Variety: 50% Moreto; 30% Tinta Grossa; 15% Trincadeira; 5% Aragonez
Region: Vidigueira & Alentejo
Cost: $18 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Clear and shiny color. In the nose it shows black cherry, raspberry, plum, and some vegetable notes. Creamy, but fresh, it reveals a salty and textural minerality. Fresh finish.
My Review: As I wind towards the end of the group of samples from Portugal that I’ve slowly been working my way through, I find myself struggling to pick my favorite one. While they certainly have some similarities, thanks to recurring grape use and regions, the unique ways that the different wine makers have taken those ingredients and crafted something out of them shows not only how small changes can have big impacts, but also what a diverse and talented body of winemakers are currently operating in Portugal. I’m truly excited to continue exploring the country and the wines the various regions have to offer.
Which brings me to the 2019 Herdade do Rocim Amphora. I’ll start by saying that I really liked this one. It’s definitely in the running to be one of my favorites from this group of wines. In the glass it was a deep purple color; inky but without pushing the boundary into being black. On the nose I picked up aromas of dark berries, dried herbs, and cassis — a mix of earthiness and fruit that I found welcoming.
In the mouth, the wine showed flavors of bramble, blackberry, cassis, violets, Herbs de Provence, and green pepper. It was complex without being overwhelming, with the fruit notes of blackberry and cassis being well balanced by herb notes and the vegetal notes of green pepper so that no one note stood out on its own, but neither was any flavor drowned out.
I didn’t pair the wine with any food, instead enjoying it on a miserable rainy Sunday afternoon, but I think pairing it with some roasted meats would be a great pairing — a juicy, roasted beef tenderloin with lots of herbs and some roasted potatoes would be hard to beat when paired with the 2019 Amphora.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
