Luis Pato is the leading winemaker in Portugal. With the intense mineral quality of the native Bical and Cercial grapes judiciously married together, he has created an exceptional wine with Old World elegance.
This wine proves, without question, that Bical and Cercial are as good as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is as good as Chablis. This wine is as good as Vouvray. This wine is as good as Sancerre. Actually, it's better- if you factor in price. This is one of those rare wines that is both elegant and fun. It has old world style in spades: vibrancy, whispers of savory flavors anchored by barely-ripe fruit. It inspired giddy excitement in me when I first tasted it, the kind you get when you know you're being let in on a secret.
Don't get the wrong idea, but the other name for Bical is Borrado das Moscas, which can most politely be translated as "fly droppings." It's not based on the aroma or taste of this pleasant white Portuguese variety, however (it's most likely a reference to the grapes' small size, or the tiny specks on the grape skins). Bical is grown in Bairrada and Dao, and is often added to sparkling wine...
The Dão and the Douro are the most important regions as far as red Portuguese table wine is concerned. Douro wines tend to be a bit fuller and fleshier than their Dão counterparts, which are generally lighter and higher in acidity. Reds from both regions are dense, rustic, and well-balanced. They also show their terroir quite clearly, and represent a great alternative to the modern fruit-driven...
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