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Quinta Nova
by Tom Cannavan, 04/09Last year I visited the cork Forests of Portugal for a report on wine-pages. My host on the trip was the cork company Amorim, but I learned that they also owned a wine estate in the Douro, the Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo - thankfully shortened to Quinta Nova for ease of marketing. Here are my notes on the range, which is not currently in the UK.
| Quinta Nova 3 Pomares Rosé 2007 This saignée method Touriga Nacional is quite a bright, crimson pink colour. It has quite a smoky and curranty quality, with earthy strawberry fruit. Very nice, dry palate with plenty of redcurrant fruit. Good, clean acidity. 85/100 Quinta Nova 3 Pomares white 2007 Crisp, quite aromatic white made from Rabigato, Viosinho and Gouveio, with tropical aromas of guava and passionfruit and a touch of smokiness. On the palate there's a fresh minerality, with a slightly flinty character with juicy lemon zest crispness. Drier, and savoury. 87/100 Quinta Nova Grainha Douro white 2007 Made from the same grapes but with oak ageing, this is nicely nutty with a touch of vanilla and fresh pear fruit, and again lovely lychee and passionfruit intensity and that flinty minerality. The palate has a dry, pithy minerality. Nice texture, a certain creaminess and fresh apple and lemon pith acidity. 88/100 Quinta Nova Grainha red 2006 Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca is aged in used oak, giving a nicely spicy, quite exotic Sandalwood note and then the rich bramble and berry fruit comes through powerfully. Smooth, fruity, with some velvetty, and a smooth tannic finish with a little spice and good length. Quinta Nova red 2006 This unoaked blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca has a very attractive nose, with a ditictive, earthy, leather and spice notes but with plenty of fine red cherry. The fruit on the palate is sweet and rounded, with a chewy density and real substance: with liquorice and plum depth and tannins and a lovely cloce like spice in the finish. Really delicious and a bit of complexity. 88/100 |
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Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca aged in oak barrels for 16 months. Very sophisticated, lightly charry and cedary nose, with very svelte blue-black fruit. A certain ashy, schisty quality and some clove spice. The palate has very solid, pure black fruit, with a dense plummy character and rich, chocolaty, tannins and a very long, fine finish. 89/100 Quinta Nova Ruby Reserve Port
Quite an ashy, dry, refined tobacco and leafy red fruit character. The palate has a nicely mellow, light, With a touch of chocolate and refined, quite cherryish and very easy to drink. 86/100 Quinta Nova Vintage Port 2000
Quite gamy and animal at firtst, with plenty of briar and earth. Little notes of tar and roses, with lots of sweet red fruits. The palate has beautiful sweetness, with cherry skins and notes of ripe red plum, developing spices and chocolate. Very long and well balanced. 92/100
