♦ 2007 “Concertina” ♦

A Douro-style Portuguese varietal blend
Tinta Roriz (74%) – Touriga Nacional (19%) – Touriga Franca (4%) – Tinto Cão (3%)
Vineyard: Pierce Ranch
Appellation: San Antonio Valley (Southwestern Monterey County)
Alcohol: 12.8%
Production: 142 cases





 

A concertina is a small hexagonal accordion with buttons for keys. In the Douro Valley of Portugal, this instrument was used at harvest time leading the way back for the people who were carrying the heavy baskets of grapes on their backs. The old-timers say that the concertina had the gift to relieve the pain from the workers and give them motivation with its sound and melody.

This wine is a blend of red varieties such as one might find from the Douro River Valley of Portugal. Touriga Nacional provides the very deep berry fruit and the round richness of the body of the wine. Tinta Roriz (known as Tempranillo in Spain) provides good structure with cherry and cranberry kind of fruit characteristics. Tinto Cão is all about high notes of floral elements and bright, tart fruit components, and Touriga Franca contributes incredible aromatic complexities of rose petals and lavender.

The label shows the Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca percentages only as “Touriga””. This is an unfortunate situation governed by the federal authorities who approve labels for commercial wine. They don’t recognize these two clearly separate varieties and will only allow us to use the term “Touriga” on the label.

The aromas and flavors in this wine are quite different that what you will be used to experiencing with the more common central European varieties. There are fruit, flower, spice and earth components that aren’t quite like the great majority of wines available in the United States. This very complex wine should pair well with a rather large range of foods – we find it hard to recommend one or two things as it seems to work with just about anything.