Dows Vale do Bomfim Douro Red – A Whole Lot of Wine for 10 Dollars

30% Tinta Barroca, 25% Touriga Franca, 25% Touriga Nacional, 15% Tinta Roriz and 5% Tinta Cao from Douro Valley, Portugal.

SRP of $12 and available widely for around $10. Sample submitted for review.

From the bottle:

“The Vale do Bomfim is produced by the Symington family from grapes grown in vineyards that traditionally supply the House of Dow. It reflects the new style of wines from the Upper Douro valley where the region’s wealth of grape varieties, mature vineyards and modern winemaking have been successfully combined. The elegant structure of this wine offers assertive spice aromas and delicious wild berry flavours. Ready for drinking now, although it will continue to improve further in the bottle.

14.0% Alcohol”

Today’s wine comes from Dow’s, one of the premier Port producers in the Douro Valley for over two centuries. In fact this wine was one made for many years solely for the family and their guest’s enjoyment. Lucky for us in recent years a number of the Douro Port houses have begun making and exporting excellent table wines, both red and white, not to mention the fantastic wine coming from the rest of the country. (Just check out Monday’s Bulk Buy: Monte Velho White 2011 – A Summertime Slam Dunk.) Portugal really can do it all.

The 2009 Dows Vale do Bomfim Douro Red begins with pleasing aromas of blackberry, baking spice and pepper. Tasting the wine reveals lots of rich, juicy dark (and tart) fruit plus sweet, grippy tannins and good acidity. Spicy oak notes lurk underneath the fruit and come out towards the end. The finish is dry, long and delicious. Highly recommended now, but give this one another year in the bottle and I’m thinking it could reach Bulk Buy territory.

Buy this wine online from our featured sponsor Marketview Liquor or see a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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