Wine of the Week – Majestic S&R
2018 S&R Douro DOC – Douro – Northern Portugal
The Douro in northern Portugal is a designated UNESCO World heritage site and has been growing grapes since the Romans built the amazing terraces that line the 100 or so miles of the stunning Douro River and valley, to get a feel for the beauty of the region take a look at the image on the home page of this website, this is a photo I took on my last visit in 2019 high up in the vineyards looking back towards the town of Pinhao.
If you are lucky enough to get there one day you are sure to enjoy the Port (I will review one before Christmas for you) but don’t ignore the fabulous other wines on offer in the region. The S&R which is an exclusive to Majestic has been in store for a few years now and vintage after vintage continues to impress.
Don’t be worried by the £11.99 single bottle price as the mix 6 rule in Majestic drives this down to a respectable £7.99
https://www.majestic.co.uk/wines/sr-douro-red-15151?
Tasting Notes
Deep dark ruby in colour gives you a sense of something luscious and rich which is reinforced when you nose the glass, aromas of dark berries and soft peppery spice fill your senses.
In the mouth you get what you expect from the smell, you experience, an earthy and deep black berry, big and bold wine with refreshing acidity and more subtle violet notes that ensure it doesn’t overpower the tasting experience. Soft tannins alert your gums and teeth as the finish holds for pleasant while.
About the Wine
The wine is produced by two respected and influential wine makers João Ramos and José Maria Soares Franco. They have blended the regional grapes of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz to create something very typical of the region. Tinta Roriz is the same grape as the renowned Spanish Tempranillo which reinforces the tastes and quality that we are enjoying with this wine.
You may well remember the Porta 6 wine from Majestic (originally exclusive until the producers got greedy!) it’s now in some of the main stream supermarkets, well don’t think of the S&R as a more expensive alternative, it is clearly a far superior wine and for only a little more cash worth every penny.
VFM Rating: 93
Where: Majestic Wines
When: 26/10/21
Price: £7.99 (mix 6)