“Bring Me a Shrubbery!”

Quinta do Passadouro
Vinho Branco 2019
40% Rabigato, 35% Códega do Larinho, 25% Viosinho
Duoro DOC
Pinhão, Portugal

Yellow/light golden (deepens over time) with a green shimmer. Inhale and there’s gentle scents of pears & apple, gooseberries, lychee, spring flowers, touch of apple blossoms, and a tiny bit of nose tickling citrus zest. Sip and there’s a blend of crisp pears & apples, white peaches, gooseberries, lychee, honeydew, touch of honeysuckle, a little tangerine spritz & zest, and a cool mineral lick & a pinch if salt. It’s fresh & light yet luscious at the same time.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Nah

Doesn’t everyone need a bit of blue shrubbery (especially “Knights Who Say ‘Ni!’” in their life or at least Anagallis Monelli aka Shrubby Pimpernel. These deciduous perennials don’t need a lot of water and can flourish even in a hot dry summer. My bet is that they reside in or around Passadouro’s vineyards, since their other labels (Vinho Tinto) have displayed critters from their locale. Also the flowers’ name “Anagallis” is also derived from Greek “ἀνα” & ἀγάλλειν which translate into “to delight again” because these pretty blossoms close in the evening only to reopen to for the sun so we can enjoy them over & over just like this Branco.

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #portugal #douro #FrederickWildman #QuintadoPassadouro #vinewinenyc

Creature Of The Night

Quinta do Passadouro
Vinho Tinto 2019
55% Tinta Roriz, 25% Touriga Francesa, 10% Touriga Nacional, 10% Field Blend from old vines
Duoro DOC
Pinhão, Portugal

Inky maroon with purple pops. Sniff and a little oak dances through & mingles with wildflowers, blackberries, black currants, plums, and a pinch of warm spice & anise. Tasting and there’s dark cherries joining the blackberries, black currants & plums & a red currant or two with a not quite ripe tart raspberry, licorice, and the teeny tiniest of tomato leaf appears & then tells you you didn’t see them…or shhh they were never there it’s all an illusion. Everything smooths out into an elegant, graceful sip. You know…this wine pairs well with a lot, but honestly I want it all to my self solo.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: this is one of those moments of YES!

My first encounter with Passadouro was when I was browsing wine in Montreal and a little Oryctolagus cuniculus hopped in my way. Yes, I was pulled in by the label but not just because of the little Portuguese bunny, but also the artistic details from the drawing & the distinctive zipper-like cut in the design. The next one to flutter in my path was a native game bird, the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) on their Tinto 2012. Now this 2019 red may just be my favorite yet with the sleek, stealth, and agile creature of the night…the Genetta genetta. I wonder if they are part of the natural pest control for their vineyards since they are carnivores. Back to the vineyards/grapes, another reason why I have fallen for these vinhos is their consistent yet somewhat varied blends. They always start with the 3 same grapes: Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa, & Touriga Nacional but may not be the same percent depending on the harvest and sometimes (like this one) it’s rounded out with a field blend of old vines. Hands down this bottle is not only a work of art, but it’s also simply delicious. 🍷

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #winelover #winetasting #wineoclock #wineoftheday #wineislove #winetime #worldbyglass #portugal #douro #FrederickWildman #QuintadoPassadouro #vinewinenyc