The Douro Valley is best known for its incomparable fortified Port wines, but it also boasts a long and storied history of producing world-class dry red and white table wines. From the Port house of Ramos-Pinto, we’re blessed with this distinctive white (branco) that seamlessly marries three of the Douro’s most important white varietals: Rabigato, Viosinho and Arinto. A brilliant lime-tinged pale lemon hue in the glass, Ramos-Pinto’s Duas Quintas White opens with fascinating aromas of lemon pith, yellow melon, and high-toned smoky minerals. Brisk on the attack, the Duas Quintas follows through on a palate marked by juicy Meyer lemon, quince, and green pineapple fruit infused with smoky shale and schistose minerals. Long, clean, and nervy, the Duas Quintas branco finishes with complex suggestions of honeysuckle blossoms, lemongrass, and a final lashing of salty minerals. This is a stunning value as an everyday sipper or as a complement to green salads, picnic fare, sauteed zucchini, oysters on the half-shell, sashimi, steamed clams, and seafood tapas. Enjoy now and over the coming three years.
A September 2020 newsletter selection
