Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Quinta de Cidrô – Alvarinho – 2023
Douro DOC – Douro Valley / Portugal 🇵🇹

Overview
100% Alvarinho from the Cima Corgo sub-region of the Douro Valley, grown at higher elevations where altitude and continental influence preserve freshness and aromatic precision. This Portuguese expression leans more textural and mineral-driven than many Rías Baixas examples, with ripeness kept in check by vibrant acidity.

Aromas & Flavors
Ripe pineapple, Meyer lemon, citrus peel, white peach, subtle orange blossom, fresh herbs, and a delicate saline–mineral edge that reflects the Douro’s schist soils.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a lively, crisp attack. Bright acidity carries the wine across the palate, while a gentle phenolic grip adds structure and depth. Clean, focused, and persistent on the finish.

Food Pairings
Grilled shrimp or prawns, ceviche, seared scallops, herb-marinated chicken, Portuguese bacalhau preparations, fresh goat cheese, or simply as an aperitif on a warm day.

Verdict
A balanced, refreshing, and highly expressive Alvarinho that showcases Portuguese terroir beautifully. The ripe pineapple character is distinctive without feeling tropical or overripe, making this wine both appetizing and dangerously drinkable.

Did You Know?
While Alvarinho is most famously associated with northern Portugal and Galicia, Douro-grown examples like this one often show more texture and mineral depth due to altitude and schist soils rather than Atlantic proximity.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
This sits comfortably among my top white wines from Portugal. I love how it differentiates itself from classic Rías Baixas Albarinho, more structure, more terroir expression, and just enough richness to stay compelling sip after sip.
— 6 days ago

Severn G

9.2

Atlantic Ocean, lite...Notes tomorrow?

192H Update:
Nose has fully saturated oak plank, moist almonds, incredible sweet & saline notes, fermenting green apples, white chocolate bar, white candle wax and fresh yellow apple slice. Palate has almond broth (does that exist?), dried yellow apple, chamomile tea, moist bread, faint green olive (?) with mild saline finish, faint acidity. Damn I do not drink enough Manzanilla! — 4 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Don Próspero – Tannat 2017
Canelones, Uruguay 🇺🇾

Overview:
Made from Uruguay’s flagship grape, this 100% Tannat hails from the Canelones region, the country’s viticultural heartland. It captures the bold, structured, and unapologetically powerful style that has put Uruguay on the wine map.

Aromas & Flavors:
Dark fruit at its core, black plum, blackberry, and cassis, wrapped in notes of cedar, baking spice, and a touch of earth. After hours in the decanter, it remained tight yet expressive, with hints of licorice and savory herbs peeking through.

Mouthfeel:
Full-bodied with gripping, chewy tannins and firm dryness. The structure dominates, yet there’s depth and intensity that suggests longevity. Still evolving in the glass.

Food Pairings:
Perfect with rich and fatty dishes that tame its tannins, think grilled ribeye, lamb shanks, or slow-braised short ribs. Also works with aged Manchego or blue cheese.

Verdict:
A serious, food-demanding Tannat that showcases Uruguay’s bold personality. Not a casual sipper, but for the right pairing it becomes absolutely delicious. With its muscle and backbone, this vintage still has 5–8 years of cellaring potential ahead. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Uruguay is the only country where Tannat is the national grape, brought over by Basque settlers in the 19th century. Canelones, just north of Montevideo, produces nearly two-thirds of Uruguay’s wine and is known for its Atlantic breezes, which help balance Tannat’s tannic intensity with freshness. — 2 months ago

Dan Draper

10

Love this Real Ale. One of the best Red Ales I have ever had — 3 years ago

Erin Lenczycki

9.3

Very nice, well balanced. Should try to drink the night you open as it goes south fast. — 4 years ago

Victor Charcan

9.3

Elegant nose of sour cherries, smoke, bacon, slate, blood. A metallic mineral hint and fantastic acidity that points you in an Atlantic direction. A beauty, at a very affordable price, if you are a Burgundy lover this is Spain’s closest — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Mostly Tempranillo with a small amount of Graciano, aged in oak for 15 months, from the Rioja Alavesa, where Tempranillo thrives in a microclimate strongly influenced both by the elevation and the proximity of the Atlantic ocean. Deep Ruby with aromas of aromas of red fruits with cedar and spice notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and red plum with vanilla, oak and cacao notes. Fine tannins, long finish, ending with fruit, oak, pepper earthy character. Nice value! — 2 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.4

Birthday bottle with Balkan take away from Ambar DC.
Shows why this is still an underrated variety. Both dense, dark and plummy on one hand and a bit leafy/herbal and mineral on the other. It seems to meet somewhere in the Eastern Atlantic between Castilla y Leon and Bordeaux. — 3 years ago

Jim Wagonfeld

9.3

A unique and distinctive wine from the genius that is Envinate. Slightly cloudy, mid yellow. Nose features briny rock, sea shells and lemon. Palate mineral driven with Meyer lemon. Long + acid on the finish. Clearly volcanic and “Atlantic”. We loved it! — 4 years ago

with Judy

Richard Mora

9.0

I feel like I’m standing cliff side overlooking the Atlantic. I can almost feel the mist spritzing my face. Brine and minerals up front. Secondary aromas of stone fruits and sweet-smelling flowers (or is it melon?). Flavors of flint and lemon peel complimented with a beautiful, long acidity.

— 5 years ago