(2016) A blend of native Voisinho, Cerceal, Folgazão and Rabigato, the colour is pale gold and the nose offers quite delicate flowers and fresh sliced apple with a little creamy, oatmeal note. In the mouth it has lovely balance, the fresh and appetising juiciness of apples again, a crystal clear acidity and long finish with sweetness and crisp citrus acids nicely balanced.
(2016) The entry level red blend doesn't specify varieties on the label, but is attracive with its tobacco-spiced nose of brambles and berries. In the mouth it is fairly lightweight and a touch short, but what's there is charming, with pert fruit and acidity and a touch of background tannin.
(2016) Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca are joined by 20% of mixed, old field blend varieties. Much more solid, svelte and deeply fruited than the Contos da Terra, spice and liquorice edge the black fruits. In the mouth a nicely alert, juicy style with the bittersweetness of black plums and the tart juicy acidity playing against a touch of savoury, meaty character.
(2016) The TR in question is Tinta Roriz, aka Tempranillo, here with dark and vinous aromas of black vine fruits, also coffee and a hint of mint. On the palate this is a substantial, smooth and supple wine, absolutely overflowing with juicy black berry sweetness of fruit, underpinned by that coffee and toast of the oak. The tannins are quite soft and velvetty, whcih with moderate acidity adds to the creamy and seductive picture.
(2016) And TN stands for Touriga Nacional, the mono-varietal in this bottling which has a subtle nutty note to the black fruit, not so deep or quite so inviting as the TR cuvée. In the mouth there's a lot of obvious sweet ripeness to the fruit, a real jammy intensity of mid-palate sweetness, with just about enough tannin and creamy oak, as well as cherryish acidity, to balance.
(2016) VV stands for Vinhas Velhas, or 'Old Vines', over 20 different varieties making up the blend from the farm's old mixed planting vineyards. Like the Tinta Roriz, we are back in full-on, seductive and velvetty mode here, with mocha and exotic spices and a bottomless pool of black fruit aromas. On the palate a touch more gamy interest than the TR, and a slightly leaner, higher acid structure too, this has freshness which it has traded for a bit of sheer decadence, but it is a fine wine and ageworthy too.
