Day 7 – Saturday

Quinta de Brunheda

Our last visit in the Douro Valley region was a property/producer that not many have heard of before. I think only a few previous Harvest Tours had visited this particular quinta, but among the FTLOP crowd, it is well-known for their stunning array of Ports.

We were greeted by the owner of the property, who welcomed us and gave us a tour of the quinta and production facilities, as well as the armazem (warehouse). The views from the property were spectacular, and the pickers were harvesting the grapes as we passed through the vineyards.

Quinta de Brunheda is one of those properties that feels a little off the beaten path – it feels rustic and authentic, as evidenced by the barrel room we walked into. Unlike some of the properties we visited on the tour who have large, stacked, well-organized barrels of wine, this felt more like a small family operation, which it is. There were small barrels in this part of the cellar and knowing the types of wines Quinta de Brunheda is famous for, we wasted no time getting started on the sampling.

1964 Brunheda Vinho Generoso – Cask sample. Orange with a very slight amber center. Noticeable clearing on the edges. Some spirit on the nose. Incredibly intense and unctuous mouthfeel with caramel, burnt sugar, and orange peel on the palate. Long finish with lively acidity. 94 points. 9/24/2016

Brunheda 80 Year Vinho Generoso – Cask sample. Dark amber in color with some greening around the edges. Dusty mahogany notes on the nose. Medium-bodied. Butterscotch on the palate, but dry butterscotch, not sweet like butterscotch candy. 95 points. 9/24/2016

Brunheda 40 Year Old Vinho Generoso – Cask sample. Amber center that bleeds to orange then yellow then green on the edge. Light notes of mahogany, vanilla and cigar box. 92 points. 9/24/2016

Brunheda Very Old White Vinho Generoso – Cask sample. 30-35 years old, this white Port is golden amber in color with tropical notes on the nose. Unctuous honey and caramel on the palate. Great balance and a long finish on this smooth white Port. NR 9/24/2016

Brunheda 100 Year Old Vinho Generoso – Cask sample. Amber in color with orange notes. Concentrated tangerine and golden raisin on the nose. Coconut and some orange spice on the palate. Very long, unctuous finish with bright acidity and some final notes of mocha and caramel. 96 points. 9/24/2016

After tasting from casks in the cellar, we headed up to the main house, where we sat and did a more formal tasting of wines from Vale da Corca (their table wine brand), more of Brunheda’s old tawny cask samples and a brand-new Port brand, Blackett. The Ports of Blackett began in 2014, and the owners of the two companies are friends, so it very was nice that they allowed us to try all of their wines, Ports and cask samples of old Vinho Generoso’s together.

We tried the table wines with lunch, but as normal, I did not take any tasting notes on the wines:

2012 Brunheda Douro Grand Reserva Branco, N/R
2011 Brunheda Vinhas Velas Douro Red, N/R
2001 Vale da Corca Douro Red, N/R
2011 Vale da Corca Douro Red, N/R

Blackett Extra Dry White Port – Bottled in 2016. Golden in color. Peach and some tropical fruit on the nose. Apricot and some white peach on the palate. Balanced acidity on the long finish. 88 points. 9/24/2016

2013 Blackett Vintage Port – Vibrant purple in color. Primary red fruit on the nose. Well-balanced fruit with amazing tannins on the mid-palate. Amazingly approachable with a nice long finish. 90 points. 9/24/2016

2015 Blackett Vintage Port – Violets and intense purple fruit on the nose. Dense blueberry on the palate, with structured tannins that should make this age-worthy. Acidity and tannins are pronounced on the mid-palate and a smooth, long finish. 93 points. 9/24/2016

Blackett Tawny Reserve Port – Amber with some orange notes. Initial spirit on the nose. Vanilla notes with some cedar on the nose. Elegant mouthfeel with a creamy vanilla presence. Complex mid-palate and awesome balance on the finish. 93 points. 9/24/2016

Blackett 10 Year Old Tawny Port – Bottled in 2016. Copper in color. Bright nose with some orange spice and some dusty notes on the nose. Elegant orange and caramel on the long finish. 88 points. 9/24/2016

Blackett 20 Year Old Tawny Port – Golden copper in color. Amazing textures of honey and maple syrup. The palate has some orange spice and caramel. Long, luxurious finish with great balance. 90 points. 9/24/2016

Blackett 30 Year Old Tawny Port – Burnt sugar and honey on the nose. Unctuous approach with layers of orange peel, molasses, and mocha. Long finish with unctuous acidity and balance. 94 points. 9/24/2016

Dinner @ Boa Nova Tea House

After we said goodbye to our host at Quinta da Brunheda, we headed back downriver to Porto and checked into our hotel in the heart of the city. We had a little bit of time to relax and change for our farewell dinner. We caught a few cabs over to the Boa Nova Tea House. This Michelin-star restaurant was created by the noted Portuguese Chef Rui Paula. It is housed in a dramatic building designed by famed Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza and sits right on shores of the Atlantic Ocean.

This last event of the 2016 For The Love Of Port Harvest Tour gave all of the participants a chance to recount the experiences, wines, and food of the week, and to enjoy one last meal together before our journey came to an end.

2009 Niepoort Crusted Port – Bottled in 2011. Rich, dark purple in color. Red fruit on the nose. Pomegranate and blueberry on the mid-palate, with firm tannins. Medium-long finish with good balance. 91 points. 9/24/2016

2013 Niepoort Vintage Bioma Vinha Velha Port – Impenetrable dark purple in color with vibrant purple on the edges. The nose is a little subdued due to the wine being a little chilled down. Surprisingly balanced tannins and approachable fruits on the palate. Drinkable now will likely improve with age. 92 points. 9/24/2016

2000 Quinta do Noval Colheita Port – Bottled in 2016. Ruby with orange edges. Orange spice, some crème Brûlée and some slight cigar box notes on the nose. Smooth approach with caramel and some hints of nuts. Well-balanced finish. 91 points. 9/24/2016

1996 Barros Colheita Port – Bottles in 2016. Lively ruby amber in color. Orange spice and some wood notes on the nose. Orange spice and caramel on the palate. Great finish with balanced tannins and acidity. 89 points. 9/24/2016

2001 Barros Colheita Port – Bottled in 2016. Light amber-orange in colors. Spirit and cigar box on the nose. Some orange spice notes on the long finish. 88 points. 9/24/2016

Postscript

While most of the participants boarded flights back to their homes on Sunday, I had planned to stay a few extra days for some solo exploring.

Be sure to click on the links below to read about my three of wonderful experiences:

Befuddled Blind Tasting in Pinhão	An Afternoon Sojourn to Niepoort	Mosiacs and Majesty: The Towns of Conímbriga & Coimbra
I met up with a couple of friends for lunch, and they served me a mystery wine with quite a story.	I spent an afternoon visiting Niepoort’s Quinta de Nápoles.	This was an amazing visit to the site of some of the best preserved mosaic tile floors in Portugal, followed by a visit to this famous University city.