António Maçanita, Alentejano, Trincadeira-das-Pratas, Chão Dos Eremitas, 2020
This wine comes from the Chão dos Eremitas vineyard in the southern foothills of Serra d’Ossa, where two streams cool the ground and mitigate the torrid heat of Alentejno. It's made of 100% Tamarez, whose official name is now Trincadeira-das-Pratas. As for the actual wine, consider that usually a pineapple aroma/flavor profile is associated with ripe wines with a tropical character. Here, instead, is a wine with such a profile that is neither overripe nor tropical. It's aged for a year on its lees without battonage tanks and old barrels and it's decently complex with a backbone of chalk on nose and palate. A perfect example of balance and personality in action. (Feb. 12, 2023)
António Maçanita, Alentejo, Moreto, Vinhas Velhas, Chão Dos Eremitas, 2019
Although this comes from the same Chão Dos Eremitas vineyard, it's sold under the regional Alentejo label. It's made of Moreto, a grape I'd never heard of before. It's partially de-stemmed (70%), then goes through spontaneous fermentation and maceration for 40 days in skins, followed by 18 months in old oak barrels. Like the Trincadeira-das-Pratas, the personality is close to that of a ripe wine, without being in any way a ripe wine. I get blueberries and cocoa on the nose, and similar flavors on the palate, with decent plus acidity and well judged concentration, but no ripeness, no palate fatigue. This is very young, at the stage where the fruit is dominant and obscures the tannins. But, because the fruit is not overripe, because the barrel regime is so neutral, because no one tried to force the fruit extraction, there are no unwanted components that I would worry about sticking out in the three-four years the fruit will need in order to recede. This is really sensitive winemaking. (Feb. 17, 2023)
Domaine de Montbourgeau, l’Etoile, Cuvée Spéciale, 2017
I find this easier to get into than the regular l'Etoile. It's aged longer under flor, which actually does not accentuate the yeasty character, but, rather, the extra time seems to have allowed the fruit to absorb the yeast better. The end result is smoother on the palate, more subtle and contemplative on the nose. The nose doesn't show a lot of fruitiness, mostly delicate notes of roasted nuts and pasties, unlike the palate which is much fruitier and counters the yeasty pungency of the flor with just the right amount of sweetness and salinity on the finish. It's actually a seductive wine, even if it requires that you have an extremist streak. Having said all that, I enjoy these wines as a one-off learning experience, but I have no great urge to drink them on a regular basis. (Feb. 18, 2023)
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