-box) 2017 from €3.95, £9.29, 13.50 Swiss francs, 2,160 Icelandic kronur, 129 Norwegian kroner
Unspecified vintage from CA$13.99, 45.99 Brazilian real
Find (all vintages of) this wine here
In the week that my vinous alma mater, the UK’s leading chain of specialist wine stores Majestic Wine, announced its imminent sell-off (https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a-naked-wedding), there was only one option for my wine of the week. It is one of their top-selling reds, and deservedly so – a brilliantly crowd-pleasing Portuguese blend with a memorable label that represents excellent value for money, both in Britain and around the world (note all those currencies above).
In recent years, many people (myself included (see link)have expressed dismay at the direction that Majestic has been taking, especially regarding its selection of wine, which has become increasingly reliant on own-brand labels. Over the past ten years, their retail model has changed significantly from the one I knew. This was doubtless necessary in an evolving (and challenging) British wine market, but none of those strategies seems to have done enough to save Majestic. Consequently, their recently announced plans are to sell some stores, rebrand others and redirect funds to the group’s Naked Wines operation.
So one afternoon this week, I stopped in at one of the oldest branches of Majestic, at Vauxhall in south-west London, where I worked many a shift in the past, to buy a wine that is the star of their range – and to remember everything that we once celebrated about this retailer.
Made by Vidigal (https://www.vidigalwines.com/portal/eng/company/), whose motto is ‘the best possible wine at the lowest possible price’, Porta 6 is a blend of 50% Tinta Roriz, 40% Castelão and 10% Touriga Nacional from the massive Vinho Regional Lisboa area. There is nothing especially remarkable about that, so the explanation of the quality in the bottle must be down to prudent grape sourcing and canny winemaking.
The quality on the palate really is impressive. I purchased a bottle of the 2017 vintage and a magnum of the 2015 vintage, at £9.29 and £16.99 respectively, and I’m tasting them as I write this. In both cases, there is a clarity and ripeness to the fruit on the palate that delivers sheer, pure deliciousness. The 2017 is more vivid and expressive, while the 2015 still has enjoyable exuberance – although in both cases, the aromatic impact on the nose is rather understated.
However, the acidity and tannins are incredibly fine-tuned, giving mouth-watering crispness and a well-judged floury grip to the structure. They remind me of the best Côtes du Rhône – bursting with ripe red fruit but savoury to finish, with a liquorice note, sweet spices and a touch of menthol.
It is exactly the kind of wine that made Majestic such a great place to shop – and to work. So, while British drinkers still can, I strongly recommend stocking up on Porta 6, especially because the cost is £8.28 and £14.99 when six or more bottles are purchased from Majestic. For me, the 2017 would be the one to go for, but the strength of the 2015 today (and when I tasted it two years ago (see link) makes me confident in recommending any vintage. Around the world, several different vintages of Porta 6 are currently on the market, packaged in a variety of formats, from half-bottles to three-liter bag-in-box. They are available widely across the Eurozone, with decent distribution in Canada, the Nordic countries and Brazil, but it is not currently available in the US, it seems.
Whether you have a sentimental attachment to Majestic or not, this wine stands as a brilliant buy.
