A subtle, sophisticated Portuguese offering

In case you haven’t noticed, the SLGA and a couple of private stores are doing an exceptional job in stocking Portuguese wines. I was in a large Toronto store – and they have a serious Portuguese population – and the selection was worse than the SLGA. I keep an eye on the section because they are exceptionally good wines, even if I haven’t a clue what the grapes are.

Case in point: I picked up a Douro DOC white last week. It isn’t all that easy to find non-Vinho Verde. Don’t get me wrong, I love Vinho Verde, but Portugal makes great serious whites too. In this case, Santos de Casa from the Douro, the main grape is Viosinho, with Rabigato and Gouveio rounding out the mix. “Of course,” you say, “I was drinking those grapes last week!” Right.

The wine is surprisingly intense. The colour is pale although the winemakers assure me it spent significant time on the lees. The aromatics are nice, a bit floral, but not at Moscato or Gewurztraminer levels. The palate is surprisingly smooth – although it has quite decent acidity, the grip is in the background. It doesn’t finish tremendously dry.

Forget the grapes. Only cork dorks care. Pay attention to the wine. This is a wine aimed at sophisticated drinkers who want their white a bit rounder and more elegant than say a basic Sauvignon Blanc. This is a wine I would cheerfully serve to Chardonnay and Viognier drinkers. It’s a wine for soft, young cheeses. (It’s pretty good with Cheez Whiz and crackers too.) If you like subtle wines that work well with cheese casseroles and a bit stronger seafood this is a wine for you.

Santos da Casa Douro DOC 2015 $29 **** Other wines on Twitter @drbooze.