Wine Reviews *  ** 

Two nice wines for your Summer BBQ, one Carménère from Chile, and one Alvarinho from Portugal.  

Short versions

Torres Las Mulas 2016 Riserva is an organic, budget dry red wine from Chile. Made from 100% Carmenère, its fruity style is a very nice pairing with BBQ (pork, lamb, beef). Price ≈ 6-8 €, Quality/Price ratio ≈ 1.2

Alvarinho Deu La Deu 2016 Premium is a dry white wine from Portugal. It brings the freshness you would expect from a 100% Alvarinho. However, since it also has  been vinified with light oak treatment, it is a wonderful companion to grilled fish, sea food, and chicken. Price ≈ 16-18 €, Quality/Price ratio ≈ 1.3

 

Indepth versions

Torres Las Mulas 2016 Riserva is a 100% Carménère from Central Valley in Chile. It is a D.O. (Denominacion de Origen) wine meaning it complies with the so called 85% rule (in order to be allowed to export to EU). Riserva means that it has to have an abv. above 12%, which it does (e.g. 13.5%). 

Carménère as a variety has an interesting story in Chile, and is now considered to be the “national grape variety” of the country.

Its color is dark, cherry-like, red. Acidity medium level. To nose and palate you’re served with a palette of fruits (sweet black currant, blueberries), chocolate, and some spiciness. 70% of the wine has been treated in French oak barrels. The oak is there but in a rather subtle way. The finish is fruity and fairly long. It is quite common that red wines from Chile are too fruity – fruit bombs. In this sense, Torres Las Mulas is in the lower end of the scale.

An ok wine for its price level. It improves when served with food. 85 / 100

 

Alvarinho Deu La Deu 2016 Premium originates from Vinho Verde, the most northern wine region in Portugal. Vinho Verde is a D.O.C. bordering to Spain’s Galicia region, and the same grapes are grown on both sides of the border. Alvarinho (Albariño in Spain) is the most wellknown. Other grape varieties are, among others, Arinto, Loureriro, and Trajadura.

Alvarinho Deu La Deu Premium is produced by Adega Cooperativa e Regional de Monção CRL in the subregion of Monção E Melgaço. This region is known for producing high quality Alvarinho wines. Cooperatives is a common form of organizing wine production in Portugal.

Please note that there are no less than three (!) versions of Alvarinho Deu La Deu; the plain (Alvarinho Deu La Deu), the Alvarinho Deu La Deu Riserva, and the Alvarinho Deu La Deu Premium. Only the premium has been treated in oak.

Color is pale straw yellow. Freshness from the high acidity levels characteristic of Alvarinho wines. Aromas are of oak, yellow apples, citrus, tropical fruits, accompanied by some nuttiness. Fairly long, fresh and fruity finish.

Alvarinho Deu La Deu 2016 Premium is an excellent aperitif, served at 12°C on a warm Summers day.

A very nice wine. The combination of oak and freshness is intriguing and a temptation. Wonderful as it is, and even better with food. It is not the least expensive of the wines you could choose. But it definitely is a very good choice. 92 / 100.

 

* The reviews are based on wines I’ve tried myself. There’s no sponsoring involved in my reviewing, and the reviews express my own opinions of the wines.

If you’re interested in learning more about the grapes mentioned above, download the app; 200+ Wine Grapes. Available for iOS and Android.

 

** På svenska:

Torres Las Mulas 2016 Riserva (nr 2362) ingår i ordinarie sortiment och kostar 89:-. Ett helt ok vin till det priset. Riktigt gott till grillat. Funkar bra också till starka såser då fruktsötman i vinet klarar av att möta hettan i såsen.

Alvarinho Deu La Deu 2016 Premium (nr 2059, kostar 179:-) är i det ordinarie sortimentet men inte tillgängligt i alla butiker. Jag tycker det är ett fantastiskt vin, inte minst om man vill hitta ett alternativ till över-ekade Chardonnayviner. Finns det inte på ett systembolag nära dig tar det fyra dagar att få hem det. Väl värt att vänta på.