The Tejo region of Portugal has produced wine since Roman times.
At over 16 years of age, this classic Douro blend of indigenous varieties like Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional still shows quite a bit of color, with a rich garnet color, barely hinting at orange on the edges. The aromas show the wine’s maturity: mushrooms, tobacco, plums and raisins, with fine, fine tannins wrapping things up at the end. A nice bit of freshness on the finish shows that it still had a lot to offer, demonstrating how table wines for the Douro—and not just ports—can age gracefully for a very long time.
The oldest country in Europe is creating some of the newest wine experiences. The tide has finally turned, a distributor in the Northeastern U.S. recently told me.