Wine of the Week! 12/04/23

Quinta dos Grilos Dão Red

Normally $10.99 / Now on Sale for $8.96
50% Aragonez, 30% Touriga-Nacional, 20% Jaen

Situated in the mountains of north-central Portugal, the Dão wine region is one of those regions that makes you think that some god just wanted grapes to be grown and wine to be made there. The mountains protect the region from the harsh winds of the Atlantic, blessing it with a temperate climate. Many growers plant their vineyards on slopes, guaranteeing good exposure, and the soil is rich in schist and granite. One of the country’s oldest and the most prestigious regions, the Dão is, thus, known for producing, from these conditions, acidic, complex, food wines; it’s known as “the Burgundy of Portugal.”

Owned by massive Dão negociants, Global Wines, Quinta dos Grilos (“Cricket Farm”) was founded in 1993 with the goal of making straight-forward, accessible, people-pleasing wines that still show some distinction of the Dão region. That’s how we get this, their entry-level red.

Half Aragonez (a.k.a. Tinta Roriz in this part of Portugal and a.k.a Tempranillo in Spain) with the other half almost even parts Jaen (a.k.a. Mencía in Spain) and Touriga-Nacional, this wine features the bold richness of the Aragonez, a rush of lushness from the Touriga-Nacional, and floral notes from the Jaen to keep the whole package from becoming too jammy. There’s just enough acidity on the edges to keep it from being flabby but not enough to dissuade you from taking the next glass. Ridiculously affordable, this Portuguese Dão red fully succeeds in what it sets out to do.