The Wine Advocate - Portugal's Best of 2017 (2)

I'm sure every reviewer finds these limited selections really hard to make because there are so many options. Sometimes (not always), I pick things to make a point or spotlight a winery or region, rather than just toss out the highest scoring wines from the same places over and over again. I have agendas. And they are not always about the numbers. Either way, these all have something special

Best of Table Wines (in no particular order)

This year, it is back to the basics. Many "gold label" producers had tremendous vintages in 2015, many of which were reviewed as they were released in 2017. Perhaps the best summaries on the 2015 vintage (for both Port and table wines) are in my August issue articles on Port and Portugal. In sum: a very elegant year, fresh, lifted fruit and intensity of flavor. The 2008s might be the closest comparison for table wines, but I think the 2015s have more intensity of flavor. They seem to me to be better, at least at the moment.

There were many contenders for this year's "best of" list. There were certainly others that could have taken the place of the three listed (usually but not necessarily from the 2015 vintage), from Falorca to Álvaro Castro (special mention for his many awesome new labels) to Quinta Nova and João Nicolau de Almeida's Monte Xisto (the personal project of Ramos Pinto's former managing director) to Niepoort's Quinta de Baixo project and many others.

Then, there were many magnificent performances in Vinho Verde—2015 was a great vintage there, better than in Douro. While many of the unoaked 2015s came out earlier, this year we saw a slew of the specialty wines, or later-released items, like 2015 Parcela Única from Anselmo Mendes, Quinta de Soalheiro's 2015 Alvarinho Primeiras Vinhas, 2015 Limited Edition from MQ Vinhos, plus 2016 Sem Igual from João Miguel Rocha and many others. (By the way, 2015 looks great in Bairrada and Dão, too.)

Alas, I have to narrow it down to three. Here you go:

2015 Wine & Soul • Pintas (95-97)

This a bit fuller bodied than the winery's Manoella Old Vines, while the Manoella typically has a bit more finesse. They are both gorgeous this year. I could make a case for either, but I have to pick one.

2015 Lemos and Van Zeller (Cristiano van Zeller) • CV (Curriculum Vitae) (Quinta Vale D. Maria) (95-97)

I've always been a fan of this bottling. In this fresh year, it has more finesse than normal, too.

2011 Herdade do Mouchão • Tinto Tonel No 3 4 (97)

Although this was originally seen as a 2015 pre-release, I finally got a chance to see it again this year. This iconic old producer struck gold in 2011. It's pretty brilliant. It's worth mentioning it again.

Best of Fortified Wines (in no particular order)

As with the table wine component of this article, the 2015s play a prominent role here. The 2015 Ports are a fascinating story, set out here: The 2015 Vintage - Undeclared and Unashamed. There were many good choices. It was a great vintage for smaller producers in particular (like Crasto and Vallado), but several bigger boys stood out, too.

2015 Niepoort • Bioma Vinha Velha Vintage Port (95-97)

Niepoort had some of the best results. This is a beauty, one of the benchmarks of the vintage.

2015 Symington Family Estates • Vintage Port Quinta do Vesuvio (95)

I admit to being in love with Ports from this Quinta. Taste this sexy beast and see why. But in this vintage, it also has a certain elegance I liked a lot, too.

2015 Graham • The Stone Terraces Vintage Port (95)

In a year when Graham's wasn't declared (see the aforementioned article featured earlier), this Graham's component seemed stunning in its purity of fruit, freshness and intensity of flavor.

Region to Watch Out For

I just made this category up. But in Alentejo, the large region south of Lisbon, the relatively Northern sub-region of Portalegre is becoming hot. It is a very different vision of Alentejo. The vines have more altitude (if you're used to driving in flat Alentejo, try taking a trip up the Portalegre hills) and the wines have more of a cooler Dão-like feel to them. Suddenly, it seems everyone is looking in that direction. Some current producers to look out for include Susana Esteban, Rui Reguinga and Hill Valley (with winemaker David Baverstock). There aren't a lot just yet, but more are coming. Most notably, the Symingtons recently bought 45 hectares. In the meanwhile, while you are waiting for this sub-region to hit full stride, don't forget Estremoz, a more established sub-region in Alentejo. The vines there also have altitude and the wines also have a somewhat cooler feel. Plus, there are already many top producers and wines, including Mouchão, Dona Maria, J. Portugal Ramos, Mouro and Luis Louro.

Value Wines (in no particular order)

Table Wines

Standard disclaimer: If it is difficult to pick "best of" listings, it is nearly impossible to pick "best value" wines in Portugal. There are so many in so many regions and so many categories. Portugal is a bargain hunter's paradise. Mostly, you should focus on regions like Bairrada, Dão, Alentejo, Lisboa and the like rather than Douro, but there are good values in Douro, too. Random thoughts follow, with prices representing "suggested retail," unless otherwise noted, meaning that they are list prices that may actually be cheaper on a shelf.

2015 Global Wines • Cabriz Colheita Selecionada (87 points, $8)

Global Wines, formerly Dão Sul, owns several properties around Portugal. This property in Dão always seems to produce lovely bargains, and Global Wines always seems to deliver value at the lower end. Do you really have a tight budget? For $8, there is a lot of bang for the buck from this fresh, elegant and easy-drinking red.

2016 Quinta de Chocapalha • Arinto (91 points, $12)

Arinto, a grape that always has good acidity, is one of Portugal's most respected white grapes, with a history going back several centuries. (Most famously, in the now-sleepy region of Bucelas, the producers brag that it was mentioned in Shakespeare.) It ages well, it becomes more complex in time. It is used all over the country, helping to make compelling wines in Bairrada, Alentejo, Vinho Verde and elsewhere. Chocapalha's is pretty consistent and always well priced. This was tasted next to the 2008, which was still lovely.

2016 Quinta do Vallado • Prima (91 points, $20)

This dry Moscatel from Vallado is a perennial favorite. This is a fine vintage for it. I love fresh whites like this. I think they are worthy of respect and too often underrated. Verticals have proven that it ages surprisingly well, too.

Fortified Values

For the fortifieds, one simple answer is LBVs. The best LBVs (usually the traditional or traditionally-styled LBVs) are basically Vintage Ports in a different style. They aren't the only values, but they are amazing ones. For a tutorial on what "traditional" LBVs are, see my article here: LBVs - The Old Yeller of Port.

2013 Ramos Pinto • Late Bottled Vintage Port (91-92 points, $27)

This is a traditional LBV from one of the best traditional producers. 2013 is not a great Port vintage overall, but it was certainly possible to make fine wines.

2003 Poças Junior • Colheita Tawny Port (92 points, $30)

This is a relatively young Colheita, but it overachieves. It's not the most complex, but there is a lot of stuffing here.

2012 Noble & Murat Late Bottled Vintage Port (91 points, $25)

This was my first look at this producer. This traditional LBV showed great.