Quinta da Boavista "Terras de Tavares" Tinto 2002

Press 2 • May 2025 Direct Press Selection

The Dao, in north-central Portugal, has a more temperate climate compared to the coastal regions, and it has the potential to make some of Portugal's most elegant, finessed wines, earning it comparisons to Burgundy as far back as the 1800s. João Tavares de Pina's wines are based around pre-modern winemaking philosophies, only using "grapes, water to clean his equipment and a touch of sulfur at bottling," according to his importer. This was the way his father made wine, too. His vineyards are beautifully overgrown with grass, wildflowers, chamomile, lavender, clover, and serradella. Oak and eucalyptus surround the vines. João's farming is as minimal as it gets, with organic applications only as needed.

This library release from 2002 is as much evidence as you need to know about João's skills in the vineyard and cellar. It's a blend of 60% Jaen (aka Mencia) and 40% Touriga Nacional, fermented and aged for six months in steel, followed by three years in 400L oak barrels. Soft, silky black plum notes are still there after all these years, though it is now matched with the wonderfully bewitching hallmarks of gracefully aged wine. Notes of sagebrush, black tea, toffee, saddle leather, and a touch of mesquite add complexity but they don't compromise the underlying finesse and elegant tannins. Jonathan Kemp