Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Branco Curiosity is a blend similar to the Reserva Branco this issue (that is a roughly equal amount of Malvasia Fina and Encruzado), but it doesn't show the same. It did get a bit more oak—six months in new French oak and comes in at only 12.6% alcohol. The first difference is on the nose. This has a touch of mint and eucalyptus, which owner Julia Kemper said to me is a result of the vineyard. She said that all her wines have a little of this, but the personality level here makes it, um, a curiosity. By far the most distinctive of the wines this issue, this is very aromatic, minty on both the nose and the palate. It also has some of the same slight tartness of the others. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is pretty fine and rather intriguing. Thanks to its acidity, it should also make a good food wine, if you make sure to select the pairing with that minty nuance in mind. Julia said oysters and salmon might be good choices. Give it a try—it seems to be popular with chefs. There were just 1,000 bottles produced.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Producing some of the country’s most dignified and mineral-driven red wines, Dão is positioned in north central Portugal where granite mountains surround and shelter the region from any Atlantic maritime influence. Summers are long and warm; winters see abundant rainfall.