INSIDER'S PICK: 2021 CARLOS RAPOSO/WORLD WILD WINES TOURIGA NACIONAL 'IMPECAVEL' DAO $22.99

There is ALWAYS something new to learn in wine, always a reason to taste something that will challenge your expectations. Much of the recent red wine explosion from the Douro and Dao regions in Portugal has evolved around developing more robust and hearty wines, which grapes like Touriga Nacional are more than capable of producing. Here, and in other parts of the world where Touriga is planted, its reputation for adding intensity to the flavor of great Port is also sought in the unfortified red wines, usually resulting in sappy, extracted and naturally tannic wines. The surprisingly cool and dry alpine areas within the Dao provides a much different opportunity for the grape, more similar to the capabilities of Syrah in the Northern Rhone to provide elegance and refinement. Winemaker Carlos Raposo is a native of the Dao region, and after years making acclaimed still wines for the famed Niepoort's Port house has moved on to create his own label focused on making his own wines from the oldest vineyards in the Dao. Dark plummy fruit at first on the nose with some smoky spice and dark pepper notes, and with the lighter (13%abv) character always staying on the more savory side of the street. The palate is almost a revelation for Touriga Nacional, truly elegant with very fine tannins and no extracted weight to the fruit, bordering on refreshing with no oak present. The nerve and fine dryness on the finish absolutely validates the comparison to a Northern Rhone Syrah, just with a little different fruit profile. Great multi-purpose food wine and a definite sign of things to come from producers in the region. ​

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