Quinta da Lagoalva 'Monte da Casta' 2004

Ribatejo, Portugal, MOP98, diam cork seal

Returning from holiday to a garden shrivelled from lack of water is never fun. Lucky though mint's a tough old thing and mine seems to be making something of a comeback. While not quite up to the vigour of past features the bright new leaves are a sign of hope. Just as exciting as mint is a bottle of wine with horses on it; in this case a purchase from Macau made from 50% Castelão, 25% Pinot Noir and 25% Touriga Nacional. It comes from the Ribatejo province.

The wine is a vibrant purple colour. The nose is all about dark cherries with sniffs of cranberry, dried herbs and a slight smokiness. These dark cherries that are hanging around the nose also dominate the palate, but in addition there's a distinct milk chocolate creaminess. It's a medium bodied wine that is soft, drinkable and nicely bound with a touch of tartness. The tannins are smooth and integrated and the alcohol well balanced. Quinta da Lagoalva Monte da Casta 2004 is a lovely wine that offers pleasant drinking at a fair price.

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