The Dão region of Portugal may not be as spectacular as the Douro as far as scenery goes but it’s huge glacial boulders give some of the Dão an otherworldly look. This is a co-operative produced wine. I have not been to their production facility but they are headquartered in Viseu a charming city not so far from Porto. In fact our media bus to Viseu departed from Porto. I regret that I had not stayed longer in Viseu.
In this case we are dealing with a single varietal a Portuguese red grape stalwart Touriga Nacional.
On the nose no doubt a Touriga Nacional with loads of blueberry, black cherry, blackberry, wet stone with a smidgen of black licorice. The palate presents us with mild tannins, perfectly controlled acidity, cassis, cherry nectar with a velvety smoothness. Not much complexity though. Best suited with food such as a rich pasta sauce with field tomatoes, fresh basil, jalapeno peppers and Spanish Mackerel filets served over wild rice. The mackerel filets only need to be in the sauce in its last 15 minutes of simmering. I see it as a utilitarian wine.
It will hold until the end of 2023 but I can’t see much benefit to ageing it. There is but a tiny hint of vanilla indicating oak. It has been aged 10 months in oak and I suspect old French oak?
(Morgado Silgueiros TN 2017 Touriga Nacional, Adega Cooperativa de Silgueiros, DOP Dão, Viseu, Portugal, $19,95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 25074, 750 mL, 14%, RKS Wine Rating 89/100).
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