100% Malvasia. An interesting little wine from the Colares wine region of Portugal. Squished between the hills of Sintra and the Atlantic ocean, the region is home to vines that – like the vines used for this wine – were never grafted because they grew too close to the sea for phylloxera to take hold. Like many Portuguese whites, a flinty, mineral character with some breezy ocean notes on it. I drank this with friends who also tend toward reds and it really caught everyone’s attention. I picked up a 375ml at Astor Wine and Spirits in the East Village, NYC for around $35.
- Rating: Impressive
- Name: Collares Branco 2010
- Winery: Víuva Gomes
- Region: Colares
- Country: Portugal
- Varietals: Malvasia de Colares
- Price: $35
- Where to Buy: Astor Wine and Spirits, 399 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10003
60% Syrah 35% Grenache 5% Viognier. Simply a gorgeous wine. I was a bit apprehensive that it may not have traveled well from the August 2014 trip through Santa Ynez, but was reminded why I bought it with the first sip. I opened this with friends over some P’tit Basque cheese and marinated steak and it actually went better than the Cab. Juicy and luscious, with a spacious quality that I’m guessing is caused by the white varietal being added to the two reds. Berries, pencil tip, black and white pepper, pomegranate, and seasoned wood (and I don’t mean from barrels, I mean like an old barn). Highly recommend. Available from 
50% Garnacha 40% Mazuelo 10% Syrah. The back of the bottle says that this will be, “definitively the best wine you have tasted from Montsant.” While I cannot agree with that, the 92 points rating on the front is some indication of what’s inside the bottle. A nice, tough Montsant with dark fruits like currant and blackberry, with some leather and rose petals on the nose. It’s a good drinking wine with enough tannin to stand up to hearty foods like roasted pork and beef. I picked this bottle up at (I think) the Whole Foods on P Street for about $16. It made an impression and I will drink it again, though it definitely is NOT the best Montsant I’ve had. If you take this one to a party or to a friend’s house for dinner, it will get compliments from anyone who enjoys big tough reds.
Crisp nose of flint and minerals, faint rubber and grass. Hits the tongue with great acid and the mouth-feel of slippery honey. Does not overpower the palate with fruit; you know you’re drinking a wine (not eating a fruit basket) and one that’s lovely and rewarding. Flavors of stone, greens, citrus, and untanned leather.
Posto Novo 