Ramos Pinto Collector Port
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Wilfred
Wong
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The pale-red rim around the glass is the only visible sign of maturity. The initially opaque core develops into a translucent dark red and finishes with an intense red at the bottom of the glass. Its aromatic characteristics are similar to that of the vintage due to the potency of its dominant and dense fruit, revealing incredibly ripe aromas of dried plum, fig, blackberry, raspberry, and cherry. The attack is smooth and a full, balanced sensation of sweetness can be noted on the palate. Its ripe fruit is deliciously revealed to us, enhancing the most volatile and developed retronasal aromas. Its persistence is noteworthy.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: One of the biggest misnomers in the world of Porto was the designation, "vintage character." These Ports were simply ruby ports with just a little more age, a rounder palate, and kind of fit between basic rubies and tawnies. After 2002, this designation was no longer allowed on bottles of Porto. The IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto), Portugal's official body now places these wines in the category, "Ruby Reserve Port." The Ramos Pinto Collector Reserva Porto is one of the best examples of this genre. Its aromas and flavors of raspberries, blueberries, dried fruit, and earth notes are nicely present in a fortified wine of fine complexities. Enjoy its lovely nuances with a dark chocolate mousse. (Tasted: July 27, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
Founded by Adriano Ramos Pinto in 1880, Casa Ramos Pinto rapidly became noted, at the time, for its innovative and enterprising strategy. Associated with quality bottled wines, it began operating on the Brazilian market in the early 20th century and quickly became responsible for half of the wine exported to South America, whilst it was still conquering generations of loyal customers in Portugal and Europe. These were the natural results of a forward thinking strategy, based on the modernisation of selection, batching and ageing circuits, and the special care which Adriano Ramos Pinto devoted to the packaging and promotion of his wines.
Aware that the quality of its wines were confined to the earth of the wine producing Douro, Casa Ramos Pinto meticulously studied this Demarcated Region, and eventually became the owners of a number of estates with very special characteristics. The objective was to ensure the control and quality of the whole production process. By perfecting its wines, Ramos Pinto created unique nectars with its own signature.
In 1990, Casa Ramos Pinto became part of the Roederer Group, whose history has identical characteristics. The qualities that gave fame to Casa Ramos Pinto now took on an international dimension.
Port is a sweet, fortified wine with numerous styles: Ruby, Tawny, Vintage, Late Bottled Vintage (LBV), White, Colheita, and a few unusual others. It is blended from from the most important red grapes of the Douro Valley, based primarily on Touriga Nacional with over 80 other varieties approved for use. Most Ports are best served slightly chilled at around 55-65°F.
The home of Port—perhaps the most internationally acclaimed beverage—the Douro region of Portugal is one of the world’s oldest delimited wine regions, established in 1756. The vineyards of the Douro, set on the slopes surrounding the Douro River (known as the Duero in Spain), are incredibly steep, necessitating the use of terracing and thus, manual vineyard management as well as harvesting. The Douro's best sites, rare outcroppings of Cambrian schist, are reserved for vineyards that yield high quality Port.
While more than 100 indigenous varieties are approved for wine production in the Douro, there are five primary grapes that make up most Port and the region's excellent, though less known, red table wines. Touriga Nacional is the finest of these, prized for its deep color, tannins and floral aromatics. Tinta Roriz (Spain's Tempranillo) adds bright acidity and red fruit flavors. Touriga Franca shows great persistence of fruit and Tinta Barroca helps round out the blend with its supple texture. Tinta Cão, a fine but low-yielding variety, is now rarely planted but still highly valued for its ability to produce excellent, complex wines.
White wines, generally crisp, mineral-driven blends of Arinto, Viosinho, Gouveio, Malvasia Fina and an assortment of other rare but local varieties, are produced in small quantities but worth noting.
With hot summers and cool, wet winters, the Duoro has a maritime climate.