2006 Viuva Jose Gomes da Silva & Filhos, Ramisco Collares, Ribeira de Collares, Portugal.
The Ramisco grape is only found here, and it is getting more rare with each passing year, it comes from the sea side plantings at Collares, near Sintra, northwest of Lisbon, it is a varietal that looks set for extinction with housing developments pushing it’s acreage to an ever shrinking area, this is very sad, as the Ramisco is like the Barolo or Barbaresco of Portugal. The size of the vineyards is getting tiny, I hope they find some other terroir where it can be at home, in fact the bottle size has shrunk too, the winery now sells it in a 500ml bottle, so it can make more single bottles of this wine. The 2006 Viuva Gomes da Silva Ramisco is a lovely red, showing detailed layers of flavor with good acidity, vibrancy and tannins lifting the medium weight red fruits, the color is a light ruby hue, like Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo and the character and charm does remind you of Piedmonte and Barolo, though with a bit of the exotic and a touch of sea side influences, as the grape is grown in pure sand in the dunes near the Atlantic coast. There is a tangy dried currant, strawberry, plum and poached cherry core with hints of anise, tar, peach, citrus rind, herbs, saline, guava flesh, cedar and sticky flower petals with mineral, flinty spices and fine chalk dust notes. Everything comes together nicely and elegant with the age, the grip has turned smooth along this beautiful wine to meld together with style and controlled vigor, it should age gorgeously for another 10 years, this is an amazing and unique wine, best from 2015 to 2026.
($38 Est. 500ml) 94 Points, grapelive
