The New York Times recently called Portugal's affordable Douro Valley wines a "harbor in an economic tempest"--and with good reason. But Douro is not the only region in Portugal that is producing amazing wines at incredible value. As I found out at a wine-tasting dinner hosted by Adega Coop. de Borba at Grill 23 last week, the lesser known Borba wines of the Alentejo region are every bit as tasty and Recession-friendly.
Borba is one of the oldest wine-making regions in the world--with roots tracing back to the Roman occupation. It is situated in the heart of the Alentejo, an agricultural center located in the south of Portugal, close to the border with Spain. The wines of Borba take their unique character from the valley micro-climate in which several native varieties of grape grow--including Aragonez (the same varietal as Tempranillo in Spain), Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Castelao, and others. As Luis Gaspar of Adega Coop. de Borba told us, "Portuguese winemakers don't do single varietal wines--they prefer to make blends of the best of the various varietals."
The Adega Coop. de Borba, founded in 1955, was the first wine cooperative in the Alentejo, and today it consists of 300 members--many of them tiny, family-run vineyards. Recently, grants from the European Union have allowed the cooperative's winemakers to utilize new technologies and improve the quality and consistency of the wines. As a result, Wine Spectator rated a wine from Borba for the very first time: Adegaborba.pt White 2008 (which retails for $8 a bottle) was awarded 87 points.
I can recommend three bottles I tasted myself--all of them usually available locally at Prospect Liquor in Inman Square, as well as Kappy's and Yankee Spirits outside the city.
- Adega Coop. Borba Reserva Red 2005 (~$10-15) Look for the classic cork label (made from actual cork) that has graced this bottle since 1955. In Portugal, people associate this label with the Reserva wine's full flavor and aroma.
- Adegaborba.pt Reserva Red 2004 (~$10) A more modern and very aromatic wine made from a blend of Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Adega Coop. Borba Garrafeira Red 2002 (~$20-25) This more expensive wine is only produced in years in which the grapes are exceptional, and its flavor is complex, with hints of spice.
2 comments:
I am definitely going to search around for these Borba wines in NJ!
In addition to being made with superior grapes, “garrafeira” wines are cellar-aged by the winemaker before being sold to the public. So that 2002 bottle is possibly a new release. It’s a neat concept since you know you’re getting a wine that’s aged to the winemaker’s satisfaction and not simply skunked after sitting on a store shelf for years on end.
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