Douro, Portugal

A few years ago winemaker Mateus Nikolau de Almeida embarked on a very interesting project in the form of his Tran Douro Express line of wines. He created three wines under the label, each from a different subregion of the Douro Valley. His aim was to show the climatic differences of the three sub-regions, and so each bottling had the same grapes and the same method of vinification, the only difference being the llocation of the vineyards. Cima Corgo is a site that is located just up the valley, on steep banks, near the Douro River; it is in the heart of the valley, and the climate here is almost Mediterranean. This is a field blend of various native grapes to the area: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Sousão, and Tinta Amarela; there are floral tones on the nose, along with subtle herb and spice notes, and the palate offers juicy dark fruit, plush tannins, and bright acidity.