Winexpectations

I love Portuguese wines, but that's not all I drink.  Saboteur 2016 is a great example why you should always adventure into new experiences. On Sunday, that you feel extremely lazy, to the point that you skip Sunday lunch, a much needed ritual in this household, you know you need to pull something out of the bag to brighten your evening.  All we have in the fridge is leftover lamb from the previous Sunday (don't ask!) and a jamon de bellota that thankfully I felt generous enough to buy on an impulse, the day before.  Right, red wine it is!   Look at that bright red colour. You just know that that wine is going to make you feel gooood. A blend of 54% Shiraz, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Mouvedre, the wine is big and bold. 2016 was an extremely hot year which resulted in very ripe fruit allowing the cabernet to really show its tannins.  Winemaking process:   "The cabernet sauvignon and mouvedre were fermented in small batches in open bins with regular hand ...

Lets chat a little bit about Vinho Verde, a region that produces some of my favourite wines.  This is one of the biggest DOC (if not the biggest) of Portugal. Its just by the Atlantic coast, NW of Portugal, benefiting from a cold breeze and saltiness that gives so much character to these wines. The grapes grow on fertile granite soils but its ripening isn't so easy. Many producers use the pergola vine training method on their vineyards as this helps not only with the ripening of the grapes, due to the high exposure of the fruit,  but also helps preventing diseases by allowing air circulation in the vineyard. Disclosure: Contrary to what many people think, Vinho Verde does not mean its grapes are unripe, it is not a  grape varietal and it is not green coloured wine. Thank you!  Quinta de Azevedo is a favourite of mine, I have tried their wines many, many times and they never disappoint. The estate is dynamic and very advanced. It has been bought by Sogrape in the mid-...